Infelice's Eggs: Firelizard Hatching! part 1

[noleepackrat]

Ista Beach> It's one of those late mornings at Ista where the fog clings heavily to the beach, and the sun hasn't been able to burn it off. Farther up, the plateau and extinct volcano are free of the ground-hugging stuff, but down here, thick layers and tendrils of the damp, clingy mist slink silently. A blue dragon soars over the bank of low clouds, then cautiously backwings to a landing among them, only his head and upper neck emerging from the condensed air. His rider struggles down from his neck as cautiously as possible, Caitlyn swearing under her breath as she hefts a small burlap bag over her shoulder.

Firelizard Nest
Deeply, firmly planted into the sand of the beachhead, four wooden stakes protrude approximately two feet above ebony grains. Four corners are delineated by each flat-headed picket, and the slender pieces of lumber are bound to their mates by eye-shocking orange swatches of coarse-woven cotton fabric - at top and bottom - creating a kind of miniature 'box fence.' Each stake has also been painted a bright yellow, making the 5'x 5' square of beach - far up from the highest waterline - very visible, from both near and far.
Within the staked-out 'box,' a winter-wheaten gold firelizard can usually be found, watching over her buried clutch of eggs, keeping an eye out for possible trouble. Often she is attended by at least one other firelizard from her fair, if not more - two blues and a bronze. Approach at your own risk!

Kamia finally decides to give up. Of course her dragon is off where it's sunny, silly thing, and has her muttering about stubbron creatures as she flops down into the sand with her small take of spider claws and shells.

From over the docks bursts into the fog a flash of lurid lemon green. Lindith's wings curl around tropical damp and unfurl again, bouyant on the rare, non-mist-scattering breeze. Far below, a figure out on one of the docks shrugs shoulders and bends down, scooping up one-handed a basket from the dockside. His last act is to take up his line and prop his makeshift pole into the basket's handle. Aside from her path, soaring up toward shore, the bright Fortian green bears no seeming connection to the stocky, frowning man beneath her - but as one they progress toward land, her shape piercing the fog over shore as he sets foot upon the black sand. "Not what I expected either," murmurs the greenrider to nobody, and plods up along the shore by chance toward other people and things.

Nolee's enjoying the fog and the respite from the heat of the hatching caverns. She frolicks at the shoreline, heedless of whatever else may be going on, her feet kicking up waves even as the fog swallows her legs and ankles.

Alexiel is nestled in a quite little corner of the beach, near the plateau, staring about as far ahead of her as the fog will allow for. In her lap is a set of leather sling pouches that she is just putting the finishing touches on.

The Istan Wingleader's light alto pierces the ground-hugging clouds, sounding quite aggravated. Through temporary gaps in the fog, Caitlyn can occasionally be seen, kneeling on the black sands, muttering to a presence that cheeps, then scolds softly. Another brief parting of fog shows both the bluerider and a wheaten firelizard trading scowls and 'words.' "I *told* you the beach wasn't going to be the best place for them!" Darned lucky for her she hasn't collided with anyone, yet, in all this pea soup.

Seliene walks down the path and onto the beach, her steps slowing as the pervasive fog cuts off a clear view of the normally vibrant beach. "So much for watching a sunset tonight," she mutters, reaching up to adjust the tie around her hair.

Rook ambles slowly out of the lush trail, squinting at the fog-covered beach. "Huh," he notes, making his way toward the sound of the waves lapping. The pouch at his belt is open and he jiggles the collection inside which clicks and scraps in a stony manner.

On her way down to the beach, Izarit has her hands up, forming her hair back into a rough french braid. The flow of some people down that way, too, has her interest, and as she ties her hair off she glances around and then joins in, sliding forward to watch. "Ooh, they're finally hatching? Is that what this is?"

Jazra makes her way through the fog to the beach. "Lousy day to go on a sweep ride, why'd we pull this duty Liaoth, what'd I do to deserve it?" She grouses. Her two bronzes whistle a few steps ahead of her, making a beeline for the nest. Though Jazra can't see it, and really doesn't care. Schiffer sits on her shoulder, her green head turning this way and that. "Wait? What? Oh alright!" She goes in the general direction of the nest. "Anybody else? Where? I can't find... oh thank you Schiffer, she finds Rooklen out of the crowd. "Aaaah, Rooklen, having fun yet?" She drawls.

The Fortian greenrider's path along shore winds and twists, his ability to hold his route parallel to either the treeline or the cliff or the tide fouled by the fog. Overhead, reaching higher into the sky on happy wings, Lindith lets out a trill of amusement; after this, the sound of her wingbeats is too distant to hear, and her limey brilliance too far off to see. R'us is abandoned to walk along until a few voices - most specially the Istan wingleader's complaint - reach his ears. He stops his trod and turns this way, then that, finding misty shapes to walk closer toward only after a couple of tries. "Sou - Fort's duties," he says, voice rusty.

Nolee has absolutely no care for the fogged-out sun. In fact, she's just celebrating freedom, freedom from meeting rooms and hot steamy hatching galleries, and she's completely oblivious to anyone else nearby, including the crooning of her own little blue lizard, who sways back and forth rhythmically like he's in a vague trance. "Hold still. That's my shoulder. Wherrybutt."

Public announcement: Caitlyn announces "Kintryth sends word to those dragons near and far in his unassuming patter of light raindrops: << Caitlyn's gold firelizard Infelice welcomes the shelling of her first clutch! The eggs are about to hatch on Ista's main beach this late morning, so please be prompt if you want a chance...and will someone from Ista's kitchen please bring a bowl of meat? Oh! And watch out for the heavy fog here on the beach! >>"

From out in the waves a red-haired head surfaces. Nelyo has been out swimming again, and been swimming (or floating) for several hours. He strokes in for the shore, finally ready to come in from his dip. As he gets closer the fog parts enough to let him see the group assembled on the beach. He stops, treading water in the surf, then makes a megaphone of his hands. "H'lo there!" he hails. "What's going on? And where didya put my clothes?

