The Promise of a Sunrise [Gold Flight]

[memerina]

The light of the early morning crested the horizon of Fort Weyr, bathing the world in a warm orange. The Autumn sun had been getting gradually slower to rise since the Summer, and thus, it had risen when a good handful of the Weyrfolk were already awake, out and about doing their jobs. The atmosphere remained calm and positive; people could rest in the knowledge that Thread wasn't due to rear its ugly head today.

Almost to spite the beautiful sunrise, Ustreilith had become her own glow in the past couple of days, shining like a beacon of hope for the Weyr, even if right now, she was antsily cooped up on her dragon-couch, waiting for the perfect moment to emerge into the Weyr. To show the world what she was made of. This was only her second Flight, and while no part of her was worried about how much weight she carried, an itch in the back of her mind concerned her. What if nobody turned up?, she thought to herself. Hopefully that wouldn't have been the case, and it didn't help her that her preferred times to rise were, well, first thing in the morning. At the very least, she didn't care what chasers she got, as long as someone out there could see her and pay her attention.

No, she thought - there was no use dwelling on it. She had to go now.

It's time to go, she said, plainly, standing up and making her way towards the weyrledge, her eyes burning with violet-red light.

Katelline, still half-tucked under the sheets, slightly lifted herself to face her dragon. In a quiet, half-asleep voice, she said, giving a glance to the candle on the wall. "...7am? Are you sure? That'll piss someone off."

What are they going to do? Argue with a dragon?? When nature calls, it calls.

"Fair," the rider said, trying to force herself awake. "I'll... draft up the thank-you letter to Kreta." She was, in a way, a little bittersweetly sad to see Kreta replaced; she knew the day was coming, but she liked and got on well with the woman. She definitely liked her more than the current Weyrleader, at least, but she kept those opinions firmly to herself for the sake of not starting any political drama.

Ustreilith spread her wings and jumped into the warm, orange sunrise, allowing the wind to slowly bay her down towards the herdbeast pens. She sank her teeth into a herdbeast, being careful not to gorge, allowing the blood to run freely down her gullet before leaping back into the air. She soared high, the beautifully coloured sky serving as a backdrop for her endeavour. She wouldn't bother too much with tricks and acrobatics; she figured that she enough was a spectacle to behold without having to rely on stunts.

Fort Weyr, I demand your attention! she called, roaring with passion. These skies are mine, today, and I invite you all to join me in a glorious chase.

[thefaeriesfyre]

Bronze Tasikheth

I won't stop you.

A'lin - Molly to those close to her - watched the sky with apprehension. She and Tasikheth had left the weyr for every gold flight for many Turns. It was only recently that she had felt able to stay, to overwrite a handful of terrible days with the experience of life working the way it was intended. Tasikheth had stayed out of the air for his rider's peace of mind even though he had long forgotten each of the days that left their mark on her.

If things went even a little bit sour, he would bail.

The early morning hour and the bright sunrise went a long way towards assuaging Molly's fears. Tasikheth followed Ustreilith into the air, forgoing his own herdbeast. His attention was fixed on the young queen.

You have my attention, certainly. The big bronze was one of the lankier specimens, but a worthy addition to any Flight - gold or otherwise.

[nineofswords]

Brown Dioth

It was early, and L'fy wasn't an early riser, so he wasn't alert enough to object to a flight. Not that Dioth thought he would, since this was a gold flight. True, it wasn't the Weyrleader position, but Junior Weyrleader might be a better trial run anyway. Dioth wasn't terribly fond of Serapheth, after all - she could be unnecessarily cruel and capricious - for all that she was his Queen, and he'd serve her to the end of his days and fly for her whenever she called.

But Ustreilith was a far kinder queen, and Dioth took to the skies at her call after taking a moment to blood so he would have the energy to keep up with the gold's flight. Good morning to you, fair Ustreilith he called up to her as he took his position with her other suitors. The skies are indeed yours to command, as are we all, and I would be honored to be counted among your chasers on this glorious morning.

