In which the eggs hatch at Telgar weyr, part 2!
Nolee can't help grinning as well, the first sign of ease in her shoulders causing her to stretch them and actually seem to be relaxing a little bit. "I can't imagine they did--I sure had no idea Thread could come back, and maybe when they said yes, they didn't either. Ugh, that and all the cleanup and oiling and ohh--they move so fast!"
From the hatching sands, Nimiriel, quick to spot the brown and his decisive move, nudges E'tyn. "Look there--see that brown? Now, watch..."
From the hatching sands, Haisen offers a terse, "Not *that* nervous." to clarify. She's not *that* nervous. Well, she's trying not to /be/ that nervous. Cam's hand is eyed almost balefully and she gives a curt shake of her head; definitely not *that* nervous. She lapses into silence again, starting to drift away in order to get a better look at what else is happening on the sands.
From the hatching sands, E'tyn, so commanded, watches obediently as his attention is directed to the decisive brown. For his Weyrwoman, a hand slips out to rest lightly behind her back, the gesture steadying his own nerves possibly, and filled with formality. "I'm watching," he teases lightly.
C'len idly leans back a moment, having heard a particular voice off to the side, then grins slightly before turning his attention back to the hatching. "We've been busy with extra drills, too," he remarks to Telgar's harper, brow furrowing slightly and revealing lines that probably weren't there, just a few sevendays earlier. "Still, good to have a hatching to lighten things up a bit! Couldn't have been timed better, I think."
From the hatching sands, Rilkie is, to say the least, startled by the sudden voice in her head. "Ancaith." She echoes, in a dazed voice. After a moment's confusion, training and instinct kick in, and she turns, leading the brown towards the proper area, "Food. This way, yes, plenty of it. Good stuff, not the dregs left for the last ones." She comments quietly.
From the hatching sands, Seramara half-giggles, too nervous for the real thing. "Maybe not, but I don't want to be the first...oh, the brown..." Peering after the dragonet (that eager run was unmistakable), she bounces up and down in happiness. No time to be nervous when the good stuff is happening. "Rilkie! Rilkie and An--Ancaith!"
From the hatching sands, Camerryn takes a hasty step back, pulling Rilkie along with him... until she's no long responsive. It takes the lad a little longer to understand the situation, and then he's grinning widely. "Rilkie... " is all he can manage to say. And, while Haisen might not be that nervouse, Camerryn probably is. And now he's hand-holding-partnerless. Poor boy.
From the hatching sands, Brilliance in Numbers Egg gives one last protracted shudder and then splits solidly down the middle as one dark headknob, then the other, punches through its outer shell. As the shell falls open, it leaves in its wake one rather guilty looking bronze, who perks up immediately when he settles his eyes on the ranks of candidates.
Passionate Carnelian Bronze Hatchling
Distinctively tall, with an athletic build and broad shoulders, this bronze is striking for his build alone. Add to this his rich, ruddy color and he's even more noticeable. Fiery shades of carnelian bronze swathe his hide from his squared-off muzzle to his stubby copper tail, paling only slightly from those rusty, oxidated hues as they descend the insides of his legs and coat his belly and throat. Perhaps his most unique feature is his very large, swept-back headknobs, both a deeper shade than the surrounding hide. He's not a terribly bulky dragon, trending toward lithe rather than brimming with muscle, but he has a certain presence about him that refuses to be ignored, displayed in the tilt of his head and the determined glow of his eyes.
From the hatching sands, Breena, too, spies the brown's imminent Impression, and she hurries Rilkie's way. "Ancaith, did I hear? Wonderful--come this way, Tenli's got food for them."
From the hatching sands, Rilkie heads off towards the bowl on the way to the weyrling barracks.
"Thread," Niklo repeats, her grin fading around the edges at the thought. Then she shakes her head -- definitely not the time to starting thinking about that. "Hey, lookit th'brown, there!" she points to the young dragon and starts to grin again. "Looks like... m'I right, girl for 'im? Wonder if she'll be like Fadra an' Madge..." A slight shudder at the thought.
