Return to new Heights (Firelizard Flight!)

[Cait]

77.02.02

Saddyris had been itching to return to the weyr. Of course she'd had to spend a whole turn with the caravan and there was one delay after another, and customs to adhere to and this and that or the other thing. When they'd finally drawn near enough for her to slip away and make the journey to Rainbow Mists, she was almost eager enough to run! The road from Cliff Side was long but the destination made it worth it. She hadn't realized how much she'd missed dragons and the friends she'd made--and Mobrey!--until she drew closer and saw her first dragon in the sky. M'brey would be graduated or nearly so by now! And she had to see if Lan had gotten over his nervousness. Above her the falcon he'd given her swooped low and screeched before flying higher, Poica with him.

The neon rainbow had been near to rising for the past several days and the caravan woman doubted that it would be much longer before the little queen rose in all her eye-searing glory and challenged every male in the area. It was almost as though she were waiting, though, until they arrived.

Sure enough, a candlemark or more later, just as Saddyris was crossing over into the weyr and the falcon stooped to land on her outstretched arm, Poica disappeared briefly, to find a kill no doubt only to reappear several minute later as Saddyris was approaching the entrance to the lower caverns closest to her old room. She'd sent a note ahead with the rainbow to inform the weyr of her return and sure enough, the room was open and clean.

Meanwhile, as her handler settled in with her feathered companion and Mud who jumped up onto the bed that had been Dyranor's, Poica let loose a summoning cry to all the males who were interested to give chase.

[Cait]

A vibrant Crimson, the color of freshly spilled blood and then some, burst into the sky to answer Poica's call. Somewhere in the lower caverns a vision impaired Alyga suddenly became disoriented as her primary guide abruptly left her and in such a state, spun several times trying to get her bearings as Flute chirped and trilled and then promptly walked into a wall.

[Ghost of Fire (Fëanáro)]

In a weyr, a Crimson burst into the sky, followed by his Black and Brick companions. He would outdistance them though, for only a Kingly flitt deserved to catch such a glorious Queen. Meanwhile, the little Dream who was attached to the same human cocked her head quizzically at the human.

The human (who to other humans was known as T’kar) sighed and rubbed a hand over his eyes. “Find Alyga, Wamarna,” he said. The dream looked at him out of one, slowly whirling blue eye, then disappeared between.

Appearing above Alyga’s head, Wamarna chirped before swooping closer. It was important that the sister-of-human held still until human could arrive.

[Shoki]

Hammer hovered next to Mau, who was haggling about leather or some such. The Neon Tiger was merely there to supervise anyway. But a cry went up, and his attention was toward the bright Rainbow flying through the sky. He watched for a moment, not moving. Mau seemed to have noticed the delay, and turned back to Hammer.

“Go on silly, I’ll be fine.” The protective Tiger eyed the Queen, and then looked back at Mau, who was shooing him already with a smile. He chirped once, before speeding off, after the Neon Rainbow. Mau smiled a little, before returning her attention to the leather trader. She would have things straightened out for her next project, yes sir.

Hammer found himself in the presence of the Neon Rainbow Queen soon enough, but also two Crimson and a fair number of other firelizards. But the Neon Tiger called to make his presence known. He hadn’t come here to sulk in the back! He had come because the bright and glorious Queen was worth the contest, and all that came with it.

[SlasherV]

The Bronze was wild. But what was he called? Nothing, though in his own mind, he was magnificent, he was royal. He was a King. King heard the call of the Rainbow, knew she belonged to the Weyr and its dragons, but why shouldn't he win the Flight? No reason! She was his, he just knew it! As the glorious multi-toned beauty called for suitors, he answered.

Bursting out of the tree cover and rising to follow the Queen, bronzed wings pumping to gain height as he trilled at her. Forget all these others, you know you want me. I'll be your King. There were others following already. Crimsons, a Tiger...They had nothing on him! A light bank as violently whirling eyes locked on the Rainbow, watching, waiting for the chase to truly begin.

[Cait]

Poica trilled with delight at the turn out. Two crimsons, a tiger, a bronze, a black and a brick. She would have her fun and then she would have her choice in mates. Hovering just long enough for them all to get a look at her before tucking her vibrant wings against her sides and stooping to dart through the weyrbowl, bobbing around a drudge who let out a curse before rising again to bring the chase back into the air above the bowl.


Meanwhile Alyga jumped when a firelizard appeared in front of her face but recognized it by her voice as Wamarna and stayed put. T'kar would come find her...again. Sighing, she carefully plucked the dream out of the air in front of her and tucked the firelizard against her chest, her shoulders slumped and her chin tucked in with resignation.

[Ghost of Fire (Fëanáro)]

Star bugled contempt for these others, daring to challenge his certain right to the glorious Rainbow who danced ahead. He echoed her dive, wings folded tight, and echoed her ascent, driving into the upper sky once more. Boot pulled ahead of Star and Shadow in the dive, but the climb was Star's turn to drive forward into the lead. Shadow, like his name, followed along, silently. Let the others tire themselves out. He was who he was, better to be such than to pretend otherwise for another.

In the Lower Caverns, Wamarna let sister-of-human wrap around her. She stayed still for a second, then peered over sister-of-human's shoulder. Footsteps. It was human! Delighted, Wamarna trilled a greeting.

"Alyga?" T'kar said. It wasn't a really a question, just a way for Alyga to hear a voice. Approaching from behind like he was, he didn't want to startle his sister be coming to close without giving her a voice to identify. He could see the Neon Pink flitt he'd given her hovering over her head, and Wamarna was peering at him over Alyga's shoulder.

