The Hatching (Happy Holidays Clutch)

[missing]

Pala held her breath as she watched the Gold on the sands, she looked injured... Surely it wasn't that bad but, she seemed to be hesitating. Orlaith almost seemed as if she was speaking to the young one who, after a bit, turned towards the females. Now Pala was certain she wasn't breathing. The young Gold turned it's gaze on Mya, eyes whirling, and Pala finally took a gulp of air and grinned like a moron.

Mya had impressed! Not only had she impressed but she had impressed the new Gold! Pala felt pride in her fellow Journeywoman Healer as she watched the scene in awe, she certainly could have never predicted this, but she could think of no one better. To think they had come here on a craft assignment, and now... well the possibilities seemed endless now.

Pala looked around at the remaining candidates, not many were left, and those who remained weren't really ones she knew that well and she was starting to feel very alone. There were still a decent amount of eggs on the sands, but none had really called to her at all, not that she really knew what that would feel like. Midnael had certainly felt called to the buried egg, and just look at what had happened. She glanced at the entrance to the Hatching Grounds, suddenly feeling like she didn't really belong here and that maybe she should have stayed in the infirmary where she knew what she was doing.

In the stands a young girl watched her sister's mood as it seemed to soar, and then abruptly fall. This was the girl who had defended her while covered in mud and wielding a stick when they were both just kids. It was hard to see her looking so lost now, but she knew that this was something she had to go through on her own.

Another pair of eyes watched from her place in the stands. She didn't really know why her sister thought she should be here, but one really didn't question their Weyrwoman, no matter how temporary her position as such was. She felt a twinge of regret that she wasn't standing on the sands here instead of being a candidate for her sister's clutch. She frowned, but then she felt soft fur rub against her reassuringly as a long tail wrapped itself around the back of her neck and she smiled. At least there was one thing she had in her life that was not charity from her elder sister.

[lyonza]

Z’mer watched the hatchings happen one after the other. What do you think of them? he asked Amoneth. They are all well-formed and will be a credit to the weyr, he said after a moment’s thought. Then both of their attention was riveted on the little gold that hatched. “Oh, she is beautiful.” Z’mer said that more to Talaria than Amoneth, but the dragon answered him. She will be a pleasure to chase when she rises.

Z’mer could just see his dragon leaning forward to admire the young queen. He also imagined all the other bronzes, blacks and few browns were thinking the same thing. She was going to be a very good queen to the weyr. He wondered about her rider, but Z’mer had only met some of the candidates and of those only Midneal had Impressed the beautiful little white dragon and Brete Impressed Tinsith (Amoneth was quite enamored with her as well – randy beast). The way the youngster had rescued the little one (Norpoth, supplied Amoneth) had made Z’mer want to jump down on the sands and celebrate on the spot.

You are such a romantic softie, Amoneth said. And you don’t remember how I cried for about two candlemarks without pause after you chose me? He heard the big dragon laugh in his mind. You know I don’t remember things like that, but thanks for reminding me.

The bronzerider looked down at the sands again. Pala was still standing there and by the way her shoulders sagged a little and the doubting look that came across her face he could imagine what she was thinking. He had felt the same when he was standing on the sands twenty turns before. He wanted to call an encouragement to her, but with the cacophony of hatching there was no way she would hear him.

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K’nar watched the new weyrlings from the corner of his eye as he kept feeding Rudoth. The dragon was starting to eat a bit slower and if he was any judge, then his friend would soon be full enough. A full stomach meant a sleepy dragon. He briefly wondered at how he was going to get his pack from the other side of the Hatching Grounds, but that was something to worry about later. Maybe Kenessia would bring it to him or he would have to ask the weyrlingmaster if he could go get it.

All the turns of candidacy still hadn’t prepared him for all the things he would encounter. You aren’t sure you wanted to be mine? Rudoth asked plaintively. “Oh, no my dearheart. That’s not it. I have always wanted to be your rider, I didn’t know until you arrived. I was just thinking about something else. Something mundane like my pack that I left near the ledge.” He could feel Rudoth’s unhappiness at not being the centre of attention.

