Reky
Alphahandler
rekyct[M:-999]
SO PRO
Posts: 1,554
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Post by Reky on Jan 9, 2013 22:11:58 GMT -5
His raised arm remained his own. He felt the bronze's breath ruffle the fine, dark hairs on it; felt a shiver slip out across his skin. From where he had squirmed to face, he couldn't see what happened at first. Sian disappeared from sight - tugged away by a flustered flock - and then suddenly the bronze fell away, too. Let go of his prey and toppled off to the side, like its center of gravity had been rendered inert. Hakotep's first instinct was to frantically sit up, released from the torture of confinement. The heat was still roiling where it had rushed in to fill the space the bronze occupied, and like the air to the emptiness, blood also rushed into Hakotep's head. He gasped for a decent breath.
Then, his dizzy eyes found the molten heap of the bronze collapsed atop of Ghris. His heart and throat swelled shut in a second; he wanted to shout something but he didn't know what, and his voice gummed up in its box and wouldn't come out. He kicked at the sand like a grounded frog, finding himself then a few feet back where his fingers sank into new sand, pulsing with discomfort. But he saw the tenderness which now came from the bronze. The beast had been brought down; soothed like a bucking runner under the hands of the herder.
His lips parted and Ghris' name nearly formed as a question at the back of his mouth - but only nearly. He was still startled into silence. Still acting on the adrenaline that thundered through his blood vessels. He barely even had time to wonder -- Had Ghris Impressed? Had he escaped entirely unscathed? Or did he have right to have been so ill at the thought of the mystery of the hatching? -- because next, he swore he was standing.
Something glittering had caught his eye. Something that burned bright on an intangible horizon; that sang red and orange with each step, like the dripping of dew from a fiery leaf. But was he the one walking? He saw his feet planted in the sand but wasn't sure if he felt them there. Then, like a mirage, he saw his homehold blossom into being. A beautiful dragon stood beside him and watched the streams ripple into Kirrok like silver ribbons, but in the immediacy of Xuqulzeth's tirade, he was not even sure he had seen her hatch. He remembered the glorious curve of the wide cavern, though, and the breaking of first light through a dark shell, and the gleam of opals in her eyes.
If Hakotep was speechless before, he was entirely mute then. The scene vanished but for a wash of brilliant orange that pranced across his vision, and he was still sitting in the Hatching Cavern. A green neck arced above him.
H'tep, she said.
Iopiath, he whispered through his mind. He knew her name - like summer wind swifting though a meadow of high, dusted grass. Iopiath. He wasn't sure how he knew, but he did.
Xuqulzeth and His had left. For a moment, the young green's whirling eyes still followed them, but finally she turned to Hers. Her fair nose bumped gently at his forehead, brushing past his sandy dark hair. The back of H'tep's mind was filled with the soothing sight of warm sunlight through a window. The front of it was filled with what his eyes were seeing, though, and he reached out to stroke the velvet of Iopiath's skin. The window grew a carved ebony border and the etched flowers scrolled along just a blink behind the path of the wood.
Beneath her smooth brow, her small eyes took upon a hint of orange hunger. H'tep felt it from her, too. As he rose to his feet, slowly as to ease out of his dizziness, he felt quite small. Small as in stupid, because how had he doubted that he would never know Iopiath? Small because some receptacle inside his chest that had once collected only worry at the bottom of its emptiness suddenly felt much fuller. He hadn't even known about that gap. If Iopiath had never filled it, he wouldn't have found it on his own.
His hands wandered his white-robed body briefly. A quick check. All ten fingers, all of his skin, and so his throat retracted its frantic clench. No losses; only a gain. A glowing wisp superimposed itself over top of the image his eyes brought into his head, and it lilted and peaked like a jellyfish through the clearing sea of people. Iopiath padded along by his side and they made their way to the feeding buckets almost ethereally, with no rush and no regard for weight. Was that a sense of eagerness he felt coming from her, though? An electric swell of colour told him yes. Excitement, even. Gentle, quiet, altruistic excitement. She had a lot that she wanted to show him.
