Move with Me ((Queen Flight))

[firethorne]

It's all right, You'll be fine,
Baby I'm in control.
Take the pain, Take the pleasure,
I'm the master of both.
Close your eyes, not your mind
Let me into your soul...
I'm gonna work it 'til your totally blown.

No escaping when I start,
Once I'm in I own your heart,
There's no way to ring the alarm...
So hold on 'til it's over.

It had been apparent for several days now. Whether it be her chronic moodiness, her unusually sharp voice, or her faintly-glowing hide, the signs were all there. Aeriath was to Rise soon.

Her rider paced in her weyr, chewing her bottom lip distractedly as she walked from one side of the room to the other, and then back again. Her emerald gaze swept slightly to the side, resting for just a moment on the paperwork that sat accusingly on her desk. Yes, she needed to work, but she couldn’t. Raelwyn continued her pacing, pulling her gaze away from the incriminating paperwork to glance once at the huge golden body settled on her ledge. The queen was not asleep. It was late afternoon, and the sun was warm and bright, but she did not doze in the heat like usual. Instead, Aeriath was posed like a sphinx, her whirling eyes wandering over the whole of Refuge. She watched the wing in the air practicing, her attention lingering on the flashing bronze body that led them.

Pfft. Bronzes. They thought they were so clever.

That thought, more than anything, alerted the Weyrwoman to her dragon’s eminent Flight. Yes, Raelwyn knew that she was going to fly soon, but at that moment, she narrowed it down to ‘going to fly today’. That, of course, would account for the woman’s sudden restlessness, her inability to concentrate on her paperwork, or anything at all, for that matter. As a candlemark passed, the goldrider herself became just as irritable as the dragon she bonded, and she stalked from her room, taking the steps to the bowl with a scowl. She passed a drudge on the way, a male drudge, and she glared at him as she caught sight of him, causing the poor fellow to squeak and jump back, clearing a wide path for the blonde as she swept passed him.

Pfft. Men.

Somehow, somehow, that seemed to push Aeriath just that last little bit, the tiny little nudge that she needed to go over the edge. Red appeared in her whirling gaze, and the gold screamed, her wild cry echoing off the walls and rumbling sharply in the air. With an agility she usually lacked, the queen leapt to her feet, and in the same, smooth motion, pushed off her ledge, gliding to the feeding grounds so quickly that Raelwyn’s hair danced wildly about just from the drafts her huge wings created. “Shards!” The Weyrwoman hissed, breaking into a run to follow her dragon. Gathering every ounce of strength her mind and heart possessed, the blonde threw her will and her mindvoice at the queen, watching Aeriath descend viciously upon a squealing herdbeast. Only the blood, Ari. She instructed sternly, finally slowing as she reached the edge of the pens.

The gold whipped her head about and snarled at her rider, her eyes whirling red and angry. She wanted to eat, she wanted to rip the beast apart and take her fill! Yet, every time she tried to, Raelwyn’s will was there, holding her more strongly than iron. Frustrated, Aeriath let out an enraged bellow, her talons digging furrows into the ground as she pawed the earth in her fury, snorting and hissing. Sweat beaded on the Weyrwoman’s forehead as she stared at her queen, surprised at how difficult the dragon was to control. They had been through plenty of Flights, but never had Ari resisted her orders this long, never had she taken this much time to succumb to her rider’s will. The gold’s tail whipped from side to side, and Aeriath stared at the herdbeast she had downed, enraged. She couldn’t have her way. She couldn’t win against Hers. With another angry trumpet, the queen hissed and latched onto the animal’s throat, blooding it as she was bidden.

After that, instinct overwhelmed her desire for food, and Raelwyn’s orders were obeyed easily afterward as she blooded four more herdbeasts. Now, all she wanted was to just fly, to soar through the sky long and far, to leave this ground and everyone else behind, and to rule the winds as was her rightful place as queen. She whirled then, her now-violet eyes catching sight of the males that had gathered about. Planting her feet wide apart, Aeriath bared her teeth at them all, her mindvoice cutting through every single one. You will never catch me. I am a daughter of the wind, and you are nothing. Leave me be! The gold snarled, and she pushed away from the ground with one powerful, graceful movement. She was gone in the blink of an eye, her huge wings beating powerfully as she rocketed higher and higher into the skies. She wanted to leave them all behind, she wanted to just get away from all the males that harried her. Aeriath did not want them. She just wanted to fly.

Do you know what you got into?
Can you handle what I am about to do?
'Cause it's about to get rough for you...
I'm here for your entertainment.

Oh, I bet you thought that I was soft and sweet.
You thought an angel swept you off your feet.
But I'm about to turn up the heat,
I'm here for your entertainment.

[Ise]

Everyone in the Weyr had known that Aeriath was going to rise. The drudges and riders of lower ranking colors had started taking bets; how many days until the gold rose, what time of day would it be at, and most importantly who would win. Odds had been high that Zorometh would win, he had won Aeriath’s last two flights and with Thread on the way it was likely that he would continue to lead. But Thread had yet to fall which meant there was a chance that someone else would win.

