Sunset's Rise [Llath's Maiden Flight]

[neeuqtar]

I almost wish I hadn't Impressed a green, P'tol sighed to himself, watching the sun set over the jungle. The tumult of emotion and general flirtatiousness he'd been fighting for the past few days had (thankfully) slackened when Llath's puppy-energy had run out about mid-morning, and she had fallen asleep, sprawled in their weyr. The weyrling glanced back into the darkness of the weyr to Llath's sleeping form. Her tail twitched restlessly, but she was still the adorable dragon he, well, adored.

P'tol sighed again, flicking a pebble out into the air, watching it sail from sight before his eyes were drawn back up to the glory of color that was the sunset. How beautiful... A growl from Llath startled him from his reverie. Wait... growl? His playful little Llath never growled! He scrambled to his feet as the green dragon slithered past him, casting a red gaze on him before shrieking at the top of her considerable lungs, lunging into the sky and startling a flock of sleepy birds to fly against the darkening sky. Llath roared again, pumping her wings to gain altitude in the dying thermals of the river valley.

What-- why-- P'tol stammered, sliding and stumbling down to the 'Bowl. I Rise! she cried back, winging higher, her gleaming green body silouetted against the orange-and-purple sky. Rise? he repeated dumbly, panting and scraped as he reached the ground, feeling so strange. He was so hot... without thinking, he clawed his shirt open, marking his chest with lines of redness from his bitten-off nails. Where were they? He deserved the best, the strongest! Where were the males?!

At last, he realized what was going on, as Llath circled higher and higher. She seemed to glow from within, like she was a liquid gemstone with an internal furnace, blazing in his sight like the beauty she was. With futile effort, P'tol tried to wrench his mind away, to stop the flood of lust and desire that was already working its way with his body. A tear ran down his dusty face. It was going to hurt... he knew it was going to hurt... he hadn't "practiced" as had been suggested, just kept putting it off... And then he was Llath, in the sky, and pain didn't matter any more, only the air under his wings and the strength of lust in his veins.

[Requiem]

"I think so." Think? Don't you know? "Just a wingrider, Wrenth. They don't tell me things. You know more of what's going on than me." She was screaming. It's kind of hard to concentrate when a Queen is blasting in your head. "She was taken by someone. And I think they know who, but, like I said, they don't tell me things." Well, why would they? You do crazy things like jump onto enemy dragons. Not very responsible. F'lan turned to glare at his bonded. What? You can't deny it! I thought you were going to fall off every time they jumped Between. "That wasn't exactly my shining moment, I'll admit..." I've never seen anything more idiotic. "Then you haven't seen much, have you!"

Another ongoing spat. Putz, as usual, was off somewhere, likely getting himself into trouble as he wandered aimlessly, looking for whatever it was that he looked for. Cherry was currently perched atop F'lan's head. He didn't seem to mind. The little green fluted, her wings fluttering as the voice of Hers rose to a near-yell. She rubbed her head lightly against him. He stroked behind her eyeridges absently, still glaring at his lifepartner. Wrenth, however, didn't seem at all perturbed. Nor did he appear to be paying any attention whatsoever. His stance had stiffened, nostrils flaring slightly with each breath. A shadow passed over the bluerider's face, before he glanced over his shoulder, trying to see what Wrenth saw. Nothing but empty weyrledges.

An all too familiar rush swept over him. "No!" F'lan strode forward, pushing at Wrenth's massive head to try to get him to turn around and enter back into the weyr. "You have got to stop this, do you hear? Last time I ended up with two women in the middle of the forest. Two women who were weyrmates. I barely got out of there with my hide. Wrenth!" The blue rumbled deep in his chest. An explosion of wingbeats, green, and sound distracted the man for a brief moment. He turned back to Wrenth, pushing at him harder than before. It was like trying to keep back a tidal wave.

The blue's head came up, sending an answering call to the gleaming gem high above. Young. More glorious even than Rukbat in the failing light. He hardly noticed the startled cry of His as his wings swept the man over. Wrenth crouched and leapt, managing a completely vertical takeoff as he streamed upward in a path parallel to Llath's. The dark, sinuous male called out again, a cry just as challenging as the green's. Who would join him in the pursuit of this beauty?

