Flights

It was late into the evening when Phoebe and Belindath had finally
finished their task of porting trade goods back and forth from Darkling Dawn to
The Reach. The sun was low on the horizon as Phoebe sunk exhaustedly into a
chair and poured herself a cold cup of water. Wine or anything else
that would just dehydrate her more sounded horrible right now.

Outside, Belindath seemed to have instantly dropped into a deep sleep.
Rahim's red Zalinath knew what was going on, but he reminded himself to
remain firmly grounded. There was a certain dragoner who would skin his
rider if he participated in what was about to happen.

Phoebe couldn't figure out why she was so thirsty. She must have
drunken pitchers of water today, but through it all Belindath had seemed so
energized like she could have taken the world between with her and--
The realization dawned on her the same instant that Belindath's mating
creel pierced the ears of those gathered around the Bowl.

Phoebe leapt from her chair as Belindath took flight. The Alskyrian
purple spiraled down towards the cattle, picking off one, then two,
instictively sucking the blood from her throats. She took a third, backing away from
the suitors and giving them the first consideration of this flight.

Raniceviamer was attractive, in an alien way, and that way was far too
alien for Belindath. She flung the carcass of the third herdbeast at him and
took off into the skies, picking up the wind currents to lead the remaining
four on a merry chase.

Once she reached high enough to clear the Dragonry, she banked to go
over it, just in time to miss an attempted catch from Sarsath. Much to the
bronze's dismay, he over-shot, and ended up catching silver-red Eladual
instead.

Belindath's telepathic laughter rang in the minds of her two remaining
suitors as she caught the thermal streaming up the side of the
mountain. The purple let the current carry her higher into the sky, glancing behind
her to the Cyrnan and Mutt who were quickly gaining distance.

She banked right, veering towards Seke'olath, before pulling away at
the last moment, and teasing him higher into the air. To her surprise and
delight, the shimmer blue was a faster flier than she expected, and she
slowed down, allowing him to gain on her. But, in her toying, she'd
forgotten about Nearrod, and the gray-pointed dragon made a bold move:
sweeping into the short distance between the Seke'loath and Belindath,
locking his claws with the purple's, and beginning their descent.

"Nighrr," Phoebe muttered, knowing his name instantly, like she knew
the name of the dragon hers was currently lost in. She reached for him, and
in no time at all, they were both quite lost to the world themselves.