{*Hasth's Flight*} Light Up the Skies!

[Zara]

Cassondra lay on her back on top of her bed. Thank goodness Hasth was sleeping for the moment. the sky was gray and cloudy and looked like rain. It was a good time to be in the weyr and resting.

Cass was thinking again. She had noticed that Hasth's hide was brighter lately... Not as bright as a gold's but brighter. Her Flight would be very, very soon. She wasn't entirely excited about it. She was worried. Very worried. She wanted it to be a good Flight. She wanted a good clutch to come of it.

She hated having to worry about so much. It was ridiculous. She was a Green Rider. She should have been a fighter, not waiting for her dragoness to produce a clutch..

Cassondra's blue eyes snapped open and turned towards where her dragon was curled up on her couch. She was stirring. Cass relaxed. She was still asleep, for the time being.

Cassondra brushed a strand of blonde hair away from her face and let out a sigh, enjoying the quiet time from the constant complaining of her dragon, something that, outside of Hasth's irritation was not a normal part of her nature.

Then the rain started to fall again. The sound of it was light and beautiful in the air, splashing on rock. That was when it happened. Hasth awoke, suddenly in a furry like no other.

She said nothing to her Rider, but Cass knew what was happening. she sprung to her feet and moved towards her dragon. "Hasth!" she shouted aloud. The dragoness was already off and headed for the herdbeasts.

I hunger! was all Hasth told her, sounding angry and irrate.

She didn't pause as she came down upon one herdbeast, smaller, but it didn't matter to her. She quickly grabbed and killed it then landed.

Cassondra took in a sudden breath. She couldn't let her gorge! She said then, both in her mind and aloud, "No Hasth! Blood it!" Hasth attempted to take a bite out of it, her teeth already sunk into the neck. Cassondra fought her Green. The battle for this first one, even, took quite some time. It seemed like an eternity passed before, finally, Hasth conceded in fury and blooded the kill... Then went for another, but this time, the fight was not as great and she had only just latched her jaws the carcass when she stopped and looked up, the blood on her muzzle glistening and bugled.

All males who dare! Chase! She demanded only the bravest, only the most daring.

With that, she gathered her muscles and threw herself into the sky.

They were one then, Cassondra's mind pulled along off the ground with her dragon, chasing up towards the sky, the rain falling gloriously on her bright green hide.

Let them come. Let them chase. Only the best could have her.

[Kitsuneko]

The thing they never told you about being Weyrleader was the paperwork involved. Transfer papers, wing listings, messages from various Lord Holders and Craftsmen, it all added up after a while. L'cal had barely made a dent in the pile of what he was supposed to do, but he was already looking for a distraction. From his ledge outside their Weyr, Cherith raised his head and stared intently in the direction of the feeding grounds.

"What is it?" L'cal asked, though he knew what it usually meant when Cherith had that look.

A green rises, the bronze reported. It is Hasth. I shall have her! He rose to his feet, eyes already mixing red and purple hues.

Excellent, L'cal thought. Not only did this provide a most welcome distraction from work, but Hasth was a clutching green, which meant that no matter who caught her, there would be another clutch on the sands soon enough.

It was starting to rain again outside, as it had been doing on and off all day, but Cherith and L'cal were both beyond caring at that point. After the rider was dropped off outside Cassondra's weyr, the bronze dragon landed in the feeding grounds as Hasth made her second kill.

Ignoring the other dragons who had chosen to chase Hasth, he watched as she leaped into the air to begin her Flight, and he was soon up in the air after her.

[Zara]

Bright beating wings,
glowing bright,
lead the way,
a colorful light.
Follow her,
Bronze, Brown, Blue,
Light the sky
with color anew.

Her wings beat the air hard, she looked back. Only a few. Hmph. No one else was brave enough! That was a shame. She would bring braver Riders from them. Her offspring would be stronger. Without doubt. They would be braver. But for that. She would need the bravest, the best.

"Come you who dare! Show me your greatest strength and courage!" Cassondra felt herself shout the words as her dragon called them to her suitors. She wanted only be best. Only the most daring and most brave. Only the best would do.

