Just Like Fire [Shadow Flight]

Ensieth erupted from between into the pens scarcely a foot above the suddenly scrabbling herd, immediately diving with a snarl. One beast went down, back broken by the weight of the shadow, and a second impaled on a talon.

"Blood, damn you!" Teagan snarled, ripping off her incredibly impractical riding jacket as she made her way into the flight weyr. "Only blood!"

Ensieth roared once, then gave into the will of her rider. She only needed a reprimand once before the she began on the second, and an injured straggler needed no such encouragement.

Teagan, meanwhile, was still cursing her dragon for her timing. They'd been through this six times, and Teagan thought she had the shadows patterns down. This was an aberration, and had totally thrown her for a loop.

Z'ash, she thought in a moment of clarity while Ensieth brought down a fourth beast. "Prism," she managed to say to the amethyst firelizard, feeling hot blood pooling in her just as it did Ensieth. "Go find him."

The firelizard chirped urgently and winked *between*, not needing to be told who he was.

She was used to warning, preferred her own weyr to the flight weyrs, to Z'ash being by her side the entire time. Everything felt... off. Except for Ensieth.

Having finished her fifth beast, the shadow was a gory sight of black and red when she raised her eyes and leveled them at the males around her. Good luck, both of them sneered as Ensieth launched herself skyward.

Fillioth didn't need luck.  He'd arrived at the pens sometime between Eniseth's third and fourth kills.  The sleek cobalt folded himself into a pre-launch crouch, waiting, watching Eniseth's every move.  When she lifted her head, he was ready, and his powerful hind legs flung him into the air a heartbeat after she launched.  On the ground, Cosenne entered the flight weyr on a low laugh, her eyes already overlaid with Fillioth's vision of burning blue sky and the fleeting shadow that was his quarry.

"Teagan," the cobaltrider said, her voice a purr of silk over skin.  "Well met, queenrider.  Well met indeed."  

***

Basilath remembered Aliseth's flight, but no one was telling him he couldn't play this time.  So he leapt into the air as soon as the shadow queen did, stroking his great brown wings hard against the sky.  Imioth had won a queen, but he'd done it early.  Basilath knew that was his only chance against the larger cobalts and bronzes.  He jostled and drove to get to the front of the pursuing pack and watched her every move closely.  Could he do it?  Could he win her?  

It would be awesome if he did.  

D'caen, too, found himself near the flight weyr, and followed someone else inside.  He caught a glimpse of the queenrider, holding her queen steady in her mind, like the experienced rider that she now was.  Three days ago she'd been a cute little girl.  Now she was the sole object of his focused desire (at least for the duration of Basilath's chase).  Perhaps it should have bothered him, but it didn't.  Every beautiful woman was a little girl once.  They all grow up sometime.  

***
Eniseth rises.  I wish to chase.

Anjelie was in the dining hall.  She'd heard about the eggs, of course, and planned to go there to see them... in time.  Right now everyone was over there gawking.  Apparently Yllaveth had welcomed an audience, but it struck Anjelie as improper.  Not the way things were usually done.  So she would wait.  Besides, she never enjoyed being in a crowd if she didn't have to be.  Too unpredictable, crowds.  

But when Spalkoth announced his intention to chase the shadow queen Eniseth, Anjelie surprised herself by dropping her full glass of juice and spilling it everywhere.  Before she could even apologize, someone had appeared and was cleaning it up, and Spalkoth was winging his way to the feeding grounds.  Then Eniseth was flying, and her Spalkoth was in the pack behind her and she could feel... OH! how she could feel his urgency, his deep desire and the burning of his wings stretching to their maximum to keep him in the running.  He couldn't keep it up for long... but he was chasing a queen!  

"Bluerider... is your dragon chasing?" someone asked.  Anjelie looked up to see the face of the Stillmaster overlaid over Spalkoth's view of sky and dragon wings.  

