|
Post by **Auria (etc)** on Jul 24, 2008 20:36:46 GMT -5
The dark bronze was too close! No, not yet! The great queen drove harder, for she knew she could not outmaneuver him, and with a great thrust of her wings burst right through his attempt to entangle her. She barely noticed his fall, so exhilarated was she in her successful escape.
Plianth bugled triumphantly as yet ANOTHER bronze joined the chase! Never had so many bronze dragons taken interest in her! Ah yes, Araelen Weyr was WONDERFUL!
She swerved toward the young bronze, leaving her scent teasingly in the air before him as she again climbed for the skies. The effort to rise higher was taking its toll on her, though, and each stroke of her massive wings came with greater effort.
She must choose soon ... or be captured by whoever was nearest when she finally faltered. Soon, soon.... She glanced sideways, below, above at the handsome dragons in her wake. All were strong, all were swift, all were agile. Any of them, even the brown, would make for a finer sire than any who had caught her in the past.
Yes, she must choose soon....
But not quite yet!
She screamed her challenge and caught a tailwind as it raced above the surface of the Weyr lake. Let's see them catch her now!
|
|
|
Post by Skye on Jul 24, 2008 23:01:18 GMT -5
Gaelrith remained silent as he followed the Queen, very impressed with her choice to dive to get away from them. He wasn't surprised to see all of the senior bronzes giving chase, but he was shocked when the senior weyrling joined.
He hissed at the young dragon, foolish to thank the Queen would want one so young, so brash! He snorted and pumped his wings harder. They were over the lake now, the thermals rising off of it giving Plianth another burst of speed it seemed.
Gaelrith rumbled his appreciation now, crooning to the shining gold.
Back in Penna's weyr A'idin was just barely aware of H'run entering and was just as shocked as his brown at the appearance of a weyrling. He shook his head, but was quickly swept back up in Gaelrith's lustful mind.
|
|
|
Post by B'kay on Jul 25, 2008 10:22:13 GMT -5
From his prone position on the floor, B'kay would not even have recognized his student had Syth not recognized the senior weyrling's dragon!
Syth screamed at Gawyth (B'kay just moaned in a stunned, garbled voice) and swerved toward him, snapping the air fiercely -- half in challenge, half in reprimand! And yet, the young dragon would not have chased if he had not been ready....
Plianth's act of moving toward the youngster, however enraged him! Red-eyed, he pumped his wings harder, speeding toward the glowing orange-gold queen just ahead! This one was faster than he had thought she'd be, and his near accident had tired him. But he was determined to fly his best!
|
|
|
Post by M'kel on Jul 25, 2008 13:44:14 GMT -5
Tirenth watched in horror as Syth swept in closer to the queen, attempting to force an end to the Flight by entwining his neck with hers. The bronze dragon's outrage erupted in a screeching bugle, his whirling eyes aflame as he pounded the air in order to catch the pair. He knew that if the Flight was over, there was nothing he could do, but he also wanted to be close, in case she somehow slipped his grasp. What an arrogant dragon, Syth was! Stealing the queen from under his nose, just as he had stolen the green, yet this time not even allowing the female choice.
Much to Tirenth's delight, Syth was indeed tossed free of great Plianth, and the bronze eagerly followed her upward climb, ignoring the dangerous tumble of his fellow from the sky. If he was lucky, Tirenth thought, Syth would be out of the race altogether. It was then that the dragon noticed the newest addition to the Flight, and he hissed in surprise and anger at the sight of a Weyrling bronze. How dare he compete with his superiors for the grace of a golden queen! She would never choose a child out of all of these fine mates, and Tirenth trumpeted this derision to Gawyth.
His attention quickly returned to Plianth, though, for her upward climb was beginning to slow. It was then that the bronze began to notice the fiery ache in his own wings, but he strove to pump them faster anyways. If she was near the end of the Flight, he must be close enough to catch her before the others could. He even began to reach for her, daring to be presumptuous. After all, he had sired the last Clutch for the Weyr, and the dragonets had been numerous and healthy! Why would Plianth not want the obviously most virile bronze in the Weyr?
|
|
|
Post by Shikai on Jul 25, 2008 17:43:44 GMT -5
Gawyth ignored the angry cries of the other dragons as he joined the chase, snorting in defiance. So what if he was young? He had just as much right to chase Plianth as the rest of them! The winner would be the queen’s choice anyway; it was up to her to decide who was right for her.
