Willing to Take a Risk? (Green Wher Risk's Run)

[antinanco]

Like everything else for Rinnel, it began on the evening commute out to Watch Duty. They had gotten about half way there when Risk began acting oddly. She began practically prancing around her handler like a giddy girl, nipping at his cloths if he was negligent enough.

“What?!” He cried, throwing his arms up into the air hopelessly. It was then that the green paused long enough for Rinnel to catch the bottomless violet pits that her whirling eyes had become and to see the way Pern’s two moons illuminated her taunt hide like a tumescent piece of Jade. Sighing in utter defeat, the handler slumped and accepted the onslaught of lust. Risk was going to Run, whether he liked it or not.

Shooing the wher off, Rinnel attempted to get her to a sane Running area like an the open bank of sand by the river or the pastures of the valley. But Risk would not wait for her handler to choose a more natural spot. She wanted handsomes, and she wanted them now! Letting lose a feral bugle that shook the Weyr wide awake, Risk announced her coming courtship impatiently. Come or be ugly! That was the invitation.

Another three wild bellows were let loose, enough to sufficiently deafen Rinnel and to awaken most of the Weyr. Her shining form stood erect at the edge of the forest, muscles ripping with lustful tension and her head craned elegantly. Then she caught sight of her first handsome emerging from the Barracks and the green shot off into the Jungle.

“Of you could just, y’know, run off without taking a single word of my advice or anything. It not like anyone listens to me anyway!” he hopelessly shouted his last intelligible words after the retreating figure and he sulked over to the Wherhandler Barracks’ main room. As much as he despised it, this was not his time to shine. If others were willing to endure his company when he melded minds with the beast, they could find him in the main room of the Barracks. Otherwise, when this whole fiasco was over, he was holing himself up in his room, hopefully without another man.

---

Once into the jungle, Risk skirted around the tree trunks, a rumbling, inviting croon sent to those assembling. The canopy created an intricate dappled pattern on her hide, acting as both as beauty enhancers and as natural camouflage. If the handsomes wanted to Chase her and prove their good looks, they would need to survive the dangers of the Jungle and be quick enough to catch her. With fallen vines, scattered tree trunks, random ditches and perhaps even a feline or two lurking in the shadows, Chasing Risk was going to be quite a task filled with too many risks to be named in a sane amount of time. So, what were they waiting for? Step up to the plate and come get their Risk!

[/font]

[Avu]

The little blue wher had never Chased before. In fact, past a few shy flirtations, he'd never expresesd interest in females before. This was different. This was a Run. His pale frame appeared, almost ghost-like, covering ground swiftly as he slid around a corner of the Wherhandler's Apartments, where His had just been getting ready to leave to take her Infirmary Shift (the silly girl who'd gotten mauled still hadn't gotten well, so as a result, all of the Healers were more or less exhausted), and paused to throw back his head in an answering bugle to Risk's calls. He was here! Meisk was here; he was ready to Chase. His body was taut with the excitement as unfamiliar lust slipped into his mind as he reared momentarily on his hind legs, dancing in the twin moons' glow as he flared pseudo wings before he dropped to the ground again, warbling out his enthusiasm as he took off.

"Meisk! Meisk, stop, stop, stop, don't! Don't, don't, please don't, I can't - Meisk!" The Wherhandler's scream followed her wher as the Healer skidded around the corner, panting slightly as she brushed her hair out of her eyes, wildly swinging around to locate her wher. "Meisk, don't, I can't - I can't do it - Meisk!" The girl's eyes were wide, shock and terror in them as she pressed herself against the wall, her cheek flushed with Meisk's lust as she swallowed hard, trying to ignore the desire coursing through her. "Meisk, please don't..." she moaned, tears slipping down her cheeks as she abruptly capsized and curled her legs under her, dropping her head as she leaned against the wall, biting her lip miserably. "Please don't..."

Too late. Far too late. Meisk had already entered the jungle in pursuit. This was where his size came in handy. With the knowledge, Meisk uttered another cry, his shyness and anxiety forgotten. This was a lovely, lovely green, almost as lovely as His, and she was calling for him. Thus, he must go! The blue's eyes glowed deep violet as he snaked around a tree, head tilted quizzically as, for a brief second, the lovely green disappeared from view. However - ah - another twist brought her back to his sight, and he loped after her, skirting a fallen log and slipping between two vines. Small size, here, would make him much quicker than any larger competitors for the green's favour, but frankly, Meisk didn't notice by now. There was only the green, himself, and the space between them - and the space did not belong there, between them; it belonged between them, and the other suitors.

