Dreary Afternoons [Nayarath's Flight]

[Sparrow]

OOC: Sorry about some kind of random timing. P: I've been meaning to put this up for a while but... haven't, obviously.

Perhaps it was Nayarath's love of water that left her so inclined to Rise when the weather was bad. Luckily this afternoon was little more than a dreary drizzle combined with dark clouds hanging low over Nyocia and a slight, moist wind. Nayarath's hide was glowing, and seemed even brighter than usual against the dank background, but the Gold herself was fast asleep. Not even her tail was twitching- her only signs of life were her bright hide and the steady rise and fall of her vast ribcage at she breathed.

However, Kora was well aware that her dragon would wake spontaneously and launch into the sky at any moment, and so hovered anxiously around her weyr. Lilac, Squeak, and Soot zoomed cheerfully after their keeper as she paced, not oblivious to the situation, but happy enough to ignore it and play with each other. Lilac had Flown recently, but she was taking a break in being dull about it and was just as active as the rest. As usual they made a silly scene, a serious Kora followed by two capering fire-lizards and a bouncy kagen trying his best to remain at the same altitude as the others.

Nayarath paid it no mind, even when she abruptly raised her head, her suddenly wide eyes whirling with red fury. Kora stopped short, soon followed by a pelting of fire-lizard and kagen against her back and legs. Her focus was entirely on Nayarath as the dragon leapt with a trumpet from the weyr and shot for the feeding grounds. Nayarath was quick to grab herself a herdbeast, Kora quick to demand that she only blood the kill, and the noise Nayarath made as she argued and then angrily obeyed was surely enough to grab the attention of every dragon around Nyocia.

Not that Nayarath ever minded making much noise, and the dragon was feeling especially primeval that day. She went after a second beast, but killing animals was apparently dulling her rage. Nayarath bled her second kill a little more quietly, and the usual purple was making its way into her eyes by the time she finished. Now she was ready to fly and, with another bellow to make sure people were paying attention, off she went.

[ShadowReine]

Apolloth launched to the feeding grounds with a challenge of his own, a bugle escaping the tan's lips even as he plunged into the now panicked herd.

Blood...for a male, the instinct was more certain, the hunger less likely to be confused with lust, and soon the red fluid stained his muzzle. B'can had been hiding in his weyr from the drizzle, mending his straps. As his dragon launched so abruptly, they fell to the ground.

He did not have to ask what. He did not even, really, have to ask *who*, but the stocky tanrider simply ran for it, towards Kora's weyr. He knew Nayarath was not likely to choose Apolloth, having a strong preference for bronzes. But the tan would try and he would give it his best.

He had to be there. Just in case...and if he lost, he was fairly sure Inolyn was around somewhere.

The tan sliced a second kill from the herd, bringing it down with a quick swipe of dragon talons, pouncing on it as it tumbled. Once more, he drank the warm, energy-giving blood, and then she was up almost before he had finished. He threw it to the side, almost hitting another dragon with it, and then was up.

Up and away and after her...the most important female in the entire Weyr. He knew himself to be worthy of her, but how, in this drizzle, did he prove it? The water dulled his buttermilk hide and even dimmed, a little, her glow.

A little.

[Jenth]

Kayth had been ready, this moment had been long awaited. The moment he felt the glow in Nayarath's hide rising he had taken up the ledge above her weyr. The bronze knew others would be stirring, preparing to rise after his queen. Well they were nothing but wherries if they didnt think Kayth was going to step down from Nayarath's side! None could blame him, for she was clearly the most beautiful and strongest dragon in the Weyr and second to no one.

D'mas was also ready, restless in his anticipation. He had worked so hard as Weyrleader, young as he had been picking up the pieces Y'xem had left behind. Whether or not he would continue to lead rested with his bronze's strength but the competition would be fierce. With the stakes so high every bronze, tan and maybe a brown or too would be hovering around the feeding grounds blodding kills or waiting.

Kayth left his watchpost to join them, sucking greedily on a kill. All the while he was looking for faults or weakness in his opponents, and eyed very closely his biggest threats. Apolloth had nearly beaten him once, but with Jorindath's clutch not long hatched Nayarath would bearly pass him a thought. Wuith... he was here...

The tan eyed the beast below in concideration of making another kill. He would need his energy, Nayarath would not make it easy for them to win her. Wuith loved that in her. Today he might finally return to her side, this time as a true mate. A golden glow shinning through the dreary weather made up his mind, he had to be ready to launch at no notice.

With Nayarath's bellow they took sky wards, the many motes of tan and bronze following the golden beacon. And close on his tail raced a coppery bronze and a ghostly tan who had everything to loose and everything to gain.

[Sparrow]

Nayarath already knew all her suitors this time around, and with no one new, surely she had the upper hand. She already knew what to expect; how would they surprise her? It would be a tougher test.

She would start things out easier then. Nayarath headed into the dense clouds. They split and frayed beneath her wings, leaving a brief, misty tunnel for her followers. What wasn't blown away collected on her hide, magnifying her gloss. Amid the tumult of emotions that pushed the Senior Queen to fly hard and fast, she smiled slightly to herself. Ah, if only she could move like this through denser water.

