Logfile from Taini.  Birgith's maiden flight.   Who caught?  Read on.  OOC:  This was so much fun! Thanks folks!

The 'Barlord Chair' is occupied tonight. Taini sits in it, her legs tucked under her, and she writes away in her journal. Every once in awhile she looks up from her book and scans the room, and then returns to her writing. She hasn't even bothered with anything to drink right now. Her focus, what little she has right now, is on her book and the letters she puts in it.

T'ren, as he enters the cavern, makes his way toward the food tables, where he fills a mug with hot spiced cider, before turning to look around the cavern, and find a seat near its center.

C'valor of bronze Spectreth steps in at a military clip, one he never quite lost from his pre-rider days. A mere five turns wasn't enough to undo those habits. He does give Taini a bow rather than a salute as he passes by. He, like, T'ren fills a mug, but takes no food, at least for the moment.

Slow sluggish steps bring Q'luin into the cavern, a wide departure from the usual commanding stride. Marked doubt transforms the bronzerider in so many ways a blind man could pick up on it. It doesn't take him long before a rotation of the room brings the realization that his quarry is not present, which allows for a faint loosening of the knots that have him wound so tight.

The tip of her graphite stick breaks, and she growls, pulling a small knife out of her pocket to scrape the wood off to get the point back. It's a low, wordless growl, but it draws the attention of several people around her who start whispering. A couple people even back away, switching seats to those further away from the moody woman. The whispers continue for a few minutes, and she finishes the whittling. Putting the knife away, she returns to writing, pausing only to scan the room again, and then growl again.

After finding himself a seat, T'ren quirks his eyebrows at Taini, as she whittles on her writing stick, then grins slightly and shakes his head. He doesn't say anything, though, and takes a sip of his cider, before settling down further in his seat.

Birgith> Birgith lands in the feeding pens, tail flicking quickly. Her eyes whirl a strong purple, and the flames on her hide are as bright as signal fires. She tucks her wings in behind her, and starts to eye the 'beasts around her, but makes no move yet.

Birgith> Firannoth rumbles as he rests near one of the fence railings, lifting his head as he watches Birgith land, then begins to look over the herd himself.

C'valor glances calmly over at Taini. He knew as much as his dragon did what was going on, and gave Taini space while he continued to work on his drink. He'd always been a patient man.

L'ton succumbs to the daily habits of eating at a certain hour. In through the only open door of the paired set, he is destined for the wash basin to humor the first layers of Ruathan soil and sun. Only the barest of greetings are served before first cleaning his hands and face. Presentation is everything. The only real dallying, after a third rinse, is in expecting a hand cloth of some breed.

The reason he came to Fort is not present, but Taini is, and an invisible force that Q'luin thinks is his own will, pulls him toward her. "Barlord Sister weyrwoman, Ista's duties." Shoulders stiffen with tension as another enters the cavern, while the broody gaze is swung about to spy the entrant, and then another enters, and another, and finally the anxiety decides to make a nice tight-knit home in his muscles, and refuses to be banished. "T'jano around?" A tick vibrates the dusky features with an almost rhythmic persistence.

Birgith> A visiting Istan wings in close to the pens to perch on a ledge just above. Claws grind at the stone as Zhoreth watches the scene below, while the long spun gold tail flicks with feline-like twitches.

Slipping in behind L'ton, a small, nervous looking J'bral looks about the caverns. Recognizing Q'luin, he offers a shaky sort of nod and scurries away, grabbing a glass of redfruit juice before scouting out an empty place to sit. He ends up in an empty space near the Barlord weyrwoman and the other Istan bronzer. Not out of earshot, but hopefully far enough away to escape much notice.

Birgith> Spectreth perches out of range of the gold and the other bronzes for the moment. Long and serpentine, Spectreth is a pale bronze who shimmers more than shines. His front claws are perched on one rock, and his hind on another as he watches the the scene.

Taini continues to write until a familiar voice addresses her thus. "T'jano? I wouldn't have a clue. I haven't seen him in days." She says, setting the writing utensil down, and slamming the book shut with a little more force than necessary. "What do /you/ want him for?" As she is, she'll forget their former conversation about his apology, and instead growl out, "You've already caused him enough trouble." She stands up, stalks past him, and heads over toward the tables laden with food, more for something to do than anything else. She takes a few pastries, and takes a harsh bite out of one, then gives the room in general a scowl.

Birgith> Ikaroth doesn't clutter the feeding pens or even the sky above it. He is out of sight (out of mind?)

L'ton, caught at the serving tables with no cloth and, after twice checking, clothing too dirty to even consider them in the same niche as a towel, simply shakes the water off them as best as possible. Hopefully Taini's out of dodge. Seeing the goldrider's appointment nearby, "anything good to eat around this establishment?"

T'ren's eyes follow Taini as she strides across the cavern to the food tables, his eyes watching the gold rider appraisingly. He quirks an eyebrow again, then asks, "Who are you talking to, Taini? There are quite a few people here right now."

Making an entrance as unlike her ride's as it's possible to be, Aadi moves through the Caverns, snagging a bit of juice from a passing drudge tray before turning about the room looking for--ah, there he is! Nodding and offering the occasional smile in return for the many greetings offered, she plops into a seat near J'bral, opening her mouth to ask a question when Taini's motion catches her eye. "Oi, Tai!" she greets, looking over her sister in mild concern even as the bronzerider seated next to her hides his face in his hands. A muttered, "Why'd you get her /attention/?" heard just by those around him.