His form, pale to the point of white, was very visible in the darkness, the dappled moonlight, and he was pleased by it as he tried to cover the distance between himself and Risk - and didn't notably succeed, but was it just him? Or was there a slight lessening? Should his lovely, lovely midnight dancer choose to see him, to notice him and to honor him with her attention, he was there. Always there. Behind her. He threw back his head in another barking cry, eager for the Chase, eager for the prize, and above all, eager for the breathless, lustful excitement. He was always here, always competing for the feel of her hide, lovely, glowing, green, against his. And surely, surely she would see him? Surely she would notice him, know that he had been there for her? And to be the first in pursuit - that was a bonus, yes?

His mindmate was not faring quite so well. In fact, Meira was faring terribly. The lust battled for supremacy with her terror as she curled up, still leaning against the wall of the Wherhandlers' Apartments. The tears had stopped, but still she was crying after Meisk, mentally, pleading with the wher to stop, to quit the Chase, and why didn't he love her anymore? There was no reply, only the steady lust, the desire. No matter which way this turned, she'd end up with someone. And she didn't want it. Didn't want any of part of this dread. "Please stop," she whispered against the wall, and then faintly, faintly came her little blue's barking cry, and the lust flooded her senses and she moaned, dropping her head again, her breath coming quickly.

Go to Risk's.

Where was s/he? Not here. And she couldn't move; the still-sane part of her mind rejected the idea of seeking out the green wher's mindmate.

((Sorry for utter crap. xX;)

[ladybug]

If Rilysk hadn't already had the idea of a Run planted in his mind by Risk, he probably wouldn't have bothered chasing. He didn't see much point in using all of that energy just for a female. But he liked Risk--she gave him free food! And she was kind of pretty. So he had been paying attention to her, and when her Run began, he knew it. He answered her bellows with a deep one of his own and ran off into the night, leaving his handler standing alone just outside the Weyr, with only a few claw marks to show that he wher had been with him.

Risk's run! Rilyer thought to himself, grinning. He could already feel a spark of lust, and his excitement grew. He had been curious about how a Run felt, and now he was going to find out! He turned and strode off towards the wher apartments, his steps growing quicker as Rilysk's lust grew.

The brown shot into the jungle, his red-violet eyes trained for any sight of the green. And then--there she was! He gave another bellow of sheer joy at seeing her. Suddenly, he wasn't so ambivalent about the Run. Risk would be his! He needed her, and she him. Claws stirring up clods of dirt, he launched himself into the chase.

Rilyer slipped into the apartments, searching for Rinnel. But before he got to the greenhandler, he spotted Meira, curled up by the wall and sobbing. "Meira?" Concerned, he slowly approached the other handler and knelt down next to her. For the moment, he forced the lust down to help her. "Come on, don't be scared. This is perfectly natural," he said soothingly. "Come on, let's go find Risk's."

[ravenmane]

Taelir watched the starry sky quietly as he pondered over the changes in his life. Selenitas was… a peaceful place. There was no constant stream of injured to the infirmary, no women scuttling around in the shadows like frightened curs, and especially no constant danger to one’s life. The Wherhandler was able to sit back and relax with his Brown without worrying about someone higher up ordering him to perform the most ridiculous chores. Taelisk could run and play without being rebuked for acting like a Hatchling, and the people were more welcoming when it came to the Brown’s friendly nature, but lately, Taelisk hadn’t been acting like himself. He was constantly watching, alert for something that his Handler could not detect. It had begun a few days ago. Taelir had decided to take a walk around the Weyr, but instead of joining his Bonded, Taelisk had perched atop a large flat rock and begun surveying the place like he was the Master of it all. He refused to leave his “post” unless it was time for bed, time to eat, or the Brown simply got bored of waiting for whatever was going to happen and wanted to play. His behavior was vaguely familiar to the man, but it did not bring up any specific memory.

