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Post by glamourie on Sept 25, 2008 23:54:09 GMT -5
Eriannath was resting comfortably at the top of the drumheights, at the highest point of the Weyr, her wings folded around her and her head tucked underneath one of them. She'd glided up there where she could see all around her easily enough, rendering others incapable of sneaking up on her. The dull glow of her hide was undeniable. For the past few days, she'd been restless and uneasy, hiding in her weyr as if intensely shy. Anyone speaking to her startled the green. Some dragons became irritable before flight; some flirted even more. Eriannath hid. She was shy; undeniably so. Few got the pleasure of seeing her mottled green hide touched as though a fire was lit beneath it, glittering like an emerald. But for the past candlemark, she was out in the open, visible to all and curled up, sound asleep. The glow and slight listlessness evidenced in the twitching of her tail and wings made it obvious that she was going to wake soon - and when she did, she would take to the skies.
Her landbound half paced listlessly the length of her weyr, an obvious nervousness evidenced in the way she moved. This was Eriannath's first Rising since she came to Selenitas; she knew no one very well. She was slightly frightened, but only because of the lack of familiarity. Eriannath's flights were always intense for her, more than what most people described. Even sleeping as she was, Juliya could feel a strange restlessness from her dragon that spilled over onto her - a restlessness evidenced by her repeated stalking in a loose circle, back and forth. No staying still. She wanted to move, to run, to go; anything to be in motion. Pacing sufficed. That, at least, was normal. More than once she'd found herself running up to the highest point of Fort when Eriannath Rose and numerous times she'd been yelled at for 'hiding' during flights. It was less hiding, and more a desire to be up high, higher than the rest, farther away and hard to catch and find; earn your place. That was lingering feelings from Eriannath. A chase, a game, tag, you're it!
Back and forth. Back and forth.
It was early afternoon, evidenced by the light creeping onto her weyrledge. Juliya stopped in the middle of her weyr to gaze out at the canyon, and she tensed slightly. Middle of the day, just lovely. That meant by the time she woke up it would be the middle of the night. Why that mattered, she wasn't entirely sure, but it did; she added it all up to nervousness. Nervousness and... from the anticipation building; excitement. She was less frightened of men at Selenitas than she was at Fort. Most of them seemed to be reasonable. Most, not all. She did not know any of them half as well as she had the people at Fort, but she didn't need to, so long as she didn't fear waking up with someone liable to hit her for daring to touch them. Or something illogical like that. Yes, most of her fears were irrational.
Wind. Breeze. Was it going to storm? It had been so dry, but the air seemed to carry a hint of water, the promise of rain. An afternoon shower, perhaps? Juliya took a few steps forward and swatted the air in front of herself, as she felt Eriannath begin to stir. She felt her eyes open, and --
-- wings spread. Eriannath stretched out, claws digging into the stone beneath her as she stalked in a circle, movements predatory and dangerous. Onto the nearest rock she climbed, her wings spreading wide, vivid green hide visible against the sky line like a light to be seen from horizon to horizon. She growled, but it was more of a playful growl than a true threat. Her eyes whirled red and she --
-- threw the robe she was wearing to the ground. Her hands moved up to unwind the long braid of her hair, sending the brown locks tumbling around bare shoulders. Back and forth she paced, kicking the white fabric to the other side of the weyr in the process. Modesty was lost on her after seven turns of her dragon Rising and even before that, Flights were intense for Juliya. So it had been from the time she arrived at the Weyr in the first place. Flights to her felt almost as though she was participating in them at times. She could hear and sometimes feel the dragons' emotions. Needless to say, it was awkward, but the end result was that she was anything but modest or shy.
Eriannath's eyes whirled more quickly and she threw her head back to shriek her challenge, loud enough for the entire Weyr to hear. Words were unnecessary. Her wings flared and she waited, ready; they would come. Her males.
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Post by reqqy on Sept 26, 2008 8:05:48 GMT -5
You've been watching her.
Yes.
And Millieth?
She has her bronze.
That more or less covered it. Z'hin shrugged, wrapping his hands tighter around the thick rope. He briefly released it with his right hand to call to the men on the other shore, indicating his readiness with a pump of the fist. The brownrider simply could not sit still, and if that meant helping the drudges with the construction of still more buildings for refugees and walkways, then so be it. His broad, bare shoulders bunched, the man's legs digging into the earth as he strained. It was slow going, as he had to set his left hand each time, but the exercise could hardly hurt it. The raft with wood and other building supplies drew nearer. Jessereth's shadow fell over him as the brown came to a landing, laden with still more. He glared at the bustling humanity, but allowed them to touch him, if only to be free of the weight.
The raft finally came to nestle against the bank, Z'hin dragging it further up until he was sure it wouldn't float off somewhere. He smiled. Straightened. Stretched the muscles in his back, one at a time, and pushed the sweat from his face. "Shells, it's muggy today," the man muttered, accepting water from one of the few women on site with a nod and a roguish wink when he caught her looking him over. The girl flushed and retreated, much to the amusement of the other men, all stripped to the waist as Z'hin was.