"Yes," she gasped.  The stillmaster nodded, and the next thing she knew, Anjelie found herself picked up like a small child and carried out of the dining hall.  Then she was back on her own two feet and there were bodies pressed all around, their wings jabbing into her, their tails jostling her, their elbows and shoulders rubbing against hers as she fought to maintain her presence in the pack.  

And hoped Aliseth would notice.

Devonith didn't hesitate, the bronze's instincts deeply, primally in action before I'zak could protest how crazy the last shadow had been.

So I'zak's feet might have dragged those first few steps toward the flight weyr, but there was no hesitation in Devonith, and before long, his rider's movements were just as purposeful.

*
N'set's grin was slow and beautiful, though no one was paying attention to him, including him. He left his jacket behind, knowing it would find its way back to him, and jogged to the flight weyrs even as Tsaveth through his own dark glorious self after the entirely tempting figure of the fully grown shadow ahead.

*
Gaveth would have battled Sidran, and perhaps gotten the edge this time, but they were out at the Hold beholden to them, passing on the news of arrivals.

Thankfully - Sidran hadn't yet reconciled the woman with the girl, and it was too soon for her to let Gaveth catch a queen. Soon, hopefully soon, but not yet.

Teagan rolled her head to one side when Cosenne entered, the first to arrive, and smirked, more than just a hint of Ensieths lust and fury in her eyes. "It's good to see you, Cosenne," she replied, her voice already husky.

Her eyes went vacant again, her view merging with Ensieths' to the bright blue sky. She was aware of the wide array of colors chasing her, and part of her reveled in it. Those silly males, in all their colors, and they had no idea what they were in for.

Teagan saw double, realizing how many people were in the flight weyr already even as Ensieth found a strong current and used it to execute a flip that had her flying in the opposite direction suddenly, leaving her pursuers to scramble to catch up.

Nolinth managed to almost perfectly imitate the shadows flip, stretching his wings to keep up with her. She was fast, very fast, and almost as muniverable as a green or scarlet. He tried to hang back, not wanting to push himself too far too quickly.

Much like I'zak, Jah'vi was almost dragged his feet into the flight weyr. But once inside, with the growing heat from the flight and the number of people in the room, those concerns began to melt away. He couldn't help but be drawn to Teagan.

The shadowrider had her eyes partially open, barefoot and stretched on her toes with a smirk on her face. Who was or wasn't chasing didn't concern them at that moment. The rush of the flight and the thrill of being chased was all either cared for.

Ordinoth hadn’t yet shown interest in chasing a female.  Then again, the only females around since the bronze had been mature enough had been the scarlets and greens in their class— as well as the two older greens that served as their instructors, so it wasn’t like he’d had much opportunity to experience the desire in the first place.

Rh’var hadn’t even considered the possibility that this might change so soon after they arrived at White Lightning.  Especially not the very next day.

It struck him hard, Ordinoth’s sudden switch from lazily watching over his clutch mates to sharp, intense focus on the shadow as she blooded her kills.  The young bronzerider staggered and nearly fell into the table he’d been about to sit down at, clutching the edge of the wood as he struggled to make sense of what he was feeling, seeing, hearing...

Shaking his head, he tried to blink away the images superimposing themselves over his own and forced the flightlust back— there was a protocol to this, he knew.  A place he was supposed to go— he couldn’t just let Ordinoth take over while he was still here in what served as the canyon’s dining hall.  Right?

“What is it?” someone asked.

“I don’t know,” another of his classmates (he thought) responded.  “Is everything— oh.  Oh. Rh’var, go.  Go on.  Ordinoth’s going after her, right?”

All he could do was nod for a moment, until a hand on his shoulder was pushing, more words encouraging him to get going already. “I’m going, I’m going,” he muttered, straightening and pushing away from the table, only to find himself standing in the entrance to the mess hall and having no idea where he was supposed to go— what might serve as flight wears in this strange canyon Weyr.

Ordinoth, meanwhile, had no questions where he was supposed to be, what he was supposed to do.  He was supposed to fly.  He was supposed to chase.  He was supposed to win.  

