Barred Holleth; Flying at Dawn

[franny]

Amarna starred at her Holleth. Holleth was such a sweet dragon and she shined so beautifully. Amarna loved how contented Holleth looked in her sleep. Amarna was waiting for Holleth to wake so that she could take Holleth to the beach and play in the waters together. Amarna sat down to wait and sharpened one of her knives while she was at it. She had nothing better to do at almost dawn, since she had already dressed in riding leathers and braided her hair. Cheacha was off stealing food in the kitchen while waiting for Holleth to wake, Amarna had sent her there so that she would stop begging for food.

It was at this time that Amara started to notice just HOW shining Holleth was. She looked especially good... Amarna quickly put up her knives, knowing only a slight bit about what might be coming. She glared at her Holleth, why today? Amarna sometimes wished that she had a dragon that would never fly in flight, especially on a day like today.

Amarna was barely ready for Holleth when Holleth woke with a furry and desperately hungry. Holleth flew to the feeding grounds and skimmed her claws outward to catch a herdbeast. She made a quick kill and didn't even try to make time to carry it, she just went to eat it.

Amarna used every force withing her mind to scream at Holleth, Blood it only! BLOOD ONLY HOLLETH! Holleth was reluctant to follow her rider's directions. Amarna held her from feasting though and as soon as Holleth tasted the blood, she realized that it was blood she wanted and not food. When she finished with the herdbeast she tossed it away.

Holleth then felt the heat of blood and raised her head to cry out a challenge, All males who dare, Come and try to chase me! She knew that no male could catch her as she sat there, waiting for answers to her challenge. She was Holleth, and they would answer to her! They would fly after her, and she would escape them, for she was better than any of them! None would catch her, Holleth of the skies!

[Missa]

Even after losing the younger green's flight, Truth wasn't feeling down about it at all. Watching his rider search for wear in any of the riding straps, the blue was all but half dozing when the barred screamed out her challenge. Another maiden flight! And one of those strange... purpley coloured... Uh, barreds, weren't they called? Hm, he muight not have won the other green, but why couldn't he try again? He might as well, and after all, she deserved chasers and his would add a splash of colour against the boring brown... Or bronze.

Glancing at his rider as the man slowly, very slowly turned dark eyes on him, the blue would have grinned sheepishly if he could before pouncing off the weyrledge at the same time F'ynch dove for him.
"Truth!" The yell was a mixture of anger and resignation, for though F'ynch didn't have high hopes, he also wasn't entirely sure of the rider of the little barred. He knew that the barred was one of the two first, but that didn't help him a whole lot. Maybe, for once Truth would have chosen a dragon with a male rider.

F'ynch's hopes fell the minute he peeked into the woman's weyr and he felt Truth's almost vindictive glee as he shot after the barred. Shards, he hated that creature sometimes. Not enough to truly hate, because he did love him and adore him... Most of the time. Right now? F'ynch just didn't want him to win, though he'd support him at the same time. Shards, he was turning into a walking paradox.

Truth didn't care, as usual about the fact his rider was more than unhappy with this, and merely continued to croon to Holleth, giving her his whole attention as he threw in a few twists to show off. Wouldn't it be great if he won the first barred to rise?

{Enter, my dragonprostitute >D}

[ShadowReine]

I think I am going to catch this female.

Barely awake, R'mer sat up slowly. "Next time can you choose one to go after who doesn't like *dawn*?" he asked his dragon, ruefully, pulling on a set of pants even as Tinth launched. Who is it?

At least he didn't have one of those aberrant blues who would try for queens.

Holleth

Holleth, Holleth. Barred...joy. A *female* rider. Ugh. The young man made his way for the woman's weyr nonetheless, but he wasn't sure he wanted Tinth to win. Maybe if he lost, R'mer could...comfort...another losing rider of the same persuasion.

At the same time, he couldn't bring himself to undermine his young blue. And a girl was better than a sharding weyrlingmaster!

He stepped into the weyr. Yup. A girl. And another bluerider, whom he didn't know that well.