G'ris seemed to have made himself a wide berth, and the presence of Xuqulzeth held him out along an invisible circumference like the two same poles of a pair of magnets - at least for now. H'tep took his space silently and Iopiath set herself down before him, and detached, as though he were still in the dream, he plunged his hand into the cold wetness of a provided meat bucket and fed life into his newborn dragonet. [/blockquote]
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Ruin
Wingrider
ruinct[M:-786]
We build the worlds we wouldn't mind living in
Posts: 1,137
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Post by Ruin on Jan 9, 2013 22:43:53 GMT -5
Iroh’s eyes went from Kaihekoa’s broken face, to Sian’s broken body, and for one long moment she was suspended and torn into two. Both of her friends needed her, but one of those friends was no longer hers to watch over or guard—she had her own champion now: The Blue was by her side, coiled with her, protective and tender. Everything they had been taught about Candidacy preparing them for a moment Sian had not wanted, but now was…and would have to accept. Kaihekoa deserved that chance, didn’t he? To experience what Sian did? Perhaps he wanted it now that she had found her Blue, perhaps it was only the thought of being separate that had struck fear in him previously—or maybe he was just obedient and the chaos had left him lost and listing.
Squeezing his hand gently, she nodded, the disheveled curls of her hair bouncing around her pale oval face in the green-hued glowlight that bathed them from the healers camp. ”I will Stand with you,” she whispered breathlessly, hardly believing she had spoken at all. Holding tight to him, lest their re-entry onto the heat of the Sands knock them apart, Iroh let Kai lead them where he may, but made it quite clear that she would not be leaving his side—no matter if he chose to return to the male Candidates, or remain in the center. Personally, she would have preferred the back, but the decision was his alone: She was here for him, there was no hope in her heart for Impression, nor a want.
As they broached the wall of heat that marked the true start of the cavern, her booted heels sunk deeply into the burning sand, the bite of it that had been forgotten was remembered, and she flinched away from it—a quick two-step pulling her ahead of Kai slightly. Only then, a small jump ahead of her tall guardian, did she turn her head for a final look back at Sian, a soft sigh pushing from between her lips at the sight of the dark-necked Blue and the Healers. No longer her concern, no longer hers. Kaihekoa’s movement beside her reminded her of their current place, and she stepped forward with him, her free hand trying to set to rights her hair. The brush of sensitive soft skin against rough robe made her realize, finally, that she had torn the sleeves from her arms.
Iroh was weary, her emotions had been wrung and stung and pulled through little pieces of herself, and she had endured more than most would have anticipated for something that only required a person to stand. The flush that crept up onto her fair cheeks could have been the heat—because she was already feeling the sweat break out on her skin in the moments since they had returned to bake—but it was directly related to the knowledge that her flabby arms were exposed. Painfully aware of how they looked, white with stripes of shiny flesh that looked like tears in her skin that hung and wiggled, she pressed closer to Kai, as If the man could steal all the attention from her.
It was ahead she looked, however, not up to the Stands where her father may—or may not at this point—be, nor down to the ground as the shameful did: Ahead, and proud. Even when she did not feel particularly proud inside, it was important to be strong outside, for others—for herself. When they reached their spot, she gave Kai’s hand another squeeze, and even spared him the smallest smile, though it was faint and flimsy like it wanted to crack and fade away before it had even been formed. She was here for him, and that was the most important, when this day was over he could continue Standing and perhaps eventually join Sian, and she, well surely she would be headed home after this.
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Post by larkwing on Jan 9, 2013 22:47:12 GMT -5
It was a blue egg that cracked next, its inhabitant almost the same hue save for the swirls of lighter and darker coloring that mixed in like colored smoke. There was no other around, only that one dragonet for now, so it was this male that Kurosaki was left to watch as he had decided before. Not that the blue proved to be all that wonderful, or eventful. He grew bored with it too quickly, though as it stepped closer and closer, inching ever nearer toward the boys the candidate's heart started to race and his interest perked.
Would this one turn savage as well? Yes, that must be it. It was coming over to maul them, to place more blood on the sands and create even more chaos. He knew, that thought was circulating in his head wildly, another of his pessimistic views sidling in for a landing and emptying out anything else that might have been more true. His hope was squashed beneath the readily excepted fate as the blue stepped in front of him. It was now, it would be no more. Did he regret anything.....
Do you love nothing, Ku'ki? Nothing more than a swift tendril of thought caressed the candidate's mind, yet it was as sluggish as syrup in the Winter air. The blue was the same almost, light on large feet, graceful even where Kurosaki had once thought he was strange. It was the approach of a statue, or maybe a god. He was more than his brother Bronze, better than his Mother Queen. He endured past that, much longer to understand far more. Yet, this couldn't be. No, he was dreaming....this was not real. He was back in the infirmary, and this was a fever dream. The days since his "escape" from that sick bed was all just a dream, but still no. This was a cruel game yes, but of a most intriguing kind.