From the hatching sands, Ancaith heads off towards the bowl on the way to the weyrling barracks.
From the hatching sands, Cyrra grins weakly and moistens her lips with a quick swipe of her tongue. "Wow...a brown...Rilkie Impressed a brown," she says, as if Ronari didn't know.
From the hatching sands, Olwyn nods. "Looks like you're safe for now, though," she notes as the brown chooses. "Congrats, Rilkie!" she calls out, doing a little dance of triumph for the other girl as well as to give her feet some relief.
From the hatching sands, Graedin draws back slightly as the brown heads in the diretion of the small knot near him. Then, as he finds Rilkie, he beams. "Hey, look, it's Rilkie this time!" A quick look of the sands around reveals two greens he didn't notice before. And considerably closer than that bronze. He steps half behind Cam and Sera for protection. "Whonder who they're after?"
From the hatching sands, The most non-descript egg of the clutch begins to shimmy and shake in a frenetic fashion. The shadow that exists across the shell of the Eclipse of the Cookie egg dissolves into dust as a chubby green face pokes out, shy. For her to get her bearings, it takes but a moment, and then she's found hers: Shialla. "Oh! Firyath!"
From the hatching sands, Water's Embrace Green Hatchling, with limbs gathered, steps forward clumsily, her left foot moving one direction her right another which gives her another moment's pause. As the white robes of the candidates catch her sight, the thin, pathetic creel fades out into a head tilt of curiosity that drives herself into coordinated motion. Faster now, though still lacking grace, the water sprayed green waddles towards the loose semi-circle.
From the hatching sands, Ronari's eyes fill with tears of happiness for her friend. She waves to Rilkie's retreating back, unable to form a coherent sentence as the atmosphere of the day has enveloped her totally. To Cam she extends her other hand--the one not occupied by Cyrra's, and calls his name quietly. The nerves that have been absent these long sevendays have finally arrived--and in full force.
Gay's rapid glancing eventually stops, though the comments around the galleries drift over her way. She takes a brief look over her shoulder, expression troubled before she returns her attention to the hatchlings, wrapping and unwrapping a curl around her finger.
From the hatching sands, Seramara isn't much protection for Graedin, but she'll try her best. "I guess we'll find out. Here comes that green, maybe she wants you. Or that one--no, wait, that one just picked Shialla--" Her usual bouncing is muted, though it's still the best way to see what all's going on.
From the hatching sands, Passionate Carnelian Bronze Hatchling, when he settles his eyes on candidates, notably settles his eyes on /girl/ candidates. Nevermind he's very apparently bronze, and that's... just not going to work out. He takes a few stumbly steps before he gets the hang of that whole walking thing--and when he does, he near-prances toward the females he first sets eyes on.
From the hatching sands, Cyrra looks at Ronari with a hint of worry, brows furrowing until she realizes that those are happy tears. She tips her head, looking past Ronari to Camerryn, who has lost his buddy. Then, a larger dragonet is on the move and her eyes shift to the bronze, making sure she doesn't end up on the wrong side of him.
From the hatching sands, Ring of Fire Egg hasn't moved again, but tiny fractures have started to become visible, as the activity inside it increases. Not far now, as that web of cracks grows, though it's still impossible to see what lies inside.
From the hatching sands, Nimiriel's brow furrows as she watches that bronze's antics. "And that one," she says to E'tyn, shaking her head, "that one's just confused. Awfully cute, though."
From the hatching sands, Olwyn eyes the bronze dragon curiously. "Now that I've not seen before. Usually they make a beeline for the males. Why would a bronze look at any girls?" she muses out loud, never pausing in her Hatching Sands Shuffle for a moment.
From the hatching sands, Water's Embrace Green Hatchling picks up her speed as this walking thing becomes far easier with practice *and* due to the rising motivation of finding not only her chosen, but food as well. Yellow creeps into her curious gaze, swirling hunger-fueled agitation as she trips along, dismissing candidates without truly looking at them until she stops at the feet of a dainty, dark-haired teenager. A shine enters her eyes and with a laughably tiny bugle of triumph, she leans forward to butt gently against the girl's legs.