Tegara sits on the beach some ways away from the nest and the incoming crowd, staring out at the ocean, where her dragon, Riaceth, frolicked in the autumn mist that shrouds the beach. A small fair of firelizards flit above her, sometimes settling on her shoulders to nuzzle a cheek or try to preen her hair.

Rooklen, having happened upon the people and now intently gawking, gives a bit of a start when he hears his name. "Oh, erm, yes," he notes, beginning a crooked grin for Jazra's benefit before letting it slip off again.

Kamia works on cracking the shells of the few spider claws she got. Boy was she hungry, and boy she was strange... I mean spider claws, and no fire to cook them in? Perhaps she intended to save them for latter.

The little gold, Infelice, carols softly, and as her trilling echos through the heavy air, a trio of other firelizards wing in on blue and bronze pinions, to land around her - their own voices joining in. Caitlyn looks irritated, peering hard at her winged pets. "Shaffing hardheads. FINE. Let's move them to the hearth *this* time. And it'll be the LAST time, I warn you," the woman growls and glowers at her firelizards, pointing an accusatory finger at the little queen. Cait hears the echos of all the people around, but she's dealing with another aggravation, right now.

"What?" the woman abruptly calls out to her pets, eyes flashing. "Stay OUT here?! Why won't you let me take them inside?! That's what I came OUT here *for*!" Caitlyn's frayed voice sounds from the fog, which parts again for a moment to reveal the woman glaring down at her four pets. But it seems her irked words are for naught, as Infelice and her small group of boys remain suddenly and steadfastly glued to the beach - throats now giving voice to hums as they stare down with fast-spinning, rainbow eyes at the loosely massed group of eggs protruding from black sands.

R'us emerges just enough from the fog to realize what it is the Istan wingleader is scolding - and backs up a few steps upon that realization, becoming once again little more than a muddy silhouette in the morning mist. "Could have warned me," he informs nobody at large, and bends down his head, bangs and hair falling forward into a rising comb of fingers with which he flips the whole back off of his face. His eyesight not terribly improved, since the weather rather than need of a haircut is blinding him for once, the greenrider turns in place and squints for other shapes with voices.

Nolee's still out in the water, splashing about, pausing to shake her head to Nelyo. "Didn't move your clothes, sorry!" Then she's talking to the sky, now, her voice thin among the thick fog. "Please don't let the Threads fall in this fog. Please? Whatever sharding thing is making it come, take a nap. Naps are nice."

Kamia twists akwardly when the humming starts clutching her basket close. "Oh Nari.. you set this up on purpose didn't you? She blames the dragon of course.

Jazra does, thankfully, keep her wits as the bartender comes out of the Sandbar at the disturbance. "Oy! Bartender! Got any meatscraps we can take off your hands for you? We got ourselves a crowd!" He nods, and runs off into the Sandbar again. Out come some of the waitresses, with both bowls of meat and water for the humans.

Ryta is taking her usual stroll along the beach after having a rather late breakfast. She's leaving some of the other Nannies in charge of the little ones for now. To her surprise, she finds people among the beach, crowded along a certain spot. The sound of humming reaches her ears, making them twitch slightly at the sound. She comes closer and just asks a random person nearby, "Oh, what's all happening?" she's never been to a Firelizard hatching, so she wouldn't know..

Seliene blinks as a bowl of meat is shoved into her hands, looking very much like she'd rather hold on to a dead tunnelsnake. "Come for a look at the beach, get roped into a firelizard hatching. Shards, but I do so love life at a weyr."

Izarit brushes loose wisps of hair back, grimacing at the humidity overtaking the beach and waving a hand to fend off tendrils of fog in her face. "Nice day for it, too," she remarks, her voice about the only dry thing around. Hands on hips then, she creeps closer, wiggling her way closer with big smiles of apology for feet she might trod on, or bigger people she might offend. She's not rude, just fog-blinded. Yeah.

Chantha's goal was some celebratory chores-are-finished wading, but it looks like the beach has been swallowed by fog. And invaded by people. And...fire lizards? She slows, unsure, then hears humming and aims toward it. "I'll just look," she soothes her conscience as she picks her way across the sand. "And if any of them look toward me, I'll...think about it."

Alexiel is distracted by the bluerider's bellowing and turns her gaze down the beach to where Caitlyn and the nest is. Is it hatching, already? She rises to her feet and Jazra's voice pulls the Candidate in her direction. "Lovely day for a hatching, eh?" She's being sarcastic of course.

Jahspyre and his fellow flits begin their own croon, sweeping around in ever narrowing circles above the nest, eventually settling nearby and out of the reach of the gathering crowd. "What -- a hatching?" the young, auburn-haired rider says, her head jerking up as if on a string. "Ria!" she calls, and her green lumbers onto the beach, several large fish trapped in her jaws. "You knew, didn't you?" she mock-scolds.

Caitlyn slaps a palm hard over her forehead, glowering deeply at her little queen, then jerking a parasol and towel out of the small sack that was draped over her shoulder. R'us gets a glare at his words, and then Cait tosses both towel and empty bag to the sand, then thumping her butt down on the towel with a sigh of irritated resignation - the parasol opened over her head and settled on a shoulder to keep the droplets of fog-drizzle off her. Infelice is already directing her three males farther down the beach and over to the waters, where the bronze and two blues catch spiderclaws and small fish from the shallows - the diligent boys then bringing them back up to the nest. Back and forth they go, as quickly as they can, humming most of the time. Meanwhile, Cait just stares up at ALexiel, rolling her eyes, shrugging bleakly.

