In which candidates touch Eggs! Touching #3 log, summer 07
Egg touching #3
P'draig, Seliene, Jekzith, Nalaieth, Ilina
Nalaieth> P'draig's voice echoes a little as he walks into the cavern then deadens as he steps onto the Sands. "Okay, you know the drill, right? Bow, be polite, don't make any sudden moves." He looks over at Jekzith briefly and the brown lifts his head, looking over sharply at Seliene, then he turns away towards Nalaieth, conveying whatever it is his rider just said to him. Probably amounts to: "Hey, Candidates coming to visit, don't freak out."
Nalaieth> Seliene approaches a little behind P'draig, stepping carefully on the hot sands. She gives Nalaieth a deeply respectful bow, turning to repeat the gesture to Jekzith in turn. "Good evening to you both, Nalaieth and Jekzith. I've come to see your lovely eggs. I promise not to hurt them. May I approach?"
Nalaieth> P'draig waits to gauge the mood of the clutchparents, then nods as an affirmative comes from Jekzith. The brown noses over an egg lovingly, then backs away a little to give Seliene space. "All right, go ahead Seliene," says the brownrider with a grin and he stays nearby, but doesn't follow the Candidate closer into the spread of eggs.
Nalaieth> Seliene smiles, giving another little bow before approaching cautiously. She reaches out toward the first egg she comes across, extending her hands toward the shell before setting the palms down upon it. Her smile widens as she looks up toward P'draig. "They are quite hard," she notes.
Nalaieth> P'draig nods a couple of times from a short distance away. "Yep, they are at that. And I know everyone's been commenting about how white they are, but up close, there's little bits of color and shading."
Nalaieth> Nalaieth whuffles softly, her assent given through Jekzith, and she warbles encouragingly in her thrumming alto.
Nalaieth> Seliene nods, kneeling down beside the egg to examine it more closely. "You're right...there are bits of color in them. It's almost as if they're every color - not just lacking any."
Nalaieth> "Huh, hadn't thought of it that way," admits P'draig. Jekzith ambles over and curls up, watching the proceedings curiously even though he's seen this before. His rider lifts a hand to trace over the brown's eyeridges fondly. "There's one that looks like snow falling."
Nalaieth> Seliene looks over at the indicated egg and makes her way toward it. She places her hands along the top, her smile soft and secretly exultant. "They're simply beautiful," she remarks, looking toward the proud brown and his queen. "You have such lovely eggs, both of you!"
Nalaieth> Jekzith arches his neck a little under Paddy's hand and looks over at Seliene eyes whirling bluely. "He says thank you," says P'draig with a hint of amusement in his voice, perhaps and something else the brown had to say that he doesn't pass on.
Nalaieth> Seliene's grin widens and she leans in a bit closer to the snowy egg, trying to peer inside the shell briefly. "I wonder if they can hear the dragonets inside?" she wonders aloud.
Nalaieth> "I imagine there wouldn't be all that much to hear, just dreams?" hazards P'draig, looking up at Jekzith curiously. The brown leans in to nose at his rider's collar then stands and trots after Seliene, careful of his footing on the Sands and touches his snout to the top of a different egg as if to say "Come see this one."
Nalaieth> Seliene can certainly take a hint. She strides over obediently, careful of her footing, approaching the indicated egg. "I've always been amazed at how different each clutch is. I've never seen any two eggs that were exactly alike. Even these, for all their whiteness, are unique from each other."
Nalaieth> Amused again, P'draig watches Jekzith go push his nose into things as he's wont to do. "Mm. That's true, just like every dragon is." The brownrider tags after Jekzith at a slower pace, threading his way carefully between eggs. The brown dragon sits back and eyes Seliene expectantly. "He wants to know what you think of this one. He thinks it looks like my shirt."
Nalaieth> Seliene does her best not to laugh. "Which shirt? The one you're wearing now?"
