Langley: 4 September 2001

You walk into the huge living cavern.
Don't talk to Langley; don't even acknowledge Langley. She's out of sorts and just came to sulk, her arms over her chest and the first chair she comes to occupied with a hearty sniff of irritation. Hmph.
E'ric grabs his plate of food and looks over to the table where the others are seated and gives a wave to Sonya as he heads over there, "Evening Sonya." he eyes thepile of hides next to her. "Heh, looks like your knee deep in reports to eh?" he quips as he drops the shoulder bag of hides onto the floor next to his chair. He nods to the others assembled with a smile.
Shadra bustles back into the kitchen to get more meatrolls and custards.
T'mren chuckles, sympathetically, "Ah we all have days like that, sadly." he wanders back to Chaia's side and sits with her, kissing her cheek, "There's still plenty of custard left, love. And I got us two bowls!" He waves at Shadra as he sees her, and one glance at Langley teaches him not to go /there/.
Sonya stands, moving over to refill her klah mug. She ends up also getting some custard since everyone seems to be enjoying it. Her braids bob slightly in response to E'ric's question. She grins easily though. "Oh yes. Take over a wing and see what happens." she sighs dramatically. "But the newer riders are really doing just great..." she trails off, catching sight of Langley. She doesn't greet her but simply watches, as if judging the mood of the greenrider.
U'lyn gobbles up his custard quite quickly, then leans back in his chair, relaxed. He catches sight of Langley, raises a hand and opens his mouth as if to say something, then stops dead and leans forward again. "I've had a few in a row, T'mren. enough talking about it, though, I don't want to remember..."
Langley looks across the caverns at Sonya, frowning darkly. It's her don't-start-with-me glower this evening, as opposed to her wait-till-I-get-through-with-you smirk.
Chaia glances over at Langley, briefly, but doesn't say anything, instead paying more attention to dinner. "I see that, love," she tells T'mren. "That's an awful lot of custard though."
E'ric gives a half smile half sigh to Sonya, "Yes tell me about it. I am very pleased with my wings performance and attitude though." he passes a glance to U'lyn and gives him a good natured smile. At the site of Langley's enterance, he watches her cross the the room then flash a look towards Sonya. He turns back to the table without a backwards glance and pulls out a number of hides from the bag and sets them on the table, taking a bite from his own custard as he does.
Shadra sips from her mug of juice as she stays out of the way and listens quietly
Sonya is settled back into her chair. busily putting all her hides into one stack. At E'ric's look she leans over to murmur. "Proddy." Langley's look doesn't get too much of a reaction from Sonya. Just another look, Sonya's eyes moving up and down then away and back to the stack of hides before her. "These are all my trouble makers." she says about the stack of about a dozen or so hides. "Not too bad, really."
T'mren licks his lips and grins at his weyrmate merrily, "My eyes are /never/ bigger than my stomach." He replies, cheerfully, and begins eating.
U'lyn smiles right back at E'ric. "Hello, E'ric. How're you today?" he asks, eyeing the two wingleader's hide piles.
Langley says frankly to Sonya and her arcane murmurs, "I hate you." Which about sums up everyone in the room from her perspective.
Sonya smiles sweetly across the room to Langley. "No you don't dear." is all she says in retort.
Shadra blinks at Langley's words, then looks around to the klapot and checks it to make sure.. Uh Oh.. no klah... she snags the empty pots and rushes into the Kitchen, returning with several steaming and well filled pots to set around the tables.
"But I do," says Langley assuredly, nodding a vehement addition to the certainty of her statement. "I really do. Immensely. I'd like to hit you over the head with this chair, even." Very conversational about it, chitchat.
Sonya nods, lifting up her mug to take a quick sip. "Oh? Would you like to try right now?" she retorts back, just as conversational. And how is Ardenth tonight? Glowing a bit more perhaps?"
U'lyn eyes Langley confusedly for a moment, blinking a few times before he settles back into his chair, noting Sonya's response to her. "Ah," he says softly, sipping at the rest of his klah.
E'ric watches the exchange between Sonya and Langley with detatched amusement. He takes a drink from his mug before setting it back down. In a the same conversational tone the other two are using he adds, "I bet she glows radiently."
Langley bucks up a little, tossing her chin in a gesture that is the quintessential Langley. "She *is* glowing, yes. Not that it has anything to do with it. I've always hated you." She pokes a finger at the air in E'ric's direction and says, "You shuttup. No one asked for your opinion, so stay out of it."
Shadra takes a mug of klah over to Chaia and whispers quietly, "Should I find somewhere to hide about now?"
<Ista> U'lyn just laughs. Langley proddy makes her normal self seem nice. :P
<Ista> Sonya says, "Yeah, no kidding."
<Ista> P'tod says, "even if you are meek it doesn't mean you'll automatically get mugged. This whole load of BS about cities being such horrible places is... BS."
Chaia comments softly between bites of greens. "No. Stay. Chair throwing could be amusing, and they'll want witnesses." She's kidding. Probably.
T'mren nudges his weyrmate, and grins, "Chaia!" he scolds gently.
Shadra chuckles and sits down next to Chaia.
Sonya sets down the klah mug slowly, eyeing Langley. "You have? But why?" a look is given Chaia's way and she laughs softly. "I don't plan on throwing any chairs. Ask Langley if she still wants to."
"Because you're a horrible, mean old woman," says Langley crisply, just a little stress on the 'old'.
E'ric gives Langley the sweetest of smiles but does not add any more flashing a look at Chaia at her response to Shadra, a twinkle in his eyes.
U'lyn watches the conflict between Sonya and Langley for a moment before concentrating back on his klah mug. Suddenly, he extends a hand towards Shadra. "I don't believe we've met before. I'm U'lyn, blue Ondeth's rider..."
