Padma's Flight

[Shikai]

Pan flew on with the rest of the firelizards, near the back of the pack, but with them nonetheless. What a fun race this was! He chirped in appreciation of her perfect barrel roll. He could do that too, he thought, and giving a strong flap of his wings to boost his momentum for the maneuver. He spun vigorously to the left, but unlike Padma, he did not remain perfectly horizontal, nor did he stop at one roll. Clumsy Pan spun around and around, the world spinning before his eyes. He squawked, alarmed, and flung out his wings to steady himself. After swaying precariously for a moment, he stopped, although Pan was left very dizzy by the failed maneuver. A thermal carried him back up to the altitude the other fire lizards occupied, but he very nearly hit Griz in his dizziness.

Shaking it off himself, he resumed chasing in his own awkward way. While his flying was completely devoid of grace or orthodoxy, this did not necessarily make him a bad flyer. His endurance and speed, erratic and jerky though it was, nearly made up for his clumsiness, allowing him to keep pace with the rest.

Yet as they dropped again, heading for the trees, an insect, full and lethargic after gorging on a tasty fruit, buzzed right by Pan’s nose. The brown looked up, away from the queen and her suitors, and snapped at the creature, annoyed and distracted. He missed, and dipped down, growling, for another attempt, and this time his mouth closed on the creature that dared to interrupt his pursuit of the golden queen. Revenge was sweet! And it really was, he thought, as he munched on his snack. But oh no! Pan looked around, creeling in dismay. The queen had vanished, as had all the other bronzes and browns! Where had they gone? Pan scanned the trees desperately, but there was no sign of them. Sighing dejectedly, he flew on, turning slightly to go back toward the lake. At least he could console himself by taking a dip in the nice water!

But then, a flash of gold! The queen burst back out of the trees, and Pan bugled in triumph. What luck! He still had a chance! A good chance too, as he hadn’t lost speed by trying to maneuver his way through the trees. Now right with the group, he alternated beating his wings furiously and soaring on the thermals.

Pan wasn’t about to let himself be distracted again, and he watched Padma intently. He was aware of her sliding away from him, then realized it was himself who was drifting sideways, due to his slightly uneven wing lengths. Angrily, he righted himself by swerving back to the right, vastly overcompensating for the drift, although he failed to ensure that a fire lizard was not in his way before doing so. Unfortunately, one was.

His eyes widened and his mouth opened in a startled chirp as Reryu came much too close, and just barely managed to move over the other fire lizard and avoid collision. That was close! Certainly this was the most difficult flying he had ever done, as he had never had to fly in such crowded skies.

Fixing his position in the air again, he crooned happily as Padma came closer, closer to him! She was so close now, would she choose him? He cocked his head to the side, admiring her. But then she drifted back away, and his cheerful croons turned to soft, sad creels of dismay. Yet he would not give up so easily! He had a chance yet, and Pan stayed in the chase!

-------

Myra locked her eyes upon her empty mug, staring at it with an expression of such furious intensity that the thing would surely explode if she had the mental powers to do it. She willed her blue eyes to stay upon it, and not slip away to take in the woman sitting beside her. But they defied her, darting away when she relaxed her control even slightly, and each glance at Robika filled Myra with a strange feeling, and even the most emphatic shakes of her head couldn’t clear her mind of the unwelcome thoughts and images that were pouring in. No no no! She told herself. Weyrlings weren’t allowed! What about Aglovth, her dear, sleeping Aglovth? If her selfish desires harmed him in any way…Yet she listened intently as Robika babbled, nodding sympathetically.

“Pan hasn’t flown before either. This is the first time…”

She had meant to reassure Robika, but her voice trailed off as she was left blushing in embarrassment, and her eyes returned to the mug again. She wanted so badly to scoot closer to Robika, and before she knew what she was doing, Myra had moved slightly. She froze in fear and embarrassment, and tried with all her might to turn herself to stone. By Faranth, she thought, stay asleep, Aglovth!

[etoile]

Padma moved onto the next male: Reryu. Teasingly, she held back from her flying, enough to be able to slap her golden tail across his head a few times before pulling back forward. She was gaining altitude as she tormented her suitors, intending to get as high as she could before allowing these unworthy males to catch her. Turning her golden head quickly, she growled as she saw someone knew join in the chase. Who did he think he was, leaping in when she was almost done? It was as though he were trying to take advantage of her exhaustion! Like she'd let him sire her clutch! Falling back on them, she aimed at the newcomer bronze, and slashed at him. If it went well, she'd have drawn blood, but she didn't look back. Pulling herself up vertically, she bugled. She was getting so so tired... Who would have the honor of carrying her radiant queenliness back to the ground? Wavering slightly, she once again backed again, bopping Cael on the head with her tail before flicking it flirtatiously. She impressed even herself. What a wonderful queen she was, toying with these lowly beings! Stretching her wings upwards, she took a peek down. Who would she choose?

