Winter's Dance (Green Flight) (D12.M13)

[kendrall]

As winter progressed around the Weyr, a snowstorm had drifted in bringing with it bitter cold winds. Everyone from weyrfolk to Handler to Rider was starting to wonder if the weather would ever improve, as supplies were once again slowly dwindling. The supply boat was a welcome reprieve from the worry and doubt that Izuko would last the winter, but with a growing population even the extra supplies weren't quite enough to meet demand. But for just one day towards the end of the 50th sevenday, the weather did improve slightly. The winds weren't quite as strong as it seemed just a few degrees warmer than usual, but not by much. That wasn't going to deter a certain little Green from the future, though.

Arieth had remained snuggled against her two companions, Duhath and Tigrith, to ward off the icy chill. She was used to cold winters, having come from High Reaches herself, but never experienced bitter and extreme cold like this. Yet it seemed to her Rider that Arieth hadn't been herself lately, growing a little snappish and impatient that even Aquila and Ekaterina said something to R'en about it. The field medic wasn't sure what to make of it, but instead chose to put it down to "pregnancy hormones", briefly earning the ire of his two weyrmates...in private, however, he tried to get an explanation from Arieth but had been unsuccessful. That had been the status quo prior to today.

No sooner than the vibrant Green detect that the air was a little warmer compared to yesterday, her head snapped up. Orange-red irises whirled with excitement, and Arieth was immediately on her feet, sending her two companions off their stone couch and causing them to complain loudly. Catch me if you dare, Duhath![/b] the Green teased her shared Blue consort before darting outside. She gained as much speed as possible before launching herself into the air, then dove towards the pens where the herdbeasts were kept.

R'en was working in the Infirmary when he staggered for no apparent reason, fumbling the hides in his fingers and they fell to the floor. A few of the Apprentices looked at him in surprise (one or two privately giggled) as the field medic stumbled to the floor, landing hard on his knees. "Ow..." he complained, fighting the sudden headache and the surging lust in his veins. He silently cursed himself. Now was not the time for Arieth to take to the skies. Getting back to his feet quickly, R'en dashed outside and into the Bowl, then came to a skidding halt in the snow before losing his footing a second time. "Arieth!" he shouted as he got back to his feet. "Don't you dare!" He shouted at his Green whom by now landed near the herdbeasts and was deciding which of them to select for a quick boost of energy. R'en had forgotten to grab his coat on the way out, and was trying to keep warm but the sudden increase in his body temperature was quickly counteracting the wintry air.

Orange-red irises turned to meet his gaze, followed by a loud bugle. Come on, boys! It's a lovely winter's day for a dance in the skies! Which of you will be the one I wind up dancing with in the end?[/b] Arieth quickly leapt back into the air, rose, inverted, then dove back down again at high speeds towards the pen, grabbing a hapless herdbeast in her foreclaws. She started to climb again, bringing her prey up to her muzzle. Her jaws sank into flesh and bone, and her victim roared in agony as the life bled out of it.

"Blood it, Arieth!" R'en shouted as he looked up into the skies. "Blood it!"

Warmth filled the Green's mouth as the herdbeast's blood filled it, and once finished drinking its blood Arieth let the corpse fall from her grip. Some of the blood was starting to freeze on her lower jaw, dimly sparkling like dull red rubies on emerald flesh. Again, the Green issued her clarion call for the males to come and dance with her, then took off to the skies.

R'en's head was practically swimming as he ran towards the Flightrooms, knowing full well that any moment the potential bed partners would be coming any moment. He sincerely hoped Arieth would make the right choice. Luck stayed with him as he managed to reach the flightrooms first, then darted inside. He was shivering; that was because his body was trying to warm back up from the chill and Flightlust was starting to take a hold of him.

