A Shining Ascent

Writers: Avery, Devin, Miriah, Paula, Suzee, Yvonne
Date Posted: 13th October 2014

Characters: Kapera, R'enh, N'mor, Z'ku, J'nus, D'hol
Description: Riyanth rises for the first time at Dolphin Cove Weyr.
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 9, day 18 of Turn 7

Kapera

R'enh

Z'ku

D'hol

Riyanth lay slumbering on her ledge, soaking up the warm sunlight. It had
rained earlier, but now it was close to sunset and the sun had crept back
out. Her tail was twitching sharply, and a quick touch of her mind
indicated she'd wake any moment. The bronzes were arraying themselves in
clear interest either along the rim or watching the feeding grounds.

It was time.

Kapera broke into a run for the flight cots as soon as she was outside,
acutely conscious of the eyes of the weyrfolk on her as she went. The
bronze- and brownriders were staring at her in desire, while one male
greenrider who caught her eye winked in understanding. She had to laugh
and toss him a wave.

She was just about there when the bugle of challenge rang out, echoing
around the weyr's walls and summoning the bronzes to respond to the
demands of a queen in mating heat. Kapera staggered in mid-step, hit by a
wave of lust and rage that pounded at her like the storm had beat against
the Weyr several days ago. A shadow swooped over her as Riyanth flew from
the ledge to the pens, then dove onto a wherry. The gold fastened her
teeth around its throat, and blood welled into her mouth. She rent at the
flesh, intent on the entrails.

**No!** The goldrider shook her head to break the spell. **Blood it, drink
it, don't eat it!**

"Blood only," Kapera said aloud, holding those whirling purple eyes with
her own green ones. Her hands were shaking with the strain of imposing her
will. Shards, it had been so long since she had to do this - could she
hold her? But Kapera's determination was firm. This was their chance to
lay eggs and prove themselves worthy! Riyanth would _not_ gorge and ruin
this!

The gold broke to her rider's will, dipping her head back down and sucking
the blood. She leapt back into the sky and pounced a herdbeast, draining
this one eagerly now. A third and fourth beast fell to her claws, and then
she bugled a challenge to the surrounding bronzes and browns.

}:You will never have me,:{ she proclaimed as she leapt for the sky.

Mnoranth had been watching the gold for days. Instinct or some innate
sense had told him she was about to rise and his hunger had been waiting.
But now it was unleashed as she threw herself into the sky. He dropped the
last carcass he'd sucked dry and launched after with a roar of acceptance
and desire. She would be his. He had flown gold and sired mighty dragons.
He was in his prime and bugled a challenge to the other males.

Kopth answered with a roar of his own. Riyanth belonged to _him_, and the
audacity of the other bronzes lifting their wings was infuriating. His
dark wings drove powerfully against the evening air and sent swirling
eddies against the light breeze. The others would tire, and he'd be the
last in the sky.

Yumath nudged aside the carcass he had been draining and leapt into
the air after the glowing gold. It had been a good while since he had
captured a gold, but the memory of his last twining was still clear in
his mind. He had always given large clutches and was still strong. He
joined the pack chasing Riyanth, his gaze locked on her.

Kedvencth landed near the pens and his rider slid down to ground.
N'mor jogged to join the other men while Ked joined the other
bronzers. Ked was feeling hopeful and confident, despite his youth.

Xemroth joined the others, sunlight flashing on his hide. Z'ku's
nervous excitement shifted to eager desire as his mind merged with his
dragon.

R'enh felt the merge happening and the hunger for the mighty gold
suffused him his broad wings lifted him on thermals as they began the
long chase that would winnow out all but the very best. He intended to
be the best and stay with her til the end.

Several mature bronzes to pick from, and some ambitious younger ones. No
arrogant browns who thought they could claim her, which the haughty gold
appreciated. The sunlight dappled her hide and made it glimmer more, and
she called mockingly back to them. }:Who will prove themselves strong
enough to catch me?:{

Oh the ground, Kapera swayed towards the men who were beginning to circle
her. She knew and liked some of them, yes. She felt flushed and overheated
and her hands were at the laces of her tunic, exposing skin; her mirror of
her dragon's temptation. Let them watch her, but they could not have.

Riyanth's path went inland for a bit as she sought height. When one
smaller bronze got too close she dove sharply past him and turned him
towards the pack, laughing as some of the bronzes scattered so that
they did not foul each other. Then it was back upwards and changing
direction towards the sea. She would
make them chase her until they fell out of the flight panting with
exhaustion while she soared on above them, flying forever towards the
horizon.

Ked launched himself to the air, hot on her heels. He called out to
her, expressing his admiration.

Mnoranth positioned himself right behind and slightly above the prey,
his eyes intent and whirling with desire. A mellow croon told Riyanth
of his desire and her beauty, while his experience told him this was a
test of stamina that he'd won more than once in his life. He settled
in for a long arduous flight for this was no young inexperienced gold.
She would take nothing less than his best. She was the apex of desire
and breathtakingly lovely in the sky.

