Oppeth joined in the young woman’s complaints. And that brown of his! Acting like he’s the one who’s going to catch me—as if I would ever let any dragon outfly me! the green snorted, peering down at her rider with one jeweled eye. Senina smirked up at her dragon and patted the lowered muzzle.
Both human and dragon were silent for a moment. Then the quiet was broken by the sound of a queen’s brassy bugle of welcome as a blue dragon appeared over the Weyrbowl. That seemed to enrage Oppeth, for she rose to her hind legs with angry red-whirling eyes. How dare she! They are mine! My browns, my blues! Mine! the green roared, flaring her wings with a snap.
Senina shook her head repeatedly, backing slowly into her weyr until she was supported by a cold stone wall. Greens didn’t need to blood before rising, at least, so she didn’t have to engage in a battle of the wills. Which was good, considering that all the greenrider could think of was No. No. No. No!
Meanwhile....Do not even watch me you worthless males! Oppeth taunted happily, snapping at them playfully as they tried to bring down their own prey. None of you will catch me for I am Oppeth! The fastest green in all Pern! With the final taunt, the green launched herself into the air, screaming challenge to the males she caught off guard below. Senina closed her eyes as she felt her mind melting into her lifemate's, felt herself leaving her own body. She felt her wings cutting through the warm air, the comforting sunshine washing over her radiant emerald hide.
Together Senina/Oppeth looked over their shoulder to see the pursuers. The male dragons tried feebly to catch up with the lightning-quick green but they had gained speed and distance. Far below on the ground, the riders of the males began to stumble up the steps to Senina's weyr and she laughed heartily. None of them would have her!
In the air, Senina/Oppeth spun neatly on a wingtip, deftly slipping out of the grasp of brown Surketh. Sighing in defeat, he fell back towards the ground and Senina/Oppeth trilled happily to the morning air. With another quick dodge and then a zigzagging pattern from one thermal to the next the quickly maneuvered out of not one, but two blue's attempts to capture her. Senina/Oppeth stretched their wings, pumping them to gain altitude and speed. From above the green could see a brown awaiting her ascent, talons outstretched to receive her. Hah! You will not have me that easily! Join the others in defeat! Senina/Oppeth called happily as they folded their wings to their back and dove rapidly downward towards the earth. Reveling in her happiness, the green spun and did complete acrobatics in the air, twirling and spinning out of the reach of the males, catching a thermal and soaring upward only to dive downward again as they flew far out over the sea.
Another brown tried to foul up her wings with his own, by Senina/Oppeth had been awaiting that very maneuver. Angrily the green flicked one wing backward, flittering down in a tight half-spiral that left the brown bewildered and defeated. Confidently Senina/Oppeth roared in triumph. That was it! Hah! I will be the only uncaught green to ever rise! None can catch me! Suddenly, just as Senina/Oppeth thought they has escaped for good, she felt a firm grip on her wing joints and a larger dragon's body matching her flight, wingbeat for wingbeat. Senina/Oppeth screamed in fury as she realized that she had indeed been caught and with her own wings held firmly in place, had no way to out maneuver her captor. She tried to scream again but the brown dragon quickly wrapped his neck around hers, twining his tail about her own, and then she surrendered to the blissful release of the mating flight as the pair fell down out of the sky.
Deep in her weyr Senina had also been caught and her mind quickly returned to her. The greenrider twisted and writhed, jerking her head up to identify her captor—a glimpse of dark hair and stunning green eyes. H'tio. H'tio?! Senina opened her mouth to scream (but of course no sound came out), trying to wriggle out of the brownrider’s grasp; but the arms around her waist held her firmly and H’tio’s lips covered her own. “Don’t fight, Senina,” he murmured in her ear, “I’ve caught you.” The brownrider laughed softly and Senina, like her dragon, surrendered herself--not quite reluctantly--to the warm darkness....