Maybe I, Ocilovoth, like that you can see it as only a game. Your- and then there was a hesitation, and Kurosaki wanted to cry out against the mind that seemed to be searching his, using it. -logic will serve you well. It is a hard world. We are both calm in it. But even I do not know where that will leave us, come the end of the day. Was he really calm? Was he so serene now? Kurosaki looked down at the dragonet in a mixture of wonder, and fear, and yes, even hatred. He did love his Ocilovoth, but he felt that love as something instantaneous, and that was not normal. One did not just love at first sight, those stories were things for children and innocent maids.
No, he had been made to love this thing, just as it was made to love him. It felt wrong, and yet so right to the candidate all at once. Shaking his head, hoping to any known force that might be guiding him, Kurosaki grimaced when the feeling of the blue's mind did not leave his own. Intrusive...Taken...Foreign. Yet how was it that this felt so...so...good. Staring at the blue still, his eyes wide and mouth set in a firm line, the candidate-no-weyrling he would have to concede now, could do nothing but try and process the emotions he felt. It was elation and terror and hatred and excitement and curiosity and so much more all pushed into one tiny body and then thrown through himself because of that sharding bond that had formed the moment those faceted eyes turned rainbow.
Those...beautiful, eloquent facets. They were jewels made for someone to stare at for days on end in wonder and bliss. Slowly, but surely, his mind settled and when the dragonet finally felt that His was ready, the creature moved in a silken gate over to his side and nudged him on. There was no voice though, for that Kurosaki was thankful, the blue at least had sense. He understood that he was still processing it, struggling with it. He had always...yes, he had always hoped that this would happen. Never had I actually thought it would. I was a canine chasing my tail, never knowing just what I would do if I caught it. A sort of laughter came in his mind then, a rumbling sound that mimicked the fall of water over rocks, wind through dry leaves, heavy and light all at once.
And now my Pup? What will you do now that you have found yourself with your "tail in your jaws"? Will the Pup cease to exist? No, it will not. It will find something else to chase, something faster and more difficult to capture. We will find you a new goal, one you can wrap in your falsehoods just as easily or as without ease as you did with this last one. Come, I hunger and you still need to understand- and here for the second time the blue stopped, though Kurosaki knew this time it was because he was questioning himself more than searching. -I do not think you will understand any time soon. That is, if you ever understand. You're a troublesome thing I have found Ku'ki. Though, you are amusing. That is good. You need something good about you.
At that the same sort of eerie laughter bubbled from the dragonet's mind to Kurosaki's as the young man looked down at the blue. Curiosity by now was starting to eat at the edges of his attention span, and with a quick glance at the creature following beside him, a hand hesitated before reaching out toward the blue's long headknobs. The first touch of hide against skin sent a queer sort of shiver down his spine, an almost calming sensation running through his body until he let his hand slip down the neck and over the strong shoulders. Pausing there, wondering about the ridges his fingers traced, Kurosaki furrowed his brow and then shook it off taking his hand back.
Are you now convinced that I am real Pup? Come, it is time to chase your tail again. There was no way that he could have seen the sharp flick of the blue's tail, the end thumping against his stomach not too harshly, but not without feeling either. It was the ending move of a jump that sent the dragonet into a run toward the feeding stations, his wings tucked in against him and his heavy paws treading lightly in prancing steps like a well trained runner. I'm going to wake from a dream....I know I am. This can't be happening. This wouldn't be. It was better to prepare himself. This was a sweet dream, a kind dream. Sparing a glance back at the sands behind him and the candidates left and the weyrlings injured he amended that thought.
It is a generous dream, to me, but I cannot let myself be taken with something that will slip come morn'. Somehow he was convinced that it was not truth that stared at him now in the form of a cerulean beast. Yet, the dragonet who talked like an all knowing elder and yet held the youth of a babe could only shake his head slowly and sadly. His had a long way to go before he could see the true thing that was his rider. However, the creature knew it would happen, even if that day were the very one where they went between together for the last time. There was some secret though behind the pessimistic attitude, the "knowing" that this was not reality. Kurosaki could feel the blue picking at that, and he withdrew mentally and physically, stepping backwards from the blue who had sat himself next to a bucket of meet meant for his jaws and stomach.