[jassen]

Jassen watched the continuing hatchings, feeling somewhat... deflated. The shriek of terror had made him jump, but watching Midnael run out to help the dragon out of its shell made him smile nontheless. Somehow, the two seemed to fit together - certainly, his pale hair went well with the dragon's pale skin. And of course, the hatching of the gold Queen made everyone in the room hold their breath in reverence - and he gave the slim young girl who the Queen went to a silent congratulations, grinning a bit. He'd felt a surge of hope when watching the rusted egg hatch - the egg that had so fascinated him before - but apparently the fascination was not mutual. Nontheless, he had to admire the powerful-looking bronze who hatched, and again said a silent congratulation to his new Rider, watching them march over to the table on which the new dragons' first meals awaited.

He glanced around - there weren't many candidates left, nor many eggs. He sighed, his earlier hope fading some, and his eager stance relaxed, not exactly slumping, but certainly not so eager as that moment when he felt sure... and his thoughts turned back to all the animals he'd never gotten along with, canines and tunnelcats, and shook his head at himself. These were dragons - why would they show interest in him when he could barely pet a canine without it biting at him?

[Zen]

The Diagonal Egg suddenly broke open, revealing a large Green that pranced happily up to a boy, Kirin, and promptly Impressed. The Smudged Egg shook violently and the light Black hatchling within seemed to hop out of its shell in a rather amusing display and upon landing lost its footing in the sands and went tumbling forward. It got up, shaking itself, a moment later and looked curiously around at all the new sights. Hunger and the driving need for something to complete him drove him forward. That and his own insatiable curiosity. He wanted to see all of these new creatures up close.

He padded forward and pressed his nose into Falynn’s hand briefly before turning away, looking up at the girl beside him and poking his nose into her stomach. Whatever these strange looking creatures were, he sort of liked them. Then he padded past them and looked at the others. Which one, which one…? He paced in front of the others, stopping every now and then poke his nose at one of them before moving on again. Finally he tilted his head and stared hard at Jassen for the longest moment and finally he bounded forward, his eyes whirling happily, lovingly, J'senmine! I though I might choose that other one, or the one next to him, or maybe someone else, but then I found you and now you are mine! I am your Kinarath! I want to see more of this place and I am hungry, can we go somewhere else? Can we go everywhere?

Black Kinarath – Looks to Jassen

Kinarath is a smaller Black and skinny almost to the point of looking unhealthy and underfed, no matter how much he eats. He is extremely lanky, long-limbed, and athletic. He is a very light colored Black, more a dark charcoal grayish, with darker sooty black markings on his wings, nose, and headnobs. He is most likely the lightest Black at Western.

Abilities
Agility: 7
Speed: 9
Endurance: 7
Sensitivity: 2

Curious, Reliable, Indecisive, Kleptomaniac
Kinarath has a desire to explore and experience as many things as he possibly can, but give him options rather than orders to do something and he’s horribly indecisive about it. He can hardly make up his mind about which herdbeast he’d like to eat, much less anything more complex or exciting. Tell him which option he should choose and he’ll take your advice willingly enough. Once he has started down a path he will see it through to the end without fail and will always give his best effort; he will give his whole self to any cause he takes up. Kinarath has an eye for the shiny, the colorful, the pretty, and can’t help himself when it comes to hoarding such things, just like the long forgotten legend of Terran Western dragons. Sometimes the objects of his fancy might just be a particularly striking stone he found in the Weyr bowl, but other times it can be a bit more troubling, like a colorful scarf or dress from a weyr he’s visited, or valuable jewelery.

Size At Hatching: 7.1 feet
Size At Full Growth: 101 feet
Speaking Color: 252525

M’kal smiled in remembrance as the second Black hatched, thinking back to Sabath’s hatching. Sabath sent him an unexpected wave of affection that was gone all too soon, but M’kal was used to his dragon’s rather emotionless self. The East Egg continued to quake and crack and the Freckled Egg was beginning to chip as well.

L’en chuckled, “Well I’m glad I have his approval. And I thought most Golds were generally loud and bossy… it seemed to me Orlaith was something of an exception.” He set the now empty bowl of meat aside and grabbed another and Elvith nudged his hand and asked for more. She was already starting to slow in wolfing down her food, though, so he didn’t think she’d eat the whole second bowl.

