Here Comes the Rain Again (Valenphs Flight)

[zeis]

Rain pattered and splashed lightly on the red stone of her ledge, dripping in interesting pattern from the rocky overhang. It wasn't a strong downpour, or even a moderate one, but one of the frequent spring showers that had struck the Eyrie in the past week. It sent up a wispy tangle of mist and fog that drifted silently over and through the Eyrie to the towering mountains that surrounded it. It was difficult to make out the floor of the canyon bed below, and the opposite canyon wall with all its eylings was only a smudged suggestion in the haze.

It's a gray world. She whispered idly to the space around her, sending these thoughts to no one in particular. The green flicked an ear at the faint stirring of consciousness from her rider, who was still fast sleep in bed. Here it was just a few hours before noon, and M'ari was still sleeping in. Valenph waited, frozen and silent where she sat crouched just out of the rain, to see if this single tendril of ideas and symbols would be enough to rouse him. In the eyling behind her, M'ari snored rather ungracefully, and rolled over before going quiet. She tried to relax, and managed just slightly, unaware of why such tension was gripping her.

The simourv's mind felt clouded also, like her rocky home was today. Something elusive and confusing was boiling up from somewhere inside, filling her head with gradually dispersing determination. Determination to do what? She crouched a little deeper, and stared hawk-like out into the mist, her black eyes large and unreadable of any complex thought. Whatever it was, it felt right, natural, and familiar. She thought that yes, maybe, she had gone through this before. If that was true, it was probably meant to happen, so why fight it? The sizable green edged a little closer to where the water fell, shifting and refolding her wings anxiously. She didn't want to. She wanted to flow with it.

She wanted to fly.

That was it. That foggy but insistent idea solidified into a single opaque purpose. Fly. Valenph sat up slightly as it all suddenly made sense, and cocked her head slightly to regard the dripping water with thoughtful fold of one ear. Her tail swept once behind her in a wide arc across the stone floor, upsetting a chair and knocking a number of small sundry objects off her rider's desk. She was still for a moment, then gave a single nod of her head as if to say, 'well, alright'. Then she was off into the mist, a bright green ghost in a gray world.

She flared her wings, and scythed a path through the fog along the length of the Eyrie. The green flew silently at first, and was a mere shadow gaining speed as is flashed overhead or past the many occupied and empty eylings. The mist and the rain clung to her feathers in a way that was strangely pleasing. It felt cool and refreshing on her face and legs, and the crisp wind made her shiver faintly even though she was not cold. The rain would eventually seep into her feathers and make flying a chore, but she had no thought for that possibility. And if she had known, she would not have cared. Trying to stop this would be like trying to stop rain from falling.

Valenph cried out, her tone predatory and demanding, reverberating off the walls of the canyon eerily through the mist. With that single statement, she rose away from the Eyrie and nearly vanished into the misty mountains. A silent and elusive green shadow, except for the beating of her wings and the powerful whuffing of her breath.

The cry woke M'ari from his slumber, where he had been having a rather pleasant dream. He lay in a state of half undress tangled in his bedsheets, over to the far left of the bed and perilously close to falling off. He wasn't sure if he was awake or not. He pushed himself up dizzily, and stared in confusion at the room around him through a screen of wildly curly hair. This looked like his room, but it still felt like the dream. He had been transported out of some deeply personal and passionate moment to here and now, but... Why was his heart beating so fast? Why did he feel so upset?

His thoughts reached out blearily to Valenph, seeking some stable ground to try and make sense of all of this. That slightest touch of mental contact shattered the usual barrier between their minds, and the powerful flood of emotion that overwhelmed him made him gasp and jerk up off the bed to a stand. M'ari panted and looked around desperately, unsure of what to do and where to begin doing it. This wasn't a dream, this was really happening. He recognized this feeling. Valenph was flying, and things were quickly getting out of hand. He needed to act fast before he really lost his mind.

The man lunged for the battered wooden wardrobe across the room. The large oaken chest that the Eyrie provided to all Eylings, even the empty ones had not proved satisfactory for his expansive selection of garish clothing. He had ended up supplementing his storage problem with the wardrobe, a fact he was very glad for now as he threw open the doors and climbed inside. He quickly pulled the doors shut behind him, and pushed his way behind some of the hanging clothing to disguise his presence. The man sank to his knees in his hiding place and sat back, drawing his knees up to his chest. He cradled his head in his hands in the dark, and tried to control his breathing, waiting for these feelings to pass and hoping no one would find him.

But he did want someone to find him. This insidious thought had him halfway to reaching for the doors before he caught himself, and snatched his hand back with a sharp intake of breath. His thoughts warred inside his head, and it took a real exhausting effort to restrain himself from making his presence known. He wanted to be seen, but at the same time the part that was more himself wanted no part of this nightmare. Could it only end badly, or was it going to end wonderfully? He couldn't decide. Any entering his eyling in search of him would find his room in a state of disarray, chairs overturned, scattered objects, and a messy bed. With the green-rider apparently nowhere to be found.

