Soaring Once More

Writers: Avery, Miriah, Suzee, Yvonne
Date Posted: 3rd July 2016

Characters: Kapera, R'enh, J'nus, D'hol
Description: Riyanth rises for the second time at Dolphin Cove.
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 5, day 20 of Turn 8

Kapera

R'enh

D'hol

~*~

Tension had been coiling in Kapera's belly for two days now. She
wanted to fight someone. Or screw someone. The strain she felt caused
her to snap several times at several people who didn't deserve it - a
new member of the Queen's Wing, a Candidate who had been foolish
enough to get in her way, a drudge, and J'nus. (She'd have to
apologize to him later.)

Riyanth had fought her at drills, more interested in watching bronzes
than flying in formation. She'd noticed the bronzes and browns who
were currently well enough to fly with the Queen's Wing hovering
around her with interest after the drills were over. They'd seemed
oppressively close to Kapera when she was bathing Riyanth, but the
gold hadn't minded it, had seemed eager for their attention. Her
dragon had stayed on the Weyr Rim the whole rest of the evening,
holding court over the male dragons who followed her.

From the strength of the proddiness, she'd felt sure that Riyanth
would rise the next day, but the gold did not. So Kapera had to suffer
through drills that went even worse than the previous day's. And then
she found she couldn't bear the irritation and restlessness she felt.
She ignored the records she couldn't concentrate on and instead pacing
around the weyr, trying to sublimate her stress through physical
activity like visiting the barracks, the feeding pens, seeing that
things were stocked and in good order. She needed to move, not be
alone with the jitteriness and her thoughts.

Out on the rim, the gold continued to preen at the bronzes and browns.
She would brush wingtip or muzzles with some of them, letting all draw
close but none progress to actually curling with her. But despite her
rider's hopes, she did not rise.

Kapera wasn't very surprised when she woke up in the morning and
Riyanth showed no intention of waking, choosing to slumber on the
ledge. The slumber was deep enough that she knew today would be the
day. She thought her gold would spend the day sunning until she rose,
but a heavy storm rolled in during breakfast, the rain beating down
heavily on the Weyr and the thunder rumbling in strong booms.

**Is she going to rise in _this_?** She didn't want to have to run out
to the flight cots in this...or stand at the feeding pens... But if
Riyanth _didn't_ rise she'd have to endure another day of this
rage-lust-restlessness. That idea

But Riyanth didn't rise during breakfast. Instead, she waited until
lunchtime, a moment where there was a break in the rain. The clouds
were still there, heavy with the promise of more rain, but it had
stopped sheeting down and the sun was shining weakly. That was when
the gold leapt up from the ledge, snarling her challenge to the
bronzes and flying to the feeding pen.

She'd taken the beast down when Kapera had got there, and had buried
her muzzle in the entrails and taken a single, hot bite and swallow.
She froze up in the sensation of it sliding down her throat,
luxuriating in it in the same way her gold did. Then her will
reasserted itself. **No! Blood only!** she shouted mentally, locking
eyes with the gold. Riyanth hissed, her head weaving and her muzzle
stained. She hissed back, body arching with the effort.

Kapera's mind wavered and the gold bit into the body again to tear
flesh. Angered by her displayed lack of control in front of the
watching bronzeriders, who had arrived with their own beasts, and were
doing a far better job of controlling theirs than she was. The shame
and anger gave her the strength to overpower her gold and force her to
submit to drinking the blood. The gold drained the wherry, and then a
second one, before discarding the corpse and leaping up into the sky.

She flew fast and hard, seeking altitude as quick as she could and the
safety of the heavy dark clouds. But they did not cool her skin or the
heat of the blood burning within, her desire to fly away beyond the
reach of the bronzes. It was the mating heat, but only if they could
catch her. And her defiance burned too hot for that to happen yet.

R'enh had just gotten back from Dragonsfall and weariness tightened
his shoulders though it never seemed to effect his lifemate in the
slightest. He'd gone to his weyr with the intent of laying down when
the undeniable pull of a gold flight washed over him. He reached up
and rubbed his temples with a groan then slid off the bed and made his
way down to the feeding pens where Mnoranth watched Riyanth with a
possessive lust.

Kopth had watched her feed, and now flew as close to the golden queen
as he dared. His rider stood below, urging him on-- this was _their_
woman. _Their_ queen. They would not lose.

The confidence of the bronzes was misplaced. The gold dragon was
flying high in the sky, letting the clouds hide her form and soothe
her skin. She would fly forever, fast and strong. She would be
unreachable, untameable, fly the curve of the horizon forever. The sea
called to her and she turned to fly towards it.

Many followed her, bronzes and a few cocky browns. Some were young and
tiring already. The gold laughed at their efforts and flicked her
tail. One experienced brown cut off two younger bronzes, nearly
fouling them in each other.

On the ground, Kapera paced in front of the bronzeriders she
recognized. J'nus of course she knew, skin hyper-sensitized to his
presence. Normally familiar and comforting, but Riyanth was haughty
and disdainful, would it be enough? R'enh's dragon was strong and
skilled, a powerful flier – but did he have the skill to catch her?
D'hol was a Wingleader and she knew that his dragon had caught golds
before, including Panitath. It boded well. Would they be Riyanth's
choice?

Yumath had bugled his intent almost immediately and had began the
chase without hesitation. He swung out of the way of the brown, but
mentally discounted him. He had flown his fair share of queens and the
brown didn't concern him. His remained focused on the prize ahead of
him.

D'hol joined the group of men around Kapera, his own gaze as intent as
Yumath's was upon Riyanth. He shifted in his stance as she paced,
coiled as though waiting to pounce the moment she came too close.

Over the sea they flew winging after the glowing gold. Mnoranth's lust
was the equal of any of the other bronzes and revitalized his
lifemate. R'enh shifted his footing as she pace almost keeping rhythm
with her stride.

It was becoming harder to fly over the sea, with fewer warm thermals
to take advantage of to soar to new heights without using as much of
her own energy. The air was more chill and the burning heat of her
desire was becoming cooled by fatigue. Riyanth was beginning to tire.

So few were left, only bronzes now. She had successfully shaken all of
the puny browns who thought they could mate a queen. But the few who
remained were close on her. Riyanth folded her wings to fall out of
reach of a familiar bronze who had surged to be close at her tail - so
close to her, so nearly winning the prize. But she wanted to _choose_,
as was a queen's right.

On the ground, Kapera was completely surrendered to Riyanth, allowing
the queen a full choice. There was no calculation in her mind, no
pressure to make sure the right rider won for the good of the Weyr.
Just complete surrender to her queen's powerful urges, the feeling of
being flushed and fevered with flightlust's desire, aching to relieve
it, if her gold would just choose!

Riyanth veered herself into the path of another bronze who she had
been watching, one who was strong and experienced, but new to her.
}:Yumath,:{ she called to him.

Bugling with triumph, Yumath twined his neck with the beckoning queen
and spread his wings, coiling around her snugly. Below, D'hol lunged
forward and much like his bronze, wrapped his arms around Kapera in a
lust filled embrace. He picked her up, arms tight around her hips and
half dragged, half carried her to the furs.

~*~

Last updated on the July 18th 2016

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Soaring Once More