The Hatching (Happy Holidays Clutch)

[Alyx]

It had been fabulous, well worth the trip to the Weyr again. Lefden was practically bouncing with the joy; finally!! Finally, he would be sending the news home that Cleissa had Impressed. He knew his father and mother would be waiting, wondering. As soon as the final eggs had hatched, he would make the time to scribble them a note and send it to them via Torc.

On his shoulder, the chubby little firelizard chirped excitedly in his Bonded's ear. Lefden hushed him quickly, reminding him that this was a very important day for the Weyr and that the little Bronze was supposed to be behaving himself. Torc gave another little, quiet chirp, then the firelizard settled himself onto the rise of Lefden's shoulder to watch the last few Eggs greet the world of Pern.

Lefden stood to the end of the stands with the others that had come to watch; he had been late, nearly missing the first of the Hatchlings as they had broke into the light. Glancing down, he looked over the little scrawled list he had been keeping - so far, it had been a wonderful clutch.

He couldn't wait to congratulate Cleissa; the Green she had Impressed had been beautiful. He couldn't wait to see her; to tell her how proud he was of his little sister finally becoming a Dragonrider.

Ooo. Maybe he would write his first song about her.....

[Zen]

Just as the two Greens had hatched nearly simultaneously earlier, the Center Egg and the Vertical Egg cracked and broke upon nearly at the same instant to reveal two Blues. Out of the Center Egg came a bright Blue and from the Vertical Egg a Blue that seemed almost purple. The bright Blue hardly turned to look at his brother as he eagerly came forward examine those few candidates left on the sands, hardly enough left for a decent choice at all. Talaria grimaced at the thought. They really should have brought in more candidates for this clutch. They had only been able to round up about thirty of them which really didn’t leave much at all for the final hatchlings to pick from.

The bright Blue hatchling wove his way through the remaining candidates, brushing against them distractedly, but stopping for none of them. He turned toward the stands and stared out into them. None of those silly creatures on the sands were right… but he could feel it… feel something calling to him out there… among all those others….

Talaria and M’kal both watched the bright Blue intently. He was just standing there, staring at the stands… surely he wouldn’t go between?

There, he felt it! Where was he? He felt him, but where…. There! He bounded toward the other side of the stands, calling out to his all the while, L’den! L’den! That was a fun game, my L’den, but I was almost afraid I would never find you! I am your Myrth, right here I am, now come out from all those others, I am very hungry.

Blue Myrth – Looks to Lefden

Myrth is an average sized Blue and exceptionally lanky. His lithe, athletic form will lend itself very well to speed and agility, but he won’t last too much longer than most Greens during Threadfall. His hide is bright, almost hard to look at for long periods of time, and unmarked.

Abilities
Agility: 9
Speed: 10
Endurance: 4
Sensitivity: 3

Flirtatious, Distractible, Friendly, Humorous
Myrth is a very friendly dragon (he probably won’t think much of talking to others besides his rider) and one that will enjoy joking and playing throughout his life. However he also has no idea how to be serious and tends to think of everything as a game. It doesn’t help that he has no attention span and probably the worst memory of any dragon. His rider will have a hard time getting him to focus and do what he is suppose to do. When it comes to Greens, he’ll do anything to impress them, all of them, and it is probably the only time he will ever really focus on anything. When he matures and is able to chase, you can bet he will chase every female he can, including Greys. Myrth is very much the ‘class clown’ of his clutch.

Size At Hatching: 4.8 feet
Size At Full Growth: 69 feet
Speaking Color: 00CAF0

“A stands Impression…?” M’kal raised an eyebrow and looked to Talaria. The bright Blue hatchling’s eyes certainly were whirling with the colors of Impression, though from where they were it could not be said who he had chosen from the stands. Certainly none of the candidates on the sands were rushing to him.