One such nudged him in the ribs with an elbow. "Looks like another long night for you." The brownrider merely grinned, following the girl's movements with his eyes. Then he glanced at Jessereth, a brow raising. Now. Though his mindtone seemed calm enough, there was a quaver of excitement just beneath the surface.
Z'hin pulled a face.
"Sorry, boys. Looks like Jess isn't planning to wait until night." He nodded toward the gleaming green on top of the heights, earning him a few more elbows and a round of jeers. "Help me get all this off him, will you? Or he'll just take it with him." A flurry of activity erupted around Jessereth, the brown not helping matters by shifting from foot to foot. As fast as they moved, her challenge rose before they were finished. The young brown glared around him. Hurry up, Mine. I'm not waiting much longer.
"There." The last strap fell away. Before it hit the ground, Jessereth erupted upwards, bugling his intentions to Eriannath. Z'hin staggered with the sudden wash of emotions. He flicked a smile at the men he'd worked beside the last few days. They propelled him forward with much laughing, and Z'hin yielded to the hands, diving into the river and letting it sweep him toward the edge of the waterfalls and the weyrs and flightrooms that lay beneath it.
Jessereth circled above Eriannath, curling in on himself and diving down to take a perch - with a flick of his wing - not far below where she now stood. He offered up a croon. She was not Millieth. But she would do. Millieth could have her bronze.
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Post by neeuqtar on Sept 26, 2008 10:29:02 GMT -5
Rath was angry. To put it more clearly, Rath was still angry. It stung that, not only had His-R'non kept him from Chasing after Millieth, he had lied to him, tricked him, taking him far out, away from Selenitas, and then refusing to return until well after Millieth's Rise. They'd only returned the evening before, and the memory of what Rath considered a betrayal still burned brightly.
"I'm not going back, Rath!" R'non yelled at the bronze dragon, as the frantic Rath tried to tunnel back into the cave where R'non had taken refuge. "She's afraid of me, you sharding beast! Now back off and just accept it!"
She's going to RISE! Rath cried back. My Millieth is going to Rise and I won't be there to sing to her the song of my wings! To capture her golden form and meet with her in the skies! R'non growled at his dragon, then chucked a stone down the narrow tunnel, the small rock hitting Rath on one nostril.
"Stop being so stupid, Rath," R'non replied harshly. "She never wanted you. You were an accident." Rath hissed. It wasn't true. It couldn't be true. Millieth was HIS!
The dragon's tail lashed in anger at the memory. He would punish his rider, for telling such lies to him, for keeping him from giving Millieth her proper due. Yes, R'non would look kindly on his deeds anymore. Whirling red eyes watched Eriannath. The glowing green would Rise soon. He would Chase. He would Chase every green, every dragon in the sky until Millieth Rose again and Chose him, just as he knew she would. She was his, after all.
R'non sighed and rubbed his eyes with one hand. Rath's anger was an acid presence in his mind, hot iron burning into his thoughts and making his dreams disturbing and painful. Not that the bronzerider blamed the dragon for being angry, but... it was hard to deal with. But if Rath had caught Millieth... seeing Kaegan's fear at such close quarters would have been much, much worse to bear.
Eriannath's cry echoed through the Weyr as R'non moved towards the Flight Weyrs. He didn't really need prompting, though Rath's anger-lust was flooding through his veins. At least Eriannath's was female... better than the alternative, he supposed.
Rath launched himself moments after Eriannath, his deeper brassy voice echoing through the canyon moments after her strident cries. He would have her! He would punish R'non! His bronze form was a hindrance in a green's Flight, but he had Turns of experiences Chasing--and Catching--greens. Well, one green. But he had Captured Elianoreth in every single one of her Rises.
A twinge of regret hit him as he remembered that she must have Risen several times in his absence. But no--she was grounded. Crippled. He snarled at his own faulty memory. No time for regrets now. Only the green before him and the Flight ahead. Jessereth, his competition. His rival. He would not lose!
R'non stepped into the Flight Weyr, his eyes adjusting to the light, though he saw through a dragon's eyes, and mirrored Rath in this. For a moment he saw Elianoreth, felt the desire for her, then he was back in reality, with Eriannath before him. His. She would be His.
"Eriannath," he purred, watching her pace. Beautiful.
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Post by kysseh on Sept 26, 2008 14:58:27 GMT -5
Would you kindly hurry up? I think you have put a bucket of oil on every one of my ridges, Mine.
If the hurried implication that went along with his brown's mental tone had not alerted K'von, then Dohulth's use of 'Mine' would have done the same. The dragon rarely referred to K'von by that. Both dragon and rider used nicknames on each other, and for Dohulth to directly refer to him by name indicated a significant change in the brown's state of mind. Something had him occupied, and K'von raised an eyebrow at that thought. What could be on the normally laidback and easygoing dragon's mind?