Nelyo hears Nolee's answer and wonders. Well whatever this was he was going to find out about it. Scraps of Caitlyn's complaints come to him and he starts to guess. He starts to stroke determindly for the shore, soon to stand naked and dripping on the shore. He at once waves to Ryta. "H'lo Ryta! Wonderful morning isn't it?" He flashes her a smile and then notices Tegara. "H'lo ma'am!" he calls. "Saw you a few times running groundcrew at Paradise Blossom." He steps forwards, towards the crowd and the nest, heedless of his nakedness. "Can I have a try?" he asks.

Random person nearby who hears Ryta's question: R'us. "Not sure. Woman there scolding her firelizards. Or someone's firelizards. There's eggs." His mouth twists. That there is a glare at him by the woman in question is something of which he's clearly unaware, but he takes a step toward Ryta and squints harder through the fog to try to make her out. "You're Istan," he guesses. "You know your way back? Want to make a run for it?"

Kamia slowly rolls over towards her belly then pushes up to her feet before making her way over towards Cait, holding her basket close to keep fire lizards out of it.

Blue Gob and green Caroling join in the shore patrol, trying to locate additional placation for what may soon be fog-swallowed hungry mouths. A small giggling weyrchild, meanwhile, can't help a laugh for Nelyo's swimming things being absent. "I hid 'em from you but you can have 'em back now." Some belongings are airborne toward the man, then the stripling runs.

As more people arrive and gather around the socked-in beach, Caitlyn loses her former grumpy mood, becoming a bit more concerned about random feet possibly running into the clutch. "Hey,b e careful where you step!" she calls out to everyone through the pea-soup fog. "There's little fish and spiderclaws in a pile near Infelice, and meat in these bowls to my left and right," the bluerider points to the big ceramic vessel next to her. Hopefully they'll see it. Infelice stands diligent guard over her eggs, still humming away, while Morgan, Book, and Hider keep catching and bringing back spiderclaws and little fish, dumping them quickly before their queen, then fetching more.

Jazra looks over at Rooklen and offers him a bowl of meat. "here you go, you'll need this if you want one. Ever been to one of these?" Her bronzes, Hagaren and Mancha are jumping around on the ground excitedly. Schiffer is on Jazra's shoulder, dutifully thrumming out a welcome. Jazra takes a bowl for her own. "I can't stay the whole time, I have sweeps soon."

Ryta attempts to peer through the thick fog to a few of the other figures but instead lets out a reluctant sigh. There's a turn of her head toward the person who answered her and she lets out an 'Oh?' Her eyes look over at the woman sitting in front of the stakes and the gold firelizard with a curious observation. "Hm?" she asks, "Oh! I'm interested in this; never been to a hatching before, perhaps it's worth staying for?" she adds curiously before giving Nelyo a wave, that he hopefully saw.

Rooklen, curious as ever, blinks through the fog. "Huh, oh, yeah? I don't know..." he hestiates, then accepts what Jazra is offering. "I've seen them going on, but haven't really been part of it. Dad wouldn't let us keep anything," he mumbles. Looking to the side, he notes a familiar person nearby, Izzy. The young man groans and makes a sour face.

When she's got herself a decent position (as well as she can tell, considering visibility), Izarit unceremoniously plops herself down on the sand, heedless of the damp: she's certainly not standing this whole time and tiring her legs out. "Come on, come on. Hatch!" Izzy coaxes them impatiently, bouncing her hands in her lap girlishly. Then, she pauses entirely. "Er. They haven't hatched yet, have they? Any of them?" She tilts her head to look back up at the faces around her, curious. "Do you throw food at them, or just wave it at them tauntingly like we used to do the spit-dogs when we were kids? Rookie!" The squeal thrown up to the young man as she notes his familiar crop of bright hair standing out like a beacon. "Come sit with me and we'll taunt them together."

Alexiel finds herself a seat near Caitlyn and the pile of spiderclaws her little fair is building. She plops down to watch what can be seen through the fog. "Wouldn't let you move the clutch to the living cavern, hmm, Caitlyn?"

Nelyo drops his hands to hide his crotch and dashes for his clothes since he is glad to have his things back and dresses hurriedly. He does see Ryta's waves and moves to join her. "H'lo," he says softly. "They caught me swimming," he explains as he wrings out his long auburn hair. "I've never been to a hatching before. Do you think I can try for one?" he asks the maiden.

Chantha peers through the fog, checking for eggs or fire lizards or something helpful. What she sees is Nelyo, and she hastily looks away. Candidates should not be seeing things like that, especially nervous Holdbred Candidates. She follows a familiar voice a few steps and finds Alexiel, along with the spiderclaws and the human clutchmother. "Oh, here you are. Great Faranth, but she picked the worst possible moment, didn't she?"

Seliene manages to find a spot near Izarit, folding her legs and sitting down on the sand next to her. She places her bowl in her lap as she sits, tailor-style, peering into the fog to catch a glimpse of the nest, if she can. "I don't think any of them have hatched yet," she murmurs. "You'd definitely know it, if they had - little baby firelizards running amok, trying to rip off your fingers. Here," she tilts her bowl toward her. "You can use some of this. I won't need it all."

"Little pests," says R'us by way of reply, but an abbreviated shrug of his shoulders and a turning of his body so he's no longer got his back to the lizards belies a certain stiff willingness to suffer this indignity alongside the other folk gathering. "Some of my old classmates had 'em. You want one, you'll need food, there." One forefinger points the way to those bowls and meat, and R'us spares up a glance to check on who it is the woman to whom he's speaking waved at.

