Chase Me If You Dare...

[blitheringidiot]

Vinxi knew what was coming. How could she not? She was well used to her Green's bodily schedule (feeding, sleeping, bathing...), not to mention the fact that she was even more crabby than usual - and she was starting to snap at Vinxi. Now that was a feat. As rough as Taiaxth was, it was an extremely rare occasion when she was rude to her Rider.

Well, okay.

Not so rare.

Because, the only times that happened was when she was about to Rise. And Greens Rose, like... what, once a month? Every two months?

Either way, Taiaxth's Flights happened like absolute clockwork (exactly every month and a half, always at the exact same time every evening), and everyone knew it and bore the brunt of her rages (rage-ier rages, anyway).

The first few Flights were sheer torture for Vinxi, with all the high-running emotions before and after, but she eventually got used to it. Now, she didn't mind them so much. Not that she actually felt other people's emotion (aside from Taiaxth's, and she was more than used to that); atmosphere did most of the work... she was just highly attuned to it.

Shockingly (or perhaps not) Vinxi was never tempermental or unpleasant alongside her Green, like some Riders tend to be around their Dragon's Rising time. She was just as good-natured as always, though it did tire her out a lot (maybe she was suppressing the bad attitudes?).

Taiaxth knew how sensitive her Rider was to these things, and did her best to lighten the load, and Vinxi appreciated the gesture, but it rubbed against the Green's spiky nature. Suffice to say, it didn't make much difference, except perhaps between them, within their personal bond. Maybe the Green was able to shield some of the negative feelings from her, who knows...

So, Flights were alternatingly enjoyable and mildly agitating for both of them. (... Okay, more than that for Taiaxth, but you get the picture.)

Not to mention how Taiaxth reacted to the male who caught her for a turn. (It would only be one if he was lucky.)

These kinds of thoughts had circled through Vinxi's mind for the first two turns after Taiaxth had come to full maturity, but she'd settled them well enough by now. They still flitted across her mind (echoes of them, anyway) once in a while, though.

R'sius and Murhcyth rarely participated, to both Vinxi and Taiaxth's amusement. They always made plans that day to be away until the next morning, and usually avoided answering the question of why, exactly, they didn't stay.


- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -


Vinxi was sprawled out on her bed, breathing deeply and peacefully, obviously asleep. She hadn't meant to doze off, knowing what was coming soon, but she'd been so busy and keyed up today that she'd really had no choice once she'd retired to her weyr and laid down on the nice, comfortable bed to relax for a few minutes...

So peaceful, so warm, so very, very cozy... She was on the edge of wakefulness now, fingers and arms and legs curled and wrapped so deliciously in and around her befurs... She hadn't felt so utterly and completely relaxed for a while, though she couldn't seem to place why that was. Why wouldn't anyone want to feel as light and so very, very cozy as she was feeling now? How could she not do this on a regular basis...?

Something was relentlessly tearing at her contented state of mind, though. It was a feeling, a high-energy, adrenaline-lined, blood-heating, rushing sensation, and she feebly shielded herself from it. It almost irritated her, but something was warning her she needed to wake up, and wake up right now. Something important was about to happen, and she had to be there.

She resisted it for a moment longer, before giving a mournful mental sigh, and somehow managing to jerk her body up right and tumble out of bed, standing up straight, just before she was flooded and effectively drowned in what she had been blocking before.

It tore her breath away, as it always did (though perhaps moreso this time, seeing as she was still partly asleep and her mind was not ready), as her mind blended with her Dragon's. Before they were one completely, she heard a mental, half-exasperated and amused, half-irritated and grouchy, and the words: You are the only Rider I know who could fall asleep when Hers is Rising... Let's go meet the filthy males and give them what they deserve, shall we?

Vinxi had a split second to feel humor and solidarity for her lifemate's words, before such things didn't matter anymore.

Colors, shapes, and sounds, smells, feelings, and thoughts all melted away like fire seared Thread (and this felt about like that, too), as her mind became the same as Taiaxth's, and the Flight lust took over them both.

In her weyr, stood Vinxi, ramrod straight and with widened eyes (for, no matter how many times it happened, there was no feeling in the world that could compare to this), weathering the amazing rush that coursed and crashed its way through her.

First was the desire, the heat, the freedom and release, the demanding urge to fly, and fly and fly. That, among other, less dominant things, was the instinctual part, that all females had. Then, second, smaller but still hovering in the back of their minds, were the feelings that Taiaxth harbored toward the males. If you were a polite person, they would be called disdain and polite on a good, non-Rising day.

Now, they were raging anger and irritation and annoyance and agitation and an I-spit-firestone-regurgitation-and-charred-Thread-on-you-and-all-your-advances, kin, descendants and ancestors-and-hope-all-of-you-of-the-masculine-gender-die-an-agonizing-death-and-don't-get-to-go-Between-to-ease-it type of 'dislike' and 'disdain.'

