A Quickie (or flighty Kalpeth's flight)

[Invisible]

The winter sun was providing little warmth by the time it reached mid-afternoon. A clear day with no clouds in sight promised a cold night and already there was grumbling about the winter even though it was barely started. Winter or summer there was always the weather to complain about. G’tet could think of plenty to complain about as he left the living cavern following a late lunch. Jostled by a few of his wingmates he ignored them in favor of quickening his steps. He hadn’t been hungry and hadn’t wanted to eat, but had been given little choice from his friends. All he wanted to do was curl up by himself somewhere alone until the world stopped bugging him.

He knew what was going on and as usual wished it would just get on with it. That she would just remember what she was supposed to do and go already. The sooner she rose the faster it’d be over. Perhaps it was his desire for Kalpeth to rise already that stirred the green from where she reclined on her ledge. All day she’d watched the others in the sky without saying anything. Any that tried to greet her got nothing in return but a sharp retort. But now she rose up and stretched her wings out as her tail swished back and forth like a cat getting ready to pounce.

In the bowl G’tet stumbled as he felt Kalpeth launch herself into the air. When one of his wingmates tried to steady him all he got for his trouble was a snarl as the greenrider jerked his arm away. “I don’t need your help, V’rent,” he said as he looked up to see Kalpeth in the air. G’tet ignored the riders near him as he took in a deep breath and let it out. There was no way he was getting to his weyr. They’d have to use one of the ground ones which was fine as there was no convalescing dragons residing in them right now. He stumbled again as Kalpeth beat her wings to gain altitude. She would wait there, in the center of the bowl far overhead, for her companions. They would come. There was no need to do more than wait.

[Slim]

Chadath was lazing on his ledge, very bored indeed. With the Caminar gone, and winter progressing, the Bowl was emptier than ever and not much fun to watch. His rider was greeting a new bluerider who'd transferred to the wing, but the man's blue was one of those who only knew how to talk about their riders, and Chadath had already tired of him.

Ah, but.

He recognized the green who rose past his ledge, her hide gleaming in a clear signal of intent. That was Kalpeth. She, too, was in his wing; although she had disappeared for a while, Chadath remembered her now. His rider said they had even raced once, and that he, Chadath, had been so hard pressed that he'd broken talons on the landing. That must have been fun.

S'lyn, I'm going.

I'm a little busy right now. Wait, going?

Yes, I'm going. Chadath spread his wings and launched smoothly off his ledge, impatient to begin the chase. He left it to the boring blue to shuttle his rider wherever he needed to go; that was no longer his concern.

"Ah," S'lyn said delicately, holding up his finger to forestall conversation with the blue's rider. "Excuse me. I don't suppose you could give me a ride, could you? Unless, of course, Taroth also wants to chase."


((OOC: For anybody thinking of putting an NPC in the flight, feel free to take Taroth if you like!))

[Eideen]

Early to the party, a slender brown lifted himself over the edge of the Weyr bowl and glided downward. He chose a perch far enough away from Kalpeth to give her her space while being close enough to watch her movements without having to strain. Wiry as he was, Humbrodeth puffed himself and fanned wings briefly in a slightly 'look at me' fashion and giving the green a croon that may have been a touch too friendly.

Down below in the bowl, a lanky young man stalked from the living cavern, soft blonde hair mussed in a crown around his head. Eyes upward, he looked at his perching bondmate and then over to the green. Understanding seemed to thunk him in the head like a brick, and he soon started looking around. Spotting the rider, he cleared his throat and began - slooooowly - walking in the general direction, hands stuffed in pockets and shoulders hunched in a slouch. N'kov gave yet another look up to Humbrodeth as the brown continued to posture for Kalpeth, and heaved a sigh.

[Xinnai]

They didn't know who the rider of the dragon was. They hardly knew anyone within the weyr but they knew the feeling, the quick flutter of the stomach and the quickening of breath. M'sella turned to send a look across to Josteth, curled up within a sitting position within his couch. The former Igenite brownrider gave a sigh, dark eyes flicking down as he saw the whirling within his mount's eyes.

"Go on then," he muttered with a wave of one hand. "Get going." The brown hauled his large, graceful bulk to his feet and was gone in the blink of an eye, his scar-riddled form going toward the one thing he could think about: Kalpeth.

The near black brown wafted idly in the air, choosing a rocky spire to perch upon, wide opalescent eyes turned to watch the green of his affections, watching the way her wings moved, the way her eyes gleamed. A fine specimen indeed was this one.

The Sixth Pass brown let out a rich, brassy bugle of challenge, his rich and sensual voice snaking out to touch those of the other contenders. He offered no words; instead, there was the sense of challenge, of desire, of self-assurance. There would be only one winner here today and Josteth thought it would be himself. It didn't matter that he didn't know the ravishing creature he was bent to chase. It just mattered that he wanted her.