Kamia seems a bit confused at all the people around her, glaring as something bumps into her and she quickly, if some what akwardly flops down on the ground with a heavy thump and a started gasp opf air.

The two blues and bronze must feel as if they've collected enough fishy food for the wobbling eggs (along with the other helpful firelizards about), for they finally come to roost near their queen, humming even more loudy, as does she. With a nervous smile, Caitlyn calls through the fog to the shadowy figures of people who've gathered, shaking her head at Izzy. "Not quite yet." Out to the others meandering about, she calls, "Just keep still when you get close, except to attract them, please! Infelice is concerned about them getting squished on accident." Any other words are lost in the heavy clouds, cut off by the persistent mist's parting for a few moments to show the little eggs wriggling in their sandy mounds. "No, she was ABOUT to let me, and then they started wobbling. Wouldn't you figure?!" the bluerider responds to Alexiel, shaking her head.

Jazra chuckles at Rooklen. "Well, they're dead useful critters. Scouts, watch animals, friends, even messangers if you train them well. Mancha has never, ever, failed me as a messanger. He's taken his time coming back, yes, but mostly pretty good at carrying them." She tilts her ears. "You hear my Wingleader? If you want one, come closer, bring meat and stay still."

Ryta hmms at R'us' reply and follows his pointed finger. "I think I might as well. And I think they might be of use, from what I've heard about firelizards..." she muses, looking over at the bowls of meat. She gives Nelyo a smile as he's there and giggles softly. "Should be more careful when you swim then." she replies. To his question she shrugs, "I never have, either. But I'm trying, and it probably wouldn't hurt if you tried as well. Here...let me go get a few bowls..." And she indeed moves away from the two males over to the grouping of bowls and takes two before returning and hands one to Nelyo. "Apparently, we try to feed them."

Nolee is enjoying the surf, so much that she just about misses the excitement up the beach. And she's about to go that way when the mist parts enough to reveal Caitlyn over that way. She hesitates, folds her arms, and splashes resolutely about in the water until the fog hides the bluerider once more.

"Hi, Seliene," Izarit greets this other person more conversationally, grinning at the girl. The trader leans forward then, head cocked, forearms on her knees as she watches. "Oh, thanks," she adds in answer to the offer, with a bright smile. "So, are you... You were going to move them /again/? Too obliging, that's you, Cait," she breaks off to interject to the bluerider. And then, seamlessly, back to Seliene: "Are you hoping for one? I mean, obviously you are--you're here--but anyway. That sounded better in my head," she laughs.

Vintner's Delight Egg gives a small quiver, the rich-hued shell seeming to ripple softly. Another shudder, and it stills in its humid, dark home.

Alexiel waves to Chantha as she joins herself and Caitlyn. "Bet you weren't expecting this much excitement when you came to the beach, huh Chantha?" The candidate nods to the bluerider as she sits about watching for any little firelizard hatchlings.

Rooklen glowers at Izzy. "Don't...call...me...Rookie," he mutters irritably. He turns back to Jazra after a moment and then nods. "Closer? Oh, okay," he murmurs. Looking at the meat he's now got, Rooklen tugs his pouch closed and edges forward a bit, finding himself next to Izarit. Reluctantly, he settles into a sitting position next to her, leaning and peering, trying to see in the thick fog.

Seliene shrugs slightly. "Actually, I just came down for a walk. Since I can't seem to find my way back right now - and someone shoved this bowl of meat into my hands - I guess I might as well see if I can lure one over my way. I've never tried before. Seemed like too much effort for a shoulder decoration."

Nelyo 's not recovered from his mishap...he is as red as his auburn hair. No, redder, a deep blood crimson. "I will be more careful," he says to Ryta. "I used to swim that way all the time at Paradise Blossom and nobody but family ever caught me." He accepts his bowl of meat with a grin. "Let's try then," he says softly to his friend and then drops to his knees, resting the bowl on the ground. "Look," he points with a long forefinger. "I think that one is going to hatch first."

Jazra follows, her two bronzes flutter ahead. Schiffer stays on her shoulder, and a gren shape moves beyond in the background, Liaoth keeping her distance. The bowl and a glass of water for herself is cradled in her hand.

"Hey," says R'us to Neylo in Ryta's meat-gathering absence, and nothing else. When she returns with two bowls he departs like a guard at shift change with only the most brief of glances at the meat situation. Rather than collect for himself a full bowl R'us bends a knee by the meat and scoops up an indifferent handful, unconcerned with seawater, raw shellfish or beastblood on his palm, and backs off a little to watch from bent haunches, behind younger, more enthusiastic hopefuls.

Aion wanders down along the shoreline, arching a brow at the gathering of people on the beach. He pauses for a moment, contemplating, before walking closer and nudging Kamia on the shoulder as he gets close enough to the eggs to see what's happening. "Hey." He offers her, before glancing through the crowd and fog to see if he recognizes anyone else.

"They're more than decorations," Nolee calls from the shallow surf, not able to tell that she's replying to Seliene but doing so anyway. "They can tell when Thread's coming, warn people. They're very valuable. Some of these ones already went to our outlying holds, like Sudee." She adds, almost grudginly, "The Wingleader, Kintryth's, was very considerate to send them. They could save lives."

Vintner's Delight Egg rocks once, twice, its refreshing-toned shell developing hairline cracks all over as the life within struggles to find a way out. The soft tapping from within can barely be heard.

