Morning Glory [Green Flitter Lamb's Maiden Flight]

[nightingale]

Ke'rin was worried about his flitter. The little green had hardly been eating at all the last few days, tearing up the meat he offered her into tiny pieces and nudging them around, but failing to do much more than lap up the juices. Oh, and of course there was the glowing. He hadn't thought much of it at first, considering that Jaymith glowed constantly, but unlike her bronze mindmate who's aura stopped at a soft blurring around the edges, Lamb had grown so dazzlingly bright recently that it was difficult to look at her without wincing. To her credit though, the little green seemed perfectly healthy. If anything, the boy would say she seemed a little more energetic than she usually did.

Do not worry for sister Lamb. Jaymith reassured him, lifting his neck so that the boy could scrub underneath his chin. She likes her new glow, and I think she looks very pretty with it -like a little princess. Kei sighed, glancing up briefly to watch Lamb preen herself in a low branch of a sapling near the river. She certainly looked content...maybe he was just over-analyzing things. He went back to washing Jaymith.

The little green warbled happily, giving her pinions a shake as she decided that she had done enough preening. Oh, she did feel so very pretty today. Mmm, pretty was nice...it made her feel nice. It made her want to fly. Oh, now there was a lovely idea! To jump up and fly, feel the sun on her wings...oh and the males! Oh, there must be males to fly with her, so they could see how very pretty she was! Yes, yes that was a grand idea! She would fly!

Lust was an emotion Kei had never associated with his flitter before, and so the rush of desire that suddenly came flooding to him through their link was a shock violent enough to make him drop his brush. He whirled around just in time to see Lamb launch herself skyward like a tiny ball of neon-green flame. Oh Shells, she was rising! Rising? Sister Lamb is rising! Oh how wonderful! Jaymith promptly gave himself a shake, soaking his bonded as he splashed out of the shallows and switched to a Weyr-wide broadcast. Everyone, this is your prince Jaymith! My sister Lamb is rising! Oh flitters and salamandyrs, blue and brown and bronze, come and chase my beautiful sister! She rises!

The tiny flitter trilled ecstatically, her mottled wings billowing as she slipped into a warm updraft. She turned her whirling violet eyes toward the Weyr, crooning flirtatiously to it's male inhabitants in agreement with her bronze brother's announcement. Oh, her males must come! Oh, surely they would come to see how pretty she was? They would fly with her, admire her and chase her all across the sky! Oh what fun it would be!

Kei simply plopped himself down onto the grassy bank, staring up into the sky in blank horror as the little bronze dragon trumpeted his encouragement to Lamb. What in the name of Faranth he had just been dragged into?

[dragon]

Jaymith did not need to annouce the pretty green's flight ... oh no. Not to Rascal, at any rate. The young brown had been shadowing her from afar, ever since laying eyes on her at the beginning of her lovely glowing session. Indeed, E'yan had been wondering where his little brown had gotten to, but had worried little about it. As long as the flitter wasn't annoying Kindrith, the little brown was more than likely safe enough...

As soon as Lamb took off, Rascal leapt off his own branch, and started after her. Warbling in admiration and appreciation, he pumped his brown wings hard and fast to catch up to her. He had thought he had started out pretty close ... though careful to not be annoying ... but suddenly those few yards seemed so much too far away from her pretty hide.

Rascal peeped and warbled and trilled happily as he flew, singing her a flitter song of love as he chased faithfully after her. She was his beautiful Lamb! He was her strapping Rascal!! And he would be hers! He would take care of her, look after her, dote on her ... if she would only have him to be hers!

[Kisha-Ra]

Imp scrambled carefully over Azrath’s haunches, digging claws into dragons and humans generally resulted in Imp being shaken about while his living perch made noises at him. It was quiet yet at the part of the river His liked to use for washing Azrath and Imp had a vested interest in keeping things that way. One of the winged cousins was soon to Rise, she was down here, somewhere, and Imp wanted to know when she decided to Fly.