She climbed skyward, higher and higher into rain that started to pour harder and harder until she was above the first layer of clouds. She started to fly flat out... But soon she dived down. She could feel it. They could feel it. This would be a long flight. They would make it a long Flight.

The Green started to sing then, Cassondra singing with her as she stood on the ground. The tune was wordless for the time banging, a series of notes, high, low and middle tones, flwoign like water through the air.

The bright Green wings folded and she fell back towards the earth a short ways. She suddenly snapped her wings open and allowed herself to be taken up a ways before leveling out again.

[Akira]

A'lik sighed as he walked through the Weyrbowl. It had been only a short while since his talk with Cass, but for some reason he couldn't get the woman out of his head. Hasth rises! The man almost jumped out of his skin when he heard his dragon's voice. Not really paying attention where he was going, he ran to the woman's room. There were already a few riders there, but A'lik didn't care, he only had eyes for Cassondra.

Moruth lifted his large jaws to the sky and roared as loud and as strongly as he could. He opened his overly large wings, and launched himself into the sky. Fly Hasth! Your Moruth will catch you! His strong voice rang out into the mind of all the dragons that had given chase to the green. His light brown wings beat hard against the sky as he followed the green's movements, and matched them with his own. His long tail snaked out behind him, and helped him guide himself through the sky as he chased Hasth. He could feel the rain on his hide, but only barely registered it in his mind. He only had room for one thing in his mind at this moment, and that was catching Hasth.

Moruth could feel that this was going to be a long flight, and he relished the feeling. He was fifteen turns old, and his muscles had plenty of strength and stamina, but not as much as he would like. He noticed her dive, but instead of following her, he kept himself leveled, and watched as she came out of her dive, and leveled herself back out. He pumped his large wings, and was actually suprised when he realized that he had lifted himself above the green. Moruth opened his large jaws and roared as he dove down towards the green. This wasn't an actual attempt to catch Hasth, unless she wanted him to catch her, it was just an attempt to cut off the other dragon's, and give him a better chance at catching the green.

[Zara]

Hasth looked back again. There was an impressive brown following her now. She crooned to them. She recognized him as Moruth. He was chasing. He dared. Then there was Cherith, a great Bronze. The Weyrking. He was a worthy dragon. But so was the Brown Moruth. He had flown a Queen once. Not as many as Cherith, but... She liked him. She liked his company.

Cassondra turned, looking at the men in her Weyr in turn, sizing them up. She moved closer to one, then away, then closer to another and away. She paused in front of L'cal for a moment, then in front of A'lik for a long minute... Before moving away to stand apart, her eyes and her mind still up in the clouds with her dragoness who Flew hard and fast.

You're going to have to try harder, my Chasers, she said, her voice flirtatious and a dare to those who were chasing.

She flew down again, diving towards the water, leveling out just so that her wings skimmed the water and her claws dipped in, sending more water driving up over her, the rain and the water causing water droplets to splatter over her body. The sun that ever so slightly broke the clouds shined on her hide and caused the water droplets that flew around her to form rainbows. Rainbows that splattered and shown. Her green hide shown and glistened as she flew.

Sing to me! Sing to me something beautiful! she demanded of them. She wanted more. She wanted daring... and she wanted beauty.

[Kitsuneko]

Cherith crooned in approval as the flight continued and Hasth seemed to be determined to make it a long one. The part in the back of his mind that was still L'cal was glad at this as well. Long flights meant good clutches.

He had no fear of the flight dragging on too long. He was a strong, fit bronze of twenty-five turns, and he'd caught many other dragonesses, gold and green both, over those turns. And sired many fine clutches as well. He told the green Hasth so as well, as his strong bugle rang out.

I would be a good father for your eggs. I've proved myself many times before. I'll do so again, he promised as he followed her down to the water. He could not get quite so close as her, with his greater size, but even so, the tips of his wings touched the water's edge and spread droplets in every direction with every flap of his wings. Cherith crooned a wordless song to the green as he edged ever closer to her.

[Zara]

She looked back again, looking at Cherith, giving a slightly questioning croon. Then she looked at Moruth again. They were her top two choices at this point. But there was still time for someone else to take her heart and Fly her. There was still time for things to change.

