Running Skyward

[Onyxaeon]

Oh, but if you want to have a go, I just want to let you know...
Get off of my back, and into my game.
Get out of my way, and out of my brain.
Get out of my face, or give it your best shot.
I think it's time you better face the fact, get off of my back.

(*//*)Icyri(~)Icysk(*//*)[/center][/color][/size][/i][/b]


The Northern Continent's spring nights were relatively easy now that summer was slowly creeping up upon the Weyrs and Crafthalls. The bitter winds of icy had died down, and snowfall had ceased altogether, thankfully, because the Weyrhall had been battered by one too many good blizzards recently. The night's rising warmth had brought Icysk back into season, the opal wher stirring in the early hours of the night just after the last of the stubborn kitchen staff called it quits and vowed the trainees would do the dishes tomorrow first thing in the morning. Under the expanses of her decorative, though unfit for flying, wings, Serenity and Calypso roused and quietly voiced their complaints. When the wher passed one large, reddened eye over the two, they hushed and took to sliding off of their warm and silken bed and preening momentarily as Icysk padded over to her handler's bed cot. Icysk's large, wedged head nudged Icyri's hand hanging off of the bed and, when the woman still did not still, the queen whined lowly and shifted uncomfortably. Hers was not awake to the world yet, so maybe she should just run? Run as far and as fast as her clawed feet would carry her in the grace of this calm and lukewarm night.

With a decisive nod of her many hued skull, Icysk padded out of her barrack with the Spring flit Serenity following shortly after along with her sister the Snow Calypso. Of course, they would not miss their friend in her most glorious moment! The two glided briefly, white and mottled green-brown wings moving in unison as the wher came upon the stockpiles of bucketed meat for the visiting young whers returning from hold watch duty. It was wrong and Icysk knew this within the back of her relatively simple but empathetic mind, but she hungered and the livestock of the Crafthall were kept tightly locked away in the colder seasons. She would need her strength to run and there was no other way to receive her nourishment. Besides, Calypso and Serenity would enjoy a midnight snack with her as well, and so the three settled down to engorging themselves with protein-rich meats until the opal queen had deemed herself filled. With silent, simple images and sweet croons sent to her companions, she bespoke them to rouse only certain males by flying over their heads and pulling at their headknobs; she knew her eggs were precious and not every wher would deserve to chase much less sire her clutch or any for that matter. Hers had made that very clear to Icysk; breeding was important because she wanted strong babies, didn't she? Of course she did!

It took several minutes for the Snow and Spring siblings to waddle off just enough of their meal to get airborne again, and several more still as Serenity had forgotten her message to give to the Brown brute she had swatted with her wings awake. Icysk was not concerned, though; she had time and they would wait for her to fully fall under her body's callings because she was queen and she held the reins. The night's calm brought with a slight breeze with a touch of chill to its grip, and the opal queen lifted her skull to catch the scents floating past her. Before her mind could rationalize, her body was trotting forward into the rush of air. Jogging. Running. Thundering over the formerly frostbitten earth and tilting herself skyward as if she could somehow find the speed to lift into the stars.

[elainsie]

A number of men sat around a makeshift table outside the greater part of the Wher Hall, assorted bottles of wine, of both reds and whites, and flagons of ale, dotting the ground below them. Above the table a rather furious game of cards was being played out, marks in piles in front of each person. Unfortuantely for Ciaran, he was the one with the smallest pile, and even that was dangerously dwindling. Off to the side the various whers of the holders playing the game lounged around, Ciarsk one of the biggest of the group. The game held no interest for the bronze wher, and while he was a nocturnal creature by nature, he felt there was no need for alertness and was happy to doze off.

"What not again! By the egg, I reckon these cards are rigged!" Ciaran slapped down his hand angrily, his face black with anger. The bronze wherhandler took very little to rouse to annoyance, he was a passionate man who was happy to let everyone know when he was annoyed (in his defense he was also quite boisterous, and rauscous when in a pleasant mood) and parting with hard-earned marks certainly was near the top of his list of things he liked least. Particularly since he considered himself rather good at cards. Picking up the closest bottle at hand he took a swig, smacking his lips in appreciation. This hand he would win, and make some of his lost marks back he was sure of it.....