Ironically, Taelir did not think about the possibility that his Wher was still female deprived even after Ellanisk’s Run. To anyone else, it was probably as clear as day, but to the Brown’s own handler, it was an unseen problem. The Wherhandler still suffered from the death of his weyrmate, but it was time to move on even if that fact had escaped Taelir’s attention, but it had not escaped Taelisk’s. He knew it was time especially after he had lost Ellanisk’s Run, and while his Handler watched the sky from beside the Wher, the Brown’s body began to tense from excitement and need, but his eyes remained a serene blue despite the lust that was beginning to pound through his large body. It had been almost a turn since he had had the chance to Chase a beautiful female, and this Wher was not about to pass up the opportunity. His head turned sharply as his ears caught the sound of footsteps. Just by the sound of them, he could tell it was the lovely Green. He could sense the expectancy in the air, could feel it swirl around him as the Wher left his perch with a smooth leap. His eyes sought the beautiful form of the Green, Risk. Her very being glowed bright like a beacon to him, beckoning the Brown to Chase like a moth to a candle. Taelisk crooned lovingly to the female, deaf to the pleading voice of his Handler.

Only Risk mattered; no one and nothing could persuade this lusty male to back down and give into to the males that would come. He bugled in response to the Green’s taunting challenges, his deep voice echoing her and the frail Blue that had joined them. His eyes, now a dark purple instead of a pale blue, glanced at Meisk for a moment before returning on the one thing that had brought the males here, Risk. He trailed after her, following loyally into the forest, his voice a light croon that could only be classified as eager and playful. Taelisk had watched the lovely Green during the previous nights when his Handler was otherwise occupied. The Brown had known that if Taelir had caught onto the Brown’s mood, that the man would have made sure to be absent along with Taelisk for a few sevendays just to avoid the possibility of Taelisk Chasing, but Taelisk would not be stopped. He would Chase Risk if it meant following her to the ends of Pern and back.

---

Taelir had been startled when Taelisk had bounded off, and the man’s eyes had widened with shock he spotted the faint silhouette Green Wher. “Oh no…” His voice cracked with grief as he thought of Kyndri. Would she have hated him for allowing Taelisk to Chase another Green? What would his dark-haired beauty have said? “Taelisk! Come back! Come back right now, you sharding beast! Please!!” Taelir pleaded with his Brown, but his Brown refused to listen, and Taelir resisted the urge to run over and clout him on the nose. His gray eyes darkened as the lust that Taelisk was experiencing traveled over their Bond. It surged through his body like fire, igniting his soul with a passionate need that one could only describe as irresistible. His entire body felt like it would explode, and Taelir stumbled under the pound of emotion. He massaged his forehead for a moment as he fought to understand why it was so powerful this time. It had never been this strong when Taelisk had Chased Kynsk, so why was it so powerful this time? Taelir’s eyes snapped open as he realized he was walking towards Barracks’ Main Room, trailing after a young he did not know.

As he approached the Main Room, Taelir paused, hesitating slightly before entering. What he saw almost made the man turn the other way. The Green’s Handler was the young man, the lust confirmed it, and Taelir began wondering if there were any older Wherhandlers that weren’t teenagers or male. He was a handsome creature with dark brown from what the man could tell in the dim light, but he could not see what color his eyes were. He watched the other, feeling very awkward around the male handler, but lust was making Taelir see the man in a different light. He was beautiful, glowing with the green beauty that was and could only be Risk.. Stupid hormones! It was hard to stand there, waiting, waiting for the Whers to decide who would win. The one thought that kept traveling across Taelir’s mind was: Would there be others Chasing as well? He dearly hoped so. He stepped away, feeling the need to have some space himself. Taelir leaned against the doorway although his gaze never left the Wherhandler whose Green had put Taelir into this position by encouraging Taelisk to Chase her, but all he could do was wait for the Green’s decision.

[antinanco]

Risk veered farther into the depths of the jungle the instant she heard the beat of footfalls behind her. As she snaked around tree trunks left and right, weaving farther and farther into the jungle, the green would sneak peeks backwards as she watched her suitors grow. First she spotted a cute blue wher: his pale hide and rounded body made him very attractive, in a cute kind of way. Soon came a familiar brown face and Risk woofed in pleasure at seeing her lazy friend so motivated by her beauty. Finally there was a hulking, handsome brown that she nearly mistook as a bronze. Risk was delighted! Such a fine assortment of whers, and all wanting her!

