Flight 6
Light Gold Zheyth(Written by Frizzle)
Naera sat in the lower caverns sipping a cup of klah and talking with T're, when four other riders came over. She smiled at them, and said "So I suppose you're coming to play nice before Zheyth rises, hmm? Strength in numbers is a good idea." She smiled and offered seats to them, and as they sat, she noticed who were just there to get to know her, and some who were trying to make a good impression. As if it mattered. Zheyth said. Naera chuckled. She looked over her suitors then, and realized that all but one of them were Ryslen riders, and of those four, T're was the only one whose Dragon was not Younger than Zheyth! She smiled at them, and looked at who was there. There was T're of course. There was Sh'ban, who she'd met once or twice. She didn't know him too well, but he had this air about him. He was calm, and confident, not too bad for being himself. And There was Al'jan.. handsome Al'jan with his curls. Just thinking about those curls almost made her melt, but she kept her composure and went on with her appraisals. There was Moss... no, his name was M'lyevorn. He didn't have the curls, but he was all around wonderful looking, and she had to tear her eyes away. The last rider was J'can. She didn't know him too well, but he seemed so confident about something, probably the flight, that she felt uncomfortable. After a few moments, though it seemed like forever she sat there looking at them, she opened her mouth to say something, and promtly shut it. "She rises." she whispered, stood quietly, nodded to the rest of them, and sprinted out of the lower caverns.
"Zheyth!!" Naera called as she ran out into the weyrbowl to control the light-gold by her voice, not only by her mind "You have to be strong! You have to Blood your kills! Do you want them to catch you? You can't let them!" Zheyth responded with a feral roar, and she jumped into the air, and screamed out to the other dragons None of you are good enough for me!! She launched off, at first appearing to go for the straight line. She launched basically straight up in the air, and with the first thermal she could find twisted around pulling a wingtip circle. In her turn Zheyth saw the males launch after her and was very smug as she shot off, weaving left and right to confuse the others.
Back on the ground, Naera was aware of the riders surrounding her, not only those who she had been sitting with, and felt crowded. After feeling this she felt herself as Zheyth flying in the sky, and was only vaguely aware of her own body, but the crowding was prevalent. She whispered aloud, but more only to Zheyth, "They'll never catch us, Zheyth."
Never Zheyth echoed this thought, and flew even harder. She laughed mentally at the smallish bronze that had already dropped out, as well as many of the other browns who had thought themselves worthy--worthy!--to catch /her/! Pulling up higher again on a giant thermal, Zheyth craned her neck around to catch who was still chasing. Three Browns?! Three! And only two Bronzes?! What did those browns think they were? Dull Dirty Bronzes? That's what they were, even Amontilath. Dull and dirty in comparison to those bright bronzes. And then one of them disappeared. What was he thinking, to surprise her? She filled her wings with air, and prepared to maneuver. What are you, flitters or dragons? She snapped her tail at them, and said Don't you just want a piece of this? Just as she finished her comment, the brown reappeared in front of her, and she recognized him immediately. Predesoth! She swerved straight up, almost running into Amontilath. No! You will not catch me! She almost stopped midair, and the two browns slid ahead of her. She saw Fivrith, but in her stopping he had just added a good burst of speed and sped ahead. Zheyth watched him swivel around, defeated, and let her guard down just enough in her fired up amusement.
Naera, no longer able to see Zheyth, but merely through her eyes, felt some of the riders break away from the circle, and she realized that only four remained. Slowly, to her astonishment, she watched T're and Al'jan break away from the circle slowly. They were giving up. That left only the two bronzes, as they closed in on her. It was time to choose, and Zheyth needed all of her she could give.
Zheyth watched the browns depart and used most of her remaining strength to speed ahead. Binth followed close, and so did Morrolanth. And then there was only one. Only one left.. Zheyth muttered to herself, but she didn't believe it. There couldn't be only one.. She wanted to see for herself, so she rode the next thermal higher up, and as she got higher, Morrolanth descended from in front of her, and twined his neck and tail around hers.
Naera snapped out of her trance with Zheyth just as M'lyevorn wrapped his arms around her. She laid her head on his shoulder and said "Zheyth made the right choice, I think."