The Hatching of Night and Day

[PhazonDragon]

The following weeks after the excitement of Jadavath and Crucith laying their eggs were drab and dull. No one could doubt that a hatching was an exciting moment, but the time before it is a waiting game played by those in line for a dragon. The daily check-ins with the mother greens dwindled down to a sparse look-see every couple of days, and for that both had to be thankful. New mothers were touchy, and none more so than the bad-tempered Crucith. Visitors kept their distance, while Jadavath tended to be more open. Despite that, the eggs hardened with little disturbances, nestled away in their respective spots on the hatching sands. Now the days were numbering down, and the greens became more restless in light of the upcoming hatching.

A low hum heralded the start of the hatching, though no one saw it as such. The din of the dining hall easily overpowered the soft humming of the dragons. Silverware clinked against each other, and glasses thumped on the wooden tables as they were set down. Chatter arose from the residents of Rocky Weyr as they talked about their day, and filled their bellies with their evening meal. Under it all, a deep-throated hum reverberated, acting like a miniature earthquake, only felt by those paying attention and searching for the rumble. The residents might be content with waiting until they finished their dinner, but a certain temperamental green wasn't pleased.

The battle-scarred beast let out a roar above the humming, announcing what was going on to those around her. To top it off, she didn't leave her rider in the dark. Z'volm! Don't lounge over there! Come here! My eggs are hatching, she called, yelling into the greenrider's mind. Adding emphasis to her point, Crucith let out a raspy bugle, and shifted her position, sitting on her haunches among her clutch. Do not keep me waiting, Z'volm! Crucith looked down her snout at her clutch, admiring the perfect pearls that littered the sands, and taking note of how a few started to rock. Satisfied that Hers had gotten the message, judging by his abrupt shout, Crucith returned to humming, her scratchy voice joining with the other dragons.

Sitting at a table among his fellow riders--at least those who could stand him--Z'volm froze at his green's words. His mirthful laughter was taken over by a look of sudden realization. Crucith...? he mentally whispered, slowly lowering his fork. "It's starting," he said, setting down the utensil and standing up. "It's starting! Crucith's eggs are hatching! Candidates, get your butts to your rooms and change, then get to the sands!" Z'volm demanded, stalking away from the table and barking instructions to the dragon candidates. His narrow eyes stared over at the weyrleader and weyrwoman with a ferocity to topple mountains. As if he could transmit the message mentally, the greenrider's stared for a second longer, before turning on his heels, leaving his half-finished dinner behind, and hastily making his way to the sands.

He cared not for the disarray that he left the dining hall in, only worried about one thing--his dearest Crucith. I'm coming, Crucith! Z'volm responded, a soothing edge to his voice. What was be worried about anyway? His green could handle a hatching. She had a couple before, though not as many eggs had survived. Running through the halls, Z'volm rounded a corner and dashed into the hatching sands. He spotted Crucith on the side, and longed to be next to her, but the rider couldn't interfere with the hatching. Instead, Z'volm retreated to the stands around the area, picking a spot as close to the mother green as he could.

Candidates! Come, come stand to see if you are worthy to Impress one of my children!

Green Jadavath x Brown Zedoreth
16 Eggs
Blue Nyketh Impresses N'lon
Green Matrith Impresses R'yew
Brown Desuuth Impresses Eric
Green Xeroxith Impresses S'ion
Green Ladeth Impresses Mentari
Blue Jerezeth Impresses Lorelei
Brown Fahgilth Impresses K'rotn

Green Crucith x Brown Seeth
17 Eggs
Brown Baelsth Impresses Nataniel
Green Eturynth Impresses Alex
Blue Kimath Impresses Thaddeus
Brown Iaruth Impresses Sarah
Green Snith Impresses Lanrhakah
Blue Perarth Impresses K'asta
Blue Woruth Impresses Loren
Green Taspoloth Impresses La'as
Green Skelkineyth Impresses Sara


(Sprite by Marvealle)

[Wesku]

Jadavath had been lounging lightly on the Sands next to her clutch when the humming started. At first the Green thought it only the impending hatching of Crucith's that caused the noise, but then she felt a sudden shift in her clutch. Her eggs would hatch this moment too. Humming lowly, Jadavath felt an elation that couldn't even be tempered by the fact that the impudent and early clutch of Green Crucith.

Gregory, my eggs are hatching! My children are about to come into this world. Come quickly and assemble the candidates.

Throwing back her head proudly, Jadavath pulled her trimmed body back into an upright position. Once she was settled on her haunches, Jadavath made another call.

Zedorath, our eggs hatch. Come quickly, and bring Yours.

---

Gregory had been situated in the common room watching NCIS re-runs and munching on a chocolate frosted pop-tart when Jadavath's excited call rang in his head. Shoving the remaining pastry in his mouth, Gregory didn't spare Abby another glance before tearing out of the room with an excited call to the candidates that were loitering in the room with him.

"Go get changed into your robe things. Jadavath's clutch is hatching!"

[FaizahPandora]

Mentari had been enjoying Abby down a caff-pow when Gregory announced the eggs were hatching. At first she was confused, but then ran to her room to change into the white robe she had been given. The matching sandals had been lost by little Christopher, so she substatuted with a white pair of sneakers.

Mentari then ran like a bat out of hell to the hatching grounds. She almost tripped a few times, and did once. She got a red forearm, but was otherwise fine. When she did reach the sands, she wasnt the first there. Gregory and Z'volm were there. Mentari froze on the edges, wondering what to do now.

[mimiheart]

Siting in a comfy armchair with her arms on her knees, Larhakah was thinking about her family while others in the common room did their own things. Gregory seemed to be watchign a show on TV, but she wasn't interested.

Suddenly, she was pulled back to Now by Gregory announcing that the hatching had begun!
walking in her normal fast pace, she went int oher room and began frantically digging through her dresser for the white robe thay were supposed to wear.
Finally finding it, Lanrie pulled it on and slipped on a pair of light brown boots. Though there were white sandles to go with the robe, her feet couldn't handle the heat; boots were safer.

She ran from her room and down the halls, coming to the entrance of the hatchign sands. Pausing by the side of the hot sand, Lanrie looked around.
She saw the greenriders by the mother dragons, and one other candidate, but she was the only other candidate there.

Lanrie thought back to what she had been taught about the hatchings- bow to the mother dragon and the rider and stand in the semi-circle about the eggs, unless there's a gold egg.
Swallowing nervously, she looked at Crucith, and shifted on her feet.
With two mother dragons and two clutches, it might end up in chaos!
''where should I stand? do I bow now, or wait for more candidates? Should I stand in front of oen clutch.. or the other... or between them???'' her thoughts were a chaotic swirl of fear and nerves and happiness.

[shadowreine]

Calm, Loren told herself. It was best to show no fear, best to try not to show too much hope. Pernese tradition was for Candidates to wear a white robe. White was for weddings, and if she Impressed, it would be a relationship more permanent than most marriages. White was for fresh starts, too. It made a certain amount of sense to her...that and white was the best color to wear in a hot situation, and dragon eggs apparently needed a lot of heat to develop correctly.