Someone like Zeuth.

B’ren, always a confident man, was even more so now. He had talked his own odds up, using luck, coincidences, and even the stars to give people the idea that Zeuth stood not only a chance, but a good chance of being able to win the flight. Zeuth was the largest bronze, and therefore the strongest bronze, currently at Refugee. Zeuth’s hide and the Red Star were almost the same blood red color, which had to mean that dragon and star were connected (utter crap but the superstitious ones had eaten it up). Zeuth also had beginners luck on his side, not only would this be his first queen flight, it would be his first flight over all. No one had seen him fly yet, he would be something new for Aeriath.

And to show just how much faith B’ren had in his dragon, he had laid down half a turn’s worth of marks on his bronze. A foolish and cocky move on his part but it had bolstered other people’s confidence and had made the betting a little more interesting. Now he knew there were at least three bets in his name, one from himself and two from his foster siblings whom he had bribed into making bets.

While many of the bronze riders had been tense since Aeriath had started to glow, B’ren had only grown more and more excited until he was almost giddy. Finally Zeuth was going to get the chance to be in a flight! And his first would be the most important kind of fight. He had made sure that when he was outside of his weyr, that he looked like he was taking everything as serious as ever. Only when he was in private did he let himself lounge about and dream of Zeuth winning the flight and making him leader of the Weyr. Well at least the Weyr would continue to be lead by a good looking couple if he won.

The young bronze rider was busy going over flight patterns and trying to memorize them when Aeriath let out her scream. He was on his feet and running before he could even figure out what was going on. Zeuth knew what the cry meant though and the massive bronze dragon stirred and went out into the Weyrbowl.

The sun gleamed off of Zeuth’s hide, though the afternoon sun did not bring out the red as much as a setting sun would have. Even without the blood red glow to his hide, the bronze was an impressive sight. He was not only longer then the other males, barely smaller then the gold herself, but he was a more bulky and muscular dragon while many of the others were sleeker things. They would start out faster then him, but he would be able to outlast them all if sheer endurance was all the gold was looking for.

The dragon was silent and serious, his large body coiled tightly as he waited for the gold to make her move. He ignored the other dragons, uninterested in any of them. He was only interested in proving himself to the angry queen, showing her that while she may be the daughter of the wind, he was more then nothing. And as soon as Aeriath pushed off the ground and was in the air, Zeuth’s only large body pushed off the ground, massive wings beating as he slowly gained altitude. She might be able to get away from him for now but Zeuth was determined to catch her.

[HG]

I do not find it funny. The Bronze remarked as D'seus defended Zeuth's rider's position. He is young and perhaps a little arrogant but that does not mean he is not serious about winning. Boasting so much will not win him the flight... D'seus shook his head and went back to studying wing formations. His Bronze had been irritated by every little thing people said about the other Bronzes the past few days. To which D'seus tried to calm him down but there was no doubt that Zorometh felt a bit threatened. He was an average sized Bronze and Aeriath an average sized Queen but their last clutch had provided them with a very large Bronze. A Bronze who was now old enough to give chase. This made Zorometh uneasy.

Then there was Nienoth, his closest competition in Zorometh's eyes. The other Bronze did dote upon Aeriath which again pissed Zorometh off. D'seus wished only that Aeriath would fly soon so he would have the chance to take a break from encouraging his dragon while telling him his fears were unwarranted. He too was confident. Although not about to go around and tell the Weyr he was going to win. There was a very good chance that this was anyone's flight. With the flight on his mind already he was not as surprised when Zorometh suddenly left his ledge and flew to the Feeding Grounds. He had not eaten in four days but this was not about eating. D'seus felt his throat tighten, his heart began to race and he took a deep breath as he reminded Zorometh to blood only.

The dragon and rider's battle of wills always resulted in D'seus winning the dragon to his side. If he wanted to win the flight he would have to blood. The Bronze was quick about it, blooding three beasts before Aeriath arrived and then he left the Feeding Grounds. He would stay out of her way. The Bronze watched from a good distance as Aeriath fed. When she had finished he noted that the other Bronzes were there as well.

Her voice seemed to reverberate in his head with the anger and frustration of a Queen about to mate. Now was not the time to make a comment as he lifted himself into the air with the ease of Turns of practice. He was certain the Gold would outfly them for some time and it was his goal not to wear himself out too quickly. So he followed the Gold but not quite at her pace. Zorometh was stronger than he looked and despite there being larger Bronzes he was strong and had proved himself worthy before.

Now that he was following at a good pace, he said, Fly fast daughter of the wind. For I follow and will never give up.