No Azrath wasn’t high enough to give Imp the kind of launch he would need to give the green he desired a good chase. The bronze salamandyr ran up Azrath’s neck and bounded off the dragon’s head to get into a tree beside the river, which he climbed quickly. Yes. Imp said decisively, this would be a good place, and from here he could see his pretty one.

Darya looked up suspiciously. ‘What is he up to this time?’ She demanded of no one in particular, normally Imp couldn’t keep out of the way when she was trying wash Azrath. I don’t know. Does he have to be up to something?[/color] the blue stretched his neck upwards for a better look at the salamandyr. ‘Isn’t he always?’ Darya demanded, and that was when desire caught her and swept her up. ‘Imp I hate you.’ The rider growled through clenched teeth.

Imp dashed along his branch and leapt from one tree to another to catch up with his green before he launched himself from the top of one and spread his small salamandyr wings in a glide that sent him into an updraft and after Lamb.

[Rei]

Vega gave a small trumpet as he rocketed out of the tree after the object of his desire. The pale flitter had been shadowing Lamb for days waiting for her to rise. Now was finally the time, she was magnificent and he intended to win her. He glided behind Rascal and gave Lamb a croon. See he was here. Did she see him? He flared his broad wings for emphasis the sapphire blue membranes sending splashes of color into the surrounding foliage. He may be tiny but he was determined to do his best to win her.

Raylin stumbled into her room just as the strong waves of lust suddenly coursed over her. Ebolath crooned anxiously, her eyes whirling in concerned yellow oranges, and pressed her head into her bonded. Raymine? What is wrong? Are you ok? The weyrling hung onto Ebolath’s mind like a life preserver and used it as leverage as she carefully pushed Vega’s conscious further into the back of her mind. I am fine love. She reassured her dragon giving her head a loving stroke. Darn that little flitter. Ebolath was too precious to her. No way was she going to let anything hurt her. She was determined to ignore the lust.

Raylin lay back on her cot and prodded Ebolath’s mind. Lets play a game love. What kind of game? Her little dragon queried eyes whirling in pleased blue tones. How about storytelling? Her dragon gave a pleased croon and flopped down on the floor next to her bonded’s cot laying her head across Raylin’s legs. Shall I start?

[nightingale]

Lamb tilted her head curiously as a soft, pleasant warbling reached her ears. Oh, her first admirer! And what a charmer her was, singing so sweetly to her as if she were the nicest thing in the world! Tilting one wing ever so slightly, she turned to circle back toward Rascal. She didn't pass by too closely, only wanting to have a look at him. Oh, and what a handsome brown he was! She warbled her approval of his fine, deep colouring and well-oiled hide. He was very large though. Oh, very large...maybe too large...

Oh, and over there was blue Vega! How nice of him to come and fly with her! She chirruped a greeting, banking to the right so as to circle him in a similarly appreciative fashion. Nice Vega, always so nice...but very small now that she saw him flying near the large brown...Oh, and look there! What was that shiney flashing in the leaves? A salamandyr! Oh, coming to fly with her? How very thoughtful of him! She should fly a little lower then, so they could all fly together.

Sharpening the angle in her wings, the little green slipped into graceful dive. She trilled pleasantly as she descended, swooping about Imp in a playful arc. Oh what a handsome bronze he was! Very small though...it was almost funny really! A tiny, tiny little bronze come to fly with her...well, he had best hurry if he wanted to catch her! Beating her shimmering wings a few times to gain altitude, the little green oriented herself into an even glide so she could skim over the treetops

Hmmm, the sun was nice...but flying out in the open air with the sun to warm you really was too easy. Spying an opening in the canopy, the tiny flitter dipped gracefully between the branches and into the cool, sun dappled jungle. The light played brilliantly on her hide, and may have rendered her invisible among the tangled branches had her glowing not been so hard to ignore. Oh, but she wasn't trying to escape her males. Oh no, she just wanted to see how they fared away from open sky. After all, a tiny thing such as her rarely flew where all could see and admire her. Her mate had to be not only a good flyer, but a good jumper, climber and dodger as well. After all, handsome could only get them so far...

