Do you feel lucky? [Rated 'R' for insane Magma]

[Lyrikitty]

A calm which belied the true nature of the creature seemed to linger about her molten figure as the Magma lay perfectly still on the ground. Her eyes were open, hues of red and orange wheeling steadily through them. Her wings were folded against her limber body, the long, lethal spines which ran the course of her back jutting into the air, quivering ever so slightly. The only sign of the real tension she was holding back. Ever since that Wildfire had brought her the Riosian and the Firestone, the Magma had been in the equivalent of isolation, solitary, for the safety of the Weyr. She'd still managed to sng her claws in a few who ventured just a little too close. It had started, in full, at the Conclave, when the monsterously sized Wraith had subdued her by sitting on her. How the Magma had been returned to Eden was not exactly sure, but she'd caused havoc as soon as she set paw on soil.

Not even Xai dared go near the beast just now, for fear of her life, and the woman currently found herself in the kitchen, grabbing a bite to eat for lunch.

A flit appeared about a meter from Honuth's jaws, and with a flash of movement the Magma lunged, her teeth clicking together with a crunch, and a pleased warble dripped from behind her fangs as she tossed her catch up into the air, spitting a torrent of flame at it to watch it roast. Oh how she would love to do just that to a few particular males in this Weyr, or just plain everyone on Pern. Why... It was a beautiful idea, one which made her blood boil and her heart thunder with desire. Her forked tongue flickered over her mzzle, wiping away ichor from the flit, and her eyes narrowed, a delicate shiver dancing along her frame at the exquisite taste. Her claws raked the ground below, head swiveling to peer about, searching for something else tastey, something else hot and rich, filled with sweet juices and ready to quench the need she had to fill up on it. No... Not just fill up on it...

She wanted to roll in it, to bath herself in it and to fly above the world, to carry bodies into the air and cause that beautiful liquid to rain down on the Weyr, to bring screams from the mouths of-

She couldn't wait. Furiously she leapt into the air, tearing through it before her current guard could know she was there, her course slowed only long enough to lash out at him, leave a long rift of gashes across his cheek before she moved to the feeding grounds, eyes locked intently on the terrified animals. Of course the silly beasts knew what dragons were, and of course they knew that the dragons ate them, but there was something different about this dragon that had ever animal in a panic, even before she moved in on them with her prey chosen. A buck, fat and stupid he was, compared to her at least. She darted over the ground, on paw swiping out to disable him, one leg removed entirely, one mangled and just shy of severed, the others left broken. He fell with a pitious cry, but she wasn't done yet. She left him there, knowing that one wasn't going to get away, and three more she brought down, only one with a merciful blow that brought death. She eyed the three, moving them into a group, before she sliunk after a fourth, claws tearing into it's sides as she dragged it across the ground with her. Yes... This is just what she wanted. The cries of the injured animals were loud, deafening really, and while the Magma had yet to make more than a low hiss, a soft little warble of pleasure, it was those sounds and the sheer aura she poured out in waves which would be drawing attention.

She had yet to realize that she was about to Rise, too occupied with the thoughts which had drawn her to the feeding grounds in the first place was she. Her jaws closed around one throat, teeth creating holes which she guzzled blood from, no need this time to try and fight the beast over gorging, she didn't want meat, she didn't want anything but blood, red, pain, and murder.

Xai had felt the shift in the Magma, and one for the worse, and quickly abbandoned lunch to head for the feeding grounds, watching as her mount made a mess of the area, fighting the urge to cover her ears against the agonized sounds of the animals. She was thankful she didn't have to fight the Magma, for in a state such as this Xai doubted she would win. Instead she watched, and the nagging feeling in the back of her mind that those animals wrere not the only ones who would be in pain today occuring and making her quickly look about. Would any male even dare join this flight? Honuth was a beast that very few could enjoy being near even in her best of moods, and what Xai was looking out at right now seemed to be the worst the Magma had ever been in.

One buck down. The carcass was examined closely, a claws sliding under the skin as she tore it open, gently taking the entrails between her teeth. Not to eat, oh no, she had a far more interesting plan in mind. She set the organs aside, before turning back to the carcass and shredding it, tearing it to bits and spreading it across the ground in a fine layer of gore. She went to the next body, this one still screaming, still trying to flee. Oh good. Were she feline she would have purred, as she batted lightly at it, rumbling in pleasure, her head stretching out to rasp her tongue across it's side, causing it to squeal all the more. Just as playfully she wrapped her maw around the neck, not biting yet, letting her prey scream until she bite down hard, cutting it off sharp. She drained it also, repeating her amusment of removing the entrails and setting them aside, spreading the rest about in as small of chunks as she could manage. Two left. she eyed them closely, and decided that she was full. These two had more interesting fates.