I am real Ku'ki. I am as real as you, and no, do not try and start a whole mental tirade about if you are real now too. The enigma that is you, warped and twisted as it may be, can wait until after I am fed and we both rest. Come morn' you will realize I am no dream. Until then, remember that I know. I know what you are fearing even now, what you hide behind those "truths".
The candidate recoiled from him again, hating that something else had seen through, and this time he knew that that sight was true. He could sense that understanding the blue had of him, he could feel it. Like a babe wailing for its mother he cried out a single word back to the dragonet, his mind reeling from the exhaustion of hiding for so long. WHY!?! In of itself, the word, the question would have meant nothing to someone if he had said it aloud. It would have been the outcry of someone confused and upset, someone that had no reason to be questioning a decision that was so perfectly matched. How could Kurosaki not see how right this all was, and yet...and yet.
Why? Because, Pup- and here the blue paused a third time since Kurosaki first heard his voice in his head, the sure footed creature stepping toward him until he was standing at the boy's feet. Boy, yes boy because despite His being of age, he was still a babe compared to the blue's better mind. -it is because you are Ku'ki, and I am Ocilovoth. There is no one without the other. We are rider and dragon, cloak and dagger, truth and falsehood. We are the shadows at night, the watchers in the forest, the ones who know all and tell nothing but more mysteries. In a way, you are like me, or maybe I am like you, but only I am much more stable in my opinion. That, my rider, is something we will fix starting now. With that same commanding, yet ever soft and almost toneless and yet tone-filled voice, the blue latched onto his mind and took His' attention.
Say it. "I am Ku'ki of Ocilovoth." Say it.
Except Kurosaki only stared, as he only ever did and the blue flicked his tail with a knowing thought passed between them.
As I thought. We have much work to do.
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Ondine
Jr. Weyrleader
ondct[M:-155]
Posts: 436
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Post by Ondine on Jan 9, 2013 23:00:36 GMT -5
The Weyrleader smoldered with an anger uncommon to him, glaring at Aysha as she walked away with a dragonet. She was under the part of the Weyr that he had some influence in, but the way that this Hatching was going, some of the new class of Weyrlings would have to work off some of the deeds they'd done here. F'reki was taking this class, wasn't he? They were going to have a chat after this. Especially when a second girl walked up to the eggs. And, what, tried to comfort them? Well that was all well and good, but you don't stand among eggs that are hatching. Yeah, strike against her too.
The trio that had stood out in the back, away from everyone else, another set of worries. He could recognize Iroh, but not the other two, and it was evident that the two had gotten into a bit of a scuffle. Before, of course, Q'sis had Unath swoop down and take Iroh away. What did he think he was doing? Samara and her father were here. And he thought that he could play around with picking her up, flying her high up...humiliating her...and then just flinging her back into the crowd of girls? He may be in charge of the Hatching, as the rider of the clutching Queen, but that went too far for Z'an's taste.
Alas, he wasn't in charge of the hatching caverns. Rayna or Avalle were, however, and Fajra. The question was, would they do anything about him? As it was, he would likely need to talk to Samara and D'lios about his behavior, and sooth any ruffled feathers that resulted from this display. That Samara looked as emotional as a statue, frozen in time with that blank expression on her face, did not bode well for him.
And then everything else seemed to happen in a span of seconds. The giant red egg, that had been cracked already, split apart. An enraged bronze, maybe even mentally damaged by the attempt to free it too early, rushed the men. Tore into the man who was from Crescent, with Iroh, and-
And that was a woman, not a man. Blood was everywhere, but his eyesight was plenty good enough to spot the signs. More to the point of this though, was why lie, and that that woman was going to die down there unless she got to a healer. Or, as he looked around a bit more, until one got to her. Ondine. Was her Searchrider, and the now famous healer. No wonder her face was pale as could be, and she was bolting for the scene. Especially as Sian punched the Bronze in the snout. Did she had a death wish? Or perhaps she was simply seeking to distract the Bronze from the other target.
