Challenge to Rights

[nike]

Myranenth pumped his wings as he searched for the queen. His eyes spotted a darker, less golde patch above him.
Looking there, he spotted a golden tail. Yes! Speeing up, he could slowly see the outline of the queen against the sky.
Wings were straining to get there before Gerenanth. It didn't matter. He had to catch Kaith.
No bronze would treat her the same. They would treat her as a prize. Not as a loving mate who did have feelings.

He was getting closer. Closer and closer. But still so far away! Then he felt the thermal to his right. It could get him closer to Kaith faster! Myranenth turned right. The thermal took him right, but too far right. Pushing out of it, the bronze went left. Trying to get closer to Kaith. But he might not. Some other rbonze oculd catch her first. But he had to try!

[Miki]

S'far raised his eyebrows to Christae. He had his two bits but he would keep them to himself. Well what the heck? There were rumors of him being transfered to another Weyr in any case. Maybe they weren't true but... he wanted to meet new people, learn new customs. He might just urge the Weyrleaders to allow him to leave and if they didn't allow... well he might just leave on his own. He had grown to comfortable in Dark Moon and it was time to move along. Besides, Kaith would probably be appaled at that Idath was letting her choose instead of be caught. How terrible. Idath's action weren't rough, after all. They were just enough to have the others falter. He followed quietly but he didn't pay attention.

Idath, on the other hand, ignored the voices around him. He continued after her, wanting to prove himself. S'far had a feeling he new the future mate of Kaith, but Idath continued unremettingly. He had eys just for Kaith. As she flew up into the blinding sun he followed her movements until he had to squint- squint but his eyes were still open. He saw, just barely, a shadow. Several shadown made her stand out. He gave a mighty flap and then was caught up in the air currents. He may have wasted time going a little off course but he saved energy. As soon as he was below her, he shot up towards her with full speed.

[Spirithawk]

Kaith snorted with disgust. The rutting bronzes thought that they were worthy of HER. She rolled away from the ones above and to the side of her, crossing in front of the largest of the bronzes in the weyr. She caught the thermal and flapped her wings to fly higher, losing a bit of her speed as she rose. There were no updrafts nearby to help carry her higher.

[Tenma]

Zaneth swerved the moment he knew that he would not catch her in that attempt. He darted forward once again. He glided to relax the muscles in his wings, using the queen's slight decrease in speed to his advantage. He wasn't that tired yet, but wanted to put that moment off as long as possible.

He large head turned upward. He was in the same position with Kaith as before. He was below and to the side, so that the other bronzes wouldn't get in his way. He looked around, keeping his eyes on the queen and the others. That way they couldn't make a move without him knowing.

[Dragon]

Gerenanth saw the queen move and straightened out and flew just above her now. Thanks to his little stunt he had gained ground while the others had the blinding sun. But it came at a cost as now he was starting to feel the ware on him. He pushed it aside and continued after the queen and sped up, inching ever closer to her. At the right moment he would make his move.

[fortune]

Kenath shoved his rider L'ram. ~L'rammine we must hurry. Kaith is flying now!~ He told L'ram. ~Alright I get it, let me get my rider clothes on and get your straps.~ L'ram grabbed the huge straps that kept him on Kenath. Quickly he changed into his riding clothes and attached the straps.

Kenath had already blooded some wherries while L'ram had slept. He was egear and shifted his weight from side to side. Kenath gave L'ram a leg up. Quickly L'ram tied himself in and Kenath took off. In no time they were at the flight area.

L'ram saw Kaith in the sky and hopped off Kenath. Imeadiatly Kenath took back off after L'ram removed his straps. ~I'm in this now too~ Kenath said as he pushed himself on to catch up with the other bronzes.

[nike]

Myranenth pumped his wings. He had to catch the queen. There were so many reason why.
No, Kaith wasn't a prize for him. She was a mate. He had to catch her! For if he didn't his rider would loose his Weyrleader position. He would loose an amazing queen as his mate. He would loose the good times with her. He just had to catch her!

With another powerful pump of his wings, Myranenth was the closest one to the queen. His head, and neack reached out to watch the queen. A thermal caught him, and he was soon above the queen. Then, he dropped his wings so he was hovering above her. He had to catch her. Claws gripped the gold's shoulders to turn her around, and to make sure she wouldn't fly away.
He would not wait for her to chose. His long bronze neck reached down, and started to twine with her's.
Myranenth made it so that Kaith could not escape, unless she really did not want him as her mate.

[Tenma]

Zaneth bugled challengingly as Myraneneth made him move. The large bronze used almost all of his remained strength to quickly put him next to the queen. Now, if she moved away from the opposing bronze, Kaith would move into him, then they would be mates.