Robika's gaze flickered to the newcomer girl. Another cute one. She blinked, smiling dizzily. "Hi," she told her distantly, wrenched her eyes away from the woman's body, once again having to push the images from her mind. All she would have to do was jump up, lead the girl away, and undress her bodily rather with her eyes... OR NOT. Shard it, what was wrong with her? These were weyrlings. Young weyrlings with baby dragons... She stiffened as Myra inched closer to her. She truly was adorable when she blushed... Whatever the girl had just said was completely lost to the older woman as she was acutely aware of the heat from the other's body. Before she could stop herself, she slipped an arm around Myra's waist, loose so as not to scare her, but enough to feel the warmth that emanated from her body. It felt so good, she thought guiltily. Fortunately, she had enough self-control to keep herself from slipping her fingers under the hem of Myra's shirt, but it was such a tempting idea.

Padma bugled tiredly. Time to pick! So many options, but none were good enough... Trilling in confusion, she decided suddenly. It was perfect. Not the best choice, of course, but it would suffice... She crooned, falling backwards into the crowd of males, her claws latching out to one of the browns, clinging to him, making sure he would catch her. Pan better understand that she was giving him such an honor! Other flitters would trade anything to be in his hide! Twining her neck and tail with his, she let out a tired warble. Pan was hers!

Robika was having such trouble with control now. She pressed her lips against Myra's, her fists clenched around the hem of her shirt. It was only after a few moments that she realized what she was doing. Releasing her lips regretfully, she mumbled, "Sorry..." Shards, she was sorry for the least of her fantasies. She stiffened again, once again distracted by her eager, wild thoughts. So hard to resist now that her flitter was officially doing the business of the Flight... Oh so hard to resist.

[B'kay]

The pain in his left wing made the struggle to keep up with the flight nearly impossible for little Griz. Then suddenly, there was that brown again! Again!

As Pan came out of his roll far too close to Griz, the wounded brown had to bank to avoid a collision. The stress on the injured wing was too much ... ichor was spotting the golden-brown hide, and the ache of exhaustion spread over his body.

Still, the brown tried his best to keep track of the flight. He fought to find a thermal that would take some of the strain off his wings. His efforts to find comfort distracted him ... pain was ebbing the fire of the mating flight. A breeze buffeted him, and he nearly lost his equilibrium. Still, moving across the path of the main chase brought him closer, closer ... just in time to see Padma entwine her neck with one of the other browns.

Disappointment mingled with relief as Griz watched the brown and gold spiral together in their bliss ... and then shock, as he realized that the winner was none other than the silly thing who had fouled him twice!

He had thought the other brown lacking in smarts ... but it seemed this was part of his strategy all along.

Aching, bleeding, fighting pain, and exhausted, Griz drifted back toward the Weyr. And there, as always, was a connection he could always rely on. He felt the attachment, the love, the secret connection that only took on notes of tenderness when no other humans were watching. He could feel B'kay's great worry, and the firelizard crooned in dismay as he landed heavily on the upheld forearm.

He crooned softly, pressing his face against B'kay's stubbly cheek, and then began to whimper, as the full extent of the pain in his wing was realized.

***

"Oh, little one, you've torn the sail," B'kay whispered softly, as he took the wing in his free hand and examined it. He rested a foot on a rock outside the cavern mouth, and settled the firelizard on his knee, extending the wing for a better look. "And nicked the tendon, too, didn't you?"

Syth reached out tenderness, crooning as the little brother's quiet kreel took on a note of real discomfort.

"You flew well, little Griz, don't you worry, now," B'kay said, cradling the little brown in his arms, not caring who saw, as he cut back through the dining caverns en route to the healer's wing. "Let's find someone to put a stitch or three in that, and we'll take care of you, youngling. Don't you worry now."

[Journye]

Journye could feel Reryu disappointment as the queen made her decision. The little bronze disappeared between, reappearing in Journye's room and curled up next to Lucaith. The blue shifted and then curled up around the grumbling bronze.

Journye could only blink for a moment then dropped her cup of fruit juice as she turned to run back to the Infirmary.

She was panting hard by the time she arrived though the distance wasn't that great, she was still feeling stressed. She was thankful to see no one in the room as she closed her eyes tightly, taking deep controlling breaths to push back the emotions that were now subsiding. She shook her head and opened her eyes once more, remembering that Reryu had seen a Brown that was injured in the flight.

She smoothed her tunic and gathered up some numb weed and other supplies in case the person that owned the brown decided to come by . She wasn't as talented as C'lyn when it came to healing dragons and their little cousins, but she was learning much from the older green rider. She greatly admired him not only for his dedication to his work, but his dedication to the old blue rider that had arrived so frail.

Journye felt more relaxed now that the flight was over and was thankful that she had been able to keep herself from breaking the rules. She set the supplies out and began straightening the blankets on the cots.

[Flamewolf]

Rudd, at the back, flew along with ease. His wings tilted slightly to accommodate for air thermals. He loved flying. His muscles slowly started to relax, and he allowed himself to just drift. Suddenly, the bronze realized he hadn't been paying attention to the queen. His head lifted, and his gaze sweeped the air full of flits. No queen to be seen. Where-

Claws suddenly grazed his cheek, making him chirp sharply in surprise and flap backwards. He lost his balance and suddenly started to fall, twisting in the air. Rudd was able to catch the glimmer of gold and even as he fell, watched as she latched onto a brown he barely recognized. Finally, his body twisted so he turned away from the sight. He stared down at the fast approaching ground. He felt the ichor from the wound run down his angular face. Then, at the last second, his wings snapped open. He tilted upwards and winked between.

