Beyond The Impenetrable Gates [RUN]

[nineofswords]

It had been a tumultuous turn. They had left home, traveled to Semaca, added a new wherlet to the family, and helped defend their new home, then spent months working to get Thornsk back to her full strength in the aftermath of the spotty attack. And as Rosethorn noticed the subtle glow beginning in Thornsk's hide, it would appear that this turn was going to continue the theme of big events.

This was not Thornsk's first run, nor her first clutch. But it would be her first at Semaca, and perhaps more importantly, her first after her leg injury. She still couldn't put weight on it, and likely never would again per the healers. Thornsk was still a formidable garnet with only three legs, but Rosethorn would be a liar if she ever said she hadn't been a little worried about when this day would come. Runs were taxing affairs, after all.

When the night finally came, it was a clear one, not a cloud in the sky, the stars out in force, the moon a barely visible crescent, with a consistent breeze that kept it from getting too hot. A perfect night for any wher's run. Rosethorn didn't need her partner to say anything to know tonight would be the night. "If I told you to take it easy, would you listen to me?" Rosethorn grouched.

No, Thornsk answered honestly. Soft runs make soft babies. Need strength to survive here. Even if her run did not produce eggs, she would rather push herself than risk a clutch that would not survive should the spotties return. The garnet slipped off into the dark, letting her instincts take over.

Have fun, darlin'! Rosesk called after her.

Semaca, Thornsk called out as she blew through the gates on her three good legs. I run. Who join me in jungle? Who brave enough to chase? Her suitors had to be strong, had to be willing to face the dangers of the jungle with her if they hoped to stand any chance of catching her.

[Calingaladha]

[NPC blue]

It wasn’t long before a shadow in the trees began to follow the garnet, soft snorts accompanying the footfalls of a chaser. A navy blue wher of uncertain origin broke cover. His reply was somewhat guttural, and nearer a growl, but still clear enough.
I chase. Maybe help make clutch. You strong.

He ran, not quite at his fastest, but enough to show off his agility and his strength. Runs were a time for a little showmanship, after all. He added a low bugle for added effect, eyes mostly affixed to the garnet, but also on the lookout for rivals that will surely have caught the call by now.

[Agenothree]

It was rare that Kaask troubled himself to acknowledge affairs other than his bonded, but a voice echoing through a clear and calm night had him lifting his head from his paws, to pay her heed as she was owed. It was a strong voice that befitted a strong wher, one that made him aware of how his instincts surged forward, pushed him to give chase, to show his bravery as she commanded, to join her in Semaca's jungles under a crescent moon. Getting to his feet, though he forced Talikaa to move from where she rested against his body, all he did to alert her to his intentions was a rumble in her mind, to which she responded in a simple unspoken agreement. After that, he vanished into nearby undergrowth, hardly making a sound before emerging again not far from where Thornsk ran. Kaask braves jungle, he said in response to her summons, seeing no point in wasting his efforts trying to woo her, as lesser whers might. Saying nothing more, he focused his energy on his performance; his strength, his stamina, his will to endure and carry on that would lead to strong offspring, should she choose him.

[Grayson]

Odalisk chase. The big bronze's mind was made up in a moment; he nudged the door curtain aside and headed out towards the night, wings folded tightly into his spine as he started to gather speed across the Weyr's night-time grounds. He wasn't good at accelerating, but once he got up to speed he could stay there for a while.

Basilin, meanwhile, pulled the door curtain back across the entrance of their room and sighed. And you give me trouble about chasing skirts, he sent to his bondmate.

Thornsk no have skirt, Odalisk replied to Basilin, amused - but then his attention shifted to the run, to the garnet ahead and to the dangers of the territory they ran through. Here in Semaca, whers were not the biggest, toughest thing to be encountered.

Odalisk go in mines after collapse, he stated to the pack, and to the wher leading them all in her wake. Odalisk bravery not question.