How were her males faring? Did the water leave them greased for the flight or did the clouds disorient them? She had to keep track of their position and make sure none were falling too far behind... or getting too close.

That in mind, Nayarath continued to tunnel and twist through the clouds. It couldn’t last long though; as much as she enjoyed it, her instincts were pushing her to fly higher. A Flight was no good without altitude. She nosed upwards as they went, heading gradually to where the low clouds would thin.

[ShadowReine]

Higher...and she plunged through the dreary clouds, lighting them from within like a second Rukbat. Apolloth's lust and ambition washed over his rider, overwhelming the young man's doubts.

She was the only thing that could matter, and B'can was in Kora's weyr, regarding her, feeling his eyes drawn to her as by a feminine magnet, even as Apolloth twisted through the clouds, seeking her, desiring her.

Higher, and he found the currents within the clouds, but this was hard. No thermals, in this weather, for a dragon to rise on, to use to save his energies. Nothing but the mist and the clouds and the queen and his rivals. None were as fine dragons as he, none were as splendid in the air. He believed that with everything within him, felt it, knew it.

He rose towards her, angling his wings again, so that the water might shed from the buttermilk membranes.

Higher. Higher as the clouds thinned and the condensation dripped from him. Dragons, of course, do not mind such, even had he been capable of thought of anything but the queen and her flight.

[Jenth]

Wuith had flown through worse in chase of Nayarath, when a younger and more reckless him had played with lightning in a hope of snatching the prize away from the others males. It had failed... and he had been lucky to have escaped where Labyrinth had not. The tan would not make those same mistakes again. Nayarath might think him figured out but there was always a trick or two in his talon that might put him ahead. He had tried so many times to claim his golden beauty, and even had to settle with a violet, but that had never quenched his longing...

Through the dreary shades of grey and the misty rain, further up he chased and broke into open air and the rainbow of hues the setting Rukbat cast upon the upper clouds. Yet through the beauty of the scenery a golden gem shone more brightly and beautifully taunting...tempting...urging them to follow and prove their worth.

His lust burned deep and on he flew, wanting to put himself between his rivals and their queen. His water slickened hide shone and glistened, his pale hide shining like a pearl with shades of green, yellow and purple. Wuith, the first tan, had always been an impressive beast. But still, Nayarath was so much more...

~~~~~~

Kayth needed not to fight so hard to flail in the clouds as his competition. While for the moment he was reguarded as just another suitor, he knew Nayarath in a way the others did not. Knew her touch, knew her thoughts, knew her feelings... While he only caught the rare glimpse throught the shadowy haze he could feel her movements and her acsent. If Nayarath was rising higher, then so would he.

He could more feel that he had fallen back a length or two before he saw it and a twinge of jealousy broke into his lust. No, he could not lose! With wings still fresh for the flight and much energy to burn the bronze made a push, hoping to frighten the tans into wasting their energy. Kayth was the largest of them all and Nayarath's previous mate, clearly their biggest threat...

[Sparrow]

Up and up, and finally Nayarath emerged from the clouds into a, surprisingly, sunlit sky. There was something about dreary days that always made her feel like the sun hadn’t come out at all. But here it was, falling lower but out. Its light, reflecting off the many droplets still clinging to her hide, added to her glow. The water that fell off her left a very brief, glistening trail.

This was better. The air was thin, the flying fast, and her vision clear. Her followers looked better; even the Tans were given a sheen to rival Kayth’s, from the water and the late sun. It wouldn’t last long, but Nayarath took a moment to admire them before pushing forward again at a greater speed.

She had noticed Kayth fall behind a bit, but he had come forward again quickly. She wasn’t sure if it was meant to be a trick against the Tans or a mistake. No one else had tried anything though, and Kayth had more to fight for than the others. He was the defending champion; the others were only trying to usurp his position. She would keep a close eye on him.

With plenty of energy still surging through her wings, however, Nayarath’s attention on them all would be minimal. It was easy to see if they were keeping up and, with their flight path clearer, anything out of the norm as well. She had dried already, but was nowhere near feeling the need to make a decision.

[ShadowReine]

The sun! It was there, above the clouds, the air thinning and making flight more of an effort.

But then, it was an effort that was worth it, for the prize at the end of this flight was every one of Apolloth's hopes and dreams. Perhaps at another time, the tan might have felt bad about disloyalty to Jorindath...but, of course, he would chase her again, when the time came. Perhaps catch her again.

Perhaps sire another fine clutch, but dragons live in the moment. He knew only this flight, this queen, and she the senior of them all. She the one any self respecting bronze or tan would most seek to claim.

And she was beautiful, the sun catching her. He did not try anything other than to get slightly above her, so that when she made a sudden move, gravity would be on his side to stay with her. The sun glinted from his hide briefly, dulling as it dried swiftly in the wind of altitude.

She was so beautiful...but this flight would last a while yet. She was, after all, gold and would fly high and far.

[Jenth]

Kayth flew with the other males, each trying to edge infront of the others, watching and preparing. All of them had flown in queen flights before, all had won queen flights, they all knew how eduring and exhasting they could be. Yet Nayarath had not put them through there paces, was she looking endurence over strength this time round? The scene around them was breath taking, only fraction of beauty compared to her, but clearly she was waiting for something. It was far to early in the flight for her to concider choosing already. Still, he had been given a moment to catch her eye.

Puting a bounce in his wing beats he flexed and stretched his legs, his neck arching but eyes never leaving Nayarath's golden form. It would be like her to test him when she thought him ill prepared. A deep rummble in his chest sent his muscles rippling beneath his copper-bronze hide, he was in his prime and in perfect condition. These tans would have to work hard if they wished to best him.