Calm. She stepped out onto the Sands. Two green dragons. If she remembered right, the lighter of the two was Crucith, the darker Jadavath. The clutches had been laid at different times, but were hatching together. Perhaps the humming of the dragons was a trigger signal, designed to ensure all of the eggs cracked at once. She gave two bows, trying to keep them of equal depth, one to each of the female dragons. Who had to be antsy about this, especially if they hadn't clutched before. Had they? Loren did not know.

She then positioned herself somewhat closer to Jadavath's clutch, although it was not that conscious. It just seemed like a good spot, and the Sands were not so huge that the hatchlings would have to travel far.

--

This was ridiculous. Tad had not quite grasped that one of the things he had agreed to was to wear a *dress*. The loose white garment flapped stupidly about his legs as he walked onto the Sands.

He became aware of a lot of things all at once. The ground beneath his feet was very hot...no wonder they were advised to wear sandals. The dragon mothers were watching him, both of them. Most especially the lighter colored of the two...and he suspected she was the one who had spoken in his mind, telling him to get his butt over here. Assessing? Perhaps.

There seemed to be a *lot* of the small round things that were the dragons' eggs. Which was a good thing, because there were also a lot of young hopefuls filing onto the Hatching sands. Either he would have a dragon in an hour or two or not.

A lot of eggs, and some of them did seem to be twitching a little, moving as the hatchlings within struggled to get out into the world. Yet, for some reason, it did not feel like a potentially life changing moment. It felt too surreal for that. Too... Both clutches seemed to be stirring, and he distracted himself by trying to guess which of the twitching eggs would break open first.

[Wolfy]

J'kent and Marith

J'kent had been enjoying the meal, talking and laughing with the other inhabitants of Rocky Weyr. He'd placed the fact that at least one of the clutches on the Sands were due to hatch anytime now, and the first Candidate class of Rocky Weyr was about to be tested in a way they never imagined. The day you Impressed was a day you never forgot. It had been nearly thirteen years, yet he thought about the day he Impressed everyday.

He'd been to a fair number of Hatchings before, both for Golds and Greens, including Marith's clutches before she became sterile and one or two of Ramoth's. He remembered seeing the happiness in the faces of each and every one of the new Weyrlings, a fair number of them now full fledged Riders. Most of them now full fledged riders.

Crucith's rather angry call for the Candidates shooke evryone in the hall, making the once noisy, boisterous place quite enough for the drop of a hat to be heard. And then it erupted into a flurry of movement as Candidates stood and ran for their rooms and riders stood and hurried to the stands situated around the Sands.

He was up almost immediately, just as Marith began to hum along with the other dragons, and even Dust and Rune began to join in. The three went between for a moment, reappearing about the Sands. They landed n one of the many ledges overlooking the going-ons.

J'kent made a quick dash for his weyr, hoping to change into something a little more presentable than the sloppy clothes he had on at the moment.

Minutes later, he was standing at the entrance to the Sands, watching the candidates begin to filter onto the sands. Two of them, both young women, stopped as if uncertain, he smiled slightly and edged closer to them. Whispering, he murmured "Mentari, Lanhakah, no need to be confused. Go out there and stand wherever you want, but don't get too close to the eggs. Don't forget to bow in the very least!" When they continued to standd there, she chuckled and gave them both a push farther out onto the Sands.

"And Mentari, where are your sandals? No, wait. I don't want to know." More Candidates arrived, one after the other.

Sennia and Seeth

Seeth was already at the Sands, perched on a outcropping of rock surveying the quiet Sands and noisy Hall. He'd never admit it to anyone, but he had dozed off halfway through dinner, just minutes before the initial humming began. He roused himself with some difficulty, his mood even blacker than normal now. His eyes tinged red with his scarcely buried anger, he raised his head, his lips pulling back slightly. It was then he saw te rocking of eggs and he heard the low and high humming of dragons and firelizards. With that his mood went even darker. He'd never be able to sleep with the racket that they would be making once everyone arrived.

Sennia had been gathering her food when Crucith's peeved call rang out in their minds. In the silence it followed, she was as still as everyone, but instead of running in panic as everyone else seemed to be doing, she rather calmly placed her plate down and went into the kitchen to inform the confused cooks as to what was happenning and to instruct them to cut the carcasses of meat that had been brought there earlier that week.

After that, she hurried toward the Sands, nodding once to the Candidate Master as she passed him. Seeth, love, come down here. Sennia gazed upward at the shodowy corner Seeth occupied; it was more of a suggestion however, and Seeth didn't budge past placing one wing over his head and turning over. It was obvious he planned to stay that way and had no wish to move to the floor.

Brow furrowing, Sennia scowled. "Get down here, you incompetent, miserable beast! I'd rather not have Crucith snarling and hurting you because you would rather sleep that watch your own eggs hatch!" she snapped, lashing out with both mind and voice. Seeth sprang up and growled, his red eyes brightenning in color slightly. "Well? Are you to much of a coward to do even th-" she taunted before breaking off as Seeth roared and lauched himself into the air and glided down to land near the stands, though not so close as to anger either of the clutch mothers. Grinning over her victory, she walked toward him and hugged him befire leaping over the banister that seperated the Sands from the stands.

Alex

Alex had been meandering in her room, stroking soft clothes, hair or firelizards as they dozed comfortably. At Crucith's call, however, they were once again up and squeaking excitedly before disappearing almost at once.

So. It's time.... she murmured to herself, slipping her white robe off its hanger. She slipped it over her head and glided on silent, graceful feet to her mirror and desk, where her makeup was piled high. She applied modest gold eyeshadow and tint to her lips, making her seem less sexy and more innocent and young. Slipping on the white sandals, she exitted

The other candidates were rushing through the halls some with their robes and sandals on, some without. Through the buzz of conversation, she heard the talk: the eggs were hatching, the eggs were hatching!

The Sands were hot, hotter than she had actually expected. Glancing at the other Candidates who seemed wary of Crucith most, she smirked and braved her luck, steeping closer to Crucith's larger clutch than Jadavath's.

[PhazonDragon]

Pern Candidates
[ooc: Getting the Pern candidates in, as part of our back-up plan with extra eggs.]

The Pern candidates that were flown over via various dragons of many different weyrs had spent their days mostly in seclusion. Of those invited, and urged to Stand, they tended to be arrogant and vain candidates who wanted to do the best for their weyr, aiming to Impress a dragon, and bring it back to it's rightful place on Pern. It wouldn't do to group everyone together though, for there was a fair amount that did have fun during their stay, and made some friends with the residents of Rocky. An extra room had been put aside for those candidates. Crucith's bellow for the candidates to go to the sands only spurred the Pernese candidates into action.

They filed out of the room in a manner that was drastically different from those Earth candidates. Of course, hatchings were a basic deal of weyr life. Those weyr-bred candidates knew what was going on, and had a level head as they hurried to their rooms, changed, and were on their way to the sands in a matter of minutes. One thing was the same though--they talked up a storm, trying to settle their nervousness, and conversing about which dragons they were likely to Impress too. Undaunted by the two green mothers, the Pernese candidates shuffled onto the sands, and split into rough groups, each one having a preference on one or the other of the greens.

[shadowreine]

It suddenly seemed to Loren as if the Sands had filled with people...but, as yet, no dragonets.

Brown, blue, green or possibly, if there was one, white. Women did not Impress to bronzes and there was no queen. Not that she wanted to be stuck bonded to a dragon who's primary goal in life was to have babies. She let out a breath, shifting her position, trying her best to ignore the stares her chocolate skin got from a couple of the Pernese.