[fortune]

Kenath flew by the other dragons and settled himself to the side of Zaneth. If Kaith flew away from Myranenth and into Zaneth, he would barrel into Zaneth and catch the queen. Kenath was determined ot get Kaith, no matter what. Although if she didn't fly from Myranenth, he hoped he could get Myranenth off of her and then get her himself.

L'ram walked to the door of the room, but didn't go inside. He just leaned against the door and waited. Instantly his mind molded with his dragons and he watched through Kenath's eyes. He didn't personaly know Christae, but he did want to get to know her. If Kenath caught Kaith, then he would be able to get to know her.

[Spirithawk]

Kaith did not know that Myraneth was behind her. She arched her back, bringing her wings in closer, not realizing that her movement made it easier for the huge bronze to catch her. She bugled as he flipped her and latched on to her. She let his neck twine with hers.

He had proved himself worthy. She let him carry both their weights. They began a long spiraling glide that would last for a long time. The flight had been high, fast and furious. The resulting clutch would be good. Kaith ignored the dissapointed males who had been hovering in the hopes that she would reject Myraneth. Her rider would skin her if any other bronze but Myraneth caught her.

Back in the temporary weyr, Christae latched onto Sh'iron. She was momentarily herself. Kaith did not look out from the rider's eyes for a few mometnts as she wound her arms around her weyrmate. "He caught her." She said in a husky whisper. "Thank Faranth." She kissed him tenderly before she was once again engulfed by dragonlust.

((fade?))

[nike]

Myranenth gave a happy croon as the queen let him catch her. Her neck wove tighter, and his claws clutched her's.
then her took out the inner strength that he had deep down, and let the two glide down.
He had done it! Had caught the queen again!

Sh'iron woke back again, with Chrisate in his arms.
"Only Myranenth will be there to catch Kaith," He said quickly, then melted back again into dragonlust.

((Yes, go ahead and fade. I have to go really soon, so I may not be able to reply tonight.))

[Spirithawk]

Christae shifted. She felt a warm body against her bare skin that was slick with sweat. She tried to remember why she felt so tired and why she wasn't clothed and about the weyr doing her duty as Weyrwoman. Then memory rushed back to her. Her head lifted a bit and she saw Sh'iron sprawled beside her, probably as tired as she was.

Christae let out a low whistle. "Shells that was a flight." Kaith had surprassed herself. Her maiden flight had not been that furious. "I believe we will have a good clutch this time around." Her voice was soft. She sighed with contentment and curled up next to her weyrmate, resting her head on his shoulder. "I don't think I could have stood it if Zaneth had caught Kaith. L'ran would have undone all of the work we have done to keep this weyr going. No one deserves the Weyrleadership but you. You have helped me to make Dark Moon successful. I would have no other as my mate but you."

She was silent for a few moments. Then she raised herself onto her elbow. "Sh'iron, were you mad at me for not telling you about Nike? We never really talked about it. I want everything out in the open because I have seen what has happened to mates who never aired out their problems."

[nike]

Sh'iron awoke with a happy sigh. Yes! Myranenth had done it! Bright eyes opened, and his head turned around to face Chrisate. "Yes, it was wasn't it?" He said as his arm curled around his mate. Beads of sweat dripped from his forehead, and his hair was stuck to his head. "I'm glad that you think so. It was a close flight wasn't it? I'm just glad that Myranenth moved when he did. I feared that he would not catch Kaith in time," He said with a little laugh.

Eyes closed for the moment of silence between them. "Well, I can't lie can I? Yes, I was a little angray at you for keeping Nike and Ruanth's flying skills hidden. And I would have gotten mad if you did tell me. You did what anyone should have done in your position, and I can't ask anymore than that from you," The Weyrleader said with a little grin. "Don't worry. We won't end up like those mates. Yes, we will have our fights, and fudes, but everything will end out good. Alright?" Sh'iron opened one eye to look at Christae, a grin on his face.

[Spirithawk]

"It was a closer flight than I was comfortable with. The bronzes have become stronger. I suppose I should be glad for that because it means the weyr is gaining strength, but I didn't like how close Zaneth and Idath were to catching her. Myraneth is the strongest bronze in the weyr. He is also the largest. Of course he should be the one to catch her. That means that our hatchlings will be strong."

Christae reached out and gently wiped away the beads of sweat from his handsome face. She paused as he spoke. There was no animosity in his voice and he was smiling. That was not exactly the reaction she had expected from him but she was glad. "Everything will end out well, not good." She laughed, her dark brown eyes dancing with amusement. "Didn't your Harper ever teach you good grammar?" She kissed him lightly, teasingly to let him know that she was joking.