She grabbed the entrails of the first two bucks in one paw, and wrapped her jaws around the mid-section of one of the carcasses she had left, before shoving off and into the air. Over the Weyr she went, opening her paw and letting the organs fall. This was bad, but nothing compared to what came next. The Magma curved her neck to hold the buck she carried between her paws, tearing at it's belly with her teeth and opening it up to let the contents fall as well, circling above the Weyr. She then went about shredding it also, spitting out chunks, until she was about half-way through.

This was dull, she wanted fresh game, something more challenging than those stupid animals, something more her size, her strength. She wanted a mal, another dragon. She dropped the carcass and opened her maw to let out a bloody, snarling roar, challenging any fool to bring themselves into the air after her, her spines rattling against eachother as she spun mid-air, sending a jet of flame out into the sky, hissing violently, and then rocketing herself into the clouds. Let them try, the fools. She'd make them all suffer, and beg for her to end their puny lives. There wasn't a beast alive which could tame her, catch her, she was a Magma, she was a queen, Black Sands be damned for trying to take that from her.

On the ground, Xai watched in disgust and horror as Honuth showered Eden in a gory rain, before making herself known to the entire Weyr for what she really was about. She was deffinately rising now, and Xai took pity on anyone and everyone who chased this round. Shaking her head, the woman made her way back to her own Weyr to wait it out, figuring the riders of the kings would find her there easily enough anyway, and she stepped over a few chunks of animal as she went, ignoring it entirely. There were times when Xai would swear her Magma could make even a Cyan a little uneasy, or squeamish. This was one of them.

[Desert]

K'dran had heard the sounds of Honuth's tormentment of several herdbeasts, but he disregarded it. Perhaps others would be repulsed by the sounds, but he'd been bonded too long to a monster of the same caliber to be affected. Perhaps Dharth wasn't as enamored of making a huge bloody mess of things, but he'd caused his share of bloodshed, and either way the mental games he played with his victims were more brutal in many ways. Certainly the scars he left were slower to heal.

When a warm, sticky rain of coppery-smelling blood fell on him, K'dran cursed under his breath and jogged over to the nearest cover. Leave it to a magma -- a barely-sane one at that -- to find amusement by showering everyone with gore. Dharth was already in the air by the time Honuth started drizzling herdbeast over the Weyr and made his way over to the feeding pens; he could tell what the magma was about, even if she didn't.

You're as insane as she is, K'dran commented scathingly to his blooding black.

I am the only one with a hope of catching her, and you are well aware of it. No one else is inclined, much less capable. Any other dragon would be killed.[/b][/color]

It's your funeral. K'dran snorted. He wasn't loath for Dharth to take off after the maddened queen; with the way Honuth had been since Black Sands' visit, she was probably more evenly matched against Dharth, since sense seemed to have flown out the window.

Dharth ignored his rider's skepticism and blooded to satiation, then when Honuth shrieked her challenge, he surged into the air in her wake. His eyes, among the wheeling shades of lust, also held streaks of an eager electric blue. This was a challenge equal to his skills: he would enjoy this Flight, for like few others, this was one he would have to work to survive, much less to win. He knew very well that Honuth in this state was actually a threat, and for once, rather than irritating him only added to the thrill of the chase.

ooc; RARGH WHY?! stupid picky Muse. TT^TT
[/size]

[Lyrikitty]

A challenger. She had caught only the slightest glimpse of the Black as he headed for the feeding pens, but that held little interest for her. If he joined, she'd finally have her chance to swat down the arrogant beast and prove herself far better than he. She hoped he'd join. It would be fun to watch the brute's lifeless corpse fall and to hear the shrieks from below.

Honuth grinned, the expression chilling to anyone unprepared or unaware of her state, and to those who were enlightened, it was a challenge, proof the Magma was maddened and dangerous, and for one such as Dharth indeed it was a good thing, for once he would not have an easy flight, one where he surpassed all others. It mattered not, this time, what males appeared to follow her through the sky. It was not a fellow king which those males need worry about. It was the very prize they sought which would most likely be the cause of loss, and the fee she charged to join was steep.

Let them come! She was ready for them, eager for them.