Ohh, a female, probably, he realized, making a small face. This was exactly why the pair of males had come to the river shore, to have a little time to themselves with no female distractions, and Dohulth had been enthusiastic about the idea at first. Now he seemed restless to get back to the main part of the weyr. The tall man gave the brown's neck an affectionate slap as he finished and hopped nimbly to the ground, taking a few barefooted steps back to get a good look at the brown.
He was.... lovely, gleaming. K'von took flawless care of his mindmate, most of the time, and it showed. The male dragon flared out his oversized wings, arching his neck in a rare show of pride. Yes, Dohulth was well aware that he looked very good, and the brown liked that little ego boost. He was rarely a prideful creature, unlike His at times, but on this occasion, he wanted to look good. Dohulth was no fool and was hardly blind, and when they had made their way down to the river earlier, he had noticed a dully glowing, shy-seeming green curled up on the drumheights. He knew she was due to Rise, and he intended to Chase the shy little creature. He knew her by name only, but proper introductions could wait.
"You know I'm not going to try to hold you back, right?" K'von stated with a chuckle, dusting the sand off his trouser and then snagging up the empty bucket as he regarded his preening dragon. His smile was relaxed and easy, and he was hardly concerned with the fact that Dohulth intended to Chase... again. After all, he had been wanting a little company after prolonged celibacy, and Dohulth, though more patient than K'von, was hardly very different in that respect. Both creatures were only male, after all. "C'mon, you. Get me back up to the weyr so I can drop this off."
The brown obediently lowered his neck and allowed K'von to mount, launching himself into the air moments afterward. They had scarcely reached their ledge, K'von jogging into their home to drop off the oil bucket, when a shriek of challenge echoed from above. The swiftness with which Dohulth responded shocked K'von, and all he heard was a flurry of wingbeats as the small brown got airborne. The gray-tinged brown echoed a bugle in response. It was not so low in tone as those of the larger males, but it was enthusiastic in its own right. He circled once and then maneuvered his massive wings to alight on a rock near the green. Eriannath.
The other males were hardly important enough to merit his attention, but he crooned at the intended object of his affections, eyes whirling a purple-blue that was rapidly becoming far more purple in his lust. Yes, he had heard her, and he had come!
K'von, still chuckling somewhat at his dragon's enthusiasm, had made for the human half of the greenpair. Dohulth's excitement and lust were threatening to overpower him already, but he managed to stay clear of it long enough to locate human-Eriannath--whose name escaped him--in all her... nude glory. His eyes widened, and he scarcely seemed to notice the male who practically purred at the beauty before them. He made little in the way of noise and just flashed her a playful sort of smile, if she could even see it. He rolled his wide shoulders just to get his fidgets out of the way and then stepped in closer, making sure to keep a very healthy buffer of space between himself and the green. No, he wouldn't crowd her. He was not that unmannerly. But he did want her to see him, and he made a sound remarkably like a human version of a croon, letting himself fade to join his dragon as he looked over the lovely form of the woman before him. Beautiful... so beautiful.
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Ember
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Post by Ember on Sept 26, 2008 15:12:05 GMT -5
The brown's tail twitched in his sleep, an obvious sign that he'd awake soon and that something would happen. Ch'ero watched the dragon for a moment. What was it that agitated or excited Rosilinth? The piercing challenge of a lusty green answered that question. He groaned, praying the brown would remain asleep. No such luck. Of course not. Rosilinth naturally Chased any green that he could. Minus one so far that he'd been deeply asleep for. A purple eye was slowly revealed as the three lids opened, staring straight at his rider. With a somewhat amused rumble at His' predicament the brown stood and peered out of his weyr.
"To do this to poor young Mystery," he tried in a futile attempt to keep the brown from leaving. It nearly worked but the albino gave a quiet little cheep to assure her human that she would be alright. For a green she understood quite well Ch'ero's emotions and thoughts. With that aspect settled the brown spread his wings and dove off his ledge, easily locating his object of lust. Eriannath. She was familiar. With a mix of surprise and delight Rosilinth realized she was a Fort green. He crooned deeply for the green as he arrived. He noticed as he landed nearby that so far his competition was a bronze and two browns. No crafty blues? Good. A bronze and a couple browns he could keep up with well enough, but blues were smaller and far more agile.
He waited with the patience of a weaver creating beautiful, intricate patterns with their loom. Eriannath was worth waiting for. In the meantime he made himself as noticeable as possible, wings spread far and showing off his powerful form for her. He was a strong beast in his prime. Scars made myriad patterns on his hide, but he was painfully aware that his colouring was dull and unexciting. Still, he need no pretty colour or metallic sheen to Chase with all his heart. The tumultuous feelings grew as he stood before the green, awaiting her ascent into the wild blue sky.
Ch'ero felt the recognition coming from his brown even as the Flight Lust grew. So they knew this greenpair then? That was oddly reassuring. A smile crossed his face as he wandered the halls blindly. His Juliya, where was she? He was guided by his lust to her weyr, naked from the chest up but no more. There was no point to walking around with a shirt on in such hot weather when in his own weyr but he wasn't silly enough to go bare. He entered the weyr and was assaulted by such a strong sense of recognition as to momentarily disable him. He recovered quickly enough, approaching with reverent awe of her beauty.