She crooned. She flapped her wings hard, gaining altitude again. It was harder with the water so close to gain altitude quickly, but soon she was high enough. She was flying up and outward over towards the ground.

"Sing the song and right this wrong. Fly as hard, fly as fast, give chase dear Chasers, give all your heart to win the one who Flies before. You have much to prove. Much to win. Give chase dear Chasers, prove your strength. I await. I await."

Their voices rang out, Cassondra on the ground, giving Hasth's tune words that flowed through the dragon to each Chaser. She wasn't anywhere near done. She could feel it. She still had energy left in her. She still could fly and could fly fast. She could still go far. She would be the ultimate winner. For now, none would touch her. None would come close enough. Not yet.

Moruth, Cherith, Fly harder. She asked it of them by name and cried a universal challenge to the others. They had more of her favor right now. But... Another Brown, perhaps, or a Bronze...? Blues? Blues were forbidden. She felt it at the back of her mind, the part that was Cassondra told her so. Told her a Blue was not good enough.

The Green gave a great down beat of her wings again and climbed again, moving up over the top of the trees. She was far from ready to make her choice yet. And she would keep going and going. Prove to me you can make it! she demanded again and then, flying low over the trees, flew flat out again. When she was getting closer to her choice, she would climb again. She knew that. She knew that they knew that. Who dares to follow me further?! Her voice was a roar across their minds.

"Show me your bravery!" Casosndra shouted the words with Hasth as she said them, demanded them of her chasers. Cassondra felt an extreme sense of pride swell up in her.

[Akira]

Moruth dived down after Hasth, but made sure to level out before actually entering the water. He couldn't quiet get as close to it as Hasth, but the large brown dragon opened his large claws, and dug at the water as he beat his wings harder, and faster as he chased the green. He blocked out Cherith from his mind, the bronze dragon meant nothing to the brown at this point. His wings dipped into the water, sending droplets every where when he beat his light brown wings. Fly my magnificent Hasth! Your shining green hide will soon twine with my brown one! Moruth's strong voice roared out to the green dragon. There was no way he was going to back out of this, it didn't matter to him how many bronze dragons gave chase to her.

Moruth crooned, and roared out his song to Hasth. It might not have sounded as pretty as the one the green could sing, but it was the strong song of a brown who was determined, persistent, strong, and yet gentle all at the same time. He gave a few strong, hard beats with his wings as he followed Hasth as she rose to the sky once again. Moruth opened his large jaws once again, and roared out as he did his best to try and catch the green. He knew she didn't want to be caught yet, and he didn't want this to end yet either. He beat his wings hard and strong as he chased her over the lands. He crooned loudly when he heard Hasth's voice calling to him to fly harder. Moruth climbed higher as he flew over the trees, knocking a few branches from their place on their trees as he did so.

Your Moruth will follow you to the ends of the earth! Fly my Hasth! FLY!!! Moruth's last word came out as not only words within the green's mind, but a roar for all to hear. He would not give up, even if his wings decided to fall from his body, he would still do everything in his power to chase this green dragon. His large brown tail lashed out behind him as he flew, his wings creating great gusts of wind as they beat, causing the trees to shake from the strength that buffeted them. His large claws dug at the air as he forced himself to fly further, faster, than he ever had before. He was ever so slowly catching up to the green. He knew that she wouldn't let him catcher just yet, but it was worth a try. He roared as he gave yet another strong push, and reached out for the green dragon.

[Night]

Ildardeth might have been late to the flight, but he wasn't out. His and he had been out doing search duty for the clutches and had recently gotten back. Gasping as the familiar feeling of flightlust moved over him, N'kron snorted. "You've got to be kidding me....between us to her weyr first Ildardeth. You can't chase with me here." Moving so that he could get off easily, the dragon did his bidding. They were lucky that they had gotten back early in the flight, but by the time the riding gear was off of the brown, Ildardeth would have a lot of ground to cover. I am quick Mine. I will fly harder than any of the others!