From the hatching sands, Camerryn looks like a lost little canine, really. Finally, when Cyrra's eyes meet his, he hastens over - any excuse, really - and says, "Crazy bronze is headed for girls, might need a.. a..." A what, a shield?
Nolee hesitates a moment, then slowly puts together who Fadra is, then who 'Match' is, and groans. "Just what we need." Then she perks up, "Oh! But they're not ours. Good! Just what they need." Nodnod. Squinting at the Sands, she wonders, "How many left? How many paired up already? Jays, it's chilly here, even in their hatching arena."
"Of course, all the extra sweeps and watchriding and being ready and all," replies Giremi to C'len. "Yes. Hatchings do tend to --" he breaks off as an Impression is made and he claps for the relevant weyrling.
From the hatching sands, Graedin's grin to Cam and Sera in return is a trifle sheepish. "Nah - no green'd be interested in me." There we go with those small holder morals again, despite various beatings about it from others. "Maybe she's for you, Sera. Or 'Ari - looks like she'd be perfect for her. Or Cyrra. Or Olwyn, or..." he trails off mumbling, naming just about every other girl on the sands. As part of his protection from skeery greens leaves, he erks, and shifts to try to herd Seramara in closer to close the gaps that are appearing as more impressions are made.
From the hatching sands, From the non-descript Lunar Explosion Egg hatches a vibrant, royal blue beauty who stomps on the remaining shards a time or two before setting off to find his mate. When she's found, Andri, the auburn haired Telgari throws her arms around the blue's neck. "Tinsioth!"
From the hatching sands, Midnight 'Mine' Game Egg has arrived.
From the hatching sands, Breena hurries forward again, this time to Ronari and her Suraveth. "Ronari, right? Congratulations, she's beautiful! Come with me, Tenli and Therese will make sure you can get her plenty to eat."
From the hatching sands, Seramara takes a few nervous steps to the side when that bronze approaches. "I'm not your type," she tells him, trying to track the other eggs and hatchlings. "Really. Graedin, if you keep doing that, I'm going to trip and if that green wants me she won't be able to find me. Oh, hurrah Andri! And--and Ronari!"
From the hatching sands, Suraveth heads off towards the bowl on the way to the weyrling barracks.
From the hatching sands, Ring of Fire Egg has already started to fracture under the assault from within, but the dragonet has moved too quickly for anyone to catch a glimpse of it. That changes, however, as a golden wing spar finally breaks free, followed soon after by the rest of her: Telgar's newest queen, a Coastal Dawn Gold Hatchling.
Coastal Dawn Gold Hatchling
A coastal sky just before sunrise, pale gold and dew-heavy roses, washes this delicate queen from pert nose to tail, lending a diaphanous glow to her hide. A sculptor's chisel must have been used to carve out her sinuous neck, regal jaw, and the barely darker ridges which frame her large eyes. Shadows of glimmering bluish orchid can be seen amongst the brush strokes leading down the base of a strongly defined torso and lean flanks, lowlights complimenting her striking color. Curved ivory talons tip her dainty paws, while on her back gracious wings carry gossamer trails of the creamy rose glow of her hide in their webbing, the shading reaching up to mark more darkly along her spars. Her slight build radiates not only the inherited elegance of her dam, but the compassionate wisdom in her depthless ocean gaze.
From the hatching sands, Haisen will just stand over here and hope that odd bronze doesn't look at her overly long. She shifts her weight uncomfortably from foot to foot, attention sliding from the hatchlings to the eggs and then to the occasional impressee -- like Ronari and her Suraveth.
From the hatching sands, Graedin apologizes to Sera, mumbling more. As the Water's Embrace green stops before Ronari and impression is made, he beams, ear to ear, fit to make his face split. "Ari! I knew you'd impress! And Suraveth! - that's perfect." His attention remains on the pair as they head off with the weyrlingmasters, before a nudge from a neighbor reminds him to keep looking onto the sands.
