Okay, here it is. What everyone's been waiting for. I simply can't stand waiting. ^_^ Enjoy!
Disclaimer: Same as always.
Chapter 8: Eighth Interval (Turn 197) First Flight
When Elliath let out her first shriek, Marra was instantly aware of the chaotic, bestial frenzy of her thoughts. She dashed to the entrance of her ground level weyr in time to see her dragon's lithe, green body gliding swiftly toward the Feeding Grounds, sending the herdbeasts and wherries into a terrified stampede. As she quickly dispatched one creature with a voracity unlike any other, her green hide seeming to glow with an inner luminosity, Marra gasped with understanding.
"Don't you dare!" she cried as Elliath made to swallow a mouthful of flesh, the blood dripping hotly to the ground. "Elliath, you spit that out this instant! You must only blood it. Only the blood, Elliath."
Her eyes flashing redly with defiance, Elliath swallowed.
"Elliath!" Marra yelled sharply, exerting mental pressure. "Blood it! Don't make me say it again."
Elliath bellowed angrily, but she lowered her head to suck up the poor, dead animal's blood. A wherry dashed too close in its panic, and, with its short wings clipped to prevent flight, it became the green's second kill. Elliath had to be reminded again to blood the wherry, but she still managed to get a mouthful of meat. By the time she finished blooding her third beast, Marra had made her way to the Feeding Ground where what must have been close to two dozen male riders waited. She was comforted by the fact that none of them seemed to be older than about thirty Turns, but the sight of their male dragons eyeing Elliath made her slightly nervous. Elliath had noticed them, too. One moment she was stretching sensuously, displaying her powerful body, and then she was in the air with blue, brown, and bronze bodies following. Marra had only a moment to see the men looking toward her expectantly, to feel their hot bodies pressing too closely, before she was in the sky with her dragon, more Elliath than herself.
They were behind her, far enough behind that she didn't worry, but close enough that she didn't dare slow her speed. She had never flown like this before. The speed was exhilerating; the abrupt twists and turns she made mid-air were wondrous fun. She would never fly so dangerously with a rider on her back, but for this flight she was free. The hot blood she had consumed spurred her body, warming her from the inside when the freezing air would have cooled her ardor. The two mouthfuls of meat she had consumed weighed heavily in her stomach, though, and seemed to drag her down. With every turn, she felt the lumps being thrown against her stomach walls. She regretted those mouthfuls, but she was quick, quicker than any other dragon.
A shadow came up on her left, forcing her to veer right. Silly blue, trying to catch her with such an obvious ploy. She glanced behind her, smug to see that more than half of her suitors had dropped back to the Weyr. Only the very best would be able to vie for her affection. Only the strongest, fastest, smartest dragon would be able to twine necks with her. She playfully closed her wings for a heartbeat, watching gleefully as the swarm of dragons scattered to avoid her falling form. Two almost collided, but they all managed to sort themselves out while she opened her wings. The cool air filled her wingsails and carried her higher than before. Another few blues and a brown dropped away, unable to keep up with her smaller, quicker form.
Without warning, a brown body darted close to her, too close to avoid. She hissed in surprise as he looped his neck around hers, locked his talons with hers, and fused his body with hers. Then she knew that she had been well and truly caught. As the two fell towards the ground so far below, she gave herself over to ecstasy.
Marra was first aware that she was in a room dimly lit by glows and lying on a bed with only furs to cover her. She was incredibly sore and exhausted, but she felt good. The warm, male body next to her probably accounted for that. His breathing was slowing back to a normal rate, but his body, like hers, was covered in sweat. One arm lay across her stomach, and the other provided a soft, living pillow beneath her head. She met his light-blue gaze and smiled, still in that euphoric state of half-consciousness.
"Hey," she murmured, not certain how one greeted their first lover, especially after a mating flight.
"Hey," he replied.
Marra had not been quite able to identify her bedmate. His sweat-drenched hair was as dark as any other rider's, and the dim lighting didn't help any. But that voice...Marra could remember that voice just fine, even roughened as it was. She turned toward L'valler and accepted the gentle kiss he gave her.
"They've almost returned, you know," he said. "Chith and Elliath."
Marra sighed slightly, snuggling closer. She'd felt them, too. L'valler shifted away, and she cried out involuntarily.
"Don't go," she pleaded.
L'valler chuckled slightly and arranged himself so that his arms encircled her body completely, hugging her tightly to himself.
"This is your first flight, isn't it," he said, not seeking an answer. "It's only common courtesy to stay...at least until the morning."
Was that all? After everything they'd shared, he would stay only out of common courtesy? She'd thought he cared about her. Marra moved to extricate herself from his embrace, but he held her tighter.
"Besides," he said, pretending not to notice her reaction to his previous statement, "I want to stay with you as long as you'll have me...whether Chith continues to fly Elliath or not. Though I don't think that will be a problem."
"Do you really mean that?" Marra asked after a pause, still afraid that her first relationship with a man would be cut short for conveniance.
L'valler kissed her soundly.
"Of course," he replied. "I care about you very much, Marra."
He then proceeded to show her exactly how much he cared for her, both dragons giving their tacit approval of the match.
Don't you love it? :) I'm just glad to have it out. It's been done for way too long.
Remember, if you read, review. I really appreciate it, and I know you all have something to say. Whether it's simply "good job" or "not my thing" or "it needs some work," I'll still take it. ^_^