The dragons would choose who they felt best, and she could hope it was her, but if it was not, she was not leaving. She doubted the hermaphrodite blue would lay any eggs, but there WOULD be more baby dragons if she did not Impress this time.

Lots more baby dragons. She kept her attention, mostly, on Jadavath's clutch, but occasionally glanced over towards Crucith. Her 'guess' that she was better off on this side was nothing more than a guess, and if a dragonet came from that direction, she did not want to somehow miss it.

-

The 'dress' flapped against Tad's legs. The two greens. Wait...he was supposed to do something. Flustered, he gave halfhearted and honestly not that respectful bows to each clutch mother. He had, almost at random, ended up on Crucith's side of the cavern.

He studied her. Green dragons, he had been informed, generally bonded to women or girly men. Tad...did not exactly have a *problem* with effeminate males, but he was emphatically not one. Thus, he could probably safely ignore the green hatchlings in favor of the browns, blues...and if they were really lucky...bronzes. There was some uncertainty as to whether there would be bronzes, from green dams...apparently, the greens did not normally clutch.

Some effect of the atmosphere of Earth, perhaps? He shifted his weight again, and muttered curses under his breath. If he had to run, he was totally going to trip over these stupid *skirts*. "Why the heck do we have to wear these?" he asked of a girl he had never seen before, who had come up next to him.

"Tradition."

"Tradition. Why is that the answer to everything uncomfortable and annoying?"

Pernese.

[mimiheart]

Nataniel heard the call, both mental and out loud. At fist, he froze, then looked around quickly, trying to get his brain to work
the robe...the white robe..right! dresser... He limped as quickly as possible to his room and into the long robe.
"huh. i was thinking more along the lines of a bathrobe.. this is a bit like a dress than anything else." He muttered to himself. Shrugging his shoulders, Natan walked at a near-run towards the sands.

Entering, he scrambled across the burning hot sand towards the semi-circles of candidates that were forming around the clutches.
taking a look at Crucith, he bowed to both mother dragons and settled into a spot nearer to Jadavath's clutch.

Hopefully, his dragon-- if he impressed-- would not be like Crucith, if it came from her clutch.

He looked at the other candidates, and realized he hadn't really gotten to know any of them very well.

-------------

[Wesku]

Gregory patted Jadavath's olive hide and didn't even try to hide his grin. It didn't feel like very much time had passed since his beautiful Jadavath had been laying her clutch on the Sands. Now they were hatching! Nothing could ruin this moment. Gregory was aware that Crucith's clutch would steal some of their candidates, but he couldn't bring himself to think about it for more than a second. If the candidate Impressed from the other clutch, then it just meant that they weren't good enough for one of Jadavath's children.

Mine, you are acting snobbish again.

Jadavath's rich and joyful voice reached Gregory over their shared link, and the rider couldn't help but allow a feral grin.

It's true, but I don't care. No one matters unless I say they do. Everyone else is just there.

Throwing his nose a little in the air for emphasis, Gregory looked the part of the spoiled brat he knew he was. Although his words were said in jest, Gregory believed most of them. He was a selfish and cruel thing. That was why he had his perfect Jadavath to hang around and be his empathy when he was lacking more than usual.

Looking around, Gregory failed to spot L'gar. It was a shame. Gregory wanted him here almost as much as Jadavath wanted Zedorath here. The Greenrider had come to respect and value the Brownrider's constant presence.

I wish your eggs would hurry up and hatch. The anticipation is killing me. I'm seriously going to keel over or something.

The only reply Gregory got was a snort and a shove that nearly sent him sprawling.

[FaizahPandora]

Faizah sighed as the entire room erupted into chaos. Of course. Today of all days, when she had the mother of all headaches, would the eggs hatch. She sighed a rose from her seat, going to the doors and attempting to make some sense of the scene and restore a bit of order.

She paid no mind to Z'volm's glare, but once the room was cleared of people, she headed herself to the hatching grounds. She wouldn't miss Mentari Impressing if the world demanded it. She only hoped her littlest sister did Impress one of the many hatchlings.

When she reached the sands she noticed Mentari hesitating. On her way to the stands she nudged the girl, giving her a slight smile and nodding towards Jadavath. Faizah didn't want Mentari near Crucith, knowing the green and her rider's disdain for her and Kain.

---------------

Kain had followed Faizah to the sands, and smiled at Mentari when Faizah did. Even though he and Faizah were only friends, he still felt very close to the young girl. She was almost a little sister to him as well.

Kain informed Gorth of the hatching, but due to his still splinted wing, the bronze would be unable to make it. Hobbs the rascal blue was already over there, daringly close to Crucith, just humming away to encourage the hatchlings to leave their shelly prisons and greet theirs.

---------------

Sarah, upon hearing that the eggs were hatching, didn't run from her dinner to her room. She had made a habit of carrying the white outfit and sandals with her, and instead ran to the nearest restroom to change. Afterwards she hurried down to the sands.

She reached them in time. No hatchling had appeared yet. She stepped up to Jadavath and bowed, then approached Crucith and bowed, staying there where she was. She rather liked the paler green, and hoped one of her hatchlings would choose her to Impress to. As her nervousness seemed to grow with the increasing rocking of the eggs, Sarah began to chew on her thumbnails. She hoped they would hatch soon.

---------------

Mentari smiled back at Kain and Faizah, then bowed to both greens. She chose to stay closer to Jadavath. Actually, she was as far from Crucith as she could get. She rocked back and forth of her heels for a few moments, seeing Christopher close by and humming with his entire heart. She really hoped to Impress at this clutch.

A blue would be wonderful, but Mentari wondered if she would Impress a blue. She didn't think her personality was right for a blue. But a green would be just as wonderful. Not to mention, green was heriditary in the Pandora family. All of them had green eyes of varying shades, even though most people debated about Nakia's eyes. And Mentari liked the richness of most of the green's hides.

---------------

Tahli was chilling out in her weyr, stroking Relanth's eyeridges. He was still glowing from having caught Brynath. But when he began humming, along with Dust and Freya, she was startled from her thinking.

The eggs are hatching. We must get to the sands. Relanth told her.

Tahli climbed upon her blue's back, and they were winging their way to the hatching grounds within seconds. Dust and Freya had betweened there already. Relanth landed a bit aways from the mother greens, let Tahli off, and then took a perch above. Tahli hurried to the stands, inticipating the sight of the hatchlings.

---------------

Nakia and Isath were outside, enjoying the calm weather. Isath began humming, and Nakia got an image from Missy about the eggs rocking. Without much more though, Nakia climbed upon her green gold Isath and they were headed for the sands.

Upon their entrance, Nakia ran up and took a seat next to Faizah. She could see Mentari down there, and she smiled. She hoped Mentari Impressed. It was such a magical moment when a dragonette chose you as theirs. Nakia hoped Mentari could feel that magic.

"How's she doing?" Nakia asked Faizah, referring obviously to Mentari.

"Fine. She froze for a little, but fine."

Nakia nodded and watched as Isath took a ledge close to a blue. Relanth, if she remembered. The blue didn't seem to notice her as she joined him, but instead kept humming.