On the ground D'seus had made his way to Raelwyn finally, his breath heavy from running. He glanced sideways at his competitors and almost snarled. He was in control of his feelings and though the throught of anyone else winning Raelwyn disturbed him, he needed to be emotionally strong for Zorometh who had been so shaken up by the other Bronzes pre flight. He let himself join with the dragon who flew behind the Gold if a little slower than Zeuth. He was pacing himself. The Queen had flown very far last time and he had begun to run out of strength. He would use more speed later in the game.

---

Rath was seemingly unconcerned by the whole event. He lay on a ledge, sunning, overlooking the vast expanse of the Weyr. Perhaps it was his bonded's age that kept him from flying the Queen or perhaps, he was not driven to fly Senior Queen's. Whatever the case, Rath decided to sit this one out and watch. Or'yn found his dragon, having climbed up a long way to do so. He knew the Bronze was a little tense at the moment. He was still pulled by instinct to chase the Gold and so was waging a battle within himself to not fly. Or'yn was too young and he was not ready.

“You okay Rath?” Or'yn asked feeling a bit guilty for not being older. All is well. I watch. There is no shame in sitting out when one is too young to fly. Besides, I doubt any of them stand a chance against Zorometh. He smiled, “You do have a point. The Weyrwoman has gotten rather close to D'seus.” Rath looked at his rider, That is not what I meant. Zorometh is in his prime. He has won Aeriath before. His only realy competition in my view is Nienoth who is also in his prime. Besides, I've always admired Zorometh.

The Bronze dragon would admire the Bronze who sired him. He did not dislike Zeuth or Nienoth but he also did not see them as much compared to the Bronze he modeled himself after. So they were routing for D'seus and Zorometh despite Rath having a chance to fly and feeling the urge to. Or'yn was there to support his dragon and distract him should it be necessary.

[Marnark]

There was one thing that young upstarts lacked. Experience, wisdom that came from having been there, done that. Time and again. Add on top of that some wily cunning, and it was a formidable thing to try and measure up to. Sheer abundant youthful gumption didn't make up for that much. Neinoth was just as thoughtful as ever he was, eying the golden form that had denied him the last time she had flown. He wanted her, and was not shy about letting that be known. He would say the things that his would not, do the things that his would not.

It was unusual, and noteworthy, that she was starting to glow so soon after her last flight. It was only nearly two turns, instead of seven or eight! How unusual was that? Another sign that the Red Star was indeed drawing near. Even if they had no access to the Finger Stones. So soon! Was it a bluff? Was it only a tease? No, it had to be genuine. The wait to find out for sure was agonizing, more agonizing than the usual pre-flights, the ones that were stressful simply in that they were so far apart, and losing meant losing for a long, long time, before another chance was to be had.

He had lost last time. It had been a painful loss he had not at all been prepared for. He had lost her, to him. The thought of Zorometh made Neinoth's blood boil, in a different way than the thought of Aeriath. Aeriath he wanted to keep, Zorometh, he wanted to ... he wanted to ... he had no idea what he wanted. He just didn't like Zorometh. Zorometh had stolen her away!

In anticipation, he watched, he waited. He knew when to flirt, and when to stay far clear of the cranky Queen. Pre-flight, that was a time to stay way clear. There was no consoling her, no matter the flattering compliments plied or the treats given. So he had stayed more or less to himself, keeping his activities hidden from the other Bronzes that were too self-important to even notice him. Sneaky, he was. Planning, he did. Sometimes not even His knew what he was up to.

He had eaten. Lightly, but he had eaten. Real meat, real energy. Not the quick fast flare and vanish energy that was blood. Light it was, but it also did not last. He knew, eating right before a flight was a sure way to lose said flight. So, he didn't. He ate before that. When there was little weight left to him, but he had all that pure energy in his system. He was ready! Even better, he had spent a little while in the pens. Some people thought he was just a nutty old Bronze playing with the herds. Scaring them as they ran back and forth. But there was a method to the madness, of course there was. From experience, he knew that the Queen always went for the fattest in the pens. It was natural. So he'd made sure that the absolute fattest ones of the lot were all together (if terrified) in one end of the pens. All the rest were elsewhere, he really didn't care. There were two reasons for this strange ploy, in his mind. One, the Queen would have more than enough of the very best. She deserved it after all! He also knew that the other Bronzes would not crowd her as she blooded. That meant those silly bronzes, they would be stuck with the less than ideal animals over there. Less quality, meaning they wouldn't get quite as much out of them. At least, this was his theory. Hopefully it worked!

It also helped give him something to do, keeping them sorted. A'lez had no idea why Neinoth was spending so much time fooling with the stock, but he really didn't care. It was keeping the Bronze occupied and out of his hair ... especially given that Aeriath was glowing again. Neinoth wasn't harrassing him or bugging him or anything else, small mercies. It did make him wonder if his dragon had gone completely nutzo, though. Ignoring the Queen when she was glowing? It wasn't typical Bronze behavior!