Vinxi was well used to this, as well, and found it more funny than anything. Taiaxth knew how she felt, but she never actually addressed any of it or tried to talk the Dragon out of it. She knew she would never get anywhere, and frankly, didn't even know where to start to try. It was just an (admittedly extremely odd) quirk of hers.




Outside, Taiaxth had been on a large cliff overlooking the ocean, enjoying the view and the feel of the salty wind on her hide (and thinking unpleasant thoughts about her coming Flight), when the subject she was thinking on finally arrived.

She stiffened, becoming a statue, for just about four seconds, as her mind and emotions fused with Vinxi, and her speedily whirling eyes became bloodred, shot through with small yellow and purple speckles (purple because of her own personal view of Rising), and she let out a bellowing scream that would alert every male within the area and beyond a ways that a female was ready to be Flown.

She threw herself off of the cliff with all of her usual elegance, wings unfurled and beating mercilessly and quickly as she went into the air, higher and farther and faster, going along the shoreline, no hesitation at all.

She wanted it over with as quickly as possible, unlike most. She flew hard, not waiting for males. She loved some of the feelings that came with this, though, so it was almost worth it...

She breathed in controlled bursts, even as she let herself loose into the sensations and natural desires of the Flight, timing it with her wingstrokes (they were faster, though, much faster, but she timed them so many per breath, going swifter as time passed), her senses sharpening and her focus clearing, as she streamlined her beautiful body, sun shimmering off of her hide and the water at her side.

Taiaxth knew she wouldn't tire for a while yet, even with her head start. She was one of the better fliers of those her size (any rank), and though not the champion she believed herself, it was true that she did have skill and experience.

[/font][/size][/color]

Word Count: 1437
Character(s): Vinxi of Green Taiaxth.
Notes: Whoo, I love RPing Flights. <3

[Lyrikitty]

Seasons are changing,
And waves are crashing,
And stars are falling all for us

.::V'yal~*~Chayth::.

[/size][/center]

Odd that they should be on this continent, however, it was V'yal's home, in a sense, from this land he was born. Odder yet that he should be near New Cove, yet he was. The Roan and His lounging on the sandy beaches, just a little over a klick away from the Weyr, soaking up Rukbat's warm kiss and enjoying the peace for a little while. Chayth couldn't have been happier about this fact, and indeed, being allowed to laze about was a rare treat, much less travelling to a warm, sunny beach to do nothing at all. This, for the Roan, was the very image of perfection. Even in winter, the South was not cold enough to disturb V'yal, and so he lay with his torso bare, the intricate designs of his labor exposed for the world to see, just as he liked it. They had nothing better to do, Eden was at rest for the moment, the Weyr being unothodox as it was, and for the moment no drills, no chores, nothing had the name of either Chayth or V'yal on it.

Their peaceful respite was disturbed though, by Chayth, from his happy dozing his head snapped up, his eyes shifting hue to a deep ruby, his tail twitching for a moment, before he spoke. Nothing had been heard of seen by V'yal, and seeing his Raon so quick to move was a little odd. What could- Oh. Even as Chayth spoke to him, the ride could see a glimpse of Green shoot through the sky. That would explain it. //Hurry. I want to join, and if we are late I stand no chance.//[/color] V'yal gave a small nod, wondering if the flight was even an open one. If not, Chayth was ging to stir trouble, but it was a Green, hopefully no one would mind the Roan joining in. Swinging the Chayth's back, V'yal gave a slap to the hide beneath him, letting the dragon know he was seated, and Chayth surged into the air, his bulk rising and stirring a cloud of sand beneath him as v'yal sent him an image of the New Cove shores, or what passed as their Weyrbowl. It was something he would never forget, for it was the home of Kisa. Such thoughts were not appropriate, even if he was a rider now, worthy of her, for he was of the East, where she was of the South.

While V'yal tried to clear his mind, Chayth took the image of New Cove, focusing it in his mind and making certain he had it, with no mistakes. Once it was there, the Roan went Between into the icy blackness, and V'yal was brought back to reality fully, leaning foward to wrap his arms around the neck of the Roan until the warm, muggy air of New Cove washed over them, and Chayth came in for a swift landing even as he lifted his voice in a bellow of greeting, followed shortly by a challenging roar directed tot he Green as she soared above. V'yal dropped to the ground, rolling away from the Roan, for as soon as his rider's weight was gone the Roan had once more surged to the air, sand flying up beneath him in a storm of grit.