Little Cherry had retreated to Wrenth's couch, trembling from the surge of strange desires sweeping through Hers and the fall that had startled her. The green creeled plaintively. F'lan didn't notice. He pushed himself to his feet, the heat of anger flushing his face. Or he told himself it was anger. Glaring up at Wrenth, the bluerider felt the familiar pull, and glanced down. He audibly groaned. "A little boy? By the egg, Wrenth, you live to torture me." Grumbling under his breath, he paced, his annoyance mingling with the lust that was burning its way deeper into his chest. He found himself no longer caring that the green was nothing but a babe. He wanted him.

F'lan's eyes narrowed as he contemplated the stairs down to the canyon floor.

[Administrator]

All evening, Hiriarth had been looking above him curiously. He was on the weyrledge, so D'vin, who was arranging things in the office, didn't notice the brown's sudden infatuation with one of the greens. If he had, he would have doubtlessly tried to talk Hiriarth out of it. But now, it would be too late even if D'vin had realized what was going on. The man yawned, talking to one of the Lower Staff. She was going on and on about her worries about how they were going to run out of numbweed, and how they needed to get to the beaches to start harvesting. "Yes, yes," he replied boredly. "I'll talk to the Weyrleader, and hopefully get you and some staff there within the sevenday. Don't worry, I'm sure we have enough to last a few days more." However, the old woman shook her head firmly. She wanted to go as soon as possible, and weren't brownriders supposed to be capable of understanding the wishes of their elders. This quickly turned into a rant about youngsters these days, which D'vin quickly blocked out. He had better things to do, quite honestly.

Llath is looking beautiful,[/color] Hiriarth told his rider distractedly. D'vin frowned. Unfortunately, the woman thought he was frowning at her, which sent her onto another rampage. She was soon blasting into a full-blown rage, whic D'vin wasn't paying the least bit of attention to, of course. What do you mean, Hiriarth? he asked, hoping it didn't mean what he thought it did.

"Excuse me, but I need to get going. I'll take to S'rei tomorrow morning. Something's come up," he told her quietly. Fearful of another attack, she demanded what was happening, but D'vin had taken off already. Don't you go Chasing, now, he instructed firmly, darting down the stone stairs in an attempt to get to his weyr.

Oh, but mine, she is a maiden green, and she glows so beautifully,[/color] Hiriarth responded dreamily. D'vin paled. Maiden green? He wouldn't be Chasing a weyrling now, would he? Mine, she is absolutely beautiful,[/color] he told him, the lust clear in his tone. D'vin bit his lip, pausing on the first floor of weyrs, feeling his blood heat a little. Well, admittedly, he hadn't touched a warm body for so long...

But before he could gather his thoughts more clearly, Hiriarth trumpeted from below, seeing Llath leap into the air. That was the last straw for D'vin. Racing along the weyrs, he looked for P'tol's. He knew where each person lived, thanks to practically living in the records room. Charging to the open cavern, he wasted no courtesies. Coming in immediately, his eyes located P'tol. Under normal circumstances, P'tol would not have been his first choice. He wasn't picky, but he was more a fan of girls than of men. To him, however, P'tol was the most handsome being on Pern. He unbuttoned his shirt impatiently, feeling the lust taking over his body. He smiled distantly, trying to be reassuring. But Hiriarth was taking over his being.

Hiriarth crooned after Llath, circling behind her. Oh so beautiful! He chose not to call out to her with a challenge, knowing that saving his energy would give him more chance. He did let loose a hiss, however, at Wrenth. Who did this softling think he was, trying to capture his precious jewel. He was a babe, a pale comparison to Hiriarth! He knew Flights well. This was more likely a lusty little dragon who didn't care for anything he Flew with! Hiriarth cared for any dragon he caught in Flight. Well, Hiriarth was sure to teach this little one how this game was really played.

Shards, was Llath ever-so-beautiful...[/size]

[Kisha-Ra]

R’fuin leaned against the frozen blue expanse of his dragon’s chest and watched the sinking sun paint bright colours across the evening sky. His eyebrows were drawn into a frown despite his relaxed posture and his mouth was set in an unhappy line, needless to say he was brooding again.