When the hour came, Neinoth vacated the pens, getting out of the way even as Aeriath made her approach. Those others, they came. But Neinoth only gave them the cursory inspection of a confident male sizing up his competition. He'd done his best to stack the deck in his favor, and his best to try and knock a few chips off of theirs. But what he could do was all he could do. Now it was time. He was canny, and knew that completely ignoring the other males was an overconfident move that could tally a high price in the air. Once he saw what he saw, and knew what he was up against, he turned more of his attention back to Aeriath as she vaulted into the air.

Fly high, my Queen! he cheered, crouching to follow her up. Only ... no. That couldn't be right. She didn't want him to follow? How could that be? That wasn't how it was supposed to be! Neinoth faltered for a moment at the command. It couldn't be wrong, she'd said it. 'Leave me be' was really hard to interpret any other way. His heart threatened to break all over again as he watched her speed away, the other Bronzes following after in a lackadasical manner. Not honoring her at all. Neinoth whimpered and writhed for a moment, wanting to chase. But she'd said not to! Mine! What do I do? Please tell me what to do. I can't let her go, but I can't follow! What do I do?? All his planning, and he had not had this worked into his plans.

Naturally... no plan ever survived contact with the real world. That didn't mean he hadn't tried. He was at a loss.

"You nut. Get your ass in the air. I am not going to put up with your bitching and moaning for the next decade. It's a flight sharditall! Of course you're supposed to chase!" A'lez answered, not even realizing he was speaking aloud to a dragon that was not in earshot. Neinoth got the message anyway, but writhed still.

She said not to. I can't deny her wishes. he protested.

"Okay, so don't chase her. But get your ass off the ground this instant! You aren't forbidden to fly, now are you?"

Well ... no ... Neinoth considered that for a moment, and a new plan hatched in his mind. Swiftly, he vaulted into the air, long wings cutting the air swiftly and propelling his long, lithe form forward. He had practiced long and hard. Before and after her last flight. Speed was the name of the game. Toning went a long way for endurance, where bulk only weighed one down. He could do this! He sped up into the sky, higher faster farther. He did not follow Aeriath, as she had bidden. But she had not said he could not fly this day. So he would fly.

His eyes still carried the violet color of lust for her, but they also still held some medium of awareness. He was thinking, not blindly following a Golden tail. Up, higher, faster, father, he sped upward against the pull of gravity with every ounce of passion his lithe body contained. He would win today, and he would win while not defying her wishes either. Soon, he surpassed the height of the flight, and still continued upward. They were getting farther away, as he had no latteral motion to his flight path yet. But it did not matter, that was part of the plan. That would be the easy part to fix.

Fly far, Daughter of the Wind![/i] He bid to her, nose still pointed straight up as his wings beat onward. Only the Rays of Rukbat will carry you onward!

"Sharding dragon." A'lez muttered, sprinting down the hallways as fast as his feet would carry him. There was one small thing he was thankful for; Neinoth was thinking. That meant that A'lez was still able to think, as well. He was not a mindless zombie to this flight ... yet. Of course, his dragon chasin Aeriath was only aggravating the deepest secret he had, making it harder to keep. But he would keep it, just as he always had before.

[firethorne]

She was aware of the males chasing her. Painfully aware. Every one of the queen’s senses were in overdrive, and in her heightened state, she was also terribly angry. At what – she didn’t know. Why – she didn’t know. All that was readily apparent to Aeriath was that she wanted the dragons chasing her gone. Vaguely, though, somewhere amidst the pure fury that roiled through her body, there was the small sense that she wanted them to Chase her, that she needed them to, and it was very important that they do so. Yet, at that moment, the gold refused to acknowledge that miniscule amount of sensibility that curled within her raging emotions, instead focusing all of her concentration upon the rage that made her blood heat and her muscles burn with the desire to just move. With a loud, savage bugle, Aeriath pressed herself harder, rocketing into the sky higher and higher until the air grew thin. Chase her, did they? Want her, did they? Then they were going to have to work for it.

Without warning, the queen hissed to herself, drawing in her wings and angling her body downward to suddenly plunge, facing herself away from those that pursued her and putting a good deal of distance between them. Right now, they were no match for her. She was fast, she was strong, and she was glorious! None of them could even hope to keep pace with her, not with all the power that coursed through her. Aeriath found herself giving a mental smirk in reply to Zorometh’s words, for he had managed to make himself heard despite the rather primal place her mind was in. His mindvoice was known to her; it was familiar and comfortable, and even in her enraged state, she heard him.

I will prove to be no easy prey. She snarled back, though her words were for all those that followed, not just Zorometh. He had been her mate, yes, and for that she heard him, but that meant nothing when it came to her Flight. Aeriath was free from him, and she would be free for a time more until she allowed herself to be captured once more. By him? By another? It was certainly too early to assume anything, for she had just begun! With a wild cry, the gold continued in her mad dive, wind whistling past her at so high a velocity that it created a high-pitched whine. Soon, the distant mountains were in view, and with a triumphant cry, the queen bugled, abruptly beating her wings and pulling out of her dive just in time, so close to the jungle that branches snapped and a whirlwind of leaves were pulled loose to dance in her wake. Leveling out her flight, Aeriath shot towards the mountains, aware that she had just flown a great distance, but she did not feel fatigued in the least.