Shadra smiles and takes U'lyn's hand in her own for a gentle handshake. "I am Shadra, Well met."
Chaia glances over at E'ric, and just quirks a brow, before murmuring. "Sorry," to T'mren.
T'mren winks at Chaia, and kisses her cheek before he munches on another slice of wherry.
Sonya snorts but stands, nearly knocking over her chair. "Old? I'm sure I'm not too old to take on you." her eyes flash dangerously.
Ardenth> Above you, Tavorth circles silently down from the sky, and his huge wings hold steady as he rides the air currents below the rim of the bowl.
K'ryn is blue Tavorth's rider, at Fort Weyr.
U'lyn smiles as he firmly shakes her hand. "Nice to meet you, Shadra. What's your position here?"
K'ryn walks in from the bowl.
Shadra smiles. "Nothing as of yet. I've been helping in the Kitchens and keeping busy."
T'mren glances over at Langley with narrowed eyes for a moment as he freezes with his fork halfway to his mouth, and then he shakes his head.
Chaia whispers softly to Shadra.
Carried swiftly with longlegged strides, K'ryn makes his way into the cavern, calling a quick, "Fort's duties," and then glancing about, as if trying to spot someone in particular. Unsuccessful, he merely continues along, into the center of the vast chamber.
U'lyn glances behind him at the bluerider and grins, raising a hand. "Ista's duties!"
E'ric flashes a look at Langley as she makes her last comment. It takes all his control now to keep from standing up himself or to make a comment. He just stays seated his eyes intent on the two riders.
Sonya's eyes narrow as she regards Langley for several long moments. "I am hardly old enough for some young 'kid' like you to be calling me old and decrepit. And if you think I'm mean because I tried to train you correctly so you wouldn't die then I am." anger more than tinges her tone but as soon as it appears it's gone and Sonya sits, breathing deeply and calmly. "So, E'ric, that new wing is working out well. Congradulations again on your promotion. I know you'll do well." Langley is ignored.
Chaia waves to the Fortian, echoing U'lyn's greetings, and than adding, "If you're interested, there's some lovely fruit custard." Yes, what you all need is to fill yourselves with sugar.
Shadra nods to Chaia's whisper.
A smile aimed toward his fellow bluerider, and K'ryn makes his way over toward U'lyn, although Chaia's statement does cause him to pause a moment, frozen in his tracks. "Really? I must say... that sounds good."
E'ric takes a deep breath then nods to Sonya, "Thanks, and same to you. It is, I am very proud of them. Of course there have been a few problems but for the most part I am very pleased, especially with the recent graduates. It shows how well you trained them." He raises the last few words so that Langley can here them.
"No," says Langley tartly. "I think you're mean for lots of other reasons. Particularly that you're old and cranky." She folds her arms stoutly over her chest, refuses to acknowledge E'ric because she already told him to shut up, and adds a stout, "Why're you here? Go home," for the Fortian.
Shadra blinkblinks at such rudeness from Langly, but keeps quiet.
U'lyn glances back over at Langley, then gets up from his chair and makes his way towards the Fortian, extending a hand. "I'm U'lyn, blue Ondeth's rider."
Mmmm, custard... No, but he'd best be friendly first. "K'ryn, blue Tavorth's. Well met." This is offered to U'lyn, of course, before he turns again, startled by Langley's... greeting? Command? "Huh? Just visitting... Actually, if anyone's seen your Weyrwoman about, I'm sort of looking for her."
Sonya is ignoring Langley for now. "There will always be some problems." she waves one hand absently in Langley's direction. "It wasn't just me, my whole team trained 'em well. I thought you would have made a good awlm." she chuckles, spooning a bit of custard. "Mmm, this *is* good."
T'mren glances at his weyrmate with a worried exprsesion, then back to Langley.
Stoutly, Langley says, "She's not here. Look somewhere else."
"Nice to meet you," U'lyn responds. "Would you like me to get you some custard? I'm up for a little more, myself..."
Chaia meets T'mren's glance, but her attention is drawn by Langley's blatant rudeness. "K'ryn?" She calls to the Fortian. "I'm Chaia, one of the headwomen here. And she hasn't been down to the caverns all day, I'm afraid."
Assistant headwomen
Jya enters from the narrow corridor.
"I'll not be here long, don't worry," K'ryn lightly assures the greenrider. Her 'moody' behavior isn't missed, of course, and he glances around, a little more nervously. To U'lyn, "That's alright, but thanks. As I said, I won't be here for but a little bit." Chaia's given a nod. "Tell her I came to visit, would you? If you see her?"
E'ric grins at Sonya as he spons thelast of his custard into his mouth. "Thanks." is all he says as his eyes go distant as he listens to something from Sulaith.
U'lyn blinks a few times, then gets himself some more custard. "Your loss," he comments, beginning to eat the custard as he wanders back to his chair.
Jya nods to the cavern's occupants before making her way to the serving tables, weaving through the people and tables.
Shadra stays near Chaia, being quiet and listens to the conversations. Occasionally she gets up to replentish a dish or two fromt he kitchen before returning to sit with T'mren's lady.
Ardenth> In the corrals, Pryth backwings to land in a huge rush of air.
Ardenth> In the corrals, Tavorth backwings to land in a huge rush of air.
Ardenth> In the corrals, Sulaith leaps into the air.
Ardenth> Above you, Sulaith rises above the box-like stretch of the corrals.
Ardenth> In the corrals, Cevodnioth glides in from the bowl.
Ardenth> In the corrals, Sulaith backwings to land in a huge rush of air.
Ardenth> In the corrals, Pryth lands with a sudden roar to those in the feeding grounds. He wastes no time in choosing a kill, bring down the beast with one swipe. It's slashed open, the blood drank deeply.