[Dragon]

Odalisk was a friend, but tonight he was Goranask's rival. They both were running after the strong Garnet Thornsk, and only one of them could win the night ... not that they were the only ones chasing. Still, the bronze thought that he and Odalisk were the best choices tonight. Maybe it was hubris, or maybe one of them would be the one to father the next clutch at Semaca.

Goranask chase! Brave the jungle! He had hurt his leg in the incident where he had lost his first handler, so he could sympathize with Thornsk's pain ... but he also admired her strength. She was a beautiful wher and Goranask would be proud to father her clutch.

[GalaxyMir]

NPC Garnet Cynerysk

Cynerysk smelled the air with contemplation. It was a good night indeed. The call to chase was too tempting to let it slide, all ladies deserve choice when they run. The wher turned to her handler I chase, stay out trouble.
and joined the pack running towards the jungle.

"Forsk yeah ! Get that lady Cynerysk!" . Cerys whooped, punching the air, excited for her partner to mingle with a lady.

Bravery not needed when others there. I endure jungle with you She called out to Thornsk , looking at her competion.

[Windra]

The big brown was prancing impatiently by the doorway of Zinaida's sweatshop that evening. It was easy to forget how small he was in comparison to dragons when his massive shadow swept to and fro. "What's gotten you so worked up?" she queried, brushing sweat from her brow. He was musky. She doubted the scent came from the heated metals at her mercy.

Zinsk was quiet for a long time. Sometimes he was like this when an answer formed in his brain long before it could roll from one mind to the next. But now he sat - momentarily, head cocked to one side - and immediately jerked back to his feet.

Thornsk runs. I chase.

Zinaida could not argue with him. No point there. Boys would be boys. Zinaida sighed. Go make me some grandbabies.

From the lower weyrs he emerged, the stench of sweat intermingled with slag. Jungle humidity was tapering now that the sun had set but the residual mugginess left a thick sensation in his lungs. His muted brown body burst after the hunt, far behind the others but catching up quick. Thornsk's glow was not so far that he could not see her.

Words formed but took their time, conceived from the moment he was past Semaca's safety and born as he shadowed the other males. Two bronzes, a brown, a blue, and a garnet.

Fear no cat, he rumbled. Let us run.

[ShelbCake]

Brown Gesk

"Chase." That was all Gesk said as he looked towards the other whers. Genn noticed and chuckled a bit. Of course, Gesk was going to be as quiet as always when it came to chasing Thornsk. Gesk gave a nod before beginning to join the other chasers.

It seemed like this would be a bit of a challenge. Good, just the way Gesk liked it. He gave an affirmative nod towards Thornsk, making it clear that he would not be upset at her choice.

For now, he would just enjoy the chase.

[Kitarial]

Bronze Sanvisk

It would seem a garnet was running, and Sanvisk, as always, was inclined to chase. Sitting still was never something he was good at doing, and it was fun to get out and see what each wher wanted as they ran. In this case, the garnet in question wanted to run in the jungle, which was intriguing. She wanted strength? He could do that.

Sanvisk strong. Sanvisk fight spotty before. Sanvisk will chase Thornsk.

He joined the other chasers, smoothly loping along at a reasonable pace. He didn’t push or jostle, the big bronze content to see where the run took them and just move. His gaze on the garnet was approving, strength was important. Strong whers made strong babies, and strong babies would survive and grow to protect the Weyr.

[nineofswords]

Garnet Thornsk

Thornsk ran fast through the night, pushing herself, the bum leg not seeming to slow her down enough to matter. The jungle provided a wonderful course to test her suitors on, with fallen logs, ground slick with nightime dew, large rocks, and even a sizable stream half choked with fallen foliage. She followed the stream a fair way, using the cold water to numb her the pads of her feet so she could push herself farther; they were unused to so much abuse in such a short span of time, particularly after such a long period of convalescence.

She was not ready to be caught, but she spared some of her attention to those following behind. Some were boastful. Some pragmatic. Some simply unafraid. But all had the strength to follow her into the danger of the wilds. All were worthy in their own ways.

