Red eyes swayed away from her gathering suitors, back to her ledge. Her rider seemed so tiny from here. The small woman standing in the rain, blonde hair plastering her face, arms wrapped around herself. Sereth knew the strength that could be drawn from that slight frame. The instinct was there. The fight, the need to protect, but there was so much doubt and fear that she was powerless to remove. Not with all these people around, their whispers and looks working under Nersha's skin. Gnawing on her from the inside.
Sereth's teeth dug deeper into the throat of her third beast at the thought. Anger surged as she drained hot blood from the carcass. Lifting her head she looked at the remaining herd, she lunged again. Her forepaw swatted the target, the blow forcing the animal down. Pinning it, Sereth sank her teeth into flesh again. In truth she had been sated at three, but her gaze travelled to the male's gathering around her. She was not the largest here. The usual method of outlasting them was not an option. More blood and she would last longer, challenge them more. They were used to larger queens. Larger, yes, but slower.
Done at last with her meal Sereth lifted her head and looked to their weyr. Her tongue licked the blood from her muzzle as she stared into the eyes of her rider. Nersha was frightened, she could feel it. The future scared her. She worried what would happen. If she could weather the storm ahead. How little she knew about herself. Red eyes bore into her, the dragon would not move without her answer.
Through the fear, through the pain. Retreating into their weyr Nersha surrendered her mind to the dragon. The fury, the desire, swamped her system. There would be no seeking of a partner this flight. Her attention was only Sereth's and nobody could take Nersha from her.
Turning to her suitors Sereth roared her defiance. Let them try! Prove they were the fighters they thought themselves to be. Turning from the males the gold dragon leapt two bounds before throwing herself into the air, driving directly upwards. She must get high, while the energy and rage was fresh. The higher she flew the stronger her clutch. She had to do this. For her children. The clouds were her target. Another flash, a few heartbeats, a threatening rumble. It called to her, tempted her. The sky would help her weed out the weak, the unworthy. The wind would fight them. The rain freeze them. The storm was her ally and, within it, she would find her champion.
Quote:
Round 1 Begins! Flight Mechnics can be found here Players will be quoted at the start of each round, if you'd rather not be quoted, just say so.
[Malcarreth Roll: +7 Size 24ft: -4 Last interaction: -1 Partook in Evmeth’s flight: -1 Actively sassed: -2 Total for round: 0 Total distance: 5]
And so it began.
Malcarreth answered Sereth's bellow with one of his own and dropped like a stone from his ledge, down onto a beast at the edge of the feeding pens to blood a beast. If there were other males around he did not note them, Sereth's primal call had his full attention. Barely had he touched down then he was launching himself into the sky again, struggling to gain speed from a standing start.
[Pycath Roll: +11 Size 32ft: - 1 Partook in Evmeth’s flight: -1 Total for round: 9 Total distance: 14]
Pycath had been waiting by the pens, for he was no fool. As he waited for the moment she would take off he paced back and fore and stretched his wings to keep the muscles warm. The last two gold flights had been won by a blue and a brown so why not another brown, indeed, why not Pycath?
When the Queen fell on her kill he maneuvered carefully, keeping himself well out of range as he snaked his head out to grab a panicked bolting beast by the throat. He hauled it clean through the fence, not that he cared. It might make it harder for the other males to grab an animal if they were minded to blood and so much the better for him.
He had been thinking about taking a second beast when Sereth took wing, he promptly thought better of it and sprang into the stormy skies after her with a shriek of challenge and elation.
[Regulith Roll: +6 Size 29ft: -2 Last interaction: +1 Total for round: 5 Total distance: 10]
This was said to a rather worried Lamira who lurked by the cavern mouth of her tiny weyr. So this was it, Regulith was going to chase Sereth. She couldn't help but be apprehensive, he hadn't given chase before and knowing what to expect wasn't the same as feeling it begin to happen.
Regulith had no such reservations; Sereth called and so he called back with his voice and with his mind, confidence in himself and awe of her glory. He sprang from the ledge and dropped down to claim a kill, relishing the hot richness of the blood as he drained it from the beast. There were other males around him, many, but none so great as he! Regulith raised his broad head and roared again, to Sereth first and foremost but also to his rivals. Let them see what this bronze could do!
As Regulith dropped onto the back of a beast Lamira flexed her hands, swallowed hard, and wished him well with all her heart.
