Rise to the Challenge? (Ayleneth's flight)

[Shoki]

R'le hadn't been properly aware of his surroundings for some time. So when a finger rand across his cheekbone his eyes tried to take in everything at once and he looked slightly bewildered. Right, he was still here, with two feet on the ground. He watched Yuki walk on and he suspected something he had suspected before the flight had even started. Still, he glanced around with a last bit of effort, smirked then lost himself again. There was a feeling there, it said 'it's not so bad to lose yourself'.

---

Quiorith was not going to give up. Oh, he wasn't confident about his chances, but he had never given up a competition just because his chances were slim. The dragoness had her attention elsewhere, on larger dragons and more royal applicants, but it hardly mattered. He was still able to fly, the small dragon with the large wings. The cloudy-day dragon, the least colorful out of all the dragons there, so at home in the sky that he blended in, he would not be deterred. Perhaps he would lose. But it was never a wasted effort. Anyone who told him otherwise was never going to get what they really wanted.

[Kaya]

Iridith watched with growing annoyance as the Kings grew closer to Ayleneth. Their flashy hides, their swollen egos. It was enough to set his tail on fire. There was not much he could do, muscles starting to protest. He had been sleeping before this. Time had not given him the most opportune of starts. Still, he'd be forced out of the sky before he gave up, turned tail and sulked home with a bigger bruise to his pride. For as frustrated as he was, the Flame couldn't make his wings push much harder. Not today. Even with his anger, it only helped so much. He knew he was Pern's greatest dragon and if she missed that then it was her loss. His tail flicked the sky. He would not leave.

R'vor had arrived among the other Riders some time ago, but as Iridith grew more and more irritable he had withdrawn into the corner. He felt enough his own man to feel bad about the whole situation. The room was tense here, all the people just idling in a strange place while the dragons raced in the skies. A part of him just wished that Iridith would come back to his senses so that the tension would dissipate and he could go back to his nice, relaxing, all-by-himself book.

Iridith felt his Rider pulling away. Thinking about that stupid book again! It was all too much to take. He thrashed in the air, trying to take a stand against the other dragons. He caught a lucky gust of air that helped him up, and then dove back down to gain a little speed. He was so wound up the Flame was about to all out combust.

[Ghost of Fire (Fëanáro)]

((Not my greatest work, but I don't want to hold this thread up any longer))

Ancalanath could read the signs, it was annoying to be sure, that his beautiful target, Ayleneth of the gleaming Aurora hide, was more interested in the Tiger than in himself, who was so much quicker and more agile of wing, but such was the way of things. He had no intention of giving up. After all, it was his first chance to test himself against other dragons in his new home, and others might be watching. It was a bad idea to get in a habit of giving up.

Quickly, he swerved after the Aurora, placing his wings at a near right angle to the ground. He pulled himself out of the turn and flew upward. If nothing else, then he was determined the Aurora remember him, and as long as the Flight was unfinished, there was a chance of convincing her that he, Ancalanath, with the fiery colors to match a spirits determination, was the best choice after all. No, he had no intention of giving up.

[summerrain]

Ayleneth growled softly at the smaller of the Flames. He was smaller than she, and she wanted the larger ones. She dove down, then spiralled upward. She straightened out, gliding on a sudden tailwind that blew her toward the cliffs.

She glansed back at the Tiger, a question swirling around in her eyes. Would this pair be able to understand? Would Hers finally find someone to confide in, or would she be seclusive upon the completion of this day?
________

Yuki gently rested a hand on the Tiger Rider's cheek. "You may be the only one..." she whispered. "The only one... Who understands..." She closed her eyes momentarily, keeping just enough conscious thought to be able to relay to Ayleneth that she felt safe with this one. He wouldn't be too rough with her, of that she was sure. She met his eyes after a moment, her own gleaming with a mix of Flightlust and acceptance.
____

Ayleneth felt a strange emotion from Hers. Hers was okay with this one. That was all the encouragement she needed. She kept gliding toward the cliffs, catching an updraft as she flew on. She would allow the Tiger to catch her. Him alone. None other, for the sake of Hers. Until the day that Hers could heal from the past, she would only allow herself to be caught by dragons of riders Hers was sure about. Only them. Hers needed time to heal, and this was the first step.

[Moo]

Shards!

This was exactly what he wanted.

Or did he?

He didn’t care anymore. He couldn’t care anymore. She was here and he was here and their dragons knew best. D’gan kept his eyes on Yuki when she touched his cheek, reminding himself, Control. He breathed in deeply, calmly. Her quiet voice had him hooked. He wondered how much louder she would get before this was all over. Control. It’s not my first Flight. Is this her first? The thought made him pause. Well, he had dealt with that before. It wasn’t a big deal if that were true.

Oh, but what about children? That could still very well happen. What if it happened and she wanted to keep it? His brow wrinkled with concern. The very thought made him want to back away, but…he couldn’t. He didn’t want to. His eyes lingered on her lips. Am I ready for this?