Ardenth> In the corrals, Ondeth backwings to land in a huge rush of air.
"Good!" says Langley vehemently, folding her arms over her chest again even though she never really unfolded them the first time. "We don't want your kind eating *our* custard anyway!" Something like that. It's meant to sound scathing. Really!
Ardenth> In the corrals, Sulaith flies swiftly down on an unsuspecting buck as he tears into its neck and carries it off with ease towards an area way from the others.
Chaia pulls her focus from Jya, whom she was about to greet, and listens to her weyrmate's urgent whispers. Her dark eyes close of a moment as she nods, and she squeezes his hand, under the table. Then she whispers back.
Ardenth> Above you, Sidonth circles silently down from the sky, and his huge wings hold steady as he rides the air currents below the rim of the bowl.
Sonya stops spooning in the custard, blinking owlishly. "Blooding." she whispers, eyes moving quickly to Langley. She stands, ignoring the chair she sends skittering to the ground. Her quick movements take her near to Langley.
It seems as if K'ryn is likewise urgent to get somewhere. Maybe he's figured out what's going on, and doesn't want to be caught in it. Langley's just given a nod, and U'lyn an apologetic look, before he starts toward the entrance, only to stop again. "Shards."
Ardenth> Sidonth heads towards you from the southeast.
E'ric jumps up moments after Sonya and is right on her heals as he moves towards Langley.
Ardenth> Mh'al lifts himself from his spot between Sidonth's neckridges, removing the straps deftly before sliding down to the ground with ease.
Ardenth> In the corrals, Sidonth glides in from the bowl.
Ardenth> In the corrals, Ondeth lands with a little bounce, light orange eyes glowing as he scans the corrals for the choicest bovine. Once he's found it, he bounds up into the air for a moment, grabbing the animal by it's neck with a satisfying crack, and takes it off away from the rest of the dragons.
Ardenth> Mh'al travels southeast towards the center of the bowl.
Langley gets up, too, scraping the chair out from beneath her and cocking it back in both hands. "Oh, no! None of that! You just stay over there or else! I can use this thing, y'know!" she warns Sonya, wielding the chair like she *means* it. No such thing as empty threats from proddy riders, after all.
T'mren Squeezes Chaia's arm and smiles gratefully at her, though his expression is deeply strained. He glances at Langley and makes a face.
Ardenth> You rise into the air.
U'lyn blinks a few times, spoon paused halfway to his lips, then drops it to the plate and gets up from his chair again. "Oh..." he says softly, watching Langley silently for a moment.
Ardenth> In the corrals, Tavorth sweeps out over the pens, herding the frightened, stampeding masses along with frightening, high-pitched calls and his ever-present shadow. They flee in every direction, yet a few can't get far enough from his doom-spelling presence, and at last, one is cut down as the blue descends, and strikes, ripping one beast's throat open with a well-placed slash of one foreclaw.
Shadra leans close to Chaia and whispers.
Ardenth> You dive towards the ground.
Sonya stops dead in her tracks, eyes slightly unfocused as she watches Langley. "Calm down, greenrider." she says in a strict tone. "I'm not going to touch you, but you must remember to stay in controll, ok?"
Ardenth> Sliding over the corral like a low cloud, Sidonth swoops along the frenzied herd, his eyes swirling madly as his sharp claws reach downward to catch a crying beast. Without wasting a moment, he sinks his teeth into the warm carcass, taking the blood that is needed.
Ardenth> Pryth lunges, dragging the first beast he killed a ways before finally letting go of it. With out looking over the selection his talons bring down his second kill and quickly his head is lowered to bite savagely at the wherry. Quickly it's dead and the blood rushing down Pryth's throat. Something tells him that the glowing green of the night has landed but he doesn't dare look yet. First his thirst must be quenched.
E'ric manages to avoid Sonya as she stops by sidestepping her. As he does he notices langley wielding the chair and he too stops dead in his tracks. His eyes unfocus for a second before he reacts to Sonya's reassuring words to Langley. He adds, "You must not lose control now."
T'mren watches Chaia, gritting his teeth. He lets the bosses handle the angry rider.
K'ryn sighs, and turns back, one land lifted, fingers pushed back through his hair. "Guess I'll stay awhile." There's a sort of defeated tone to this comment, and the bluerider starts back over, slouching just a bit. "Don't suppose I could still take you up on that custard, hmm? Seems like I'm not going anywhere."
Ardenth> Oh, you boys sure are in for it this time! Ardenth's awake, and she's in as foul a temper as ever she has been, snarling viciously as she descends with all the finesse of a striking snake. The little green furls her sails the moment she's found something feasible, darting out with a forelimb to seize upon the frenzied buck in her path. Agility proves itself already as she snares the poor thing securely with the hook of her talon, a scream curdled in blood. Hah! Stupid herdbeast! She settles, growling low in her throat with jaws clamped over a broken neck.
Jya surveys the room with mock astonishment, as the disruptions catch her attention. She moves backwards a little, pressing up against the cavern wall and just watching. Her expression turns to an apprehensive one, relaxing just a bit as she determines her position as an out-of-the-way one.
Ardenth> Sulaith finishes emptying the life giving essence of the first buck hastily and is quickly airborn again snatching a plump wherry in his talons. As he lands, he snaps the wherries neck in a quick wrenth of his neck and sinks his maw into the warm red liquid that steams forth.
Ardenth> Cevodnioth slashes the legs out from under a beast, and leers over it, before he slashes its throat, pulling the creature to his lips and suckling at it's neck, drinking deeply of the hot, nourishing blood.
"Make me!" says Langley, hitching the chair up just a little higher as she puts a good swinging distance between herself and Sonya. (Welcome to Ista; chair in the forehead, anyone?) "Stay outta that custard! Blood only!" Er, you figure out which comment is meant for whom.