It was as the hand was being dealt that Ciarsk, lids still half closed, swatted at something in the vicinity of his head, nostrils widened in annoyance. Thinking whatever it was had left he settled down, only to have claws cling to his head nobs. The bronze shook his head, starting to become more than a little irked. Opening his eyes Ciarsk threw his head forehead once more and the little Jade firelizard tumbled down landing on the ground with an indignant creel. It was then the air carried the scent of Icysk, the wher recongising what the subtle shift in scent indicated. With a glance toward Ciaran, and finding him engrossed still in his game, Ciarsk doubted the man would even notice his lack of presence, he followed the trace of her scent to the source, his claws on the flagstones echoing around the almost abandoned Wher Hall.

He watched as mere metres ahead the Opal Wher, her hide muted in the dark but no less attractive, at least in Ciarsk's mind, built up into a run. Following in her wake, Ciarsk quickened his pace, the Opal's scent mingling around him, a heedy scent indeed now he was so close, until finally his flanks were heaving with the exertion and he had reached a speed he felt sufficient for chasing, at least for now.

[Lyrikitty]

Hudraz and his Bronze Husk were lounged a short distance off, Hudraz sound asleep and snoring peacefully as he spralled on the grass and Husk watching intently, lids drooping slowly as he started to slip towards slumber.

A night of drinking and rowdy conversation had left the handler rather intoxicated, and his boasts grew steadily louder and moer unbeleivable. After a time he chose to retire, and releive himself. Rather than walk back to his own bed and remain there he'd wandered aimlessly, and Husk had followed, shaking his skull faintly. Hudraz had gotten lost many a time from stumbling off drunk and passing out somewhere, and if Husk hadn't followed him out the Wher was prone to panic when his handler didn't return.

Hudraz had to stop and releive himself on a bush, his original reason for wandering off in the first place, and with a happy groan of pleasure he smiled, turning around and then trying to recall where he was going. Thoughtfully he grabbed his wineskin and took a heavy swig, before starting off in what anyone could have told him was the wrong direction. After awhile he'd settled down, deciding he was tired and wanted to watch the stars for a bit, and from there promptly passed out and started to snore.

A faint breeze brought a scent to Husk that snapped him out of his pleasant state and into full alertness. He could smell a female, and it was one he'd admired many a time. With a grunt the wher heavwed himself to his feet, giving his bulky form a shake. He was no spring youth, if anything he and Hudraz were getting up in their years, but that didn't change much. The wher trotted briskly off in the direction of the tantalizing scent, and caught sight of the Opal Icysk, followed by another Bronze already. Good. Icysk was a pretty creature, and deserved a good number of suitors.

His pace quicked, his legs stretching out as he gave chase, feeling the wind course over his figure and delighting in the sentation. More important though was the Opal who he was starting to catch up to, as well as the other Bronze. Finally he came close, falling just behind the other male and letting his nostrils drew in the intoxicating aromas of the night, coupled with Icysk herself.



((Bleh... Sorry about this post. o.o Never done a wher mating before. >.>))

[Desert]

Altesk and his handler were just returning from a light snack. They were late risers, being off-duty, and neither of them ever ate much for breakfast. Also, Altesk had been eating lightly of late, knowing that a Run was imminent. Ever since the casual encounter with a gold and an opal, several months ago, he'd been admiring Icysk from afar. She was a pretty wher. Her multi-hued hide stood out among the Wherhall, since mutations in whers were far less frequent than in dragons. He appreciated her unique beauty, and though she was a queen and he a mere brown, he thought he had a chance to catch her. He knew that many other browns and bronzes - especially golds - were wary of their odd-colored kin. Or rather, their handlers were, and they followed suit. But he and Alteus thought that was rubbish.

Alteus' three flits, who had been doing their daily patrol of the airspace around the hall, suddenly creeled excitedly. They swirled eagerly around in a dizzying pattern and flocked over to their friends, landing on Altesk's headknobs and Alteus' shoulders. They gave Alteus images of Icysk on the run, and two bronzes closing in on the opal queen. The images trickled down to Altesk, and the lanky brown snorted eagerly. Tail twitching, he turned to his handler, lamplike eyes begging permission to join the Run. He was ready - he had been ready for days. Alteus smiled and patted his shoulder. "Go run your heart out, buddy. Good luck."