Thank you, Taini, for releasing Q'luin from the uncharacteristic nervousness. Her response sends him reeling into the familiar territory of anger, and how that scowl fits so 'just right'. The black eyes flash and pointed nose flares as he watches her walk away. Then a calm moment slides down around the rider as the burning gaze goes vague with the touch of his everready lifemate. In the next instant he's back, and leering with purpose. "So many sharding Barlords you can't visit without one of them popping off."

Birgith> Camiath looks about through the dust as he enters from the bowl's center.

Birgith> Hamdeth looks about through the dust as he enters from the bowl's center.

Birgith> At the moment, Birgith doesn't notice the males in the shadows. She is light, she is warmth, and there is nothing on her mind except for the thing she is craving. /Blood./ Quick as a bright flash of lightning, she's caught the first herdbeast, and begins draining the blood not even needing the reminders from her rider that are inevitably there. She drains the thing dry, and gives a low rumble.

C'valor shakes his head and leans forward, but for the moment doesn't interfere. Most fights, verbal or otherwise play themselves out and Only if it's likely to spill over onto others is it wise to intervene. You just wind up with black eyes and greater damage that way.

Birgith> Firannoth, standing abruptly as Birgith begins blooding, stretches his neck and bugles loudly before bringing down a herdbeast himself, ripping large, wet chunks of meat from the carcass.

Birgith> Blood's metallic components, disorder, a general flight riot, Ikaroth and a few entrepreneuring firelizards coalesce in the first hundred feet of the herd pens. The big bronze shows no appetite, the planes of his wings necessarily level and given to gliding. After a final negligent stroke Ikaroth touches earth hindfeet first until he just sort of 'walks' out of the air.

Birgith> Spectreth is neat and precise about this. He'd already had his target picked out and uncoiled from his rocks striking then dragging his prey back to him. He only bloods himself. He's not foolish enough to throw away any advantage he has to a full belly, neither does he let the carcass tangle him up.

Taini turns toward the voice. "Aadi. What are you doing here? What's going on?" And then, she squishes the pastries she's got in her hands. "Oh, great golden gleaming Faranth." She says, inhaling deeply and stuffing every piece of pastry in her hand into her mouth at one time, not caring that it probably looks rather gruesome. Q'luin gets a long glare, and when the pastries have been swallowed, she rages at him. "And how in the sharding hell are you here every time one of us is..." She glances toward the door. "You're here at the right time again. Tell me how you do it." It's an ironic comment, and she stalks over to Henry, who just holds out a skin, and she drops some payment on the counter.

"Well, I'd come t' return th' visit, sis. J'bral had an errand t' run up north 'n said I could come with 'im." Aadi narrows her eyes at the normally calmer Taini. "Seems I came a'just th' right time t' make good on tha' promise o' mine, yeah?" J'bral just gets redder and redder, starting to shift and fidget with agitation and nerves.

Birgith> The sun dwindles in a vibrant display, sending warm fingers of color to touch east and west. Bronze, gold, and ebony threads are transformed by the light, masking the truth hue in the dragon who sails from the ledge to land with little fuss on a beast that bawls its impending death to the angry skies. Zhoreth silences the cries by lopping off the head with a quick slice of talons, and it is from here that he suckles.

Birgith> Camiath looks up from his nap, noting the blooding queen and the other males. Slowly, ever so slowly the enormous predator uncurls himself, rising to stretch and stand. Wide, faceted eyes seem to watch everything from the blood-drained beasts to the cloud of daring flitters entering with another bronze, but he remains absolutely still--conserving energy.

L'ton whips his right hand a last time then reaches for a bite of cheese small enough to use only once. And lo, L'ton grazes on the hoof with as much gusto as the goldrider. He faces out now, hunger pangs abated, to categorize faces while chewing as a man possessed. After reading Taini's proddy apex, "Here it comes..."

C'valor gives L'ton a very dry look, but keeps his attention between Q'luin and Taini. It would be no good thing to have an argument come to blows at this point and old instincts die hard. His dragon isn't /completely/ distracting, at least not yet.

T'ren shrugs, and leans back in his chair again, then drains his mug of cider.

What Q'luin /wants/ to voice is swallowed in light of the company, and instead he merely grumbles low, "It's a gift." No use pretending she isn't the lure that has him hooked, so the bronzerider finds his saunter and carries it toward Taini, lids hooded to a sultry half-mast. "I have many gifts - wanna see?" The grumble has reverted to a lewd growl in these words.

Birgith> In their terror of a fresh attack a small fray of herd animals runs to and under Ikaroth. The motions of thin legs and jarred fleeing encourages the carnivore in him. Both left feet, fore and hind, seize upon the yearling. A repetitive pack of his jaws, death now served, and Pelysheth's son takes off on wing to pluck the beast's best essences in mid air.

Birgith> Birgith begins to notice them now. They are shadows. Easily cowered by the brightness, right? She drains her second beast, and then just waits for something, caught by the dropping sun's golden rays.