Letting loose a trumpet of excitement and lust, the wher increased her speed. She wove through vines and tree alike, leaping over a log or two for good effect. At one point she even vaulted inbetween the V of a split trunk, sending a mischievous look behind her at her suitors as she cleared the splintering, sharp hurdle flawlessly. If they failed to clear that, they’d go home with more than just a few bruises.

Still Risk pushed on, ignoring the condition of her males unless they got too close, in which case she would beat them back with snaps or a whip of the tail. Not yet! They had not earned her beauty! Seeing a thicket of underbrush up ahead, Risk saw a potential opportunity to confuse her suitors. She barreled through the brush, sending a flock of nesting wherries scattering dramatically in fear, only to find a small precipice on the other side. Leaping off of the edge with reckless abandon, she soared through the air majestically, tiny bits of sod trailing behind her in the air as if they two were trying to woo her stunning beauty for themselves…

… And landed smack dab in the middle of a stream. She barked once in surprise and sent miniature tidal waves lashing up upon the shore. The water was just deep enough so that she couldn’t touch the bottom, but that hardly slowed her down. No, the green instantly began paddling until she hit the bank again, and then she was off into the jungle without even a pause to shake the excess water from her glowing hide.

---

Back in the Barracks, Rinnel had taken to his favorite worn chair and to nursing his brow rather intently. He barely noticed the sobs that drifted across the room as he tried to block out the overpowering sensation to grab the nearest male and possessively cling to them. He didn’t need a repeat of his first Run ever, when he, as a teenager, had grabbed Ieoha and began kissing her passionately. It had taken turns to recover from those mental scars.

Some figures moved around past the hand that obscured his vision, and Rinnel was brought back to the real world. He found Meisk and Rilysk Meira and Rilyer huddled in the corner of the room, and another, beautiful brown—brownhandler, he reminded himself, leaned up against the doorway. At first, he was infuriated. What? What was this? They were suppose to be paying attention to him! He was the one they were chasing! But the handler resisted the hormones flooding to him through his bond to Risk, dispelling some of their effect with a wild shake of his head. “C’mon, kids, shape up. You need t’get used to this,” he grunted through clenched teeth, extremely flustered at even the possibility that he would be bedding with such young people. True, the age difference was only a couple turns at best, but it still bothered him, even more so than waking up next to another man. Then again, the decision wasn’t really his, was it? The slightest reference to Risk brought the desire surging back, and he couldn’t help but add with a welcoming swing of his arm, “C’mover here, I won’t bite… Unless y’want me to.”

[/font]

[Avu]

Veering away from the two browns, half out of anxiety and half from a need to have his own space, Meisk pressed deeper into the undergrowth, his small frame sliding easily between the gaps that the two larger browns might not have fit through. Key word being 'might,' as Meisk had caught only a brief glimpse of his competitors, and thus had made a rough guess as to their sizes - probably not accurate, but they were undeniably larger than he was. Any other time, any other setting, his size would have been a setback, but to Meisk's glee, he found it a very helpful advantage in the jungle. Sliding, shifting through the trees, always keeping his eyes glued to Risk's form and whining his anxiety if any foliage even momentarily blocked her from his sight.

As she leapt through the V, formed by the trunks of two entwined trees, Meisk followed her exactly, gathering himself for a half-second before the jump and then throwing himself into an enthusiastic jump that cleared the hurdle, wings pulled tightly to his sides to avoid being scraped against the rough bark, forelegs tucked tightly against his chest, tail held stiffly behind him before he landed, jerking sideways to avoid being landed on by the browns, should they choose to follow Risk. He had been first, yes? First to Chase, first to jump - that, surely, had some positive impact on her judging? Besides which, he was the only blue. Special.

Wherries!

Meisk instinctively pressed faster, tinges of anxiety and slight fear touching his eyes now, their vibrant violet shade flashing and glowing as he snapped at the receding tail end of a wherry, sending it diving faster still for cover, and the blue felt a surprising triumph he'd rarely felt before as he jumped without hesitation after Risk. The danger involved in plunging off of a cliff never registered to the blue; it was only the prize, and he narrowed his eyes as he fell, the wind hissing past him, and -

Whump.