Altesk squealed in excitement and, after giving Alteus a parting lick, he trotted off in the direction of the other whers. Pan and Eos swirled around him happily, creeling encouragement, until Alteus called them back with a laugh. "Don't distract him, girls, he'll eat you," he chided, tickling the jade's belly.

Once he was away from his handler and fire lizard friends, Altesk broke into a steady lope. This was a distance-eating stride that he could keep up for hours - being such a lanky, long-legged wher, he was build for marathon running. He knew this, and he had confidence in himself that he could at least give these bronzes a run for their marks. He caught up with the other runners and picked up speed to join the pack, jostling in between the bigger bronzes. He hadn't ever participated in a queenRun before, but he had competed against bronzes in Runs past. Altesk lifted his head and gave a throaty, rolling trill to let Icysk know he was here and ready to run.

[pandoraMisfit]

A pair of faceted eyes gleamed in the undergrowth outside the Wherhall, swirling through the peaceful blue-green hues, though occasionally a spark of red filtered in. Especially when the air blew in the right direction. Pheromones filtered into the nostrils of the creature, encouraging the red facets to gleam more frequently. There was a run, he surmised. Not just any run, but a queen run. Although the night was indeed more pleasant than many had been recently, this individual had decided on resting quietly. He had eaten not long before, bringing down a wild wherry with his sheer bulk. Having eaten the prime meat on the birds breast, it had lost his interest.

Now stretching out from his resting place, the Wher skimmed the area surrounding the hall, finally catching sight of the chase. His muscles flexed restlessly. Yes, it was definitely a Queen chase, and even better, it was an Opal. Something in the back of his head told him it was Icysk, despite not having made her acquaintance before. A queen... now there was something that piqued his interest. Sure he’d chased a green or two, but this was something different, something exciting. A shudder ran down the bulk of the creature. This was something challenging. Looking again, he saw a few of his bronze brothers and a brown joining the chase. Definitely. He would go for this. His status as a handerless wher alone dared him to and the presence of the king whers egged him on further.

Fully emerging from the tangle of vegetation, the moonlight gleamed down on his hide, a burnished orange-yellow that swirled from his nose to the tip of his lanky tail. Overlaid on this was a striking pattern of virtually white stripes, the pattern being more dense on his back and petering out to finer strips along his legs and tail. A thick line ran across his snout, splitting into thinner branches that curled around the spikes lining his jaw. The solar flexed his thick claws in the earth, the scent of the running female fully filling his mind. Yes, he wanted this. So what if she was a queen? It was the thrill of the chase he was after, and perhaps he would even win her. Giving it no more thought, not even to the Bronzes that chased his prize, he stretched his awkward frame out. He was taller than most browns, but shorter in body length, this being balanced out by his long tail. Would he have the advantage? Probably not, but oh boy, he would still try.

Shaking himself like a wet dog to loosen his muscles further, the solar limbered up before setting off to join the pack that chased the glistening prize in the distance. He ran in bounds, his stubby wings flared just enough to balance himself, but not allowing them to fully unfurl as his already less than aerodynamic body didn’t need any further hindrance. A click and a chirrup escaped his maw, announcing his arrival before he fully joined the other males. Being without a human, he hadn’t really had use for a name, but for when those times called, he was known as Erelask; purely because he liked it. But now he called it out, letting everyone know that he was here. Keeping his legs pounding beneath his at a regular, easy going pace, his eyes were fixed firmly only the form of the queen bounding ahead of the group.

[Onyxaeon]

Icysk bugled in delight at the arrival of her suitors, the thick expanse of her tail thudding against the ground as she made her way past the Hall's feeding pens. Perfect! Hers would be so very proud of her! Two Bronzes, both strong and broad, a Brown lean but sturdy, and a mutation much like herself, a Solar who could bring exciting younglings to her. So thrilling it was to be the object of their affections, a self satisfied warble escaped the Opal wher as she lifted her head higher in the air to preen and broadcast her intentions to the males pursuing her. She wished for a chase, and a chase she would have for these males would not find her an easy run; they knew not the stubborn female they had dared to stray from their handlers for. A bugle sounded from Icysk's throat once more, this one a challenge to her males as she watched them all seemingly line up to start a race none of them should win. Indeed, the only victory was through her and to find their way through her, they had to best each other in any way she so deemed.

