Journey to the stars and worlds of imagination: 2024 Q : Queen

No, the topic of this post is not about the woman who rules a land. Instead, the queen referred to is a female dragon. From Hatchlings Curse, Crisiant, the blue dragon queen rises in a mating flight. (No, this is not erotic. Not even a true closed door event.) And this mating flight not only included queen and her mate Drak. In addition to the two true dragons, Branin and Liam of the dragshi took part as additional suitors. The problem? According to the ancient glyphs, suitors had been known to die.

Between one heartbeat and the next, Crisiant rocketed herself skyward. Speed enhanced by her mating urges quickly carried the blue dragon past the waiting males. A powerful kick thrust Drak into the air close on her tail.
Crisiant pulled away. Then hovering, snaked her head over a wing, teasing her rapidly-approaching mate. Before he got close enough to twine necks, she winged away.
Drak arrowed in close pursuit.
Lost in urges as ancient as time, Crisiant folded her wings and dove, pulling out above the tree line. She rose higher. Her hide, vibrant with arousal, blended with the sky. The smaller object that was Drak closed the distance between them.
Branin fought to keep up with Drak and chased after the pair. His muscles burned as he continued to mirror the true dragons’ intricate maneuvers. Finally, his chest heaving, he slowed, letting Liam take up the competition.
The other dragshi surged forward. His hide glowed gold from his exertions.
Drak swooped down on Liam. The dragon’s teeth closed around the shifter’s neck.

Trying to save his friend, Branin screamed, <Drak, stop.>
The dun-colored dragon ignored the order. A wing’s distance away, Crisiant hovered, watching to see which of the pair she would allow to mate with her.
Branin tried another approach. Ignoring the pain in his joints, he drew upon hidden reserves and surged past Drak. <Crisiant,> he whistled in a lover’s croon.
Crisiant answered with one of her own.
Fighting the urge to succumb to the lure, Branin called out again.
Drak released Liam and charged Branin. <Crisiant is mine.> He reached out with a claw as he passed, ripping flesh from Branin’s shoulders. In almost the same motion, Drak grabbed Crisiant around the waist and twined necks. Their silhouettes rose until they were nothing but small black motes against the clear sky.