Chaia smiles reassuringly to Shadra, and makes a point of calmly eating her custard, finally asking the girl, "Have you tasted this? It's delicious. I just hope no splinters end up in the food."
Long distance to Chaia: Langley giggles. I like that reaction. ^^
Ardenth> Tavorth dips his snout toward the fallen beast laid out before him. Jaws open and snap closed, only to be yanked away, tearing wide a gash in the creature's side. From here he dines, sips of the poor creature's waning lifesblood, only pausing to raise his head and issue another piercing shriek-cry at the green's arrival. Then it's back to business, and soon, with the animal's corpse cold and drained, the blue is moving again, to find another.
Ardenth> Sidonth slips his dark forked tongue over his blood-stained maw, his eyes watching the green appreciatively for a moment as she feasts. Remembering his role in all of this, he lashes his tail out, taking two herdbeasts from their scrambling feet to their backs. He grabs both in each forepaw, a claw on each paw slashes each 'beast in a quick death and the gorging commences. Into his greedy maw and body.
Shadra chuckles. "I got the berries that made that custard, Chaia. I'm glad it turned out so well."
Ardenth> Ondeth finishes sucking his first bovine dry, then pounces towards an ovine that had stampeded away from the other dragons. With a quick flick of a talon, he slits it's throat, drinking the blood as he drags the kill back to the drained body of his other.
Sonya swallows quicky, much like her lifemate does in the feeding grounds. Perhaps she can taste the blood rushing down his throat, warming his belly and giving him the energy needed. She brushes irratibly at a braid fallen into her eyes. "No, no eating. She *must* blood only." she moves behind a chair of her own, resting her hands lightly on the back. She notices no one else, her eyes locked on Langley. She's watching as a Wingleader to a rider, concerned for saftey. But somewhere deep in those eyes lurks something else entirely. As Pryth bloods, so does Sonya.
U'lyn blinks a few more times before grabbing onto the edge of his chair to steady himself. He mumbles something very softly to himself, running a hand through his already tousled hair.
E'ric gives Langley a wide berth as she swings the chair around. He stands there his eyes slights and locked on Langley, although his face shows no sign of anger but of something else entirely.
K'ryn keeps a distance, now, from Langley, even though he seems quite intent on getting some of that sharding custard! Hmph. Circling, to keep his eyes on the half-crazed greenrider, he moves over and eventually manages to serve himself a bit, watching her all the while. A fair dose of caution, but something else as well, a reflection of his lifemate's own desires.
Ardenth> Ardenth lets out the menace of a hiss at Tavorth's herald of her arrival, crouching over her kill so that only the cauldron of her eyes glimmer in the tropical darkness, flashing indignance at those in *her* feeding grounds. A wraith. A shadow. A nightmare huddled so close over the limp herdbeast that, until she lashes out to release it, there is almost nothing to betray her presence save that low, steady suckling and those fiery facets. Another squishy scream ensues, followed by a rather sickening crunch, and the dainty, ferocious, sumptuous, dangerous green settles on her second, warning all away with the low rumble from her clamped jaws.
Ardenth> Cevodnioth slashes yet another herdbeast off its feet and dips his head down to open its throat before drinking thirstily. His eyes, whirling, fix on Ardenth intently. Hunger and desire mingle as he watches her with need.
Ardenth> Sulaith gives a loud shriek in defience of the green, his many faceted eyes darting from the green's luminous body to the contrasting red of the blood stained ground beneath him. With lightning speed he snatches a bovine rushing to get out of the way of one of the other dragons quickly ripping it open to spill the much needed energy drink it holds inside.
Langley settles down on her heels, crouching near the exit to the bowl for the time being, putting the chair back on its four legs but keeping her hands around it anyway. She's ready to spring and start beaning people with that chair any second, make no mistake about that. "Don't you tell me what to do," she snaps at Sonya through ground teeth.
Ardenth> Pryth kills a third beast, much like his first two kills. Random and with no thought whatsoever. He sucks it dry, tongue darting out to lick his hide free from red speckles. Finally his eyes roam around to eye Ardenth, watching her closely. Never has he drained more than three beasts. His third finished and tossed carelessly to the side now he crouches low, watching and waiting.
Ardenth> Ondeth drains this kill much more quickly, tossing it's bone-thin body ontop of the bovines before lunging his head towards another. After making a reasonably-sided gash in the ovine's side, he pounces onto the animal, sucking it dry as the last of it's bleats are heard.
Sonya shakes her head, not moving any closer to Langley. She doesn't say anything, her gaze still intently watching the greenrider.
U'lyn makes his way over to where Sonya and E'ric are, wobbling a little in his walk. "Strange," he mutters to himself, eyes locked on Langley along with the others.
Ardenth> Sidonth rumbles deep in his bronze throat over the mangled corpse of the last 'beast, his hungry eyes following the delicious Ardenth as he continues his quest for blood, nothing like the iron-taste of the red lifewine. Reaching out with surprising stealth for one of his size, he snares another unfortunate 'beast to join with rest, providing energy and his own dark glow.
Ardenth> Tavorth won't even waste the effort of flight on his next victim- this prey is close, close enough, to be overcome and taken in a single, powerful leap. Thus the blue hurtles himself at the creature, quite literally crushing it beneath his forepaws and the weight of his body above them. The air knocked from it's lungs, not even a scream will mark the herdbeast's passing- merely the sound of cracking bones and softer tissue, utterly flattened. Tavorth's bloody muzzle lowers then, once more, to peck and feed at the pulverized mass beneath him.
Chaia murmurs softly, "And I thought Alaida's proddiness was bad. At least with her the floors got cleaned..." Her comment doesn't seem directed at anyone in particular.