[Arcane]

Brown Ogatath

Daphne stared at the golden dragon rising in the skies. The stirrings of envy were less than they had once been, but some wistfulness remained, a bit dreamy, with the lingering morning fatigue.

Not for the gold herself anymore. Ogatath had been in Daphne's mind so long, she could barely imagine another set of thoughts interlaced with her own anymore. But to be so cherished, pursued, desired...

Think I'm in the mood for some flying, Ogatath grunted.

Daphne glared at him, But what about Scrappith? I have raised you to be a gentleman- a loyal gentleman. One who understands chivalry, fidelity, romance.

Ogatath just shook his head. There was no time to argue right now, when other pursuers were already taking to the skies.

I'll explain later. Again. Lock your door, he grunted. Flight trysts didn't look like Daphne's daydreams- they weren't for her. Once he heard the lock click, he launched himself from his ledge and swooped towards the herdbeasts, ignoring Daphne and the lingering impression of her disapproval.

He grabbed the fattest he could find and let the blood pour down his throat, pure liquid life, vitality, energy that he would need for the chase ahead.

And then he rose, gaze lingering admiringly on the queen.

She didn't bother with tricks, so he didn't bother with tricks better suited to a smaller dragon. Instead, he flexed his muscles a bit, hoping she'd notice despite the distance what a well-built dragon he was, and showed off his strength and power with his rapid rise and hairpin turns.

Ustreilith was a true queen, regal, demanding, territorial in the moment of flight. But Ogatath wasn't built for obsequious obedience. She'd like him for who he was or she wouldn't.

You don't need to own the skies, or issue formal invitations, or wield any fancy tricks or pretty words, you know, Ogatath said, You've got our attention. We'll chase, because you're you, strong, beautiful, dutiful.

Ogatath might not have had Daphne's yearning for one true love, but they'd been intertwined long enough he only chased dragons he genuinely liked. Anything else felt wrong.

But my compliments to whoever oiled you. Your hide's radiant today.

[MothyCake]

Blue Arachoth

Well, normally, the blue wouldn't chase a gold dragon, but this wasn't Serapheth. There was less of a risk of being knocked out of the sky, so he had to try, right?

Though, if it wasn't for Shulk insisting for him not to chase Serapheth, he likely would have chased her regardless of what happened.

The blue was quick to join the other two dragons, flapping his wings to catch up and looking at the gold dragon- Ustreilith- with an excited look in his eyes.

"Oh, beautiful Ustreilith, I hope you have a wonderful flight! You fly as beautifully as a butterfly!" He had a cheerful tone in his voice, as he usually did.

[Calingaladha]

Garnet Alubrath

A flight? An early flight. Who was this randy this early?

Alara thought she still would be able to catch some more sleep before her duties started, but rising dragons were hard to drown out, no matter how firmly she buried her head under a pillow.

Gold? Now there is a treasure to seek. Alubrath commented as she saw the glimmer in the sky. The tip of her pink tail twitched like a cat watching its prey. She was never able to get gold on her treasure hunts.

"Knock yourself out. Just try to be quiet about it?" Alara murmured, muffled from underneath her pillow sanctuary. She didn't bother going to lock her door. Maybe another warm body would be nice in the absent of her bonded pink companion.

I will try. I make no promises for anyone I might catch. Alubrath remarked as she took to the early morning skies, the hue of her hide blending in nicely with the glows of sunrise.

A treasure such as yourself deserves one who can appreciate them. Allow me to seek such a precious jewel as yours. The garnet crooned with her usual cheer to Ustreilith. She didn't take much for blood before heading after the young queen. She felt quite energized, and the cool morning air was refreshing as she rose in pursuit.

[Fel]

Bronze Shainith

It was early. Well, not early early, but early by the sun's reckoning. Tana was already awake, the rising habits of a Trader who had to get moving with the dawn to hopefully reach another market by sunfall difficult to break. Shainith, however, was not. He was still asleep, twisted on the side of his back haunches, forepaws up in the air, occasionally twitching in the depths of some dream.