Caught up as he was in his brooding R’fuin didn’t notice the tense twitching of Ylonth’s tail nor the way the normally relaxed blue kept lifting his head and looking around as if waiting for something. The first he noticed of his blue’s odd behaviour this evening was when the roar of a lustful green punctured his reverie. R’fuin move. I wish to chase her. Ylonth prompted his rider impatiently, naked lust in his tone.

Sorry Ylonth, I was- Brooding. Ylonth finished R’fuin’s sentence for him as R’fuin rose gracefully and stood aside. Ylonth bugled and thrust himself skyward as soon as his rider was clear, intent on the chase.

R’fuin’s eyes followed Ylonth’s flight as the bulky dragon made great downward sweeps of his wings. Familiar heat and urgency flooded R’fuin turning his breathing ragged as he strode along seeking the Flying green’s weyr. He never knew what drew him to the right weyrs only that it worked. Growling low in his throat, a sound part lust and part challenge, R’fuin swept the dim interior of the weyr with his dark blue eyes. Eyes that lighted on P’tol with his desire and intentions clear in his glance. ‘Don’t worry, we’ll be gentle with you.’ R’fuin murmered, though he was quite unaware of doing so.

Ylonth let the dying thermals carry him along for now, as yet a ways behind Llath and her other pursuers. He would wait; he would conserve his energy until she wore herself out a little. Then he would use all his tricks on her, catch her, hold her…

[neeuqtar]

Llath chirred at the males that followed her. Much better! They knew her call, how strong and pretty she was! No longer alluring, Llath shrieked out a glassy bugle, the sound grating to the ear and most certainly a challenge. She was high enough... yes, high enough now. Though Llath was not combat-trained (nor a very good flier) she was quite willing to attempt new things, and did a wingtip turn, flipping perpendicular to the ground before diving past the males, dodging wings and tails. Ha! Let them follow her! She risked a peek behind her, but misjudged and swerved towards the canyon, squeaking as she tucked her talons up and skimmed over the Heights. Oops!

Bending her mind back to the task, Llath skimmed the jungle, swiping a particularly tall tree before whipping upwards into the darkening sky, her brilliant form shining in the dying light of the sun. Was she not beautiful? Was she not worth having? Trilling encouragement to her Chasers, the green dragon caught a dying thermal, her light body flung high into the sky by the pillar of rising air. Not nearly as high as a queen Flew, oh no, but certainly high for a maiden green!

((Meh.))

[Requiem]

The dark slash of near-black continued upward past his aim, drifting almost lazily as she dove, separating them by more and more altitude. His keen eyes set to watching her, the male whirling in a tight pattern to keep her well within his sights. Wrenth took the time to notice the other contenders who rose to join their twilight dance. In a moment, they would be of no concern. The brown was seasoned. That was obvious enough. If Llath hadn't been tugging at him so strongly, he might have recognized him, but Wrenth couldn't be bothered with anything so insignificant at the moment. Experience may be on that one's side, but he would be far slower to respond, and less likely to catch the shimmering beauty's notice.

The other rival was quite nearly Wrenth's own age, and also a blue, but that was more or less where similarities ended. As much as Wrenth was dark, he was light. As much as Wrenth was long and slender, he was muscled and bulky.

That was the extent of the attention he wished to devote to either of the other males. All he needed to know was what method to take, and here speed and manueverability were clearly his dominant points. Time to come to the honoring of this lovely green's maiden flight. She should be proud! None of her brothers rose to chase, but seasoned males. Yes, she was a beauty among beauties.

Wrenth danced across the swath of sky still brilliantly painted by Rukbat's descendence, his dark form standing out starkly. Whipping downward, he slashed just below the lip of the canyon, before swirling upwards after her, some distance to the side. Llath could hardly see and choose a chaser if they all stuck to her tail, now could she? His pursuit became a silent one, the male having already announced his presence. He was not so large as these others, no. Nor so glorious in his coloring. Compared to Llath, he was but a shadow, the antithesis to her shining, brilliant hide as she contorted above the clouds. Though maybe she would not want large on her first flight? Maybe...At any rate, he wished to honor her maiden flight and her glory by doing his best, the male twisting and turning, spiraling through the colored clouds in a primal dance. To have the honor of her choice was almost more than he could hope for...