He was hardly alone, but they mattered little to him. Let them try and fail. Ch'ero purred adoringly. She was magnificent to him under the lust. Had he noticed her in Fort? Perhaps even Chased her? He could not remember and it didn't matter. All that mattered was her. She was his all.
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Post by glamourie on Sept 26, 2008 17:52:55 GMT -5
The first arrived. Eriannath turned to look at him, eyes still whirling red as she perched on her rock. She was grateful for the distance, the respectable air between the two of them; he was Jessereth, that much she knew, but beyond that, he was unfamiliar. A stranger, then? A stranger! She was delighted, and it showed in the way she flipped her wings and tail playfully in his direction before crooning back; low, challenging and daring at once. Beneath her. She was at the highest point - highest up on her perch. She, looking down. The thought made her giddy with anticipation and burning need. This stranger - would he be able to keep up with her in the sky? He was a big brown - a big brown, handsome and lovely in his own right. She circled around on her rock again. Big wasn't necessarily bad. He'd managed to almost keep up with a queen. She felt special; one of the ones who Chased a queen had answered her call. There was an undeniably flirtatious edge to the way she flipped her tail down toward him, teasing. She was faster than a queen; her flights were not the same. It was a game of tag. And they were all it.
The second glimmering form made her look up slightly and she crooned to Rath, though it was slightly less warm; not intentional, but there was a slight caution. Bronzes made her nervous. Bronzes were dangerous. Bronzes gave the punishments ---
Juliya's eyes narrowed and she paced in a circle, mimicking the way that Eriannath was crawling over her rock. Bronzes. Bronzeriders. Bronzeriders were terrifying; she'd only been with a handful throughout her lifetime and all to keep herself from being shunted onto a fighting wing. R'non -- R'non was a Benden bronzerider; that she remembered vividly. Benden who had killed her friends, Benden who had killed the few people she was close to, Benden who everyone she knew well saw as an enemy. Benden who was as much her enemy as anyone else's. R'non was a Benden rider. But he was at Selenitas, and he'd tried to defend Selenitas, though he'd also made it worse. What to think, what to think? That he was there spoke volumes; she was flattered that any bronzerider would deem her worth it. Was that her? Was it Eriannath? Did it matter which of them it was?
It didn't. He spoke to her and she glanced at him - for now, her bronze. In a circle she paced, around R'non, movements timed perfectly as Eriannath circled her rock. She did not answer his words, instead looking him over. He was a handsome bronze; all a glitter, his wonderfully shiny hide. Would he be able to keep up with her? She smiled slightly and chose not to respond --
Because another had arrived. Gleaming gray-brown, smaller than the rest, and likely faster too. Eriannath crooned over to Dohulth. A second brown. A second, lovely brown. The throaty sound that followed was almost a purr, and she climbed onto the top of her rock, her wings spreading in challenge. Three - no, four; another. Rosilinth, she knew him from Fort. Four chasers? Three gorgeous browns, and all for her? She crooned adoringly to all four of them in time before shrieking her challenge again - and then beat her wings, propelling herself into the air, up and away from them, distance put between her chasers and herself. She wanted to be high enough that they could barely see her. They were it and it was time for them to Chase her. Catch her if they could. She wouldn't make it easy for them, either; she was proud of her speed and agility. And as flattered as she was that she had four lovely males who found her interesting, they would still have to prove they deserved her. If they could.
Juliya backed away from the males, her vision gone in a skyline of white and blue, of rays of sunlight and the smell of the sea carried on the wind. Her movements kept a distance between the males, who had wisely stayed out of her reach. Around them she circled, her back presented, though she glanced over her shoulder to make sure they were still there. Still there. Still hers.
Propelling herself further into the air, Eriannath glided into the lowest cloud coverage and turned, heading northward. North in the direction that the scent of the sea was carried from. She was not flying at her fastest, though; she did not want her pretty companions lost in the clouds, losing track of her. She wanted them to follow. She wanted them there. She bugled loudly enough that there could be no doubt of where she was, and then she spun, in a half-loop. Aerial shows.
If they wanted Her, they would have to show her how agile they could be.
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Post by reqqy on Sept 26, 2008 19:40:20 GMT -5
Beautiful sun. More beautiful than Millieth? No, that didn't matter. Millieth had her bronze, because he was shiny or some other stupid reason. Jessereth flared his wings, angling his neck and crooning to Eriannath appreciatively, deliberately making the muscles play along his chest and back. He was strong. See. See? And first! Didn't she like him? He liked her, pretty, pretty sun.
No, no. Not that one. Jessereth glared at Rath, his croon taking on a desperate edge. The Eriannath-star shouldn't look at that one. Why would she want Rath? Just because he was shiny? But Jessereth could be shiny, too! The brown resisted the urge to growl at the evil shiny, if only because he might then miss it if Eriannath took off. Rath was doing this just to take another of the females that Jessereth chased! He wouldn't let that happen. Not the imposter. Not again.