Either way, she was interesting, should she survive what was going on. Why would she hide her gender, though? He'd have to find out why, both for his own curiosity and to counter whatever story she would undoubtedly have to tell as to why she lied. And he watched with more interest as Sian...hit the other boy that had come with her, throw the healer away from her, have Ondine shoved away by Iroh, and then helped away by the Lady Holder's cousin? Fascinating. Unfortunately, he wasn't about to overlook that either. Why would she shove the healer away from someone who needed it? Thankfully, Sian seemed to Impress to a sturdy Blue, the Bronze did the same, and the last of the injured was taken by a Green.
He'd need to talk to Samara, and find out exactly what had happened. For now, though, it was time to talk to Iroh's father. It was bullshit, but this was exactly the sort of thing a Junior Weyrleader was supposed to do.
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Maal was wondering what on Pern was going on. He felt like they'd covered all of this before, in day after day of candidate lesson. Don't approach the eggs unless it's a touching, where to stand, never try to help an egg crack unless the dragonet inside reached out to you and told you to. Don't fight against the dragonets, or the mothers will become angry. And more and more, people were breaking all kinds of those rules.
Which, okay, some rules could be bent or broken. But he wasn't aware of the reasons behind them, and right now some of those rules looked like they were there because they saved lives. If Aysha hadn't impressed at that moment, the clutchmother's rider (well, one of the two) looked ready to tear into her. And with an angry bronze ravaging the area, there was the thought that, maybe, just maybe, this wouldn't have happened if it had been able to hatch on its own. And if he thought that, how many others would?
There were other shocks. Sian was a girl chief among them. Sian had seemed like a pretty cool dude, maybe just a bit too polite. But why the woman had chosen to pretend she was a man wasn't a concern of his. It might have been, but with everyone else coming to her rescue, having a ten year old boy try to help would be demeaning. Wasn't his place. His place could come later...maybe he could fetch the good stuff from the kitchens to the infirmary for everyone who was hurt. Bubbly pies always cheered people up, right?
Keeping an eye on all of the unfolding drama and on the dragonets was hard, but until the Bronze Impressed or went Between, none of them would be safe. Maybe he could shout a warning when the dragonet next attacked someone. The dark growl that slammed through his mind was a shock, but if Waroth was here, perhaps some order would finally reign. It was perhaps the second time in his life that he was happy to hear what the Red had to say, scary as shards and shells she sounded. And that, on its own, was perhaps a disturbing thought.
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Shino just wanted to cover her eyes now. Everyone should know that you didn't crack an egg before it was ready! Everyone! She had known that before she had become an Apprentice Herdcrafter. Shouldn't it be basic knowledge? But no, someone had gone and smashed in the shell, and that dragonet had gone on to rampage across the sands. Someone, she didn't know, was down and bleeding on the sands, and had punched that same Bronze.
So perhaps it was no wonder that Yusk could smell her distress, and came over to see her. Her first warning was the happy call from the Green, and then there was a Wher in her lap, essentially blocking her view, looking up at her with those big big eyes. The girl gave a scared smile as Peixes hissed, and reached out with her hand to give Yusk's head the petting that she wanted so much. There, see, a Wher, much better than the dragons currently causing a ruckus below. Her hand trembled, but she kept stroking the big head in front of her.
Peixes was unhappy. Why was her posession paying any attention at all to this bigthing here? She had Peixes! Or, well, Peixes had her, but the two were the same. No no no, this wouldn't do. First all of the things going on down below had stolen any attention from the copper flit. And now this green-hide'd creature thought to take Shino's attention? Clearly, intolerable.
She gave a swift hop, whirring red in her eyes, and flew over Yusk's head. Those big eyes would make great targets. She ignored the abrupt panic from her possession, as the girl realized what she wanted to do. Just a swift drop, and she could hook her claws in to those precious things, and then Shino wouldn't want her around anymore. She even ignored the spoken “No” from the little apprentice, wheeling in the air and heading back towards Yusk.
“NO!”
The shout, however, and abrupt emotional yank of control, did the trick. Peixes stopped the swoop, under the control of her human, and fluttered back to her shoulder. Why couldn't she rake? Shino glared at her, “You will not harm her.” And then the anger faded, and she stroked the Copper's back. “Please?” The little Queen stared at her for a moment, before finally giving her possession a scratch on the cheek with a claw and turning away with a little snort, where Shino couldn't see her expression, and there was no emotional content coming from the flit anymore.