She smiled tenderly at her weyrmate. She was glad to see the grin on his face. She reached up with her free hand and cradled his face. "Thank you Sh'iron, for making it possible for me to stand tall. You will never know how hard it was to keep this place going before Kaith flew and Myraneth caught her. Everyone viewed me as a young girl, not a Weyrwoman." She reached down and kissed him. She slid down so that she could rest herself against him, waiting to see what he would say. She rested her other hand on his chest even as her other hand remainded cupped about his face. She tilted her head and peered at him.

[nike]

Sh'iron listened to Christae, and nodded. "Yes, and that means that our Weyr will be strong enough when thread comes. Just Two more Turns," He said with a sigh. Thread. His father, mother, the Weyrleaders at Benden, the Harpers, everyone had told him about thread. And now, here he was, going to lead a Weyr into it. Yes, the south was grubbed, so even if some thread did escape the ranks of dragons, the land would be save. But the Holds, and places where people lived needed to be protected. And that was why the Weyrs in the south were placed. Not just because of over population in the northern Weyrs, but because of all the people settling down here. They needed to be protected.

Sh'iron gave a laugh. "I will forever get that mixed up. Now, I should correct myself shouldn't I? Well everything will end out well," He said and kissed Christae on the forehead. "Happy?" He asked with a grin. The Weyrleader smiled and looked down at the Weyrwoman. How lucky he was to have her as his mate. How lucky. No other man on Pern was as lucky as he was. He had a dragon, and a mate who was the Weyrwoman of a great Weyr. He had great friends, and a healthy son. What more could he ask for? Ah yes. No thread.

"Your welcome. I will always be by your side. Making sure that you will forever stand tall. When you stumble, I will be there to help you stand, and straighten yourself out," Sh'iron said with a smile, and a kiss of his own.

[Spirithawk]

She sighed with contentment. "I am very happy. I complain about all of my duties but I would be lost without having things to do. I love my job. I don't think I will be able to say that when Thread comes though. The Queens are the ones who are hit the hardest when dragons are scored." Her eyes were dark, remembering the times when a dragon had been hurt in drills or doing some other task. Kaith had known immediately. She had a subtle bond with each and every dragon of her weyr and Christae felt the pain through her dragon.

"Kaith will let no other bronze catch her but Myranenth. He is a strong bronze and worthy of her. You are the perfect Weyrleader for our weyr. You care about each individual rider and weyrfolk no matter what their station. That is what a Weyrleader is supposed to do. Dark Moon may be small but it is a good and stable Weyr. We have to keep it that way so that we don't crumble under the strain of Thread. The lives of all of the dragons and people protected by them are in our hands."

She returned his kiss, running her hand over his chest. "I say we take a day off. We deserve it and no one will object to it. We have both been working too hard. I know a back way from this weyr to our own."

[nike]

Sh'iron nodded, and listened thoughtfully to his Weyrmate.
Yes, so lucky he was. Christae was one of the greatest women in Pern. She, his mother, and Falanor were the women that he had looked up to. They led him well. And here he was. Leading Chraiste. With her, too. The young Weyrleader smile. His birthingday would be soon. His was only a few days before Nike's.

Poor girl. Such a nice friend she was too. When she was at Benden, he got to know her well. Very well. But yet. He didn't know her. Sh'iron knew so many people. But he knew that he doesn't know the true people deep down. A smile formed, and stayed on his lips. "Yes. I think that is a wonderful idea, love. All we have to do is find out clothes," He said, and then gave a laugh.

[Spirithawk]

She laughed. "That is why I said I know a back way. There are tunnels that are no longer used and we won't have to worry about clothes." There was amusement in her eyes. "I suppose you are right though. It will be rather chilly in the back tunnels. I just hope that someone took Chiron. I love our son but I would also love a day without him."

She rose, slipping out from under the furs after kissing him quickly. She walked to where she had last remembered being herself before the dragonlust had taken over. Sure enough her tunic was there. The rest of their clothing was thrown in all directions all over the spare weyr. She picked the clothing up and returned to the bed. "Here we are."

[nike]

Sh'iron nodded. "Yes, I agree with you on that, love," He said and watched her get out of the bed.
Blue eyes looked over his mate's nude form slowly, with amusement. Ah, he was very lucky indeed.
The Weyrleader took his clothes from Christae, and kissed her lightly, then he put them on.
"Would you need any help?" He asked nodding to her clothes, and waited for her answer.

[Spirithawk]

She gently caressed his face after he kissed her and then turned to slip into her undergarmets. "I think I can handle that but if you wish you can." She batted her eyelashes at him and smiled coyly. After they were dressed she went to the back of the spare weyr and pushed aside some furs that had been hung to keep warmth in the room. She led the way through dusty and unused tunnels. She climbed up the steep stairs with little effort.