Chayth's wings drove mericlessly, churning the air to send him after the Geen, and pleased to see that he had been the first to answer her call. A good sign for him. His maw parted again, and he let loose a second thundering roar to tear across the sky as his bodice sliced through the air like a knife. His dark hide, the mottled gray and white that from a distance looks a deep blue, his almost ebon tail and neck curving against thermals. Ah, what a sight he was, a lovely beast, a powerful beast, though in general a lazy beast. His musculature was due only to the driving of V'yal determined that the Roan would not give in to his own temptations to sleep and eat the day away. No, not an ounce of extra weight marred his figure, sleek, elegant, solid. His head gave a shake as he finally came within reasonable distance of the Green, and he smirked to himself. //Lead a merry chase, pretty Green. I, Roan Chayth of Eden Weyr, will follow eagerly to see if the prize is worth the wait.//

Below, V'yal moved past those who were working on getting their dragons into the air, instead following the crowd that was quickly making way to the Greenrider. That was where he needed to be. His tall, broad, colorful frame stood stark contrast against the rest of those about him, though he didn't care, rather found it amusing. Just as he was shoved into the weyr by the crowd that was trying to squeeze in around the rider, his mind connected fully with Chayth's, offering the Roan anything he could in knowledge and thought. The Roan, for all his wonderful traits, was not very bright, not many Roans were after all, but his rider was far from dull. No, V'yal could help Roanth by telling him a few tricks, letting the roan know when to slow up, when to push foward. Between the pair there was a good chance that the Roan could win this female, if of course nothing larger, nothing too much fater, joined. New Cove was known for some odd mutations, their Bones for starters, dragons that V'yal wasn't fond of at all, and even Chayth didn't seem to like. Their Ambers, rare dragons though they were, were downright wrong. Nothing about them seemed right. The only mutation they had that to either V'yal or Chayth made any sense was the Snow, and this was for several reasons.

They were beautiful creatures, sleek, agile, fast, smart, playful. They were able to rank as either a queen or just another fighting dragon, and of course, though it only mattered to V'yal, Kisa had Impressed the first ever, and the only queen so far. With a sigh, he shifted his gaze to the Greenrider, his eyes following her figure as he surveyed her. Not horrible, no, but he'd seen better. She was attractive at least, Chayth had chosen some rather poor females to chase before. Well, it didn't matter much, for by the time it really mattered, dragonlust would be too strong to let his normal preferences interfere.





Word Count: 1161
Character: V'yal of Chayth
Notes: Yay for our first Flight! Oh, and for long posts like these, you may want to use size one font. *nods* In my experience most who are prone to long posts do.


[/size][/color]

[Desert]

Mine, she Rises, Wygith stated, heaving himself to his feet, wings mantling in agitation. His eyes took on a red-orange tinge, whirling urgently in the lusty colors of a rutting male. I follow, yes?[/color]

A'res was used to Wygith's odd mode of speech by now. "Don't lose your hat, Wyg," he warned the bone. "Remember, it came off the last time you Chased." Few other people in the Weyr would forget the unholy ruckus Wygith kicked up until his beloved hat was found again.

The bone wavered slightly, his eyes whirling with flecks of bright bloody red along with the vivid oranges as they fixed on his rider. In an abrupt, jerky movement, Wygith tossed his head, flipping the broad hat at A'res. Guard that with your life,[/color] Wygith told him sternly.

A'res tucked it safely into a hidden corner, since he wouldn't be able to carry it around with him. Wygith nodded curtly and turned his head back toward the Flight, his tail lashing impatiently.

A'res leaped ontp the big bone's back, using the blunt part of Wygith's bony wing-spikes as a handle to haul himself onto the dragon's neck. As soon as his rider was seated, Wygith launched himself into the air, gliding first toward the greenrider's weyr. He touched down just long enough for A'res to slide off his back.

Once A'res was safely on the ground Wygith leaped skyward again, kicking up clouds of grit that swirled around the group of riders, ruffling loose clothing and stinging unprotected eyes.

A'res took his place in the gaggle of riders around Vaxia, his own olive-green eyes turned upward with the rest to watch the growing trail of dragons behind Taxiath.

Wygith joined the Flight, his pale, ashy hide a stark contract against Chayth's darkish, mottled hide and Taxiath's vibrant green one. His jaws parted and a throaty bellow rumbled up from his chest, an answering roar to the female's challenge.

Wygith spared a glance for his rival, Chayth, and hissed. The sun glinted menacingly on the wickedly sharp, bony protrusions on his wings, serving as a silent warning to his competitors. Wygith usually wasn't a dangerous dragon, but the possibility of a lacerated wingsail usually kept challengers at bay.

An Easterner? Here, at a Southern Flight?[/color] Wygith demanded, his eyes taking on a redder tinge from indignation. Another baleful hiss trickled from the bone's muzzle at the roan.

This is a Flight, not a fight, A'res reminded Wygith, though he was hard-pressed to keep his head. His mind was being inexorably drawn into Wytgith's, melding with the dragon's lust-blinded thoughts until they were only one being.

A'res-Wygith pumped his wings strongly, drawing slightly ahead of his roan rival. He was right, A'res-Wygith was not here to pick a fight with the renegade from the East. He was here to make a conquest of his own, to claim this lissome green as his own.

Absorbed in his dragon's mind, A'res was far past feeling any remnant of discomfort over this idea. Wygith had Chased greens before, partly to help get his Mine over his long-lost Lenarth, and with every Flight A'res felt less of a pang of uneasiness when he looked through Wygith's multi-faceted eyes at a green with the intent to capture and twine with the glowing creature.