Riaceth drops her load of fish and Tegara takes the cue. Freeing her beltknife from its sheath, the begins to cut slices from the broad, shining-scaled sides, which are taken by her flits and placed here and there around the nest. She doesn't bother keeping any for herself -- she has four of the flying nuisances already....

"Oh, but they make good scarves, too, don't they, Rook," Izarit tells Seliene straight-faced as she sneaks another glance at the man settling to her other side. Apparently pleased by this arrangement, she wiggles back a little, getting comfortable in the soft sand and then asking Rook, "You have meat already? Such preparedness. Have you seen them before, at least? I've only ever seen the adult ones myself, but all babies are cute. No, well. I take that back, because... Well. Anyway /most/ babies are cute. And there, you have it! They save lives." The last delivered very sagely indeed on the heels of Nolee's call.

Vermillion Fresa Egg wubbles. Yes, not quite a wobble, not really a bumble; the lopsided egg simply 'flops' a little from one shoulder to the other, then quieting for some moments.

Kamia :turnsto glare as someone bumps her carelessly again... then realises it's that evil healer and he did it on purpose and calms a bit, yawning at him. "I'd be running away if I wasn't slow and tired " She tells him.

Seliene hmmms, nodding softly, even though no one can probably see it. "I suppose they are, if they're trained properly." She fingers a piece of meat in her hand and glances over at Izarit. "I don't think anyone here really needs a scarf. Not in this heat."

Ryta just chuckles at Nelyo and gives R'us one last glance as he leaves. "You want to try and see if we can get closer to the eggs?" she asks down toward her friend. "We might be a bit more successful with the food offering if we were in sight, since it's a bit hard in all this fog." she gestures around at the mist clinging about before taking a few steps closer amidst the people and kneels, bowl in her lap as she gestures Nelyo toward her.

Chantha shrugs toward Alexiel, grinning. "I've been stuck in the kitchens all day, scrubbing pots and all. I could do with some excitement." She starts extracting meat from the nearby heap of spiderclaws, cracking shells and squeaking when one of the shells gives her a scratch. She waves through a fog-eddy toward Izzy, Rooklen, and Seliene--then an egg visibly wobbles, and her attention is riveted.

Vintner's Delight Egg spins, wobbles, seems to breath in the aromas - as if enjoying what its shell implies. Another spin sends black sands skittering everywhere, and then a thick tendril of fog obscures the loud cracking and shattering of the sphere. The contents roll out, and when that bit of the thick fog clears for a moment, what's left is an Obstinate Obsidian-Grained Hatchling.

Height and bulk comprise the planes and angles of this burly hatchling, its form rather thick, even throughout neck and tail. More 'boxy' than the usual firelizard, it stands square and upright, unabashed even in these unusual circumstances.

Aion shrugs his shoulders and walks over to pick up one of the spiderclaws close to Infelice, carefully so that he doesn't get assaulted in the process. He then scrunches his nose at Kamia, "I'm sure you would, I know I strike the fear in many people.." He says in a manner that suggests he doesn't believe he really is so. Squinting to see the hatchling, and flopping himself down on the sand not too far from Kamia, he wiggles the procured claw at it.

Nelyo nods to Ryta. "Yes. Let us get closer so they can see us." Eagerly he moves forwards, careful not to stop on anything or anyone despite his size and he is nimble for his great height. He crouches down next to Ryta and again sets the bowl down. "Look!" he cries as the first hatchling makes it out. At once a longfingered hand is out, offering meat and heedless of the bloody juices that drip from between his fingers. "H'lo there," he greets the hatchling gently, wriggling his chunk of meat invitingly.

Good thing Tegara's fair is helping with the meat -- their perch is busy cutting and flinging pieces of fish haphazardly, sometimes hitting one of the potential impressees -- sushi anyone?

Alexiel moves to start cracking shells as well, though she doesn't actually take it for herself, rather she starts making a pile of un-shelled spiderclaw meat for people to take from, trying to make things a bit easier for everyone else.

Vermillion Fresa Egg can't seem to get this motion down right, again wubbling to it's other shoulder, then doing it again, and again. It lists in a small, concentric circle down from its little mound, then simply lies there as if exhausted - one deep, longitudinal crack marring it's juicy-seeming surface.

Jazra squints into the fog. "I'm getting a picture from Mancha, he's right by the nest, one hatched just now." She says tersely to Rooklen. "That's another lovely trick you can do with them." She gently wobbles her meat out on an outstretched hand. Schiffer sniffs the bowl, but pulls back. "They can send you images if you get good with them. Especially the bronzes and golds." More meat wiggling.

Something of a grunt escapes R'us' throat, response to Nolee's call-out from the surf - not that he knows whose words they were, or perhaps there might be something less surly about the sound he makes. His mouth presses thin after that; he leans deep into an elbow on his knee and bends forward, squat precariously balanced, to look over the heads of the younger, bouncing hopefuls before him, squinting. "Suppose that's one," he says, pointing with his dry hand at a silhouette of darker gray, lizard-shaped, in the fog.

Kamia chuckles at him. "It's the hair Aion, it's intimidating for a guy to have better hair then a girl" She relaxes her grip on her bag. "I have some shelled spider claws.. if you'd like.. I was craving them but my appitite left when the meat bowls came out"

Seliene raises an eyebrow as the sound of cracking comes from somewhere within the fog. "I think that was an egg shell cracking," she murmurs, still fingering the meat in her hand. "Everything is so much louder, in this fog. Where did this come from, anyway?"

Rooklen does his best to look irritable while hiding his interest in the hatching. "Sure....Izzy, great scarves," he grunts. Noting Chantha waving, he looks to Izzy again, assuming the wave is for her. What's that sound? Rooklen swings his attention back, peering in the direction of the eggs and straining. Rooklen holds out his meat, wiggling it a bit and looking for all the world like a child. "They send images?" he then queries of Jazra without looking at her.