[missing]

Norpoth had only finished one bowl of meat and a few other scraps when he seemed to longer want to eat any more. Instead she now seemed sleepy and nuzzled his way into Midnael's lap. Midnael smiled affectionately at his beautiful White while scratching her eye ridges. Fin chirped from her position on his shoulder, sending him an image of Pala still standing on the sands. Midnael, calmed down a bit from the impression, was back to no longer showing his emotions visibly but mentally frowned at the picture.

What is wrong mine? Have I upset you?

Midnael shook his head, "No, a friend- Well the healer girl who Fin helped get here is still standing on the sands, a partner hasn't found her yet."

If hers is out there they will find her. I found you, even being trapped under all that sand. If I can find you surely the others can find theirs too.

Midnael did smile very slightly at that, "I'm sure you're right."

[Alyx]

The impression of the Gold was not lost on any; Cleissa didn't really look back till those around her did. Letting Angeth take another chuck of meat, Cleise glanced over her shoulder and was surprised to see Mya with the Gold. She suppressed the urge to jump up and cheer - somehow if felt right for Mya to be walking with the little Gold.

Turning back to feeding her lovely new friend, Cleissa was taken off guard by Salar's laughing comment. Competition? Her? How could she be competition for a the beautiful black for Salar's attention? Her cheeks colored a little, but she wasn't sure if she should be offended by being called Silly or not. Angeth swallowed her current chunk of meat, swirling eyes redirecting onto the form of her Darker Brother. 'She is not Silly! She's Mine, and she's perfect!'

Cleise laughed, pulling another chuck of meat from the bowl and offering it to the pale little green. "Now now, no fighting Angeth. I doubt it was a insult, come on now - eat. You need to finish your meal." She waited till the little green took the meal, then turned to look at Salar. "You can assure him, Salar, that I would never dream to come between him and his new rider. And that Silly is better then too serious, isn't it?"She was smiling tho, as if nothing could dampen her spirits.

Angeth swallowed the one piece and took another, seemingly forgetting for a moment the supposed silly insult of earlier in favor of taking the edge off her hungry.

V'ktor listened to the talk going on around him, feeling Shamath's puffs of breath against his stomach as the dragon's head rested in his lap. Already, you could see the wide mix of colors in the Clutch, the little white standing out strikingly against the spectrum of the other Hatchlings. Still, only 2 browns had come from the shells; and only one Bronze so far. Somehow, V'ktor had expected more Bronzes...

For now tho, he kept his comments to himself. Eyes lulled to half closed as he simply relaxed with his new Partner and listened to the talk around him.

[brete]

Salar burst out laughing at Cleissa's response. So she had a little spunk in her as well. More the better, he didn't like weak minded people. Umojath could use a little teasing back, his poor lovely dragon was a bit stuck up after all. "Cleissa take it as a compliment he didn't say you were annoying or weird. Silly means he's jealous because I like you at all. HE thinks I belong solely to him and that any other claim on me is a personal affront to him. You won't come between us but you will be in the picture I'll make sure of that. I"m not letting go of someone so interesting just yet." he said this without hearing the exchange between his and her dragon.

"Mine is more perfect than any! Though yours is nice looking, and she stood up to me...I will acknowledge that she is admirable...and since Mine seems to like her then she will be acceptable. But Mine is Mine! You are a silly dragon as well, too bad you are so pretty. Someday I may have to chase you." Umojath had to bait her a little. The silly green was weird but he kinda liked it. She wasn't loud or overly chatty so that was a plus in her favor.

Salar tuning in in time to here this almost lost it laughing. Dropping the bit of meat he was holding in the process. Which of course was such a waste as Umojath let him know. Quickly recovering he fed Umojath another peice. "He said you are acceptable and admirable for standing up to him...with the impression that that takes a lot of courage...he is a big strong black after all...and it seems...though he didn't really admit it...that he likes your Angeth." "I admitted no such thing. She is mearly a well built green." he said snobbishly with an inward sniff. Once again S'lar couldn't help but laugh. Really his dragon acted like the child he truly still was. S'lar was curious to see how Umojath grew and developed over the next few turns. He had a feeling that pride would only swell with the coming of age.

[wyren]

A whirlwind of dragonets hatched. The beautiful colors seeming to be never ending as each dragonet was so much different from the last. She couldn't help but watch as the next dragonet to Impress after she arrived was a little Green. The poor dear seemed so frightened, that she actually knocked a male Candidate off his feet. However, the male seemed to be just who the young Green was looking for and Filonna was glad to see that little darling find Hers.

