Her only qualms rested in that Torval wouldn't be here. If not to experience the flight with her, then at least he could have come to meet some of the residents, and to experience the wonderment that was winter, himself! Work was work, however, and she understood that. One day she'd have to find him a mate, herself, since he was doing such a bad job of it, himself...

His romance, fortunately, wasn't on her agenda, today. No, she was more worried about her own! It was odd, really... here at Draco's Inferno, things seemed a lot less regimented. Males didn't necessarily sign a form for a female's flight, they just... showed up. It was refreshing, really. Meroclaisen enjoyed being approached by a tentative male, or a brazen one, courted or shown off for in the days preceding. Even the peculiar, quiet stalking that the white and cream male who followed her made her feel special. She was just sucking up the attention.

Today would be the day, she finally decided. Five males were more then enough for her... she'd lead them all on a merry chase, and see just who was worthy of catching her! Unlike many of the females, here, Meroclaisen didn't require the blood of herd beasts to rise... she could rise using her own energy. Granted, the flight wouldn't be as long as some of the others, but then, the fun wasn't in the flying! Never the less, she waded out into the Weyrbowl and announced herself with a triumphant bellow. Last night's snow crushed under her paws, the pristine white turned a vaguely tope colour from all of the traffic it had received since dawn. The fog of her breath clouded her view for a moment, rolling away in great waves from her vibrantly bronze snout. 'Her' males were beginning to gather, and she paid close attention to them before rising, watching to see what each might do.

Blue Revth and Solath were hurrying for the feeding pens, both watching her with a possessive eye. They wouldn't be left out in this flight, but they needed the energy of blood to sustain their wings. She could almost hear them commanding her to stay and wait for them... as if they could win her with thoughts like those! She laughed at them, amused more then anything.

Karivoi, now, he was something else. A spritely Spirit dragon, she'd talked with him on more then one occasion, and been charmed by what she saw in him. He was a little creature.. at least, he was smaller then she was, but he didn't seem in the least cowed by this. She'd seen him more then once, playing in the snow with the Weyrbrats, his crystalline eyes always full of mirth. He was a fun dragon, and he'd probably make a good father... but first she'd have to see how he flew.

She watched Kastanja-kupari in all of his copper glory, posing for her again with fanned wings. He was so supremely confident that he'd win this flight, and that led her to rebellion, more then anything. She didn't really like how he treated her as if she were something to be possessed for a short while, and then, perhaps, abandoned. If he won, she was certain that he'd think of her as nothing more then a victory, and children would be only an afterthought. He was a dragon that she'd like to avoid.

The last of her suitors, the striped white dragon... she didn't even know his name, but he'd been a constant presence in her life over the past few days. He was watching her silently, now, from further away, his violet eyes locked on her turquoise ones, full of desire and... something she couldn't quite place. He was a mystery, and... she liked mysteries. Whatever he was, she'd enjoy leading him on a merry chase.

When she was certain that all of her males were gathered, she gave a little stretch, and then launched herself into the clear, cold air. Six sets of wings beat the earth and blew snow up into great whirlwinds of crystals; any one who was watching no doubt was grumbling, now... snow blowing in through the neck or sleeves was never fun!

The mutt was surprised at the vigor that her suitors displayed. Indeed, Solath and Revth were using their quick meals as energy boosts, and they were gaining fast on her. Karivoi was not long behind them, and was using the turmoil in the air that was caused by their wings as a boost of his own. Kastanja-kupari lingered back, confidence marked in his every movement. The white mystery-boy was just behind him, moving forward a bit at a time.

For a while, Meroclaisen simply concentrated on flying, the joy of it, the feeling of it. Her wing-leather snapped taught and cold in the freezing air, and the midday sun traced darker rivulets through her red webbing, marking where blood surged. She could feel the burn in her wing-arms and chest, and her heart pounding, pounding away, blood in her ear-drums. Despite the cold, she felt like she was on fire, as the urges of the flight took hold of her. She may as well have been, as the bronze of her hide picked up sunlight and threw it, bright beams off of hot metal.

Solath was the first to make a move. He had come up behind her, and was now using a bit of wind to his advantage, to flip up and onto her back, hoping to clamp arms over her pinions. "I don't think so!" She cried, suddenly fully aware of him. Her words, of course, were lost to the wind, but her intent certainly wasn't! She dove, though he came after her easily. As they passed by Revth, the second blue dove to follow. He was close enough on Solath's tail to make for some serious competition, which the first blue didn't like at all... but it made Mero's job easier! She taunted them, riling them up... eventually, the two males were outright snapping at one another.

Suddenly, Karivoi was in their faces, literally. Hi! he called to the two blues, cheerful even as he befouled their flight. It was a game, after all, wasn't it? All but cursing, Solath and Revth worked to disentangle themselves from the incompetent Spirit dragon, and Meroclaisen escaped.

She shivered with glee at the adrenaline that pumped through her, now. What a close call! And Karivoi... he managed to 'save' her, at the expense of losing the flight, himself. She'd heard that Spirit's were noble, but that... well, she was torn between joy, that her flight wasn't over so soon, and sadness, that Karivoi wouldn't be the one to catch her, after all.

That left... she cast a glance over her shoulder as she went to gain more height. The copper and the cream-striped white. Kastanja-kupari was already descending to her as if he'd won the flight, while her 'stalker' was winging around, hoping to flank her. Meroclaisen didn't have to ponder for very long before deciding which of the two she'd prefer. Quick as a dart, the bronzy female slanted towards the white dragon. Realizing that she'd made her choice, he descended quickly, taking her gently about the wings, his paws cold from the air. ~You... chose me?~ He asked, his mind-voice rather incredulous.

Meroclaisen laughed aloud. "Of course!" she replied, her voice carrying back in the wind. "I'm too curious for my own good, but you wouldn't know that, would you? Now tell me, O stalker, mine, what's your name?"

There was a pause as the two entangled themselves more fully, but finally, the striped dragon murmured, ~Thumoth,~, and then they got to more pressing issues.