Raelith, Starlit and Onyx tributes: Daius

Starlit was twitchy with nerves as her rider Eluvien led her through the grounds near the race starting area. The earth was quite dry, with hardy grasses clinging to cracked soil. 

Onyx was hopping around, flapping their wings and all in all being an absolute menace to some of the other riders and stryx getting ready to race. This was despite Ternen’s best efforts to restrain them.

“We might not be allowed to race if you don't stop insulting, posturing and otherwise making threatening taunts to everyone you pass by.”, came Ternen’s exasperated plea to Onyx.

“Ha!”, came the loud crow-like dismissal, “They just want to kick me out as an excuse, because everyone knows i’m going to win, without even trying!” Despite this remark Onyx thankfully settled down and even allowed Ternen to put on his tack.

Raelith the large gryph was standing contentedly near the starting line with her own rider Starlight checking her tack.

Raelith, Onyx and Starlit were soon gathered together and catching up, having not seen each other for months. The catch up slowly morphed into mostly Onyx regailing the other two with the amazing feats he’d accomplished since the last time they met up. The riders of the three stryx were nearby getting last minute rule updates from the overseers of the Daius race and sharing amused smiles as they heard Onyx still exaggerating nearby. 

Soon enough the start of the race approached and stryx of all sizes, shapes and temperaments were all gathered at the race line with their riders. Onyx was relaxed and looking forward to retelling the tale of how he outflew every other stryx in this race by miles. Raelith was nervous, but Starlight was doing her best to sooth the large gryph before the race started. Starlit was not as nervous as the larger gryph about the race, but all the jostling and loudness of the stryx and riders nearby was frazzling her a bit. Unfortunately for her this wasn't really an event she could politely bow out of, so instead she focused on the soothing feeling of her rider Eluvien running hands through her feathers and scritching her neck. 

All too soon for Raelith and Starlit, but not soon enough for Onyx, the signal to start the race was given, a loud shrill blow of a whistle, and the stryx and their riders set off running.

Onyx swiftly set off, sprinting ahead of other others riders and stryx, he was so focused and full of confidence they almost ran too fast for their rider Ternen to keep up and be able to swing into the saddle before the cliff edge. Ternen was just hoping he’d be able to stop Onyx from attacking the other competitors mid-flight, he wasn't a fan of being anywhere near a stryx fight, with the sharp claws, beaks and at one memorable moment, fire breath! All too soon the cliff edge came into view, and Onyx slowed down just enough for Ternen to swing up and lock himself into the saddle, moments before both plunged down the cliff edge before evening out, the true race had begun!

Raelith and Starlit, with their riders Starlight and Eluvien, were in the middle of the pack running for the cliff. This gave them time to better calculate where the edge was, and better time their own swings into the saddles. Thankfully neither Raelith or Starlit made any sudden increase or decrease in their speed as they approached the cliff edge, and both their riders were able to climb into the saddle comfortably before all four beings plunged off the cliff edge.

“Look at that view Starlit!”, Came came a joyful cry from Eluvien as the stunning view of the valley splayed out  beneath Starlit’s wings.

“A bit busy.”, Came Starlit’s uncharacteristically swift response, nerves getting the better of her for a moment.

“You did it Rae! The rest is easy, your wingspan will catch us up with the leaders in no time! Onyx’s rage can only power those little wings so far.”, Starlight praised and encouraged Raelith, as the pair leveled out at the bottom of the valley and made their way through it.

Soon enough Onyx, Starlit and Raelith had all exited the valley, and the true race began!

Anyone that came close to Onyx and looked like they were going to pass him got a flurry of talon and beak fury from Onyx, despite Ternen’s best efforts. It was this fury that really kept the competition behind him, not necessarily his speed. 

Starlit and Raelith were flying close together to make them less of an appealing target for other stryx to attack or harass. Their large wingspans meant that they had to exert more effort climbing up the valley floor, but once they cleared it and started on the racecourse section with it’s flags they found the race much easier. Soon enough were able to see Onyx fighting (literally) for first place with a large gryph and their rider. Onyx’s rider Ternen looked a little frazzled, but Onyx with their ceaseless attacks, fury and superior maneuverability eventually harassed the other bird so much they had to land.

Starlit and their rider Eluvien were both relieved that there was not much infighting in the middle of the pack where they were, likely  because many of them had fallen back from Onyx’s fury, and were already injured, either physically or their pride. Raelith and Starlight were also quite content not to be first, and were grateful other smaller stryx in the race hadn't seen Onyxs’ success against the larger birds and attempted to replicate it with them. Starlit and Raelith were just  focused on finishing the race, preferably without injury.

Starlit and Raelith with their brilliant eyesight to see Onyx many miles in the distance finish diving and scrapping with a particularly speedy corva. From the middle of the pack the two gryphs watched as Onyx glided toward the last flag marker and the finish line, coming first a few seconds before the corva he’d been fighting with. Starlight and Raelith kept watchful eyes on the stryx around them, covering for eachothers blindspots incase one of the competitors decided to fight. Fortunately for them there were no further fighting or incidents, likely because many of the stryx in the middle were already injured, and were not up to fighting for position.

The race was over and Onyx had come first, Ternen was just relieved Onyx hadn’t seriously injured anyone this time. But Ternen was not looking forward to the fact Onyx would likely not shut up about this event, ever. Meanwhile Raelith and Starlit, with their riders Starlight and Eluvien were just happy to have completed the race without injury, and both finished comfortably in the middle of the pack.