---------------

Lakeen turned over, a humming sound bothering her sleep. Lakeesk snapped at whatever was there, and Lakeen uttered a sleepy, "Leave it..."

A nip on her ear woke her with a start. Maria was there, humming proudly, and projecting an image of dragon eggs rocking. Lakeen pushed the flit away, then jumped up. Eggs hatching! Mentari was standing at the hatching!

Lakeen dressed quickly, assured Lakeesk that she would be fine and ran out the door. Maria was already there, humming with the others. She was only halfway down the hall when she noticed the large bronze wher following her.

"Fine, Lakeesk. Let's just go!" Lakeen growled.

They reached the sands with little trouble, and quickly took a seat on the left of Kain. She smiled as she saw Mentari. "I hope she Impresses..." Lakeen said to no one in particular, but was glad when Kain nodded and Faizah flashed a nervous smile.

---------------

Kumiko was already in the stands, Raynith humming along. She watched with interest as the Candidates showed up. She wondered what would hatch from the clutches.

[PhazonDragon]

A watchful red-tinted eye watched each of the candidates as they approached. Crucith cared not who they were, only that they were coming to Impress one of her children. With that though, the green glanced down at her eggs, nearly tempted to smash the eggshells on a whim, and laughing at the pathetic attempt of the dragonets inside as they tried to leave their broken shells. She only glanced in her riders direction once as he stayed a respectable distance from her, and her eggs, because the form of Seeth entering the sands stole her attention. Seeth! she called to the larger dragon, lifting her head to follow him as he flew into the area of the sands. Come to see our children hatch? That is good; otherwise I would go and get you--wait.

She paused in her speech to the brown, noticing something wrong on the hatching sands. The fluttering of a blue firelizard only distracted her for a moment as she noticed that the candidates tended to inch away from her clutch. How dare they! I am better than some leg-less green. My children are better! Crucith fumed to Z'volm and Seeth at the same time. They should be coming to stand for my clutch. And you! The green whipped her head around to glare at one of the candidates. Proper respect! Bow! Show respect! she boomed, her mindvoice shouting out to all of the candidates, though she stared in particular at the one that lacked a formal gesture.

While a green, Crucith demanded to be shown the proper respect. She half-rose from her lounging position, pushing herself into a sitting position and lowering her head until it was level with the tiny candidates. The green inched forward only a smudge, glaring and letting out a snort of disapproval. She was a mother dragon now, and like a gold, she wanted to be shown the proper respect. And that even meant jerking upwards in a sudden attempt to take a bite out of the blue flitter overhead. Do not tempt me, firelizard, she spat, hissing at Hobbs.

L'gar and Brown Zedoreth

Zedoreth wasn't avoiding the hatching, no sir. Nor was he going to allow himself to miss the first of Jadavath's children. The green had called him near moments ago, but L'gar has simply refused to leave. L'gar? Will you not hurry? Jadavath called, and I'm not going to keep her waiting. Do not fret so much. The brown peeked in from his half of the weyr, spying the rider hastily scribbling down something of a scrap of paper. And I'm sure that can wait. You haven't eaten dinner yet either, he scolded with a snort.

"I'm going to be keeping track of the hatchlings, Zed. This can't really wait until later. I need to know who we're going to be instructing in our lessons." L'gar looked up from the chart that looked like a bit of chicken scratch before standing, and quickly crossing over to pull himself up onto the brown's back. "Ready. To the hatching sands, and you can meet Jadavath there... So both clutches are hatching today? Crucith's seems a bit early..." the rider trailed off as Zedoreth lifted the pair into the sky, turning on a wingtip to fly towards the hatching sands.

Landing gently, or as gently as an aging dragon could, Zedoreth touched down on the stands, and allowed L'gar to climb off before taking back into the air and circling around. Jadavath! You are looking as splendid as always... Would you like me to be with you? he asked politely before intruding on the green's area.

---

As the candidates started to filter in, lured to the hatching sands by the sound of the humming, one egg started to shake violently. The egg was from Crucith's clutch, and among one of the larger ones. The humming increased in intensity as the rocking of the egg increased. Not interested in the candidates that disrespected her, Crucith turned her head down to face the egg, giving it a soft croon to encourage the dragonet to break the shell. As if spurred on by the foul temper of its mother, the egg rolled halfway over, a network of cracks forming on the bottom of the shell, where it was once buried in the sand. In a meticulous way, the dragonet inside tapped at the shell, chipping off a piece with it's talon, before traveling up the side, and knocking off a few more pieces until a hairline crack was present.

Then all at once, the dragonet was not content with waiting any longer. It angrily shoved a hind leg through the top of the egg, and a pale brown snout through the bottom. With an annoyed grunt, and hatchling wiggled his way into a better position, and gave the egg shell a good shove, a whole front snapping off at once. The dragonet spilled onto the sands head-over-heels, and come to a rest on his back, panting lightly. He was of a light brown shade, and had no visible markings or defects--a healthy start to the hatching. Righting himself with a growl, the brown shook himself in a dog-like manner, and glanced back at his mother, before walking unsteadily towards the half circle of candidates. There were few on this side of the sands, most of them hanging around the other green's clutch. That would not do.

The brown let out a high-pitched squeak to try and get the attention of the candidates, only to prance around to a different side when some turned back to look at him. Already sure of his own four feet, the dragonet lift his head high as he walked towards the candidates. A few looked promising, but didn't meet his standards. And there was a cripple. One with an odd arm. Ooo, he looked rather frail and appetizing, actually. All of the candidates did. Maybe he could taste one or two of them? The brown purred interestedly as he walked among a few female candidates, reaching out to lick at the hands of one of them. Ick. No, these pale sticks were not something for eating. He frowned, or would if he could, and shuffled forward. If he couldn't eat one, maybe he could get one to listen to him? Wouldn't that be fun?

The brown trotted forward, heading for a candidate he saw before, one that looked weak but possessed a strong heart. That one would be a challenge, and the brown reveled in it. Oh the things he could do with that candidate as his rider--or attempt to do. You know, I'm not very pleased with how I look at the moment. There's sand sticking to me everywhere... And that shell was tough. And my belly hurts. Could you clean my hide? And possibly feed me, Nataniel? Wouldn't that be great for your Baelsth? the brown nudged the young boy in the back. Don't look that way! I'm over here, from the other green. I don't appreciate being ignored.

Brown Baelsth
Schemer, Tricky, Disgruntled
No markings
Impresses Nataniel (mimiheart)
Hex Code: BF9C87

[shadowreine]

And finally, there was a dragonet on the Sands. Girls could Impress browns, Loren thought, and indeed the light colored brown, after a moment, padded towards the Candidates, although he came from the clutch further from her. She watched him lick the hands of a couple of girls...was he trying to determine which Candidate to choose by taste?

Then...he seemed to make his decision, padding towards a boy she had seen around, but did not know well. The dragonet was somewhat awkward, not surprisingly, but seemed to be strong, showing no visible defects such as some of the other dragons here did.

Of course, that did not...but he was now nuzzling the boy. A shame. She would have rather liked to bond that light colored brown.

--

Tad held his breath slightly as Crucith loomed over them. For good measure, he bowed again...greens were *small* dragons? Fortunately, the first of the hatchlings chose that moment to emerge. The girl next to him was mostly ignoring it...until it padded over and licked her. Eww.