Tana sometimes wondered why it was she could hear his other thoughts, and he hers, but they didn't share dreams. On the other hand, given the things she occasionally dreamed about, perhaps it was for the best. She reddened slightly at the thought, color springing suddenly to her fair cheeks. Why did she have to think about that--oh. Gold. Rising. And Shainith was no longer half so asleep as he had been.

Serapheth?! Her mind went back there immediately, to what Tuckal would be--

Ustreilith, Shainith corrected. The bronze had somehow stood up without her even registering that he was doing so, uncoiling like a viper. He was tense now, standing at the edge of his ledge like a branch that had been pulled back, ready to spring at a moment's notice. He didn't say a word, but his mind moved toward hers, seeking permission. He know what winning this flight might mean for her.

She'd held him back from things like this so often. Either it was Serapheth, who was terrifying, or it was the possibility of a position that required more-frequent contact with Tuckal, which was terrifying in an entirely different sort of way. A thrilling, aching sort of terrifying that she yearned for, but couldn't let herself consciously wish for. She has a weyrmate, she reminded herself. And sometimes it was just because the thought of having to lead anyone was terrifying in and of itself. But then, so had the idea of becoming a rider, and she'd done that. So was fighting Thread, every single time no matter how much she tried to tell herself that she'd get used to it, and she'd done that too. She could handle... whatever this led to.

Tana nodded, sending her silent assent.

Without hesitating even for a moment, Shainith launched himself into the air. The cool morning air filled his wingsails with a rush as he snapped his wings open. There was nothing like flying, and he allowed himself a few moments to simply enjoy the sensation of the wind lifting him, swirling around him. Trying to push him back. The wind and the sky were his home, but the wind was also his adversary. It strove to slow him down when he only wanted to go faster.

Well you're not getting the better of me today, he thought fiercely at the wind, narrowing the profile of his wings a bit as he all but sliced through it. He was small for a bronze, his strength unimpressive, but speed? He knew speed. He knew how to defeat the wind, at least for a little while. Ichor racing through his veins, he arrowed after Ustreilith. She was a shining beacon in the soft morning light, and for a moment--for just a moment, mind you--he thought he understood a little of what his rider felt when she looked at Serapheth's rider. He wanted her. Not to possess her, because who could possibly possess anyone with that sort of raw, instinctual, effortless power? But to feel her near him. To know that someone like that could see something worth having in him. Just... him, as he was.

And then the moment was gone, and he reveled again in the sheer wonder of flight. Joy practically poured from him as he urged himself to greater speeds, zipping through the sky like an eel through coral. This was wonderful!

Your skies are amazing, Ustreilith! he called. He pinned his wings tight to his body and did a quick barrel roll, just for the fun of it. Even if he had to make up the lost altitude, the exhilaration of that moment of freefall, the slightly dizzying changes in direction... they were just incredible. And to experience them while seeing her. That made it all the better.

Though wasn't he supposed to say something nice about her, not just about flying? Oh, right. He definitely was. Though... um... they're far more amazing for your presence. Or rather, I know you're always here, but today you... make them more special. That was it. He'd definitely flubbed it. Flirting was hard.

[Windra]

It would be Dazth - again - the big brown who glowered at other males who dared approach the feeding grounds. He wouldn't stop them, of course. Competition was more likely to send the gold's eyes his way as he surpassed them all. The brown would not fight. Not attack. How asinine .. but he could certainly wish ill upon all of them but Ustreilith who called the sky her own.

He was bitter, still, about Serapheth's flight. And then the green - immemorable. But to have lost ... Cr'dile's fury was present although not upon his bonded. The man would never snap at Dazth. Buggy bore the brunt of that frustration, constantly being chased off as some kind of petty nuisance.