[Invisible]

In the bowl G’tet ignored the other riders who crossed his path. He paid no mind to any residents who might have come close to where he walked. The only thing on the greenrider’s mind other than the feel of his heart pounding in time with Kalpeth’s in the air was getting to the guest weyr. As he stumbled inside he caught his breath when overhead his green got tired of waiting and spread her wings to shoot up farther into the air. In the guest weyr G’tet leaned against the wall near the entrance so he might see the riders who follow in after him.

Outside, overhead, in the cold winter afternoon Kalpeth’s now bright green hide was a blur on that first rise. Like a green comet she strove for speed in the air to let those who dared to come after her work for the privilege of flying in the same air space as her. Who followed she couldn’t say. Who would win at the end she didn’t care. Right now there was only the feel of the cold wind hitting her as she strove for more altitude. In the distance she could see the sun starting to head down and she aimed for it with a twist of direction to head west.

[Alsivor]

Y'vor came trotting out of the caverns with his jacket hanging by one arm, deck of cards thrust hastily into his pocket as he squinted first upward into the dying sunset then across the Bowl as others made their way towards the guest weyr. Ah. Kalpeth. He yanked his jacket up over his shoulder for the chilly trip across snow and rock and ducked into the right cavern, casting the greenrider a loose grin on his way in. "G'tet," he said with a polite nod and moved to find a spot to lean against.

Serienth, curled up on his ledge while Y'vor played with his wingmates, caught sight of Kalpeth's launch, the cat-like grace in her flight and he pushed up off the smooth rock, snapped his wings open. His eyes shifted swiftly from drowsy blue-green to alert periwinkle as he glided off the ledge then winged upward, pulling for the heights where Kalpeth hovered. Violet seeped further into blue a sign of rapidly deepening desire as he turned to find that wind-borne green. He reached almost the same altitude just as she turned into the sun. Comin' your way, babe, he drawled out gleefully and put on the afterburners to dart after her.

[Slim]

Chadath rumbled his discontent at the green's choice of direction, which put the sun in his eyes and made her harder to see. One lid dropped over the jeweled facets of his eyes, momentarily softening the glare but making figures fuzzy. A moment was all he needed: find Kalpeth, and focus on her. The big bronze turned after her in a broad, slow sweep. Unless pressed, it did not suit a dragon as large as himself to commit his bulk to swift maneuevers when the smaller dragons - including the green he sought - might well whip through two turns and press on to the next movement before he could finish his first one. No, no. For Chadath, it was best to hang back and keep an eye on the larger picture, saving his speed until he had a good fix on the prize.

The sun made watching difficult, though, and he would have to deal with that. That would be the challenge. That would be the game.

[Xinnai]

Josteth was in the air, following Kalpeth's vertical acceleration, in a quick billowing of wings and a bunching of muscles. He didn't notice who was there, whether they be bronze, brown or blue. He didn't care.

What he cared about was up ahead, heading for the sun, blinding Josteth with its brilliancy. Head twisted down and to the side, trying to keep the wily green in sight while keeping his sight intact. He was loathe to hinder his vision with inner lids but he had to follow, had to watch her. He slid higher up, until that brilliant orb was beneath his field of vision. It was better, but he wasn't as close as he would like. Clever, sneaky, beautiful creature was Kalpeth indeed.

On the ground, within the weyr, M'sella caught site of two men prowling, headed quickly toward what must have been the guest weyr. His destination as well then. The brownrider quickened his stride, slipping inside and eying G'tet with speculation. There was the brief bob of his head, a halfhearted salute with two fingers pressed to his temple. "M'sella. And you're G'tet, right...?" He knew him now and felt a sinking in his gut. The rider of the green back in his own Sixth Pass, the one who had sunk the ship and apparently...saved Pern. The green that was out there right now. Oh great.

[Eideen]

Humbrodeth's wings scooped greedily at the air when the green rocketed skyward. Sails like light through dark ale caught the morning breeze and bullied it into usefulness. Climb she did, and so did he, great swoops thrusting him higher on the air and bringing him into a decent range to make the chase well worth it.

N'kov shuffled in past the greenrider without giving him a look, sheepish or otherwise. It's clear, at least, that the brownrider has the good sense to at least be gracefully embarrassed and apologetic. His slender frame doesn't take up much space, and he parked himself in a chair, making as little noise as possible.