The following dragonet to Impress was a mighty looking Bronze. He looked to be a fine fellow, with a wonderful coloration that made Filonna giggle like a fool, giving a high pitch keen as the Bronze found His among the male Candidates. He looked like he would be a massive Bronze, one that might one day rule the Weyr if Bronze Zevranth wasn't careful. Doing her best, she tried to pitch back her wild nature for the moment, trying her hardest to not be all crazy about the hatching dragonets. It was hard, but she was able to control herself, though she had to start shuffling her feet back and forth to contain herself. She was just so excited about the Hatchling.

A Black and a beautiful pale Green followed their Green and Bronze clutch siblings. Following the Black and Green was a young Gold that seemed to demand the attention of the girl that she was Impressed by. The young creature seemed to already know who and what she was, and as she walked off the Sands with Her's, it seemed to above dragons knew who and what she would one day been. This little Gold was followed by another Black and Filonna stood as still as she could, thought it wasn't very long before she was shuffling back and forth once more. There were only seven more dragonets to Hatch and Impress.

[/blockquote][/blockquote]

[tealah]

Her next?

Mya was taken a-back by Salar's words as he left with his dragon. She was even more so, shocked even, when Cleissa paused to drag her into a hug. Mya was not a huggy person. Personal space was important to her. In fact, she was pretty sure that she put off a 'don't hug me' vibe, and she was very grateful for that. So when Cleissa threw her arms around her, Mya was too surprised to even move. By the time she'd gathered her scattered wits enough to try to pull away, perhaps with a scathing comment, the newly Impressed weyrling had thanked her and gone off after Salar.

An increase in the volume of the dragons' humming and a collective 'ooo' from many of the gathered weyrfolk drew her attention back to the eggs. There - the gold egg had shattered, and standing there she could see the dark gold dragonet. She saw the gold lash her tail with a growl, saw green ichor drip down on upheld forefoot. She came immediately to attention. A hiss was drawn from between her teeth when the gold coated the cut with sand.

Gah, and now a dragonhealer would have to clean the sand away before they could even see the severity of the wound, let alone treat it. Mya took a short, jerky step toward the dragonet and stopped. The need to help an someone injured was so strong it was painful, but she had to think if the dragonet would even consent to be touched before it had Impressed. And, considering that the 'little' thing was already nine feet long, it would not be safe to be around her if she decided to object strenuously. Gahh, she hated such constraints.

Mya. I, Stellath, require your assistance at once. Hurry up for I have waited quite long enough and besides that I am starving.

The sudden 'sound' of a voice in her head sent her a full two steps backward. It wasn't like speaking with Navith at all, oh no, this was so much more, like an explosion in her mind of lights and sudden emotions that made her bond with Chief nothing more than a paltry shadow compared to this.

She locked eyes with the dragonet - "Stellath" she whispered aloud - and felt like she'd tumbled into those swirling rainbow eyes. Until, that is, Stellath spoke again with an imperious growl. Mya, you will see to my injury now. Your mooning about is wasting time and I grow hungrier.

"My... my mooning about?" Mya repeated with a sense of outrage. She strode toward the gold. "I am going to see to your injury, and you are going to be fed, but I am not going to be ordered about by an infant. For Faranth's sake," she growled as she stopped in front of Stellath, "you were hardly out of the egg for seconds before you'd gotten hurt."

You would do well to remember that I am a gold, Mya, and to be obeyed. Stellath's tail lashed, and had she been a cat her ears would have been pinned right back. And I am not an infant.

"Uh huh," Mya replied dryly with a pointed look at the egg shards. "Never mind, I can't do anything with you still on the sands. You need that food washed off somewhere you won't just get more sand on it, and you need food."

Stellath growled softly. As though it were completely her idea, she stalked away towards the area Nyxani was ushering the weyrlings. She had a very feline-like glide, Mya noted, though the effect was somewhat ruined by having to limp. Come, Mya, we will join my siblings where I can better keep watch over them. Goodness knows what trouble they'll get into without me there.

Mya rolled her eyes and followed the dragon. "I'll need water, clean cloths, numbweed and bandages," she called ahead of them. "Quickly!" After all, it doesn't pay to keep a queen waiting, she added sardonically to herself.