He plowed through the water, moving with the current. Too close. Growling, the man-dragon angled toward the bank, barely escaping the pull of the falls. He shook himself out, dark eyes lighting on the steps. Barefoot, he scampered down, pausing at the different landings before sensing the one he wanted.
Two more joined, but they meant nothing to Jessereth. He merely watched his Eriannath-star closely (and Rath to be certain that the imposter would not try anything shifty). Streaming upward almost at the same moment as his star, the brown returned her cry. It was mostly for her, but also a challenge to the others vying for her attention. They would have to defeat him first. He powered upwards on the strength of his great wings - the Queen chaser did, determined to prove to his Eriannath that he could hold his own just as well in her Flight. To prove himself worthy of her.
Hin-Jessereth slid through the doorway. Not graceful, not lithe - but that was the gorgeous Eriannath. His only desire was to be the strength that buoyed her. Let her be the dancer they all worshiped, the shooting star across the skies. He would pursue until there was no strength left in his wings, no breath in his lungs. Or until she Chose. The man stood square in the doorway, not moving forward, not wanting to crowd her, but determined to be seen. To be noticed. A rumble in his throat, his shoulders flung back. "Eri..." Hard to tell if it was coincidence or actual speech.
In the clouds. Why did she wish to hide? Distressed, he pulled up higher, hoping to spot the glimmer of glistening, radiant hide. Ah, but her call. Towards...the ocean. Of course. Any true female flew towards the ocean, for it was the ocean that embodied the feminine temprament. Eriannath...Northward he flew, remaining high and listening, always listening. He rocked one direction, then another, cutting a swath across her projected path, though higher. Would she call again? Or would he see -
Yes! Just a momentary flash. He adjusted course a little. Better, for now, to keep the high altitude. She was the Eriannath-star, and she would not be caught early. Not be caught against her will. It would be irreverent to think otherwise.
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Ember
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Post by Ember on Sept 26, 2008 20:03:03 GMT -5
Rosilinth shifted excitedly as Eriannath tensed, ready to spring aloft and lead them on a merry Chase. His half furled wings extended fully as he saw her leap. His muscles bunched and rippled under his hide as he sent himself skyward, wings beating the air harshly as he rose after her. Oh, what a splendid day for flying after such a magnificent green! He bugled as he fought gravity, the brassy call a bold declaration of his intention to please. She disappeared into the first layer of clouds and he sped up.
As he entered the moist, white clouds he saw a green figure and quickly went after it. Eriannath flashed out of view suddenly and he thought he lost her until he heard her guiding call. He crooned adoringly and, with a flick of his tail, flew towards the sound gladly. It seemed like they were headed north. Toward the sea! He winged through the clouds, wondering if she could see him or if he should save his tricks for later. The brown felt like it was just him and Eriannath in the skies and reveled in the feeling. Him and Her, together soaring through the air.
Ch'ero would not have left her even if she had dove off her weyrledge. He watched in amused lustfulness as she looked back at them. What a brilliant, beautiful...oh words could not describe how wonderful she was! Apparently the human of the pair had not yet started her testing. Most greens tested their Chasers' reactions, but if she was break from that then she was all the more better than others.
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Post by neeuqtar on Sept 26, 2008 20:57:48 GMT -5
Jessereth. What an annoying dragon. Rath pointedly ignored the brown, arching his bronze neck and flaring his wings, tail whipping as he displayed for the green, showing off muscles honed by long sweeps and battles, his many scars only just fading, no longer refreshed by the endless battles of Benden and Fort.
She launched into the air, and he followed, powerful wingbeats certainly able to allow him to overtake Eriannath. However, he knew how to Chase a green; he held back, keeping his speed slower. There would be time for power in her final surge to altitude, for now he held back, keeping out of the pack, with a slightly higher altitude. He flicked into the clouds with her, following through the wisps of mist and grey.
Rather than follow her half-loop, Rath mirrored it. Unlike a green, he couldn't spin on a wingtip... but he hadn't Caught Elianoreth for Turns upon Turns by accident. The bronze dragon, rather, flipped to the side and curved in an arc before returning to normal Flight, peeling back and upwards before dropping down through the cloud cover, staying slightly below and to the left of Eriannath. He didn't want to be the terror of the skies, threatening her beautiful wings. No, he would stay her Second, behind and below, unless she called him forward.
R'non backed off slightly from Juliya, giving her space while stepping slightly to the side. Defining himself. Showing himself. He held his head high, shooting a glare and a snarl at Z'hin before ignoring him. This was about him and the green. His green. He was bronze, was he not? He could have what he wanted.
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Post by kysseh on Sept 27, 2008 16:44:19 GMT -5
Dohulth was not oblivious enough to miss the fact that two of the suitors were looking to remove each other. The small brown wanted to keep his focus on the beautiful green before him, but his own survival instincts made him aware that the first brown and the bronze were unhappy with the other's presence. Very... very unhappy. He did not do Eriannath the discourtesy of looking away from her to eye up his competitors for her attention. A fourth came to join, but Dohulth's violet eyes were focused on the green lovely alone, only glimpsing the rivals in his peripheral vision. Inconsequential, they were. He wanted time with Eriannath alone... and fussing over them would detract from that.