This hatching was full of surprises. Talaria had heard of stands Impressions, and how very rare they were, but had never actually seen it happen. If dragonets would go between rather than choose candidates on the sands she didn’t understand why they wouldn’t just choose someone from the stands instead… after all there were so many more spectators to choose from than there were formal candidates…. However, Impression hardly made any sense no matter how you looked at it, most of the time, so she didn’t try to puzzle it out any further.

Instead the loud and pitiful creeeel of the second Blue distracted her. He sat rather morosely among the shards of his egg, gazing mournfully about at everyone. He could feel his… he could… somewhere… but not here… where was he!?

Blue Golth – Intended for Rauget

Golth is a large Blue and very well proportioned, not to say that any of his siblings are not, but Golth just seems exceptionally so. There is simply something very beautiful and artistic, and deceptively delicate, about Golth that is hard to place, and he knows it. He has a rather odd coloration, leaning more toward indigo, a sort of blue-ish purple, with more definite blue markings.

Abilities
Agility: 9
Speed: 6
Endurance: 5
Sensitivity: 1

Serious, Graceful, Vain, Haughty
Golth knows he is remarkable, handsome, beautiful, and in general better looking than any of his siblings. He will require his rider to bathe and oil him more often than necessary to better keep up his exceptional appearance. Some may take his obsessive vanity as a big joke but Golth is never more serious than when it comes to appearances. He moves with what others might deem a ‘feminine’ grace; certainly he hardly seems awkward on the ground even when most other dragons do and in the sky he is a amazing to watch. He is likely to chase every female simply for the chance to prove he is the best, rather than for any actual mating urges he might have.

Size At Hatching: 5.2 feet
Size At Full Growth: 74 feet
Speaking Color: 3900cb

M’kal bit his lip lightly, worried that this second Blue would go between. But before he could worry over it for too long the final egg, the Horizontal Egg, slowly chipped open, the Burgundy within pushing himself lazily from the remains and giving a great yawn as if he was bored with all this nonsense and would be glad to be the one to end it all and get back to a nice nap. Resigned to his current wakeful state and the hunger and need that was nearly overwhelming him, he made a beeline straight for the nearest candidate, You are my Pala and I shall be your Kumath, now let us be done with all this noise and fuss. I want to eat and then I want to sleep.

Burgundy Kumath – Looks to Pala

Kumath is smaller for a Burgundy but slightly more muscled as well. He has the ability to fly quickly and accomplish daring maneuvers, but instances in which he will actually use this ability will probably be limited to fighting Thread. His hide is an interesting mottled blood red, which can put some people a bit off to him, not that he cares. He seems to exude the air of a respected professor; he knows very well his own intelligence but whether or not you will ever glimpse it is hard to say.
Abilities
Agility: 7
Speed: 7
Endurance: 6
Sensitivity: 1

Lazy, Apathetic, Intelligent, Precise
Kumath is remarkably lazy, he almost couldn’t be bothered to hatch and Impress! He would much rather lounge about sunning himself than practice tedious drilling maneuvers over and over. Not much can move him, either, as he hardly cares about the goings on around him. Why should he? So long as he and his are happy, that’s all that really matters. Despite his lazy and often frustratingly apathetic attitude, he is incredibly intelligent and will learn all he is taught quickly, his body remembering what his mind will forget. Tell him a problem and he will (not always promptly) give you a well thought out solution. When he can be bothered to move, he is precise and in control of every motion, right down to the slightest twitch of his tail. You will never see Kumath trip or stumble; he will always be quite aware of his surroundings even when he doesn’t show it or seem to care.

Size At Hatching: 5.4 feet
Size At Full Growth: 77 feet
Speaking Color: AB0503

Those candidates left standing turned their attention to purple-ish Blue hopefully, their last chance at Impression even though it was apparent he wanted none of them. M’kal still willed it to choose one of them rather than go between. What a horrible way for the hatching to come to a close if that happened. Sabath… do you think he will…?

Sabath, for once, did not have a sarcastic reply. Emotional the Black was not, but even he did not want to see a hatchling suicide. He is searching…. The Black did not say any more.