"Kinda past that point, I think. I brought..." She glances around at the men, suddenly aware of their attention on her. "I followed Thera's advice." Taini's not sure Aadi knows what Thera suggested, but she doesn't care right now. "No. Touch me, and I'll..." Her expression tightens. "If he wins, then..." A grudging acceptance comes by the tilt of her head, and she continues. "Until then, give me some space." She growls again. "Aadi..." She gives a look to her sister, and then stalks toward the door, not leaving yet, but wanting to get /away/. Far far away.

Aadi senses that the look Taini gives you is that of a wherry stuck in a branch. Unwilling to ask for help, but feeling stuck just the same.

J'bral sighs with relief as it seems the angry goldrider will be leaving them alone. Maybe he has time to get back to Ista before all this nonsense starts again! But then that hope shatters as Aadi interprets her sister's look and pushes back from the table, stepping around and inserting herself neatly between Q'luin and her sister. "Back off, bronzerider. Bee ha'nt even gone up yet," she growls to him, leveling a 'look' it seems she might have picked up from Taini herself towards Q'luin before turning and catching up the goldrider with an almost jogging stride.

>> I sense that Ikaroth is marked by a dead 'whoosh' like the air that fills in place when something large has disturbed it. He too thrives in brightness, in the appeal of the hazardous. All he says, in careless fun, << Burn. >> <<

"Oh I wouldn't dream of it, Barlord sister," Q'luin drawls, but nonetheless he follows, keeping at a comfortable distance, yet an invasive presence she will not easily shake off. The pair of them get smartass eye roll that is by no means hidden. "Calm down, the both of you. I am here, like everyone else - find another target for your bitching." L'ton is glanced, and recognized, and a finger is stabbed in his direction, "Future Weyrleader, to be sure, so sharpen your blunt claws on him."

>> Birgith /will/ burn. She'll burn like a flame caught in a forest. There will be no stopping her. She'll burn forever if they'll let her. She'll blaze on and on. << I believe I will. Thank you >> Her mindvoice /sears/. The flames are so intense no one dares near her yet. Beneath the fury of the flames, she'll smolder, and add her own fuel to the fire. She has plenty. And when she runs out, Taini has more. <<

When he had thought otherwise, food has only hindered L'ton's sense of well-being. His stomach and entire chest cavity alternate between being too 'full' and dropping from the complex and strengthened cohesion of Ikaroth in flight. Following Q'luin's errant path with his eyes, "what's that supposed to mean?" Being neither fan nor bully.

Birgith> Birgith has had enough. The night is fine, the sky clear, though cold, and she leaps into the air, the flames on her sides crackling into being as she glows like a rocket in the sky. She takes flight, and the sky, and the night, belong to her. Only to her.

Birgith> Zhoreth wings speedily up from far, far below, feeding pens forgotten.

Birgith> Camiath wings rapidly in from the southwest, the lake a gleaming backdrop.

Birgith> Hamdeth wings speedily up from far, far below, feeding pens forgotten.

Taini fairly grabs Aadi's arm, and steps out the door heading for the only safe place she knows. Her weyr. She gives each of the men a glare as she notices them, including the weyrlingmaster, who has just stepped into the room, his arms behind his back watching her from afar.

Birgith> Hamdeth circles his arrival darkly, a swirling shadow that lands upon the back of a herdbeast, forever denied the boon of life for feeding its circle. Blood will slip through the brown's jaws while his brown tail slices through the air, twin, twining the helices of life and gored death. Only once in watchful whisper before that shadow darkens again to the sky after the light.

Birgith> Fur falls in soft tufts, the leftover winter coat counterproductive in Ikaroth's desire to pick. He turns into the headwind that his flight may slow without him forfeiting so much in altitude. Blood and a little fat will sustain him on this run with the carcass tight in his forepaws soon cached on a slope of rock for his later consumption. That and Zhoreth's butchery will leave him feasting for days. Free of that extra weight the bronze streamlines his flight, powers a deep downthrust, and shadows Birgith until it's he that can become the sun.

Birgith> The forge fires succumb to night, leaving this piece of dirt to be further smelt another day. With the last of light dispatched, a cool veil drops on Fort, easing Zhoreth's fight for flight. The power behind the pushes that take him aloft after the succulent queen have doubled in a turn, but have yet to perfect, so a trailing member of the pack is his best bet for the first few moments.

"It means, littlest future weyrleader, that women as a whole - nasty beings. Goldriders? -- Lets just say Taini has been taking her lessons well," Q'luin refers distastefully to her earlier display of emotion. As for Addi, a nod is flown in her direction, "That one there - the sometimes Barlord, has the makings." The bronzerider obediently follows the flesh.

Birgith> Spectreth wastes no time with fan fair or further blood letting. His wings simply unfurl, seaming to unwind from his body as he takes to the air after her, sliding through the air like a serpentine wisp of fog, calm and calculating, his mind a brittle icy cold to her heat.

P'lodious sails in following on boot heels, releasing leathers and accouterments as he stalks. Intensity darkens his face as he grouses to anyone within hearing range, "Fort has Shardin too many golds to ever make it safe to visit your friggin cousin." His gaze sweeps the crowd to see just who else constitutes the upstarts of Pern's next leadership.

No one probably noticed L'ton's jaunt up the stairs. Don't mark him for being jubilant, more salient. "You're Istan, past or present?" Remembering N'ic's circumstances. If he can get away with looking at Q'luin for a short time instead of staring burn marks through Taini's clothing, then he'll make just that effort.