She had purred at him, but her croon was for them all. He responded with a throaty croon of his own, crouching on his rock and opening his wings. The other browns and the bronze were larger than he. Dohulth was faster and had the stamina to rival even the bronze with his oversized wings. It had taken Turns to master his wings, but he had managed and was proud of his skills. Not as agile was he, given his wingspan, but quick, he would be. Quick, he needed to be, or Eriannath would leave him behind. Her shriek was met with a throaty cry of his own, and the brown threw himself into the air, powerful wings shoving at the air to send him airborne. It took him a half-second longer than the others to catch the lift properly beneath his wings, but once he had it, he soared.
She was headed for the clouds, he noted, and he kept his wingbeats steady to rise at an even pace, slipping sideways to stay clear of the other males as he ascended to follow. He gave a low rumble as she vanished into the low cloud cover and rose to hover beneath the cloud layer, searching for that little hint of color that would signify her-
There!
The bugle told the amorous brown right where the little creature was hiding amongst the clouds, and he pumped his wings to slide up amongst the wisps at the underside of the clouds, below and to the right of her. He could get some glimpses through the clouds, but they were not enough. He crooned softly at her, grateful that she had at least hinted to them all where she was hiding. He slipped farther to the side to make sure she could see him if she looked back, keeping a close watch through the clouds. At her aerial display, he angled his wings and then rolled in a shallow spiralling dive. He had to work to regain his altitude and speed afterward, but he managed to pull it off without looking too ungainly. His wings made it difficult to do fancy maneuvers, but he had energy to burn and was not the least bit strained. Not yet, anyways... though he knew this beauty would put him through his paces.
Juliya/Eriannath had her back to himself and the others, but K'von's eyes were on her anyway, focused hopefully, watching. Her back was bared, but she was aware as she circled. He saw her look back, and he made no move to close that distance between himself and her, letting her have the space, letting her circle. He just watched and made a small noise of appreciation low in his throat, one hand idly brushing the remnants of sand off his trousers. Lovely, lovely green. Why did she just show her back to them? Teasing, was she? He gave a quiet, playful chuckle. Ohhh... the little sneak.
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Post by glamourie on Sept 27, 2008 19:44:45 GMT -5
Back behind her; they were following. Good, good. Eriannath watched them with interest, measuring, assessing; which of them would be the best match for her glowing radiance? All wonderful in their own way, all well-deserving, but who would be the best match? Who could follow when she twisted and turned, would dare to match her skyward dance, ascending and descending in unpredictable tempo throughout the sky? Did she want a male whose grace matched her own, or one who was strong enough to catch her should she fall? Was it a faithful follower she sought or one who dared to keep up? Was it a show of tricks that would win her over? ... Or would strong, steady confidence be her match? It remained to be seen. She weighed their strengths, assessing, measuring. So much to offer did each of them have; so much to provide. For the moment, her four glorious males. She saw no flaws in any. They were all four beautiful - and more than deserving of she. But which did she deserve?
Jessereth, who had arrived first? Prompt, handsome, daring - he had Chased Millieth, yet he also saw her as deserving of his attention. Yes, she was flattered, but -- he did not intend to try to match her grace and twists. Why hadn't he? Because he was so big; did he worry he would be hurt? She did not want him to be hurt --
-- Her lone bronze suitor surprised her, and Eriannath looked back as he twisted in a similar, but not quite exact, half-loop. She rumbled appreciatively. It could not have been easy for a bronze of his size to accomplish such agility, and she recognized the obvious skill he offered. Yet .. he and Jessereth... She had the distinct feeling the show was only half for her. No one had ever called Eriannath exceptionally intelligent for a green and it would not have been true if they had, but she was not stupid. She could not remember, but Juliya did; she recalled that Rath and Jessereth both seemed to compete for Millieth's attention. Were they being used for the purpose of spiting one another? She was not a tool for revenge. If either of them intended to have her, they would have to impress her, not one or the other. True enough was it that both of them were lovely, both offering so much - but she would not be used. Not by anyone.
Juliya's eyes narrowed and she moved closer, stepping right up to R'non, easily within his body range. She circled him twice, as Eriannath spun loop-de-loops throughout the sky, casually picking up speed. Her own movements were similar, circling, waiting, watching.... baiting. Was he bold enough to touch her? She didn't wait to find out, instead half-skipping away from him before spinning herself, her arms stretching out around her as she circled. Half-jump; half-dance, like a strange ballet, she moved, but her eyes were on her four suitors. She was looking for a dance partner, and only one who matched her skill was worthy of catching her. Her movements continued, but amidst them she was moving toward the table at the center of her weyr, and she leapt onto it with surprising ease. Twisting. Turning. High above and for all to watch. She was center-stage, and she demanded an audience as much as a partner. Who would be bold enough?