It was as simple as that.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Vorganth had two scarlets he could generally call his own, regardless of whether he won them every time or not.  But that didn’t stop the cobalt from keeping his eye on the bigger prize, from wanting a queen, from wanting to prove his own worth and showing up all the other males who gave chase.

He cared little for the hows and whys of Eniseth’s aging— at this moment, she was simply another queen, one who desired only the best males to come after her.  And he was ready to meet the challenge head-on.

And he was ready to win.

——————

R’fariel, himself, wasn’t really put off by the new Teagan.  He hadn’t known her well, and with Vorganth’s desire flooding him, spared little thought for the fact that she’d only been a young girl a few days before.  It wasn’t like he was emotionally invested in this flight, after all— this wasn’t Anarath or Nwynth his cobalt wanted to chase.  And this new Teagan was old enough to handle whatever any of the males threw at her, he figured.

So while he jogged towards the designated flight weyrs, he encouraged Vorganth to fly hard, fly fast, and go after what he wanted.  Why was there any reason to hold him back, after all?

Ensieth was still easily out pacing the males, her wings propelling her sleek black form easily through several complex banks and rises. She exalted in the freedom of flight, almost as if she was using it as an excuse to show that she was as acrobatic as her rider daring the males to try the same.

On the ground Teagan swayed on her tip toes, her mind aloft with her dragon. She could feel the wind against her face, could still taste the metallic tang of blood in her mouth. She saw as Ensieth craned her neck and bellowed displeasure; Manticath was not there yet.

The realization that Z'ash hadn't returned yet sent Teagan reeling, her brain briefly panicking. These weren't the riders she knew, where was Z'ash, the only one who really knew her?

Jah'vi reached out to steady the shadowrider, because the blood had drained out of her face suddenly. "Stay with us, Teagan," he said, attempting to be soothing but unable to hide the roughness in his timbre.

He was rewarded with a slap that echoed through the flight weyr, and a snarl from the queenrider. "Catch me first," she growled, eyes going distant again as she was caught up in Ensieth again, desire making her voice husky and low.

Jah'vi barely felt the slap, though, with Nolinth in his mind overpowering almost everything. But the contact, and the mild sting from her nails, had inflamed him past the point of just doing his duty to the Weyr. Get her, he encouraged his bronze, his eyes focused on the woman at the center of the chaos.

Filioth stroked his wings against the air.  His muscles were just barely starting to feel some strain, but he held a deep reserve of strength yet.  The cobalt fighter could see the darkling glint of Eniseth's hide ahead as she drew them outward, onward.  But the wily cobalt didn't give in to the urge to dart ahead.  Not yet.  He didn't know how he knew, but he knew.  She wasn't ready to choose... yet.  

***

Basilath's shoulders ached, but he fought on.  He wasn't out of this yet, though every moment stretched his capabilities.  He began to fall backward in the pack of dragons, not much, just a little.  Enough so that D'caen, on the ground, stumbled, and ended up jostling another one of the flight contenders.  

Don't give up, D'caen chanted to his brown.  You can do it.  Just a bit more.  Don't give up!

***

Spalkoth's chest and shoulders burned.  Anjelie felt as if her entire upper body were on fire.  Her entire lower body too, come to that, but fire of a different kind.  Despite his willing heart, the blue slipped farther and farther behind his competitors, until finally they were just specks against the unrelenting blue of the cruel sky.  He reached out, exhausted, to his rider.

come Anjelie said, shoving her way backward, away from the press of bodies around Teagan.  The feel of so much skin next to hers made her dizzy, and her mouth go dry with need.  She didn't like it, but then, again, she did.  She didn't understand it, and that was the source of her dislike, perhaps.  

Anjelie stumbled out of the flight weyr, flushed with lust and heat.  Her blue soared down to the canyon on exhausted wings, his head and tail hanging low in defeat.  