E'ric pays no attention to U'lyn as he comes up behind him. The only thing that matters right at this moment is standing between he and the bowl enterance.
Ardenth> A spritely thing to begin with, Ardenth has no intentions bloating herself with more than she can possibly need. But it is fun to listen to those porcines scream when she slams a forelimb down upon them, grabbing them neatly between the cup of her talons and tearing off various appendages! So she does it again, just for the sake of indulgence, thick vitae flowing down her jaws with reckless greed for the moment, her hiss passing over Sidonth, Pryth, shrill and unforgiving. (You really think you stand a chance? Pft.) For *this* moment. The knowing eye will see this unpracticed green giving away her next move: The tense of haunches, the flicker of wingsails. She'll be up any second now...any second...
Shadra arches an eyebrow at Chaia's comment, but says nothing, just takes a small drink of her juice.
Ardenth> Cevodnioth rustles his wings. He sits up with flecks of blood on his muzzle. and watches Ardenth with single-minded intent.
Ardenth> Pryth waits, muscles tensed to propell him upwards at any moment. Maybe, just maybe he can go up fast enough....
Wait for it... Langley's poised on her toes now, still crouched but ready to make a break any second now. Without a hint of subterfuge, she moves the chair between herself and the cavern at large. A barricade, yay!
Ardenth> Sidonth roars loudly as he spreads his shadowy wings outward, showing his readiness to conquer this temptress. Muscles tight, his limbs are ready to push his bulk from the ground, to give chase.
Ardenth> Sulaith lifts his wings out full length, his hind muscles tensed as he watches the green having finished his third beast.
K'ryn contents himself to feast on the custard at hand- surely, going about killing and blooding the other residents would be in bad taste. Over the rim of his bowl, he watches her, however.
Ardenth> Ondeth shakes his head from side to side, sending little spatterings of gore around him. His eyes slowly develop a purple tinge, like a mist rolling in, as he watches Ardenth. He doesn't seem to tense up much, though.
Sonya tenses also, ready to spring after Langley when she takes off. Her eyes dart around, perhaps planning the best possible course around the chair.
Ardenth> Go! Up with Ardenth, down with the body of the porcine, the former a little green arrow against the dark lace of nighttime clouds; the latter a heavy *plop* that smacks against the feeding grounds.
Ardenth> You leap into the air.
Ardenth> You rise above the box-like stretch of the corrals.
Ardenth> You climb with a powerful downbeat of your wings. The air is moist and scented with the sea, and the constant treacherous updrafts and cross-currents from the ocean blow around you as you climb higher above the bowl.
Ardenth> Sidonth soars upward on the changing air currents, his wings powerfully beating the air as he gains altitude.
Ardenth> Pryth soars upward on the changing air currents, his wings powerfully beating the air as he gains altitude.
Ardenth> Cevodnioth soars upward on the changing air currents, his wings powerfully beating the air as he gains altitude.
Ardenth> Ondeth soars upward on the changing air currents, his wings powerfully beating the air as he gains altitude.
Ardenth> Tavorth soars upward on the changing air currents, his wings powerfully beating the air as he gains altitude.
T'mren squeezes his weyrmate's hand tightly, "It's starting." He says, hoarsely.
Ardenth> Sulaith soars upward on the changing air currents, his wings powerfully beating the air as he gains altitude.
U'lyn braces himself on the serving table, muscles tensing much to his surprise. He doesn't say anything at the moment, eyes still locked on Langley.
No big surprise. Langley *runs* like it's really, really important, bolting out the tunnel and across the bowl at a break neck pace. Scurry scurry, little greenrider. She takes the chair with her though. Just in case.
You walk outside, into the bowl.
Ardenth> Tavorth :lifts one foreleg- now stained hallway up to it's kneejoint in gore, and then sets it down, only to lift the other in turn. Mucking about in the pile of blood, it seems. Again, he lowers his now twice-bloodied muzzle, to pick at the last of the feast- but look! She's up! Thus his head is lifted again, in good time, to call after her, another shriek, and then take to the air, his blue sails flung wide. A trail of blood falls, as he lifts from the bloody mass, but soon enough he's free of it, and free to chase.
U'lyn walks out of the living cavern.
Langley and her chair are just passing through!
You walk into the large opening of the guest weyr.
Ardenth> Pryth raises effortlessly and silently into the dark Istan sky. His blue wings propel him quickly upwards but it's not quick enough to get any kind of a jump on the smaller and faster green. He darts ahead, watching her in the distance. He knows it will take a combination of time and patience and speed also. Lets see which one will be needed the most.
Mh'al walks in from the bowl.
U'lyn walks in from the bowl.
T'mren walks in from the bowl.
Sonya walks in from the bowl.
K'ryn walks in from the bowl.
E'ric walks in from the bowl.
If she can bring her chair, K'ryn's allowed to bring his custard. Hmph. He certainly does so, carrying it along as he follows, with no real haste, eventually catching up with the sprinting greenrider and her entourage. With a rather casual nonchalance, he goes to find a corner, where he sits, and... well, keeps eating.
Ardenth> Sulaith spring from the ground, his large powerful brown wings lifting him effortlessly into the dark of the Istan night sky. The glowing green hide a beakon for him to follow. He beats his wings in powerful strokes for he knows he has no chance to catch her right away so he bides his time for he knows he can outlast anyone else if he has to.
U'lyn follows the rest of the group, eventually leaning up against a wall and slumping down to a sitting position, eyes still following the chair-wielding Langley.
Ardenth> Ondeth lags a little behind the rest of the dragons, but does manage to get up in due time. For the moment, he hangs back, surveying the position of the other dragons, planning his next move. Wings beat enough to keep him in his position, but not enough to get him any closer to the green.