"You know I'm not normally this way..." Taini hisses, as they follow her. "It's only because..." Well, because Birgith has lit a fire underneath her literally. She releases Aadi's arm, and moves away from her to move away from the men who, though none are in her normal space, suddenly seem /way/ too close. And their stares? She'll just close her eyes and will them away.

Pulled out of the lower caverns rather forcefully, Aadi follows her sister, quickening her pace so she matches Taini stride for stride. An angry fair of flitters circle them, ducking around the two girls' heads and creeling on occasion. "Easy, Tai. I know," Aadi begins in that low, soothing tone she uses on the unbroken runners. "I'm not gonna let tha' wherryhead anywhere near anythin' he's not t'be near, yeah? Especially you." She pauses for a second, thinking while walking. "An' that'll go for all o' them, yeah? Rough crowd for a firs' time." J'bral--noting that it's definitely too late to back out now, rises and reluctantly follows. Aadi follows even as her sister moves, shadowing her so at least there's one friendly form between her and the crowd of riders.

Birgith> Like a Turnover Ghost, like the warmest lights in the sky, Birgith streaks out, full of energy and enthusiasm. She flies quickly, evading easily for now, remaining well in front, as the light-bearer ought to be. She is the beacon, they're the poor followers who have to try to stay in her glow.

Birgith> Camiath likes this particular glow, though he is normally a shadow stalker. Yes, let her lead, he will follow. Above the pack and behind her, he uses big, broad wingstrokes to propel himself forward. No wasted energy here. It's all efficient and smooth, each motion /oozing/ predator.

Birgith> Rather than falling into the role of a leader in Birgith's pack of paramours, Ikaroth rallies his neck back towards his body and skims over the males themselves to release a turbulent pitch of shrill cries and words of war. His babbling is a raucous flyby that, when he runs out of browns and bronzes, begins to double back in a large loop to probably wage another strike.

Birgith> As night descends to mute the world, Zhoreth's colors are dimmed until they fade completely into a shroud of darkness that forms an impressive bronze-sized silhouette. Lost ground is gained with a youthful effort that could very well drain reserves which should be held at bay until last moments. Several artful maneuvers later, the gossamer-marked dragon positions himself above the others, hungry gaze kept firmly on the prey.

Birgith> Spectreth winks into ::between::!

Birgith> Hamdeth pursues this path of bronze and browns that is traced through the frigid fort air, through the wind, through the ice, shadowing a trail that leads to flashes of light and sings to all bone-deep. Earth and fire blending their smoldering consumption within a prism hide. This is fusion of new elements that drives him forward with wings ferocious, furious and fast.

Birgith> The flight continues, and Birgith streaks for quite awhile. She burns. But, like all good fires, she begins to burn out. The flame lightens a little, the light dims just the smallest amount, and she slows slightly. However, she does still have the endurance to keep going. So, she stays aloft, daring her pursuers to try to catch the flame.

"Present, under your father's rule," Q'luin answers in surprisingly mild conversational tone. Distraction is a good idea, and the bronzerider isn't about to respond to Taini. Aadi, though, causes a snide smirk and foul mockery, "You here to pick up her leftovers?" The ground beneath gains repetitive black scuff marks as a boot swings back and forth, heel grinding stone.

"Alright." Taini accepts Aadi's 'help' unequivocally. Anything to stay in the sky... or alone. She is taken over by dragon, then, and is lost to them, sliding to the floor where she stands, seated, legs crossed, eyes glazed over.

Birgith> Let the young ones have their day, it's the only way they'll learn. But Camiath wastes none of his time or energy on their silly antics. His focus is that burning, flickering light up ahead and with a jungle feline's intensity, he continues to stalk. Let her swoop and twist, dive and rise. It is all of it a gorgeous display and makes her a fine prize, but he can wait. He can wait.

Birgith> Ikaroth's shape is the needle to a terribly skewed compass. It only indicates north for a second or two then highlights all cardinal directions at least once in due time. Dark wings are stilled several stories above the thinnest sections of flight participants. Their narrowness contracts even further when he severs the stoop and prepares for another blitz of hoarse cries that are as musical as griffon vultures locked in a feeding frenzy. A back foot pushes off the ridged margin between Hamdeth's wing joints where they join his body. All this while snapping at Zhoreth who is half a league away. It's just a gesture.

P'lodious marks his own territory against a wall, quiet reserve harshly lit as he watches all with flicking gaze. Not his Weyr, not even his continent, and he breathes an inward hiss at the tension. Q'luin, L'ton both get heeded before chin turns to exit and eyes close.

"/Shaaaards/ no!" Aadi draws out that one word in honest disbelief. "Unlike all o' you, I've no dragon t'lose m'mind to." She folds her arms over her chest, standing protectively near Taini. "An' I c'n hold my own again' any man who thinks 'e could convince me otherwise." She offers the bronzer a wicked grin then, watching out of the corner of her eye as J'bral makes his quiet entrance. "If'n y'want to bed me, Qi, y'll have t'wait until /after/ those eggs crack." She chuckles darkly. "An' even then it's a maybe."

Birgith> Zhoreth's attention is splintered by the snap, and a whipping whirl brings talons wheeling toward Ikaroth with flesh gouging intent. The spiral continues with a strangled bugle that gets caught in the twisted throat. It takes great effort to straighten out again, and the youth is not used to airborne battle during a flight, so ground is lost, only to be regained with a fervor of one who feels his destiny is at stake.