Dharth was not the only male to realize Honuth's state, for another had made way to the feeding pens as well. No king was he, far from in fact, but a Roan. Chayth, well known to most Weyrs on Pern for his lust and his drive to chase after any female he could catch. Never had he dared try to join into a queen's flight, for most queens were too large or too fast, but Honuth was small, and he stood a better chance at catching her.

His foolish pride and endless lust drove him to the feeding grounds, felling a buck to drain it quickly. He'd need the energy if he wished to try and catch the raging Magma. As soon as he'd drained one beast the Roan heaved himself into the air, taking action quickly to fall into pursuit of the queen as she rocketed off.

A cry reached his mind, and for a moment the Roan faultered as the voice of His broke through, pleading. Chayth, land! You fool, she'll kill you! The Roan paused, hovering for a moment and turning his head to glance down with a scarlet eye, looking at His before shaking his head and once more lifting himself to the skies, maw parting to let out a bugle, challenging the Magma queen.

V'yal cursed, screaming a long string of profanities at his bonded, and looking about for help. Chayth would surely be killed by the Magma, no matter how many flights the Roan had been in prior never had it been a queen flight, never had it been chasing a creature so vile as Honuth, so violent and bloodthirsty as the Magma.



Honuth's eyes widened as she caught wind of the Roan's challenge, and she had to spin mid-air to be sure she'd not misheard the voice. No, indeed the creature had risen after her. A ripple of amusement rumbled in her chest, and she spat a stream of flame in his general direction before tossing her head and flipping once more to hover, watching the male. ~Is this the best Eden has? Only these two puny beasts to try and match me? Bah! Let them try then, and I'll shower the Weyr with more than herdbeast by dark!~

[Desert]

Dharth actually paused in his blooding to stare at the other challenger. A deep, amused rumble bubbled up from the depths of his barrel chest as the big black lifted his muzzle from the drained wherry. Chayth, I never thought that you had a deathwish![/b][/color] he chortled. The behemoth watched his Wingsecond take off, and after taking the time to bring down another herdbeast and blood it, he too threw himself skyward. All the while, his eyes were dancing with swirls of seafoam green. What an idiot! Dharth couldn't take the roan seriously as a challenger -- he himself was the only one in the Weyr up to the task of chasing Honuth, and that statement wasn't even a boast.

Even though he'd deliberately let the roan take off before him, a few deep strokes of Dharth's broad wings caught him up, and soon he had overtaken the smaller male. Unless you strike the first blow, Chayth, I will not antagonize you for this Flight. I have more important things to concentrate on -- and methinks Honuth will take care of that for me. I feel the need to give you one warning: this is no place for you. The skies are dangerous with a mad magma in the air, and I will not be held responsible for any damage I cause to you if you get too close.[/b][/color] All the amusement drained away as soon as he had taken to the air, and as he passed Chayth, he glanced over his shoulder at the roan, as if to emphasize his words. Such a speech from him was rather uncharacteristic, but since no one could really predict the big black's moods, K'dran was unfazed.

That over with, Dharth put real effort into his flying in order to decrease the distance between him and Honuth. He wanted to keep close -- not so much as to force her hand or to give him no room to maneuver, but close enough to make his own move promptly. He saw no reason to waste his breath on a bugled challenge: she knew he was there. No use trying to sweet-talk her or anything. His silver tongue would be wasted on this creature, and at any rate, this wasn't a Flight where he was trying to woo the female. This was more like a mid-air battle, so he treated it exactly as such. For once, Dharth was playing more of a defensive game than offensive, unless he saw an opening to attack -- let Honuth waste energy and wear herself down faster. She hadn't blooded much from what he saw, so other than her adrenaline-fueled blood-frenzy, she wasn't running on the usual fuel a Rising queen had.
[/size]

[Lyrikitty]

Chayth, taken slightly aback by Dharths uncharacteristic warning, blinked in confusion, his mottled head tilting slightly as the bigger male sped past. Perhaps it wasn't a place for him, but this was the only chance he would ever have to do something like this. No one would try and remove him from the Flight, and if nothing else he would be able to say he had participated in a Queen Flight. How many Roan's could say that? How many average males could say that? It was the only thing the sweet-natured, if unintelligent, creature took pride in after all. He'd chase anything on Pern if he had the chance.



He brushed off the warning, struggling to catch up to the others. He had not Honuth's speed and agility, nor Dharth's advantage of size, and so the male lagged behind despite his determined efforts. But he wouldn't give up that easily!