[dragon]

Rascal dipped and wove as the pretty little green circled back to look at him. He puffed his chest up big, to make himself look even more striking than he knew he was already. Stretching his wings wide, he glided for a moment as she circled ... he wasn't looking to fly away from her, after all.

He crooned and warbled to her happily, glad to have gained her attention. And he continued to cheep and warble and croon, calling to her sweetly as she went off to look at the other suitors that had suddenly appeared. He worried over that, trying to regain her attention.

Had she found him unworthy? Had the others brought something that she preffered? What had he missed? But no, she flew on again, rather than taking one of the other, smaller males. Rascal sped up again, following her down the river and twirling over and around obstacles to follow her. And then up over the canopy. Ah, the view! Rascal followed her across the green feild that was the top of the trees, shining in the sun.

And then she was gone! Where has she gotten to?! And then Rascal spotted her below him again, under the canopy. He dropped down, scraping a few leaves off thier braches as he punched through the foliage, sending the green bits spiraling downward. Spreading his youthful wings, he turned on some more speed again, chasing desperately after her. Lifting, falling, twisting to one side, and then the other ... all to get through all those pesky branches and follow her even still.

Clever, smart little girl! So hard to follow! But he would follow! He wanted to be hers. He wanted to have her be his. Once he had closed some of the distance, he started calling to her again, telling her all about her from his perspective. How lovely, how smart, how beautiful! Her elegant little form moving so temptingly through the jungle was worthy of praise greater than he could bestow!

[Rei]

Vega chirped to Lamb as she approached and the pale flitter fluttered in place for a few moments as she circled him. A spark of jealousy entered him as she left to circle the mandyr. Silly frilly. Lamb would be his! Frillys were not supposed to chase. They were not firelizards. Vega snorted as he passed the bronze frilly to follow his glorious female. As far as the little flit was concerned his only competition was Rascal.

The pale blue glided after Lamb finding that as long as he glided his reserves of energy stayed untapped. He may be a weak flyer but he was adept at gliding and so as she dropped below the canopy he used it to his advantage. Gliding from tree to tree Vega sunk his little claws into the bark of the trunk and using his powerful leg muscles, pushed off to glide to the next branch or trunk.

He soon fell into a graceful rhythm as he swirled among the branches with the ease of one used to making short flights and hops. As long as she stayed in the jungle he would have minimal trouble following her. If she wanted clever he would show her how clever he could be. Vega dipped around a tangle of vines expertly shooting through the small hole the tangle left open. He crooned happily to her. Clever beauty did she see how smart he was?

[nightingale]

Lamb trilled a tiny, flitter laugh as a loud crunch sounded behind her. The handsome brown was not very graceful, was he? But then he was very large, and the jungle branches were very hard to navigate...oh and what a nice singer he was. She gave her tail a little flick, dipping into a wide corkscrew to show off her brilliant, gleaming hide to him. Her mottled wings created a tiny whirlwind on the jungle floor as she pulled up in the nick of time, sending leaves and bracken skittering in all directions. Oh yes, she was lovely and smart and beautiful, wasn't she? Oh, but she was getting quite tired. Her little wings were aching and gaining altitude was getting more and more painful with each dive.

Lighting on the sloping vine of a jungle flower, Lamb twisted her delicate neck over one shoulder to see just where her males were. There was brown Rascal, clear as day and close behind her... but where was her tiny bronze suitor? He mustn't have been able to keep up...well, sweet as it was that he had thought to chase her, he had been very, very small...and blue Vega? Where was he? The tiny green chirruped in surprise, taking wing as he suddenly burst forth from the foliage to her right. Oh, goodness! She warbled scoldingly. He had frightened her! And what was he doing, hopping about like a slamandyr instead of ducking and weaving through the branches like a good flitter should? He was just so silly!