From the hatching sands, Camerryn gapes as dragons charge from everywhere. That crazy bronze coming at the girls, and then the crazy green... at least the green is stopped, and he lets out a sigh of relieve that sounds vaguelly like, "Good job, Ronari."
From the hatching sands, Sunwriting Egg makes its first motion of the day: a tiny little shake, a rock from one side to the other, before it quiets back down with an expectant air.
From the hatching sands, Ronari heads off towards the bowl on the way to the weyrling barracks.
From the hatching sands, Cyrra's jaw droops as well as her hand as her partner is choosen by the lovely little green. "Oh Ronari, she's beautiful. Congratulations," she murmurs as the pair leaves, standing alone now and looking as if she feels very small indeed.
R'hin's attention seems to have wandered, gaze somewhat distant, brow furrowed faintly for a moment before a low chuckle escapes him, attention shifting back to the sands after a beat.
From the hatching sands, Seramara wipes a sheen of sweat from her forehead. "Oh, I knew Ronari would Impress. And she got the prettiest green...oh *shellcrack*." Her voice drops to an awed whisper when the gold hatches. "Beautiful, beautiful. Oh please..." But one doesn't think that way on the Sands, and she diverts herself. "Come stand with me and Graedin, Cyrra."
From the hatching sands, Camerryn will happily step in and provide Cyrra a handhold, or ashield.. or just.. ya know... safety in numbers. "Chin up, Cyrra. Can't be worse than Threadfall, right?"
Niklo can't help but snicker at her fellow goldrider's words, neither agreeing nor disagreeing. She does, however, answer the question with a very not helpful, "Dunno. Wasn't really countin'." And as unhelpful as she was before, she's even less helpful in pointing out the very obvious, "Look! I think... s'that a gold?" A finger is pointed at the sands, while her jaw drops. "M'sure it is... ain't it?"
From the hatching sands, Olwyn lets out a brief cheer as Ronari meets her match. "Congratulations!" she calls out to the friendly girl, then directs her attention back to the various hatchlings reeling around. "Wow, a queen. None of the eggs had made me think they would have one."
From the hatching sands, Passionate Carnelian Bronze Hatchling struts along in front of the girls, enjoying himself quite a lot as he gets a few admiring glances (and a few grumbles from boys wondering just what he's up to). The hatchling isn't deterred, though, and in fact he goes on to offer first a passing green and then the gold that hatches smarmy croons before he finally, apparently, comes to his senses. Hey, look! Boys! He trots that way at last.
From the hatching sands, Midnight 'Mine' Game Egg gives a twitch just one subtle little twitch. The only evidence of movement is a small trench left in the hot sand.
Tavrie shifts in her seat and smiles. "Ahh, lovely couples...ooooh...and what a fine little queen," she says, pleased with the new arrival to the sands. The young woman nods in approval, turning to exchange a few words with the person next to her.
From the hatching sands, Nimiriel doesn't look surprised that there's a queen, but *something* has caught her attention, and she looks sidelong at Daelyth next. "She's kind of small, isn't she? Well. Smaller than the others you've birthed, anyway." Daelyth, meanwhile, doesn't seem to think anything's wrong with that--she just happily raises her voice in yet another joyful hum.
From the hatching sands, Graedin catches a glimpse of Cyrra's face and wordlessly offers his free arm out for her to shelter under, nodding in support of Sera's words. Finally he manges, a trifle thickly, "Come on, Cyrra." As all the excitement over the gold wanes, he glances back to the sands, keeping an eye out on the rest of the hatchlings out there. "Hey, that bronze's on the move - or /puttin'/ on the moves, I should say."
Nolee can't help her rudeness: she's pointing, and it's to point out the most obvious, so helpful to Niklo, surely. With her finger extended and everything. "Look, look," she calls. "Another bronze--oh no, she's not bronze, you're right. Too pale for that. Jays. So small. Deceptively small. Doesn't last, though, does it?" is companionably to the other goldrider.
