or see it as a flock / swarm

http://www.openprocessing.org/sketch/10430

http://www.openprocessing.org/collection/448

You could use 'strings' (physics emulated not character strings!) and make them go where you like - I put a string based demo in the share your code section a day or two back that might be some use although its not well commented.

http://www.openprocessing.org/sketch/77890

I think 'chain' in the examples->simulation is a similar idea?

I was only using 12 segments I think, you could easily up that to a hundred or more if you're just drawing fairly thin lines - I'll rejig it slightly and post a demo later.

Did that, see https://forum.processing.org/topic/string-7-11-2012

Change the segment length/number of nodes/damping/stroke weight as required - might work for you.

Mouse control is not ideal for this as it can make the distance between nodes too great and therefore ugly! It would be better set up if the mouse instead applied a force