Tinth was off and after her. No, first the blue needed blood. He was going to win *this* flight and he knew blood would give him an advantage. A crash as the herdbeast fell, steel-blue muzzle stained with blood. Why, she was even more attractive than that older green.

And he would be the one she chose. He was determined of that. He'd already forgotten that he'd sulked for hours after losing the *last* flight.

[kandykat]

L'noen was curled up asleep in his weyr. When he didn't have to wake up early, he liked to sleep in. Some part of his mind sensed Peasanth's restlessness, and he began to struggle awake. Peasanth? What's wrong? he asked the blue, yawning as he sat up.

Nothing is wrong, mine! I am going to chase Holleth![/color] Peasanth announced happily before launching himself into the air. L'noen gasped and got out of bed, racing to get on clothes. His first Flight! His heart was pounding with excitement and apprehension. He hurried to find Amarna.

Peasanth circled over the feeding grounds, eyes whirling violet at the sight of Holleth. She was so beautiful! He saw her blooding and knew instinctively that he should too, then. He pounced on a beast and sucked it dry, then jumped back into the air, hovering and waiting for Holleth to begin the Flight. L'noen ran into Amarna's weyr, skidding to a stop at her side. "Hello..." he said softly.

[Sparrow]

((Just a note- Barreds won’t normally blood kills before rising. =P Since this is the first one to rise, I’ll let you go on that… but it’s not something that should happen in the future.))

Holleth Rises! Jerglith’s sudden excited announcement sent a tremor through Aleyi. What? But the Blue was paying no mind to his rider, he had waited his whole life to chase Barreds, and no he finally could! With a cheerful bugle, the Blue shot out of his weyr and towards Holleth just as she took off from the feeding grounds. He was big and strong, he wouldn’t need to blood kills, just win.

Aleyi was tempted to not go anywhere at all, but made her way to Amarna’s weyr anyways. She liked girls, yes, it might be nice, if Jerglith won, to sleep with someone, even temporarily, again, but Amarna? She had knives. She was nice, but it sure seemed scary to live with the possibility of bedding someone who could just slice her open if she didn’t like who she woke up with.

No one is going to hurt you. And Tinth chases. The Flight had hardly started, Jerglith could give His one last word. R’mer was Aleyi’s friend, maybe she would be less nervous because he was there. But past that, Jerglith wasn’t worried. He would win, no one was going to help that at all. Holleth was too lovely with her silvery hide shining as it was and her violet stripes practically a neon glow against it, her slender body cutting through the skies as she challenged them.

Tinth was his friend, and Truth chased everything, but Jerglith would beat them both tonight. He crooned admiringly as he came close to Holleth, entranced by her beauty and already anticipating his capture of the Barred. He couldn’t grab her yet, that would be no chase at all! But, in the end, he would be the one to have her.

---

Ekirith rumbled as he shot from his own weyr and after Holleth. Three Blues? He could beat them. He was a Brown, and the best of them too! It had been a while since Ekirith had chased, but a Barred was as lovely a dragon as any to get back into the swing of it. He would prove to her that he was the best choice.

From the start, Ekirith would show off, he had the stamina, strength, and experience needed to last and make something out of his presence too. He skimmed low over the ground as he approached the feeding pens Holleth was just leaving, swooping up with a spin as she gained height and he shot after her. He could do anything, he would prove it to this beautiful female.

J'ran didn't know Holleth's rider, but she was a girl. He smiled slightly at her as he entered her weyr, for once being able to stifle his worries for a little while. Ekirith could have his fun, win or lose, and it would be alright with him. But he hoped for a win.

[franny]

Four blues? Holleth was surprised. She would have expected more than one brown for her maiden flight, after all she was the first barred to fly. Holleth slowly and lazily spiraled up to gain height. She didn't feel like speeding off, its was more fun to annoy the followers by being all lazy and yet uncatchable. Was she got up to a higher height she lazily glided out of her spirals and onto an air current, and then she was off without warning, flying to escape the silly blues and the brown who thought they could catch her. Just as suddenly as she had started flying fast, she dropped in a dive, then slowed down and started to spiral up, giving just enough time for Peasanth to nearly be upon her before taking off again.