***

"Oh..." She'd been a candidate for seven hatchings? The older woman's words shoved the fact in Falynn's face that not everyone Impressed the first time, or at all. He could very well be left standing. For seven hatchings? Not likely they'd let him stand that long, as old as he already was. Huh.

How did he feel about that? Well, it was mildly troubling, but he wasn't like many of the younger candidates, or the ones who'd been candidates as long as this woman. He had a strong apprenticeship behind him already, and if he kept in practice it wouldn't matter if he Impressed, he'd still have a life after candidacy. It would be disappointing, though...

Falynn being Falynn, he didn't even have to think about it to shake off the mild melancholy - he just immediately segued back into the conversation with an accepting shrug. "I think you'll find your dragon," he told her, "and I think you are a lovely shade of pink." He grinned at her, though he wasn't really flirting back so much as he was skirting between joking and serious.

[Alyx]

'Chase me if you want. Doesn't mean you'll catch me tho.' Angeth's reply was quick and, tho Cleise didn't hear all the talk, she didn't have to. Reaching out quickly, the girl's fingers wrapped the pale green hatchling's nose to make sure she had the dragonling's attention. "Now enough, Angeth. I said no more fighting, and I meant it. Its too important of a day to spoil it with squabbling."

Angeth's gaze riveted on her bondmate's features, little tail tapping back and forth for a moment before she replied. 'Yes Mine - I'm sorry. I'll behave, I promise. Don't be mad.' Letting go of Angeth's nose, Cleise smiled and leaned forward. Her lips brushed the end of her new little hatchling's nose with a little kiss, then Cleise straightened. "I'm not mad. I just don't want you fighting with him is all. Here, still hungry?"

'Yes yes!' The happy rise in the voice was enough to make Cleissa laugh as the Green took the meat from her hand, dancing a little in place. Munching away, her distraction gave Cliessa a chance to look around.

The little gold arrived about then, Mya trailing behind her. Tho Mya's words were muffled to Cleissa couldn't hear them, the look on her face took her by surprise. "Everything alright Mya?"

[Zen]

The Middle Egg rolled forward slightly and rocked back and forth for a moment before a back leg broke through the shell. It lay in shards soon enough as the Burgundy hatchling stumbled forward and a girl, Morri, ran forward to embrace him before leading him away to be fed.

The East Egg spilled its contents onto the sands in the form of an exceptionally dark Green. She lifted her head to gaze at the remaining candidates and made swiftly for the only girl worthy of her. The others were already nothing to the dark hatchling and she knew very well which one she would claim, her previously angry scarlet gaze turning to a whirling rainbow of colors instead as she wound around Filonna’s legs. My Filonna, let us go from here. I am your Preseth. I am hungry and want to get away from all these… others.

Green Preseth – Looks to Filonna

Preseth is a rather solidly built Green, more compact and not at all lanky like most of her Green sisters. She is certainly the most muscular of the Greens in her clutch, but not enough to be considered bulky by any means. She will likely be able to last longer in Threadfall than any of her Green sisters. She has the look of a trained athlete, toned and fit. She is also the darkest Green of her clutch with brighter green markings on her tailfork and her left headnob.

Abilities
Agility: 8
Speed: 8
Endurance: 5
Sensitivity: 1

Ambitious, Fickle, Bold, Independent
The way Preseth acts, one could almost say she is a Gold trapped in a Green’s body, except for her exceptionally fickle and flirtatious nature. Preseth is a Green that is likely to be flown by a different male just about every time she rises unless her rider develops a strong attachment to a certain rider, then she might be influenced to allow him to fly her more often. She will certainly flirt with all of them, perhaps seeming to favor one for a day or two before completely changing her mind and forgetting all about the previous male. She is highly ambitious and does not like other females at all; they are only competition in her eyes. She is not afraid to speak her mind and let her opinion be known by all (well, all being other dragons and her rider, she would only ever deign to speak to another human except in an extreme emergency where she could not speak to another dragon instead.) Poor Preseth, as independent as she is, she can often resent being a Green for how easy it is for other colors to reign her rebellious self in. She will rarely obey orders from other dragons unless she is forced to obey them, or her rider agrees with the order as well.