His wings splayed out automatically as he was momentarily submerged in the water. With a splutter, Meisk recovered, his tail and wings used to propel him faster through the water after the glowing green wher that was the ultimate prize. His claws dug at the ground, and Meisk pulled himself quickly onto the dry land, dripping water as he took off after Risk again, his wings quivering as he tried to rid himself of the water that might possibly weigh him down; droplets splattered behind and under him, creating a slick trail that he was unaware of as he raised his voice in an exultant warble. He was still here, after his lovely Risk, still in the running, still vying for her favour.

~*~*~

Meira had stopped sobbing by now, her cheek pressed against the wall as she hugged herself, as if trying to keep herself from falling apart as she squeezed her eyes shut, tears clinging to her eyelashes as she curled up tightly, her breathing coming quicker as she felt herself drawn into Meisk's mind, knowing faintly, vaguely, that once she allowed herself to fall into the blue's mind, there was no return until the Run was over. Until - her breath caught in her throat and a slight moan escaped her as she tried to pull back, even as she saw through the blue wher's eyes, felt the rushing delight, the glory, the ecstasy that he so yearned to share with her. With His.

Her name, uttered in a questioning voice, made the girl look up, eyes flashing in terror as she caught sight of the masculine figure. His words, his proximity, elicited a terrifying clash of emotions; a desperate desire to do exactly as the brown - no, brownhandler - had suggested, to find the green's handler - and fear. Fear of him, and of the green's handler. "No," she gasped, realizing she'd forgotten to breathe. "No, I c - can't, I - " Another brown - brownhandler - though, fortunately, he didn't approach her, and Meira squirmed away from Rilyer, still shaking her head in a violent protest of the Run.

Risk's. She recognized him, even though she'd never met him before, by the tidal wave of lust that rose instantly as she caught sight of him, and whimpered slightly, squeezing her eyes shut again. "I can't, I can't..." The words were fading even to her in the face of Meisk's exultant bugle, ringing in her mind as audibly as if she had actually heard him, and then, even as she caught her breath, trying to stifle the lusty moan that threatened, a recognizeable, questioning, anxious flute pierced the Run-incited lust, and she forced her eyes open, just as talons curled lightly around her shoulder, a small body pressing against her neck reassuringly as the golden fire lizard's tail slipped around her throat. "Zesa..." In her confusion, the bluehandler didn't know if he was relieved or horrified by the fire lizard's precense. She didn't bother trying to figure out, merely letting her head drop against the gold's body and closing her eyes again.

Ecstasy indeed.

[ladybug]

Rilysk raced after Risk, his heavy form shaking the ground underneath as he moved. His claws churned up clods of dirt, making a complete mess of the trail, but he barely noticed. All of his attention was on Risk, the beautiful, glorious Risk...

Suddenly, she vaulted through a gap in a tree. Risk followed without much thought, but he misjudged his line of entry and his wing snagged on the splintery side. He bellowed in pain and annoyance. Rilyer would have some splinters to pull out of his wher's wings later, but right now he ignored the irritation and kept up his chase, moving quickly to make up the lost ground.

Fortunately, the brown fared much better when faced with Risk's second trick. He leaped into the air, gliding clumsily but efficiently. Risk was ahead of him, of course, and he altered his course a little when he saw her land in water. He landed on the opposite bank of the creek, and hit the ground running.

Rilyer frowned at the bluehandler's continuing distress, but his head was becoming less clear with each passing moment, and the sound of Rinnel's voice made his desire that much more acute. He was powerless to resist Rinnel's summons.

"But of course..." Swaying seductively, Rilyer padded across the room. Then, with a wicked grin, he dropped himself directly into Rinnel's lap.

[ravenmane]

Having spent several turns hunting and living in dense vegetation, Taelisk found it easier to maneuver through the small spaces compared to a similar sized male who might have been slowed because of his size. Some obstacles were not as simple with the Brown being so focused on the lovely Risk, but he pressed on anyways. When the green showed off some of her ability, Taelisk chose to reveal some of his strength. He leaped onto the poor tree and climbed into its branches for a moment before he launched himself into the sky. His wings spread instinctively to even out his descent, but he fell fast enough to stumble for a few steps. Grunting a little from the exertion, Taelisk literally collided with a wherry that had been startled by the three Whers before him. The creature screeched angrily, leaving long scratches on the Brown’s hide as he bolted away. Had it not been for the urge to keep following Risk, the Brown would have turned and taught the stupid bird a lesson, but nature demanded something else of him. Taelisk turned to look forward just in time to see a precipice before him and no Risk, Meisk, or Rilysk. He leaped anyway and snarled as he belly flopped into the cold water. His feet touched solid ground, and the Brown performed a series of powerful launches forward when he caught site of his beautiful Green and the hides of his two rivals. Just like Risk, the moment he reached shore, the Brown was off and into the jungle without another thought.