A'res-Wygith uttered a soft, sensuous croon at Taxiath. He could sense the green's distaste for the whole ordeal and for males in general, and at the moment he was hardly arguing. The other males in the air after her were nothing but scum, the green algae that collected on the surface of stagnant water. They were nothing.

A'res-Wygith, on the other hand, was so much better than them. He was stronger, faster, smarter. He was larger than that bumbling roan , that stupid Easterner. He was cleverer than the mere blues who were just now lumbering into the sky. A'res-Wygith was doubtlessly the one who should have the honor of twining necks with Taxiath. [/color][/font]

[blitheringidiot]

Taiaxth-Vinxi snorted as she glanced behind her, taking in the group of Dragons now following her. Varying colors, most of them lower ranked, with a scattering of mid-ranks, no Kings. Pfft. She was glad of that, glad not to have to deal with the huge, arrogant brutes, not that many of them chased after 'lowly Greens', such as herself. Ugh. Mid-ranks were bad enough, thinking themselves high enough to please her...

When would they understand? Rank had nothing to do with her feelings toward them. She would rather fly and fly and fly until she collapsed, but instinct and raging emotions always got the better of her, and she always had the need to alert the males, get them to chase her...

Well, sometimes Rising could be interesting. She was a very pretty creature, a Queen amongst Greens (in her eyes). It was always amusing when they snarled at each other over her, and tried their best to maneuver their muscled, bulky bodies around each other to get to her.

Taiaxth-Vinxi soared high, finding a thermal and letting herself coast for a moment, liking the warm air against her hide, before beating her wings harshly and zipping forward. She was agile, and she was fast - but you can't be both at once, and right now, she was banking on speed. She wanted to get far and high, and speed would do it. She was comfortably ahead of all of the males; comfortably for most females, but not for her.

The sun was such a useful tool. She arched her body sensually (a move, though simple for her, in all her graceful, precise movements that she generally would never make - she wished to keep males away, not attract them), and the sun's rays glittered and shimmered against her hide. The warmth was good, heating her blood, making her feel all the more energized...

Back in the Weyr, Vinxi (though she was more Taiaxth than herself), was hardly aware of the gathering of Riders around her, though she knew somewhere in the back of her mind that they would be there. She was experiencing everything as if she was the lithe Green darting above the beaches, sun shining on her, enhancing her beauty and giving her speed, wind parting around her, molding to her whims, wild sensations and feelings running through her...

She snickered mentally as she watched the males through Taiaxth's whirling red eyes, amused at the messages they sent to her, through mind or through body language. She thought of quick maneuvers, dodges to get away, if they tried to get closer and snatch her up before she was ready, for she knew they would - it was always how it happened. She was a small Dragon (a small Green by New Cove standards), and the males were all usually so much larger than her... They had more power and stamina, but that didn't mean she had to go peacefully...

They would have to take her by force, if they were to take her... She would not be like a Gold, she would not choose and then let the male support her as they fell. She would fight it with every fiber of her being.

There was one limit she always set herself, though. She wouldn't fight it so hard that she would risk getting herself too hurt - she didn't want to put Vinxi through that. Didn't want to Between. Never wanted to put Hers through that, never... She knew what it would do, as all Dragons did, and it was the only thing she found herself fearing - loosing Vinxi, or dying (she did not fear death itself, only what it would bring) and leaving Vinxi to die, or kill herself, or become an empty shell...

Vinxi understood, and felt the same. She was so much more fragile than her Green, who protected her fiercely, even in the midst of the end of a lust-driven Flight. Vinxi's safety came before her own hatred.

Taiaxth-Vinxi was far ahead of the males now, thanks to her swift decision to use the thermal, but she knew she wouldn't be ahead for long.... They always managed to catch up, in the end.

Unfortunately.

Word Count: 781
Character(s): Vinxi of Green Taiaxth.
Notes: Taiaxth isn't usually this vain. xD She's just showing off... -Giggle-
But anyway, Mittens, I know about the small font thing, but I rather thought the font I use is painfully small with size 1. >< Oh well.

[Lyrikitty]

Seasons are changing,
And waves are crashing,
And stars are falling all for us

.::V'yal~*~Chayth::.

Chayth growled under his breath as a Bone shot past him, the characteristics bones of his wings gliting in the sunlight dangerously. He hated those beasts, really. A rare thought to cross the mind of the powerfully built Roan, for so often he was a genlte soul, the very idea of meaness beyond him. However, such matters were trivial for now, and the male pumped his wings, feeling the surge of energy as his mind connected fully to V'yals, twining them to make one much more challenging opponent. No longer just Chayth, a dull-witted Roan, but Chayth-V'yal, a cunning mind, a dedicated, motivated mind.