"They have to be better than /real/ scarves, though," remarks Izzy with a shrug. "Although I like real scarves, myself. Just... well, between here and Igen--egg! Egg, hatchling--it's a firelizard!" She settles for pointing wobbly-like when she can't quite get the right word. "It's a kind of... I didn't call that prematurely, did I? Because it doesn't /look/ much..." She misses Chantha waving at her in the meantime, unfortunately.

Riaceth drops her load of fish and Tegara takes the cue. Freeing her beltknife from its sheath, the begins to cut slices from the broad, shining-scaled sides, which are taken by her flits and placed here and there around the nest. She doesn't bother keeping any for herself -- she has four of the flying nuisances already....
Alexiel, occaisionally glancing up at the nest to watch for any moving forms, continues to shell spiderclaws for the possible impressees.

Obstinate Obsidian-Grained Hatchling stands firm on all fours, head dropped between its shoulders, staring balefully at the group of hands gathered around. Though its limbs are difficult to operate, it manages to stagger out from the main group of eggs, ignoring the sand stuck to its body.

Vermillion Fresa Egg has had enough of this roly-poly progress. A raucous squawk sounds from within, and with a hearty kick, the mist-shrouded young one inside tumbles free, taking a rolling sprawl into damp, clinging sands - to emerge as a Determined Dusky-Dusted Hatchling.

Slender and deceptively long, this hatchling is a mix of angularity and smoothness in all the right places, its chiselled muzzle adding to its appeal. Prominent eyeridges lend a decisive cast to its features - a lengthy, whiplash tail giving it the appearance of more expanse than it truly has.

Good thing Tegara's fair is helping with the meat -- their perch is busy cutting and flinging pieces of fish haphazardly, sometimes hitting one of the potential impressees -- sushi anyone?

Jazra snorts. "Just about the only way they can communicate. Emotions coupled with images yep. For example, if any of mine were hurt, or panicked, I'd be. There's a famous story about a Harper Girl who had /nine/ of the little buggers. One of the local dragonriders was almost killed, a well liked fellow who rode brown." She wriggles the meat out for the hatchlings currently out. She creeps forward. "They woke her in the middle of the night wailing and crying, panicking so loud that the Master Harper himself came running to her aid."

Kamia can't help but aww over the one that sprawls with a squawking.. the poor thing.

Ryta exlaims at the first hatchling and watches as Nelyo attempts to coax the little thing to take a peice of meat. She considers the creature for a moment before there's another crack that's heard. She peers over at the little nest. The sounds of other voices are mixing in her head but she's trying to focus on what's in front of her. "Oh! Another one!" she exclaims again. She dips her hand into the bowl in her lap and reaches out the hand towards the newborn firelizard. "Come here little one.." she croons softly, waving the piece of meat in her hand a bit.

Aion rolls his eyes a little, "Of /course/ it is. I'm sure that's why all the women loathe me." He says mockingly, and then tosses the shelled spiderclaw in the bowl to trade for one of the meat strips instead. He tilts his head to look at the boxy hatchling and scrunches his nose, but still holds it out to the newly hatched lizard. "Thanks, thought I'd come try and get one of these things to like me.. It might come in handy for me."

Chantha squints again, trying to place the sound among the voices and the humming. "I know something cracked, I *heard* it." Trusting to good luck, she thrusts a hand out into the fog, waving a chunk of spiderclaw meat in what is hopefully the proper direction. "Yeah there's one--and another--" Falling back into farmhold habits, she clicks her tongue, summoning the herd. Or something.

Nolee's stopped kicking up bits of surf, now, and she just stands in the shallows, letting the waves wash over her feet and cool them, ahhing for the relief from the aching.

"And another." R'us unbends instead of pointing again, however, getting straight to his feet so he can trod slowly around in the fog, moving to try to find a better view, a better angle, someplace from which he might be able to see the little beasts hatching out. Failing that, perhaps just someone to bump slightly into or trip a bit upon, meat in one hand cradled above a drip-cup made from the palm of the other.

Jazra extends meat to the closest, the obsidian grained hatchling, "Come on, little guy, or girl. I've got company, and food. Yeh can't get better than that. And I'm not some silly holder girl either. I'm tough enough for you to grit."

Duvell emerges from the fog that choaks the beach with his wine-colored satchel on one hip and his face, flushed about the same color from running down from the Weyr. As he spies Alexiel off to one side, shelling the spiderclaws, he walks towards her to watch the hatching he almost missed.

Alexiel watches Chantha for a minute, nodding to her. "Aye, I hear some shells cracking as well. Hmm, that sound you're making, not a bad idea, I wonder if it'll work."

Nelyo notcies the second hatchling but keeps his attention on the first. "Come here, beauty," he coos, as if he were soothing a frightened babe. He wriggles his meat determinedly, entiicingly. "Come on, little one. I'm not going to hurt you."

Kamia snorts softly at Aion. "Perhaps it's the sarcasm" She says to him. "And they are useful.. but I don't need two babies right now." She looks a bit torn though, a scrap of spider claw meat in her fingers.

Obstinate Obsidian-Grained Hatchling continues to eyeball the humans way up above it when the mists sometimes part, eyes wheeling scarlet. Something smells good, but are those big things trustworthy? Hrmm. Pace, step go little paws as it pads carefully around, regarding each bit of meat wiggled at it through narrowed eyes.