Nalaieth> P'draig shakes his head. "Nope, I've got one that used to belong to my Da that I inherited. It's really old and soft at this point. It's one of the few white ones I own, which is probably why he remembers it. Most of my stuff is blue. Or brown." Jekzith's still waiting with eyes fixed on Seliene, tail-tip twitching a little.
Nalaieth> Seliene ahs, eyes lightening up in rememberance. "That one. Yes, I guess it does look a bit like his shirt then, Jekzith. It even looks a bit wrinkled."
Nalaieth> "He feels validated so I guess that's a good thing," says P'draig with a soft snort and a thump given to Jekzith's shoulder. Jekzith only gives the impression of beaming happily and then he shifts to his feet again and picks out another egg for Seliene's inspection. This one is sort of pearly-looking. Shiny. "He uh ... likes to be involved," the rider explains for the brown's behavior.
Dragon> Nalaieth senses that Jekzith is all happy-proud. << They all like our eggs. It makes me happy. They look so nice on the sands. And soon the little ones will be big enough to come out and meet us! >>
Nalaieth> Seliene grins, following along toward the other egg. "Well, he has a right to be proud. He's sired a handsome clutch." Long-fingered hands gently trace the surface of this newest egg. "I'm sorry you won't be here after the hatching, though. I've heard that you're quite a good weyrlingmaster."
Nalaieth> Jekzith senses that Nalaieth bubbles back, the mist burned off from the heat of the sands and the warmth of her affections. << Soon, soon. >> There is hope there. << I find them worthy of our little ones." >> The best praise she can give.
Nalaieth> "Yeah I suppose so," says P'draig with a grin shaking his head as Jekzith leads the way towards yet another egg. "Really? Uh ... well thanks," says the brownrider a little surprised by the compliment. "There's things I'll miss about Ista, but frankly, I'm looking forward to being at home again."
Dragon> Nalaieth senses that Jekzith wraps golden warmth around Nala. << Yes. Very I think. She asked and I think I /do/ hear them sometimes. Or feel them. Little pushes out from the shell. >> His hope matches hers. << Yes. There are good hearts among them. >>
Nalaieth> Seliene lifts her shoulder in a slight shrug. "I can imagine you are." She glances toward the entrance and makes a face. "It's getting late and I've still got a living cavern to tidy up. Thank you for letting me touch your eggs, both of you." She gives two more bows to the gold dragon and her mate, backing off the mound slowly. "Thanks for bringing me, P'draig. I'll see you on the morrow."
Nalaieth> P'draig just nods this time. "Oh sure, of course, I pulled you away from the chore. Go on back, don't want to keep you out too late." The brownrider starts to move out away from the eggs himself. Jekzith looks almost disappointed as Seliene states her thanks and backs away. "See you Sel."
---
P'draig, Nalaieth, Jekzith, Ilina
Nalaieth> Still on the Sands with a few Candidates just departing, P'draig looks up as another comes in and he waves. "Hey there ... sorry I don't know your name," he says apologetically. "But if you'd like to touch the eggs, c'mon over. Just give Nala and Jek there a bow and don't make any sudden moves when you're out there with the eggs."
Nalaieth> I bespoke Jekzith with << I think I can hear them, too. They make gurgles. >> A thoughtful pause, then more enthusiastic, << And sometimes, sometimes I feel them. Like thoughts. Or else I am very hungry then. >>
Dragon> Nalaieth senses that Jekzith is even more enthusiastic in his reply. << Yes! Just like that. I really want to meet them. >> A hint of mournfulness enters his thoughts, tinged with impatience. << Though I know they have to grow a little more. >>
Nalaieth> Ilina inches slowly across the hot black sands. She looks around, slightly nervously, eyes wide as she approaches P'draig. "Hello, sir. I'm Ilina." Hiding behind the dark mass of hair, she looks up, staring, at the queen dragon. Slowly, she bows, nearly in two, staying alert and eyeing the dragon somewhat nervously. "Er...like this, sir?" she asks, afraid to stand up.