Dragon slobber.

Then it seemed to decide she did not taste good enough. Without even a glance to Tad, it padded away towards the Candidates near the other clutch. Amused, Tad thought that somebody had guessed wrong. Well, thanks to Crucith's reputation for being mean...which she was rather living up to with that obvious intimidation move. He had to admit, it had worked for a moment, but he had held his ground. Of course, he too might have guesssed wrong. Or not be fortunate enough to be chosen at all.

Certainly the brown one had no interest in him.

[mimiheart]

Nataniel watched jadavath's clutch with rapt attention, but in fact, the firs to hatch came from Crucith's.
He switched his attention to the little brown as it looked at him from far away, then went to the girls, and licked their hands.

He raised an eyebrow: did the brown think humans tasted good?

He had went back to gazing at the slightly nicer green's clutch, but recieved a shock when a sturdy somebody bumped him in the back.

About to look around crossly, Nataniel was caught in the swirling gaze of the pale brown who had just hatched.

You know, I'm not very pleased with how I look at the moment. There's sand sticking to me everywhere... And that shell was tough. And my belly hurts. Could you clean my hide? And possibly feed me, Nataniel? Wouldn't that be great for your Baelsth? A mind touched his, and he looked up, and around, startled. Baelsth bumped him again, asking for the attention he deserved from His.
Don't look that way! I'm over here, from the other green. I don't appreciate being ignored.

Gaping for a moment, Nataniel was reached by the overwhelming thought that this Bornw was His, and he was Baelsth's foreverand ever!
And his joy-filled mind happily ignored the brown's testiness.

out of all the candidates, you want Me?! he asked Baelsth, not fully sure if this was really happening.

Baelsth snorted his high-pitched snort and pushed his muzzle into Nataniel's free hand.
No, of course not. I just came over here, bumped you, and am talking to you for the sake of it! He snapped. Of course I'm yours and You are Mine, but i am both hungry and dirty, and that takes priority!
Grinning from ear to ear, Natan put a hand on the brown's shoulder.
Would 'Natan' be easier to remember than Nataniel? he asked Baelsth, as the brown started walking forwards, in the general direction of food, with Natan struggling to keep up with the hop-skip gait.
his dragon ignored him but for a noncommital grunt, and Natan took this in stride.
Looking around, he tried to figure out where the dragons' food would be.
"I think the food's over here, Baelsth." He said, pointing in the right direction; only speaking out loud so others would know his brown's name.

[Wolfy]

Sennia and Seeth

Sennia strode along the railing, her eyes staying glued to the eggs at all times. She tried to keep her attention evenly divided between the two clutches at all times, yet she found it hard to. Her eyes seemed determined to fight their way to Crucith's form where she towered over the eggs she had lain. Seeth's larger, darker form wasn't far away. His angry red eyes made him look like some sort of demon that would be in a Earthian dragon-horror novel. He wanted to be done with this and go take the nap he had been taking before the intolerable humming had begun.

Had this been almost any other day and almost any other time, his mood would not be half so black as it was now.

Ugh. When Seeth saw the insolent Candidate who had so much as lifted a finger to Crucith in greeting, he lifted his immense bulk and growled. Girl, we're not in the mood for fun and games. Bow. His deep, rumbling voice sent a thrill of fear down the girl's back as she heard it.

When she finally did as commanded, he turned his head back as he heard the unmistakable sound of an egg shattering. And there was the oldest of his and Crucith's children. He was a very light, creamy brown color, obviously not inheriting his father's dark hide. Eyes narrowing slightly, the dragon watched from the sidelines as the newly hatched dragonet Impressed to a boy from Rocky Weyr. While he had not inherited his father's looks, it seemed, he had indeed inheritted his mother's attitude.

Alex Taylor

Alex had smiled slightly as some of the Pernese Candidates had gaped at her, a few girls mixed in with the multitudes of men. While many managed to turn themselves away from her, some didn't and instead custered around her. One by one they bowed. One by one, she watched and didn't do the same.

Crucith had stopped and stared at her, and bellowed out an angry challenge as she found Alex not bowing as she should. When not only the green threatened her, the Brown that could only be the father stepped forward and rather nastily threatenned her. What happenned to somewhat safe with Seeth around? she thought haughtily as she finally gave up her pretense of aboveness and bowed to Crucith, still fully ignoring Jadavath. She liked Crucith better. Much better.

A brown hatched then, but she didn't worry herself over it. From her sall inquiries, she had found them to be hardworkers. Not her. They belonged to men.

[Wesku]

Jadavath's head snapped up at the arrival of Zedorath, and she let out a soft croon. The Brown was not only welcome to join her, but Jadavath insisted that he land right next to her. The Green trusted the Brown to behave around her eggs and consequently her hatchlings. Scooting over to allow more room for the larger dragon, Jadavath called Zedorath down.

Zedorath, your flattery is appreciated. Please, come. Land next to me. I wish to share this moment with you. It is not every day that my first clutch hatches.

The Green's eyes were swirling with excitement and joy as she turned her gaze to her eggs once more. One egg in particular seemed intent on hatching. It was rocking with such force that Jadavath wondered if it would begin to roll off.

Such energy, I do hope it hatches soon.

---

Gregory grinned when he was finally able to spot Zedorath winging onto the Sands. On the Brown's back sat just the man Gregory had been waiting for. Without waiting for L'gar to find him, Gregory happily ran over to the other rider instead.

"Come on. Jadavath doesn't mind if we stand close by. I already asked her before you got here. Come on."

The grin that Gregory bore threatened to split his face in two. Eagerness and excitement seemed to take years off the Greenrider's already young appearance. If one didn't already know his age, most would think the man a child with the way he looked and acted with such a grin.

As he drew closer to the spot he had chosen for himself and L'gar, Gregory was able to notice the egg rocking almost between it's mother's claws. The egg rocked back and forth wildly, and Gregory's eyes were glued to it's hard shell wondering what color lay inside.

---

The rocking of a larger egg drew all eyes towards it. Everyone held their breath waiting for the eager egg to crack and an equally eager dragonet to stumble forth, but while their eyes were focused on that one egg, another decided to steal the show. Small hairline fractures began to appear all over the shell with very little physical movement. In fact the only one who seemed to notice the change was the Green mother who happened to glance at it through chance.

Without warning, the egg shell crumbled. There was no spectacular shattering of the shell, no fierce struggle to free itself from the egg's hard casing. The shell just seemed to fall off in tiny pieces. The total lack of awe-inspiring theatrics during it's hatching would probably have allowed the hatchling to go unnoticed for a few more moments had the thing not let out a pitious cry.

Stumbling about, the large Blue cried and threw it's head about frantically. It could sense that His was near, but there were so many people. How could he possibly know which would be his perfect choice? Just when the young little Blue was close to despairing, he tripped and slid through the hot Sands until he practically lay at the feet of a young man. Looking up, the Blue's eyes seemed to widen, and he let out a cry of surprise and joy.

Mine, your Nyketh is so happy I found you! I was worried that I would not be able to find you. There are so many people here. May I stick close to you, Mine? N'lon, I love you Mine. I am so very hungry, but I haven't the knowledge of what to do. We can go get food now? My stomach is hollow.