Size At Hatching: 4.3 feet
Size At Full Growth: 61 feet
Speaking Color: 022C04

M’kal watched the Burgundy, pondering about the fact that it was the first of its color to hatch from the clutch and there weren’t many eggs left. Considering there were two Blacks and two Browns already it seemed like there should be more of the relatively more common color.

Sabath was not all interested in the number of Burgundies that had hatched and instead remarked on the dark Green that seemed to know exactly what she wanted the moment she hatched, There is a Green that might make for fun chasing….

M’kal stared hard at the Green, quite surprised by his dragon’s prediction, But you never chase Greens… or rarely enough.

There is little to be gained from catching them… I cannot sire a clutch from them… but if they lead an exciting chase I will gladly join for the challenge.

M’kal shook his head, wishing he hadn’t even brought it up, and wondering why he even had since the Green was only a baby and would not be rising to mate for some time yet. Instead he turned back to his thoughts on the Burgundy and glanced over at Talaria, “Isn’t it strange there haven’t been any other Burgundies yet? Come to think of it there haven’t been that many Blues either.”

Talaria gave him only the shortest look before turning back to the remaining eggs and peering at the place the new Gold and her rider had disappeared, replying distractedly, “There are still eggs on the sands, M’kal… they’re just taking their time to hatch.”

M’kal knew Talaria’s moods quite well and didn’t press for more conversation. If she was distracted she would likely end up snapping at him if he tried to continue. He followed her gaze and realized she must be thinking about the new Gold. It was logical, he supposed, not only because she was a Gold and the first Orlaith had ever laid, but especially since it had seemed injured and Talaria was a dragonhealer. Of course, with Talaria, perhaps he was way off on his reasoning. He could never know.

[wyren]

Her attention had been turned from the hatching dragonets as the Burgundy ran to Impress a female. Together they walked off the Sands, after the girl the Burgundy had Impressed had rushed out to her dragonet, hugging him. It was a touching moment, one that she suddenly wondered if she would ever have with her own dragonet.

As she stood there, watching the Burgundy and His walk off the Sands, she felt something wound around her legs. Looking down, she found a beautiful dark Green dragonet attaching herself to her legs. My Filonna, let us go from here. I am your Preseth. I am hungry and want to get away from all these… others, she heard from the Green. She couldn't help but smile at the young Green's statement and she nodded, choking back a sob as she took in a deep breath of her new life.

"Yes, my beautiful Preseth . . . We shall get you some food right away," she offered the dragonet, placing a hand between her two colored head knobs. The small little hole that had been in her chest since arriving at the Weyr had just been filled, to the point of over flowing, as she knelt beside the Green, taking her head between her hands and leaning forward, til their foreheads touched. My Preseth, she sent, tears flowing down her cheek as she felt so much happiness.

I wasn't kidding when I said I was hungry,

[/color] Preseth added, rather shortly, as she tried her best to remove her face from Filonna's grasp. The wet marks on Her's face confused her, which in turn brought her to a slightly defensive mind frame. "Let's go then," she stated, rising to her full height and moving away from the Sands. She had her lifemate by her side, finally. She would never again be alone.[/size][/blockquote][/blockquote]

[missing]

Pala held her breath as she watched the Burgundy stumbled from his egg. The first one of the clutch... But he apparently found the other girl more appealing. Then the green hatched and Pala watched as she ran for the only other girl left on the sands that Pala had even seen around. Now she no longer new any of the other candidates, their faces as unfamiliar to her as those in stands. Z'mer was there, which gave her some comfort, but it was a small one. He had already been through this though right? So she should be fine, after all why should a dragon impress to her when she wasn't even sure if she wanted to impress..? A'der had argued with her on that but here she was, alone. Alone, dirty, late, torn robe, and a hand that refused to stop oozing blood.

Shard it! She ripped off a piece of cloth from the bottom of her robe. The blasted thing was torn anyway, what was one more piece? She wrapped the scrap around her hand, tying the knot in place with her teeth. She reached up with the injured hand and clasped her opposite shoulder, it was the only thing she could think of to keep it elevated above her heart without sticking her hand in the air and drawing even more attention to herself. She laughed mentally, maybe then a dragon would notice her... Stop that! You said you wanted to be a healer well here you go, stop complaining, you didn't even want a dragon a few sevendays ago!