Ardenth> Cevodnioth snaps his wings as he arcs upwards, propelling himself through familiar skies upwards in pursuit of the tiny, agile green. Fast, he's not. Strong, he is. He pumps his wings with a measured, even, powerful motion that's going to give him staying power if nothing else. His eyes never leave her, his prize, his goal.
Ardenth> Ardenth does not mean this to be one of those poetic chases, taunting her would-be lovers with the coy flirtations of the lithe green. No! This is going to be *fast*! She's already banked out toward the sea, necessary altitude picked up somewhere along the way. She's little, fellas, and quick and means to put that to good use; she may wear herself out in record time, but she'll get a good head-start before then, darting across the little crescent of black beaches and out across the waters.
Sonya walks calmly after Langley, her breathing picking up pace. She tugs at her tunic, pulling it free from her trousers. "Warm in here." she mutters, moving to lean up against a section of wall. Her eyes are on Langley, but not focused on her.
Mh'al strolls in at his own pace, holding a mug of Benden Red from the smell of it. How he got it since he wasn't in the living cavern is anyone's guess. He settles down against the wall, close by to Langley. He holds up his mug in a toast, and takes a drink.
T'mren glances disinterestedly at Sonya, and back to Langley.
Ardenth> Cevodnioth pounds his wings powerfully against the azure blue sky as he arcs after the little green. Perhaps it's dawned on him tha tspeed will matter more than staying power. Either way, he's pushing himself now, with the vast reserves of bronze energy at his beck and call, sailing faster than he'd probably chase after thread, so determined is he to close the gap between himself and his prize.
Ardenth> Pryth zips effortlessly. If it's one thing that can be said about this little blue is he is fast. Smaller than most of his fellow blues, he's often the winner when racing against a green. But he knows that the faster you go the quicker you get tired out. So he doesn't put forth all his effort, even though he's already passed several chasers.
Seeing as the only other place to sit as that cot, and she's not going *near* that right now, Langley can rest on her chair-toting laurels. *She* gets to sit down, though not without a threatening glare all around the room. Time to huddle and pretend that none of you exist; if she can't see you, you can't see her, so she drags her feet up onto the chair, folds her arms over her knees, and hides her face on her forearms.
Ardenth> Sulaith climbs, using the the well known Istan thermals to his advantage as he climbs high above at a steaper rate than the green. He watches as the other bank out over the water follwoing the green. He continues to climb using his powerful wings to climb higher gradually going out over the sea. His only chance is to outsmart the green for he can never fly as fast as she.
E'ric manages to follow close behind Langley, although he stays well out of reach of the chair should she decide to use it. The beads of sweat that were building up on his forehead are now flowing freely down his cheeks, his black hair starting to glisten with moisture.
Ardenth> Ondeth follows Ardenth, picking up his pace a little to pass one or two other dragons. Once he's reached this position, he again surveys his surroundings, choosing to keep his spot again. After a few moments, he gives a few fast beats and weaves around another chaster, still far back from Ardenth.
Ardenth> Sidonth bares his teeth as he soars upward along the bowl in the grouping of browns, blue and bronzes. He may be bulky, but he has a well-defined grace in his motions; he knows how to go fast when necessity beckons. Cutting very close to a dragging brown, he tries to push forward with the strength 'borrowed' from the corpses of the many dead 'beasts. Faranth thank their souls. Now it's time to get on with it.
Ardenth> Tavorth seems well-suited to Ardenth's style- there's nothing finer, for a blue like him, than to fly fast and hard in pursuit of such a lovely prize. Leave the back of the pack, the jostling and jockeying for position to the bronzes, this is his game. Faster and faster, higher and higher he goes, gaining altitude with every wingbeat, even as his sea-kissed form continues forward at breakneck speeds, only twisting or turning, on occasion, to avoid some other like-hued chaser.
U'lyn runs a hand through his hair again, eyes completely unfocused as he does so. His position on the floor is shifted a little, eyes still not coming off Langley. He doesn't really appear to be paying much attention to her, though, most of his attention seems to be on the thoughts of his dragon.
Eventually, a scraping sound comes from K'ryn's corner. Apparently, his custard supply has been exhausted, and now the bluerider scrapes hopefully for a last spoonful of the stuff. "Aw, man..." Yep, it's gone. Disraction gone, there's nothing for him, save the obvious center of attention in the midst of them all; and so his gaze finds Langley, and settles there.
Ardenth> Apparently, strategy is not among Ardenth's gifts. Ondeth can hang back there till Rukbat rises; Sulaith can toy with thermals till he's blue as Pryth; Cevodnioth can pound, Sidonth can borrow, and Tavorth can fancy he's well-suited, but Ardenth is just *going*. The little green could care less what's going on behind her, as long as it stays behind her. There's an awful lot of ocean and Ardenth is devouring it with each perfectly rhythmic pummel, Ista growing smaller by the second.
T'mren leans into the side of his section of the wall and stares fixatedly at Langley. There are other people in here? No way.
Langley takes off her shoe and throws it toward wherever the bowl-scraping is coming from. She doesn't look up; just lobs the sandal off in that general direction. No custard for you!
Mh'al swirls the contents of his mug, a sly grin on his face is centered on the hiding Langley. His eyes are elsewhere though; staring just above her head.
Ardenth> Pryth races down low, watching the glorious Ardenth way ahead of him and way way higher than he. He's changed tactics somewhat and is chasing, but lower. In fact he's so low that as he soars over the sea, his belly skims the waters. Fish jump randomly before him, going back under the water. Over his tail they jump and even over his back and wings they try to jump. But he's bigger than they thought and suddenly he raises upwards, sailing up higher.
Ardenth> Ondeth dives downwards and dodges a brown glancing back to check his position for a moment. Using his agility to his advantage, he moves upwards for a second to check his position, then swoops back down to his previous position, cautiously eyeing another blue approaching on his right.