[{r e k y}]

The weather was dismal. Still dismal. The rain continued to spit down from the sky, lacking any sort of conviction in the way it fell. It just seeped into the landscape, making everything soggy and cold and gray. At least, when it rained hard, it would be over soon since there was only so much rain the clouds could carry, but with all of this 'light showers' crap, there was no telling when it would end. This upset Es'tev greatly, and he was already grumpy by default. Needless to say, he was extra unpleasant on these rainy spring-summer days.

Apparently, he had decided there was nothing to do but mope, and was spending the morning curled up in his bed, half-asleep. The rest of the eyling was occupied by Hjolteph, who was preening, and when he was done preening, he would start preening again. Today seemed pointless. If only the sky would open up and be sunny... Then there might be something worth doing. But it wasn't opening up, and it wasn't getting sunny, so there were only two things the redpair could do about it: sleep and preen.

At least, compared to the sky, I look extra fantastic, Hjolteph huffed. He flicked his tail and looked expectantly at his rider. Es'tev stirred, rolled over, and fixed the simourv with an unimpressed look.

No, you don't, Es'tev said, blunt as a hammer. You look washed out. Like always--

No! No, no, NO!

[/i] Hjolteph's feathers bristled, and an offended growl rippled from his throat. His beak was clamped shut in a deathgrip as he glared his rider down. I look amazing! I AM amazing! The sky looks so plain compared to me, see?! Shut up, Es'tev. You can never say anything right. You can talk again when you can.

Pot, kettle, black, was Es'tev next snarky remark. Absolutely furious, Hjolteph let out a nasty bark, stance tightening. Instead of more rude comments from Es'tev, though, what the red heard in reply was unexpected. He heard a cry. A predatory, demanding, beautiful cry, and his ears perked up.

Aha! Valenph flies! Hjolt announced. He looked out to the sky, catching a glimpse of the green simourv, and then glared back at Es'tev. He gave the man one last snarl before launching out into the rainy day. I'll show her how amazing I am, Es'tev. Just you watch! You'll be sorry you said I wan't!

Shocked, Es'tev scrambled out of bed, wide eyes watching his simourv fly away. Hjolt! You can't be serious! On a day like this?! That's M'ari's-- He gave up. There was nothing he could do. His stupid red was going to chase Valenph, who belonged to a man. It was a problem Es'tev couldn't fixed. Scowling, there was one last snappish, I don't think you'll win, from the pessimist before his anger was overridden by Hjolteph's lust. He soon found himself in M'ari's eyling, but that didn't prove particularly successful. The place was a mess. A M'ari-less mess. Great. Wasn't this day just wonderful and convenient?

A flying ball of love and confidence, Hjolteph pushed after Valenph. He was far too sure of himself. Nothing would get in his way. Nothing could beat him. He was the best, after all! The best of the best! The manliest, most beautiful red ever to hit the face of Pohono! He was Hjolteph, and that was all that needed to be said. He cried out to the pretty green ahead of him, loud and clear and cocky, Valenph! Guess who wants you? Guess who's going to be the winner? It's me, of course! Hjolteph! [/size][/blockquote]

[zeis]

Valenph's crescent striped wings cut without resistance through the fog, and as predicted her feathers were soon misted with water and slightly damp. Her wings felt heavier, but the flight had only just begun and her strength was still well in reserve. She left the Eyrie behind her and headed for the blurred jagged suggestions of the mountains around her. Her heart pumped wildly, and her muscles burned and twitched with the desire to move, and move faster still. The green banked sharply around a rocky outcropping, and as she flew into clearer airspace, shot a challenging and hungry look behind her.

There was only a single male in sight, a large and powerful shape of beating wings in the mist. The fog hid his color and scent from her, but she recognized the mind, and the voice that called out to her. Hjolteph. Handsome, clever, and proud Hjolteph. She called back to him, her response without words, only forceful challenging recognition. The red was strong, and quite fetching with his wine-ish red feathers and those charming black markings over his eyes. But was he fast enough? Was he good enough to catch her?

She would find out.

With another cry, this one a short sharp caw that demanded her potential suitors attention, she lashed her tail and dove deeper into the mist. She was not the fastest green, and she was hampered so by the mist, but so was her chaser. The fog that obscured him from from her also made her harder to spot. With only glimpses of color, the sounds of flight, and that obscure presence of another simourv mind to guide him, she would make this difficult for him. He was her only suitor true, but that did not mean he would just win. Valenph flew on through the haze, dodging and skirting around mountainous peaks, purposely flying low where danger lurked hidden.

Back in his eyling, M'ari tensed as he heard someone enter the room. The same emotional electricity that ran through Valenph's body charged through his, making the act of sitting still almost physically painful. He had to make himself known, to go to whoever it was that was searching for him and embrace the attentions he both deserved and craved. He gave an almost inaudible whimper, and curled into a tighter ball in his hiding place, rocking gently back and forth and shaking with the effort. Some saner part of him wished the other, surely a man, would leave, and leave soon. He couldn't restrain himself forever.