[Invisible]

“Y’vor,” G’tet greeted back in a tone that was somewhere between growl and purr. His eyes lingered on the man before he looked away suddenly like there was nothing else of interest to look at there. Arms folded across his chest as he closed his eyes to better follow what Kalpeth did. They opened again when he was greeted by someone else. M’sella got a smile as the greenrider gave him the same once over given to Y’vor. “Ahh, our new rider,” he said with a wink. “Such a pleasure to see you again.” The words were warm, inviting, teasing, but they were gone as soon as they came because that was the nature of the flight.

He’s distracted enough by Kalpeth he almost doesn’t notice N’kov enter. The motion draws him back down to the ground and the latest brownrider gets a leer, distracted, but there to welcome him. He’s got more important things to care about like the feel of the dying sun hitting Kalpeth’s face as she continues to head west. The heat of the late afternoon sun on the green’s hide matches the heat inside of her as she beats her wings to gain more altitude. The other are behind her, but she ignores them now to focus on the need to reach the heat of the sun. She veers left suddenly as she catches sight of a ray of light there. The light is there and she must reach it before the others.

[Alsivor]

That greeting earned a grin and a brief ogle from Y'vor for the greenrider in return, but he'd been in these for too long to really let it faze him much. Not now, so soon in the game. His eyes closed and he took a deep breath, let himself sink into the feeling of wind on his/Serienth's wings, the sun on hide.

Aloft, Serienth swept after Kalpeth, dancing from sunbeam to sunbeam, using them almost as a path to guide him to her. She sought the light of the sun, he seeks the light that is her. Damn baby, ain't you glowin' fine today, he told her with his typically drawling aplomb. Threading through his thoughts, more heat, sun's heat, her heat, his. It could all come together and blow away winter's chill.

[Slim]

Despite his best efforts to keep an eye on her, Kalpeth's twist towards a new ray of sun left Chadath behind for several wingbeats beat before he figured it out. That would not do, the bronze decided even as he belatedly corrected course. Slowing the beat of his wings, he allowed himself to drop below and behind the other males, his jeweled eyes skimming over the competition. Two browns and - no, three browns, the last one was just larger than the rest.

That gave him an idea. Singling out the largest of the browns, Chadath slipped into his wake, correcting his flight path minutely until he'd found the perfect little patch of shadow under the other dragon's wings. It wasn't much, but it would do to keep the sun out of his eyes. Let the others blindly chase Kalpeth: he was stalking Josteth's shadow.

[Xinnai]

M'sella felt the quick punch in his belly, a flaring of heat that made dark eyes gleam with that inner light. Those eyes swept slowly down the greenrider's form and back up, a quick smile flickering across his lips. He nodded once before standing against a wall, hands pushed deep into his pockets. Eyes closed and he was with Josteth in a moment, their minds melding until they were one soul in two bodies.

Within the air, Josteth-M'sella kept pace with this fast and forious flight. The sinking sun made his near black hide gleam with rich brown as wings beat, propelling him after the green beauty he was set upon.

When Chadath slipped in behind him, Josteth gave a disgruntled little snort. Why must the bronze contender steal his slipstream? The great brown muttered discontentedly, but let it be, winging toward Kalpeth, following her beautiful form. That was what he was worried about, not Chadath.

[Eideen]

A part of the wall, N'kov maintained a steady and unrelenting eye-lock with.. the weyr floor. For all that Humbrodeth's mustles and wings were working to their limits above, N'kov was like a shrub. Steady, part of his surroundings, but almost invisible and still, as if he simply belonged in the background. Hands clasped in front of him and his feet hooked behind the chair's legs. Eyes closed, and he simply followed his brown's motions.

Humbrodeth was swift, no doubt, but Kalpeth's little pirouette left him trailing - a fact that called a disquieted bellow from his maw. Long and lean, he squirreld upon the air in attempt to gain the air he had lost, but the little green was simply too agile. Not quite in the back of the pack, Humbrodeth continued his chase for a few moments longer before fatigue finally began to claim him, and he started to drop further back in the pack.

[Invisible]

She wouldn’t be able to keep it up much longer and Kalpeth knew this. If the sun were closer she would make it to where the last of the day’s warmth could be found. Green wings filter rays of light through them to those following her as she strains to reach her goal. With the sun going lower it should make it easier as she doesn’t have so far to fly now. Gaining altitude for one last push she caught a patch of sunlight in her gaze and that’s where she headed all thoughts of those behind her set aside. It’s not like they would bring her the sun. No, Kalpeth would have to catch it herself.

In the guest weyr G’tet grinned as Kalpeth fought to reach the light. It was always something with her. A cloud, a patch of rock, a hint of snow, and now the sun. He was with her in her single-minded determination to reach her goal. No more time and attention was wasted on the other riders present. Let them do what they would while waiting as he had more important things to focus on. It was almost over now and if they could just reach the sunlight before it ended that would be enough.