And clearly the great Plianth valued him as much as the other competitors, for she swerved close to him, filling his nostrils with her tantalizing scent. This caused the young bronze to increase his efforts, pumping his wings to gain altitude as she climbed. Sure, Gawyth was less experienced in chasing than the older dragons he was competing with, but he was young and strong! He knew he could catch Plianth!
The young bronze soared upward, fighting to ensure that he stayed close enough to Plianth that he would be ready if he was chosen. Having caught up with Tirenth, he glanced slyly at the bronze, and suddenly swerved sideways, careening toward the other dragon and pulling away only just in time before colliding. There! Hopefully that would at least unsettle the larger bronze, and show him for mocking Gawyth!
|
|
|
Post by **Auria (etc)** on Jul 25, 2008 19:14:14 GMT -5
Plianth's wings burned with the effort to keep ahead of these fine males, her chest heaved with the deep breaths she needed to take to maintain her flight, and her tummy was starting to ache, as well!
The bronzes and brown seemed to be closing on her ... the were younger, and, though she would never admit it, much more fit, after all!
The great golden queen knew that she soon would be giving out. She must choose soon, but who? The Weyrleader's own Tirenth, a dragon of power and influence? Aggressive Syth, who so apparently was entirely smitten with her loveliness? The swift and handsome Seath? Brown Gaelrith, who stalked her like a shadow .... ooooh, she liked that strong, silent type! Or the gutsy youngster, Gawyth -- what promise that one had!
Even with the lake-created tailwind, the males were gaining on her now. Every thrust of her great wings was a struggle. So, once again, she chose to climb ... higher and higher she went, till the herdbeasts in the pens below were just dots on the ground. Who could follow her to these lofty heights? Who would cling to her as she spiraled down, embraced by the sire of her next clutch?
Penna, too, far below in the weyr, was feeling the strain. Her knees were growing weak, and she began to sway, her breath coming in ragged gasps, as if it were her own wings propelling the gold through the air. The men around her were a haze, each of them strong, willing, desirable. Soon one of them would be hers!
|
|
|
Post by C'lyn on Jul 26, 2008 17:19:06 GMT -5
Seath rumbled in shock at the sight of one of the weyrlings. He hissed at the toung bronze, but that was the only reprimand he gave the young one, turning his full attention back to Plianth.
He admired her maneuverability despite her size. He pumped his wings quickly to follow her high into the sky, feeling the tendrils of the clouds brushing their cool mist against his burning hide. He could feel the strain in his muscles and the chaffing from where his riding harness was rubbing harshly against him with each beat of his great wings, they were not as snug as they would be if his rider was in place to keep an eye on their tightness.
Seath rumbled his appreciation of Plianth's glowing beauty in the sun shine. She was a Queen worthy of worship!
L'kas didn't so much as glance at H'run. He wasn't as shocked at the others seemed to be, some young dragons matured quicker then others. The young man wouldn't be there if his bronze didn't feel he was ready to give chase to the queen. L'kas was panting slightly, his mind tied with Seath's he could feel the burn in his muscles.
|
|
|
Post by **Auria (etc)** on Jul 26, 2008 17:39:02 GMT -5
The males were all around her now, and her breath was coming hard. Plianth's wings burned and pained her, and she began to feel heavy in the thin air high above the Weyr.
As Tirenth reached for her, the great queen shifted to the side, with the intent to teasingly avoid him. But there was an obstacle on the other side! She felt hot dragon flesh against her wing, and tried to swerve to keep from becoming entangled.
Her shift, however, brought her even closer to the other dragon, and bronze brushed against gold. She reached out a foreclaw, intending to push away from this suitor, but found herself lightly tangled ... in riding harness straps!
As flesh touched flesh, confusion turned to fire, for yes! This was the one! The magnificent Plianth stretched out her neck and bugled triumphantly as she willed herself closer, tighter, one with ....
SEATH!
The skies above Araelen Weyr were filled with the fire of dragonflight, and far below, in Penna's weyr, the Queen Rider turned and reached for L'kas, as if he were the only other rider on Pern!
|
|
|
Post by C'lyn on Jul 26, 2008 17:47:50 GMT -5
Seath bugled loudly in triumph as he twined his neck and twil with the golden goddess, his wings snapping out to help slow their descent. He could feel the straing in his muscles, but he didn't care. He had caught the lovely jewel!
Back in the weyr, L'kas found himself wrapping his arms about Penna, kissing her passionately. He was swept up in the lust and passion of his bronze as he and the gold rider.....fade to black.
|
|