I am sorry.  I could not continue.  I have failed.

Never! Anjelie said, her mind sharp with vehemence as she forced herself to move, fighting to get outside to Spalkoth.  You chased a queen!  You dared more than any blue has!  You inspire me, my love.  You always have.  I am so very, very proud of you.  And so proud to be your rider.

Tsaveth shouldered Devonith hard, pulling even and edging ahead of the bronze.

Devonith had made the mistake of mirroring Eniseth's rises and falls, her arcs and banks, while Tsaveth had put on his hunter's focus, keeping to a straighter path while projecting their course ahead.

Eniseth was craftier than any herdbeast or wherry, and so Tsaveth's track wasn't perfect, by any means - still, enough to keep him in the race, and with a bit more energy than he might have had, otherwise.

On the ground, neither I'zak nor N'set made any move to echo their dragons' posturing above, rigid focus holding them back. N'set, who often had the air of a resting hunting cat, now prowled away, looping the edges of the scrum about Teagan, fists balled at his side as he held back from launching at a competitor. Not now. Not yet. Not here. Only the goal mattered.

Maraxith bellowed as the call went out over the air and Casriel cursed. They were just returning from patrol when the shadow queen had already blooded. Casriel directed Maraxith to set down only just, her fingers flying as she stripped the cobalt dragon of his riding gear. When he was free, she slapped him hard on the shoulder and covered her beryl bright eyes. The dust bit at her face as the cobalt vaulted skyward, the wind shivered under his roar of challenge.

A tizzy of a bugle answered the cobalt and Casriel looked up to see a blue dragon following her cobalt. She knew Thortoth by his dazzling coloring but spun on her heel. Casriel bolted for the flight weyrs, running as if chased. T'kal was ahead of her and she shouldered past the bluerider, causing him to stumble. The cursed he uttered at her back was lost to Casriel, though she could guess and she arrived, breathless and laughing. T'kal joined her moment later, red faced and sputtering.

It was Manticath who was in the back of the pack. He erupted over the Weyr after Maraxith and Thoroth had joined the pack and now was working double time to catch up.

Z'ash walked into the room, his dark eyes bold and head up. He pushed a rider out of his way, going to Teagan and standing next to her.

"I'm here." he said softly, not touching her but looking at her deeply.

She heard his voice through the Haze, and her eyes focused on the familiar face of Z'ash. It was like a valve being released inside her, the weirdness and confusion draining out and leaving only the desire to fly.

"Now we really have fun," she murmured, a chuckle escaping her lips as she saw through Ensieths eyes again. Above the canyon, she dove towards the ground in a streak of black, wings folded to her body tight. At just the last moment she snapped them up, mere inches from the ground.

And then she was over the canyon again, having directed herself to a upward thermal draft, and she shot back into the sky again. More laughter came from Teagan, leaning her body along with Ensieth, feeling the wind on her face so much she couldn't quite believe her own hair wasn't fluttering.

Jah'vi had cursed at the shadows dangerous dive, but Nolinth managed to keep up. He'd realized early on that the key would be to wait for the shadow to tire herself out, and hoped that his ability to keep up with her would catch her eye.

Fillioth folded his wings and followed Eniseth's dive... for about half a heartbeat. Then the young cobalt caught sight of the thermal and guessed what the wily shadow queen was up to. So he pulled out of the dive early, letting the bodies of his competitors streak by him as he fought to regain altitude with which to catch her.

***

Basilath dove too, and he pulled out early too. Not because of any strategy, but because he was simply too tired to arrest that much downward velocity without hurting himself. He wasn't done yet, but he wasn't far from it.

But he wasn't done yet. The brown, too, stroked his wings against the air, fighting to follow her lateral movement over the ground, sacrificing physical proximity for the hope of being in the right place at the right time as she decided she was ready to choose.

Hopefully soon.

Tsaveth, intent, followed the dive. Not entirely - at a much shallower angle, because catching her that low would be a terrible plan, and he was no dummy even in flight lust - but mirrored it, more shallowly. Still, he lost ground, not rocketing through the way she did.