Little farther, she urged her chasers. Come. Show me what you made of. Let us push selves to limit.

[Dragon]

Bronze Goranask

Farther. Goranask could go farther. He could show Thornsk that he was worthy - and that she was worth it. He gave a little leap as they ran along the stream, fluttering his wings slightly as he did so, showing off his prowess as he gave chase through the beautiful night after the beautiful garnet weyr.

Push self hard. Show Thornsk I strong! He would, of course, keep enough in reserve to finish the run should he be chosen. He appreciated the muscular creature leading the run as he made chase, his whirling eyes locked on her.

The land was dappled in moonlight, the perfect scene for this run. Goranask had been on many in his twenty-three turns and even won a fair number, but each one got his full attention at the time they happened. Beautiful, powerful Thornsk deserve best!

[Windra]

Brown Zinsk

Zinsk was the type to put his marks where his mouth was - mostly because the act of speaking on account of boldness and bravery was a fool's game and it took him forever to get the words out of his mouth. His hulking mass pursued the others in silence with the exception of heavy breathing. The air was thick. Wetness beneath padded talons gave a sense of uneasy with each step, for one wrong move would send momentum sliding him in the wrong direction. Nonetheless, he gave chase.

More joined the hunt - a brown and bronze. Formidable and willing. Zinsk could be more of both. As Thornsk skirted the stream, the big brown wrongly calculated her trajectory across the flowing water. He leapt and realized his error when all limbs were airborne - for Thornsk had not crossed but merely trailed along. Zinsk's heavy body swiveled in mid-air, the overcorrection causing him to hydroplane briefly off the main course. He did not panic, instead allowing himself to slow enough to plod through muck and water until the ground was solid enough for him to dig in and propel forth with all his might. He had lost valuable speed in that mistake. It would not happen again

Splashes of jungle dirt soaked his hide in patches. He gave it no mind. It was simply part of the race. Now it was part of him.

[Agenothree]

Kaask cared not for those that ran alongside him, attempting to earn Thornsk's favor through witty words or additional demonstrations of athletics or acrobatics. To him, every wher here was irrelevant, minor distractions to be disregarded and bypassed; Thornsk had his utmost focus, as was her right tonight. Clearing fallen logs, digging his claws firmly into soft earth to maintain his course, his size more than enough to tear through foliage in his path, all were done easily, but not showily. Thornsk asked for strength and bravery in her suitors, which he would readily oblige. Weaving through a cluster of large rocks as he followed in her wake through a small stream, droplets of water shining along his dark hide, reflecting moonlight as he carried on. All Kaask gave in response to Thornsk's decree was a rumble of acknowledgment; he had said his piece before, which left it up to his performance to prove his value. There was a quiet strength to Thornsk that he respected, that had drawn him from his den and into Semaca's jungles; it was a question to his merit that he'd see answered, but her judgement soon to be heard.

[Grayson]

Odalisk lumbered on in Thornsk's wake. Except the bit with the water and the actual wake - his feet were fine, and running through water would just slow him down. Strong claws left furrows in the mud, instead, as he tried and mostly succeeded in keeping his footing, although he did end up with a long streak of mud on his side following an unanticipated slide-and-tumble.

Slides-and-tumbles happened; nothing was broken, so no problem. He picked himself up and carried on after the garnet, raw strength and sheer endurance holding him steady in the chase.

Odalisk made of wher, he replied for all to hear, perhaps a little confused at the question.

[FirebrandPhlox]

NPC Wild Brown

The large wher raised his head, listening to the thundering rumble of the run. A garnet was running, challenging any who would chase to follow her. The brown hummed a guttural call as he took off in pursuit. She wanted the brave to chase her through the jungle? This was his home. He braved the spotties and the dangers every day.

The brown merely let out a loud roar to announce his participation. He was strong. He was fast. He would prove to the garnet that she should be his.