From the hatching sands, Camerryn is oblivious to golds. He'd much rather shuffle his feet and pretend like he's being manly, and protective. "Is he finally coming to his senses," he asks Graedin.. and then he spots the gold. "Ooo, pretty little thing, even if she is kinda gooey."
From the hatching sands, Cyrra shifts over to stand by Camerryn, nodding faintly, though it is doubtful she really heard him. The shy girl shifts over to stand behind his shoulder a little, still to timid to take his hand.
"It goes too quickly," C'len says, head turning back and forth as one egg hatches, its hatchling quickly finding a match, while another hatchling seems to be enjoying the attention he's receiving by being out on the sands. He does grin, though, crossing his arms in front of him, seeming to enjoy the sights despite the quickness with which the hatching is progressing.
From the hatching sands, Coastal Dawn Gold Hatchling sits there in what remains of her shell, head canted as she ponders what to do next. Pale golden wings spread, and she tries in vain to shake off a few of the excess shards, one of which is stuck to the top of her head, marring her otherwise delicate beauty. She heaves a put-upon sigh, but gets to her feet, determined to carry on in spite of the less than ideal conditions. But who to choose..?
From the hatching sands, "Interval," explains E'tyn, then immediately looks apologetic for it. "I mean well..." The Weyrleader looks to the insufferably proud father of this clutch, the shared gaze between rider and dragon bringing a quick grin to his mouth. "He says it's not *his* fault at any rate."
Gay's eyes go wide as the gold hatches, taking a look over at her dam with an impressed expression. "Nice work, Daelyth. Tiny though..." she murmurs to herself, crossing her legs and somehow managing to be more nervous and pleased all at the same time.
From the hatching sands, Brown the color of tanned hide coats the color of the wing spar that pokes its way out of the Emerald Skyroads Egg, his coloring already a fine contrast for the egg from which he's birthed. When he's finally revealed, the smallish brown within proves to be that same shade all over, save for a rakish patch of emerald green around his left eye. He's a decisive one, though--he bolts forward and stakes his claim on a tow-haired boy from the Weavercraft. "Vereth!"
From the hatching sands, Graedin doesn't get to play big brother to Cyrra, but it doesn't look like he's too concerned with it at the moment. Since there are no skeery greens near him at the moment, he moves to close up the gaps left by those impressing from the little knot around him. "Dunno, Cam. Lookit his hide, though." He still hasn't let go of Sera, and he gives her hand a reassuring squeeze.
From the hatching sands, Camerryn wiggles his free hand towards Cyrra, the offer open. "It's not so bad, Cyrra, really. Breath in, breath out..." Their earlier disagreements seem to have been forgotten, at least for the time being.
From the hatching sands, Haisen shifts her gaze briefly to the gold, mouth contorting into an unreadable line before her eyes wander onward. Keeping tabs on this or that or the other -- how many eggs left, how many hatchlings, how many candidates -- but overall just keeping to herself.
"S'a gold," Niklo's voice is sure now, "I know it." Her nose wrinkles slightly as she catches murmurs and comments about the young queen, "She ain't that small! 'Sides. Nothin' wrong with that." Sage nod. "A gold's a gold, no matter th'size." And she's not just saying that because her own lifemate doesn't quite measure up to some of the others. Really. "I wonder who she's gonna pick?"
From the hatching sands, Seramara is still just a tad fixated on the gold. It's her lifelong fascination with shiny objects, really. "Oh look, she's *walking*." As dragons do. "Cam's right, Cyrra. We're doing really well, and nobody's been hurt or anything. Just Impressions, and those are of the good."
From the hatching sands, Sunwriting Egg fidgets again, the motion stronger as the occupant within comes to life. The egg actually bounces a little, starting a cascade of sand down from its slight mound, and the egg tips end over end as it comes to rest in a little depression.
From the hatching sands, Cyrra finally breaks down and slides her small hand into Camerryn's. Then, she makes another frantic search of the stands. That's it! There is what she is looking for. Cyrras spots her sister, Tiriana and her adoptive father, Sh'drian in the stands, a smile now breaking out on her face.
Shanlee enters the galleries from the bowl.