Catching the Ghost

Writers: Avery, Devin, Chelle, Heather, Miriah, Mirren, Paula, Suzee, Yvonne
Date Posted: 25th February 2016

Characters: Rhosyn, D'hol, N'vanik, Y'gel, U'das, F'lin, A'kades, L'airev, K'ran, K'lvin, D'ren
Description: River Bluff's senior queen rises to make her choice.
Location: River Bluff Weyr
Date: month 4, day 21 of Turn 8
Notes: Mentioned: Briata, Lenala, Lanniya, Nisheyl, K'sedel

D'hol

N'vanik

Y'gel

K'ran

It was just as hot as it always was. The dolphins had predicted rain
in the afternoon. Those showers always made everything muggy later.
Rhosyn herself was thinking about walking into the rain and just
letting it drench her. Probably not a good idea though, just in case
there was lightning. Sighing, the Weyrwoman went out to her ledge and
put her hand on Orlaith's flank. The gold dragon had been restless all
morning. She could smell the rain on the wind. There wasn't much time.
Her breathing came out in solid noises as she lowered her head and
watched as there was movement in the Bowl. Dragons flew back and
forth. People walked back and forth, hurrying to finish their tasks
before the rain came. The sense of urgency hung over River Bluff, but
there was also a sense of laziness too. Everyone knew once that rain
and humidity moved in, they would be taking naps later. Time would
slow down. It would be the perfect day to stay in.

There was only one problem with that. As senior queen, Orlaith had a
mind of her own. And on this particular day, she made it up. There
would be no waiting. The heavy air later would make it harder to fly.
And if there was lightning, that wasn't pleasant either. So she pushed
up onto her haunches and hissed. Her tail swept back and forth and she
shook her entire body, pushing the languid sleep off. The glow was
there, unmistakable. And she was hungry. Soon the lazy air around the
Weyr would be changing. Soon, so many things could change. One could
never tell.

They were still working on getting everything out in the territory back to
shape after the hurricane had devastated part of Sunstone. Some of the
other Weyrs had promised riders to assist in the relief efforts so there just
happened to be other bronzes about, reporting in to see what needed doing.

"Lanniya should know. She can Hear. Lenala!" Thank Faranth, the other
goldrider was up to full strength. Rhosyn sauntered down the stairs to
the Bowl, feeling it all building from somewhere deep inside and
merging with the feelings from Orlaith. Unlike some other goldriders,
she never dreaded the flights. They were a struggle, yes, but never
experiences she would forgo or regret. Hers had always been
pleasurable in one way or another and it was the closest she ever was
to being really with her dragon.

N'vanik froze as the lust hit him. For a moment he thought Loseth was
after some green. It had happened a few times on his visits to River
Bluff.

}:Orlaith rises. I will have her.:{

**Oh, no. No, no, no!** N'vanik handed Nisha to her foster mother with
a rushed apology. **We have to go.**

}:No!:{ Loseth roared defiance, whirling purple eyes fixed on
Orlaith's glowing hide.

He wouldn't win, would he? What if he did? N'vanik couldn't lead two
Weyrs. Leading with Rhosyn... no, he'd closed that door and he didn't
want to open it again. But Loseth kept fighting him and N'vanik might
not have put as much will behind his command as he could have.

"Shouldn't you be leaving?" L'airev sounded congenial enough, but
something in his eyes suggested that he'd cheerfully toss N'vanik out
on his behind if he had to.

}:He is not _of_ here:{ Jacdeth said of Loseth. }:She is _our_ queen
and I will catch her!:{

Zack roared his own challenge. None of the River Bluff's bronzes liked
to see a stranger chasing _their_ queen.

** Seriously, Zack? Do you have to give Orlaith a Chase too?** U'das
asked. Excusing his pupils he let off early and headed towards the
dragons. He knew that they had no chance to actually win this Flight.