Devonith, however, made up some of his lost momentum, ignoring the dive for the distraction it was (while appreciating the skill), and taking the thermal. He might have used his gained ground by shoving Tsaveth back, but as their rider's remained leashed in their violence well below, that was hardly here or there.

It took Manticath but moments to surge past blue Thortoth and bellow into the air. A blue trying to woo Eniseth. Manticath would have sneered had he human lips. The bronze would tolerate no rival to the shadow queen's affection and meant to have her again. He pushed on, fast and furious. Maraxith veered to let the bronze past rather than be shouldered by him and continued his steady pacing.

The cobalt knew better than to think hard burn was wise. He checked his wings to glide a little lower but did not directly dive. He knew that a queen would have to rise higher before she could fall. She had to come back up and as she did, Maraxith increased his speed. His plum dark wings cut through the air, powerful and long.

Thortoth dove after Eniseth as if a kingfisher after a minnow but he could not recover when she rose again. He doggedly tried to regain his altitude but the blue continued to fall farther and father behind.

Teagan/Ensieth laughed as the males fell for her trick. She slipped out of the current and dove again, leaving those who had thought to capture her on the upswing of the draft behind as she barreled through the canyon. Her momentum carried her forward, faster and faster, until she tilted her wings and slowly began to ascend again.

She could feel the males behind her, trying to recover from the dizzying, sudden height changes. But she still had energy to burn. Let them just try to keep up for now, she thought, settling back into a glide to let them catch up. She would have to pick eventually, but for now, she just wanted to play. To race. To show off.

Nolinth hadn't caught the upward draft like many of the others had, though Jah'vi honestly wasn't sure if it was purposeful or not. And the sudden dive into the canyon caught the bronze off guard, as well. Nolinth bellowed in annoyance, having to pump his wings with more energy than he wanted to stay with the pack.

Vorganth might not have had as many opportunities to chase as the older males, but that didn’t mean the cobalt lacked the ability to keep up. His gaze was focused solely on Eniseth, the other males flying around him registering only enough that he was able to dodge or roll to keep his own airspace, all while not losing ground. He wasn’t the closest to her, but she didn’t seem to be tiring yet. So he watched, and waited, following the crazy path she took them on.

His opportunity would come; he just had to be ready for it.

———

R’fariel grinned almost savagely as the acrobatics registered. Eniseth wanted to play with them? Challenge accepted.

>>>>>>>>>

Ordinoth fell back as he realized too late where the angle of the dive would take him. He lost ground in the pack and ended up too close to a canyon wall, but pushed hard to correct his trajectory and catch back up.

Eniseth thought she was so clever, trying to lose them all. But he was still here! And he rather liked cleverness, it turned out. She’d have nothing to lose if she chose him, right?

———

Someone had nearly dragged Rh’var to the flight weyrs, and all he could do was lean back against a wall as his bronze’s vision superimposed itself on his own. It was so different from any of the exercises they’d had in what passed for training, where they had to rely on each others senses to accomplish a task— this was all intensity, adrenaline, and desire. And it left him reeling. How was anyone else able to fight it, to hold it back enough to function in their human bodies? He had no idea, and wasn’t going to figure it out anytime soon.

Ensieth rolled lazily, eyeing the males and their distances behind her. Manticath was there, along with Others that didn't fully recognize on her scale. She felt her riders longing for the familiar, for the safe.

But that didn't mean she was done.

With a sudden snap, she shot upwards, pumping her wings as hard as she could to climb and climb higher. Try and keep up, she purred back to her chasers.

Nolinth saw the challenge for what it was, and angled himself for the climb. He knew he would excel at this little test, with his sleek, long body. The shadow was showing a clear preference to Manticath, and he snarled when the other bronze came too close.