Honuth rumbled again as Dharth drew near, flicking her tail with hoped of perhaps flaying his shoulder or cheek. Oh she didn't expect to draw ichor from the fools who dared to rise to this challenge so early, but she didn't want a single one to think her an idle Queen who'd run them around for a bit and then throw herself at one of them. Never would that be her. A wry smile flickered across her bloody maw and she spun mid-air, shending a jet of flame at Dharth before arching away and into a thermal, letting the pocket of hot air send her soaring higher, her wings adding to the effect as they stroked the skies mercilessly. Ah... There was only one way this could be better...





Chayth too dove into the thermal, not thinking the dangers that lay in store if he drew too close to the enraged and maddened Queen. The poor fool. He managed to just barely pass Dharth, a feat in itself, when the Magma spun once more. It dawned then, and only then, on the Roan what his fate was likely to be for this mistake, and he squealed, flaring his wings and trying to stop. Too late.





Honuth cooed in pleasure and dove, every inch of her body going to work for the very thing it was bred to do. Her claws reached out for the Roan's flesh as she coiled herself around, one paw slicing open the male's shoulder, her teeth tearing at his neck. Hot ichor filled her maw and her bloodlust raged stronger. Not yet though... She controled herself, shoving away from the foolish male and circling him, a predator with her prey cornered. ~Well well well! Look what I found. Did you really think you could chase me?~ She dove at him again, twisting her body to leave a trail of marks on his side from her spines, placing her beneath him when she regained herself. Such a sweet position. From this point drops of the Roan's ichor, leaking from the injuries she caused, rained down on her. Nothing could compare to this unless perhaps the one above her were Dharth, or that wretched WraithQueen. Ah... A shiver coursed her spine at the very thought, so pleasent it was, and she grinned, inching closer to the Roar as he started to attempt an escape by climbing in altitude. She followed, right beneath his every step of the way, and playfully she flamed his tail, drawing another squeal from her prey.



To the delight of the Magma, a pair of Topaz appeared below, arriving from her home Weyr. Ah... A color that was designed to catch her without the nasty effects of touching her wrong. Their scaled bellies, chests, and necks protected them. Slightly. She snorted and turned her attention back to Chayth. The newest ones would catch up soon enough, if Dharth didn't decide to remove the she would have some fun. The fact that she would have to leave at least one king alive to mate with her never occured, she merely assumed if someone was worthy of the honor, they wouldn't end up dead in the first place. But she'd need more energy, if she was to really have fun with the kings...



She added a burst of speed, comming up beside Chayth and smacking the spined side of her tail into his flank, watching the sharp points impale him, and using this to pull him close to her. A moment of hope flickered in his eyes, replaced instantly by terror as he realized she was not drawing his close because she'd picked him to end the Flight just as quickly as it began, but to feed.



Her jaws closed around his neck, wings closing around the both of them as Chayth screamed in agony, the Magma drank from his veins. It was not the sweet blood of cattle, but something far better in her mind. The cries of her victim faded and then silenced, his bulk going entirely limp as he lost his grip on life and ceased struggling. She fell with him for a short distance, trying to take as much from him as she could before she shoved away, tearing at the limp form as it fell leaving it mangled and shattered. Worse was yet to come for the poor Roan.





He still lived, barely, when he met the ground with a crash, bones shattering and puncturing organs. The Roan took a single, raspy breath as he tried to comprehend what had just happened, body trembling as numbness washed over him. ~Mine... Mine it's cold... Cold like Between...~ The Roan fell into darkness then, unable to cling to life at all. The Magma had stolen his heart's-blood, the impact of the fall had shattered many a bone, his lungs had been punctured several times over, and a trail of ichor ran from his maw.



The agonized cry of rider signalled the end of dragon, and V'yal threw himself to the ground, screaming, as fat tears stung his eyes and poured forth. The behemoth of a man shuddered, curling into a ball as his bare torso flexed, muscles rippling beneath the tattooed skin. A hand blindly reached for his beltknife, seeking salvation in the end of his own miserable existance. "Chayth! It was a pitious, mournful cry to his beloved friend, and as soon as his fingers found the hilt of the blade they were torn away, someone snatching the knife from him. He bellowed, reaching for it, but found hands on him, trying to subdue him. Were they blind? Couldn't they see that all he wanted was to be reunited with Chayth? He struggled, but was restrained until finally he gave up, going limp to silently weep, his broad shoulders shaking with anguish.