~~~

Kayth saught to catch Nayarath's eye while Apolloth aimed to guess her next move. Both tactics he had tried in the past and brought him close to success, but close was never good enough. This was all to be expected, but to win the Queen of queens Wuith would have to pull all his tricks. No matter how many times he had lost in the past, Nayarath was worth the pain to try again.

His path didn't budge, his wings didn't faulter yet itched to race. Preserve his strength, be ready at the twitch of Nayarath's slender gold tail. This tan was serious to win, and nothing would stop him from using every speck of his strength to do so.

[Sparrow]

Nayarath struck further upwards. Thus far, she hadn't been forcing her followers into tricks and the like that would test their strength- altitude would do that for her. But they were in for a bit of even that (fairly simplified since Nayarath was no Green, nor did she want to be) soon enough. She first had to consider Kayth's little flexing trick which, in any other situation, would have done nothing but give her a bit of a laugh.

That wasn't on her mind here, but there wasn't a lot to be said past that Kayth seemed to be the only one going out of his way to look handsome as well as keeping up. Nayarath could give a few points for that. A few. Sure her old mate had muscles, but how well could he use them?

Nayarath twisted and dove back towards the clouds. It didn't take long for them to swallow her golden form up and she pushed, again, through the clouds, this time with all the velocity from her dive speeding her forwards. She only followed this course long enough to give her suitors time to join her in the clouds and then twisted upwards again. A good flight required height. Getting back to where she had been before would be a drain on the queen's energy.

[ShadowReine]

Up and up, and tan wings were burning. Lungs barely caught air. A gold's flight was the greatest test of endurance any male could face.

Apolloth was up to the task, but not without pain. Not without pain to mingle with the lust, with the desire for her. The fact that she was senior was forgotten. All was forgotten but the flight and the cloudstuff rolling from his wings. All was forgotten but what he could win or lose here.

He was determined that at least he would be there when she made her choice, and that he, Apolloth, would prove to her a tan was as good as a bronze. Would prove to her that she could get as good a clutch from him as from Kayth.

Basic biology escaped the tan...his mind was closer to a bronze than a brown and his ambition and desire burned through the muscles of his shoulders and chest, burned through his aching diaphragm. He would need much rest after this flight, but such was the way of things between dragons.

[Jenth]

Wuith was ready, dropping like a rock after Nayarath into the clouds. With some clouds rivaling in color to her, as well and the sun itself, it would be easy to lose her and get lost. Pushing as hard as he could to keep her sight of her trailing tail, he had not come this far to fall back and out of this competition. Not when the all his hopes and dreams, his star-crossed love, flew just beyound his reach.

Bursting through the clouds again he was aware only slightly of a laboring breath, thin air and thick mist was starting to take its toll he thought to himself. The flight was not over to admit that his blood fueled strength was failing, but they had flown high and fast. He could find no fault in Nayarath, she knew how to make them beg and want her all the more.

~~~

With a twist Kayth followed down, the cool mist playground helping to cool refresh him in his seemingly endless struggle. Of coure it would end, but only when he once again was by Nayarath's side. Just, fair, beautiful beyound all others, there would never be another for him. He just had to win, and should he be force to lose her to another it would only be temporary.

Up again, the climb harder then before. He could feel it, and see it in the others and yet it was still too close for comfort. Rivaled by age and experience on one side, youth and wherry-headed determination on the other. They were tan but he was bronze, his size and strength was the highest honor a boy could impress. What would Nayarath choose?

[Sparrow]

Behind her, the labored flight of the males was growing more apparent. She did her best to hide it, but even the golden queen couldn't hide her fatigue forever. Nayarath's wings were aching; it was time to bring this to a close. Her breathing was labored as she made a final push for altitude.

The males were catching up on her, and Nayarath now had to work to evade them. They had all performed well, but who would make the catch? As usual, Nayarath wanted to be the one to make that decision. She wouldn't let someone catch her by surprise. Apolloth was the youngest, and seemed most worn out as well. Nayarath didn't worry about him. As usual, it had come down to Wuith and a Bronze, her last mate.

Kora could feel the edges of a decision on Nayarath's mind, and with the last corner she still had sentient, pushed for the winner she would prefer. D'mas was a good Weyrleader and she was fond of him. L'han... she was nervous about him.

Nayarath dipped a wing and ducked sideways, into the flight path of her winner. With some relief she twined to the male, finally she could relax her tired wings... although perhaps her rider was not feeling the same. Wuith.

It was about time.