Chayth-V'yal narrowed his redded pools, his neck stretching out as he forced himself to gain on the Bone, to pull even, then angle sharply up, a steep climb that only those who'd been forced into such actions dozens of times could do, for the sheer muscle needed to pull bulk such as the Roan's was strenuous. But he had to stay a step ahead of the Bone, ahead of the rest of the males, for he was at a sour disadvantage now. No longer was he the only male in the sky. However, he was the only foreing male. Perhaps that would, could, work in his favor. He would deffinately stand out in appearance, for sure. Not one of these other beasts held a visage such as his, he alone was a Roan! He was of Eden Weyr, and for that he was proud, his Rider bore marks to show it, lovely pictures inked onto his figure to depict so many different things, and much of it about Eden.

The bulky Roan found a thermal of his own, and though it paled in comparison to that which Taiaxth had lucked into finding, it aided his climb, lifting him closer to the Green female, closer to his prize. A prize she was, for she screeched and bellowed and raged at the males, daring them to catch her, and then curved her lithe bodice through the glint of Rukbat's rays, the light playing over her body in a glorious display. The Roan strove to bring himself closer still, to beat out those native to this Weyr, to leave them behind to watch as his mottled hide came flush to the solid Green's. A Bone was no matter, nor were the Browns or Blues below. After all, he was the very essence of a Brown, intensified. He was stronger, sturdier than they. If this flight turned long, he would outlast them at the very least, as well as those Blues.

He didn't bother to speak, not wasting the time on it just yet. Not until he had caught the attention of the lovely Green. If, and only if, he was sure that he had chance in this, wuld he try and woo her, for such things were not a talent, nor even a developed skill for the Roan, they required quick thinking, and smooth words. No, he was, in truth, much happier just lazing about all day, was much better at that as well, but if he must, he was a strong beast, a creature of immense muscle and stamina. That was where he excelled, that was what he would use for this Flight. A low growl threatened to rise in his throat again, though it was repressed, the primal, feral urges and desires of the Flight making his blood boil and his mind spin. The cool condensation of the clouds felt good, of did it feel good, but he could think of something so much better, so much more wonderful. Taiaxth, her lithe body entwined with his own broad one, the sky falling past in a blur, wind coursing over their bodies as they fell through the air. That. That would be the thing to soothe him, to settle him to himself once more.

They were thrilled to have been so close to New Cove, for if ever there was a chance for them to prove themselvs, it was now, here. Against ew Cove's own, New Cove's best, for surely once the Weyr saw a Roan in the sky, any male available would try to beat out the intruder. Would it be insulting for him to catch this Green? The bone had seemed indignant that he'd even appeared for this Flight, surely he wasn't alone. Well, Chayth-V'yal would show them all! He'd either catch this Green, or he'd make it hard for the rest of this Weyr to get near her, that thought alone was enough to make one cautious, for though he was well known as a gentle beast, looking at him there was no doubt that if the thought or will struck him, harm could be done.





Word Count: 900
Character: V'yal of Chayth
Notes: Well, I can see your font fine. If you get a bunch of complaints you can go back to using 2, but I don't see why anyone would complain. Oh, and Desert, if Wygith feels a little rough today, Chayth could use a new scar or two, just nothing permanent or disabling.

[/center]

[Desert]

A'res-Wygith hissed balefully as the roan suddenly shot upward into a thermal. The bone flared his long wings to their fullest extent and powered himself forward, rowing strongly at the air with great beats of his wings. He had the advantage of the roan and he knew it -- not only was he much larger, with longer wings, but he was leaner, lighter in proportion to his wingspan than Chayth.

A'res-Wygith's wing-fingers grabbed at the air as if it was solid, cupping it behind the filmy expanse of his milky wingsail and shoving it behind him in powerful strokes. Wind beat at his nares and tore the breath from them, stung his multifaceted eyes. He narrowed them against the dry bite of the wind, covering the blazing orange color with chalky white.

Instead of following Chayth up the inferior thermal, A'res-Wygith darted after the flash of vibrant green, fixing his gaze on the ultimate prize. As Taiaxth arched her supple body in a stray beam of sunlight, A'res-Wygith felt a surge of desire flood through him -- heat flooded his veins, fueling the strong pull of muscle to propel him even faster through the air. The bone put on a burst of speed that started closing the gap between himself and the shimmering green gem that dominated the sky.

He angled himself upward when he found the thermal, letting the warm air slowly bubbling up from below assist his steep, spiraling climb to bring him closer to Taiaxth.

All he could see was green: his focus had narrowed to only one object, and it was the lissome female flaunting herself in the sky. How enchanting was the play of light on her glistening body, highlighting the emerald flecks decorating her hide! How graceful was her every move, weaving through the air with all the sinuous grace of a serpent!

A blur of gray-blue interrupted the bone's sight, marring the breathtaking vision with a splash of foreign color. A'res-Wygith uttered a low, warning rumble of a growl at the roan and threw yet more effort into his climb, pounding the air violently to push his ivory-colored body higher. He went into a near-vertical climb, trading the speed he'd built up for height to gain up on Taiaxth.