[{r e k y}]

She called back to him, which made him swell with pride. She knew he was here! Well, of course she did - he was Hjolteph. He gladly took the challenge in her voice. After all, it wouldn't be a problem to win. He was the only male chasing right now, anyways. As it stood, he was the default winner, which was only fitting. He wondered why no one else was here yet, though. Valenph sure was lovely enough! It was probably because they knew they would lose to him, because he was so great. That was it.

Hjolteph did not appreciate the mist. It was difficult to see through, and it clung to his feathers and made him cold. He cried out to her, his voice echoing through the dismal, gray emptiness. Gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous Valenph! he added. Hide all you want! I won't give up! I'm waaay better than that! He meant it. While he wouldn't admit it, this was hard for him. He could barely see her, or what was in his way, and he knew there were things in his way. She was making this tricky for him - on purpose. That wasn't very nice. Oh well, though - he would overcome it! He was Hjolteph, after all. That was all that needed to be said.

He narrowly avoided many a rocky protrusion. Once, his wings caught on one, and with a yelp, he reached his claws out to scrabble against the hard surface and use it to push off of, regaining his speed. Multiple times, he got too close to the ground, as they were flying so low, and his great wings brushed the rocky floor and he had to work to get back up to a safer level. It was hard. He wouldn't say that, but it was, and he was working intensely to stay on the ball. Valenph would be his - he was very, very sure of that. Very sure. He just had to chase her until she was sure of it, too.

Es'tev, on the other hand, wasn't sure of anything, really. He didn't know where M'ari was. He honestly didn't care where M'ari was, either - not with his right mind, at least. The part of his mind that was Hjolteph's and was obsessed with Valenph had him wanting M'ari, but beyond that, he really, really didn't. He definitely didn't have the will to search for the greenrider. He needed someone, though. Even if he lost, he'd need someone, because Hjolteph's lust was infectious. Frustrated with the messy, seemingly riderless room, Es'tev left.

It was hard to walk properly. Half of his mind was flying in the mist with Hjolteph. He had to get down to ground caverns, or the kitchens, or to his own eyling where he could deal with all of this in private. He really wasn't going very fast, though, stumbling. It was going to take him a while to get wherever it was he meant to go. He let out a loud, lustful groan. he really wished his stupid red would hold off on how much he wanted Valenph.

[/blockquote]

[zeis]

Time seemed to stretch in this gray world. She had no way of measuring how long she had been flying in the gloom, as it was difficult to tell where exactly the sun was in the sky. But her wings were growing tired, her breathing heavy, and her feathers laden with dewy mist. Valenph had obliged that itching insistence that she get moving, faster, and faster, but while she was satisfied on that account another appetite ached within her. Despite all her efforts and crafty tricks handsome Hjolteph had stayed on her tail, and she could still hear him laboring behind her, growing closer now that her energy had faded.

The frantic energy in her mind finally ebbed away, leaving behind only calm decisiveness. She stopped fleeing him and instead floated serenely on the cool air, angling her wings to glide lazily back toward him. The red had proven a capable flyer, and brave enough to blunder through such an obstacle course after her, even though it might surely mean some injury to himself. Whats more, he was her only suitor, and that made her heart beat a bit faster. Right now, he may as well have been the only male on Pohono, the last and the greatest of a proud line of simourv. Her ears pricked forward, and she sang out to him, all the anger gone from her cries. Now the green's voice was playful, inviting, and almost teasing.

Hjolteph~

M'ari meanwhile barely managed to restrain himself from bursting out of the wardrobe until Es'tev finally left. The echoing of the red-rider's footfalls was barely out of earshot when the frenzied green-rider finally lost it and lunged at the doors. His feet tangled in some article of fallen clothing, and he tripped himself up, pushing the doors open and falling flat on his face on the floor of his eyling. His bright green eyes looked around furtively, greedily, but saw no one. Es'tev was already gone. He cursed, and scrabbled at the ground in an effort to free his legs and get up.

The man dragged himself to a stand, and simply stood there dumbly for a moment, swaying. What was he supposed to do...? He wandered drunkenly toward the entrance to his eyling. He leaned on the stone there and peered down the hallway to the right. No one. His face twisted with a mixture of anger and sadness, fed by some crescendo of emotions radiating from Valenph. For a few moments he felt incredibly lonely, disappointed, and yearning for something he couldn't attain. Then, all at once, there was satisfaction, and something like calm. He sagged against the doorway, feeling incredibly tired all of a sudden. His limbs were heavy, and his heart racing, like he had just finished running a great distance. At a loss, he simply staggered toward his bed and collapsed onto it with a sigh, as his right mind was gradually restored.

Sometimes being a rider sucked.