[Shoki]

Hammer watched the others gather. He could have not come. His coloring had remarkable self-control. The Rainbow glowed with a myriad of colors, so bright and glorious, it was clear he had made the correct decision. She had called all manner of suitor to her, those from the weyr, and those who did not take to humans alike. Of course they would! She was quite the Queen. Soon enough, she was off with a flash, and Hammer took off with the rest of them, like a breeze throwing brightly colored leaves along.

The bright orange and black King followed, but was not quite so able to perform the quick swap from low to high. He managed though. He made quite sure to stay out of the way of the Black and Brick firelizards. He didn’t want to bother them, and sometimes he could forget to look around when there were much larger Kings about. He didn’t intend to worry much about acrobatics though. So her started a little musical series of chirps for the Rainbow. It was boring to fly in silence, might as well give her something nice to listen to.

[SlasherV]

King trumpeted, flipping to follow into the dive. She was magnificent, and she knew it! As Poica dove, the Bronze did as well, swerving to avoid the poor drudge, wingtips almost brushing the person. He didn't care for people, but it was worth being around them to catch this glorious Rainbow ahead of him. Nevermind all the other suitors, he would win her!

And there she went! Tising back up into the air above the Bowl. He bugled at her, the sound fading to a lovely warbling trill. Small wings beat the air, scooping at it to climb higher after the lovely Queen.

[Cait]

Screeching her overwhelming delight as she led her suitors on a merry chase, Poica swooped to the left as the vibrant Tiger began his little song. She'd never had a suitor sing to her before. Cry out and trill perhaps, but never an actual tune. Angling so that she was flying in a nearly vertical ascent, she outdistanced her pursuers and then when she'd reached the peak of her ascent, she flipped around and hovered to watch them climb. The two crimsons and the bronze with the singing tiger, brick and black. Six of them in all. All of them hers, but she would only have one; only one would have her. But which one?

With a playful squeal, the brilliant rainbow stooped once more, this time weaving a bobbing between her suitors. Devilish little queen that she was, she made sure that a wingtip or tail tip grazed a side or back of every one of her males, egging them onward but not allowing any of them near enough to actually catch her. Not yet. She still had some fun to have and some blood to burn.

-------

Alyga heard the footsteps but didn't move until she heard Wamarna trill in greeting. The sound was followed by a familiar voice. Slowly, she turned in the direction of her brother's voice, cheeks flushed. "Drum gave chase I think. I didn't mean to bother you. I was just going to wait until he came back." As much as she loved her brother and was attached to him, she always felt bad when she disrupted his day for something stupid like getting lost and running into a wall or dropping and shattering something when she wasn't wearing her shoes.

She loosened her grip on the dream to let her return to T'kar.

[Shoki]

The Queen danced to the left before heading straight upward, compelling all of them to follow her into the sky. She was so very quick, but she hovered before them for a time, letting them get a good view as they pumped their wings to go up so steep an incline. Hammer enjoyed the trip upward because of that. He was still singing his simple little song, as he climbed steadily up. When she made her little squeal of delight he almost dropped a note in the song. When she dashed through them he did drop a note.

The colorful Queen had made sure to brush him with her wing, as she descended. He might have noticed that she did so to all of the suitors, but well, he was a bit preoccupied with how it concerned him. He might have dropped a note, but he didn’t let that stop him. He kept going with renewed vigor, flipping around to follow her still. Such a clever, beautiful Queen. She quite deserved the song.

[Ghost of Fire (Fëanáro)]

Star cut through the air, following darting and cutting upwards in pursuit of the Rainbow as if following a line that led to her. He was not so quick as she, not when he was following the calls of another rather than making his own, but he was determined to shine all the same. He felt energy swelling within within him as he climbed for the top of the sky, a energy that drove him towards clean flying, though it drove Boot to perform a backflip on the way up.

She flew through them then, her tail brushing along Star's side while her wing brushed Boot. Star wanted to sing! He didn't know how though, so simply gave voice to another bugling call. It was the closest he could come, the closest he could get to the swelling lift from her touch.

------

Wamarna rubbed her head against Alyga's face, crooning softly, before letting go and falling briefly through the air to return to T'kar's shoulder. Which was her rightful perch. Whenever Star wasn't around to claim it, at least.

T'kar was torn between annoyance and a desire to laugh. Annoyance at Drum (couldn't the silly flitt have waited a few more seconds?) and a desire to laugh at the whole situation in general.

"It's no deal silly," T'kar assured his sister, reaching out to rest a hand on her shoulder. "I sent Wamarna looking for you because I realized Drum probably would do just that." Despite that Alyga couldn't see it, a grin flashed across his face. Amusement was winning. "Where you headed anywhere in particular?"

[Cait]

She had made her choice, but she still wanted to have a bit of fun. It was far too nice a day and it wasn't everyday a gal had half a dozen handsome guy flits attending her every whim. With a musical little trill that blended with the Tiger's song, she performed a few last aerial maneuvers, more for her own benefit than her pursuer's. Both of the Crimsons and the Bronze were handsome, indeed, and the Brick and Black most valiant in their efforts, but it was the song of the Tiger and his bright coloration that won her over in the end.

Wouldn't they just be the most blindingly adorable pair?

[SlasherV]

King trilled, warbling his intentions to the magnificent Queen. These others had no clue, he was a Bronze, a fabulous example of what a wild flitt could be. These others were soft, tame. Scooping the air with his wings, he soared after the Queen, dancing through the skies along with the others. One thing Kind had going for him, the sun kept glinting off his bronzed hide.

Unfortunately, and though he was trying his best, he was also young. His first Flight, in fact. That wouldn't stop him though! He would win! As the Rainbow dived between them, he thought he did. But instead he missed the grab(as was intended by the beauty he was chasing), and faltered. Dropping several yards before he caught himself, he hissed inwardly as he strove to catch up.