Regulith welcomed the luck but he did not feel he needed it; he drained his beast and then he flung himself into the air after Sereth, his eyes whirling a vibrant violet.
(Roll: 9 Under 18 feet - 5 Prompt - 5 Interactions with Sereth? None Distance = 9 )
Vespeth fell onto the herd beasts from a tight dive,felling her beast with a snap and a crunch of bone and a pleased hissed, eyes swirling orange red. She had chosen well, hitting a large beast and she feasted, drawing hot blood quickly. She ran her tongue over her maw chasing away all the traces of the liquid before lifting her head towards Sereth.
She tipped her head and screamed out her own challenge to the queen before turning back to her kill.
Calanoth Roll: 3 Size 37ft: -2 Partook in Evmeth’s flight: -1 Headstart prompt: +5 Total for round: 5 Total distance: 5
It really didn't matter much who was flying. Sereth, Evemeth, that delightful little green who just popped up, or shaff, given the right mood Calanoth might have given Malcarreth a good run. All that really mattered on this rainy day was that there was a fine chase to be had and Sereth seemed to promise an even more interesting one than normal. Calanoth slammed into the ground of the feeding pens, pinning and crushing a thick beast beneath his claws. Half of the blood might have been lost to the earth below but Calanoth still did himself and Z'fer proud, answering the call of the queen and her challengers with a deep bloodstained bellow of his own before he launched into the air after her.
Tolgath Roll: 20 Size 40ft: -3 Headstart prompt: +5 Total for round: 22 Total distance: 22
Hey. Hey handsome. Why don't you go after her?
Tolgath cracked a lid and tilted his head just enough to watch the gold blooding her kills. Mmmmm too much effort. Not enough reward. He knew his limits. He didn't chase queens anymore.
Ehhh She's not much bigger than a green if you think about it. You've caught plenty of them. D'vika gave her bronze a bit of a nudge, even as she applied a touch of rouge to her lips.
Tolgath grunted but turned a slightly more interested gaze onto the scene below. A flicker of lavender touched the edges of his eyes. And if I do? He could tell D'vika had her own motives at work here. It amused him to no end though to make her work for it.
D'vika flapped her hands at him and gave a silly grin. Her hair bounced as she giggled. Her words came out in a rush of excitement. "Ok! So I might have told Tivesi that if she wanted she could visit my weyr when Sereth rose and I think she might actually do it and well you know!" She made a face at him. "It'll be fun! And here!" She spoke faster now as rumblings from various dragons could be heard. "Tomorrow once the rain lets up we'll go down and give you a proper bath, scrubbing oiling AND I'll sharpen and buff your claws? How about that?"
Deal! He huffed a kiss of hot air in her face and touched his nose to her forehead before he hefted himself and dropped from his ledge.
Tolgath soared over the feeding pens, even if the other dragons were finishing their kills and Sereth seemed about to leave if he wanted to stand a chance at all he would need to blood at least one.
Venaith Roll: 13 Size 27ft: -3 Last interaction: +1 Total for round: 11 Total distance: 11
Venaith arched his neck as the bellows from the feeding pens. The young bronze perked up immediately and quickly rose from his couch with a graceful stretch. Forgive me Pagerell mine, Sereth calls! The bronze was quick to his ledge even as his rider shivered in his furs from within.
"Must you?" It was silly of course. Pagerell had known his dragon would rise eventually and it came as no surprise that he did so for Sereth. Still, well, it was embarassing! Things of this nature might have been expected of the second son of a Lord Holder's line, encouraged even, but Pagerell was just not that type of boy! His pale cheeks flushed with the full effect of his dragons emotions.
I will be back before too long. Stay in where it is dry and warm please. The effect of Venaith's calm words were lessened somewhat by the intense violet swirling through his gaze. He leapt from his ledge, rising high in the air after the distant form of Sereth, too late to blood a kill of his own he would have to work with what he had.
My queen, beautiful Sereth! I am at your bidding! He surged upwards, youth and excitement driving him to catch up even as he radiated his message towards her. He was not here to capture her, to claim her or dominate her. He wasn't here to outshine her radiance with his own or to make her victory his. He was the mirror, the throne, the gems that reflected and enhanced her natural beauty and grace when in her presence.