A'kades visibly twitched as he felt flightlust rush over him, just
like it was likely doing to all the other bronzeriders - and some of
the brownriders - in the whole Weyr. "Class dismissed. Go back to the
barracks, and _stay_ there. If you feel any distress, call any of the
blue and greenrider staff assistants." Because shards knew none of the
ones chasing would be of any assistance.

Volaith had been paying attention to the weyrling dragons, but then
Orlaith's challenge to the males began. He lifted his head and stared
fixedly at Orlaith's glowing hide. }:She Rises. I will chase.:{ His
mindvoice was confident about this. Hadn't he been proven in his
skills of gold-catching? After all, he'd won the lovely Vilarth
recently enough to remember it. But his thoughts of his other mate
faded away in the need to catch and claim the Senior Queen. To stake
his mark not only on Orlaith, but on River Bluff.

Seneth roared his intentions over the Weyr as his rider half-ran
toward the Weyrbowl, dignity warring with his-- and Seneth's-- burning
desire to catch the queen. The young bronze's hide flashed in the
sunlight as he spread his wings and headed toward the feeding pens in
anticipation.

Loseth was not the only dragon foreign to River Bluff that cried out
his intent to chase. Joining the pack surrounding the senior queen,
Yumath bellowed and flared his wings, preparing and stretching them
for the long flight.

D'hol stepped into the semi-circle of riders, one brow arched. He'd
been waiting for this gold to rise. Perhaps here he could make his
mark, even if it was with Rhosyn.

Y'gel arrived at the circle as his bronze trumpeted his desire from
the heights. This circle though was missing someone important. He knew
probably better than any standing there why and who and how it was
going to change the Weyr.

It was not lost on K'lvin that K'sedel was missing from the flight,
and it made him feel more anxious than he ever had about one of
Orlaith's flights. He was an experienced Wingleader, and he enjoyed
his job, but he had no ambitions of trying to reign in Rhosyn by
working as her Weyrleader.

Launching herself off of the ledge, the large queen made quite a thump
when she hit the ground. Her eyes moved, seeing the males and she
roared, meaning to push them back. The sound tapered before Orlaith,
with a single minded intent, went for the herdbeast pen. The animals
smelled the dragon coming and began to make noise and mill around.
There was no escape though. With a swipe of one claw, she felled one
and went for it.

Knowing it would be one more moment and then she would be able to tear
the meat and break the bones, Rhosyn found herself running. **Don't
you dare! Drink the blood!**

}:But I am hungry! I need my strength! I need to fly far!:{ Moving her head, she
opened her maw and looked as if she was going to bite off the head and swallow it.

**No! You won't fly far with all that heavy meat in your belly. The
blood, Orlaith. Drink it.** Even though Orlaith had the mental force
to subdue any dragon in the Weyr, Rhosyn had enough to make sure her
dragon understood. **Blood now!**

Even though the queen balked at the control, she also felt the love
her rider meant for her. Through their bond, she realized Rhosyn was
right and so their usual flash of will didn't go on for very long before she
got down to the business of pulling the warm liquid until the very
marrow was dry. And then for the next one.

**I told you, no meat!** her rider reminded her as she stood in the Bowl,
watching. She wasn't fully Orlaith yet. She could feel the eyes on her. And
she knew there were a lot more dragons here than normal. She couldn't stop
to think about it.

Growling, the big queen brought her claw down on the herdbeast,
severing an artery and showering blood into her mouth and then she
leaned down to suck on it, her tongue slithering over the dying
animal's flesh.

Jacdeth crouched, watching. He hissed in the general direction of the
dragons from other Weyrs, then his local rivals for good measure. He
was strong and fit, he could catch Orlaith. In the meantime, he
enjoyed watching her stunning savagery.

Zackariath wondered if he should take down a herdbeast too and drink
it's blood for extra energy. On other hand he had eaten yesterday and
felt fine and strong.