Ardenth> Sulaith reaches an altitude where the air is much thinner and as he does so he drops his head opening his wingsails as he drops from such a high altitude, using the the force of Pern's gravity to his advantage as he picks up speed. At a height still above the fleeting green he levels out and uses his powerful wings to beat the air around him into turmoil as he calls forth a level of reserve to keep the fast speed he gained in the dive while in level flight.
K'ryn wasn't overly prepared for -that- reaction; sure, he's had knives thrown at him, but not sandals. Staring, with that rather slack-jawed look so typical of someone in this situation, he's caught unawares, in the forehead, by the toe of the sandal. With little in the way of grace, the bluerider thus flops onto his back, uttering a simple, "Ow."
Ardenth> Cevodnioth doesn't slow a bit. He's picking up speed, in fact. Pounding his wings intently against the sky, his streamlined (albeit large) body races after Ardenth. If pounding will get im closer, he'll pound. Who said bronzes were all finesse.
U'lyn's glance darts over to K'ryn for a moment, eyes refocusing with a slight smile. Almost immediatly after, he leans back against the wall and allows his eyes to unfocus.
Langley allows herself a snicker. That 'ow' was awfully satisfying...
Sonya's gaze seems to come back into focus briefly. She looks in K'ryn's direction and sees him on his back. Like a fish out of water. "Hush, bluerider." she hisses in that direction before looking back to Langley, watching her intently.
Ardenth> Sidonth stretches out the total length of his raven-bronze body, using the various thermals to his advantage. Powerful wings beating, he pushes himself upward after the stealthy demon. He isn't going to give any room to any dragon around him, except, of course, for Ardenth. He roars in defiance, making actual progress and starting to move up on the hasty blues ahead of him.
E'ric stands along side one wall, of the room his body now covered in a fine mist. He seems oblivious to the the stinging salt of the sweat as he blinks his eyes to it just momentarily. He seems far away, not really here, or is it there?
Ardenth> Tavorth sails, as a ship across the seas below, vast sails of blue thrown wide so the wind might speed his journey. His tail whips, the rudder of this airborne vessel of deep sea-blue, carrying him further, and faster. With such a vast space, there's little need for tight maneuvers or fancy tricks- this is a race, pure and simple, and likely, only the ocean is there to witness his pursuit, with the other dragons all arrayed throughout the skies.
Mh'al takes a deep gulp of his wine, seeming to be the center of his attention for a few long minutes. His bright eyes shift back to Langley, focused for once. He smiles deviously, his gaze seeming to drink the exotic greenrider like he was the wine from his mug.
Ardenth> Ardenth only now allows herself the luxury of glancing back, ducking the wedge of her head beneath the cloak of her wings toward where she knows those idiots must be. A brief flash of her still fiery eyes betrays that quick check and, perhaps not liking what she's seeing, she redoubles her efforts with the silent grace of determination. Seizing on some bit of instinct, she banks wide to the east to put the wind at her advantage, fueling an already dramatic speed. There is just no way a green as small as that can keep up a pace as fast as this for very long. Is there?
K'ryn rubs at his forehead, still lying prone, and somewhat dazed. Eventually, the young rider manages to pull himself back up. Notably, he pushes the now-emptied bowl away, lest it's cursed presence bring another piece of footwear sailing in his direction. And the sandal? He's keeping that. No need to give her back the ammunition.
Langley peeks up from the safety of her arms, just flashing one bright eye to take stock of the scenery. Yep. Still right where she thought she was. She hurriedly ducks her head down once more, shaking out her hair as a red curtain around her person.
Ardenth> Sulaith watches sees the object of his desire look back on the chasing gragons and sees her bank to the east. From his vantage point high above he now has a better line on the green and siezes the opportunity to play catch up. With a powerful downthrust of his wings he decends at a more rapid pace, actually managing to close some of the distance between them because of the angle. His wings still pound as he uses his size to his advantage. Can she tire so soon? He isn't even winded yet.
Ardenth> Ondeth dives down again, allowing the wind to carry him for a restful moment before beating his wings quickly to take up a position closer to the fast green. Tail straightened, he pulls his wings in slightly for another dive, this time only managing to regain his previous position. He keeps his tail straight as he pushes his wings all the way out, using the wind to his advantage as he easily keeps his position.
Ardenth> Cevodnioth hasn't lost any of his determination and a body built to chase golds hasn't lost any of its strength either. Nor has he gotten any faster. He's pounding the sky in measured, even motions of wings with a lot of practice. His whirling eyes never leave Ardenth, no matter how hard she tries to get away.
Ardenth> Tavorth dips one wing, and lifts the other- sails tacked to guide him through the air, the most minimal effort on his part parleyed into a swift, sweeping turn. Matching her course, or rather surpassing it, he gains ground on the smaller, speeding vessel ahead. Ah, closer now, he'll throw that much more into his pursuit, burning his recently taken feast to fuel this hectic, wild journey through the skies. Behind, his tail whips and cracks against the winds, fighting to help him hold, defiant, against the powerful forces turned against him. Wind, away! You're his to hold, not to hold him back.
Ardenth> Sidonth angles himself according to the forces of the thermals straining his body, wanting him to give up and fall into the sea. Like the darkest of shadows sailing over the pure water, he ventures after the green with blood-induced speed. He won't slack behind like many of his brethren, it's obvious he'll use every ounce of power in his muscles to get himself into Ardenth's lovely grasp. Whatever it takes.
Ardenth> Pryth flies fast a furious, on his how course to intercept the dazzling green. Such wonder such beauty...what is that on his back. Annoyance flashes across the blue's features. For as he flies, still over the waters, something seems to be tickling his side. He takes quick second to dare turn his head to look behind him. As he does a large packtail flips around, strikes the wing and falls soundlessly to the waters below. Unfortunatly the hit on the wing causes Pryth to falter, loosing some of the ground he had so carefuly won. Bugling in frustration he aims for a thermal, rising up quickly, arrowing straight for the green.
