Moonlight Dance (Risk Runs)

[kia]

She growled lowly as she quickly turned her head toward the door. Ridan and Risk had not been here for very long, but the man and his Gold had rushed to the Wherhold quickly as soon as he had noticed her hide starting to shine brighter than normal. He had waited, wondering by candle night if this would be the night she would Run. So many nights had passed, and now Ridan`s mind was being filled with desire to run and mate.

Quickly, he moved to the door, opened it, and felt as if the he was cutting the night air. His skin pricked with the rushing feelings as Risk ran to the pens to select her first blood victim. One went down and was crushed between her teeth. A second gave loud, sharp sound before being cut off and its life draining away. Risk`s mouth dripped with the red drops of life as she roared in a low and primal call, calling the males to come find her and Chase her. She was Queen of this land now! And she would stake her claim tonight by Running and mating, bring forth the first Clutch of this new Wherhold. Spreading her wings, she jumped and glided of the fence, agile for a Gold of her size.

Ridan barely knew those here. He knew of only a few Handlers and weyrfolk who worked here as well. Maybe one of them would come and ease his rising anticipation like Risk would do eventually. Of course Risk would choose who she wanted. She would not let some male dictate what she would do, where she would go, and what her decision would be! She was Queen! Queen of the Whers and Queen of the night! None compared to her! And she demanded the respect she deserved.

[Lark]

Mavrisk's head went up as he heard his Queen's roars. She was blooding? The darkly hued blue stretched and ran around the cave he called home, Rin fitfully rolling about in his one quarters. Mavrisk chase! Risk run! Jolting awake, Rin threw back the covers after a sleepily groaned "What?" Mavrisk CHASE! Jumping up and down, the normally shy and introverted blue was suddenly overcome with confidence and desire. A QUEEN was running after all! He needed to chase for her! Giving a little roar, the blue headed out before Rin could say anything.

"Shards! Mavrisk, you're going to get hurt." The handler ran out after the blue but he was already chasing, and Rin was already overcome by the normal lust. What he needed to do was get to Ridan. The Alpha Handler had to be here somewhere. Rin just was thankful that the Gold Handler was a boy, he preffered them that way after all. Finding the man, Rin smiled slightly to the other handler. It wasn't like he could have stopped his wher after all, that would just have ended badly. Nope, so here he was....waiting around to see if Risk would run the blue off or let him try.

Out in he forest, Mavrisk lengthened his stride to keep up with the Gold. It wasn't easy in the slightest, but he had blooded too on a kill. That at least helped a tiny bit. The midnight wher seemed to gleam in the moon's light, saphire highlights dancing across his hide. This wasn't a game of who looked best though, after all Risk would win that one and a Gold couldn't chase a Gold. Jumping over a log, the blue let out a growl as a nearby bush rustled.

Little blue leave! Sazask much better! Bronze chase Gold! Not Blue. Snorting, the new comer tossed his light golden bronze head and lengthened his darker legs to match the chaser's stride. He was far better a choice than some measly blue! Looking at Risk, the Bronze crooned happily at the Gold. She would be his tonight. Under this moon, he'd defend her from the other males and take her for his own. It didn't matter that he was wild, that just meant he was the fittest in this run! He had survived! It was the law of the jungle, and he was King.

[Akira]

Kevin had just finished drying off after giving his large bronze wher a bath and oiling his hide. Kevinsk was now admiring his shiny, burnished gold/bronze hide while his copper bronze wings stood out so that he could admire those as well. Kevin smiled and laughed at his wher before picking up his things and heading back to their room. Kevinsk snorted at His, but followed him loyally back to their room. Kevin Mine sleep? When he heard his wher's question he turned around and smiled. No Kevinsk, I'm not going to bed just yet. His voice was full of love for the large bronze creature. He wasn't tired yet, so they would probably just go for a walk around the Weyr before heading to bed for the day.

Kevin almost yelped when he heard the sound of a creature dying. He quickly turned his head to his wher, and at that moment knew what was going on. Kevin ran outside with Kevinsk beside him. Risk Run! The words echoed in the mans mind as he turned and started running around trying to find Ridan. Kevin was panting hard by the time he found Ridan and another handler, Rin, at least, that's what Kevin though his name was. He smiled lightly at the gold handler, and wished that he had taken the time to get to know him better. Maybe then he wouldn't feel so awkward around him. Kevinsk on the other hand was running as fast as his bronze legs could carry him. There was no way he was going to miss his chance to claim Risk as his own.

Kevinsk opened his jaws and roared loudly, and angrely when he saw a blue chasing after the gold. His wings were tightly held agaisnt his body, making him a little more streamline than normal. He charged after the blue, teeth ready to rip him apart if he didn't leave. That's when he saw another bronze dragon. This was a wild one, so he would be hard to beat, but Kevinsk wasn't going to give up until the gold was his, or he was unable to move anymore. Risk Kevinsk!!! The bronze wher's proud voice practically screamed at his competitors. None of them would be winning this run without bloodshed it seemed.

[Crovin]

He could smell her on the night air as if she were scant inches away from his angry muzzle. She called to him like a spirit of the forest and he felt himself respond with lust and passion, and an abiding rage spawned from the knowledge of her suitors. He chased her then; a shadow within the deeper shadows of night: His hide flashing a sullen glow when he arrowed between shafts of falling moonlight. Years of killing, and survival, had left him an ugly thing to look upon: Scars raked his flesh as if he’d been lashed, and the heart that beat ichor through his body had never been touched by the two-legger emotion of love. He knew only need and greed. The female who called to him was a Queen unlike any other lesser colour had been; it had been much time since he had chased one of those bright flashing hides—he pushed himself to greater effort.

The loamy ground flashed below his hideous claws as he extended into a fluid bounding gait like a great feline set to race the wind itself; his wings mantled and down-beat at the most efficient moment to propel his claws to higher speeds. These lands were his dominion, and he had lost no ground to other wild whers all the time he had lived here, but now he abandoned his territory without a thought to fly at this Queen’s heels. His effortless head-long momentum brought him into view and fast upon the other suitors. For one long moment his eyes held only the disappearing form of his great Queen, and then he recognized the challengers for what they were—babes to be culled. If the Bronzes drove him into a fit of competitive rage—especially the other wild wher whose scent he recognized—then the Blue turned that rage bloodthirsty.

He wasted no wind to bellow; within his body there was a hum of anger like a nest of bees set to defend their Queen, but he would not scream. He would leap forward powerfully and dispatch this blue with an easy snap of his mighty jaws: His Queen would feed on the lessor specimen after they had mated in the cool night air. His death would be only one of many, and none here would miss him—anything for that flashing Golden form ahead of them. He ran near silently behind them; any sound he made drowned out by the angry bellowing from one of the two-legger bonded whers: His speed was as certain as the rising sun—he was gaining.