The bluerider found his way down to the gathering of men, his pace steady but less fluid than normal. Blood pounded through his veins, the look in his eyes predatory and undiscriminating. He was not muscular like R'fuin. Nor was he tall, as D'vin was. No, just a wiry, angular creature, neither tall nor short, feminine at first glance but altogether harsh in any thereafter. This man looked upon P'tol, upon the scratched chest, and smiled a dark, hungry smile.

[Administrator]

Hiriarth crooned back to the beautiful green in response to her triumphant bugle. Even when challenging them, Llath was still the most beautiful creature he had seen in a good long while. Why these other males felt they deserved her was a puzzle to him. Obviously such a dazzling creature deserved only the best, and he was determined to prove that he was the best! Watching her intently, he turned after her, dipping his own wing and dropping with a more experienced descent. It was rather endearing-- that is, if he didn't want her so badly, he might have called it cute. But this green beauty was far beyond cute! She was not cute! She was a glittering, gorgeous vixen that he needed! However, he cursed his size. He was the largest chaser, so keeping up with her was more of a challenge than the blues would have to face. Yet he probably wouldn't need speed. From his experience, greens slowed down the more tired they got, and if Llath kept going fast, she'd lose energy soon. And if there was one thing that Hiriarth had, it was strong endurance.

Diving after the clever young creature, he resisted the urge to rumble in amusement as she seemed to go somewhere she didn't mean to. Shards, how he wanted the innocent green. He needed to be the one to catch her. He admired her, silhouetted against the sunset, flying over the tops of the trees. Yet she still managed to maintain that shine! Glorious green! Steadily staying behind her, he kept yearning for her to look at him, and ignore the others who were barely worthy to look at her. However, she couldn't be distracted, that he knew. But how he wanted her to at least acknowledge his existence! It was curious how females always managed to get the males under their power. In this situation, Hiriarth was completely helpless to the gorgeous young green. He was pulled in to her by some mysterious force that he could not-- and would not-- control.

D'vin's face betrayed no emotion as he cast off his shirt to the ground, sweat beginning to form upon his chest. Only that same distant smile lingered on his expression, not in his own body. He was Hiriarth completely, something that D'vin reveled in, but was also something that could possibly frighten those outside of a Flight mindset. There would be no turning back from this point; even if Hiriarth lost (which he was confident that he would not-- after all, he was Hiriarth, and the other two blues he was with were unworthy), he would have to go find someone else to settle his needs with. His breathing was heavy, casting admiring glances to the beautiful green before him. Oh, but he needed her...

[Kisha-Ra]

Admiring of Llath’s little trick, Ylonth folded his wings and dived after her, trading height for speed in the same old trick she used, height could be regained, Llath, should he fall behind, could not. Ylonth levelled out at a higher altitude than the beauty he chased, he expected her to climb again.

Moving forward steadily, Ylonth took a moment to properly admire the striking female ahead of him. Her hide was such a pleasing shade, bold and bright and so wonderfully enhanced by the glow her Flight gave her, and was her form not the most pleasing? Of course it was, there could be no more desirable shape than that of this delightful female silhouetted against the darkening sky for his admiration.

In the dim light R’fuin’s eyes seemed to flash as his pupils dilated then shrank to pinpoints again, an odd effect of the link between him and Ylonth. Unaware of making any sound R’fuin growled low and contuios, partly from lust and partly as a challenge to these other males who would take his green given the chance.

[neeuqtar]

((Guys, I suck. I'm sorry ~_~;)

Two blues and a brown Chased her lithe green form through the skies. Llath dodged and weaved, flirted and spun, before becoming bored with the game, though her wings were not tired yet. Part of her dared her to Fly longer, while the rest wanted to try a new game. Almost lazily, Llath spiralled upwards, peeking over her shoulder at those Chasing. One dark, one light, and one of distinct power.

Ylonth had held back in the beginning, but Chased well enough now. Hiriarith committed all of his wing to her Flight, but Wrenth had been there first. She faltered in her Flight, trying to decide who it was she wanted, trying to think and Rise at the same time. With a cry, she side-slipped, letting her talons tangle with the nearest male: Ylonth. And in doing so, she Chose, and let her mind slip to the new game the duo made in the sky...

...And on the ground, P'tol did the same, unthinkingly lunging for R'fuin, nothing left to his mind but lust.