- Nyketh 0703FB (Main)
"Unsure, Clingy, Whiny, Smart"
- Hatchling Size: Five Feet
- Adult Size: Twenty-eight Feet
- Markings: None

[shadowreine]

And then...one from the clutch she had positioned herself nearer to. Loren watched the blue, and wondered where Ivy was. She had a strong feeling the little green, knowing better than to approach broody dragon mothers, was hiding somewhere in the audience.

She watched as the blue stumbled around, then apparently chose one of the Pernese boys. He too seemed healthy...perhaps they would be fortunate and not have any defective dragons in this clutch.

Two out of this many, she told herself, meant little. And the blue had not chosen her. She pulled her eyes from it to the rest of the eggs. Two out of a lot. A lot more chances for her to end this day a dragonrider. With a new best friend, she told herself...well, more than that. Other than that. Dragons could not, she suspected, replace human companionship, but...the blue was clinging with obvious affection to his new rider. She felt a twinge of envy, and shifted her weight, paying attention on the rather energetic egg.

--

There was another dragonet, suddenly, on the Sands. Tad was not entirely sure where the blue had come from, but it hesitated before picking some kid he did not know.

There seemed to be a lot of kids here he did not know. The Pernese must have brought them from wherever they came from to have a chance at bonding one of these dragonets. It made sense...Rocky alone had not had quite enough prospects...but now, it seemed, there were far too many, each one diminishing his own chance of being chosen.

Calm, he told himself. The brown and blue might have rejected him...the brown, which had come fairly close, more obviously.

Maybe the next to hatch would be one of the green females. Somebody had told him there would and could be no gold female in this clutch.

[Houka Ryuu]

As soon a everything was once more quiet, a small egg began rocking violently on Jadavath's side. All eyes were shifted to this egg, the Candidates eagerly awaiting what hatchling would emerge from within.

Not to be out-done, one of a larger-sized egg from Crucith's side also began rocking violently and folks were torn as to which egg to watch closely.

---

After a few minutes of violent rocking, the small egg displaced itself, rolling down the mound of sand and like a shell, a crack was heard and a fine line of hairline cracks started to work their way from the top of the egg, to the bottom of the egg. With the hatchling inside struggling to break free of its prison, the hairline cracks spread faster and faint tapping from withing the egg could be heard by the entranced crowd.

Then, all at once, the egg shattered, showering those nearby with it's eggshell. A lovely dark green hatchling was revealed. She looked about, as she stood to shake herself free of any leftover eggshells and egg goo once more splattering those around her and not caring any other way. She didn't seem at all interested at the Candidates near her but was instead curious about the rocking egg on the other side.

With a final look around, trilling a warble of greeting at her parents, she wandered over to the other side curious as to what will hatch from the violently rocking egg. She was not at all scared that Crucith might not like her coming over to Crucith's side of the Hatching Grounds.

---

The large egg kept rocking and rocking so long that the hatchling inside got tired of tried to get themselves free. The hatchling inside was getting bored and was on the point of giving up the tiresome task, but managed to motivate itself once more. Finally, after much work, the shell gave way with a crack, heard by those near the egg.

The hatchling inside pushed at the crack and was rewarded with his snout breaking free of its prison. Galvanized by the success, the hatchling pushed with all its might and suddenly, he was out of his egg. He was another brown hatchling, and he lay where he was, totally tired and uninterested with what's going on around him.

(( OOC: Meh, my muse has decided to take a leave of absence. Will post again tomorrow after work and have them Impress or not. XD ))

[Wolfy]

Lyrah and Kyrinth

It was time for the hatching! The first Hatching in the first Earthian Dragon Weyr, and they were around to see it. Now this really was a weyr!

Many of the Candidates that were standing were from Pern, and she even recognized several of those that could only be from Fort, her and Kyrinth's home. Less than a few were one's she liked much, but there was some of her friends there. She missed them desperately, but, of course, her place was here in Rocky now. However, that most definately did not mean that she still did not count Fort Wyer and Pern overall her home.

Lyrah, unless you want to miss the entire thing, you need to get tom the stands. Lyrah couldn't help but grin and quicken her leisurely pace until she was jogging quickly down the hall. when she stepped into the open and felt the heat that the Sands emitted, she smiled. Felt like home.

Snowfire, the tiny thing that he was, had lodged himself between the stubborn brown's headknobs, guiding the matured brown back to a ledge that could oerlook the Sands, low enough that even Kyrinth could see some of the shapes and blur of colors. Of course, he had to stay away from the clutches and clutch mothers, but still.

Sweetling, I'm right here, she replyed, sending him an image of where she was standing. About time,[/color] he grumbled.

She smiled and took her place in the stands.

Brittany Copeland

What was going on? Why was everyone running around like their head were cut off? And what was that noise? Earthquake? Whatever it was, it was really annoying Violet.

Brittany had only arrived the day before, and she was still exhausted due to jet lag. It hadn't been for nearly 5, 6 years that she'd been this far west. She's forgotten how absolutely beautiful it was.

But now there wasn't just two little dragons - no, firelizards, flitters - no, now there were dozens of them, along with full sized dragons. They populated the entire hollowed mountain.

Finally, she managed to understand what was going on. The eggs that F'larhad said were going to hatch were actually doing just that. Hatching. Oh, no....she didn't know the first thing about a dragon! She fumbled around, hurriedly putting on the sandals and robe that had been one of the first things that had been thrust upon her when she had arrived with Violet in tow. She left right after that, leaving a whining dog shut and locked in her room.

Running down the hall, she promtply managed to get lost. That was one of the many reasons she was late. She arrived just in time to see a really ight brown dragon hatch and lay still in the sand. For a horrible moment, she thought it was dead, until she noticed the minute movements of its chest.

What a novel this would make! she thought, awed. Almost immediately, she began to construct a basic storyline for one of her dream bestsellers.

J'kent and Marith

One of the Earthian candidates had already Impressed, and to a well proportioned brown, no less. The young lad was grinning widely as he led the newly hatched dragonet off the sands. He beamed at him, murmuring a glad congratulations as the pair passed him in seach of food. He motioned toward the kitchens, where the cooks had already begun to chop up the meat that the new dragnets would be consuming.

Ah, and another! This one was instead a blue from Jadavath's clutch, who Impressed on a Pernese Candidate. The pair left the Sands, the new rider smiling as he conversed with his weyrmate.

Good, he thought, that neither of the dragonets were green. That would have been bad indeed. Now, J'kent usually want the supersticious type but he did have his beliefs. One of them was that it was bad luck if the first to hatch from a clutch was a Green, a common belief on Pern. Mine love, would you rather I not have hatched? Such rumors are fiction, and you should well know that.[/color] As always, his own weyrmate caught his thoughts like a snare. The motherly green gazed down at him consideringly.

No! he replyed slightly horrified that she should even suggest that. I'd rather die than never had Impressed to you! He stared up toward her, his grey eyes pleading with her to forgive him for that. After all, she had hatched first. Hm. Of course, love, I know that. Now watch your Candidates. Another egg just hatched a lovely green.

Chuckling just a little he turned to see, yes, a dark green dragnet swerve nearer to Crucith's clutch from her own in Jadavath's. Frowning slightly he narrowed his eyes. Wait, another's ahtching! One of Jadavth's lrger eggs finally hatched a second brown, but it just lay there, as if exhausted.