The bronzes who chose to blood made sure to prudently stay out of the
way of the queen. Volaith caught one from as far away from the queen
as possible, keeping his eyes on Orlaith's glowing form. He was aware
of the other bronzes, both foreign and local, who would be his
competitors, but he ignored them. They were beneath him. All that
mattered was Orlaith. Another foreign competitor, Rogueth, went out
for a wherry instead of a herdbeast, hoping to not earn the
displeasure of the other males, or more importantly, of the queen who
would be choosing her mate from among the pack.

Xmrenth flared his wings as he sat waiting for the Queen to finish her
killing spree. He'd just eaten that morning, encouraged by how
brightly the Senior Queen had been glowing at the time.

It was easy to snatch up a panicked herdbeast from the edge of the
pens. Loseth looked up at Orlaith, his muzzle dripping with blood. His
rider was still uncertain, but no longer fighting the bronze. }:I will
make her mine.:{ Loseth was aware of the hostility of other males but
his focus was on the queen.

N'vanik was surprised to see D'hol joining them. "Well, this should be
interesting," he muttered to himself.

D'ren hung back from the others. The dragons wouldn't let someone so
young and inexperienced win, would they?

}:I can fly Orlaith well,:{ Menanth huffed.

Finally she looked up after making a mess out of her corner of the pen.
The pale gold's hide was streaked with the red, a gruesome sight as it glowed.
Surveying her Weyr, she rested her eyes on each and every one of them. Would
they pass her test? Would she find them worthy? There were many fine bronzes
here and she deserved them all and then some. Snorting, she spread her wings
and stretched them, in a dominant gesture if ever there was one. Her
eyes whirled faster, the purples swirling to show her desire.
Crouching down, she waited. }:This is my Weyr. You are all here by my
choice. It will be my choice to decide who stays. So let me know who I
should choose and who should go:{

Licking her teeth, she launched herself into the sky, using every one
of those large downbeats to propel her higher. With the way she flew,
it wouldn't take her long to get far even if she wasn't as fast as a
green would have been. No, she was for the long game. The entire Weyr
depended upon it-in more ways than one.

Lost in more ways than one by that point, Rhosyn moved back from the
center of the Bowl and backed herself against the wall. With solid rock at
her back, she felt safer though she felt them coming closer, hungrily demanding.
Which would it be? She could barely see them, tell who they were. **Loseth,
Xmrenth, Aughashyth, Rogueth, Zackariath, Menanth, Seneth, Yumath, Jacdeth,
Volaith....** and many more. One name was missing.

Zackariath launched himself to the air. He had always been quick on
his wings and was now first in the air after her. }: Choose me, you
glowing beauty. You know my rider likes yours, :{ he
crooned his appeal.

Jacdeth was right behind him, pleased that local beasts were first
behind their queen. As long as one of them won… who was he kidding, he
wanted her for himself. He and his rider had waited long enough.

Volaith had already dropped the carcass and he leapt into the sky
after his glowing Queen. He was confident that Orlaith would see the
benefits of choosing him compared to the strangers and the rest. After
all, he was strong, and he was a successful clutch sire, and he was
_from here_. Not one of these out-Weyr bronzes who thought they could
claim her. Meanwhile, Rogueth was still sucking blood when she leapt.
He had to push away the carcass before leaping and so he took to the
sky in the middle of the pack, with some that had also been slower on
the leap. Perhaps his small size would get him out of it...

Loseth took off with a growl. He had a golden mate back at Dolphin
Cove, but right now all he wanted was Orlaith.

**This could be such a mess,** N'vanik thought as he started to merge
with his bronze. And maybe a little part of him wanted that, the drama
of catching a Senior Queen at another Weyr, the fallout and the
choices he'd have to make.

Menanth was young and strong, keeping up easily with the other males.
This would be a long flight, and he knew he could chase the queen as
long as it took.

}:I can fly with you forever!:{ Seneth called, both as a complement to the
queen and a boast of his youth. Hot blood in his stomach kept his wings
fast and light. He growled as his path was cut off by a strange older bronze
with a bright hide, who flicked his tail at him in contempt.