Ardenth> Yes, it's possible. Ardenth really must be getting tired already. All that precious altitude proves for naught as, with the first ill-timed flicker of her wings, she angles down, down, down. At least this way she can make up for the bits of lost speed with a hurried descent - nearly a plummot - toward the sea stretched out below. Silent still, she strains across the spray of the sea, skirting less than half a length above the swells. Come now; no giving up just yet; the end is *so* close!
Ardenth> Pryth has no plans of giving up any time soon, though it's obvious his quick flight has put a strain on his energy. Determined not to let any weariness show he catches another thermal to lift him high up, as Ardenth goes down as low as he was earlier. No matter, he knows that soon she will rise up again and he will be there waiting. For now he works on closing the distance between them and flies quickly, darting and zipping across the sky.
Ardenth> Cevodnioth is as close as he'll ever be and, for a big bronze, that's /quite/ close! He extends his long neck and reaches with claws and tail to still Ardenth. Mine! He hopes.
Ardenth> Ondeth dives with Ardenth, but with a slightly different path. He rises above the other chasers for a moment, diving at less of an angle, then all of a sudden dives almost straight down. His little boost of velocity gains him a few spots, allowing him to come up on the green from behind. Neck extended, pushing with all the might his smaller-than-average wings can give, he strains, using up the last of his reserved energy.
Ardenth> Sulaith watches Ardenth falter and dive for the sea. Good thing thats where he was headed for. His speed now is so fast it appears as he will not be able to pull up in time to avoid crashing into the water just in front of the fleeting green. Calling forth all his reserves he unfurls his massive brown wings to full length dwarfing the onrushing green and stopping his decent in what should have been a bone shattering movement. His muscles straina dn he cries out in the strain and the desire for the green. His loud shrill echoing off the water as he reaches out with his talons in a fleating hope to snare the green as she races by.
Ardenth> Sidonth manages to find another strong thermal to allow him to sail straight upward in the sky. Roaring in defiance, a slowing bronze nearly collides with him, using his forearms and hindlegs to push the bronze downward, to the sea. He bares his crimson-stained teeth, his lustful eyes right on Ardenth. Summoning the rest of his strength, he rockets forward like a midnight beast, as if something out of a strange nightmare. Reaching out with his desparate forepaws, he hopes to reach the end of this nightmare and into the lovely dream in Ardenth's grasp. Readied for her with all his might, will he find the dream or fall into the endless abyss?
Ardenth> Rallying further, against the salt-stained air, Tavorth now dives after Ardenth, one last shrieking cry called into the winds. There's a tremendous urgency to this utterence- indeed, there she is, plummeting toward the sea, in need of rescue. In the end, the cry melts into a softer croon, and the blue banks up just enough, to avoid joining the waves to which his hide bear's such a resemblence. Wingtips skirt, nay kiss the waves, breaking swells into whitecaps as he speeds after her, low to the water, with her own spray in his eyes. But in the end, he'll fight it all- surging forward as a wave of his own, to swell, and try to catch her up, to wash her away in an ocean of sea-blue wings.
Langley looks, oh, menacing. Her fists balled up and holding her legs against her chest, her head down with the spill of hair tangled, her one bare foot on the edge of the chair, her one sandalled foot ready to kick at someone's face any second now. Nope, not a happy camper.
T'mren glares at Langley, as if willing her dragon to hurry up and drop.
U'lyn's eyes remain unfocused, but his expression suggests something exerting. It seems like most muscles on his body are tensed.
Tense, K'ryn sits, watching her, as if expecting another assault to be thrown his way. One hand clutches the sandal, and he holds it, almost as one would a weapon, ready to deflect the next attack. Back!
Sonya draws one hand across her brow, leaning forward slightly as the tension in the room thickens immensely.
Mh'al smiles like a hopeless fool, finishing off his wine as he watches Langley. His hand grips the mug very tightly noticably, his gaze almost feverish.
Ardenth> Oh, what's a girl to do! Ardenth can't very well keep on like this forever. Indeed, the strain shows plainly in every scrabble the green makes to keep herself arrowing out across the water. Must go faster... must go right into Tavorth as he rescues himself from a watery grave? Noooo! That's not how this is supposed to go! She's not supposed to wind up fouled with a gross blue dragon - from Fort to make matters worse; she's not supposed to lose the glory of all this; she's not she's not she's not! Alas, poor little Ardenth screams angrily at this turn of events, the shrill shriek crashing against the water as the little green surrenders. But not without a screaming fuss, mind you.
E'ric seems gripped in agony for a moment as his face reflects the force exerted by his dragon. It is too much for the brown rider and he falls to his knees. He manages somehow to keep from falling completely to the floor and just lands on his knees. His eyes however never leave the object of his eyes focus sitting their in her chair, her reg hair tantalizing him.
T'mren walks out into the bowl.
Ardenth> Cevodnioth glides lower into the bowl, his huge size dwarfed by the immensity of the bowl around him.
Sonya stalks out.
Sonya walks out into the bowl.
E'ric walks out into the bowl.
U'lyn gets up, wobbly-kneed, and walks out.
U'lyn walks out into the bowl.
Ardenth> Sulaith glides lower into the bowl, his huge size dwarfed by the immensity of the bowl around him.
Ardenth> Ondeth glides lower into the bowl, his huge size dwarfed by the immensity of the bowl around him.
Mh'al smiles wryly at Langley, dragging himself out. "Your loss."
Mh'al walks out into the bowl.
Langley throws her other shoe at Mh'al - take that!!