Rooklen furrows his brows and nods. "I heard that when I was young, but I thought it was more a story and not totally true," he admits sheepishly. With the movement stirring up the fog around the nest, he chews at his lower lip and mimics the wiggling of Jazra and the others nearby.

Determined Dusky-Dusted Hatchling shrills in upset at being covered in sticky black sand, trying to shake it free, but failing. A try at grooming off the grains produces not only a spitting-out of the awful stuff, but a fall over backwards.

Ryta coos at the obstinate hatchling, reaching her arm just a little more, eyes gentle as she watches the little thing padding about. "Come on dear.. you must be hungry, aren't you?" she continues to coo softly, attempting to coax it toward her.

Kamia finally gives in, and holds the meat out towards the sand covered hatchling.. she can't help it, she doesn't even seem to notice she's leaning forward in her seat. "Aww.. poor little thing.."

Seliene keeps the meat in her hand close, not waving it about or making any overt attempt to cajole the newly hatched toward her. She seems almost reluctant to try, as if unsure of her own ability to attract a hungry, baby lizard with a handful of raw meat. It must be harder than it looks, after all. "Exactly how does one train these things, anyway?"

"Well, it works with bovines and hogs," Chantha admits to Alexiel. "I guess it can't hurt. Duvell, is that you? There's two 'lizards hatched and wandering, if you want to try and attach one." The shrilling of that long, lean hatchling gives her more of a direction to aim for, and she clicks again toward the shadowy figure shedding sand. "Come on, luttle one, this'll taste better than sand..."

"This is fun--I love surprises," gushes Izarit of the hatching. "It's like a lottery, isn't it? Now where did we put that meat?" She leans back, brows knitting as she glances around and then spots it. "Aha. Okay. I hope this doesn't get on my shirt--I'd have worn an old one if I'd known, but after I got through washing breakfast dishes for a while I went and changed again," Izzy remarks, shaking her head. She eyes her shirt a moment, sighs, and then holds the meat out anyway, with a half-hearted wiggle made to not splatter anything: if at least she's not squeamish of /handling/ the raw meat any, she's more than a little protective of her garments.

Jazra continues to offer the meat gruffly to the obsidian hatchling. "Come on... I'm a good friend to keep. I won't let you down." To Rooklen. "aaah, well, if you've got nine of the things flyin around... dragonriders would understand why that would happen completely." She nods to the hatchling. "Come on little guy, or girl. I've got plenty of food for yeh."

Determined Dusky-Dusted Hatchling is re-coated in grit again, giving a large sigh, finally deciding to ignore the second skin. Pulling itself to its haunches, its tail whips slowly behind it, seeming to impel the beast up to all fours, then in a ragged circle. Peeeeeer it goes as it investigates all the wiggling.

Aion isn't trying to talk to the hatchlings, figuring that there's enough going on without overwhelming the little things. He holds the meat in his hand towards them, gives it a flick once in a while, and watches them instead. "Being a healer keeps most people away." He says with a smirk at Kamia, and then looks at Izarit for a short moment before returning his gaze to the hatched lizards.

"Heard what that wasn't totally true?" R'us' rough voice comes through the fog behind and to Rooklen's right; he stops there, so as to better look at the person of whom he's asked the question and hear a possible answer. After a second looking at Rooklen's back, though, the greenrider's gaze flicks forward to the hatchling shapes in the darks of sand and fog, and he slowly bends to lean a hand on a knee and reach out with the other, meat tucked safe in his palm with a tidbit out between his fingertips.

Obstinate Obsidian-Grained Hatchling makes the rounds of food in fists, not choosing any of them, being hardheaded and picky. Hold on. What's *that*? That particular hank of food seems a little different than the others, striking the obstinate one's fancy. A soft growl, a lunge, and finally it finds what it wants, taking the gobbet forcefully from R'us's grasp, bolting it down, lapping up the palmed puddle, then shrilling for more.

Obstinate Obsidian-Grained Hatchling stumbles towards R'us.

Duvell turns to Alexiel and asks, "Do you mind if I shell one of these? I'm thinking of seeing if I can get one to Impress upon me." Assuming that she doesn't, he picks up one of the spider-claws and with his clip-pointed, belt knife, begins to cut the meetout and set it aside for later use.

Alexiel glances up as Duvell makes his way over. "Hey Duvell, go right ahead, have a seat, grab some meat, and get in on the action." The candidate calls ot the man as she continues to shell spiderclaws and add them a pile so that others can snatch them up easily. "There are some already shelled in a pile there if you want."

Kamia snorts at him. "Yes, healers are nosy little busy bodies, one and all. "She teases him as she continues to croon at the poor sand covered baby.

Jazra turns to the dusted hatchling next. "See there... its picked somebody, you know when they run over and take their food. Not worth argueing over cause they'll do what they want to do when they hatch." She offers her food to the dusty one now. "Come on little guy. I've got something good here. Or girl maybe? Hey..." She grins as she offers gently the food. "I can help you with that. Poor little un. I can get it all offa you."

Ryta allows a slight wrinkle of her nose as the hatchling who's attention she was trying to get goes to another. "Oh look, seems like that one's found it's owner." she nudges Nelyo slightly with her elbow at that but quickly looks over at the Dusky-Dusted hatchling. Her fingers are still outstretched, holding out that piece of meat. Maybe she shouldn't say anything this time?

Rooklen's lips slide into a crooked grin. "You talk too much," he mumbles at Izzy. Rooklen grins and shrugs, blinking into the mist and wiggling the meat again, watching the shape of the Determined Dusky-Dusted Hatchling to see if it is really okay. "Thought it was just a tale made up to tell the kids," he notes sheepishly.