Orlaith…? Talaria glanced toward her Gold, who was watching the poor little Blue with yellow tinged eyes, worried for her newly hatched son. She did not reply.

*I’m expecting Mad to come back, so I’m leaving it open for her to get a post in whenever she returns with Rauget running in late or something, but if she doesn’t come back for Golth at all then I’ll be putting him up for adoption. For all intents and purposes for the Hatching Feast and after, Golth did finally Impress, so no one needs to worry at the feast about him suiciding or anything. Whoever he finally Impressed to can be mentioned running into the Hatching Cave late if anyone wants to remark on it.

[Alyx]

'L’den! L’den! That was a fun game, my L’den, but I was almost afraid I would never find you! I am your Myrth, right here I am, now come out from all those others, I am very hungry.'

Lefden was so focused on working out the opening lines for his first big ballad about his sister and her new dragon that he had missed the final three eggs hatching. The voice startled him, making the boy nearly fall off his spot on the stands. Eyes wide, the young man looked around to try to see who had been talking. It had been so loud, so close, but know one seemed to be talking.

Well, not directly talking anyway. Voices around him were hushed, murmuring questions he couldn't totally make out as the crowd stirred. Everyone seemed to be stepping back on the stands, trying to scatter a little. Rising on his toes, he looked over the few people moving in front of him to see what was causing the low tone panic.

A Hatchling? What was it doing over here? The little thing was beautiful. As Blue as a clear, cloudless sky. Lefden had never seen anything so lovely in his life, he was sure of it. But why was it just standing there? Shouldn't it be off impressing on one of the Candidates?

'I can't, L'den, don't you see?' the Voice rang bright and clear in his mind. ' You are way up there and all these others are in the way. Stop hiding from me and come down, will you? I'm very hungry, and I need to find you before you can feed me.' Lefden's eyes widened. No way....

He wasn't sure why he had stepped down the stands runners; people seemed to simply fall back as the Harper moved to step down onto the level plain of the Sands in front. The little blue dances as soon as he stepped into view, swirling eyes focused solely on the young man. 'Found you! Found you! My L'den, trying to hide from me! But I found you!'

Lefden couldn't help but smile as the Hatchling stepped froward and pushed at Lefden's chest with his nose. Torc chirped softly, peering down at the hatchling with interest. Lefden lifted his hands to run fingers over the Hatchling's cheeks and jawline. "His.... his name is Myrth."

Even as the words slipped from his lips, Lefden looked up and glanced around. He had no idea what to do - Myrth was hungry, but Lefden wasn't a Candidate. What now? 'You feed me.' Lefden gave a soft laugh. "Okay, okay, just let me figure out where we are supposed to go."

Lefden took a step in the direction the others, then stopped. Was he allowed to? Worried eyes focused on the Weyrwoman and the Gold, unsure if he had or hadn't broken some rule. Myrth seemed totally oblivious to his new bondmate's worry, instead dancing on the sands with him like a giant Blue puppy.

[wyren]

Once moving out of the way of the remaining Candidates, Filonna made sure her Preseth was well fed before she turned her attention back to the Hatchling. She was able to witness the two Blues hatching, but had missed the hatching of the second Burgundy and a pretty Brown. Now, with everything said and done, there were twenty-two new dragonets at the Western Weyr.

You pay too much attention to the others, Preseth hissed from her curled up position. And you have slept enough in that egg of yours, she sent back, causing her little dark hatchling to pin swirling orbs on her. You are MINE,

[/i] Preseth stated, causing Filonna to move back to the dragonet's side and settle down beside her. "Yes . . . Yes I am. Just as you are mine," she stated, allowing the Green to place her head in her lap.