Yumath stretched his wings fully, experience and conditioning benefiting him
as he swiftly turned out from the scrambling as she dove past. He was in his
prime, and the scent of the sea only encouraged him to pursue Riyanth with
more vigor. His basso rumble carried with it a mental caress, a promise of
bliss.

D'hol's eyes never wavered from Kapera, eyes heated with desire as she
swayed in front of them. His lips parted as she revealed skin and the
sharp spike of need made his muscles tense.

She was radiant. Brilliant as the sun, faster than the wind-- Kopth told
her this, even as his anger spiked at the other bronzes in the sky.
Riyanth would be _his_, and his eyes -- J'nus' eyes -- whirled with
posessiveness and desire. J'nus took a step closer to Kapera, his eyes
fixed on the paleness of her skin, the curve of her back. Everything he
wanted. Kopth rode the sky alongside her, with the sun between him and
Riyanth, as steady as her shadow and as impossible to shake.

Ked wasn't going to be scared off chase by the older bronzes. They
could all roar and flex their muscles, but the lacked Kedvencth's
vitality and young strenght. He stubborn held on, following her as
close as he dared to go.

Riyanth led them high and far, occasionally calling out another
challenge to hear who would answer. Yumath was responding well to her
calls, while Mnoranth had his own appeal - she had a memory of being
impressed by his flying. And then there was a familiar dark bronze
complimenting her, one who had chased before. A few of the younger
ones were quiet but still with her - but for how long? She wanted to
see the weaker ones drop so that only the worthy remained.

Kapera paced within the circle of men, reaching a hand out to skim
along them. The younger men with youthful bronzes received only
cursory touches, while the riders representing the three strong and
experienced bronzes to choose from had more attention. Fingertips
brushed D'hol's shoulder, R'enh's chest, J'nus' arm as she considered
them with the gold's feral needs in mind. She had tried to be unbiased
about their riders, but a small part of her still knew who she'd
prefer to end up with.

Riyanth made one last approach close to the pack to taunt them,
watching as some got in each other's way as they jostled to get to
her, disturbing the partial order the chasing pack had developed. Not
waiting to see who got clear, she arrowed upwards in a climb for the
heights. Only the best could reach that level and she would pick from those.

R'enh swayed into the touch that brushed his chest while Mnoranth
curved his path tightly inside Riyanth's, even feeling the brush of
her tail as he gained inches. But inches were a small advantage. Every
erg he could muster went into the climb following the incandescent
gold hide up and up. Turns of flying in the highest wing had
conditioned and honed him. Now in his prime he was bronze desire that
would not fade, would not give up, would not fall away. Not while
there was a breath left in him.

Joined in their minds, Xemroth growled as his rider did the same on
the ground. They didn't like getting so little attention from the
gold. Xemroth twisted to follow her up farther and farther into the
air. He was young and strong! He was worthy!

A deep breath was given as a light hand brushed along his shoulder. D'hol's
eyes followed Kapera's every movement, instinctively wanting to draw her
closer, to take her, to twine and mate with primal intensity. While his eyes
followed the rider, Yumath echoed his motions. Purple tinged eyes followed
Riyanth as she rose and with strong beats of his wings, he rose after her.
The mature bronze's stamina was by far his asset in this chase; he may have
been older than many of his peers, but his experience was invaluable. He
would stay the course until she was caught.

None of the last few had dropped. Riyanth was surprised by the younger
dragons who had continued to stay the course - she rewarded Xemroth with
an interested look and flick of her tail towards him. Indeed this Weyr had
had a fine choice of bronzes!

The air was thinner up here, and beating her wings was hard. The beginning
of fatigue set in and she knew now was the right time to make her choice.
The gold turned to the left one last time, adjusting her path more towards
Yumath. She liked the older bronze, who had followed her tirelessly and
promised much. The one led a Wing and could provide experience to her
hatchlings.

There-- the opening his was waiting for. The twist of her body, both
subtle and familiar from the last time they'd danced in the sky. Kopth
darted in on strong, tireless wings to twine his neck with hers before
plunging earthward. Far below, J'nus grabbed Kapera and crushed her
lips against his, claiming woman as his dragon claimed the queen.

Mnoranth screeched in anger and wheeled away from the flight. Almost!
R'end did as much himself and roughly grabbed a moth to slake his
lust.

Kedvencth was almost relieved when the Chase was over. He has spent
all his strenght. On the ground, N'mor disentangled his mind from Ked's
and found himself entangling with a pretty woman.

Grumbling with disappointment, Xemroth dropped to the ocean below. The
warm water helped to soothe his loss. Z'ku felt hands grasping at him,
pulling him away. He went without objection.

Last updated on the November 16th 2014

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A Shining Ascent