Nalaieth> I bespoke Jekzith with << It will not be long now, >> Nalaieth warmly returns. << Once they are hard enough for the white knots to come, >> an amber waterfall, thick and course with bubbles of delight, cascades over her thoughts, << the time just rushes by. And I like to watch them, the eggs, when they break and the little ones burst forth. >>
Nalaieth> In the galleries, Infelice flits in on blurred wings, the little gold whistling softly to herself as she peers about. Avoiding the Sands, she instead finds a perfect perch on the gallery railing nearest them - settling down to trill liquidly at the sight of all those lovely, huge eggs under Nalaieth's and Jekzith's care. What a maternal firelizard.
Nalaieth> "Ilina, well met then," says P'draig politely and he nods. "That's fine, it's all right, go on out there," he continues, encouragingly. "P'draig's my name, if you haven't heard yet. That there's Jekzith, my brown and you know Nalaieth of course."
Dragon> Nalaieth senses that Jekzith basks in the bubbles, letting out a mental happysigh. << I've seen others before. Not my own. It will be special. >>
Nalaieth> Nalaieth stretches her wings, ruffling them before folding them at her side once more, and croons first to Jekzith, then to Ilina, a welcoming alto song.
Nalaieth> In the galleries, Infelice quiets after her greetings to parents and eggs, the little gold happy as the proverbial bivalve to look out at the scene with slowly whirling, green eyes.
Nalaieth> Ilina nods as she finally stands. "Well met, sir. That sound is...beautiful," she remarks, now stepping forward. "I can just touch them? Any way?" She removes the ring from her finger, shoving it quickly into her trou pouch.
Nalaieth> From a spot actually inside the field of eggs, Jekzith turns curious eyes on Ilina and croons softly, a benediction of sorts. "Yep, just don't y'know, hit them. THey wouldn't like that," notes P'draig. Again the brown dragon is eager to play guide to the clutch and moves over to an egg with a bright splash of color on it, hovering over it a little, inviting Ilina to come over.
Nalaieth> Nalaieth, content with candidates on the sands, hunkers down and rests her head on her forelimbs, watching raptly.
Nalaieth> Ilina looks at the great brown, unsure of whether he was guarding his egg or motioning to her. Creeping forward, the tall girl stretches out her arm towards the egg, gingerly touching the yellowish splashes upon the egg's surface. As quickly as she touches, Ilina withdraws her hand, but then, although still hiding behind her hair, she reaches out stroking the surface with two fingers. "They are all so different," she murmurs, looking around as she strokes the egg. "So pretty."
Nalaieth> Jekzith croons encouragingly to the girl, and puffs his chest up a bit as she says the word 'pretty'. "He likes picking out the eggs for all of you to look at," notes the brownrider with a fond grin for the brown from his spot near the railing up into the stands, arms stretched out along the cool length of metal rail.
Nalaieth> Ilina smiles up at Jekzith, her eyes unfocusing slightly as she tries to take in his whole being at a very close proximity. She stops caressing the egg for a moment, shaking her head to clear her vision. Ilina shifts her feet slightly, then kneels down in the sands, looking more closely at the surface of the egg. "Do the dragons match us with the eggs, much as they know who should be a candidate?" she asks the brownrider curiously watching Jekzith.
Nalaieth> In the galleries, Infelice watches with rapt eyes, the firelizard barely making any noise at all as her throat quivers in near silent song.
Nalaieth> Jekzith looks down at Ilina just as she looks up at him and then after a moment, gently drops his nose to whuffle her hair out of her face, before he retreats and heads over toward another egg, all of his movements energetic. "Nah, it's the dragonets inside that choose. Jekzith's just proud of the clutch."
Nalaieth> Ilina shakes her head again as Jekzith pushed her hair out of her face. Ilina looks at him, somewhat indignantly, as he exposes her eyes, and watches him move toward the other egg. Standing up, she brushes sand from her trou and follows the brown toward the next egg. "The dragons enjoy these sands, don't they?" she asks to P'draig, as the hot grains sink into her sandals, settling underfoot. "They're a bit...warm for me," she smiles. Ilina reaches the next egg and stares down at it. "How do the dragonets know?" And with that, her outstretched hand touches the next glistening egg, icy eyes wide in awe.