Her poor males might fear what she would do, like maybe ending the flight early, but she had no such plans. She wanted to see if she could wear out the other dragons first. She suddenly lowered her speed so that Ekrith almost caught up to her before dropping down and then using the momentum to dip back up into the sky.

Holleth was bored with playing with these silly male followers and so she challenged them, Little silly males, Show me that you are truly worthy of me. Entertain me, and don't be a bore.

Amarna was in rhythm with her dragon, her mind locked in her dragons go and stops. Allowing males close and then leaving them in the dust. Together they were bored by conventional flight, and so they allowed the males to show off some. Why tire before even going that far? Any male that wanted to win them would have to fight for the privilege. Amarna didn't even really notice that one of the riders was a female. In truth, all she cared about at the moment was Holleth's followers.

[ShadowReine]

Tinth did not care that his rider did not want Holleth's rider, because he wanted Holleth, and that was enough for the young blue.

Entertain her? She was teasing him! He knew that, she was letting them get close, then streaking away again. So, he echoed her, closing as fast as his wings could carry him, then peeling away, not too far, of course, he couldn't risk being left behind, but showing her his speed. Showing her what he had to offer if she chose him. He didn't know any better than to tire himself early, not yet. But at the same time, she was, it seemed, in no hurry, she wanted these games.

He watched her, oh, he watched her so closely, so tightly. She was lovely, and she was the queen right now, the most important dragon in the Weyr. Almost, he envied the females the attention their very nature brought them. Almost.

R'mer studied Amarna. Outside of dragonlust, no girl would attract him, but she was a moth to draw him now. There was no arguing with it, even if part of him wanted to flee her weyr lest he be caught in her trap. But winning was on Tinth's mind, and the two overlapped, started to melt into one.

Soon, he would not care.

[Sparrow]

Jerglith didn't quite get what Holleth was doing, allowing herself so close to those inferior males when the chase had only just started and Jerglith was the obvious choice for winner. Maybe she just didn't want them to feel too left out when they lost, but he wasn't sure.

Not about to risk losing the silver-green female, he pushed himself a little harder, keeping close and following her through every dive and rise. The energy doing so used didn't strike his mind, his mind was focused getting Holleth and not so much on the faults in his process of doing so.

Then she spoke, and the offense he might of taken at being called little when he was obviously bigger than the Barred, and many of the other competitors, fluttered quickly to the back of his mind as she requested... something... of him. Entertainment, proof. His being there was surely proof enough, but he would perform anyways; not following Holleth's wishes was no way to win her.

Jerglith twisted upwards, climbing above the rest, ensuring he stood out and had plenty of room for his trick. It put a little strain on his wings, but Jerglith was a Blue built more for stamina, he didn't think it was too much. Pulling out of his climb with an arc, he then dove back down towards them, towards Holleth, so close to her, only spreading his wings and practically flinging himself to the side in time to avoid even letting much of the air from his venture touching her.

He straightened out again then, although he kept his spot a bit to the side of the group and close to the shining Barred he was working so hard for. It wouldn't matter what the others did, soon, she would be his.

Aleyi was worrying less and less, her mind with Jerglith and winning the Flight. They were here now, there wasn't any point in either of the pair pulling back. And with the dragonlust making more influence, Amarna was looking much more tempting.

---

Ekirith paid little mind to Holleth's drifting flight, the way she would come close to someone- even him- only to dart away again. It meant nothing, he knew from the many Green Flights he had chased in. This was a trick all females seemed to try at one point or another, and Holleth could get away with it here since many of her chasers were inexperienced.

But he would follow until the Flight ended, at which point he would catch her. All her little teases, the ups, downs, and darts she led him though, wouldn't matter when he won. But what he did would up until that point, and he snapped to attention when Holleth made a request.

And, heh, if she thought he was small and silly than he would be for her, even if Ekirith was nearly twice her size. He rumbled and dove, down but forwards, and not very far. His momentum built up though, taking him quickly directly below Holleth, if some distance below. At that point he spun, gliding belly-up beneath her, his eyes whirling with violet as he stared up at the female.