No Easterner would claim the prize of A'res-Wygith had anything to do with it! Fool roan, it boggled the mind that an abberation like that would dare show up in New Cove and have the gall to chase a New Cove green. A'res-Wygith would show him! No lowly roan would ever best one of New Cove's dragons. Here, in his home skies, above his home Weyr, A'res-Wygith could best all comers.

A triumphant warble escaped from A'res-Wygith's parted jaws as he successfully inserted himself between Taiaxth and his rival, Chayth. He was still closer to the roan than the green, but that was intentional -- he knew that if he tried to go after her before it was time, he would lose her for certain. So A'res-Wygith concentrated on staying between his challenger and his goal.

Though there were other males in the sky, most were mere canon dragons and therefore they did not rate A'res-Wygith's attention. They had no hope against the bigger, stronger mutants. Until another mutant caught up, the bone would not bother with them; he would focus on the immediate threats to his position and his prize. For now, the world had narrowed to three beings: A'res-Wygith, Taiaxth, and Chayth. The green was the shining beacon guiding him on, beckoning him closer before flitting away. Chayth was the intruder, the abberation. Chayth did not belong. Chayth would be defeated.

A'res-Wygith craned his head around to fix the roan with a baleful glare. It was a wordless warning: approach and face the consequences. The bone's wing-spikes were honed to razor-sharpness and their edges maintained meticulously; not that Wygith had ever really used them in combat, but they were excellent in self-defense on the rare occasions when he needed them. Now, though, in the heat of a Flight, A'res-Wygith had no compunctions about using them. If this fool roan dared try and defeat him, he would be nursing some nasty gashes.

[Epic Squid of Legend]

A large Brown had been lounging about near the Weyr's shoreline. It was a nice winter day, not too cold, and the cove was almost always swim-able. His Rider had been flitt-searching along the rock-and-sand cove and in the crevices of the cliff, but to no avail. She ignored the sounding bugle, her mind completely immersed into her task-at-hand. At least, she ignored it until her dragon rose from his neat little nest in the bay and demanded that she get seated on him.

M'za, newly named thanks to N'nika, jerked away from the cliff-face as if stung. She whirled around to face her brown, wondering why he would emand something so odd. "What? Why? I'm busy!" she declared, kicking some sand towards him. Karuopith only rose more into a stnading position, stamping over to her and putting his face right before hers.

~There is a Flight, and I know you enjoy them- so get on my back /now/, or I will leave you here!~ not and idle threat, as Karuopith had done such stuff before. And to think, he had finally been resting! M'za sighed gustily, but her dragon knew it was a charade. M'za really did enjoy Flights, and having a Brown made it all the more enjoyable!

She shuffled through the sand as quick as she could, clamoring over to the now-crouching Brown. She vaulted herself onto his back, her wavy brown mess of hair flying in the gentle (at first) wind before Karuopith launched himself into the air with a couple of massive wing=strokes. She held on tight to his neckridge, having not had time to fasten her safety straps before he was airborne.

Up they rose, and then over the cliff towards the Greenrider's weyr. He landed briefly, allowing M'za to slide down his flank before he threw himself into the sky after the Green. Chase, chase, chase, after her he went. While he did enjoy Flights (make no mistake, he really did), he more sought to chase after this female for his Rider. The poor woman was still very depressed over Rylin's death. She had not flung herself into the arms of another in quite a while. The brown was beginning to get worried for her. ut M'za's quick acceptance of the Flight made him sure that she'd be herself soon... if he was able to Catch some female.

Taixath caught a thermal, and Karuopith was already behind. So he sharpened his angle, found a large updraft, pumped his wings and shot upwards. He kept on rising, higher and higher until he was far above the Green and her competitors. He would use the height to his advantage... sooner or later. But there was a Bone in the race, and he wanted to stay well away from those sharp, bony wing-fingers. He could, though, use his height and knock he Bone from the sky... but it'd possible cost him the Flight as well.

M'za stood in the weyr, looking around at the people gathering. She seemed to be the only hyphenated female here... of course. That was due to the fact that there were only two of them so far, and N'nika was so far in for her weyrmate that M'za doubted she allow Xyurith to go after anything. Not that the Amber would want to...

But then, her mind melted as Karuopith called for her. Her consciousness transferred to him, and they became Karuopith-M'za. Still behind, but higher than the rest. The height was their only advantage so far, as they were only slightly larger than the Roan. Maybe M'za's flirty nature would give them an edge, but they doubted it. Why? Well... something about this Green told them that a flirt would not go very far.

Word count: 654
Characters: M'za of Brown Karuopith
Notes: yes, it's short. We all know that I'm horrid at posting anything over 400 words. I hope this near-700 words is okay...

[blitheringidiot]

Taiaxth-Vinxi kept her pace, pumping her wings and angling her body in the best way she could to gain more speed and height and distance, and feeling the occasional irritating urge to twist or slide her body through the air in tempting ways.

She couldn't help it. She didn't want to do it, really, but... She felt the overwhelming urge to tease these males.