Nalaieth> Ilina continues to stare at the egg's strange marking which marred the surface. "They're all so...different!" Ilina keeps Jekzith within her line of vision, moving around the egg, as her eyes followed the dirt-like speckles. "Boots would be helpful, I suppose, but then even they trap the heat." She flinched slightly, though, as the metal buckle of her left sandal grazed the back of her right calf, nearly losing her balance in the soft sands in the process. Quickly, she thrust her arms out, catching herself, but looking nervously back at the brownrider. "Er...sorry!"
Nalaieth> "Mm, that's just y'know, overall heat though, not getting burnt," notes P'draig with a lopsided grin. The loss of balance brings the brownrider over to offer Ilina a hand up. "Whoa there - wouldn't want to get hurt /before/ the Hatching huh?" Jekzith's hovering again, concerned.
Nalaieth> Ilina grimaces slightly. "Sorry about that." Her hair falls back into her eyes to hide their cloudy disapproval of her own mistake. Taking P'draig's hand, the candidate apologizes again. "Must have brushed my leg with the buckle. I guess the sands /are/ a bit hot." Realizing that the brown dragon was hovering over her, she looked up nervously, hoping that she had not upset him. Once again, she reached her hand out, trying to touch the very tip of the egg gently.
Nalaieth> P'draig helps Ilina to her feet then nods. "Yep, the metal probably got hot. And don't worry, Jek's just hoping you're okay," says the brownrider reassuringly. "Though I'm getting kind of thirsty, so maybe one more and then I'd like to get off the Sands for a bit," Paddy continues, apologetically.
Nalaieth> Ilina nods her head as her fingers linger on the surface of the egg, just above its mark. "Of course, sir." Looking around, another egg seemed to stand out, but before she moved she looked up at Jekzith to see if he had any ideas of his own.
Nalaieth> Jekzith is happy to oblige that look from Ilina and he practically gallops (carefully) over to another egg, that looks like a drab, bloodied and tired bit of cloth. "He's .... really happy," explains Paddy unnecessarily.
Nalaieth> Ilina 's eyes widen and as she shakes her head slightly, she actually pushes the hair out of her eyes. Moving quickly now, she follows Jekzith toward the egg that she herself had also been eyeing. Staring at the brown, Ilina smiles lopsidedly. As she reaches the egg, Ilina cups her hand on the top of the ovoid, more confidently stroking the surface of the egg which, although possibly drab to others, was quite beautiful in its solitary, outcast state, like a scrap of metal meant to be molded, for this girl.
Nalaieth> P'draig watches with his hands propped on his hips for a moment, then he turns and starts to pick his way off the sands, fanning his face a little. "All right you two crazy kids, bring it in, I'm parched!" he calls out jokingly once the sidelines are reached. Jekzith looks a little mournful as all of his fine company seems about to desert him. But ... there's his lovely queen to cozy up to and so once he's satisfied Ilina's had a good moment or four with their egg, he pads over to the gold and nuzzles her side softly, then settles down beside her.
Nalaieth> Grudgingly, Ilina looks back at the brownrider exiting the sands. She pats the bloody egg once more and stood, watching as Jekzith nuzzles his queen. Moving towards the galleries, she says "Thank you, sir. I greatly enjoyed this!" As Ilina's gaze leaves the last egg and the brown dragon, she becomes aware of the burning sands under her feet. Hurridly, she makes her way towards the galleries and grimaces slightly (although really, she means to smile). "Thank Jekzith for me, also, sir."
Nalaieth> "You're welcome Ilina, and he says he had fun." NOdding politely, P'draig heads out towards the relative coolness of the Bowl, waving as he goes.
Nalaieth> "Thank you, sir." Ilina bows her head slightly and follows the brownrider off of the sands, back to her chores.