Tilting one wing, she made a crisp turn, circling her remaining two suitors like a tiny, glowing moon. Oh my, now whoever would she choose? Her brown Rascal was handsome, strong and very charming, but was there any more to him than sweet nothings and self-confidence? Oh and then there was her blue Vega. She knew that he was very nice and very clever too...but he was also so very unimpressive! Chirruping her playful indecision, the little green whirled about and began spiraling into the clear blue sky. Well, this was their very last chance to impress her, for every moment she spent teasing and testing was a fight against her instincts. Which of the two was good enough to twine with a pretty dancer like herself? She would decide soon enough...

[dragon]

Rascal twirled madly around the vine that Lamb lit upon, waiting on her to continue onward. Why was she stopped so? What was she looking for? Twirling endlessly, Rascal was starting to get dizzy, and was quite grateful when she finally flew onward again. The hopping and bopping from Vega caught Rascal's attention for a bit, as the brown wondered what was bouncing around like a deranged wherry. Seeing that it was only the blue trying to avoid actually flapping his wings, Rascal turned his attention back to Lamb.

She was so pretty! Rascal followed her through the jungle again, wherever she chose to go. And finally, started twirling higher into the sky. He couldn't spin as tightly as she could, but he tried to fly in as tight a circle as he could manage, peeping encouragingly to her. He was starting to feel the strain of the flight, but not enough to really bother him yet. Rascal was a brown after all, and still had a lot of endurance left in him. He could tell, however, that Lamb was starting to tire, and knew she would choose soon.

As they gained yards above the canopy, Rascal stretched his brown wings wide, to show them off to her. See? He could carry her! He could care for her! Rascal would not let her fall! Crooning lovingly to his shiny, glowing green, the brown rolled over, belly up for a few minutes. And then he twirled around again, back to being rightside up and climbing after her again.

[Kisha-Ra]

Imp twisted around in midair as the green swooped about him. Pretty, lovely, wonderful. He showered her with compliments that, to his mind, were fully justified as she flew away, hoping to draw her attention back to him. Oh she was flying beautifully over the canopy, he should follow.

Imp put as much power into his wing beats as he could to get up good speed on his glide. Imp was her drop through an opening in the branches and made a smug little sound, he was made for the underside of the trees far more than the open sky.

Imp went from glide to run to climb to leap and back to glide with barely a pause pursuing his glowing beauty through the verdant jungle with his frill raised proudly. Did she not admire him? Was he not far more agile than any other?

The green dipped and corkscrewed downward, showing her beautiful hide and her flying skill to the best advantage in the dappled light. Imp stood still as she rose from that manoeuvre, was she getting tired yet? Maybe… She paused in her flight, alighting on a hanging vine, Imp dashed toward her but the blue burst out of the foliage and startled her away, stupid blue! Imp hissed and raised his frill a little higher, why didn’t she look at him, didn’t she like him, was he not flying enough? Yes that must be it, she had big strong wings, her mate should fly with her!

With that thought Imp dropped his frill flat and ran along a branch to bound out into the open air, doing the best he could with his wings. Oh but she was rising again, and once more only paying attention to the other flitters. Imp Flapped madly and rose haphazardly until he could catch a thermal and soar upward. See? Here he was and better than any silly clumsy flitter male! Imp called for her attention with a loud chirp, surely she wasn’t going to choose one of them when she could have him?

[Rei]

As Vega burst from the foliage next to Lamb be gave a peep of apology. He had not meant to startle his glowing beauty. The pale flitter ignored the frilly as it frilled at him. The silly creature. As Lamb began her ascent the pale flitter gave a chirp and resigned himself to the fact that it was only natural for her to rise. She could not stay in the jungle forever.