Birgith> Hamdeth sculpts the air currents about him, bending each to his own whim of rich earthy brown wings. All an elemental mixing that call to him as he seeks the gold's fiery cast. That shadowed glow is eclipsed by fury and then pain, as that wing joint is clipped and this experiment to claim his first mistress fails.

"Ahhh," L'ton recommends for Q'luin and that's about as intelligent as his replies should get until this is all over with - and even then give him a day. "Aadi, this ain't exactly the choice of places to be. I think you should leave. Taini'll understand." He provides himself a glimpse of the goldrider, managing to get as high as the hollow of her throat. Then exhales worry, longing, and a little gratuitous carbon dioxide while looking at the wall.

Birgith> Birgith's flame flickers, falters, and begins to fade. She's good though. She'll stay there as long as she possibly can. It only takes the smallest flame to light the darkness, right? Her wingbeats slow, and she inadvertently allows the suitors to get closer to her, at least for the moment.

Taini remains silent, no longer on the ground, or, in fact, anywhere near it. She's up in the clouds with Birgith, soaring through, keeping the sky alight with flame. She wouldn't even notice if Aadi left now.

Birgith> Camiath chooses his moment carefully. The flame is flickering, but not dying. Still. Better to move just a bit too early than to move just a bit too late. And so he waits just a wingbeat more....then /dives/! Using the energy from his fall to propel him forwards, ever forwards. Talons reach out to snag his lovely prize...if he can only...just.../reach... And he doesn't even realize his error. The predator's falling too fast.

Q'luin aims to intercept L'ton's suggestion, and takes three stretched strides to Aadi, where an arm is cast around a shoulder to corral the candidate. "Oh no, not'a-N'lon, she should stay. I think you'll be needing a partner soon," and if he squeezes those shoulders a tad too tight, he'll later blame it on flight passions disturbance. The angular nose burrows into the sultry red hair that he's grown to lust after lately. Call it transference.

Aadi snorts at L'ton's suggestion. "Thanks, really. Concern's touchin' but I'm not leavin' until that queen's been caught. An' then I'm leavin' alone, chasin' th' lot o' you out." And then there's an arm wrapped around her shoulders, holding her close as a nose buries itself in her hair. She freezes, muscles tense but still as she calms her breathing. "Q'luin," she growls, her voice low and dangerous. Not so much an edge of warning in it as a whole /blade/. "Whether y'believe me or not, I don't want t'hurt you. Now. Let. Me. Go." J'bral crouches back against the stone wall, effectively hiding himself from the proceeding danger.

P'lodious' territory dissipates as Hamdeth and his ichor rain from the skies, all pain and fury at lost opportunities. His own face becomes the shadow of agony and hoarse breath hisses their common link. He turns and stagger from the ledge. Only instinct guiding him towards his brown..

Birgith> Ikaroth was expecting to do the taunting. The Istan bronze's level of fight is a surprise he chances on wholeheartedly, giving as well as receiving. Beads of green ichor are expressed in the shape of claw dents on the junction between throat and shoulder. They weep when his velocity increases to further harry the males. The new pattern is a ribbon between those contending, when safe space is impossible Intrepid Explorer Ikaroth reels ninety-degrees into vertical shapes. Those cries are thinning now, even he must be getting sick of them. He bounds over Grerdath entirely, nips at Camiath's trailing edge and wishes to save all the best provocations for Birgith in a dive that leaves him open-mouthed. His shoulder does pain him, but not as much as a crash with the maiden queen will compel. The keen now is a soaring octave that requires some crystal to shatter.

Birgith> Pain seers torn hide as Zhoreth feels Ikaroth's literal rebuke. The cry is cut short as the finish line is spied, and the opponent obviously already upon it. A fury that often propels his lifemate through life is drawn upon, and its fire put to good use to stoke the belly of the beast with a renewed flash of flame. Small he is not, but small he aims to be, arrowing toward the fragile break between queen and invasive bronze. There is no warning sound, as 'stealth' carries him to where he hopes to be, wings pulled back with night-flyers grace, talons extended to today's love-of-his-life.

L'ton keeps licking his lips. His throat must be etched in cracks - his lips sure are. A glower is centered around his eyes at Q'luin's rough reference, but he doesn't display his dragon's propensity to bedevil. "Does anyone have anythin' to drink?" The cuffs of his sleeves are pulled at even when they're up, motions still made on bare wrists. "Y'can't say I didn't warn you," suffers Aadi. By this time he lows to the floor and instantly presses his palms flat to the stone beside him for anything that will take up some heat.

Birgith> The flame has died. The warrior queen fights to stay aloft, but Birgith's wings tire, and after such a long flight, she chooses the fighter. The one who shares her fiery, fierce nature. Her neck twines easily with Ikaroth's catching his weight and the force of his powerful dive. They'll burn until there's nothing left.

"Your wish is my command, Barlordish, " and Q'luin twists his arm to fling Aadi toward L'ton with a dancing twirl. Now all we need is some good ole downhome country twang to get the party really started. Oh, and some tequila. Once she is away, the flask is procured from a pocket and popped open. A slow, languid drink is taken with theatrical flare for the Fortian bronzerider's benefit. "Ah, refreshing," but the truth is quite the opposite.