The only good thing about a Flight was that - teasing, taunting, playing with their desires and agitating them. And disappointing. She would love to disappoint them all, but she eventually tired out and one of them shoved himself past the others and caught her.

Just then, she happened to glance around - the Roan and Bone were still after her, shard them - and something caught her eye. She looked up -

Oh, lovely. So lovely. Taiaxth-Vinxi now had three males chasing her, closer than the rest of the pack. ... Oh, wait. There weren't any of them left. She felt smug that she'd managed to wear out the Blues and Dunes that he been following, as well as the other few Bones and Browns (aside from these two brutes, of course), but that didn't quell the annoyance that she hadn't been able to do the same to these three.

There always had to be some, didn't there.

The beginning of a bellow gathered in her throat, but by the time she released it it was a roar. She could feel the waning energy, knew she wouldn't be able to last much longer...

She felt resigned now. She always was. It always happened. She was always caught, because she was a little Green Dragon and didn't have the stamina to outlast these larger males, didn't have the will to refuse them and battle her instincts, no matter how outrageously stubborn and crabby and spiteful she was...

She was determined to make them fight for her, though.

Her body seemed to change the way it was held subtly, but enough for them to catch. She changed the defiant, enraged way she flew, and arced her body beautifully and gracefully, precisely, turning a small loop and showing off her slender underside.

Come and get me... Fight for me. I won't come quietly. I won't be an easy win. If you want me, you have to work for me...

Character(s): Vinxi of Green Taiaxth.
Word Count: 439
Notes: No worries, Squid. Yer post is fine. =D

[Lyrikitty]

Seasons are changing,
And waves are crashing,
And stars are falling all for us

.::V'yal~*~Chayth::.

[/size]

Chayth-V'yal growled in discontent, the Bone was going to be a problem, a big one. Sure, it spoke volumes that the Roan was able to stay in the Flight, and hold his own against the large New Cove beasts, but that simply wasn't enough. they had to win this, if they wanted any credit at all. Chayth-V'yal strove, their wings pounding the air, body stretching out, trying to pull ahead of the Bone, and avoid those dangerous, pointed wing-fingers. Those could, and likely would, slice the Roan open without second thought, and then what? How would Chayth-V'yal manage to keep going if he was bleeding, or worse? On the ground the rider shuddered, the thought making him feel almost ill. No... For a moment Chayth-V'yal was forced to consider dropping out, to consider simply leaving this flight, landing, collecting his Bonded, and going home again. It would be safer, would be wiser, but then again...

Before any choice could be made, another figure took to the skies, catching them quickly and taking an advantage of height. A Brown, and by normal standards a large one, though for New Cove he was likely average, and Chayth-V'yal narrowed his eyes, their ruby hue intensifying as a surge of anger flooded him. He would not let them win! His determination set, his mind churning to find some way to gain an edge, he let his gaze focus solely on the GReen Taiaxth, all else blurring and becomming unimportant. Then she spoke, as she did curving sensuously through the air, the light kissing her figure a she moved, the image of perfection, the image of desire, lust, the only thing in the world he wanted, at the moment. He would catch her, catch the lovely little creature, and fall through the sky, while these other beastsm pitiful compared to a dragon born of Eden Weyr, would watch with saddened eyes and go off to sulk!

But how? Ahead and slightly above was a bank of clouds, something that could provide reasonable, if not complete, cover for the Roan, making him all but invisable to the other males, and giving him time to think. Chayth-V'yal veered for the clouds, surging into them and vanishing from sight. They were thicker than he'd thought, and he could only barely make out the forms of the Bone and the Green. All that was visable of him was the occasionaly flash of crimson, his eyes glowing like embers in the otherwise pure whiteness. He worked, his wings shovelling air to give him speed, to let him pull ahead of the Bone, and to his shock and delight, he stumbled apon a second thermal, not large, but enough to boost his altitude, placing him farther above the Green, almost level to the Brown.

Unlike the brown though, he wasn't going to wait. A few more strokes, and his wings furled, his body arching and then dropping in a dive, his angle at the Green below. At the last moment, his flared his pinions, backwinging and letting the dark membranes reach out and stroke the soft hide of the glorious Green before dropping another dragonlength. He was at the head now! So close too... He hauled his bulk back level, tossing a snarl over his shoulder at the bone, who he knew was bound to be not far behind, and only then remembered those wretched wing-fingers. He'd placed himself at the head of the pack, but at what price?


Word Count: 638
Character: V'yal of Chayth
Notes: Yay Squid!!!!!!!!!

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[Desert]

So beautiful. The green was entrancing, her every movement sending a new surge of desire racing through him. When the green curved her body sensuously, a slow roll exposing her underside to her pursuers, A'res-Wygith crooned in delight. The way the light played off her supple hide in that graceful arc very nearly stole his breath. The roar that escaped her maw sounded musical, beautiful, despite the emotions behind the call. So lovely.