Their answers, every single one of them, fuelled the fire within her. The flames licked at her hide, chasing her higher as her suitors pursued. She heard them. Her heart cried out for them. Yet she had to go higher. She could not submit to her desires just yet. It was too soon. No matter how much she wanted to turn and tackle a male to slake her need she could not. Her needs were secondary, it was the needs of her clutch that must take priority here. No matter what, her duty was to them. Always to them. Despite her desires she had to test her suitors, choose the very best male from them to sire her clutch. To make it strong. Still, there were different kinds of strength. It remained to be seen what kind of strength would triumph today.
She had not yet reached her target of the clouds as her steep ascent began to lessen. Altering her course she continued to climb, but more gradually, adjusting so that she could look down at the following pack. Her predatory gaze fixed on the ascending mass, Sereth and Nersha casting their judgements on the following.
Malcarreth, so Evmeth's little blue had taken up the call? Fancied himself to win two gold flights, in a row no less. He was welcome to try, they would see whether he could match her in flight. Hopefully he had not become arrogant after his success and didn't expect Sereth to fall into line.
There was always bound to be at least one brown in a flight, so Pycath's participation wasn't a surprise to them. Browns had speed and manoeuvrability that bronzes couldn't often boast and for Sereth's flight, it could very well be speed that chose the winner.
Dear, sweet, Regulith, of course he had been expected. The young bronze had shown wonderful loyalty to them. It was a pity they could not decide the future on loyalty, things would play out so differently if they did. He had youth on his side, that much was certain, and it was nothing to be sneered at.
A green, now that was entertaining. Still, if a blue could fly a gold, why not a green? Of course it would require some... interesting modifications to the usual method, but if Vespeth proved herself the best suitor in the skies then Sereth would not deny her.
Another brown, although a larger one this time. Really colour seemed to not mean much here. With the mix of 6th and 4th pass dragons the variety was humerous. Calanoth was a handsome fellow regardless and it would be interesting to see how he performed.
Now this one they did not know. Neither Sereth nor Nersha was able to put a name or rider to the bright bronze. This mystery dragon intrigued them. Would he be the one to triumph today? It would be unwise to underestimate the stranger.
Another youngster in the form of Venaith. The intricately patterned bronze was another welcome sight. The male was another among the small number that Sereth counted as loyal to her. He too was young. There was inexperience, but strength in youth. If he knew how to use it.
Something hard struck her wing and Sereth turned her face away from the males and up to the clouds. The rain was freezing. The cold droplets rapidly becoming hard pellets. That was enough admiring it seemed. Gritting herself the dragon once more forced herself up. There was a long climb ahead and her suitors had better be willing to take it, even with this new inconvenience. Sereth had allowed herself to be swayed, her attention misdirected. A snarl rose in her throat. Driving herself faster and higher she shut out her suitors. Their time to impress her would come, but for now they must reach the playing field.
Quote:
Round 2 Begins! It's begun hailing! It's fairly light right now, but every dragon loses one health point!
Vespeth snorted, the sting of hail bouncing off her hide as she chased. She ignored the little stings of ice against her skin as she focused on what really mattered, Sereth. She rumbled, approval underlining her words. She knew that no one controlled the weather but using it to an advantage, well, she would see how how well Sereth could do.
[Malcarreth HP: 12/13 Roll: +1 Size 24ft: -4 Last interaction: -1 Partook in Evmeth’s flight: -1 Actively sassed: -2 Previous round: 5 Total for round: 0 Total distance: 5 ]
The weather was not the best, to say the least. Malcarreth closed his innermost eyelids against the onslaught of hailstones, blanking out the sting of them striking his hide and making minute adjustments of his wings to take the most efficient course possible in pursuit of Sereth.
[Pycath HP: 14/15 Roll: +19 Size 32ft: - 1 Partook in Evmeth’s flight: -1 Previous round: 14 Total for round: 17 Total distance: 31]
Pycath screeched again, a savage otherworldly call in the vicious weather as his sleek muscles strained to carry him after the soaring gold. The air and the striking hail was cold but the blood of the herdbeast was hot in his veins, as was the call of the female above him.
Re'ka stood out on their weyr ledge with her eyes closed, head tilted back, arms spread to the sky.
Pycath called again, drinking in the strength and passion that was her as well as he. He surged forward.