It was no secret that if Rhosyn's own feelings colored what happened,
it was very possible that Orlaith could favor Loseth. It didn't matter
that it could cause problems. It never mattered. The dragons decide
and the riders comply. Still, the golden queen had to choose wisely
because it wasn't just her rider but the entire Weyr that would depend
upon this outcome. This would be River Bluff's future. As it had for
turns, it rested completely on Orlaith's broad golden shoulders. They
were now pumping strongly with the effort of her wings. She pushed
through the sky, shredding the clouds. Gnashing her teeth with
impatience, she banked right to avoid a patch of mist. The lights of
cotholds could be seen beneath them, interspersed with the trees.

**It is so hot!!** Sighing, she stretched her arms, taking in the cool
night but feeling the balmy air surround her. Rhosyn untied the top of
her tunic, feeling the sweat on her skin and wishing it was cool like
Orlaith's hide just then. She burned with an inner fire, though. She
desired a mate, one to lead with her, one to admire and help her. The
young ones would be pleasurable but they wouldn't suit. There were
ones she didn't know. Were they better then? **Zackariath!** He was
known but he was no longer in his prime. **Aughashyth is a good
choice.** Still her mind kept drifting back to Loseth. His form kept
melding with N'vanik's face in Rhosyn's mind.

Jacdeth was close, so close he could almost feel her heated hide on
his. He could almost taste the dried blood from the beasts she'd
killed. He'd wait for his moment then he'd lunge, either he'd win or
he'd drop out.

Zack was pushing himself forward. He was tiring. He wasn't young any
longer and his old wing-injury was starting to remind him of it's
existence. If Orlaith didn't choose soon, he would be dropping out of
chase out of sheer exhaustion. He already knew (or maybe it was his
rider, at this point you couldn't tell them apart) that he wouldn't be
doing any flying tomorrow. He would be too sore.

Yumath kept pace, his experience allowing him to swing closer. He was
in his prime, he felt. He had experience and sired good clutches in
the past and was a good fighter. He sent those thoughts to Orlaith
along with his intense desire. His stamina didn't waver and he kept
his eyes locked on the stunning, glowing gold.

Loseth bugled, full of lust for the great Queen. He would have her.
They would twine and the fall would be long and sweet. N'vanik reached
out for Rhosyn, his memories of her merging with Loseth's desire for
Orlaith. **Mine!**

}:Choose _me_. I have sired a solid clutch, I am strong!:{ Volaith
said to Orlaith, following hot behind her. He was full of lust for the
Senior Queen, ready to claim her.

But then he saw the foreigners getting close to the prize, and his
lust became mingled with anger at his rivals rise as Yumath and Loseth
got closer. }:She is our queen!:{ he told them. With his agitation
driving him on, Volaith swung towards the two foreign bronzes and
swerved to intersperse between them and Orlaith.

Rogueth took stock of the situation. The pack was getting tighter.
Some bronzes had fallen out already. Others were becoming a tight
group, bickering with each other as much as contending for the queen.
Rogueth would not make that mistake. Rather than joining the pack he
arrowed high into the air, thinking that he'd get above Orlaith and
drop down. Let the bigger bronzes posture. He could slip by.

Aughashyth was big and powerful but not as conditioned as the rest of
the fighting bronzes. He began to fall behind and then finally dropped
out exhausted.

Y'gel turned away and into the arms of a waiting moth.

There were so many of them-fine, finer, finest! She was pleased. Her eyes
were whirling quickly now. Even Orlaith the mighty couldn't fly forever. Her
wings had carried her far from the Weyr. And now they would carry her higher.
Turning her nose up, she started to ascend, putting on the last burst of energy
that some of these bronzes might not have left.

Sniffing the rain, she knew there wouldn't be much longer. Determined, she
charged onward until she was where she wanted. Turning in the air, her eyes
sought the one that would be for her-this time. She needed him just now, to
bring her back to the earth. Orlaith stopped and began to fall, hurtling towards
her suitors.

Last updated on the March 4th 2016

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Catching the Ghost