As the mighty spirals grew closer, the gold was aware of a body growing close…far too close. Glancing back, her eyes whirling red, she caught sight of a bronze gliding above her, smaller but faster than the others. In that instant, Aeriath was furious. Screaming, the queen abruptly tilted and spun on her wingtip, the motion so perfect and precise that even a green would be jealous. You DARE encroach upon me? She spat, allowing all of her Chasers to hear her words, to know what they would warrant should they do the same. Vaguely, she realized that this was a Haven bronze, transferred to her weyr, but that did little to abate her anger. Clearly, their queens were soft, and Aeriath would teach him how a Refuge queen rules her skies! With a hiss, she snapped out her wings before him and hung suspended in midair, and the bronze screeched in surprise, alarm in his eyes. Reaching out with her back legs, she slammed her feet against his chest, forcibly pushing him back and away from her.

Satisfied that she had made her point, the queen whirled, once more darting away from her Chasers. Considering her current state, Aeriath had dealt with the bronze quite placidly, for the worst he would suffer were a perhaps a few bruises and a sore chest. Now at the base of the mountains, the gold trumpeted her challenge to all those that followed, pulling sharply up against the rock and her back feet scrabbling against it in her tight turn. Straight up she flew, parallel to the mountain itself, relishing the rush.

Then the real challenge began.

Abruptly, Aeriath turned, darting under a rocky outcrop, then twirling through the air and rocketing up to circle about another spire. So it was that she danced about the rocks and mountains, finding smaller spaces to fly through and trickier moves to pull the longer and longer she flitted about. As she did, the queen’s pure anger seemed to fade, shifting into amusement and a coy playfulness instead. The heat and anger within her cooled as she spent her body flirting with the few bronzes that were left, and now she trilled laughingly as she whirled and spun about the mountains, her eyes focusing upon two that caught her fancy the most. Trumpeting, Aeriath darted to the side, disappearing under an outcrop only to burst into the air above, whistling past Zorometh so quickly he would hardly have time to react. Yet, her tail trailed down his body as she moved past, a sultry caress that proved there would be much more should he win her. Then, she moved quickly away, an agility within her that she could only enjoy during her Flights. With a silvery trumpet, she darted towards Zeuth, trilling encouragingly at him as she arched over him and then twisted, falling beneath him but just out of his reach. For a young one, he was doing well, and she tapped her tail against his as she moved away, an encouragement to play with her more.

Just then, she glanced up, realizing that there was one that had actually followed her savage demand, had tried to abide by her wishes. She allowed a silvery laugh to curl through the bronze's mind, and Aeriath bugled at him invitingly. Neinoth, my gallant one, join the Flight. My anger is no more. She found his actions gentlemanly and sweet...but right now he needed to fly for her. She wanted her bronzes with her at this moment.

In Refuge, Raelwyn was barely aware of herself. Her gold’s anger was unlike anything she had ever experienced before, her previous Flights never bringing out this side of the dragon. The woman vaguely realized that she was in a room, and that she was surrounded by riders, but right then, she was as feral as her queen. She hissed and snarled at them all, mimicking her dragon’s every move. When the young, foolish bronze grew too near, the Weyrwoman stepped towards him just as her queen did his own, placing her hands against his chest and shoving him away from she and the others. With every move, twist, and whirl, Raelwyn moved in perfect sync with her gold, her body moving and curling in nearly impossible ways. She and Aeriath were one in that moment. Lithe form dancing in mimicry of the Flight, the blonde stepped near to D’seus as her queen did his bronze, her hand trailing over his body in place of the gold’s tail. And then she whirled, moving to trace her fingers over B’ren’s body, her eyes wild and her touch seductive. She was Aeriath, and she was a goddess.

[HG]

He used his wing to take him higher and faster as Aeriath sped even faster and even higher than any of them could. Zorometh was vaguely aware of the other Bronzes including Nienoth who chose to stay below them and away from her wrath. He could not blame the other for doing as she had requested but it was not in him to be so obligingly obedient. Even though she was angrier than he had ever witnessed her to be, he stuck with what he knew to be the right way for himself. Proving himself to her would require more than intellect this time around. He had to overcome the advantages that the others had.

Zorometh kept with the pace she set, keeping some distance between them for now. Another Bronze, recently transferred from Haven in exchange for Rhiannoth, was a little too close to their beloved Queen. Aeriath made a point then in her raging flight lust to put him in his place. The opportunity to take her seemed to have been on the Bronze's mind. Some of the younger Bronzes seemed to be more impulsive and less thoughtful of what was going on around them. Though after Aeriath's reprimand he did not give much thought to where the Bronze was.