She couldn't resist and began rubbing Preseth's light green headknob, earning a sigh of relief and a soft purr from the dragonet. Like that? [color-022C04]Yes,[/color] Preseth purred, causing Filonna to grin. Taking her eyes off the dragonet, but not taking her hands off the little creature. Today was a wonderful day.[/size][/blockquote][/blockquote]

[brete]

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 Was that in her head? Well yes it was and to be more specific it was her dragon in her head. She looked down at the beautiful Burgundy dragon and was a bit shocked. How could something that amazing want her? She wasn't self-concious of course but still he was too perfect, more beautiful than the gold even. Look at those markings, even his coloring was amazing. He looked like a flame brought to life.

"Oh Shangoth you are beautiful! I won't make you wait long my love we will go get you food immediately. You are too perfect for words. Just let me congratulate my friend here. He kept me from disparing that you wouldn't come." turning to Faylnn she smiled and patted his shoulder. "Congratulations rider...looks like your dragon will be a very ineresting color no?" with that she put her hand on Shangoth's headnobs and smiled full of love at him. Raising her voice so the crowd would hear, "His name is Shangoth and he is beautiful."
"Now we will eat Mine! No more of this nonesense talking to others you do not need them as of now you need me! I am hungry and this place becomes tiresome to me. IF you are interested in those other lowly dragons then let us look at them while you fill my stomache...it does hurt so." the last bit was said pitiously. Scratching an eye ridge quickly Syrani gave Shangoth a light push in the proper direction and followed. "You shall eat yourself silly my lovely you Syrani will see to that. Should I shorten my name for you? Sy'ran maybe?" "Oh no! Syrani is who you are you are perfect as is Mine. Now HURRY!" Shangoth at this point was making his way quickly to a bowl that smelled delicious, who cares that it was being used by someone else. "No no dear that is not yours you have a fresh bowl here." Syrani pulled on off the table quickly before her dragon fought for his meal. Stuffing a small piece in his mouth she had to chide him as he swollowed it whole. "You silly man you must chew or your food will leave your stomache in a most unpleasant way." Again she fed him a piece and this time he managed to chew it three times. Shaking her head laughingly she continued to feed him, checking out the other dragons slyly while thinking her's really was the prettiest for markings.
---------------------------------

[missing]

Pala watched the burnished egg hatch into a beautiful Burgundy, and promptly choose one of the newer female candidates. She tried to focus on the research aspect of the hatching, there were only 4 more now after all and then she could get out from under all these staring eyes and maybe even make herself presentable for the Hatching celebration. The next egg hatched a Brown, and she couldn't help but smile at the freckles on the young dragon's nose. Just like his egg... interesting... He impressed the boy next to the female that his Burgundy brother had chosen.

Pala watched as a blue hatched, then another. One impressed a boy in the stands who she had never seen before, the other seemed to be calling out for someone, not her she knew that much. But she worried along with all the others that he might go between... if his wasn't here...

The final egg, the horizontal one cracked and Pala found herself watching with bated breath. Silently hoping for a Green or Burgundy, something she was more likely to impress... Will you PLEASE stop doing that? She bit her lip harshly, the pain of it surprising her out of her mind-ramble. She watched as the shell fell away from a deep, molted, blood-red Burgundy. The color that she had seen so often in her line of work suddenly seemed to draw her in and she took a step forward. The movement made her aware of the burning of the sands from not having moved her feet since the burnished egg had hatched, and she stumbled, at least managing to only fall to her knee before catching herself with her uninjured hand.

She swore under her breath, and looked up into into whirling rainbow eyes You are my Pala and I shall be your Kumath, now let us be done with all this noise and fuss. I want to eat and then I want to sleep.

Pala was overwhelmed with a sense of happiness, and then her over-analyzing brain planted a seed of doubt, "But... Are you sure? None of the others seemed interested in me at all..."

He snorted Of course I am sure, and they wouldn't. You are mine, no one else's, and they should look to their own. Now I am hungry!

She smiled affectionately at his logic, and lifted herself to her feet, "Come on then, but maybe if you were so hungry you should have hatched sooner instead of keeping me waiting so long!"

Did you have somewhere better to be? he followed along behind her to the feeding area.