Taini stands up, quickly, her hands reaching, and strides purposefully toward L'ton, grabbing him, straightening him up, and nearly dragging him toward the door of her weyr. Birgith has chosen, and that necessitates her choice. The others may as well not exist, including her sister. This is /now/, this is here, and nothing else matters.

Aadi spins with the motion, letting her right leg brace her back to a stop, facing Q'luin with a wicked grin. Taini's quick motion is noticed and she gets out of her way, watching with sisterly approval as her former Sands-mate is pulled in and away. Suddenly there's a cry of draconic panic and a /crash/ as a hulking bronze hits earth at high speed. With an anguished cry, J'bral stumbles out of the weyr, rushing pell-mell to his downed lifemate. Aadi, on the other hand, doesn't move yet. Taini's chosen, but there's still Q'luin to deal with and a ledge to clear. "Then I'll /wish/ y'off this ledge, Qi." Another wolfish grin.

Just after Ikaroth impacts Birgith by some matter of milliseconds L'ton is mid-rise when his chin dashes against Taini's kneecap. He can reach and pull his way vertical and isn't bound to abide by boundaries any longer. Good thing - paper couldn't slide between them. Ikaroth's embrace is neither sweet nor tender. He carries force with him, force that makes a swift cry for the slab of pain in his shoulder. But they'll coexist as a unit for a time when efforts turn into results.

Birgith> Zhoreth is crushed as the hole is closed and the pairing made. Veering away, scraping Ikaroth with a near miss, the sulking bronze dives for the lingering winter ice cold of the lake, dashing himself with all hope into the depths.

Lifemate to lifemate, the pain of another grand loss stabs furrows into bronzed features, and both sets of eyes grow blackened cold. There's no more jest to distract from the reality, and Q'luin has no time for useless candidates. Not a single word is spilled as he reels about, leaving an interesting black mark on the stone, and thrusts himself outwards on a mission of passion that holds no mercy.

Birgith> Camiath missed. How he missed, he doesn't know, but he has time only for that thought and a scream of panic before his bulk hits the ground. Hard. Rolling to one side, he manages to take the impact on his shoulder, but even so, it's keening cries of pain that echo in the aftermath of a maiden flight.

Birgith> Suspended animation.

Birgith> Zhoreth circles lower into the bowl.

Birgith> Below, Zhoreth circles down from above.

Birgith> Below, Zhoreth circles down for a landing.

Birgith> Camiath suddenly disappears ::between::!

The 'Barlord Chair' is occupied tonight. Taini sits in it, her legs tucked under her, and she writes away in her journal. Every once in awhile she looks up from her book and scans the room, and then returns to her writing. She hasn't even bothered with anything to drink right now. Her focus, what little she has right now, is on her book and the letters she puts in it.

T'ren, as he enters the cavern, makes his way toward the food tables, where he fills a mug with hot spiced cider, before turning to look around the cavern, and find a seat near its center.

C'valor of bronze Spectreth steps in at a military clip, one he never quite lost from his pre-rider days. A mere five turns wasn't enough to undo those habits. He does give Taini a bow rather than a salute as he passes by. He, like, T'ren fills a mug, but takes no food, at least for the moment.

Slow sluggish steps bring Q'luin into the cavern, a wide departure from the usual commanding stride. Marked doubt transforms the bronzerider in so many ways a blind man could pick up on it. It doesn't take him long before a rotation of the room brings the realization that his quarry is not present, which allows for a faint loosening of the knots that have him wound so tight.

The tip of her graphite stick breaks, and she growls, pulling a small knife out of her pocket to scrape the wood off to get the point back. It's a low, wordless growl, but it draws the attention of several people around her who start whispering. A couple people even back away, switching seats to those further away from the moody woman. The whispers continue for a few minutes, and she finishes the whittling. Putting the knife away, she returns to writing, pausing only to scan the room again, and then growl again.

After finding himself a seat, T'ren quirks his eyebrows at Taini, as she whittles on her writing stick, then grins slightly and shakes his head. He doesn't say anything, though, and takes a sip of his cider, before settling down further in his seat.

Birgith> Birgith lands in the feeding pens, tail flicking quickly. Her eyes whirl a strong purple, and the flames on her hide are as bright as signal fires. She tucks her wings in behind her, and starts to eye the 'beasts around her, but makes no move yet.

Birgith> Firannoth rumbles as he rests near one of the fence railings, lifting his head as he watches Birgith land, then begins to look over the herd himself.

C'valor glances calmly over at Taini. He knew as much as his dragon did what was going on, and gave Taini space while he continued to work on his drink. He'd always been a patient man.

L'ton succumbs to the daily habits of eating at a certain hour. In through the only open door of the paired set, he is destined for the wash basin to humor the first layers of Ruathan soil and sun. Only the barest of greetings are served before first cleaning his hands and face. Presentation is everything. The only real dallying, after a third rinse, is in expecting a hand cloth of some breed.

The reason he came to Fort is not present, but Taini is, and an invisible force that Q'luin thinks is his own will, pulls him toward her. "Barlord Sister weyrwoman, Ista's duties." Shoulders stiffen with tension as another enters the cavern, while the broody gaze is swung about to spy the entrant, and then another enters, and another, and finally the anxiety decides to make a nice tight-knit home in his muscles, and refuses to be banished. "T'jano around?" A tick vibrates the dusky features with an almost rhythmic persistence.