She sighed, “Sorry to shout Yusk. Thank you for coming, and I can give you pets. Yu-Yuri won't mind?” Her normally shy nature reasserted itself, and she turned away from the Copper. Peixes had herself well under control, and only the briefest flicker of blue entered her eyes.
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Dilath had found him. At last, she had matched the scent of a Candidate to the person itself. She'd been edging around the cavern, and now, she had found him. Swirling with anxiety too, well that wouldn't do at all! Clearly, she had to deliver good news to him. Briefly, she considered that this might not be the best time, but how else was she to cheer someone up! Everything would turn out alright in the end, even with all of the senseless violence on the sands. She'd want to stop it, but this wasn't her place too.
Besides, she was honing her skills as a searchdragon! This was the perfect chance. But he was trying to leave! Oh no, that would never do. She bopped her head down, blocking the path down from the stands with her head. He wasn't leaving so easily, she'd finally found him! Besides, he had to become a Candidate first, then he could stand! I found you.
And then he looked so angry! But of course she wasn't kidding. She was puzzled for a moment, and then decided just to push past it. Of course I'm not kidding. That would be awfully rude of me~ Besides, you shouldn't go this way. Ondine will take care of everything, you'll see.[/i]
The Healer in question was currently confused and hurt. First, why was Sian hurting her friends? Second, why had she shoved Ondine away? The push wasn't all that strong, honestly, and she only went back about two steps before she found her balance, with what felt like a light tap into someone behind her, but then she was getting shoved by Iroh, out of the way, in the woman's haste to get to her friend. So she turned back, looking quickly at Hakotep to make sure that he hadn't just gotten injured in the past few seconds, and then back. Why...
She moved forward, arm reaching out for a moment, as Iroh got Sian to her feet and began to lead her away. Away from the Healer. And in that moment, something clicked. Ondine stopped moving forward, and then slowly lowered her arm as she watched Yuri run up. Turned around, to address the Candidate under the Bronze, and any help he needed as well. The people that she had searched didn't just not want to come, they didn't like that she'd searched them. They disliked her, hated her maybe. That was the only reason she could think of for Iroh and Kai's glare, and why Sian had pushed her away. That would explain why they kept looking at her, right?
Or perhaps she was just blaming herself. And this was just a reaction to one of them being mauled. Of course they would blame the one who brought them here when one of them was dying. And looking at her could be a side effect of her abrupt fame. Maybe. She didn't buy it though, not right now. Not when she also blamed herself for bringing them here, for taking them away from their lives. The Weyr had needed Riders...but candidates had a right to refuse for a reason. Maybe another season, and they could have said no.
She didn't, however, miss the little blue that suddenly Impressed to Sian, even as she noticed the Bronze Impress. That was one worry down, and the only other person she could help out here was Hakotep, who swiftly became H'tep with a beautiful Green. For a moment, she felt better that one of her Candidates had Impressed, and then crushed the feeling. It was better, yes, but what about the person? Did they enjoy that? She knew that she had, finding that other part of her, but maybe someone who didn't want to be here, who wanted to be gone from here, would so something else.
And then...no, nothing. Sian seemed to accept it. That done, it was time to clear out the other people here, who had Impressed, and get to work on the girl she had brought here. It was her responsibility, her search. With Waroth angry above, and laying down the law, perhaps G'hris and H'tep would be able to make it to where they needed to go. “Please move aside for the Impressed.” But...neither of them were injured. And there was no need to be here.
Dilath squealed a sudden, happy croon into Rax's mind. Sian had Impressed! She didn't search duds, she searched proper Candidates, Candidates who became Weyrlings, just like she should. Ondine would be so proud, although all of the thoughts coming from her bonded were rather negative right now. Completely unlike her. Giving a swift emotional caress to the Healer, she focused her attention back to the man in front of her. Well, below her. And Dilath searched well! Sian just Impressed! A pretty Blue as well, isn't it great? She'll be fine in no time, Mine is a really good healer.
Appreciating the abrupt surge of happiness that came from her lovely dragon, Ondine walked swiftly back to the healer station. If Sian didn't want her help...then she wouldn't. But she'd ask once, at the very least. Maybe, maybe if the new Weyrling didn't want anything to do with her, then she'd just avoid them all in the future. That might be best, yes. But Sian did want her. And singled her out as the only person to treat her. Which...didn't make too much sense to the bewildered Apprentice, but she wasn't going to look that gift horse in the mouth. As she approached though, she heard one of the new Weyrlings say something.