In the stands Laura smiled, finally! She was worried her sister would be left standing. No matter what Pala had said in her letter she knew her sister, and seeing her loneliness out there on the sands had only reinforced her beliefs that her sister wanted very much to impress. She stood making her way down from the stands, trying to reach her sister to congratulate her.

[kyra]

Zyika sat petting her now full and sleeping dragon. She smiled slightly. Imanith was defiantly very small compared to everyone elses, but the white was even smaller. She looked at her brother who was also sitting petting his big dragon. "He's going to be huge." She remarked looking at the Bronze. A'der smiled and nodded, "Yup." Was all he could say. She noticed Alyzin sitting on top of the sleeping dragon and couldn't help but stick her tongue out at the fire lizard. A'der just shook his head, "I hope your dragon likes me." He said with a sigh. "Why is that?" Zyika asked as her full attention turned on to Imanith. "Because if she don't I'll have the same relationship with her as you have with Alyzin."

Zyika laughed, "Oh please are you thinking my small little Imanith will try and hurt you when you have one of the biggest dragons in Western once he grows?" A'der tilted his head to think about that comment for a second then realized he had some silly thoughts. His eyes turned towards Pala as he saw her with a burgundy. He smiled, "I knew she would impress." Menorath stirred a little, but other then that he didn't wake up. Zyika looked around and saw S'lar with a black which made her smile. It seemed like everyone impressed except for a few. But the ones that had stood with her for many turns had defiantly impressed and that made her happy. Her eyes wandered to a boy she knew that wasn't a candidate. 'He impressed a Blue?' She smiled she had heard of stands impressions, but those were rare.

Imanith stirred slightly Mine are you happy? A single question which shocked Zyika. The dragon had been non stop chatter till she fell asleep. "Of course, now sleep dear one." She said to her little green who fell asleep instantly. She still couldn't believe she and her brother had impressed. It was very wonderful feeling that was for sure. She wouldn't trade anything in the world for this.

"Mother must be proud." A'der said softly to his sister. Zyika looked at him, "Was she here?" A'der nodded "I saw her in the stands after I impressed. She was crying with a big smile on her face." Zyika smiled glad to know her mother was here. A'der turned his attention back to the other dragons, they were all gorgeous in their own ways. "Congrats Pala." He said loudly enough for her to hear with a smile on his face.

[lyonza]

Garrett sat in the stands like all the other spectators, his hands holding hide and a quill, the inkpot next to him, to record the hatchlings for the Weyr records. Talaria was too busy watching her dragon and the weyrlings and it did fall to him as junior weyrwoman – the title always made him grin – to take down the details.

Hatchings were extremely exciting and he always enjoyed them, Iroth’s more because she was his. He could feel Iroth’s excitement at the new hatchlings’ arrival – more dragons meant more to fight Thread when it came. She knew to give him the names of the new arrivals and the Candidates who’s names he didn’t know, she could get from the new dragons.

There were some heart-wrenching moments when he thought the blue would suicide before choosing someone, but then he found his lifemate on the stands and Garrett cheered loudly with the rest of the crowd. The tiny white that had to be dug from his shell under the sands was the Impression that really made Garrett tear up and he had to wipe his eyes and nose a few times.

He glanced down at the list (rewritten in order of seniority) and noted that one dragon was still looking for his chosen. He hoped the little one wouldn’t suicide and bit his lip as the little blue searched the candidates left on the sands.

---

Weyrlings: Gold Orlaith and Bronze Zevranth

Mya of Gold Stellath – 9.5 feet
A’der of Bronze Menorath – 9.4 feet
Bretella of Grey Tinsith – 7.9 feet
S’lar of Black Umojath – 7.6 feet
Jassen of Black Kinarath – 7.1 feet
U’rek of Brown Joseth – 6.9 feet
V’ktor of Brown Shamath – 6.7 feet
F’ynn of Brown Dradeth – 6.4 feet
M’ri of Burgundy Ujamath – 5.8 feet
Syrani of Burgundy Shangoth – 5.6 feet
Pala of Burdundy Kumath – 5.4 feet
L’gas of Blue Bosweth – 5 feet
L’den of Blue Myrth – 4.8 feet
K’nar of Blue Rudoth – 4.7 feet
K’rin of Green Niath – 4.6 feet
Cleissa of Green Angeth – 4.4 feet
Filonna of Green Preseth – 4.3 feet
Nola of Green Marith – 4.2 feet
L’en of Green Elvith – 4 feet
Zyika of Green Imanith – 3.8 feet
Midnael of White Norpoth – 2.5 feet