[Desert]

Dharth pulled up with an artful flip of his wings to avoid the gout of flame Honuth aimed his way. He had been a few dragonlengths behind her - as close as he deemed safe - so her lashing tail had missed by a mile. The big black circled wide around the thermal to track the maddened queen's progress, knowing better than to slip into it himself - the air would buoy him up, straight into her waiting claws. he wasn't that stupid - but as Chayth came up from behind, it became evident that the roan surely was. Dharth trimmed his wings and dropped back, waiting. He could tell what was about to happen.

As Honuth dove after Chayth and chased the poor roan, Dharth eased into the column of air and rode it idly while he waited for Honuth to have her fill of toying with Chayth. That was, until two Northern kings appeared from between and dared to join the chase. Hot rage flecked Dharth's eyes with chips of icy blue among the sea of lustful bloodred, and he dove out of the thermal to meet the two topaz head-on.

OUT![/b][/color] Dharth roared, a gout of flame leaping from his maw. One of the topaz had nearly had his head engulfed by the flame, but he reared back in time to take the flame on his scaled neck and chest - as Dharth had counted on. Some flame still licked at the hide rimming those scales, and surely it was uncomfortable for such heat to be inflicted upon their bodies, but it wasn't fatal. You interlopers have no business here - the magma may have been born of your Weyr, but she is of Eden now, and I will not tolerate poachers in my Weyr![/b][/color] the big black snarled, swiping one wing around to swat the flamed topaz. The other one had dodged around him and was making headway to where Honuth was still distracted with Chayth, but the big black concentrated on his current victim.

The Northern king tried to follow his compartiot, but in trying to duck underneath his attacker he only succeeded in exposing his vulnerable back. Dharth's flame descended mercilessly. A good section of his wingsail was incinerated and muscle was crisped, causing the topaz to scream in pain and immediately pull out. Dharth turned on one wingtip to rejoin the chase without even waiting to see what had become of the flamed topaz.
[/size]

[Lyrikitty]

The Magma hissed as one of her new play-things was assaulted by Dharth, seeing it not as an attack apon the poor Topaz, but on herself. He was stealing from her a toy which she planned on amusing herself with. Her large wings rowed at the air with new fury, her energy far greater now than it had been before. Was Dharth aware of what she'd done, in its entirety? Oh he knew she'd gone after that dim-witted Roan for joining her Flight, but was the Black concious she'd not only driven him from her Flight, but fed from him to sustain her energy for this, and then killed him? Perhaps. Dharth was no compassionate, sentimental twit after all. True, Chayth had been Wingsecond to the Black, but that was a position which could be filled by another.

Seething, the Magma caught up with the unharmed Topaz who had escaped Dharth's wrath. Perhaps it would have been a kinder fate for him, to have fallen into the claws of the big Black, but no, he faced a creature he was unprepared for. He spun 'round to face her when she came, exposing his protected parts, but she didnt care. she tucked her head to her chest and flipped, slamming into the brute with her spines and causing both of them to recoil from the force.

She caught herself, large wings sweeping through the air as she bellowed outrage, the harsh cry followed by a spout of flame that licked across the flank of the Topaz. He growled at her, and her expression brightened further. She knew this one on a personal level. He came fromt he same clutch as she, and if she wasn't mistaken... Indeed! She rumbled laughter as she spotted a scar across his shoulder. She'd mauled this one after he's Impressed. She wondered absently if His had fared as well. Perhaps the poor man still wore the battlescars of his Impression, and her play though, she'd be sure to check after she'd crushed this Topaz and finished her Flight.

She didn't charge the male again though, instead she arrowed up once more, gaining height swiftly. She kept herself above the Weyr though, not roaming like some did. She wanted all to witness her folly and feel the effects of her every action. Besides, it was a rare treat to see her in action and not have a need to flee. She only cared about those who dares enter her skies. The ground was safe.

She ignored the Topaz who had managed to recover himself and resume chasing her, she ignored Dharth who was returning from dealing with the other, and she ignored the last Topaz, who seemed unable to decide where he was going for a moment, before finally deciding to continue the chase. Good. As she reached the bottom of a cloudbank she leveled out for a moment before flipping, her wings folding neatly and her mass carrying her down. It was a favored trick of theQueen's, to gain altitude and drop on another from above, her spines pointed down as she curled into a ball, and impale them. She didn't need wide open spaces for her Flight, she just needed a few good toys and a least one who could survive until she tired. Until that moment came, she was going to cause as much bloodshed as she could.