[RUN] Midnight Racers

[GalaxyMir]

Riask knew it was time.

The garnet didn’t even need to tell Moriarty. The Junior Wherleader had noticed ; the extra burst of energy during drills, the way Riask’s hide began to glow as if oiled by the finest oil in the lands. Riask pawed the ground, sniffing the crisp winter air while Moriarty finished buttoning her wherry-hide jacket. ”You shouldn’t put it off any longer. Go have your fun Riask.” The woman said, stretching as she thought of the busy day ahead of her. ”Won’t do you any good if you do.”
She paused at the door, watching her wher with resignation. So much for getting work done today.
Moriarty right! Find you wher with handsome handler too! Riask gleefully teased, as she dashed off . Moriarty sighed again, quietly throwing her weyr door open to anyone who’d care to accompany her that night.

As the moon peeked from clouds, the garnet wher began to pick quite the pace, the land under her paws blurring into streaks of moonlit silver. She hopped over foliage, darting from side to side.
Hey Fort! Riask run! Promise fun race!

[Dragon]

It was a beautiful night, and Riask was a beautiful wher. Briosk lifted his head when she announced her run, shifting slightly and barely waiting for Briolette's nod before launching into action.

He was not a particularly verbose wher, but he did appreciate a fine hide and a good figure. Riask was slight for a garnet and Briosk took a moment to appreciate her glowing beauty before he spoke. Briosk join? Chase beauty.

He would not, of course, chase were he turned away; he wasn't rude. But he itched to follow after Riosk.

[nineofswords]

Brown Krusk

Krusk was bored. Sooooo booooored.

Which was not unusual for him, but normally he dealt with it by bothering his handler or antagonizing others while refusing to move. However, the garnet's call had caught him in a rare, energetic mood.

Chase, was all he bothered to say to Jackrum before he loped after the garnet. He wasn't especially pushing himself. Either she'd choose him or she wouldn't, and he wasn't going to bother expending the energy to care which way her decision went. You promise fun, better deliver, Krusk told her from where he was trailing at the back of the pack. Maybe lead into mud pile? Or goad stupid bronzes into fight. He cackled at the idea of it, not caring who heard his mean-spirited laughter. Faranth, maybe he'd even take the initiative to trip someone up with his horn.

Eh. Maybe. If he could trip them off a ledge or something, so they couldn't just lash out at him afterwards.

[Fel]

Fun? Alkysk sighed, thoroughly bored with the concept of having to work for fun. People never seemed to understand that fun was supposed to be serene. Relaxing. Getting oiled by your handler and lying nestled in a rock hollow that had previously been warmed by the sun.

He stood, stretching languorously. Chasing was a rather different sort of fun, and not one he always chose to engage in. Entirely too much work. But tonight... well, win or lose, perhaps he could convince Alkylacrylate to give him a break from duties. After all, he would have already put it so much effort, and wasn't that enough for one day? Yes, that would do nicely, he thought.

The compact blue ambled up to a trot, then a lope, and finally an all-out run, tearing after the garnet. Is good have fun. All work and no play make Jask dull wher. Alkysk wasn't actually sure who Jask was. Certainly not a wher he had ever met. But also good not spend too much energy on either. Best keep reserve.

[FirebrandPhlox]

Kichsk jolted his head up into the air, sniffing with the energy of a wher half his age. He had been lazing about the weyr, but the call for chasers caught his attention. He unspooled from his lounging position, rising to his feet with calculated precision.

"Where do ya think yer goin'?" Chess snapped at her partner. She was getting ready for the night's duties, and the sight of Kichsk going into chase mode made her chest seize. They had just been taken off of house arrest, it felt like. She couldn't do another turn locked in her room with just the grumpy wher for company.

Riask run. Chase. Kichsk growled at his handler.

"If'n ya go barrelin' out of here, we're gonna be locked up again!" Chess yelled. She could feel Kichsk's desire to run without abandon, to sprint through the wilds after the garnet. The feeling terrified her.

In control. Is natural. Kichsk rumbled, heading toward the door to their weyr.

"Ah'm comin' with! At least to the edge of the Weyr! Folks see ya runnin' by yerself, Ah'm gonna get in trouble again!"

Kichsk snarled in annoyance. The weyr was too small, and this was a sanctioned opportunity to run in the wild. Back home he would never have had to abide by such arbitrary rules and confinements.

But now he had Chess.

Fine. Keep up. He growled, shoving the door open with his mass. He took off down the hall at a fast trot, holding himself back just enough for Chess to catch up to him. As the weaved through the caverns of the Weyr, he kept just enough distance between him and Chess to make it clear he was not rampaging again, keeping his gait controlled enough to show he was right of mind. He made sure to give the denizens of the weyr enough berth to indicate he wasn't going to bite, but kept moving forward to show he was not to be stopped.

When he reached the edge of the Weyr, he shot off into the night like an arrow, sprinting to catch up with the rest of the run party.

"Ya better be back before sunrise!" Chess called out after him, her voice a tangle of frustration and defeat. Hopefully the Wherleader would see that she hadn't lost control of him, and that he was doing what critters do when they get the itch. She sighed, and trudged back to her weyr alone.

Kichsk stampeded through the night, his breath hot and heavy as he crashed through the brush. After much effort, he caught up with the wherpack. He pushed his limbs to the front of the pack, but kept just enough distance between himself and Riask to show that it was her choice if she wanted him to catch her. Good night for run. Kichsk panted as he kept the breakneck pace up. See what fun Riask promse.

[Agenothree]

Meisk was waiting quietly for Mei to join them when Riask's voice reached them. All of a sudden, his focus shifted from making ready for a new day to thoughts of pursuing her. Between drills and chasing a beautiful garnet, he could tell right away which would be more fun. Looking to his bonded, he whistled high in her mind, his intentions clear, but seeking her approval. Mei looked to them, realizing what they meant, and managed a small smile. "Well, Riask is promising a fun time...so you'd best not keep her waiting," she answered.

Meisk chirped agreement and thanks, trotting up to her to butt his head affectionately into her hip, before galloping to chase Riask. Finding a place among his fellow suitors, he whistled again, a wordless greeting to Riask. Riask run fun! Meisk glad be here! he added, his voice a rare addition on this glorious midnight race.

[GalaxyMir]

Riask’s muscles began to burn , limbs aching with every leap she took. She couldn’t keep this up much longer, no matter how badly she wanted to. Still, under the open sky, she spared a glance back, catching glimpses of her chasers. Brown and blue shadows streaking behind her in the dark, surprised by the presence of Kichsk.

It had been quite the chase, she’d be lying if she wasn’t flattered. So many wher showed up just for her. But the night would not last forever. Shehad to choose. Riask thank all! Was good fun, big fun! She announced, her gait dropping substantially, the pack drawing in close. Come Briosk ! More fun tonight, just us!