He sunk his teeth into a bucking herdbeast and sucked every last bit of blood dry. A flock of fire-lizards took over the carcass when Dazth ascended, crimson staining his maw. Let us leave the unworthy behind and dominate the sky!

[FirebrandPhlox]

Bronze Burranth

The early morning sun spread glimmers of warm light across the waking weyr, though the heavenly body was not the only shining light that morning.

Ustreilith is rising, Burranth commented from his perch, where he was laying in the warm beams of light. As the queen ascended higher into the sky, so too, did he stand and stretch from his lounging position, tracking her movements carefully as he shook off the morning sluggishness.

"You're ah, taking your sweet time, aren't you?" M'lcolm hollered playfully from his bed, where he was by no means one to judge his dragon for a late start.

Don't take my observation for laziness, the bronze shot back. Or do you not want me to chase and try to win you the position of Junior Weyrleader?

"No, no!" M'lcolm yelled, scrambling from his lounged position, quickly shoving legs into a discarded pair of trousers. He would happily make use of the flight lust to finda willing partner to share sometime with. "We wouldn't want that at all! You get out there and show them what you're made of!"

Burranth chortled to himself as he spread his wings and glided to the herdbeast pen. He blooded just one, not wanting to be overladen and slothful in the flight. Once he had his fill, strong wings beat deliberately to bring him to the skies, joining the growing pack of suitors following the gold.

You've picked a lovely morning for a flight, Ustreilith! And you're looking as radiant as ever! Burranth called as he banked wide to try and catch the queen's periphery. I would be honored to share these skies with you. Other company notwithstanding.

[Agenothree]

It was a beautiful autumn morning, and A'yri was well awake to greet it. Buckling himself into his riding leathers, he detected Deararth's sudden change in demeanor, his brown's focus shifting elsewhere. It was enough to confuse A'yri, knowing Deararth to be a dragon that was very singularly focused and not easily swayed from his thoughts. What is it? he asked of his brown. Ustreilith rises to meet a new dawn... Deararth answered, going quiet as he considered carefully, until he spoke up again decisively. And I would meet it with her. A'yri smiled and nodded once. Good luck! he encouraged. Show her what you've got.

Deararth intended to do precisely that. Getting to his feet, he leapt from his ledge, landing on top of an unfortunate herdbeast to blood, followed by a second. Lifting his eyes skyward to find Ustreilith's radiant form, he spread his wings to his full span, his forked tongue sweeping across his muzzle to catch a few stray drops of blood. Ready to meet his queen in flight, he took a running start before lifting off in a single mighty leap, soaring to join Ustreilith and her other suitors. By your command, Ustreilith, you've my singular and undivided focus, Deararth greeted, his voice as strong as every pump of his wings.

[memerina]

An incredible turnout, just as Ustreilith liked.

Her eyes still spun with violets, but she was pleased. Plenty of dragons had shown up; it was good to see that she still had it in her to command attention just as well as her mother did. But, of course, she had to make a decision - she could only choose one to be Kreta and Eseath's successor and a hopeful father to her next clutch of children.

The sun, by now, had peered further over the horizon. Ustreilith's silhouette marked the sky, as her chasers followed her into the beautifully painted backdrop of the morning. Each one had such loving words for her; by now, it was like they knew what she wanted. She needn't tell them what to say, she didn't have to guide them. She was a guiding light, the Junior Weyrwoman of Fort, a title she would hopefully carry for as long as she could. She knew her shine could only be eclipsed by Serapheth, and while she did feel jealous, from time to time, she kept that to herself for the sake of staying on amicable terms with the Senior Queen. She was content with being the second most radiant dragon in the Weyr.

Her choice would be written in records, in scrolls. In history. She had to pick wisely.

She looked back at each of her chasers, sizing them up carefully-- she knew. Of course, she knew who she wanted. There was a clear standout, for her, and while she couldn't put words as to why, one stood above the rest and she had to trust her gut.

Tasikheth, she stated, to the Bronze. Come with me, and together, we will show Fort our strength.