[sorra]

Ekaterina hadn't been feeling real well lately and hadn't ventured out of her shared weyr too often. Being pregnant was certainly not sitting well with her. And she was still kicking herself for allowing herself to get pregnant. They hadn't been here that long and now she was bringing a little one into the world? the green rider wasn't sure if she was ready for that yet. Although she didn't have a choice now. Because she absolutely refused to abort the baby. Although it hadn't helped that Arieth had seemed to be a bit snappy lately which wasn't like the green at all. Thankfully Tigrith had just gone to ignoring her, but still.

Tigrith grumbled as Arieth moved away from her and soon Duhath did as well. The green curled up tighter and buried her nose under her wing. It was too cold to think about moving. Arieth has decided to rise on such a cold day, the green grumbled to her rider.

Ekaterina looked up in shock. What? Well, that would explain a lot. She watched as Duhath followed one of his two mates. The green rider glanced toward the door, not sure if she should try to get down to the flight room or just let Aquila have some fun with R'en. It wasn't like the three of them always had to be together after all.

Apalath looked up from his ledge when he heard Arieth's challenge. The blue was instantly on his feet. He hadn't participated in a flight in a long time and this would be fun. I chase now, Mine, he told R'vis before spreading his wings in anticipation of Arieth taking to the air.

R'vis groaned softly as he was forced to leave his half eaten meal on the table. He wasn't a bit fan of flights, but he also didn't want to deny Apalath the option of chasing. So, that didn't leave him much choice but to head for the flight room. He wasn't even totally sure who was rising at the moment.

[Mik]

Macira has been in the Infirmary when R’en had had his little stumble, smiling to herself at his actions when he was normally quite the smooth man. Nevertheless, she moved to help pick up the hides that he had dropped, giving him an amused smile before he dashed off. A Rider never could deny their dragon’s lust, she had learned from countless turns among them.
~~~

Rislockith raised his head at the green’s bugle, but after a few moments’ conversation with his Rider settled back down as the green’s Rider was male and his Rider did not swing that way.
~~~

Haydeth watched the green’s antics and moved to Chase her but quick thinking and a lot of persuasion kept him from taking wing as his wing had not fully healed enough for a mating flight and K’mik had been keeping a tight reign on his brown. So it was that the brown heaved a sigh and put his head back down, wistfully thinking that he should be Chasing, his long whip-like tail twitching to and fro in agitation.
~~~

Squalith bugled an answer to Arieth’s calls, taking wing before his Rider could say no and following her skyward. {{I shall dance with you, lovely one!}} he called to her, crooning excitedly as his brother Nadoth, too, took wing, quickly catching up to him.

K’lar grinned at his brothers before jogging off toward the flightrooms. He sure did enjoy mating flights with the weather as cold as it had been lately. Arriving at the flightrooms to find a male Rider waiting, K’lar was somewhat put out, but he still wouldn’t deny his dragon this Chase. Maybe he would get lucky?
~~~

Nadoth rose mere moments behind his larger brother, Squalith, quickly catching up to the other brown with ease. {{No, no, beautiful gem! Let me take you for a wonderful spin this wonderous day!}} he crooned at her.

While K’lar had jogged off, Tia’ar took his time, not nearly as excited about Flights as his brother usually was. Finally getting to the designated flightroom, Tia’ar took up a quiet place along the wall, hoping that his brown would not win this Flight as he really did not desire spending a roll in the furs with another male.
~~~

In the midst of the pack of males rising to the skies after Arieth was a very large earthy brown that looked rather dusty, almost as if he really was not there. He said nothing as he joined the pack, squeezing his way between a few males in a gap that was far too small for his size, but he fit without bumping a single wingtip, a feat that left some confusion for any sane mind that was watching this particular Chase. He was far from a strong shade of brown and if a dragon of another color was behind him, he took on a slight hue of their hide color as if he were quartz-like, though no dragon could ever be that color…

((ooc: This particular brown CANNOT catch the lovely Arieth. Tis impossible!))
~~~

[kendrall]

((OOC: Posting to keep this Flight going! And that shadow dragon won't be the winner, trust me *wink* ))