[Regulith HP: 14/15 Roll: 19 Size 29ft: -2 Last interaction: +1 Previous round: 10 Total for round: 18 Total distance: 28 ]
Regulith bellowed again along with his words as he sought to gain height in the harsh conditions. Sereth didn't deserve a day like this, she should have a day of shining sun to rise.... Or was this better? Yes, this was better! A glorious flight on this hard day would show those who spoke ill of her the error of their ways!
Lamira blinked slowly, following the swarm of dragons with her eyes as she lent against the mouth of her weyr. She could see... yes, you could lose yourself in this quite beautifully. Maybe one day she would, it sounded like a good idea right now certainly but for this time her door was carefully barred. For this time she would watch, and as she watched and as she listened Regulith called again and accelerated.
Calanoth Roll: 3 Size 37ft: -2 Partook in Evmeth’s flight: -1 HP: 15 - 1 = 14 Total for round: 0 Total distance: 5
Calanoth bared his fangs for a second as the weather struck them, then closed his mouth quickly against the tiny pellets of ice. He was behind the majority of the pack, hanging back with Malcarreth and Pelgalath. Not the best of showings so far but they were flying straight into a thunderstorm. It wasn't the most brilliant of ideas. Was Sereth trying to get them killed? Calanoth's mind churned as he and Z'fer communed about the safety of this mission and the rider below considered the possible motives behind her timing and direction.
Eventually Calanoth shook Z'fer out of his mind and focused on the flight. Storm or not, he wasn't about to drop out. Not until she was caught or he was dead.
Tolgath Roll: 17 Size 40ft: -3 Hp: 16 - 1 = 15 Total for round: 14 Total distance: 36
Tolgath huffed at the pinpricks of hail striking his hide, a not so pleased nudge to distract his rider from her guest. You owe me big for this. A merry streak of blue flashed in his eyes none-the-less as he drove himself higher. As they rose towards the stormy clouds he was unpleasantly reminded of why D'vika insisted he keep working in a wing. He pushed himself forward but even now, early in the flight, he could feel the winds straining his wing muscles, muscles normally reserved for gentle gliding flights or short hunting bursts, not fighting storms and racing other dragons.
Still, he was rather proud of how quickly he'd surpassed most of the smaller dragons despite his late start. Maybe D'vika was right and he actually had a shot?
Venaith Roll: 14 Size 27ft: -3 Last interaction: +1 Hp: 14 - 1 = 13 Total for round: 12 Total distance: 23
Regulith was just ahead of him but at the moment Venaith was fine with that. The roaring ferocity of the brown on the other side of his clutchmate had the young bronze on edge. He was large, far larger than he or Sereth and Venaith couldn't be sure if he was being driven more by lust or rage. Venaith kept his distance from the modern dragon even as he sought to close the gap between himself and his queen.
As she approached the clouds Sereth turned her head to look back at her suitors. Oh, they were all following her like the devoted little mass they were. It was pathetic. Did they really expect her flight to be a simple chase? She'd called for warriors and yet none had so much as lifted a claw to prove they deserved to call themselves that.
Her gaze slid to Vespeth, the green hadn't been chased off by her competitors or the weather then. She didn't speak, but there was a feeling of approval for the green. Maybe she did plan it, maybe she didn't. (+1) Sereth wasn't one for chit-chat in a flight, but a well placed acknowledgement of her couldn't be ignored.
Regulith too called out to her. There was something charming in his devotion. (+1) She couldn't choose on that alone, but it would be interesting to see just what the young bronzes devotion would lead him to.
As the saying went, if you want something done right, do it yourself. If they couldn't instinctively fight, she'd just have to show them. Demonstrate what it was that she wanted from them. It was a pity almost, but she wouldn't hurt any of them too badly. Not if they had any sense in them anyway. Throwing herself upward Sereth vanished into the clouds. Once she was out of sight she twisted her body, tucking in her hips and directing her head downward, performing a tightly rolled turn that sent her down the way she just came.
Shooting down like an arrow she remained silent as she sped downward. As the gold reached the pack she began to twist, lashing out at each combatant as she passed. A swipe of claw, a snap of teeth, even a whack of tail. None of them would miss her lesson. This was what she wanted of her flight. This was what they needed to give her.
Each suitor received only one attempt at a strike as she continued downward. She didn't intend to fight them properly, no, too much chance of getting caught doing that. Instead she dove past the group, opening her wings and turning to speed away at a lower level. Down wasn't really good, but she had plenty of energy left to spare and they had a while yet to go. She could make up the height soon.