As he glided after her with an easy grace which seemed natural to him, they grew closer and closer to the mountain. The view would be lovely if the dragon would have taken the time to notice. His attentions were focused on the Gold. Every moment was one more closer to the end of the Flight. It was now that the game was really going to begin. He felt his muscles beginning to warm and knew he was just getting started. She had calmed considerably when they were within a wingtip of the mountain. It was here she had decided to tease them. As she sped past him and her tail trailed his body, he felt invigorated even more. She belonged with him, he knew it beyond the depths of Between.

As he came speeding after her, up the side of the mountain about to pass the outcrop she had passed he felt something hit him, hard. The other dragon was flying horizontally where Zorometh had been ascending. The outcrop had hidden him from view at the crucial moment where one or both of them could have changed direction. Zorometh had met with the strong force of the flying Bronze and was crushed into the mountainside. There was only pain. The dragon's lust faded as he lay on the rocky outcrop which he had fallen onto. The smell of ichor reached his nostrils as he fought with himself to get up. He would not be able to fly after Aeriath but he could make it back to the Weyr.

The new transfer had been the one who had hit him. While he tried to figure out what exactly had happened he knew it would make no difference in the end. What he needed to do was get home as quickly as he could. He would not Between. Zorometh launched unsteadily into the air. His side burned as the air swept past it. Every wing stroke was a new agony. He would make it to the Weyr. The dragon's only goal now was to make it home where he could be healed.

On the ground D'seus gasped suddenly. Slowly backing away from the others, his lust fading as he felt his dragon's pain. “Shard it!” He said loudly and ran from the flight room. He needed to get the Dragon Healers. He needed to get them now. D'seus much like his dragon, focused on the only thing he could. Saving Zorometh's life. He would never be able to survive without his Bronze. A life without him would not be worth living.

[Ise]

Zeuth gave Aeriath her space as she started the flight. This was his first flight but he had watched some of the green flights. Much faster and shorter then this one was going to be but it gave him a better idea of what to expect. But he hadn’t expected all the rage from the gold. Her rage didn’t scare him off like it seemed to do to one of the other bronzes, the sleeker Neinoth.

The largest bronze stayed silent as the gold flew, snarling at those who followed her. She was not in the mood for sweet words. Or any words at all it seemed. She just wanted to fly and Zeuth was happy to give her chase, beating his large wings to keep up with her. He was young and a heavily muscled bronze, endurance wasn’t something he was worried about in a flight. It was the speed that he would have to watch closely. Though Aeriath was big as well, she was currently flying more like a swift and nimble green. She made daring dives that she pulled out of at the last moment. It was beautiful to watch the glittering gold body move like that.

Hearing another one of the golds screams of rage, Zeuth wondered what dragon was foolish enough to get so close to the queen so early in her flight. It took him a moment to see the bronze, one he didn’t recognize. And he almost felt pity for the dragon as Aeriath gave him a good kick to the chest. A bruised ego and a bruised chest were luck though, it could have been far worse for the unknown dragon.

Zeuth zoomed after Aeriath, being more careful and cautions as she slipped through small spaces in between rocks. He followed her as best he could but soon had to fly over the rocky outcrops. He was a bulkier dragon, the others might be able to follow Aeriath though those spots but he had to stay above them. He lost sight of her for a moment, but could hear the beating of her wings before she seemed to appear right next to him, trilling at him as her tail brushed against his. He was encouraged by her touched and renewed his efforts, pushing himself harder to try and catch the gold who was so close to him.

As the flight went on, it grew harder for B’ren to be aware of what was happening around him. He had made it to the Weyrwoman’s room, along with all the other bronze riders. At first it had been exciting to be there with them, the Weyrleader himself, the wingleaders, all the people he had recently been watching so he could see the responsibilities he hoped to take on one day. But that feeling of hero worship had died off quickly as the flight started. It was almost dizzying, the Weyrwoman and her gold were acting as one, and he could see both of them through his own eyes and through Zeuth’s mind. He almost melted as Raelwyn’s fingers traced over him and he urged his dragon on. He was able to pull himself away from the flight for a moment at D’seus’ curse. Part of him was curious to know what had happened, Zeuth had missed the collision. He watched the Weyrleader leave the room, realizing for a moment that by the end of this flight there would be a new leader, before he was pulled back into the flight by Zeuth need to win.

[Marnark]

He could see them, cavorting through the air. Up and down, faster and farther away. Crazy flying, too low to the ground. They couldn't stay there, she had to rise. Fly higher. She had to. Neinoth watched them as he continued on his way up into the sky, watching from a perspective on a flight that Bronzes did not normally get. He could see them all.

He crooned, his heart lighting up with hope, all aglow with love and desire. She had spoken to him! She had invited him to her! Neinoth wasted not a second, twisting about mid air, mid stroke, turning his lithe form back down toward the ground. Head stuck out straight, he folded his wings up but held them slightly away from his body, the chill air of the heights whipping between his sides and his folded wings. They lent him stability and control in this fashion, but also allowed him to fly faster, ever faster. Angled almost as straight down as he had flown up, Neinoth gained momentum with unprecedented speed. Only after he reached the point of diminishing returns did he start to angle off, still zooming down through the air at a dizzying rate. The rush of the plummet was a heady one, one that spilled over into A'lez.

