| Characters | Iwa X'yr |
| Synopsis | Toruth takes to the skies to determine Igen's next Weyrleader! |
| Out-of-Character Date | September 17, 2021 |
South Bowl
South Bowl
The sun is sinking toward the horizon, the sky in that mood of just beginning to darken and shadows extend across portions of the bowl as the sun slips towards the rim above. In the fading pool of light Toruth sleeps restlessly, her rider distant in her own weyr on the far side of the bowl there is a quiet sort of peace and something else. Anticipation? For it seems the number of dragons begins to increase with the not as subtle flapping of leathery wings.
From somewhere within the middle of the bowl, Haijiventh continues to lurk. Whatever business had originally brought the Monaco Bay pair to Igen has likely long since concluded. Yet here they remain for /something/ was in the air. That something made Haiji refuse to leave despite his rider's desire to leave. So with that in mind, X'yr is off somewhere and Haiji is stealthily creeping along with his attention upon the restless queen.
Toruth wakes with a snap of her eyes. Bulky frame shifts, uncoiling as gilded talons dig into the bowl floor and she strikes a dominating pose. Her hide has drunk in the daylight and as it fades the glow upon her becomes apparent. Just in case anyone wasn't paying attention she throws her head back and ROARS. It's a challenge, it's a claim. This Weyr is HERS and taunt muscles spring her into the air but a wingbeat. Enough to clear into the feeding grounds and upon the hapless beasts, of which three fall to her talons. Three times she struggles over the spilled entrails, but each times a bit less resistance to instead drinking the blood of her prey until her hide is truly alight and tossing the last aside she leaps into the skies.
Haijiventh isn't caught unawares at all, unlike some of the bronzes who have been nearby. Toruth's barely done with her first kill before Haiji is also landing within the feeding grounds to blood his own kills. Unlike some he's quite neat with as he bloods several smaller wherries. Leaping up a breath behind Toruth he bugles a challenge of his own. It's a warning to all other suitors. There's no playing around with this bronze. Perhaps smaller than a couple other chasers he's lean and lanky as he slips through the air with his whole focus on the glowing queen. A snarl and a snap of his teeth warns off another bronze who dares fly too close. Down on the ground X'yr is striding towards the feeding ground. "No no no…wait. Wait! " it's a futile and hopeless sound he makes as he cranes his neck upwards to watch the dwindling dragons aloft. The chase is well and truly begun. Scowling he takes in his surroundings quickly even as a good portion of his focus shifts from where he is to the skies with his lifemate.
Toruth strokes the warm air, rising quickly into familiar skies she levels off and glances behind her. It's a look to judge the suitors who follow and she hisses like the wind as several snap at each other and a brown gets struck by one of the bronzes tails and falls out after only barely making it much above the Weyr. Clearly, he wasn't worthy and she turns, striking out towards the desert dunes. An expanse of vast grains which pale in comparison to the glow of her hide although she might be trying to blend in, given the setting sun it's probably not realistic but she is not exactly thinking in that fashion. Or perhaps she just wants to wear her suitors down to those most worthy of her as an hour slips by of hard flying over the desert. Her great bulk may not be so graceful on the ground but in the air the fire in her blood and the strength of her body drive her onwards, only the swish of her tail an occasional enticement for those daring to follow.
Haijiventh isn't afraid to lash out with talon or tail whenever anyone else dares to come to close to the out of weyr bronze. Sheer determination as well as strong endurance is keeping him in this race even as others tire and drop down. With each competitor gone he bugles in triumph for that's one less suitor between him and his glowing queen. He's not one to spend anytime offering feelings or words of woe towards his intended. Instead he rides the ebbs and flows of the winds across the desert as he steadily is closing the gap between himself and Toruth. He knows the even she, a great and mighty queen, can not continue this hard flying all night long. Closer he glides, studying her movements and patterns. Waiting. Watching.
Toruth glances back now and then noting the thinning crowd and the sun slips below the horizon, darkness encroaching. She however burns, burns with a fire a desire and triumph will be hers, but triumph alone would seem empty and as her reserves of blood run down, the falter of her wings can be seen by the most perceptive of the bronzes. Still she will have only the best and there is but one more thing she needs and with a shift of her body she flares her sails with all her might catching a chance thermal to thrust upwards. Gaining height breathlessly golden body soars towards the stars but the thermal isn't forever and her strength lapses she relaxes stalls in the air and begins to slip backwards. Back into the grip of fate to see which bronze will emerge victor to carry on with her the next generation of Igen.
Haijiventh doesn't believe in fate or destiny but rather in things he can touch. Things he can see and taste. He won't be denied in this pursuit for too much longer now. The crowd has indeed thinned until it's only him and just one other racer so very high in the sky over Igen weyr. Far, far below his rider is fully linked with him now, encouraging reckless maneuvers and even more reckless tapping into hidden reserves to push his stamina to his absolute end. Closer now he wastes no more breath in bugles. Arrowing straight up he executes a sudden spin to the left with a twist to the right just as quick in an attempt to evade the other suitor. His goal is the absolute perfect timing to reach out for the slipping gold to entwine necks before she can evade his catch. Oblivious to anything else now he reaches……
Toruth pauses in the air in that moment at the height of her climb. Wingsails flutter as the stars twinkle above and the wind whooshes far, far below over the dunes which spread out in all directions. of this moment however only the two remaining pursuers are relevant and her world reduced as gravity takes hold and she slips back pernwards and into the waiting grasp of a clever bronze, not the local remaining who bugles distress as his native queen slipping through his talons but into the grasp of Haijiventh and into a long blissful fall as her tail and neck twines with his.
Haijiventh draws on even more hidden reserves as they fly together. Way, way, way below them X'yr staggers slightly, in numb shock that his bronze actually won. The bugled distress of the last local suitor barely registers as he's overwhelmed with emotions right now.