---

While Rinnel may have been completely against a Run, Taelir didn’t care, but then again, he didn’t wake up with a sore bum afterwards. He just accepted that he couldn’t control the world and whatever happened would happen, but that was not how some people felt. He eyed the sobbing Meisk and the comforting Rilysk. What were they doing? Didn’t they realize that Risk was more important at the moment? Then Risk/Rinnel spoke, and the Brownhandler’s attention riveted onto him. Such a beautiful creature, and none of his competitors deserved him. No one…

[This post is full of fail. xD]

[antinanco]

The wher occasionally would check behind her, to see if any were having trouble keeping up. The big brown was lagging, but not for lack of energy. Otherwise, all seemed to be in good shape. Risk trumpeted her delight to the canopy and put on another burst of speed. Almost there…

There! Suddenly the jungle stopped and air began. Risk swerved to the right, her nails digging into the soil as she nearly ran straight off of the cliff and into the canyon of the Weyr. It was a magnificent view, with the water fall gushing on the far side of the canyon and the two moons of Pern showering everything in a bath of light. The green took no notice, however, and sprinted off along the edge of the canyon. One misstep would lead the wher and her followers to their doom, just like the pebbles that she now scattered over the edge. Eventually, however, another ridge cut off her path and Risk was forced back into the jungle.

Her next feat caught even Risk by surprise. A web of fallen vines loomed into view, framed by two sturdy tree trunks. There seemed to be no way around it, not without turning back and risking being caught prematurely, so she lowered her head as battering ram and galloped straight through the mess. They did not, however, snap under her pressure as she had expected them to. Instead they caught her weight, stretching with audible groans as she raced forward, slowing her carefully until for one fraction of a second she remained still. Her legs scrambled at the ground, but the vines refused to let her go, as if they too wanted a piece of her beauty.

And then the moment was over, and Risk was sent catapulted backwards. Somehow she managed to twist her body mid-flight and flailed her miniature wings, sending her soaring majestically over the heads of her opponents. She landed with a heavy thud behind them, continuing her momentum as she again began weaving around trees.

The last maneuver left Risk breathless. She rasped, slowing her pace, and beads of sweat glittered on her jade hide. She was tiring. But really, for a green and for such a tedious terrain, the run had been a good one. All that was left was for her to decide on her winner, her champion of champions. She swung her head around, faltering in step, searching for her next handsome. If her suitors wished to gain her favor, then now was the time to do it.

---

Before she knew it, Rilysk plopped into his lap and she felt an incredible longing for the handsome wher. But NO! Rinnel tried to shake himself of the feelings again, but they were climaxing to a lustful boil and his grip on his self was loosening, fast. Rinnel/Risk stood suddenly and violently with a snarl, effectively dumping Rilysk onto the floor. Without a coherent word, the wher/handler stomped around the room, either sulking at the prospect of a sore bum, prowling for a handsome or both. S/he had become a blend of both minds to the point where it was difficult to tell where wher ended and human began.

They passed Meirsk, prodding her with a boot to see if she was still alive, out of both concern and greed. Their suitor could not be dead so close to the end. But it was her first time. Confused, they stamped behind Taelisk and pushed him into the room. Was it because they wanted his dedication to the Run? Or was it because he was letting the cold in? It wasn’t certain.

One thing was certain, though. This was THEIR run, and THEY would be deciding who would be their handsome. And when they did, they would possess them and they would be theirs. There was no arguing that fact. It was final.