Small, beautiful Holleth. He held the position as long as he could manage, but soon had to flip back over and spiraled up towards the rest, not afraid to make use of the energy he had. Ekirith knew how to save it, and would have plenty more than these Blues anyways. As he reached Holleth's altitude, he nipped playfully at her tail- she had drifted close once, now it was his turn to come briefly close to her- and then dropped back a little, saving energy and flying with the pack. And silly. Ekirith thought it a good trick, hopefully the female he was attempting to Impress would believe the same.

[kandykat]

Peasanth followed Holleth's slow spiral. His wings longed to be flying fast, but Holleth was in charge here, and he wouldn't waste energy by flying faster than he needed to. When she dove, he clipped in his wings and plummeted a short distance before leveling out. Holleth started climbing again almost immediately, and she was so close! Peasanth reached out his claws, almost able to touch her pale hide, but then she zoomed away.

The near catch just drove him more fiercely to try and make it a reality. He sped up a little now, eager to be close to her once more. He readily accepted his challenge, eyes whirling faster with excitement. Peasanth loved to fly, and maybe now all of the aerial tricks he practiced during weyrlinghood would pay off.

I will happily oblige, lovely Holleth,[/color] he said, and began to climb higher into the sky. He flew almost vertically. When he reached a good height, he froze and let gravity do its job, but instead of falling straight down, he did a backflip midair so he was falling nose-first. After reaching the level of the Flight, he flared his wings and leveled out again, then sprinted to catch up with Holleth, hoping she was impressed by the trick.

L'noen was lost in his dragon's emotions, a dreamy smile on his face as Peasanth flew through the air. His gaze was fixed on Amarna, but he saw a Barred dragon, not a woman.

[Missa]

Truth was nothing if not determined. Even when the bigger blues and the brown joined the flight, he was determined to win her over. SHe was fast, would so not want a mate who would keep up with her pace? Who could perform loops around those silly others and still keep up? At least for a short while, Truth could.

As she dove, Truth let out a happy croon, he loved flights that were diving and jerking out, for blues were really the better ones at that, so her sharp dive was only copied by Truth pulling sharply out of his own dive and spinning to chase her again, not at all bothered when other males got close to her, after all she was only toying with them, showing them what they would be missing when he caught her. Tricks, he liked showing off, and that was proved by the fact that the little blue very quickly went into forming his own loops and rolls, and following her. He'd show her.

F'ynch at that moment couldn't care whether Armana was female or not, caught up in the chase with his blue, the beautiful Holleth that they both wanted to win.

[franny]

Holleth was slightly amused by the blues little thing of trying to get close to her and then flying off. But, she thought that his "trick" was slightly boring and he was wasting a lot of energy trying to fly that fast. Tinth wasn't that bad... but she would see what the others offered to her. He could be so much flashier. Holleth said to him, Try harder blue Tinth.

Jerglith though was annoying. Why did he feel as if he had to follow so close? Then, when she asked for the males to show off, like their nature, he had swooped up and then down, as if he was about to hit her. Then he swooped to the side. She didn't like him there. She quickly dove down and under him, and under the rest of her followers, turning the flight around so that he would be near the back.

Ekirith had a good trick. He entertained her with his upside down flying thing. He was also a brown and therefore big. Then, when she drew close to him, he had the nerve to nip at her tail! The fact that he had the nerve to nip at her tail... Males were such silly idiotic creatures. Though he did have a cool trick...

Peasanth was so sweet. He said such sweet things to her. He didn't call her small or anything when this was her flight. His flip was well preformed, even if flips were semi-common. The way he worked so hard to do her will endeared her to him. He was such a sweet blue and he was from the same clutch as she was. Holleth said to Peasanth Thankyou sweet Peasanth.

Truth on the other hand was a dragon know to chase almost every female that rose. Holleth thought his little dives and loops were boring. They were well preformed, but they were not anything special or different. Holleth said to Truth, Try harder Truth. Then, she drew close to Truth only to dash off, hoping to get more effort out of the blue.