Flipping around, the brown launched himself off of the cave ledge. I come Hasth! I will fly harder than any of these males, for I still must catch up. I am fresh though while they are not. I can continue farther than them! Or so the brown hoped. Normaly shy, Ildardeth piled on the "confidence" so that the green wouldn't count him out just yet. He was strong and young, he could make it, he had to make it! Straining his golden brown wings, the dragon finally started to catch up to the chasers in the back. Then it was more of the middle of the pack. Perfect, he was among them now.

Roaring, the jungle cat spotted brown twisted mid-air and swept by Hasth. Fly my beautiful green. Give us a test please! It felt good to be forward. Maybe he had been going about his all wrong since his hatching....or maybe the flightlust was just getting to his head. Either way, he was here now. Twisting and spinning, diving and climbing with the green and the other males. She'd have to choose eventually, and at least he was here to try.

N'kron in the mean time headed into the weyr. They were crowding around her, but that didn't mean anything. Moving toward the green rider so that she would see he was here as well, N'kron serveyed the other contenders. He could do this, like Ildardeth he was confident in this moment about what he could accomplish. She was beautiful and perfect, all he could ever want, but he couldn't do a single thing until she did.

[Kitsuneko]

Cherith gave this newcomer brown an annoyed glare as he joined the flight, but he did not worry much about Ildardeth, and focused his attention on the green. He was determined that she would be his. His main rival was that brown, Moruth. The flight wasn't over yet, though. He pumped his wings, trying to get more speed. With his bigger, broader wings, he found it easier to gain height.

Hasth flew on, and as long as she did, so did her chasers. Cherith wasn't going to give up now, and neither, it seemed, were his rivals. Hasth crowed out a challenge to her suitors, and Cherith bugled in reply. He would dare.

[Zara]

Hasth was Impressed by the new comer's audacity. Cherith, Moruth, Ildardeth, I will test you!

She was getting tired now. She couldn't fly as fast as before. She had only so much longer in her Flight, but she was determined to Fly until she could fly no more. Now it would come down to a competition of another kind. Less of speed and more of acrobatics. She roared and climbed again then, quickly rolled away, turning so she ended up facing the opposite direction as she had before and climbed again. She dipped and dived and flew around and rolled. She wasn't done. She now had three suitors who had Impressed her. Three to choose from. Three were too many. She needed one and still, she wanted the best... But was there one dragon that stood out more...? Not yet.

Come! Prove yourselves, my suitors! She spun again and started to plummet towards the ground from her height, stopping just below the clouds. Only so much longer.... But they had to prove themselves. They most definitely had to.

Cassondra walked up in front of the three men, looking at each one squarely in the face. She didn't consciously know what she was doing. Her movements were alluring. Her expression was a challenge. What kind of challenge exactly, she wasn't certain.

The Green, meanwhile, flew out again, moving in quick, acrobatic movements in the air, daring them to follow suit. But she was slowing. She could feel it. And it filled her with a certain since of dismay.

A'lik. L'cal. N'kron. Moruth. Cherith. Ildardeth. They were the men and dragons who had the honor of the three Hasth wished to choose from. And Cassondra as well. Cassondra knew, subconsciously, she could influence the choice of her dragon, but she refused. she had to let Hasth choose who she would choose.

[Night]

She hadn't chased him off! Thrilled to his bones, Ildardeth wove around in the sky. His slim body, incredibly flexible and agile for his size, slid between the other two males as he made one pass even. He was having fun with this! It was his first flight so maybe he didn't have the experience, but he had the energy and a tender heart to match. Crooning at the green who was leading him on this wonderful adventure, Ildardeth tried to send as many feelings of wonder and happiness as he was experiencing himself.

I will chase you until my wings drop off Hasth! I am yours forever if you wish it. Going with her movements as she dropped and climbed, bent right and maneuvered left, the brown let his wings arc gracefully through the sky. He knew she was tiring fast, and so was he after the sprint here. He still had energy left though, and he'd use every bit he could scrape out of his flesh! I follow My Queen. Yes, Ildardeth had even dared to call the green his Queen. Why not? To him, he was as perfect as any Gold could ever dream of being.