??? of Blue ??? – 5.2 feet

---

Garrett watched with bated breath along with the rest of the Weyr and spectators in the stands to see who the last dragon would choose.

He will choose, Mine. He will choose, it takes us a bit longer sometimes, but we do make the right choices. Iroth's voice was certain and he took comfort in that.

[jassen]

Jassen watched the gold hatch and choose her Rider, eyes wide with the majesty of it all. As the hatching continued, he resolved to relax - he had no right to be upset at not impressing. He watched the green hatch and travel promptly to his new Rider with a disappointed smile... and then saw the smudged egg crack, and the charcoal-black dragon hatch, peering curiously at his unique wings. He watched with a strange feeling as the dragon peered and snuffled at the other recruits, eyes drawn to the dragon's form - until the dragon stopped in front of him, and then leaped forward to him, the odd feeling exploding into happiness at the realization, at the same moment as young Kinarath started speaking to him - 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?

Jassen laughed explosively, cheerfully, at the release of tension from his system, hugging the dragon for a moment and scratching Kinarath's head. "Of course, my Kinarath!" he said, "we'll go wherever we can - and for now, we'll go to that food table for you, you must be starving." He turned, beaming hugely, all the worries of the world forgotten as he led his Kinarath to the table.

Wow, the dragon said as they crossed the sand towards the feeding area, everything looks so very interesting out here, J'senmine! I can't wait to go exploring! Where should we go first? Should we meet everyone else? Or maybe we can go up and out and explore - or, ooh, what's down that passage over there?

J'sen just grinned at the dragon as his head swung back and forth, apparantly on a swivel, curious gaze trying to take in everything at once. Finally, he poked one of Kinrath's horns, saying, "For now, my Kinrath, let's go here with the others - it's food here and you're hungry, right?" He stepped forward and took one of the bowls, offering the meet within it to Kinarath, who gobbled it up happily... and reflected on his prior expectations, his total certainty that he wasn't going to Impress - it seemed so silly, now, and he couldn't imagine a life without his Kinarath.

[tealah]

"oooh." Falynn's swift intake of breath when he caught sight of the dragonet prancing towards him (or actually towards Syrani, it turned out, though that didn't bother him as he was too busy being caught up in the moment) was frankly admiring. "Oh, what a beautiful color," he enthused to Syrani, though she was probably too busy Impressing to notice. And then he was too busy, too, for while he'd been admiring Syrani's dragonet, a second had bounced up.

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!

Falynn - no, F'ynn now - blinked blankly at the dragonet a moment before breaking into a wide grin. Not as brilliantly colored as some of his kin, no, but Dradeth was perfect, so very wonderful, and the rainbow of color-emotions bursting in his mind as Impression was made was... was beyond anything he'd ever seen - he'd never be able to capture such beauty in glass!

F'ynn? F'ynn, can we eat now? I don't know what glass is but I'd rather eat right now! Maybe we could play with it after! But food now please? The brown dragonet pressed pleadingly against F'ynn's leg, practically quivering with eagerness.

"Oh! Of course we can get you something to eat!" F'ynn was quick to exclaim. "But... glass may not be a good thing for you to play with..."

Ok! Tag! The freckled muzzle shoved at him, throwing him somewhat off-balance.

He couldn't help but chuckle as the brown dragon bounded after Syrani and her fiery Burgundy. He followed adroitly - he had a feeling that he'd need to be somewhat on his toes for this.