Quote:
Round 3 Begins! Sereth's decided to launch an attack to spice things up. Your dragon can dodge, take the damage or even strike back if they really fancy. The dice apply to each dragon in the order on the score list and are as follows:
There's also a bit of a dive and turn after the attack, so your dragon'll have to be quick to catch up. Bonuses are below and cancel out the other modifiers, so for this round these are your minimum rolls.
Health: 10 + 1 hit point for being muscular. (She should have started at 12) Even roll means she does damage and dodges Sereth's attack Distance 13+ 4+ 1 approval = 18 Total: attack 6 )
Vespeth purred watching the carnage in front of her and met Sereth head on, claws ready and clashed in a heated dance of ichor and passion. She sent, voice hot and promising, leaving behind traces of pinprick pain and burning warmth in her wake.
Shaddaling
Wrathful Shapeshifter
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TawnyAngel rolled 1 6-sided dice:
2Total: 2 (1-6)
TawnyAngel Crew
Predestined Inquisitor
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Posted: Wed Feb 25, 2015 12:12 pm
[Pycath - Attacking Malcarreth HP: 7/15 Roll: N/A, dive only. Size 32ft: - 1 Partook in Evmeth’s flight: -1 Previous round: 31 Total for round: 1 Total distance: 32]
He had to admit that the gold's sudden plunge caught him by surprise, as did the vicious rake of her claws down his flank. Pycath purred to Sereth even as he hissed in pain.
Twisting around in the air the brown made to follow Sereth but his effort wasn't really in it, what he was focused on was the small blue who was struggling to make up distance. It should have been his Re'ka who was chosen for wingsecond, not that fool C'tis, and anyway had Malcarreth not won Evmeth's flight? Surely Sereth would not be too pleased to have him in the air with her.
As soon as the spotted blue was near enough Pycath dove and struck out at his back with all four sets of talons.
[Malcarreth HP: 7/13 Roll: 10 Size 24ft: N/A Last interaction: N/A Partook in Evmeth’s flight: N/A Actively sassed: N/A Previous round: 5 Total for round: 12 (10 + 2 for dive) Total distance: 17 ]
Frankly he wasn't surprised. He could get out of her way or he could focus on closing the gap between them, and really it wasn't much of a choice now was it? Malcarreth's eyes flashed with pain for a moment as Sereth struck him and he struggled to get himself back on course, to make up some distance.
Suddenly, without warning, he was struck again and sent pinwheeling away and down with a roar of fury. he snarled, throwing his tail out to the side as a counterbalance to get himself back on course before powering forward once more.
[Regulith HP: 9/15 Roll: 15 Size 29ft: N/A Last interaction: N/A Previous round: 28 Total for round: 15 +1 (time) +1 (Sereth's approval from last round) = 17 Total distance: 45 ((Not sure if I did this correctly!))]
With the hail pounding down on him the inexperienced dragon was having to focus hard on keeping himself on course and as such the first he knew of Sereth's assault was the rake of her claws across his shoulders. The young bronze gave a yelp of surprise and almost collided with another male as his concentration was jolted.
So this was how flights were supposed to go? Regulith asked as he dived after the golden, ichor stained Queen.
Venaith (attacking Vespeth) Roll: 0 + 1 (time dragon) Size 27ft: -3 Last interaction: +1 Hp: 13 - 1 - 4 = 8 Total for round: 1 Total distance: 24
Venaith had just enough warning, seeing Sereth strike her first suitors to dodge out of the way but the moment the green's claws raked her hide he let out an indignant roar and his eyes flashed red. Fiend! He launched himself forward to defend his queen and in turn, felt her own claws strike home as they passed in the air. He struck out at Vespeth, ichor running freely from the gouge left by Sereth's claws. I will tolerate your presence if you choose to continue this farce of chasing green but I will take you out of the skies myself if you dare lay another claw on Sereth!
Shaddaling rolled 1 6-sided dice:
3Total: 3 (1-6)
Posted: Wed Feb 25, 2015 1:58 pm
Vespeth (Dodges - Response Roll Rolled a 3 - 4 = 1 Hit Points: 9 )
Vespeth snorted as the youngsters claws raked her side, voice dark with promise. She warned. She would strike back if he attempted that again.
Venaith snarled as he folded his wings to drop after Sereth. Try that again and we will see who finishes who. This is not your flight and you try my tolerance.