Tegara shrugs and finally breaks down. "Okay, okay, guys -- I'll try for another," but her tone is something less than cheerful. Grabbing a handful of cut fish, or bait, she sidles over to the nest to look at the strangely shadowed hatchlings.

Nelyo notes his hatchling going to somebody else and at once shrugs slightly before offering meat to the remaining hatchling. There are plenty of eggs after all. "Come on, little one. I will be your friend," he croons. "I have food for you...come on now. It is all right, I will not hurt you," he coos. "Good luck," he whispers to Ryta before offering meat to the little hatchlings.

Jazra shrugs. "Tale or not. Its a possibility. Remember, riders and dragons are connected in the soul. We feel what they do. Likewise, but on a far lesser scale, we're connected to the firelizards we own. So take one, that normally doesn't affect diddly, and multiply it by nine. It may very well be a harper's tale, told to warn greedy holders not to impress to many firelizards!"

Viridian Aurantifolia Egg egg jumps once - almost a pirouette - from the hot, sticky grains around it. A smaller lurch, and it quickly falls into quiescence amidst spilling grains of sand.

Aion arches a brow at the sand covered one, scrunching his nose. "What a mess. And of course healers are supposed to be nosy, it's our job. Just like telling wingleaders when riders can't fly." He says, glancing at Kamia and then shrugging his shoulders before wiggling the meat a little more towards the fumbling firelizard.

Determined Dusky-Dusted Hatchling dutifully stares up at all that food waggled by human fingers, interested in every piece. But it had a cunning plan already laid before this, and suddenly makes a v-tol line on quick feet towards Nelyo, who ends up with the young one sitting before them, chewing on one end of their offering.

"Well, shells- " R'us all but falls backward at the leap of the little lizard. Another curse rusts in his mouth as he stops jerking his hand as if he might be inclined to try to shake the hatchling off of his fingers. Or might have been, pre-realization. "I hardly even _offered_ it," he informs the firelizard, gathering it into his other palm, up against his chest for a closer look. Since the little beast's nosing for another snap of meat, his head's hard to get a glimpse of, but a fluttering wing is visible enough up close that the greenrider can remark after a moment, "Male," not unpleasantly surprised.

Determined Dusky-Dusted Hatchling stumbles towards Nelyo.

Chantha would toss Duvell some spiderclaw, but raw meat flying through the air is a bad idea at the best of times, never mind fogbanks. She holds the meat on the palm of her open hand, visible (kind of) and available for hungry hatchlings. "Ah, come on," she coaxes the Dusky-Dusted, "it'll never get easier than this." The jump of that egg makes her hand jump, but she steadies it immediately. Too late, though. "Ah...well, so long as it has a home. And so long as he's put on his clothes?" She directs a grin Nelyo's way.

"And you are unsociable, but I try anyway because you're cute," Izarit shoots back at Rooklen, with a bright grin in return for his complaint--likely one she's heard a time or two before. For the moment, while the hatching gears up with its first couple of hatchlings, she's not trying really earnestly, more focused on her socializing of course. The wrist of her meat-dangling hand is rested on one knee in idle enticement as she's too lazy just yet to do more with it.

Duvell cleans himself some spiderclaw meat, sheaths his knife and walks over to where the clutch is popping and jumping to free themselves from their shells. If possible, he'll find a small space somewhere around the clutch to have a seat and sit with his legs crossed under him; the spiderclaw meat resting on the thigh of his short-long trousers. The Viridian egg's pirouette catches his attention as he watches.

Opulent Nucipersica Egg gives a faint jiggle. Is it safe out there? Jiggle-wiggle it goes again, shaking a few errant sand grains from its surface, then stilling once more.

Kamia blinks a bit as Dusty runs off on her and sits back a bit, her food holding hand in her lap. "Could you of given me time to tell her my..." She sids and stops arguing, thinking happy,welcoming thoughts.

Seliene sighs, still keeping her bit of meat close at hand. "I don't know how you can expect to attract anything out here when you can't even see your own nose..."
Nelyo has put his clothes on, thank you, and he almost jumps as he finds the little firelizard chewing on his meat. "Well h'lo there," he says softly and then offers his free arm as a perch. "Here, hop up here, that way it won't be so hot for you when you eat."

Ryta offers a surprised glance towards Nelyo but her expression turns into one that shows happiness for her friend. "Congrats!" she whispers over as the little thing takes the bit of meat. Her hand's still outstretched for whichever little one happens to pop out next.

Jazra snorts at Rooklen and nods sharply at Izarit. "If he's unsociable, what am I?" Jazra asks crossly as she gets a fresh piece of meat from her bowl and a fresh grip. "A wherry?" She asks. "There goes another."

Tegara looks over to R'us and Nelyo with a big smile. "Congrats you two. And don't forget to stuff them silly every two hours -- they ain't called 'flyiin' stomachs' for nothin'."

"I could have." Aion agrees, but the grin on his face says he had much more pleasure telling them himself. Yes, he is a little bit of a brat - or a lot of one. He peers at the two that impressed, and asks, "What color are those? It's hard to see anything in this fog, least of all their color."

Rooklen nods his agreement and then laughs. "My old man doesn't have to worry about that. He doesn't like 'em," the redhead notes. "I think that..." he begins, falling off at Izzy's comment. "What?!" he squeaks, looking paniced. Rook shifts a bit and stares dead ahead, peering to see if there are any hatchlings moving in the fog that he should be shaking his meat for.

Nolee can't help it; there's something interesting going on, and finally, the humming, crooning, and cracking draws the blonde near. She stands a bit back from the group after she stubs her toe on a person's shoe, and halts, peering. "Why, you can't see anything. I can hear them, but not really see them. Jays, are they alive?"

(cont in next entry)