As his green flower rose Vega shot up after her grim determination set into his features. He flared his broad wings and fought to climb with her, ignoring the burning in his muscles. She was a prize worthy of any pain. He decorated his upward climb with as many twists and turns as he could manage, catching the sunlight with his sapphire membranes so they glinted and sparkled.

The pale flitter used the occasional updraft to help in his long climb. Surely she would see how hard he was willing to work to please her? To give her the flight he knew she deserved. Vega crooned lovingly to her as he climbed. It was she who would make the decision, and they, her loyal chasers, that would have to accept it no matter what the outcome may be. Oh but how he wished it could be him.

[nightingale]

Being a sweet-natured flitter at heart, Lamb was finding it difficult to reject two of the males who had chased her so dutifully. They had all tried so very hard to catch her eye...even her tiny bronze had reappeared, rising on a thermal updraft to pursue her skyward in defiance his species and stature. He was clever and handsome, bronze Imp...but he was simply too small and too slow. She crooned an apology to him, then cast her whirling violet eyes toward Vega.

Blue Vega...he had always been kind to her, even before she had risen...oh, but he was just not very much of a male. His heart was good, but his hide was pale and his wings were small and blunt. He was no dancer, and she was certain that it was only sheer determination that had let him keep up with her thus far. She needed a male who could best her. Someone she would be able to rely on to protect her. Someone who would be able to provide her with strong, healthy children.

It was for that reason that she warbled a farewell to Vega and descended to Rascal.

Trilling her adore at having found so strong and handsome a male to call her own, the little green entwined herself with her chosen mate. She was his Lamb, and he was her singer, her chaser, her lovely Rascal.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

She has chosen the brown cousin, just like I guessed. Jaymith snorted with triumphant smugness to his bonded, who was still sitting near the riverbank. She chose well. Those other two were not nearly strong or handsome enough for her. I only wish that there would have been a bronze flitter for her to choose...do you not think she is pretty enough to be chased by a bronze flitter Mine? The little dragon tilted his head toward Ke'rin, curious as to why he was just sitting there, staring at the river. Ke'rin-mine? Jaymith asked as he waddled over to the boy. You do not think Lamb picked well?

"No Jaymith, I know she picked the best."

He sighed, managing a small smile as he slipped an arm around his dragon's outstretched neck.

"But I can't say I wasn't hoping that little Vega would pull off something amazing. I...I just think they would have been cute together."

Do not dwell of the flight of flitters Mine! You can catch Ebolath's on your own! Jaymith assured him with a cheerful croon, nuzzling the side of his face up against the boy's chest. Kei couldn't help but be started by the clarity of his dragon's statement. Sometimes he forgot how meshed together their minds were. He smiled, stroking his dragonet affectionately.
Today is about Lamb, remember you great egomaniac? Let's focus on her for now. I know mine. Jaymith purred, eyes whirling an aquatic blue.
...but even if you don't manage to catch Ebolath's when she rises... Jaymi- I will be sure to catch Ebolath for the both of us -right after I catch Oquith...maybe Peppeth after that...is Peppeth's pretty? Because I think Peppeth is quite pretty. Maybe I will catch a gold after that...

May a bronze and his ego never bare witness to the cruel snares of reality.

[dragon]

The sturdy brown continued to try and win her favor as her attention went to the 'mandyr below, and then to the blue. Maybe something last minute would draw her attention back to him ... he knew she was choosing soon. Very soon. And he so terribly wanted to be chosen! She was so pretty! And he let her know all about it, too, lavishing her with praise like never before, warbling and trilling to her with as much emotion as he could pour into verbalization.

And! And she was coming to him! Rascal's dream come true! She was all his!

Rascal crooned to her lovingly as he rose to meet Lamb in the sky, welcoming her to him, as he twined with her there in the air. Stretching his wings as wide as he could, he held her safely aloft, his strength carrying her true.