H'vas and Cherath

H'vas had decided to sit with his Cherath for this Hatching, deviating from what was usually done. Instead of sitting in the stands as per usual, this Greenrider was going to be sitted with his dragon on a ledge. Lets just hope she didn't decide to leave him up there.

Only one of Crucith's clutch had hatched yet, but with the promise of more to come. Three, though, had already hatched from Jadavath's clutch. This thing was just getting started.

Alex Taylor

A blue was the next to hatch, a rather draker shade, but it wasn't one that she would have wanted. And anyway, it managed to snag a Pernese Candidate that had been standing closer to Jadavth's clutch. Right after, a green hatched small and dark and beautiful. It effectively ignored the Candidate's clustered around her clutch but instead pushed herself free and stumbled closer to Crucith's clutch. Behind her, another brown broke free of his shell and lay where he hatched.

After bowing mockingly to Crucith, she had resumed her usual insolent posture that spoke multitudes of a "I'm better than you" persona.

[shadowreine]

It seemed as if Loren had chosen the 'right' clutch to stand near...it did seem that Jadavath's eggs were hatching faster than Crucith's.

If this clutch hatched first...well, no. She had no clue what decided the order. Chance, most likely. A green was next, then a brown from the other clutch. Neither had yet found their partners. She would, she thought, take either of them. Perhaps she would rather have the male.

Browns had a certain status in the biological hierarchy of the dragons, a hierarchy that seemed to be based on size. She would have status with a brown. But the green would be better at the fancy flying she craved. It was odd...standing here waiting for things that were not remotely human to decide her entire future. She shifted her weight again, starting to feel...or perhaps simply to realize she felt...nervous.

Yeah. Definitely nervous. She pulled herself together, and shifted her stance again. She was not going to show the fear that threatened to boil up within her...fear that she was doing the wrong thing here.

Still. You couldn't love an airplane.

--

Ha. A green next indeed...and then another of the brown ones. The green ones were female, and chose women and gay men. Tad remembered that and when she started to come over to Crucith's clutch to check on the hatching brown, he sidled away from her a little.

He was no girly boy, and he was determined NOT to Impress to a green...not that there was anything wrong with them. The very fact that the Pernese accepted gay men in such a dangerous profession would have got rid of any incipient homophobia he might have.

But he did not want people to think HE was gay. He focused, thus, on the brown, considerably more likely to choose him than the green, surely.

Was something wrong with it? It wasn't moving...

[FaizahPandora]

Mentari watched in wonder as dragonettes began hatching. Quickly a brown and blue Impressed, then another brown was laying where he had hatched while a little green was scrambling for Crucith's side of the grounds. She wasn't entirely sure what to do...

---------------

Sarah stood where she was, watching the hatchlings emerge. The little brown, just out the shell but not moving, was worrying. Sarah almost wanted to approach and see if he was alright. The only thing that kept her from assuming he was dead was the slight, and hard to see, rising and falling of his chest...

---------------

One of the smaller eggs of Crucith's began rocking with quite some force. While most looked over a green tail appeared from the egg shell. Quickly following that a little green exploded from the egg, looking around with swirling red eyes. She got to her feet and, with a grace unknown to just hatched dragonettes, headed towards some of the Candidates.

She was a gorgeous green. Her hide was pale, but shone in the light within the hatching grounds. She appeared to know exactly where she was going. Before anyone knew it the green had come to a stop in front of a female Rocky Candidate. She crooned slightly.

Mine... Mine! Look at your Eturynth! Eturynth is better than any blue! Look at Eturynth mineAlex! The hatchling called mentally to Hers. Eturynth ignored the blue, looking up at Hers with whirling rainbow eyes.

-Eturynth D7F8D4 (Main)
"Flirty, Drama Queen, Superficial"
Hatching Size -
Adult Size -
Markings - None

[Wolfy]

Alex and Eturynth

Now there was a dragon. From Crucith's clutch, a small egg had begun to shake with a ferocity that could only mean the ione inside was impatient to get free. Ignoring the glares from both Crucith and Seeth, she pushed herself free of the restricting males that were still clustered around her, watching the pale mint green dragon as she strode with a grace that Alex had once said was hers, and hers alone. But now that was quite obviously not the case.

Mine... Mine! Look at your Eturynth! Eturynth is better than any blue! Look at Eturynth mineAlex! The stunning creature was right in from of her eyes swirling all the colors that were possible that actually existed. She was, for once, captivated, awestruck. MineAlex, I am hungry, and I've gotten sand all over me. And you look silly in the thing you have on. We have to look perfect.[/i] As if to emphasize, she lifted a dainty foot and stomped it, showering her with yet more sand. Lifting her nose in the same gesture of "aboveness" Alex was famous for she rather obvious stomped away.

"Of course you're better than a blue." Alex sniffed as she passed the young men that had turned into gaping idiots once more. "You're Mine, aren't you? Eturynth, stop walking like that. You look like a child." She looked back only once, a mock challenge in her eyes as she looked directly at Crucith. Flipping her hair, she was off again, the two moving perfectly in sync and with a grace that only those like them could ever even dream of possessing.

[shadowreine]

Another green Hatched...and Impressed to another girl, before the other brown and green had even moved further. The brown seemed to be...was it dead? Loren knew that was possible...that something had been wrong with its lungs and as soon as it got out of the egg...

She hoped it was not dead, but she knew, realistically, that there were genetic defects in the dragon stock here, some of which would be non-viable. At least if it was dead, it had died before bonding to somebody and tearing their heart apart.

The green seemed to have found a perfect match, though. Hair toss. If a dragon could hair toss, that one would. Sheesh, she thought. Mental note. Avoid that pair. Actually, she hadn't seen much of Alex, but what she had seen had been kinda...snobby. Like dragon, like rider?

Yeah. Avoid that pair. Especially...if she did Impress one of the blues. Blues mated with greens. Blueriders mated with greenriders. She was not sure she ever wanted to mate with *that* girl.

--

Hoo boy, Tad thought. Well...the arrogant green and the arrogant rider. They'd work out pretty well. He wanted to go check on the brown, but held his position.

He thought it was still breathing. But going over to it might get him eaten by its mother. He had been warned, too, not to touch a dragonet unless he heard its voice in his head...that unImpressed dragonets might scratch or bite anyone who touched them. He doubted the brown had the energy to do that, but...

Yeah.

He did take half a step forward...then felt the dress whip around his legs again. He was never wearing a dress again! He was not sure he would even...no, he would do this again, the dragons were worth it. But if he Impressed, he was so, so, so NEVER wearing a dress again!

[PhazonDragon]

[ooc: To H'vas]

The bluerider has chosen to sit at the same table as Z'volm, a few seats away. Hy'ka hadn't spent as much time with H'vas as he would have liked, and the Rising of Brynath only made the situation that much more awkward. His dragon was Rising and Chasing. He could Chase Cherath, but Cherath couldn't Chase him... Hy'ka brought a hand up to his face and pinched the bridge of his nose. Not time for such thoughts. He wanted to get himself acquainted with the other riders of the weyr. While Z'volm wasn't the nicest, he was one of the most well-known.