The dizzying climb made Teagan groan, and she grabbed for the nearest person for support this time. Rh'var it was, then, whose shirt that she fisted in one hand. She could tell where Ensieth was going with this maneuvere, that the end game would come soon. She needed some touch to keep her grounded.

Both Devonith and Tsaveth committed to the climb, at different angles, at slightly different speeds, the raging intensity of each varied in its weight and ferocity but not the towering, overpowering depth of it...

Their riders, in various ways, moved in the group far below, further back and away every second, minds locked in this final, dizzying stretch of chase.

Fillioth, too, raced upward. The flight had gone on long enough. She was about to make her choice. The cobalt felt it, deep in the sinews of his midnight wings. So he pulled out all the stops and climbed, burning his last reserves of energy, darting forward and up to be close to her...

***

Basilath lunged upward, but the vertical trajectory was too much for his valiant body. The brown fell further and further behind the others, until finally he veered left and glided, panting, back to the Weyr.

I'm sorry, he told his rider.

Never be sorry! Never! D'caen thought back, his mind fierce with pride and need and frustration. You chased a queen with dragons larger than you and hung in! You've nothing to be sorry for, my only love, nothing!.

The brownrider shoved his way roughly out of the pack of bodies surrounding Teagan, and got outside to where he could take a few clean breaths. Need pulsed within him, but he shoved it down. Unless someone indicated interest, he'd go swim or something to burn it off.

Damnit.

Manticath's eyes bled from the rich, gem like shade of arousal to the ruby red glow of fury. He bellowed back at Nolinth, no longer the hero worshiping dragon child. The sunlight danced over Manticath's bared fangs, saliva foamy pink on his teeth from his recent blooding. It hung like harp strands, quivering and quick. Manticath snapped as Nolinth vaguely and gathered himself to make his pounce.

The dark shade that was Maraxith overtook Manticath with a squeal of indignation protest from the bronze. The cobalt issued no bugle, no roar but swept by both bronzes in a torrent of plum dark wings.

Back on the ground, Z'ash rolling and furious gaze blanched and cross from Jah'vi to Casriel. Casriel's smile was as bright as the sun and her beryl bright eyes seemed to gleam. She stood on the arches of her feet, head tilted slightly back and her entire, lithe body seemed teeming with power. The bronze rider looked back at Jah'vi and this time his gaze was entreating.

'Not her. You or me but not her.' he thought hazily.

------------------

"Let me help you."

The voice that entreated D'caen was smooth and warm, inviting. Greenrider's knots blazed bright lime against the dark brown of a leather jacket, unbuttoned and framing the curve of a female body within. Blue eyes dared to settled on his, a generous mouth curving in a mischievous smile.

"What do ya say, Brownrider?" she, raising one eyebrow.

Maraxith came out of nowhere, shocking both dragon and rider. Jah'vi snapped back to the flight weyr, realizing that many of the contenders had already drifted away and given up. He saw the entreating look on Z'ashs face, the fierce smugness on Casriels', and gave a shaky nod.

Go for it big guy!

Nolinth had saved his last push for something like this, and he beat his wings furiously to catch up to the cobalt. He could see Ensieths' dark form ahead and focused on her.

Ensieth was barely aware of the ruckus behind her, soaring as high as she could. But it was time to end this. She could feel Nolinth near, but there was Manticath also. On the ground Teagan swayed, ready to pounce herself as Ensieth executed a flip and headed right back down at her chasers, avoiding Nolinth neatly and aimed directly for Manticath.

She never even saw Maraxith, she was so focused on her favorite bronze, and she let out of a shriek of anger when the cobalt snatched her out of the middle of her dive. There was a momentary struggle before Ensieth gave in to the much larger cobalt.

Teagan came rushing back to herself, barely noticing Cas' green eyes as she yanked the Wingleader into her arms. "You win," she whispered, her voice husky with desire, before dragging the taller woman down into a kiss.