Holleth, then pulled a quick turn toward the right and spiraled up some more, slowly and lazily at first and then speeding her spirals up as she got higher. Then she straightened out her flight, but not without feeling the strain of flight on her wings. She was also starting to feel muscles that were tiring. So, she flew straight, wanting to see what the males would do.

[ShadowReine]

Try harder? Didn't she know his wings burned, his heart beat for her, only her. But then, she swept under them. He turned, as quickly and neatly as he could, to speed after her one more. not too close, though. He saw how she had tried to get further away from Jerglith.

Try harder. He was trying with everything in him. He climbed, up, so he was above her, just so he could rest his wings for a moment, then furl them, dropping to her leve before catching himself.

Close, but not too close. She was the goal, but she was the one who chose, he could not force himself on her. He waited until her faceted eyes glanced his way again, and did a sort of shake, all the way down his body, making himself look bigger.

And no, she was not small. As big as him! Not small!

[kandykat]

Peasanth crooned, happy that Holleth liked his trick. He didn't need to try harder! He got it right the first time. The blue thought he had a good chance of winning this Flight, but overconfidence could be his downfall. Somewhere deep down he felt a warning, probably from his rider, not to assume anything.

He followed her spiral, speeding up when she did. Peasanth felt a faint burning in his wings, but he ignored it. When Holleth straightened out again, he debated what to do. Deciding to try another trick, he executed a figure eight in the air before flying straight himself. Now his speed and endurance would mean more than tricks. He didn't want to tire himself with any more fancy maneuvers.

[Missa]

The fact was, that though Holleth wanted more from him, Truth was trying his hardest, and expending great amounts of energy trying to do just that. She wanted more though, and Truth was determined to give this little barred everything she wanted, even if his wings were burning and he was now straining to keep up with every other dragon in the flight. He was built for speed and fancy tricks, not for keeping those fancy tricks up over a period of time.

Still, he gave it his best, darting after the barred dragon with as much speed as he could muster in his aching wings, he was pleased to see, that he was keeping up, if only just. He knew, that it wouldn't be long before he had to drop out, but he wanted to try and see this flight through to the end. He wasn't about to give up, if nothing else it gave His an excuse to yell at him... If he won.

It was unlikely, with teh stronger brown there, that Truth would win, but he didn't entertain that thought for long, merely focusing on the possibility, the very smallest glimmer of hope that maybe, he could, and maybe, just maybe, he would.

[Sparrow]

The possibility that Holleth was trying to get away from him when she gave the Flight an abrupt turnaround didn't even start to enter Jerglith's mind. Although disappointed that she didn't even look like she appreciated his trick, he twisted and followed. Having no plans whatsoever to stay at the back of the group, Jergilth pumped his wings and maneuvered towards the front again. How could he catch Holleth if everyone was in his way? And he was a strong dragon, falling behind was no way to prove that to her.

Despite, it was hard to ignore the growing ache in his wings. Jerglith had youth and inexperience working against him here, being big couldn't make up for that. He forced himself to look over it though, his mind focusing on the shining Barred he was putting forth all this effort for.

Holleth was slowing as she started to spiral upwards, but Jerglith didn't think to take advantage of the moment, and soon she was speeding up, distancing herself from him again. Not letting his eyes wander from her pale body he followed her, spiraling and picking up speed as she did. Finally she leveled and Jerglith did the same with relief, the climb not having helped his tiring wings at all.