Overhead, flits had begun to circle and soar after the whers. The run, it appeared, had triggered their own needs, and Icyri's own Calypso and Serenity were included among the group as they glided over the male flits and nipped teasingly at their tail and wingtips. A rumble from Icysk was her only comment as the queen bounded over a pile of timbers and turned abruptly to head toward the fields where caution for harming the crops their own handlers had worked to cultivate would reign. She, however, would suffer no such concern. Reckless abandon now ruled her for she would be forgiven if her clutch was healthy and strong and they, well, the only saving grace they would be given would be if they were the sire.

Chase, chase, chase!! Her cries could be heard for miles and were the root of several angry wherhandlers rousing from their slumber, but it was of no bother to the female as she leaped over the fence and straight into the rows upon rows of flora. Now, here, she would lose some of her suitors to fear of disappointing theirs and that was exactly what Icysk was attempting as she purposely barreled through a section of leafy plant matter, crudely tearing apart the dirt mound with her tail and claws as they dug into the earth.

ooc: Sorry; short post. -.-

[Lyrikitty]

As more Whers joined the chase, Husk lifted his head proudly. He was surely the oldest beast here, a faint touch of gray started to show on his muzzle gently. If nothing else he had the turns of experience the others lacked. As the glorious Opal continued her cries and urged this race to start in earnest helet his powerful legs stretch out, pulling him after her as each paw touched ground. He sailed after the prize as she bounded over the fence, his own mass lifting over it easily enough and taking caution as he entered the flora. He knew he would be in trouble if he damanged much, however he was unwiling to let the thought of turning back cross his mind for even a moment.

Besides, if he was successful in this and sired a healthy, strong clutch he would be forgiven for his faults as had been before. Still, the less he destroyed the better. Hudraz wouldn't enjoy spending the next sevenday replanting crops and cleaning up after the Bronze Wher.

A quick though to his competition was given, another Bronze, a Brown, and a Solar. The Solar was a wild creature, and one Husk marked to watch. The Brown, while sturdy and strong, was against two of a color higher ranked than he. That alone meant little, but Hust could be cagey due to his years, and he relied on the other Bronze to have something to contribute to the discouragement of the Brown as well. Were he a dragon he might have taken some form of action, however he was no great beast of sky and fire, he was -in his mind and in the words of Hudraz- much better than that. He was a Wher, and a loyal one.

The thrill of the chase, the wind rushing over his strong bodice and caressing his tough hide, the enthrallment of the beauty which bounded ahead, lead only by her own wants and needs, brought a joyous cry from his maw, joining her own cries of chase was his of pure elation. It had been too long since he'd done this, and he could feel his spirits soaring wildly from it all.

ooc; Sorry... Random NPC apparently doesn't work well with the overactive muse atm. -hangs head-

[pandoraMisfit]

Thud-thud, thud-thud, thud-thud. The pounding of golden-orange paws on the hard earth matched the strong pulse of his heart, beat for beat. Both started to gain in tempo as the run was started in earnest. Erelask let his tongue loll out of the side of his mouth, his breathing quickening to something near a pant. The aim was to provide extra oxygen to the sturdy muscle that rippled beneath his patterned hide. The steadier the supply, the longer it would take to tire out and he definitely wasn’t tiring out yet, on no, he was only just getting started. His idiotic grinning – for that’s what it looked like with his tongue hanging out and flapping in the wind, mouth pulled up at the corners to bare his teeth in a smile – was somewhat reminiscent of a happy canine. But no matter how silly he looked, the truth of it was that he was revelling in the strength he felt coursing through his limbs – the strength of hid body carrying him smoothly over the ground, the strength of the emotions flowing through his entire being. Lust, the ultimate adrenaline rush - or so the Solar felt - empowered him, lifting him to heady heights already, despite the fact that he was still simply running. The feeling of it though, the anticipation, the chase, were more than enough to send his heart soaring.