Birgith> A visiting Istan wings in close to the pens to perch on a ledge just above. Claws grind at the stone as Zhoreth watches the scene below, while the long spun gold tail flicks with feline-like twitches.

Slipping in behind L'ton, a small, nervous looking J'bral looks about the caverns. Recognizing Q'luin, he offers a shaky sort of nod and scurries away, grabbing a glass of redfruit juice before scouting out an empty place to sit. He ends up in an empty space near the Barlord weyrwoman and the other Istan bronzer. Not out of earshot, but hopefully far enough away to escape much notice.

Birgith> Spectreth perches out of range of the gold and the other bronzes for the moment. Long and serpentine, Spectreth is a pale bronze who shimmers more than shines. His front claws are perched on one rock, and his hind on another as he watches the the scene.

Taini continues to write until a familiar voice addresses her thus. "T'jano? I wouldn't have a clue. I haven't seen him in days." She says, setting the writing utensil down, and slamming the book shut with a little more force than necessary. "What do /you/ want him for?" As she is, she'll forget their former conversation about his apology, and instead growl out, "You've already caused him enough trouble." She stands up, stalks past him, and heads over toward the tables laden with food, more for something to do than anything else. She takes a few pastries, and takes a harsh bite out of one, then gives the room in general a scowl.

Birgith> Ikaroth doesn't clutter the feeding pens or even the sky above it. He is out of sight (out of mind?)

L'ton, caught at the serving tables with no cloth and, after twice checking, clothing too dirty to even consider them in the same niche as a towel, simply shakes the water off them as best as possible. Hopefully Taini's out of dodge. Seeing the goldrider's appointment nearby, "anything good to eat around this establishment?"

T'ren's eyes follow Taini as she strides across the cavern to the food tables, his eyes watching the gold rider appraisingly. He quirks an eyebrow again, then asks, "Who are you talking to, Taini? There are quite a few people here right now."

Making an entrance as unlike her ride's as it's possible to be, Aadi moves through the Caverns, snagging a bit of juice from a passing drudge tray before turning about the room looking for--ah, there he is! Nodding and offering the occasional smile in return for the many greetings offered, she plops into a seat near J'bral, opening her mouth to ask a question when Taini's motion catches her eye. "Oi, Tai!" she greets, looking over her sister in mild concern even as the bronzerider seated next to her hides his face in his hands. A muttered, "Why'd you get her /attention/?" heard just by those around him.

Thank you, Taini, for releasing Q'luin from the uncharacteristic nervousness. Her response sends him reeling into the familiar territory of anger, and how that scowl fits so 'just right'. The black eyes flash and pointed nose flares as he watches her walk away. Then a calm moment slides down around the rider as the burning gaze goes vague with the touch of his everready lifemate. In the next instant he's back, and leering with purpose. "So many sharding Barlords you can't visit without one of them popping off."

Birgith> Camiath looks about through the dust as he enters from the bowl's center.

Birgith> Hamdeth looks about through the dust as he enters from the bowl's center.

Birgith> At the moment, Birgith doesn't notice the males in the shadows. She is light, she is warmth, and there is nothing on her mind except for the thing she is craving. /Blood./ Quick as a bright flash of lightning, she's caught the first herdbeast, and begins draining the blood not even needing the reminders from her rider that are inevitably there. She drains the thing dry, and gives a low rumble.

C'valor shakes his head and leans forward, but for the moment doesn't interfere. Most fights, verbal or otherwise play themselves out and Only if it's likely to spill over onto others is it wise to intervene. You just wind up with black eyes and greater damage that way.

Birgith> Firannoth, standing abruptly as Birgith begins blooding, stretches his neck and bugles loudly before bringing down a herdbeast himself, ripping large, wet chunks of meat from the carcass.

Birgith> Blood's metallic components, disorder, a general flight riot, Ikaroth and a few entrepreneuring firelizards coalesce in the first hundred feet of the herd pens. The big bronze shows no appetite, the planes of his wings necessarily level and given to gliding. After a final negligent stroke Ikaroth touches earth hindfeet first until he just sort of 'walks' out of the air.

Birgith> Spectreth is neat and precise about this. He'd already had his target picked out and uncoiled from his rocks striking then dragging his prey back to him. He only bloods himself. He's not foolish enough to throw away any advantage he has to a full belly, neither does he let the carcass tangle him up.

Taini turns toward the voice. "Aadi. What are you doing here? What's going on?" And then, she squishes the pastries she's got in her hands. "Oh, great golden gleaming Faranth." She says, inhaling deeply and stuffing every piece of pastry in her hand into her mouth at one time, not caring that it probably looks rather gruesome. Q'luin gets a long glare, and when the pastries have been swallowed, she rages at him. "And how in the sharding hell are you here every time one of us is..." She glances toward the door. "You're here at the right time again. Tell me how you do it." It's an ironic comment, and she stalks over to Henry, who just holds out a skin, and she drops some payment on the counter.

"Well, I'd come t' return th' visit, sis. J'bral had an errand t' run up north 'n said I could come with 'im." Aadi narrows her eyes at the normally calmer Taini. "Seems I came a'just th' right time t' make good on tha' promise o' mine, yeah?" J'bral just gets redder and redder, starting to shift and fidget with agitation and nerves.

