The Sunset Flight (3/4)

Writers: Avery, Corrin, Duskdog, Halyonix, Heather, Iluva, Sia, Suzee
Date Posted: 26th November 2025

Characters: Saibra, I'serin, Rh'din, E'kirim, M'kayre, T'lonas, Y'dran, E'kavas, K'valdran, R'enh, K'leriac, L'val, L'set, S'lahr
Description: Chioneth rises to determine DFW’s Weyrleader
Location: Dragonsfall Weyr
Date: month 13, day 2 of Turn 12
Notes: Weather - Cloudy 67 F / 19 C

Saibra

With the fourth herdbeast drained, and flung carelessly aside, Chioneth began to reach for another but a mental whiplike _crack_ made her freeze.

**That’s enough now, dear,** Saibra said, her mind voice a rod of iron. **That’s plenty of blood. You don’t want to be slowed down, do you?**

Snarling through her teeth, red eyes whirling, Chioneth launched from the feeding pen into the skies with a hiss.

Aluneth tore off after her.

**Do not focus on the others, focus on Chioneth,** I’serin thought sharply to Aluneth as he hurried to Saibra’s side. He could feel Aluneth’s fury (how _dare_ there be so many bronzes here to challenge him!) and lust (my mate, mine, mine mine) clawing at the edges of his mind, ready to consume him. Just a moment more of control was all he needed. **Fly. _Fly_,** I’serin encouraged, as he always did, surrendering to their bond right as he arrived at the ring of bronzeriders.

}: Loveliest of golds!:{ Paskith called, and sprang after her, almost immediately having to dodge a snap from Karcalanth.

Rh’din slunk into the room, but stayed well back.

}: A blue?! :{ Proth roared, insulted. }: Is your Weyr so weak that you let a _blue_ chase? :{ That last bit was a taunt at Aluneth, who ignored the challenger.

The big bronze and former Weyrleader (temporarily anyway) were determined to make their presence felt in this chase. Mnoranth launched after the giant gold lovely.

Norrianth bugled excitedly at his clutchmate and was momentarily distracted by the urge to rush over to him that he nearly forgot what he was doing. He skidded awkwardly on the ground like a young weyrling, unable to slow or change direction like the smaller, doomed-to-lose-blue, and stumbled as he clumsily launched himself into the air.

**Focus,** M’kayre instructed, as if Bhelth wasn’t already intent on exactly what he wanted as he gave chase -- and is if his own concentration wasn’t half-broken by the boy, the rider of the blue, whom he was half-tempted to grab by the collar and throw out on his arse.

Domorth, as always, had a one-track mind, and right now Chioneth was that track. The others may as well not have been there at all -- something that both helped and hindered from time to time.

“Goodness, it gets hot fast, doesn’t it?” T’lonas said as he joined the other bronzeriders, slipping out of his light sweater. He didn’t expect a conversation, of course, but vocalizing always made him feel more at-ease, himself.

“Seems so,” Y’dran answered in a faraway voice, already letting Seriaeth have his way.

E'kavas didn't answer. Roquath leapt after Chioneth and felt no qualms about bullying his way into the center of the pack, and it was only his rider's firm hold on him that prevented him from snapping at a still-recovering (and thus, theoretically, weaker) Mnoranth.

K’valdran was one of the last to let himself get swept up in the flight, even as Karcalanth surged after Chioneth. He took a moment to circle the gathering and assess his rivals. So many transfers, so many new faces since he last flew under these skies. Had Dragonsfall really given up so many of her bronze sons to man the Northern weyrs? I’serin, M’kayre, E’kavas, L’val, R’enh, T’gyrlan… All leadership, all strangers. He recognized none of them from the heydays of the weyrhold. R’kesha, Veytra, his own mother… they were all right. He was _needed_ back here. Things had to change.

He shouldered his way to the front of the crowd of suitors, most too locked with their dragons to fully object, and took up position near the weyrwoman. Not so near as R’enh, but close enough his intent and ambition and the heat of his gaze, were apparent. Then he reached into the inferno that was his bronze in flight. **_Catch her._**

Obrianth didn't lose his momentum by slowing down or landing. He circled the feeding pens until Chioneth leapt into the sky and barrelled after her.

She was power. Raw, urgent power. She was a bolt of lightning arcing through the sky. There was nothing that could stop her. Not the amethyst clouds and certainly not the pack of males behind her.

Chioneth barrelled upwards, using the power of her wings to thrust her higher in altitude. She would not be caught on the ground like an inexperienced youngling; they would have to work for her if they wanted to be Weyrleader.

A glance over her shoulder nearly made Chioneth falter… nearly. Her eyes zeroed in on a rare sight among the bronze and brown hides - a flash of blue! PASKITH?! The shock that a blue would dare…. But then there was the tiniest, smallest flash of admiration for his courage. It lasted only a brief second before she broke above the smattering of clouds up into the world of golden, orange sunlight.

Kyverth saw many of the younger dragons rushing to be first to the front and stay hot on her heels, and knew they'd burn themselves out using all their stamina up in hot pursuit. That was how to catch an inexperienced young gold like Galgaith, who didn't know how to pace herself. But he calculated that Chioneth would drag this out long and far. He sought to keep himself somewhere near the mid-point of the chasers - not at the back, but not worrying about being at the front yet. He would take advantage of the fewer thermals that remained while the sun was still above ground to gain height and tailwind to glide, and then make his way through the pack when he needed to.

Isaoth tried to get around one of the audacious browns but was blocked. With a snarl, he dropped like a stone, then used his momentum to reverse the dive, shooting up in front of Mnoranth briefly before he found a new place in the pack of males, somewhere near Domorth. It cost him precious energy, but he was still in the flight!

Roquath snarled and took a swipe at Isaoth as he fell away. No _bronze_ would get the better of him.

Aluneth outmaneuvered Bridanth smartly, determined to keep pace with Chioneth. He could sense the other bronzes edging closer, particularly the outsider Proth. Fury fueled him. He would not lose to an interloper!

Paskith bugled, flapping hard with the effort of this chase. He was more maneuverable than some of the bronzes. He could do this!

Seriaeth was almost lazy in his flying, biding his time. }: We could be so good together, :{ he purred at Chioneth. Maybe if he let the other bronzes waste their energy, she would see that.

Bhelth was never the sort of dragon to be patient or content with waiting, even though he was arguably passing his prime. Why would anyone choose a dragon who didn’t stand out, after all? He pressed forward, determined to take a place at the front of the pack, cutting off an ambitious brown and then snapping at Karcalanth, jockeying for position.

Karcalanth was of the same mind. A bronze with the verve, vigor and ambition to lead the pack, he was keen to hold his place-- both for the advantage it gave, and to prove his strength and suitability. He snarled, snapping ferociously back to keep Bhelth at bay, but the mindvoice that called out to Chioneth was unrushed and steady with confidence, }:Fly high and far, golden one. Let the unworthy fall away.:{

}:Mine, mine, mine,:{ Domorth chanted, eyes on Chioneth and Chioneth alone, looking only to keep pace with her movements. He didn’t even notice Isaoth entering his airspace.

}: Out of my way, :{ Isaoth snarled at Domorth.

Ignoring the others and the jockeying for position, Mnoranth swung wide and high before folding his wings to gain some momentum on the other bronzes, just a little closer now…

Last updated on the November 28th 2025

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The Sunset Flight (3/4)