Nolinth peeled off, letting out an angry roar, one Jah'vi felt to the tips of his toes. Blood and shards, Casriel... what on Pern could they expect from Casriel getting her claws into a queenrider? It was getting harder to not think of Andren, hopefully waiting for him in his weyr, but he needed to make sure this was contained.

"Z'ash, I'm sorry," he said in a low voice, turning his back on the two blondes. "We tried."

It all happened at once. Eniseth turned and Manticath opened his Wings to meet her headlong rush but he never made it. The looming shade of Maraxith fell like a wave and wrapped Eniseth's shadowy hide in one of plum rich velvet. The bronze's shriek was surprise, rage, shame and fury all the once. He rolled downward to avoid collision and dropped away, his eyes a roll of blood and embers.

Z'ash inhaled a gasp of air, unaware he had been holding his breath. With one last look at Teagan, he sighed and closed his eyes for a moment. Then he was walking as fast as he could without tripping over anyone. He didn't cry but his face was flushed with effect to bellow his own disappointment. Manticath had no such reservations and his bugle echoed off the rim of the canyon as he headed for water.

Pleasure flooded Casriel, rich and sweet like rising cream. She rocked forward on her toes, hands outstretched to meet Teagan. Her strong fingers buried themselves in the queenrider's blond hair, drinking in the kiss like a woman dying of thirst. Casriel moaned, her eyes closing and inhaled deeply the rich, dragon laden scent of the woman before her.

'All woman.' she thought raggedly. Her tongue caressed and then with a surge of strength, Casriel lifted Teagan off her feet. Hardly ceasing to stop the kisses that branded her like fire, she carried her away from the ring of defeated riders.

"We win." Casriel whispered, almost tender but buttons flew as the Wingleader yanked open her jacket.

In the air, Maraxith wrapped himself expertly around Eniseth and with passionate care, steadied them both for the glorious descent.

I tried, rider mine. I will go to the lake. You, you should be with Fiammath's rider. Fiammath, most lovely of flame colored scarlets, would you rider ease mine? He is coming out of the flight weyr now. Would you accompany me to the lake while our humans comfort each other?

T'kal came stumbling out of the flight weyr, amazed Thortoth had managed to chase to the very end, though he had been no where close to being able to catch Eniseth. It was all for the best; Thortoth's exhaustion was palpable to T'kal through their close bond. The blue dragon glided down to the seductively cool water and T'kals blue eyes searched for Allie.

Teagan eagerly wrapped her legs around the taller woman's waist, helping to shove the jacket off her shoulders. She broke the kiss for only a moment, long enough to get her own shirt off, before she leaned back in with a needy moan and licked a stripe up the cobaltriders' exposed neck. "Definitely a win-win," she murmured breathlessly.

Z'ash shoved past him rudely, not that he could blame him, and Jah'vi quickly turned to follow him out of the flight weyr. The increasingly urgent noises coming from the two women was making his blood boil, for more than one reason. He weaved his way through the flight moths, his mouth dry as he thought of Andren.

It had never taken him longer to make his way to his weyr, it felt, and he was covered in sweat and his voice shook when he entered and called out, "Andren?"

Andren had let himself into Jah'vi's weyr after some hesitation at the idea of just walking in without the other man there. He looked up as the bronze rider pushed his way in, looking him over and standing up. He crossed to Jah'vi, making a concerned noise, fingertips brushing over the scratches on the other man's cheek.

"Do you want some numbweed on that?"

The palpable need from him, and the scent of fresh sweat, hit him like a wave, and Andren found his hand sliding around to the nape of his neck and pulling him in.

N'set cursed, low and fierce, but he'd lost to a worthy opponent. Later, that would make it a little better. Now, he left with the hunting intensity of a stalking big cat, with no regard for anyone who might get in his way.

*
Devonith rolled off, his disappointment real, but the burning lust ebbing away with the heat of the flight past. The tired ache in his wings made itself known, with that fire gone, and there was nothing but the slog home ahead.

I'zak was in no mood for soothing, and avoided the shovers and violently disappointed to just get away.