Succumbing to the rush of his dragon's unbrindled lust, and the high of speed, A'lez found it quite difficult to figure out where he was going. Thankfully, it was not a route he had not traveled before. He knew the way. At least, his feet did. Shortly, he arrived at the door, and he grabbed the door jamb with one hand as he cut the hard corner at top speed to make it inside. There she was! Aeriath, the lovely Queen. Twirling and dancing like only a Queen could, such a lovely creature to behold.

Neinoth saw the collision coming, from his rapidly descending altitude. He saw it coming, and was horrified even in the midst of his own chase. LOOK OUT! He called to them both, before squinting his eyes shut as he could only imagine the grisly thud of meaty bodies colliding at top speed. But the rush of the air around his head prompted him to open his eyes again, and he wavered in his speedy descent. With a quick shift of his tail he regained his lost stability, and continued onward. There was nothing for it. There was nothing anyone could do for those two.

Despite the concern, some part of him did not fail to recognize that one of those two had been Zorometh. Some small, deep, dark part of him was giddy at the notion. His biggest competitor was out of the running. Now, if he played his stack right, this was going to be his. No young upstart, no imported stranger was going to win, not now!

At the last moment, plummeting into the valley between mountains and right down through the Chase following after her, Neinoth slammed his wings all the way open. The sails filled with a loud pop, and strained to slow his Bronze body down. He almost didn't even register the pain, however, still riding on a high of having been invited, and of the notion that he could win this. The trailing edges of the sails roared with the air rushing past them, making his entrance to the flight nothing less than both spectacular in the speed and strength it took to pull out of that dive, but also audibly impossible to miss.

For a last touch of theatrics, Neinoth bugled loudly. I come, Aeriath! I am here for you, as I always shall be! Beating his wings again, he rose back up in the air again, following her and jockeying for position. Snapping his wings shut again, he used some more of his gained speed to shoot under an outcropping, his long lithe form slipping through the opening like a greased watermelon. Wings snapping open again on the other side, he snapped them shut again all over again to execute a tight spin with the axis from nose to tail. Twice he rolled in the air, relying on his speed to keep him airborne through the maneuver. Coming upright again, he flared his wings and then started beating them. Almost all of his descent speed was totally gone, but he was in the flight. Despite not having started out following, he was in the flight, and following hard on Aeriath's tail. He would follow her through thick and thin, and nothing would stop him this time. He would not take her against her will, and he was pretty sure she knew that. It was part of why he dared to fly as close as he did. Just enough room for split second reaction time and that was it. He would follow his lady, and he would not fail her.

But she needed to go higher. This zooming around in the rocks was not going to be the way things were. She was no green, only greens did silly things like that. Golds flew high. Neinoth knew this, and was prepared to cut back into the sky the moment she did. He could fight gravity again, he knew it. All those endless days of flying for hours on end were going to pay off this day!

She had called to him, she had called him gallant~~! He was giddy, high on the rush of her acceptance.

[firethorne]

Twirling and darting about the rocky ledges and overhangs, the queen flirted with each of her dear bronzes, enjoying every moment. Yes, she knew that, soon, she would have to end her Flight, but not just yet! She was having too much fun. Trumpeting encouragingly at those who still followed, the gold began to gradually move higher up the mountains, yet she still played with them as she did. Abruptly, however, Aeriath paused, alarm briefly appearing in her eyes as she caught sight of the two colliding bronzes. Darting up and out of reach of the others, the queen whirled, letting out a sharp bugle of worry. Zorometh! Her Zorometh! Her panic had briefly broken her Flight lust, the need to mate, but the call was undeniable, and she turned on her wingtip, darting into the sky. She was done with her flirting, with teasing the males. The sight of Zorometh covered in ichor had taken away her amusement and her want to play.

From her peripheral vision, Aeriath could see her former mate making his way back to the weyr, agonizingly slow. The sight saddened her, but her lust was quickly overtaking her coherent thoughts, and she suddenly pushed herself higher, her wings beating furiously to gain altitude.

The Weyrleader's cry cut through the haze of lust and desire that overwhelmed Raelwyn's senses, even her dragon breaking away from the madness to cry for Zorometh. Her eyesight briefly cleared, and she could see D'seus running from the room. Pain shot through the woman, and she raised one hand slightly, as if she would reach after him. "No..." She whispered, her voice soft. Yet, Aeriath's renewed lust overtook the blonde once more, and her body twisted in time to the Flight, her former pain and anguish forgotten. For now.