So when Z'volm jumped up, practically screaming at the hatching was starting, Hy'ka was up in a heartbeat as well. He was out of his chair, and already following behind Z'volm to get to the sands. At the same time, the bluerider was calling to his dragon. Brynath! The hatching! It's starting. Get to the sands, okay? I'll be there in a bit... And keep an eye out for Cherath? he silently asked, jogging down to the hatching sands. And H'vas. I'd like to talk to him.

Gladly, Hy'ka. Just try not to start something between you two. This is a hatching, not your private weyr. The blue chuckled mentally at Hy'ka's sudden stuttering. Oh, calm down! Brynath said, leaving his room to fly to the hatching sands. He spotted the bright green dragon on one of the ledges, and winged towards her, throwing forward his hind legs to land in a graceful manner. Hello Cherath, Brynath greeted the older dragon, and noticed H'vas sitting near her. Mine is coming up to speak with Yours.

Hy'ka snorted at his blue, but as he entered the sands, he scanned the dragons to find his. He pointed out the green-tinged blue beast next to Cherath, and with a nod, made his way up to the stands. As he got closer, he noticed the form of H'vas near his green. Thank you, Brynath, the rider murmured as he reached the two dragons. "H'vas. Hi. Long time no see..." Hy'ka trailed off, awkwardly shrugging his shoulders and moving to stand next to Brynath. "How about that hatching..." Hy'ka looked to the sands, and noticed at while he was traveling up to visit H'vas, some dragonets had already hatched--two browns, a blue, and two greens. That was fast.

[ooc: To Alex]

Crucith, dear, let's not eat the candidates... Z'volm warning in a joking matter. If she wanted to eat the candidates, then who was there to stop her? Z'volm wasn't, and none of the golds were old enough... The only one with that power was Gorth, and that meant physical power. But he had a splint wing, from their last encounter. Don't want to leave one of your children without a rider, now do you? To be lost forever in the depths of between? The rider suppressed a chuckle, but couldn't help but smirk at the thought.

Satisfied that the candidate had bowed, finally, not to mention that the others did was well, Crucith returned to her spot, laying and watching her eggs until they hatched. The thought of one of her children being without a rider, without that extra part of their soul, and stuck in the cold of between... The green growled pleasurably at it. Pain. Pain was something she loved, and wanted to see in every living thing. That thought spurred her action into hissing at the green hatchling from Jadavath's clutch. Away. Leave, hatchling. You are not my offspring, and you have no business among my eggs. Crucith lowered her head, eyes swirling red with anger, and growled at the dark-green dragonet.

Giving the young dragon one last snort, Crucith's attention returned to settle on Alex again. And you, you will not mock me. Proper respect. I will be shown proper respect. The green stood up at this time, leaving her eggs, and stalked forward towards Alex. She huffed, opening her mouth to bear her yellowed fangs at the ignorant female. She drew herself dangerously close, and Z'volm wasn't about to stop her either. A crack from behind the green only served to have her glance backwards. One of her smaller eggs had hatched, and the dragonet was bounding forward towards Alex. Remember, respect, she growled, pulling away from the newly Impressed weyrling. However, as the pale green dragonet passed, Crucith allowed herself to snap at the young dragon, her teeth nearly grazing the hide of the hatchling.

---

The drama that followed the candidate's lack of manners towards the mother green was only interrupted by the hatching of another egg from Crucith's clutch. This egg shook slowly, and everyone's attention was nearly lost on the egg before a crack commanded it again. A tiny, tender claw poked at the outside world, scratching feebly as the dragonet inside pawed at the eggshell. The color was not yet able to be seen, as only the soft talons of the dragon were attempting to get out. Even so, a network of fissures spread across the surface at an agonizing pace. The work was slow and meticulous, as if the dragonet was unsure of what to do. It mewed lowly to no one; though it was certainly a small cry for help. Crucith did was she could do best--ignored the egg. If it wasn't strong enough to break the shell, then it shouldn't live.

Then, even as the green mother ignored the rocking egg, a timid and shaking arm pressed forward, breaking through the weak spot on the egg, pressing through the network of cracks to force them apart and open, allowing the dragonet through. He was a brilliant shade of blue, pale and nearly white as he stumbled out of the egg with a tiny snort. He fell onto the sands, but unlike his brown brother, he didn’t stop there. The blue managed to catch himself before he fell, stumbling forward with bits of eggshell clinging to his slick hide. Once assured that he was standing straight on all fours, the blue took a step forward, and nearly tripped over his own feet. Wait! He called out, staggering backwards as he tried to regain his balance. No… I… So many people.. Where are you? Oh, it would be great to find you… And I should do that.[/i]

The blue turned on the spot, picking up his long and awkward feet carefully, and looked at all of the people watching him. Where are you…? Are you up there? he wondered, his concerned yellow eyes darting from rider to weyrling to spectator. No, behind me? He turned around quickly in his haste, and managed to trip over his own tail. Opening his mouth and letting out a wail, the blue called out to his bonded. He fell forward, and only pushed himself back up to sit on his haunches. What if I never find you? What then? A growl from behind him made the blue turn his head to stare at his mother, who was clearly getting annoyed with his whining, and wanted him to go find his rider.

I… I’m coming. Thaddeus, where are you? Come get me… The blue stood up, looked back at his mother, and took a few steps forward, his head swinging back and forth as he looked at the candidates lined up near both clutches. Where are you, Tad?[/color]

Blue Kimath
Timid, Dreamer, Simple-minded
No Markings
Impresses Thaddeus (shadowreine)
Hex Code: #def0f7

[shadowreine]

Then out came a...white dragon. No, Tad realized after a long moment...he was off-white. Blue-white. Which meant he was one of the blues...and as clumsy as any newborn foal.

Actually, that was more puppy clumsiness. He tried not to smile as the poor thing tripped over first his own feet and then his own tail. "Careful, little one," he murmured. It was little, too...hard to believe such small creatures would grow to be the size of their dams and sires. Or, in the case of this one, somewhere in between.

Then the green growled at the dragonet. Tad was getting the strong impression that was about as close to encouraging as Crucith ever got. He tried to pull his eyes away to check on the other eggs.

Funny. He couldn't. He literally could not take his eyes off of that particular hatching. He felt an odd urge to go help it...it did seem rather lost, but he had resisted helping the brown. His feet seemed to develop a mind of their own as the blue started to step towards him, beginning to carry him across the gap. He...

I... I'm coming. Thaddeus, where are you? Come get me... Where are you, Tad?

A pleading voice, almost whiny, but at the same time...he could listen to that voice all day. It was almost his own voice, but not, and...ooh boy. The voice drew him over to the hatchling. "I'm right here, Kimath." He had NO clue how he knew the name...no, the dragon had told him, deeper than speech, as if that was what was needed to finalize a bond for life.

I feel as if there's a hole in me! the blue cut in with as he reached him. One hand moving to touch just below the chin.

"Well, i think there's something around here to fill that hole with." A hole...of course, the dragonet had never experienced hunger before. He had been warned that the young dragons would need to eat immediately. But he also felt that there was...no longer a hole in him, as if Kimath had been missing his entire life.

Food. Yes. There was some meat, off to the side, carefully prepared into small pieces on which a baby would not choke. He handed Kimath a piece. "Chew on this."

Chew? Oh! I get it

He realized one downside to dragons being telepathic. They could talk with their mouths full...