Keldara had just stepped into the weyr when suddenly a blast of icy cold air made her look up. There was the bronze, looking bedraggled, muscles taught. Rudd chirped in a subdued tone as he glided over to her. Mutely she allowed him to settle in her arms; that's when she noticed the ichor. "Rudd, what happened?" she asked.

Keldara-mine?[/i] The familiar voice sounded vaguely sleepy but very curious. Galahanth emerged from the shadows, eyes blinking, lightly whirling as he glanced between rider and firelizard.

The girl caught a string of images, all in the air, a few above the lake surface, of a group of flits and then a shot of a golden flit; then many one of the golden firelizard's ichor-stained claws and then gold and brown hide. "A flight," she stated. She walked over to the edge of the bed and started dabbing numbweed on the wound, from a small jar she kept on the side of her bed. Galahanth nodded in understanding, then started to stretch out his limbs.

[Shikai]

Pan flew on determinately with the rest as they climbed higher and higher, his wings desperately seeking a friendly thermal to aid them. He was tiring, and could feel his energy draining with every flap of his wings, but surely the others were tired by now as well, after all the aerial acrobatics they had been through. Pan was not going to give up the race! The winner would be chosen soon, he was sure of it.

Myra’s heart raced as the flight went on, emotions becoming more intense and unbearable with every stroke of Pan’s brown wings. Why me? She thought desperately, trying to ignore the images of the flight flashing through her mind. Myra shivered visibly as she felt Robika’s arm snake around her, touching her waist. She took a deep breath, trying to hide her wild, silent panic. She ought to push the arm away, and run far away from the lower cavers and the beautiful greenrider. Try as she might, however, Myra couldn’t bring herself to do so! She guiltily liked the contact. The flight was somehow wonderful and exciting in the emotions that came with it, but mostly it terrified Myra. And then, the best and worst possible thing happened.

Pan stifled a surprised squeak as the queen suddenly fell on him, grabbing onto his claws with hers. He first squirmed instinctively, then froze as he realized what had happened. This was more than a race after all, it was a mating flight! And he had won! Pan’s eyes whirled as he took in the radiant gold hide, the beautiful, beautiful golden queen now so close, closer than ever! And she was…dare he call her his, this beauty who was so much more powerful than he? In a sense, he thought happily to himself, she was, although he would not be able to brag about it afterward for fear of being scratched by the gold. But for now, they were one! Brown hide twisted with gold, and the two were indistinguishable, a multicolored creature with two pairs of wings. His beat as never before in the strain to keep her in the air for as long as possible. He must make no mistakes in flying now!

Myra was abruptly snapped back into her body, after loosing consciousness of it in the moment Pan caught Padma. Or when Padma caught Pan, as it were. Her eyes widened as she realized that her lips were against Robika’s, and she gasped for air when the kiss ended. Yet the instant the greenrider was away, Myra felt a wild, desperate longing for the contact to return, and she wanted so much more. But Aglovth… She thought, panicked, but despite the best attempts of what logic could still make itself heard in her mind, she knew she couldn’t deny her emotions. Shards, Pan! She cursed her brown, immediately regretting thinking of the brown as it brought images to her mind of him and Padma, which only sent a fresh wave of emotions through Myra.

Myra leaned toward Robika, wanting to be close, and whipered. “Where’s…where’s your weyr?”

Clearly, they needed to get out of the lower caverns.

[etoile]

Robika should have logic. Robika had logic. But, for some reason or another, she simply was refusing to use it. She could easily get up and leave the girl in the dining hall, but Myra's body simply magneted Robika's. Padma was attached to Pan, so why shouldn't Robika be attacked to Myra? It was only natural, right? Right? She leaned in, enveloping the girl in another kiss, this time more passionate. It was harder and harder to restrain herself. Kmarath was trying to say something in her mind, but it was fuzzy through the warm feelings that Padma was giving Robika. It was a disapproving tone, so Robika carefully blocked it out. She could deal with it later. Of course she wouldn't do much else with this weyrling, though. Of course she would have more control than this... And Padma was in the air! Padma was indulging in these feelings! Robika was aching to do it herself. Before she could stop herself, her warm brown eyes roamed appreciatively down Myra's body. She was a small thing, but Robika didn't need large curves to be pleased. It was rather cute, actually...

NO. Or, yes. Robika, as soon as Myra leaned in, wrapped her arms around the girl, her arms rubbing her back lustily. "This way," she replied back in a low murmur, standing up violently. However, it was with extreme gentleness that she tugged Myra's waist, not knowing how much experience the girl had and not wanting to scare her off. If she was in her right mind, she should probably be discouraging this behavior. But she couldn't help it! They needed to Fly! Who could resist the call of draconic nature? Who could turn down such an opportunity?

Fortunately, Robika knew how to make it nice. That, at least, she had the ability to do.

((Cue fade! : D))