And then there was Rosilinth. He, like Jessereth, did not seem determined to impress, but rather endure. She was sure that they could fly longer than she could. But could he match her speed? She watched him with an intensity like a hunter eyeing up a particularly dangerous prey item. He was familiar. He was known. She remembered him. That made him both dangerous and interesting. A fun playmate? Only if he could keep up. Only if he could match her. No matter how handsome he was, no matter how strong, the only way he could catch her was if he could match her. She would not settle for a dragon to be her superior, not once nor ever. They would have to earn their place. He, as much as any of the others. And it would take more than simple endurance.
Grayish brown caught her eye and drew her attention away from Rosilinth as she spun around several times, like a gliding green torpedo. Faster, faster. She had to be higher up and so much faster than before. Dohulth; Dohulth of the strange-and-unique hide. The smallest of her suitors, with his so big wings. She crooned back at him in recognition of his spiral and mimicked it almost flawlessly, from further ahead. But the movement sent her into a dive, and she rapidly descended below the clouds, still following the scent of the sea. If they wanted her, they'd have to prove they could keep up. Dohulth and Rath had proved their agility. Jessereth and Rosilinth had proved their determination. She wanted to see speed. There was a virtue to being a green, after all, and she fully intended to use her advantage to its fullest. The Weyr was becoming a distant memory as she beat her wings in a straight descent, as fast and hard as she could go. She would not be able to keep up an extended speed if she was not careful, but Eriannath did not mind. She could slow down once she put more distance between her and them. Unless they managed to keep up, after all.
Wasn't that what tag was all about?
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Post by dragon on Sept 27, 2008 23:33:07 GMT -5
Appearing in the sky a little belatedly, and way behind on the Chase, Kindrith left the canyon abode far behind him as he rushed after the group of flying dragons far ahead of him. He so wanted to call out to that most beautiful Emerald in the Sky. He even knew who she was ... Kindrith had chased her many a time before at Fort. Never won, granted, but he'd Chased her even still. And probably would for many times to come!
Being too far away, and having a very lot of ground to make up, Kindrith held his silence - oh so painfully - as he poured every ounce of speed his pale blue wings had to offer into the chase. Oh, but he was so far behind. He'd never been so late in a Chase!! It was horrible! She deserved better than that from him.
The forest whipped by below him as Kindrith urged his very being on faster through the air. Thankfully, fast was something he could do. Yes, he was fast. Impressive - maybe not. But fast he was. He was blue! And he was very thankfull for it ... he was slowly cutting down on that impossible distance between his own love-hungry heart and that shining gem in the sky. But he feared he would not even manage to get close enough to call to her before it was too late.
Back at the weyr, he'd left his rider in a rather dazed haze, stumbling about in his own weyr, more or less unable to find the door. After the tenth time around the weyr, still rather confused and lust-crazed, E'yan managed to make it out the door and into the hall. Once there, he started running. If he'd had any faculty for thought at all, he would have noticed that this green was one that Kindrith had chased before. But as it was, he was too far gone in his dragon's desperate loving lusting emotion to notice who it was they were Chasing. Finally making it to the flight room - even later than Kindrith had been to the Flight itself, E'yan managed to make his way to where he could see her.
Ah! Juliya. She really was a pretty one. Though ... the lack of any real attire on her part really only served to exemplefy that observation. She was so beautiful!
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Post by reqqy on Sept 28, 2008 16:54:42 GMT -5
It was hard. All Jessereth wanted to do was glide downward into the cloud bank, to play with the Eriannath-star as her hide flashed in brief intervals. As her long, sinuous form displaced the water in the air. Lithe. Enticing. But he was Jessereth, and he resisted the temptation, just as he'd resisted the urge to show off. He wasn't agile, really, but he was practiced enough that he had his own tricks to pull if he so desired. The fear lingered, though. While he was messing around, she might dart ahead, leaving him floundering and woefully unable to catch up. Jessereth knew greens. He was fully aware that he couldn't possibly keep up in a straight flight without help. Altitude was most important at the moment. This early. She wasn't tiring yet, and until she did, she had the advantage in speed. Power couldn't make up for speed. Forgotten were the other males. Out of sight, out of mind, truly, though a flash of bronze would remind him of the one that must be watched for any trickery. He trusted his Eriannath-star to know that the imposter wasn't a good choice. Jessereth simply didn't trust Rath to allow her to make her choice. He'd stolen before, hadn't he? The memory was vague. Slipping higher, ever higher as he winged onward, he called out to his star with joy the moment she dove lower and laid on the speed, momentarily revealed to his sight. Hin-Jessereth froze, tension rippling through his frame. He didn't deign to notice the growl. Ridiculous. He had no issues with the man, and if the creature was so lost in Flightlust - that was just pathetic. Compared to gold flightlust, this was - well, not mild, but certainly less overwhelming. No, he froze to watch the glorious creature dancing around them, his brows furrowing in puzzlement. Then he began to trace her steps, tentatively, dancing aside whenever another male came too close, the subconscious mimicry having him circling R'non as well. He cocked his head to one side in