Birgith> The sun dwindles in a vibrant display, sending warm fingers of color to touch east and west. Bronze, gold, and ebony threads are transformed by the light, masking the truth hue in the dragon who sails from the ledge to land with little fuss on a beast that bawls its impending death to the angry skies. Zhoreth silences the cries by lopping off the head with a quick slice of talons, and it is from here that he suckles.

Birgith> Camiath looks up from his nap, noting the blooding queen and the other males. Slowly, ever so slowly the enormous predator uncurls himself, rising to stretch and stand. Wide, faceted eyes seem to watch everything from the blood-drained beasts to the cloud of daring flitters entering with another bronze, but he remains absolutely still--conserving energy.

L'ton whips his right hand a last time then reaches for a bite of cheese small enough to use only once. And lo, L'ton grazes on the hoof with as much gusto as the goldrider. He faces out now, hunger pangs abated, to categorize faces while chewing as a man possessed. After reading Taini's proddy apex, "Here it comes..."

C'valor gives L'ton a very dry look, but keeps his attention between Q'luin and Taini. It would be no good thing to have an argument come to blows at this point and old instincts die hard. His dragon isn't /completely/ distracting, at least not yet.

T'ren shrugs, and leans back in his chair again, then drains his mug of cider.

What Q'luin /wants/ to voice is swallowed in light of the company, and instead he merely grumbles low, "It's a gift." No use pretending she isn't the lure that has him hooked, so the bronzerider finds his saunter and carries it toward Taini, lids hooded to a sultry half-mast. "I have many gifts - wanna see?" The grumble has reverted to a lewd growl in these words.

Birgith> In their terror of a fresh attack a small fray of herd animals runs to and under Ikaroth. The motions of thin legs and jarred fleeing encourages the carnivore in him. Both left feet, fore and hind, seize upon the yearling. A repetitive pack of his jaws, death now served, and Pelysheth's son takes off on wing to pluck the beast's best essences in mid air.

Birgith> Birgith begins to notice them now. They are shadows. Easily cowered by the brightness, right? She drains her second beast, and then just waits for something, caught by the dropping sun's golden rays.

"Kinda past that point, I think. I brought..." She glances around at the men, suddenly aware of their attention on her. "I followed Thera's advice." Taini's not sure Aadi knows what Thera suggested, but she doesn't care right now. "No. Touch me, and I'll..." Her expression tightens. "If he wins, then..." A grudging acceptance comes by the tilt of her head, and she continues. "Until then, give me some space." She growls again. "Aadi..." She gives a look to her sister, and then stalks toward the door, not leaving yet, but wanting to get /away/. Far far away.

Aadi senses that the look Taini gives you is that of a wherry stuck in a branch. Unwilling to ask for help, but feeling stuck just the same.

J'bral sighs with relief as it seems the angry goldrider will be leaving them alone. Maybe he has time to get back to Ista before all this nonsense starts again! But then that hope shatters as Aadi interprets her sister's look and pushes back from the table, stepping around and inserting herself neatly between Q'luin and her sister. "Back off, bronzerider. Bee ha'nt even gone up yet," she growls to him, leveling a 'look' it seems she might have picked up from Taini herself towards Q'luin before turning and catching up the goldrider with an almost jogging stride.

>> I sense that Ikaroth is marked by a dead 'whoosh' like the air that fills in place when something large has disturbed it. He too thrives in brightness, in the appeal of the hazardous. All he says, in careless fun, << Burn. >> <<

"Oh I wouldn't dream of it, Barlord sister," Q'luin drawls, but nonetheless he follows, keeping at a comfortable distance, yet an invasive presence she will not easily shake off. The pair of them get smartass eye roll that is by no means hidden. "Calm down, the both of you. I am here, like everyone else - find another target for your bitching." L'ton is glanced, and recognized, and a finger is stabbed in his direction, "Future Weyrleader, to be sure, so sharpen your blunt claws on him."

>> Birgith /will/ burn. She'll burn like a flame caught in a forest. There will be no stopping her. She'll burn forever if they'll let her. She'll blaze on and on. << I believe I will. Thank you >> Her mindvoice /sears/. The flames are so intense no one dares near her yet. Beneath the fury of the flames, she'll smolder, and add her own fuel to the fire. She has plenty. And when she runs out, Taini has more. <<

When he had thought otherwise, food has only hindered L'ton's sense of well-being. His stomach and entire chest cavity alternate between being too 'full' and dropping from the complex and strengthened cohesion of Ikaroth in flight. Following Q'luin's errant path with his eyes, "what's that supposed to mean?" Being neither fan nor bully.

Birgith> Birgith has had enough. The night is fine, the sky clear, though cold, and she leaps into the air, the flames on her sides crackling into being as she glows like a rocket in the sky. She takes flight, and the sky, and the night, belong to her. Only to her.

Birgith> Zhoreth wings speedily up from far, far below, feeding pens forgotten.

Birgith> Camiath wings rapidly in from the southwest, the lake a gleaming backdrop.

Birgith> Hamdeth wings speedily up from far, far below, feeding pens forgotten.

Taini fairly grabs Aadi's arm, and steps out the door heading for the only safe place she knows. Her weyr. She gives each of the men a glare as she notices them, including the weyrlingmaster, who has just stepped into the room, his arms behind his back watching her from afar.