The competition also got his ichor pumping – two bronzes and a brown, all worthy in this race. Skilled in different ways, but yet matched even in spite o the inequalities of ‘rank’. Erelask snorted to himself ‘rank, pffft’. Since when did that stop him from doing as he pleased. Unbound by any human, rank meant little to him and the concept had little, if any, hold in his mind.

He paid surprisingly little heed to the opposition, even as he jostled against the flank of the brown wher. The knowledge that they were against him in this race was all that he noted of them. In his mind, they were little more than trained pets, chained by the beck and call of their masters, while he, Erelask the untameable, was all that a wher should be; brave, strong and independent.

As Icysk pulled away from the jostling group of her followers, her leap over the fence into the field astounded the Solar. He whistled appreciatively at her grace, her strength. Fast approaching the field himself, the muscles in his hind legs bunched in anticipation, then released in a glory of energy, sending him clean over the barricade and into the crops. He paid little heed to Husk, who had made the jump before he had, Erelask only had eyes for the enticing Opal out in front. He didn’t pause for thought that the humans wouldn’t take kindly to the decimation of their food supply. If anything, the only thought he gave to the foliage was gratitude in that it softened his landing a little. As soon as his claws hit the earth, he spurred himself on again, whirling eyes still fixed on the prize that flaunting her energy, running so tantalisingly far out of his reach.

Lifting his head in a joyous call to the queen leading them, he warbled his love for her. So beautiful and so powerful! His tones were higher pitched than Husk’s, and lower than Icysk’s – a tone that comingled with the two somewhere in the midground. But despite his voice lacking the strength of the bronzes’, it was only for her that he called. Of course he’d had his fair share of runs, usually chasing greens as was his want. But the challenge of a queen gave him fire, told him that he must win at all costs! He’d have to pull every trick out of the bag to do it, but something in him had dared him to do it. Something that was nothing to do with the pheromones that lingered in his nostrils, driving him mad with her scent. He kept with the crowd, conserving his energy until the time called for a fast sprint. He called out his devotion, hoping it was grab him some attention. Now all of this deliberation and planning didn’t mean he was in the chase purely for gratification – although that would certainly be nice – he truly did respect the queen wher. And as he had loved each and every one of his conquests, so too did he love her, for the present at the very least.

[Onyxaeon]

Icysk could feel the soil churn and part beneath her powerful claws as they tore into the soft, fleshy parts of the leaves. A trill escaped her as she pressed on, leaping over the last fence of the gardens before taking off into the wilderness. She had to turn her wedged head to watch her males as they chased after her, curious as to how many had been left behind in her attempts to thin the herd. They had been running for hours now and she had been criss-crossing this way and that in and effort to confuse and tire her pursuers.

So far, it had seemed to have worked quite nicely. The Brown Altesk had fallen from the chase, too tired from his days labors to continue to run after her any longer. She cast the male a sympathetic whistle and turned her skull to examine the others. Another was tiring, retreating from her chase. Both Ciarsk and Altesk were unworthy of catching her this time around but that was fine with this particular wher. After all she still had a Bronze and Solar still in hot pursuit and by the looks of it they were more than willing to break a few rules to simply chase after her tail.

A warble escaped her maw, and a rumble of laughter trickled from the confines of her throat. They wanted her! The light blues and greens of her hide seemed to shimmer, flushing with color as a form of draconic blush covered her hide. She was special, she was important, a thing of desire amongst these males. It made her ego swell and the Opal queen began to slow her pace to come closer to her males. Suggestive croons rolled off of her forked tongue as she nuzzled the Bronze Husk, the length of her flank brushing teasingly against the handerless Solar as she sprinted once more out of their reach.