They were flying straight, now might be a good time to try and catch Holleth's attention with one last trick, but Jerglith wasn't going to risk falling behind. He had tried a trick, it had been hard, and Holleth hadn't acted like she cared at all. Why waste the energy? His choices were attempting a final performance and falling behind or keeping close, following her devoutly and saving his energy for the win. The latter seemed like a much better plan, and Jerglith crooned to Holleth but didn't try anything more than that.

~~~

Ekirith ducked and twisted after Holleth as the Flight turned in a new direction, his eyes on the Barred and his mind on her lack of recognition towards his performance. Either she was smart enough to not be hinting at a winner yet by showing explicit aknowledgement to tricks she liked, or it had just gone beyond her. The Brown, having chased his share of silly Greens and so far not seeing Holleth as much different, half expected the latter but it really didn't matter. He could catch her whether she got his joke or not.

As Holleth spiraled upwards Ekirith followed, pushing a little harder to keep near the front of the pack. She was climbing, but she was young and small. She wouldn't last too much longer. Ekirith, on the other hand, had energy to spare. The Brown was big, strong, experienced, and figured himself the perfect mate for this shining jewel. When Holleth leveled Ekirith ducked, bringing himself lower than the rest as a couple of the Blues tried last tricks and others just followed.

They were just flying straight, which worked well for what Ekirith had in mind. He remained at a lower altitude than the rest for a while, waiting until maybe they would start thinking he had no plans to rise to their height again. He still watched Holleth, his head tilted slightly upwards as he followed the Barred just a length below. Ekirith sped up a little, making sure he would be easy for her to see, even below her.

A quick downstroke let him bolt upwards, but only very briefly. He kept his body parallel to the ground still, although it arced with the power of his abupt climb. The momentum quickly wore off and he hovered for a second, gravity fighting with his sudden direction change. Then, the dragon fell, making no move except to fold his wings so they wouldn't ruin his trick. He dropped a couple lengths, then, still without spreading his wings, tilted his head towards his belly and let his body follow, pulling a somersault that aimed his body upwards again. With a snap of his wings, he was climbing again, crooning as he neared Holleth and then taking up a spot at the edge of the pack.

A few words for that trick came to mind, but Ekirith kept quiet now. He had fallen for her, as the humans liked to say they did, but literally... and would she get the joke? Hopefully action would turn out to be enough.

[franny]

Holleth eyed the competition. She was tiring. She realized that now was the time to pick a winner. Many had preformed well for her, though their performances were making them tired. Tinth she could tell was tired, and so was Peasanth, especially after he tried one more trick. Holleth was glad to see him try something else for her. And Truth. Truth tried so hard for her. She realized that now, but he was tiring himself out, and there was a big strong brown there. Jerglith valiantly kept up with her, fighting to stay with her. She could tell that most of the blues were tiring. But Ekirith was not.

Holleth was in a dilemma. Peasanth, Tinth, Truth, Jerglith, and Ekirith were her choices. Four tiring blues, and many of them quite good. Tinth worked so hard, Peasanth was so sweet, Jerglith didn't let his hopes down, and Truth just kept going. But, there was a brown.

Holleth couldn't quite decide, so she angled herself upward toward the sun. Her wings burned with every stroke, and everyone was tiring, but the brown, and she had to go upwards, toward the sun. Then her wings stalled, and Ekirith was there. She cried out to Ekirith, Oh strong Brown, Catch me! And then she was caught by Ekirith, his neck twining with her, there wings unfolding together from a mess, there tail twining.

Amarna found herself within J'rans arms...

(OOC: Sparrow, Do you want to do a later post...? As I have been mentioning, I stuck equal pieces of paper into a hat. I pulled out every piece but one without looking. Ekirith is the one that won. The reason I did this was because I couldn't decide because everyone was posting great and Amarna had no preferences. Thanks everyone for posting so nicely for Holleth's dawn flight! )

[Sparrow]

It was ending, he could tell now. Ekirith had plenty of experience picking out when the female was finally giving in, and plenty with him not catching. He wasn't going to let things go that way this morning. The Brown drifted a little closer, watching Holleth's every move, ready to take his first chance to grab her.

Then, finally, Ekirith darted forward when Holleth stalled; finally, this was his chance! Truth was the only one really to know this was the end, but the little Blue looked much too tired to snatch the Barred away. Her voice, calling out to Ekirith specifically, made it obvious that he was the one she wanted to catch her anyways. Crooning, he gathered her against him, twining smoothly with the little female.

((...and I can't think of anything to say about J'ran right now. xP And a later post... just like later in the day when they're coming back to their senses or whatever? Sure. *brick'd*))