With lust once more coursing through her, Aeriath left the mountains far behind, beating her great wings faster and faster as she rocketed into the sky. She needed to go higher, to take this Flight as far as she could before it was over. Zorometh was gone, but Zeuth and Neinoth remained, and they were worthy mates. The elder of the two had proved himself to her during her last Flight, and he had only reaffirmed his worthiness in this one as well. The younger, his hide glinting like blood in the lowering sun, was handsome and large, and would doubtlessly father a strong clutch. Both were impressive in their own right, but only one of them could claim her. Bugling, the queen realized that she was high...nearly as high as she could go, and her muscles burned with the strain she had put them under. The gold could now feel the effects of her dangerous, impressive moves, and soon she would need a bronze to carry her in a dance as ancient as dragons themselves.

It was nearing time. She had a make a decision. High in the sky, Aeriath abruptly turned, darting back towards the last two that followed and slipping between them smoothly. Twisting, the queen set them through one last set of maneuvers, twirling and dancing about them in a dizzying display of acrobatics. They both played with her well, but at last, the gold felt that she could go no longer, that her strength was gone. Sighing, the dragoness relished her freedom for just one moment more, then slowed, spreading her wings to glide towards the one she had chosen. Neinoth, I can fly no longer. Carry me! Aeriath cried, crooning softly as she neared him.

In the back of her mind, Raelwyn was still worried for Zorometh and D'seus, but right now, her queen ruled her thoughts, and the woman could only see as her dragon saw. Her emerald eyes, wild and bright, danced between B'ren and A'lez as her body twisted and curled before them, Aeriath's indecision felt within her as well. Yet, choose the gold finally did, and the Weyrwoman stepped towards the bronzerider, her fingers curling in the front of A'lez's shirt. She pressed close, a fire within her body that could only be satisfied by him now.

[Marnark]

Just as he had known, she turned and flew into the upper reaches of the sky. True to his intention, Neinoth followed her up, completely confident in his ability to reach Rukbat this day. No tricks now, just pure power, higher into the sky. He'd already done this once today, he would do it again. Again, for her. This was the first time to do it in the wake of another dragon. Oh how wonderful in who's wake he was! That tantalizing tail was so near, he wanted reach his nose out and touch.

But that was not allowed, and he knew it. To do so would put him so far down on the shit list he'd be too embarrassed to ever chase again. Oh for the shame! But it was so tempting, she was so tempting. So near, but so far. Resolutely, he dropped back a little distance, though still following her up into the sky. He would not be too far away, when the time came. He would be there, he would win her affections this time!

Soon, the gruelling rush upward started to slow, and he was grateful for it. He could still fly, he could still climb, but it was starting to reach that point where he wasn't sure how far he could carry her if she was going to keep going before letting him catch her. His wings were starting to feel the ache of all the vertical flight he'd done today, and that hare-brained stunt of trying to pull up out of an all out dive.

But no! She was calling to him again! Neinoth crooned to her as she moved through the air, reaching out for her and changing the rhythm of his wings to gently ease her through the transition from powered flight to being carried. Uttering low croons to her, Neinoth twined with her in a loving embrace, spreading his wings wide to carry her safely and surely. She had made the right choice this day, and he wasn't going to let her down. He no longer felt any of the strain that had been threatening to plague him just moments before, now it was all Aeriath.

Have no fear, I've got you.

A'lez barely registered what was happening as D'seus fled the room. He did think it was odd, but Neinoth was on such a high right then that it was very hard for him to comprehend what was happening around him. It was very hard to think when a rutting, strutting dragon had a hold of his mind after all. He was all too aware of Raelwyn however, as she moved and danced so very near to him. His hands lifted, but he dared not touch her. Only when she actually made contact with him and a whole other rush came from Neinoth did he dare move toward her. He scooped her up off her feet with a tight embrace, giving her the first of many fiery kisses to come as he lifted her to the nearest place to lay her down safely. Anyone else in the room didn't even begin to cross his mind, for in that moment there was only Raelwyn and nothing else.

[Ise]

So close, he was so close to the gold. He was slowly slowing down though as they went higher and higher, losing a little bit of distance with each wing beat. Then she finally turned and started the dive back down, not nearly so fast and reckless as her dive before had been. Aeriath made her choice then as well, and while Zeuth was disappointed, he was not surprised. Neither him nor B’ren had gone into this flight actually thinking they could win. No, while B’ren had been willing to talk himself up and lose his money the ultimate goal had been to get attention, to get people to notice them. The Upstarts had almost won, and Aeriath had taken them seriously. Now they would just have to continue with their plan.

B’ren found it much harder to shrug off the loss. Zeuth was disappointed but he was already busy plotting and planning. The most B’ren had to look forward to now was a trip to the Lower Caverns to see if he couldn’t find a nice kitchen girl to spend the night with. And of course watching the other bronze rider and the Weyrwoman was not helping him any. He left the room quietly, stopping outside of it to take a few deep breaths and try to focus on what was around him.
Zeuth, fly back to the Weyr, see if you can’t spot Zorometh and help him out. Or at least stick close to him and the other bronze to make sure they get back here. I will hopefully be busy by the time you make it back here…