Even if it happened, Mosiliath had always seemed willing to help out Between. And there was certainly more than one way to please a woman. He could work that to his advantage. There needn’t be any children. D’gan relaxed when he saw that look in her eyes – that bright, suggestive, accepting glimmer. It would be all right.

Yuki had whispered something to him. Something about understanding, and being the only one. What had that meant? He couldn’t think clearly. He lowered a hand to her waist, the other brushed over her jaw line and into her hair. If he remembered what she had said to him after this was all over, he would ask her about it.

But now was not the time for that.

“Yuki,” he murmured, “May I kiss you?”

###

Mosiliath banked after Ayleneth and followed her toward the cliffs, pride swelling in his breast. She had chosen him. Him and none other! That little Flame could not compete with him, as flashy and quick as he was. He rumbled his satisfaction and let the wind carry him close, closer, matching her pace with ease as he followed her away on the same updraft. He would catch her soon enough, he knew, but first they would fly.

Oh, what a fine Clutch they would have together.

[Kaya]

Well, her decision was made. Nothing he could do about that. R'vor was at the door and out of it in no time flat. He didn't like being around tense situations and he liked being around couples he wasn't a part of even less.

Iridith didn't take it as well. He saw her go for another, or maybe he was seeing the Riders through R'vor? He didn't know, and at this point he didn't want to care any more. Iridith's pride was a sensitive thing and he hated, hated being told no. In any case, his wings - lacking their usual warm up - were demanding a rest. It was clear he was out of the running and sure as he was a Flame from nose tip to tail tip he would save his pride from any further injury. He winged back, changed direction, and found the nearest place to land. The plans of critical self improvement flooded his tired mind as his wings slumped to the ground.

Don't have too much of a pity party. The voice was stern, but still faintly concerned. That's bad for pride too.

Go back to reading your stupid book. Iridith huffed.

R'vor had no qualms returning to his book.

[Shoki]

Race done, winner declared. Quiorith was displeased of course, but he could hardly hate others for winning where he had failed. The Cloud started into a glide, watching the Tiger move toward the Aurora. He had hardly been noticed once the two kings showed up, but he couldn't do anything about that. Well maybe one thing. A single note escaped from the small body, loud enough to be heard. It wasn't sad, resigned, nor was it angry. It was a statement. I was here, I competed, that is all. The Cloud continued to drift, perhaps to have a sulk in the jungle.

R'le turned to look around where he was, finally slowly unwinding himself from the Cloud's emotions. He saw that the rider of the smaller flame was already off and it looked like things were proceeding, well just like a flight usually did. Time to make himself scarce. R'le smiled a little then headed out into the hall. Ah well, if it was time for Quiorith to sulk, he might have to as well. He knew Quiorith wouldn't want to talk, so he left it alone. Give him a day and they would be back in the jungle, just like every day.

[Ghost of Fire (Fëanáro)]

Ancalanath knew it was over, knew that, this time at least, endurance and greater experience had won. It was annoying, to be true, but the Flame was a veteran of many Flights, and had by no means won all of them, else he would have defeated his own father Turns ago in the battles for Wyer Leadership.

Hearing a note, the large Flame, looked over to see his Cloud co-competitor drifting away. Without thinking about it, he echoed the Cloud’s statement, acknowledging that the smaller dragon had flown well. Well enough for the Flight to have been fun, which made it special. All Flights were special, though it was a shame he hadn’t won.

Tucking his wings in, Ancalanath reversed his momentum with a back flip and headed for the Weyr where his rider was at. At the very least, they would have an Impressive exit, just in case anyone was watching.

T’kar shook himself all over, ridding himself of the disorientation that always was there when his mind and Ancalanath’s separated from having been connected on such a deep level. He knew that Ancalanath was on the way, so he walked to the exit of the Weyr, moving with a feline-like grace to avoid disrupting the pair (although he knew from experience that nothing was likely to disrupt them).

As soon as he reached the ledge, Ancalanath came into view, diving steeply towards the ground. Grinning broadly, T’kar leaped from the ledge, arms out in a parody of wings. For a moment, he and Anclanath fell at exactly the same rate, then Ancalanath rolled over and T’kar landed in a crouch on the Flame’s broad back. Darting forward, he seized the flying leathers one-handed as Ancalanath dipped into a steep, wing-perpendicular-to-ground turn and headed towards the fields where the heardbeasts were penned.

Hungry?

Yes.

T'kar reached down and patted Ancalanath's neck, to which Ancalanath responded with a hum.

[summerrain]

Ayleneth turned as her suitors drifted away one by one. She aknowledged them all at once with a single note, to let them know that she thought no less of any of them just because she chose the Tiger. There were other things influencing the decision, things which only the victorious pair would understand.

Ayleneth flew to the trees, then caught another updraft. Only when she was high above the ground did she allow herself to be caught by the Tiger.
_____

Yuki nodded in response to D'gan's question. She felt the Flight ending, saw the other competitors' riders slip away. They were alone now. No need to resist the feelings of Flightlust simply for decency any more. There was no one around. There was only the pair of them.