For all her strength and glory, the Opal was beginning to tire. Perhaps it was time to let them come after her...? No, not yet she decided. Anyone could follow after her a break a few rules, yes, but it took a special wher to follow her into the night and to croon back at her when all he really wanted was to curl up in his couch and slumber. She banked left, heading toward the overgrown fields along the main roads for travelers. The tall grasses tickled her stomach and Icysk trilled in delight, urging the two behind her onward. They wouldn't be without their rewards, she decided. One of course would be rewarded with a cluth and the other, well, the other would gain some of her affections as well. Perhaps a nuzzle here and there coupled with a few licks. She was not near as cruel or vain as her gold counterparts whom taunted her chasers and then deemed none of them worthy after hours of running. No, that was wrong. These males had proven themselves and they deserved proper treatment. Or, at least to the Opal queen they did.


ooc: Sorry it's so short...I'm tired but it had to be replied to.

[Lyrikitty]

Husk whistled in soft appreciationo f the Opal he chased, seeing the other Bronze and the lone Brown drop out. They were fools to back away from such a prize, and he spurred his old legs faster as though to make up for the carelessness of the pair who'd abandoned the chase. They didn't know the glory of the prize they had been after. He did though. Husk was no fool, and his age had worked only to his advantage in this Chase thus far, having stayed him through and kept him close to the Opal beauty who ran just out of reach.

The last fence sailed beneath him as his strong legs sent him flying over it, and he reveled in the croons Icysk uttered as she drew back to him and the Solar to lavish attention on them.

A shiver of delight coursed his frame as Icysk's sweet nuzzle graced him, and he crooned softly to her. Oh how he loved this wher in this moment, she was the most beautiful creature to grace the face of Pern! She made the older male feel young anew, his spirits soaring with vigor and life, his body bursting with energy. He could run not for hours but days for a wher such as she!

He longed to feel her curled against his side after the night was through, satisfaction filling both of them and sending them into a blissful rest.

He had nearly lost all thought on the Solar who still chased, and only as an afterthought did he recall he'd marked the wild wher as one to watch. If he was to fail in this chase and see the beautiful Opal take another, a part of Husk was happy it would be this Solar. He had put up a grand effort and was just as worthy as the Bronze was to win her affections, unlike the others. It was a rare thing for any Bronze to acknowledge such a thing, but Husk did this once. His legs churned harder, claws digging into the ground as he propelled himself after the Opal, crooning sweetness to her which he meant with every fiber of his being. She was the most beautiful, most graceful, most incredible wher he'd ever seen, and he'd seen a fair number of whers in his many turns. He wanted her to know this, to know it to be a fact and truth, not just a thing thought in a moment's passing.

Even with his muscles burning, his desire for Icysk was too great for him to ever consider backing down, not when the end was dangling so very close at hand.

[pandoraMisfit]

Breath thundered in and out of his lungs, the deep and steady rhythm only just starting to labour. Erelask raised his head high, almost looking smug when two of the competitors peeled away, exhausted already. He was not exhausted! Well, maybe that was a half-truth as for the last hour or so he muscles had begun to complain about the strain they were being put under. It mattered not, the wher was in it to win it, and his eyes never came off the beautiful queen running ahead of him. He crooned and warbled to her as he ran, the pitch wavering and weaving into a night-song, wrapping itself around the noises of the other running whers. He prided himself on his ability to woo, and had gotten his sounds of appreciation to a ‘T’. At least that’s what he thought of himself, pride swelling his ego.

She slowed and he did not. He growled as she nuzzled the bronze that ran with him, but it quickly stopped when a shudder of delight passed through his frame as she brushed against him so tantalisingly. It spurred him on, gave him renewed strength enough for him to forget his protesting haunches.

He grunted as he ran side by side with Husk, the elder wher who had that much more experience than him. Well like that would do him good! The Solar had so much more energy than that old greying thing that chased alongside him! He harrumphed and snorted as he jostled the Bronze wher, just to amuse himself really. His ego had swelled and told him he could take on anything, he could have the world if he so wished!

He challenged the bronze whers thoughts of Icysk’s beauty, trilling his own love for her, protesting that he found her yet a thousand times more admirable, more beautiful, more skilful than any other wher on the face of Pern. His claws dug into the ground as he ran, churning up the earth for traction as they veered off towards some more fields. Clods of earth flew up behind him as he ran, he did not care for the damage or for who it fell to to clear the mess up. All he knew was that the blushing Opal running in front of the final two contenders was perhaps the best prize he could wish for; and he had participated in more than a few runs.