That was then though... now everyone had told her it was possible and like a child she wanted more. She had to stop getting so attached! To people, to ideas, a healer should flow with problems, not be tied down by them! Think about the eggs, what about your research? She mentally counted those who had hatched in her head. Only one Burgundy, a Gold, a Grey, a White, six Greens... stop counting only the ones you could have impressed! Let's see... Two Blacks, two Blues, two browns, a bronze... 5 eggs left... There was probably at least one other Burgundy, possibly another Green but probably not... you're doing it again... more Blues definitely... Burnished, freckled, center, horizontal, and vertical eggs left... of the five she only thought three capable of hatching anything that would even look at her, and at least two were probably blues... Stop that!

A deep breath, then another, one more... okay, you know everything is alright, you're being silly. Stand up straight, shoulders back, and act like a Journeywoman Healer!

[lyonza]

Z’mer’s heart was breaking as he looked down at the sands to see Pala still standing there. She looked a little lost to him and despite her assertions in the infirmary that she was more than happy to be a Healer, he could tell that the magic of Impression had caught her. Now he just wanted her to have a dragon. She will Impress when her dragon hatches, Amoneth said in his mind, sounding a little pompous. Yes, but it doesn’t make the disappointment of not Impressing this time any less crushing, no matter what she said. Amoneth gave wordless assent to that statement.

The burgundy had chosen his mate and so did the very dark green with the funny light headknob and tail. Only a single headknob was lighter than the other one. She’s very… assertive that one, Amoneth commented. You like assertive females, Z’mer teased him. You just want to be bossed around. His dragon just sniffed and made no comment otherwise.

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

K’nar sat on the sands with Rudoth’s head in his lap. The dragon had had enough to eat and was quickly falling asleep. He wondered how much longer the Weyrlingmaster would keep them on the sands and how was he going to get his pack from the passage to the ledge? Rudoth stirred a little, like he could tell K’nar’s every waking thought wasn’t about him, the best blue dragon ever hatched.

K’nar’s attention was pulled to the bronzerider in the stands near the Weyrwoman. It would bother him until he figured out why the man’s face looked so very familiar to him. He sat stroking Rudoth’s headknobs and watched the last few eggs hatch.

[Zen]

The Freckled Egg was sure taking its time in hatching, having been rocking off and on since before the hatching of the Gold, and seemed to be taking a break once more as it became still. Instead the Burnished Egg shattered quite violently and the striking Burgundy hatchling within shook the shards from his back and head before surveying the Hatching Cave, whipping back and forth to see everything.

However, before he could have had very much chance to see too much his gaze stuck on one girl standing in the middle of the sands and on seemingly a split second decision made without too much thought at all, he pranced toward her, his eyes whirling with adoration, Syrani! Your Shangoth hungers and if you make me wait too long I just might become irritated and then what shall you do? Come on, come on, let’s eat!

Burgundy Shangoth – Looks to Syrani

Shangoth’s hide matches his fiery personality. Most of his hide is a reddish orange that fades to a more golden color on his belly and feet while broad, darker red stripes flow from his muzzle, down his back, ending half way down his tail and spread up onto his wings. He is averate sized for a Burgundy, not small and not large, and of typical Burgundy build, slim and agile.

Abilities
Agility: 8
Speed: 7
Endurance: 6
Sensitivity: 2

Impulsive, Quick-tempered, Brave, Outgoing
Shy is one word that will never be used to describe Shangoth. He is very outgoing and willing to chat with any dragon that looks his way and isn’t opposed to speaking with the occasional human besides his rider either. He never backs down from a challenge and will rise to meet any situation no matter how unfavorable. However things don’t always go as planned with Shangoth; he is exceedingly impulsive. After all the saying goes leap before you look right? Right? He’ll never be one to stop and think things through and if his rider doesn’t either then bad things are bound to happen. He also has a remarkably short fuse. It doesn’t take much to send Shangoth off into an angry rant. When he is old enough to chase he will surely be a violent competitor and seeing as this particular dragon is likely to chase every female he is able to chase, fellow males beware.