open curiosity, a questioning sound lingering in the back of his throat. What was the star doing? Hin-Jessereth lifted his arms once, halfway, but he could find no purpose for it and let them fall again. Momentary worry flashed in his eyes when she mounted the table. The star seemed drunk - on life, on lust, he could not be certain - and he worried that she might fall as she spun and skipped on the surface. Jessereth erupted into sudden activity, diving and going into a tight barrel roll, his wings snapping tightly in against his sides. He'd bided his time for this moment. When it became clear that his dive was too steep, the plummeting brown flared out his wings in quick succession, braking some of his momentum in short bursts to readjust the angle. His solid weight and relatively small body size had him speeding earthward almost impossibly fast. Then, he was just behind her and above, his wings flaring outwards and the brown flipping belly up, angling his body to redirect his speed horizontally. Fly, Eria-star, he crooned to her encouragingly, even as the borrowed momentum of gravity had him shooting past her, the male twisting his body in a flash of darker hide before he arced upward in a loop and twisted so he was facing rightside up again, pumping his wings with all his strength and spilling altitude to attempt to keep pace with her. He couldn't keep this up for very long, but he'd just climb higher again if he had to. Hin-Jessereth purred to the Eriannath-star, stalking around the table and tossing his head, darting forward and back - undecided. He wanted to touch her. To take her by the waist and put her safely on the ground where she could whirl and dance to her heart's content. But he knew he shouldn't touch her, and it had him fading forward and back, hovering in indecision. His fingers would come oh so close to touching. Then he'd pull them back, afraid. Desperately, he crooned to her, wanting her off the table. He spun once, mimicking her movements in the hope that maybe she'd come down if he danced with her, strange as this whole thing was.
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Ember
Administrator
T'san Iskierka Dy'shi Jazheera Ae'on Nephele Qaena K'dem Eikane
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Post by Ember on Sept 28, 2008 17:30:06 GMT -5
Finally! Eriannath dropped out of the clouds and he followed suit. Now she could see him fully! She dived downwards and Rosilinth crooned as he folded his wings, leaving just enough spread so he could maneuver. He angled down and arrowed towards the ground, gravity assisting him for once. He dropped quickly and added a spin to the dive to be a little showy. Emphasis on a little. Not much he could do in a dive honestly. He'd wait until she leveled them out.
He became aware of the antagonism between the first brown and the bronze seemed to have a problem with each other. Rosilinth considered reminding them that this was Eriannath's Flight and not the time for fighting. Then again, it was her Flight and her honour to chase out or stop any fighting. Plus the two hadn't actually started fighting, so all was good. So in the meantime he cleverly kept his speed checked a little, watching as another sped past his lovely green. He was not far behind her but he dared not pass her. Eriannath was the target, not the 'it' dragon in this game of tag.
Ch'ero was amused as he joined the strange little dance going on in the weyr. He made a spinning pass by Juliya with a playful wink. This brought him a little too close to another male so he skipped away from him energetically. See! He could keep up with the younger males still. Unfortunately he was not that graceful. The brown stumbled slightly and he barely managed to keep on his feet. Oh dear, Had his lovely Juliya seen his fumble?
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Post by neeuqtar on Sept 28, 2008 20:23:41 GMT -5
His size was a burden in this Flight; his power, a drawback. But yet... her green form flickered through the clouds, beckoning him onward, and so her came for her. Then, she flicked upwards, circling and circling, an endless corkscrew which was so simple for a blue or green, and so impossible for his great bronze form. But he did not despair; despair was not an emotion the dragon knew or cared to know. He was determined; she would be his.
Rath dropped down, pausing while the males flew past him, then turned on the power. He could not spiral so tightly and gracefully, but he could fly vertically up, wings twisted awkwardly, his body at a strange angle, as he powered upwards, faster than she in altitude, for she was traveling longer distance. He flipped and twisted over, coming out of his vertical rush with a twirl, wings fanned wide in display as she reached a high altitude, then paused. The dive. She would dive next!
R'non spun slowly in place, thrumming deep in his throat as Juliya circled him, though he did not make a move to touch the greenrider. She moved, and he followed, knowing his place in this dance. He had eyes for only her, though the forms of the other males were a constant challenge. He was better! He would prove it!!
She leapt onto the table and he followed, staying just out of the range of touch but circling around her, feet sure on the unusual surface.
Then--the dive!
Wind rushed past his wings as he folded them, letting sheer body weight do what Eriannath's wings were doing. R'non leapt nimbly backwards, balancing carefully on one of the posts of the bed in the Flight-weyr, then to a chair and finally back to the floor, eyes keeping track of her lithe form.
Rath's bronze form twisted through the clouds, the bulk of his body destroying their wispy beauty, leaving ethereal twirls in the air as he passed. Wings close to his body, legs tucked tight, Rath plummeted to the earth, letting the speedy Eriannath fly free as he fell back slightly, keeping aloof from the rest of the herd. Did they not remember that there were three dimensions to the sky? To follow, only follow, was to show lack of initiative and creativity. He would not fall into such a simple trap.
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