His hamstrings started to moan with fatigue, but still he pressed onwards, forcing his body to carry on when he should just hang his head and go back to his thicket. Not tonight, he thought. Tonight, he was going to win that sweet Opal, tonight he would not sleep alone.

[Onyxaeon]

Icysk felt the strain in her limbs as she pressed onward, more or less running in elongated circles now as she observed her males. A Bronze...older, but still perfectly fit. He had after all outlasted another Bronze and Brown over the last candlemarks and shown himself just as worthy as the Solar running right beside him. Hmm. The Solar was an interesting one for sure. Hers would be proud with either of course, but she had to consider, in the back of her mind, whom she would be prouder of her for choosing. A Bronze meant a possible queen egg in her clutch-which would not only bring many marks to Hers but also bring Icysk herself more attention and her Runs would be sought after by more males-but his age worked against him. His best clutches could already be behind him whereas the Solar, well, the Solar was young and exotic. The Opal queen was uncertain as to whether or not the male could sire a queen but she knew well that exotic whers went for more and Hers would be proud to offer a such oddities where others would shy away from them. All things consisdered, the Opal had made her choice. Now all that remained was the fun part!

The queen trilled in delight as she turned abruptly, repositiong her body so that now she was running toward her males instead of away from them. The muscles in her back legs coiled, tensing moments before she sprung and her body flew clear over the Bronze Husk as she clashed directly against the Solar. They rolled for a few seconds in the long grasses as each tried to right themselves. When she finally got settled onto her clawed feet she crooned to him, nuzzling up against his throat from the junction of his shoulders to the base of his jaw and then back down. Her small wings unfurled flapping in excited delight as she tended to her victor, trying to cool his rising heart rate before she trotted away slowly, teasing him with the slow sway of her tail.

ooc: ...I'm sorry. My muse as just completely died for this thread. o.o

[Lyrikitty]

Husk tossed his head and shoved right back when the Solar tried to jostle him. He might be older, but that didn't mean he was lacking the ability to hold his own. Of course, in the end it was to no avail, for the Opal who raced ahead of them spun herself around, charging now at them and then... She leapt.

Sailing over the bronze where and tot he Solar as she made her choice. Sorrow filled him, and as the two collided he slowed to a trot, his sides risign and falling rapidly with his panting. His head hung, and with a remorseful glance over his shoulder he resigned himself to heading home. It would be a long trek for certain, and he was oping to get back before his person woke. Had he been victorious in this venture that might have been a different story, but with nothing to show for his efforts there was no cause for him to linger. Hudraz could always help him feel better anyway.

[pandoraMisfit]

His shoving did not go unreturned, so the Solar continued in this vein, jockeying for position next to his only opponent. His tongue lolled out of his mouth in a happy grin. This was certainly one of the more interesting chases he had taken part in, and for this particular wher, it was going to become all the more interesting.

Abruptly the queen doubled back on herself and sailed through the air, and for a moment, Erelask couldn’t quite comprehend what was happening. He ended up head-over-heels tumbling along the grass entwined with Icysk, he scent now so close and driving him crazy. He rumbled in delight as he realised that she had chosen him! Heart thudding ten to the dozen, he crooned back at her, exulted in her touch as she caressed his neck, nuzzling softly. He bore no second thought for the loser of this chase, as a lustful growl erupted from his throat.

Sultry thing that she was, she then made off again, although this time at a much slower pace, with just enough tease that his blood began to boil over once again. His giant eyes whirled with lust and love, fixed on her swaying behind as he loped after her. For a while, he let her lead, teasing himself just as much as she was. After all the exhilaration of the run, he thought that he could wait just a little longer… but he soon had enough of this and launched himself at her to bowl them over once more, twining their bodies together in the long grass.

Growling softly as they joined, he lavished soft caressing nips and licks all over her shimmering hide, his attention devoted to the most important wher in the world. Despite the wild surge of lust travelling through his system, he was tender with her. A queen after all deserved his respect. The solar wher did not notice Husk slinking off back towards the hall, nor did he care- he was in the moment and enjoying it thoroughly.