Size At Hatching: 5.6 feet
Size At Full Growth: 80 feet
Speaking Color: C12700

And as the Burgundy Impressed, the Freckled Egg finally broke open, quite a bit more discreet than its brother, and pleasant looking Brown tumbled out and sat blinking around at the remaining candidates. He stood and stumbled forward, stopped, and continued on to where his Burgundy brother stood with his lifemate, Hello! What is your name? Would you like to- The Brown broke off as he caught sight of the boy beside his brother’s bonded and his eyes whorled with love, the Burgundy forgotten, Oh, oh, F’ynn, my F’ynn, I am your Dradeth and I am so happy to have found you! I am hungry, mine, can we eat something now? And then we can play and meet all of my clutchmates!

Brown Dradeth – Looks to Falynn

Dradeth is a pleasant woody shade of brown with darker brown speckles on his face, making him seem freckled. He is quite small for a Brown not only in his length, but also in his bulk, or lack thereof. Whereas most Browns are built more to the type of sturdy work horses, Dradeth is edging more toward a sleek racer, less obviously muscled than his two Brown brothers. Dradeth will never have the stamina to chase a Gold but at least he’ll be more likely to be able to keep up with the Greens than most other lumbering Browns.

Abilities
Agility: 5
Speed: 7
Endurance: 7
Sensitivity: 2

Naïve, Playful, Loving, Posessive
Dradeth is quite the uncharacteristic Brown. Most Pernese, upon thinking of Brown Dragons, think quiet, solid, stable, and these are traits that don’t particularly apply to Dradeth. He is somewhat childish and innocent, liable to believe anything he’s told about the ways of the world. As easily as he is lied to, he is not capable of lying himself and will always say exactly what is on his mind without sugarcoating any details. It isn’t that he doesn’t care if he hurts others feelings, for he does and he will feel awful after, he just isn’t aware that sometimes the truth hurts. He is very playful with other dragons and his rider and harmless childish pranks like tripping his rider up in the lake when he’s trying to wash him will become common occurrences. Dradeth will be very loving and affectionate with his rider and more than willing to prove it in public, but he’ll also be quite possessive of his lifemate and is liable to become easily jealous when he is not the main thing on his bonded’s mind.

Size At Hatching: 6.4 feet
Size At Full Growth: 91 feet
Speaking Color: 995920

“You see, there’s another of your Burgundies, M’kal,” Talaria remarked briefly, her attention returning to the hatching. There were only three left after the Burgundy and the Brown. She would see if the new Gold’s rider was seeing to her dragon well enough after it was over in only moments and congratulate all the new weyrlings. She set her jaw as she realized that A’dion had not yet joined her in the stands. Where was he, anyway? Zevranth was a protective sire, she was sure it wasn’t the dragon’s fault they were absent for he would surely not want to miss the hatching of his children.

One corner of M’kal’s mouth turned up slightly at her comment, “So I see. There still seems to be a deficiency of Blues in the clutch….” He wondered if the remaining eggs would turn out Blues.

Talaria shrugged, the number of Blues in this clutch hardly concerned her. There had a Gold and a Grey… both colors occurred rarely enough on their own without both occurring at the same time. She still wasn’t sure how to feel about the White. They could be valuable assets to a Weyr, she had heard, though she wasn’t entirely sure how right at that moment. One Bronze so far, and with the points M’kal brought up about the Blues and Burgundies she had little hope that one of the remaining three would turn out to be one. Only one was slightly disappointing with such a large clutch, but there were two Blacks as well. Certainly it was the best clutch that Orlaith had ever laid.

Smugly, she searched the stands for G’brel and found the old man glowering some distance away. She caught his eye and gave him a pretty smile, to which his face darkened and he turned pointedly away. She couldn’t help the girlish giggle that escaped her lips at the pleasure she took from the previous Weyrleader’s obvious unhappiness. Honestly she would have had the man stripped of his Wingleadership as well but M’kal convinced her to allow him that small mercy and she wasn’t sure A’dion would have agreed with her even if she had brought the idea up with him. He didn’t harbor the same disdain for the man that she did.

M’kal raised an eyebrow at her in surprise. Talaria might laugh on occasion, but she did not… giggle. “Something wrong…?”

She smiled quite happily at her friend, “Wrong? Oh, no, everything is perfect, dear M’kal. Perfect.”

Still slightly concerned, the Blackrider turned back to the three remaining eggs that were now showing signs of movement.