[/font]

[Avu]

Meisk thought he was doing quite well, really. He was strong, he knew, but he was also small and it suited him very well that Risk chose a place such as the jungle to host her Run. No witnesses in the dead of the night, except the trees, the vines, the wild ecstasy. And that was how he liked it. Nobody watching him. Nobody staring, nobody...except maybe, maybe the lovely green just ahead of him? He wouldn't mind if she looked at him...not at all, no. The blue swerved around a clump of vines, uttering a soft mewl of surprise as the snakelike coils brushed against his wing, and then uttering a displeased whuff as he tucked his wings tighter against his sides, jerking away and galloping in pursuit of Risk. Ever-glowing, so beautiful...and why did this foliage so taunt him? Obstructing the lovely from view...no! The small blue, the only blue of the Run, growled his dismay as a clump of leaves tickled his nose, shaking his head violently to dissuade the greenery.

His legs were starting to protest, and to his intense anxiety, Meisk began to slow slightly. Panting, he pushed himself faster, but that lack of speed was precisely what saved him from possible death as Risk swerved to the right. Startled by the abruptness of the movement, Meisk slammed on the brakes, and not a second too soon as the canyon loomed and he uttered a surprised bark, twisting with surprising agility and scrambling after Risk in this new direction, pressing himself as far away from the gaping mouth of the canyon as was possible for his small bulk. Lucky, really it was, that he wasn't as large as those browns...another bark of surprise slipped from his jaws as his right foreclaw slammed into a rock, sending it clattering down the canyon, and he favored the leg for a few more steps while the sting of harsh contact of stone on hide faded.

Ridge! Upcoming ridge!

He was not sure if it would be entirely welcome, but he couldn't help it; it was an automatic concern that flared and left no room for second thoughts. The blue wher reared, briefly dancing on his hind legs as he rasped out a warning, eyes flushed with concern before he lowered himself onto all fours and darted after Risk again. But - ah, she was not foolish; no. Back into the jungle the shining green went, and back into the jungle Meisk followed her, the protest of his limbs forgotten. The brief lack of obstacles, as they'd run along the mouth of the canyon, had revived him, and Meisk pressed through the jungle with new determination.

Wait! The blue skidded to a stop for the second time in as many minutes, whuffing his surprise as Risk went sailing overhead. How she had accomplished this, the blue had not an idea, and he didn't care. Meisk simply knew that his lovely green had gone flying that way, and so must he turn and go that way instead of this way. Slapping his tail against the ground and spinning - so enthusiastically that he almost overshot - and galloped after Risk again. No doubt, for even the briefest moment, rang in the little blue's mind. There was only Risk and himself, in a dangerous, ride-the-edge, primal dance, prompted by instincts. A dance. That was what it was; not a Run, no - it wasn't as straightforward as that. It was a dance. She led, he followed.

Had she slowed? Meisk pressed on, trying to make up any lost space between himself and the green, and managed to croon, his voice rising in a call to his lovely. And abruptly, as he twisted around a tree, a bush was in his way. No time to avoid it; the blue launched himself into a jump, arching his back. His hind leg caught in the foliage and an involuntary, barely audible hiss emerged from the blue's mouth as he stumbled slightly on landing, vaguely aware of the pain that had sprouted in his right hind. Not intense - but scratches nonetheless, and to his horror, it affected his pace; he settled into a steady lope, trying to ignore the pain that lanced through his hind leg when any other foliage or fallen logs brushed against the scratch.

For his Risk, he would endure.

~*~*~

His, however, was not enduring as well as Meisk was, and she wasn't even in pain. The blue remained curled, though her mind was almost completely Meisk's by now. Zesa offered the lifeline she needed to cling to sanity, though the lust, the desire spreading white-hot through her was enough to make her moan, her hands tightly wrapped around her torso, trembling as she arched her back slightly, and then hissed with the effort of keeping the lust down. Meisk wanted this green, and while part of her yearned to support Meisk entirely in this new venture, the terror kept her from accepting the inevitable. There had to be some other way...surely...she clenched her jaw to keep back another moan, which transformed into a hiss that surprised even herself - and even more than herself, Zesa - as jealousy - jealousy? - rose in the pit of her stomach as Rilysk - no, Rilyer - plunked himself down in Ris - Rinnel's lap.

The queen flared her wings in agitation, clearly alarmed by the contrast of desires in MeiraHers. Fear, and lust. Both were familiar feelings to Zesa, who had, after all, had her own Flight not long ago, but together? The panic, too, distressed the gold lizard, who crooned anxiously, unsure how to react, and jealousy? Jealousy was something that the queen had never before felt coming from Hers, and, trembling slightly as Hers' feelings were inadvertantly passed to the queen, Zesa only curled up tighter against Hers' neck, looking like little more than a gold-shaded scarf. The jealousy dissipated instantly as Risk stood, dropping Rilysk...and the fear was intensified as the green stomped around before approaching her.