Then, his peripheral vision caught a flash of brown. A mere brown dared intrude into this Flight? At least it was a native dragon and not another foreigner, but the gall of these fools set the bone's eyes to whirling with more streaks and flecks of bloody red among the lusty orange.

The brown shot past him, far above even Taiaxth. A'res-Wygith hissed balefully, glaring with one red-orange eye at the new contender. Shard him, that fool brown had taken the hight advantage! But A'res-Wygith didn't waste his energy going after him, that would be a stupid move. He had to save himself, be more clever than the others. In the end, it wasn't brute strength or speed that won any contest, it was cunning. So A'res-Wygith would outsmart those fools, and he would claim the prize.

A'res-Wygith was concentrating too closely on Taiaxth, his eyes only on the ultimate prize, to notice Chayth's plunge into a cloud bank. It was the roan's choice if he wanted to bog himself down, A'res-Wygith knew the air patterns in these skies and he knew that where clouds were often had odd eddies of wind. It was complicated enough negotiating the thermals and air currents in open sky, A'res-Wygith didn't bother slowing himself down and losing his focus on the prize just to battle rogue winds in the clouds.

Then, the blur of blue-gray blotted out his view of Taiaxth. A bellow bubbled up in his chest and rumbled out from between loosely meshed teeth. How dare he? A'res-Wygith pumped his wings hard to close the distance between himself and the interfering roan; a red haze started to creep over the edges of his vision as the same hue began to dominate the oranges in his wheeling, swirling eyes. How dare that roan interpose himself between A'res-Wygith and his prize? Chayth had just made a very bad mistake!

A'res-Wygith quickly caught up with the roan and slashed at him with the sharp, bony, blade-like spikes at the tips of each wing-finger. He raked those spikes over the roan's back and flanks, his maw gaping wide as a long, venomous hiss that sounded very reptilian escaped his lungs. The huge beats of his wings had brought him to hover directly over Chayth, so he dipped his head slightly and snapped his teeth closed mere inches from the back of the roan's skull. A'res-Wygith wasn't angry enough to sink his talons into the soft, giving flesh at the base of his wings, but the hooked claws tipping each digit on his forepaws tickled the membrane very close to that vital, vulnerable joint, a not-so-subtle threat. A'res-Wygith was in a superior position to the roan in the air, and definitely had the ability to cripple the smaller dragon, to toss him out of the race and out of the sky, perhaps permanently, if he chose to. if Chayth knew what was good for him, he would move, and quickly.

Oh yes, Chayth would come to regret that bold stunt. A'res-Wygith had restrained himself, when he slashed at the roan; he hadn't put as much pressure behind his wing as he could have. Chayth was lucky A'res-Wygith had kept his wing-spikes so sharp or those lacerations would have been more jagged -- jagged, slower to heal, and more painful. A'res-Wygith had kept his head enough to remember that it was a Flight, not a fight, so he should not injure his rivals too badly. That slash had been more of a warning anyway. A warning for the invader roan to keep his mottled hide out of New Cove's skies, and give up his foolish hopes of ever defeating a New Cove dragon in the air to catch a New Cove female.

[Epic Squid of Legend]

M'za-Karuopith watched as a fight started to unfold below them. Well, so long as it distracted both dragons and left him with the beautiful Green, so be it! But, of course... there was the small problem of the roan's native weyr. What /was/ he doing here, anyway? The mind-linked pair frowned, then growled as anger started to set in. Of course, M'za-Karuopith would not let it cloud their judgment or keep them away from Taixath. No, the pair would fly on, focused on the goal, and let the Bone and the Roan duel it out.

M'za-Karuopith sped up, skimming just below the cloud-line. They were well above the rest and now just about directly over the Green. He crooned to her, forsaking the whole 'no flirting' bit. But, of course, it was M'za that would help him win her. Without her, he was just a Brown. Huge, yes, but still only a Brown. And this Green seemed to not like the males chasing after her... but why? What had he done to credit this odd dislike? Karuopith was a gentle giant with a very hard work-ethic. How else could he have become a Wingleader with his Rider? He snorted softly, crooning again as he began to sink towards her. As one of the last Greens of New Cove, Taixath would be what the other dragons were thinking of as a 'prize'. But since Karuopith was also one of the last of his color in the Weyr, he couldn't very well think of her as that. She was a treasure, yes, but not in the material sense. So few Greens were left in New Cove, so few of the original Colors... should they not stick together?

M'za-Karuopith rumbled at the thought, sinking lower and lower, towards the beauty-of-a-Green. He wouldn't give up his entire height advantage... not all at once... not until Taixath was ready to end the Flight. Or... or whenever she was just so tired that she couldn't continue. M'za-Karuopith would be there to guide her to the ground, would be there to help her, to ward off the over-zealous Bone and Roan. They would have to hava a talk with the Roan afterwards... just why was he here? Surely the Weyrleader wouldn't allow and open Flight? But then again... he had been missing for some time.

Word count: 411
Characters: M'za and Brown Karuopith
Notes: Very, very short. I suck at long posts... I fail at life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. DXXX