R'en reached the Flightroom just in time as he caught sight of Aquila, R'vis, K'lar Tia'ar, and a few others making their way towards him. Shard it, Arieth, you'd better not screw this up! he mentally warned his Green, but she was having far too much fun teasing the male suitors whom were now coming in her wake. That would soon prove to be the last of his ability to maintain any sort of control, as Flightlust crept into his veins and soon overcame his rational thinking. Just as he stepped into the room and headed towards the middle, he and Arieth were soon one, and it was only a matter of time before R'en would begin to flirt with both men and women whom strode into that room. The only question was, just whom would prove themselves to be a worthy consort this night under the furs?

~~~~

Shibora's Tamoith took off after Arieth, bugling his own challenge as he climbed in the Green's wake. The journeywoman baker really didn't care much for males in particular, but R'en was proving to be an interesting conundrum. She had never spent any time around the flirtatious Healer, and idly wondered if he was secretly suppressing any desires to be with Riders of both genders. So far, it was told, R'en had never spent any time under the furs with another member of his own gender. It had always been a woman with whom he wound up with. That was an interesting question. Was it possible that these Riders from the future were able to exert a little more control over their dragon's preferences when it came to a Flight? It was a bit far-fetched in her opinion, but still Shibora wasn't about to keep her Blue from giving Chase.

Then there was another rumor that Ekaterina and Aquila - two women whom Shibora was wanting to know more about (and secretly fantasized over) - somehow managed to involve R'en in Tigrith's Flight, and the end result were both women wound up conceiving. The Blue Rider never thought about having any children of her own, but then again she wasn't quite sure she wanted to go through a pregnancy, either. Children, in her opinion, were all fine and dandy...just as long as they went back to the creche at the end of the day.

As she stepped into the room, she watched and waited as R'en became hot and sweaty, no doubt Flightlust taking a hold of him. A wicked smile came to Shibora's lips. Well, perhaps he just might be an interesting companion under the furs.

~~~~

M'riel ducked his head outside as he heard Arieth bugle, followed by the familiar sounds of several Blues and at least one or two Browns giving Chase. Oreath snapped his head up as if pondering if he should participate, but the usual mental rebuke from the Weyrleader prompted the Bronze to put his head back down. M'riel shook his head as he retreated into the warmth of the weyr he shared with Shayna. "Arieth's Rising," he announced to his mate, statedly. "Remind me to check on R'en in the morning, Shay."

[sorra]

Ekaterina stayed in bed a bit longer. Maybe as the flight progressed she would sneak down there when no one was really paying attention. For now though she was going to stay warm like her green was trying to do.

Apalath gladly followed Arieth. The blue hadn't been in many flights and he was looking forward to this one. Of course he didn't know anything about Arieth or what to expect, but he didn't care. This would be fun. R'vis on the other hand was not enjoying it. He had realized the green's rider was male and that wasn't at all something he was looking forward to. He couldn't deny his dragon though.

Shayna looked up as M'riel walked in. She gave him a smile, knowing from Josiath who had risen. The gold rider nodded. "Alright. I'll remind you," she promised. She hoped the green rider would be alright.

[Mik]

Mik:

Soon consumed by flightlust and any rational thinking out the window, K’lar returned R’en’s flirts in tune with his brown’s advances on his green. Of course, things would be much more different in tone if he wound up rolling with the Future Rider, but that was something kept for after the flightlust waned and the GlassSmith could think about what might have happened during the flight in which his brown had participated.
~~~
Tia’ar remained quiet against the wall. If R’en advanced on him, he would tense as some part of the GlassSmith still remained sanely on Pern. Perhaps it was just the young man’s character to remain as in control of his own actions as was possible. Of course, Nadoth had yet to win a flight, so Tia’ar had yet to be up against the strongest of his brown’s lusty emotions.
~~~
In the skies, the dusty brown remained solidly at the front of the pack, paying no mind to the other males that would attempt to sweep by him, some succeeding without grazing a wingtip or talon in their wake.
~~~