Lust and terror clashed as the blue moaned, unable to bite back the sound, when his boot nudged her leg, and she raised her eyes unwillingly, shakily, swallowing hard as Zesa flared her wings again, hissing at Rinnel, eyes flashing anxiously, and then receding instantly as she realized that no, that was not what Hers wanted. The feelings were as strong as ever, and nothing the queen could think of would make them go away. Keening softly once as realization hit, and then furious at the blue wher for putting Theirs through this, the queen blinked between. Now was not an appropriate time to scold him, but rest assured that when he returned, he would recieve the scolding to end all scoldings. So there!

The blue's eyes followed Risk, reluctant and hungry at the same time, as he moved behind Taelisk and pushed him into the room entirely, and then, abruptly, Meisk's pain erupted in her foot and a gasp slipped from between clenched teeth. It was only for that split second that she lost the desperate lid on the lust, but it was enough and then it was entirely Meisk who rose, shakily supporting the movement by sliding both hands along the wall, until the girl's frame was in a standing position, her weight mostly upon her left foot to spare the phantom pain in her right.

[ladybug]

Rilysk copied Risk's burst of speed, but when they reached the precarious ledge, he was forced to slow down. He didn't want to fall too far behind, but he was too bulky to keep up a high speed when he could topple over the side at any moment. He focused on keeping on his feet, hoping that one of the other chasers would lose his balance to make up for his slower pace.

He spotted the tangle of vines and was contemplating how to get through them. He paused to watch Risk make her way through them, surprised to see that they didn't break. Rilysk had decided to just barge his way through and hope they did the same for him, but suddenly the green was catapulted into the air. Rilysk tilted his head, paralyzed with surprise for a moment. This was unexpected, to say the least.

When she hit the ground again, he regained his sensed and turned clumsily but efficiently, reversing his direction and sprinting after her. He was beginning to tire, but he sensed the Run was coming to a close. Now, it only remained to be seen who Risk would choose. Even though Rilysk had made plenty of mistakes, he was still in the running, his size giving him stamina where it had only made him more clumsy for other parts of the Flight.

Rilyer winced when he was unceremoniously dumped to the floor, landing flat on his bum. For a moment, he was jarred out of Rilysk's mind by the sudden pain, but it didn't take long for the Run lust to take over again. Pouting at his rejection, Rilyer stared at Rinnel as the other man stalked around the room, growing impatient for the choice.

[antinanco]

Sides heaving with the effort to keep her dead limbs moving, Risk struggled to review her suitors once last time before choosing.

Meisk. Though he was a small blue, he was rather attractive for a wher. And his brilliant hue of hide almost matched Risk’s glowing jade, which was a feat for sure! Plus his size gave him a elasticity and speed advantage, making weaving around tree trunks the size of four men look effortless. But then again, his round demeanor made him more cute than handsome, and that’s just not what Risk was looking for….

Taelisk. He was by far the biggest wher that had ever chased Risk, bordering on the side of bronze. Pure muscle adorned his fame and made him unbelievable handsome… but also unbelievably inflexible. Thus he had been trailing the entire Run at the back of the pack. Perhaps greens were just not his query….

Rilysk. This was the wher Risk knew the most, since the two had flirted in the past. He was handsome and familiar, the perfect mix between tiny Meisk and burly Taelisk. Even though her mind was obscured by lust, she could think of no negative qualities.

Finally choosing, the wher edged three hundred and sixty degrees around a trunk and wrapped herself around Rilysk like a vine, crooning near his head like she had so many nights before when they met. Only this time, there were no pesky handlers to hold them back. The jungle would be a very active place that night.

---

Rinnel/Risk bent down and scooped up Rilysk, picking him up with a strained grunt. He was theirs! Theirs only! No one else deserved him! They hissed at the two losers and waddled off for their dark cave to complete the act of ownership.

No matter how hard Rilyer would or could struggle, this was how it was. Rinnel would overpower any attempts of escape. He had done this before. He was more experienced. But despite this fact, both handlers would have sore bums the next morning.

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