Diving as she slid her wings back, Ildardeth let his wings hang by his sides. He had nothing to fear in this moment filled with flightlust. He trusted the green that was in front of him, and he trusted his own body. The rushing ground didn't matter at all, he'd do anything to prove himself for the dragoness he sought. Crooning, Ildardeth sent one final message to the green at least until she decided to either choose a mate or give them another test. I will not stop trying to prove myself. Simply give me a task, and I will give my all to complete it.

In the weyr, N'kron's skin was getting hot and itchy. He needed out of his clothes, he needed out of his skin really! The brownrider eyed the greenrider Cassondra and started to reach out for her, only to stop as his hand hit his side. No! He couldn't just attempt to claim her for his own like that. It wasn't proper, a Green or Gold it didn't matter! All riders of a female dragon deserved to choose their partner and not be forced with one. Still, that didn't make waiting any easier, and as he watched the woman, the hunger in his eyes was most definitely evident.

[Akira]

Even though he hadn't caught her, his spirits were still high. He still had a chance to claim this as his own victory. He opened his large jaws and snapped them at the newcomer. In any other situation himself and the other brown could have been friends. Since they were both competing for the same prize, there would be no friendship created between the two. The larger brown dragon roared once again as he followed Hasth higher into the sky. He was a very large dragon, which put him at a disadvantage when it came to aerial shows of acrobatics. His large wings beat hard and fast as he did his best to prove himself to the green dragoness. He rolled and dived after her, mimicking her every move with his own.

Your Moruth will prove himself better than all others Hasth! He called out to the female, even though he was getting tired, and could feel his strength slowly fading away, he wasn't going to give up until Hasth was either caught, or his wings gave out on him. He roared and tucked his wings in close as he dived after Hasth, coming out of his dive just under the cloud level. A'lik on the other hand was starting to shift his weight from foot to foot as he watched Cassondra with a predatory gaze. He had always liked the woman, but with the lust of his dragon flowing through him, he wasn't sure if he could keep his hands to himself. So he balled his hands into fists as the sat at his sides, eagerly waiting the end of this torture.

Moruth could see that the green was slowing down, which gave the large brown some hope. He beat his wings against the sky, hoping to keep up with the green. He was tiring, and his wings wouldn't be able to hold him in the sky for much longer. So, in one last ditch effert, the male roared out his difience, and put his entire being into one last push. He reached out to catch the green, not really knowing if this last attempt would be in vien or not. He knew that the new brown had more energy than himself because he entered the flight later. Cherith on the other hand, was another large dragon who had been in this flight since the begining, so if Cherith was the one to chatch Hasth instead of himself, the brown wouldn't mind, but loosing her to the new brown would drive him nuts! At least, it would until he came out of this mind set, and became his normal self again.

[Kitsuneko]

The flight dragged on, but Cherith could see that Hasth beginning to tire now, her flight slowing down. He followed her, dogged as ever, and bugled encouragingly to her. The flight had already dragged on for a long time, and the bronze was happy about this, and happy that she was still encouraging him, along with the two browns. Any one of them would be a good mate for her, but Cherith intended on it being him, nonetheless. Still, he wouldn't be too put out if one of the browns won the green.

The flight turned from a test of speed to a test of acrobatics, and back in the weyr, L'cal grimaced. Cherith was big and strong and fit, but agile he was not. Only now did the bronze struggle to keep up with the green beauty. The bronze's big, bulky body was not so aerodynamic as the smaller dragons, but he refused to give up now.

[Zara]

Hasth looked bkack just as Moruth attempted to catch her and gave a small croon. Yes. He would be the one. He had proven himself. He had strained from the beginning with all he had. His determination was what made him her winner. Yes, Catch me... My Moruth. She didn't move away. She was tired and he had proven himself. She let herself just fall until he caught her. It would be the strength he still had that she relied on. The Green was a small dragon, but she had flown hard and long, especially for a dragoness such as herself. And he had tried to keep up with her, even as the Flight had turned to things much more difficult for larger dragons than smaller ones. He had done well. And he had one. He would be her King, her prince, whatever you wished to call it, in this Flight.

Cassondra moved quickly to A'lik, reaching out to wrap her arms around him.

((so sorry about the short ending post... ^^'; ))