She couldn't hide the wince. Saved Pern? Hah. She didn't deserve that praise. She was just...herself. A Healer who was driven to heal. Nothing more. So she approached, putting up a hand to forestall any comment out of A'lan. Her voice was...carefully stripped of emotion, because she didn't trust anything but the the strictest control right now. She hid her guilt as best as she could. The self-loathing that she had destroyed three lives by trying to find the Candidates who would find their dragons here. “Please sir. I will be fine.” I brought her here, this is my responsibility. The words hung in her throat, but did not emerge. She said nothing about Shalith's threat.
Ruem blinked into existence a moment later. The blue flitter dropped down to the basin of Redwort the moment after Ondine had finished washing her arms in it. Her little helper knew that he was wanted, knew that he could help. She turned back to Sian, and her eyes changed. This was work. She needed to calm herself, shed all emotion, and be the healer that she was inside. There was a life to save, and her feelings were getting in the way.
A man began to approach as she began to work, alternating between redwort and numbweed as she had been taught for so long. “Tesla, I'd like your assistance. If that is okay with Sian.” She glanced at the woman before her, hands still moving as she talked, always moving. Her voice was an easygoing, calm, confident, almost warm melody, practiced for nearly a decade. Practice made the different, and she hid all of the parts of her that hurt behind the wall of work. “Can you tell me where you hurt the most?” She glanced at the Blue, with the tail wrapped around Sian's wrist, and knew that the dragonet was both fine, and would not move. A crack of a smile slipped out, and her tone turned self-deprecating, “Other than everywhere.”
Ruem brought over a roll of bandages, needles, thread. With more and more numbweed applied, Sian would feel better. The redwort, of course, to prevent infection. Necessary, when all carved up like this. She waited until she thought that Lonet and Tesla were distracted, and spoke quietly. Just to the woman in front of her. “Tell me if you need anything.” Not her dragonet. Sian. Until the dragonet became an issue, little Shalith was going to be ignored by the healer.[/size]
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Post by thyme on Jan 9, 2013 23:11:42 GMT -5
O’hu kept his hands pressed against his eyes although the sounds coming from the Sands were almost more horrifying than the sights. Who was getting attacked now? Who was dying? {The bronze has leapt onto another candidate…} Polyth supplied helpfully which made his rider groan. {Polyth. I love you but the point of covering my eyes was so that I didn’t know what was going on,} He responded trying to keep the exasperation out of his voice. {It’s all working out,} The brown said. He sounded pleased so O’hu slowly lowered his hands. The bronze was standing next to a boy without trying to attack him. The girl was being carried off the Sands with a blue dragon trailing along behind. And the other boy was approached by a green dragonet. Huh. It all really had worked out.
“I don’t remember our hatching being this crazy…” O’hu murmured to M’iles. Admittedly, the craziest thing that had happened during their hatching had been him rushing forward to break Polyth’s shell but Polyth had Impressed to him before he acted. He would never have been so bold, so suicidal, as to run in right under the clutch-mother’s nose and break the shell without such a strong of an invitation. O’hu mirrored Polyth’s wince when Waroth’s furious roar erupted. If he had learnt anything since being at the Weyr it was to never anger a red. Their wrath was legendary. If ever a hatching involved a death there was usually a red to blame. {She is their Candidatemaster,} Polyth said with mild disapproval. {They should listen to her.}
O’hu hoped that the rest of the hatching would go off without a hitch. ‘We might get lucky,’ He thought as a blue hatched and Impressed quickly. He recognized that candidate. Kurosaki. He had been standing since Agrippith’s and Nikianeth’s hatching and if O’hu remembered correctly he had been standing even before that. To finally get a dragon, after all those disappointments, he must be elated. O’hu knew he would have been so discouraged if he had been left standing once. He probably would have given up after one try. A cyan hatched quickly Impressing one of the female candidates. The next egg to hatch was a brown who looked rather cute with his egg shell hat. The brown flicked off the hat and stopped near one of the other eggs.
O’hu noticed the arm sticking out of it right when the thing started wailing. {The hatchling is trapped!} Polyth said as his voice ripped through several octaves. {It is distressed!} O’hu could feel Polyth’s wings flaring. His plan to swoop right down onto the Sands and free the hatchling himself. {NO!} O’hu said as Polyth rocked back onto his hind-legs. He did some quick thinking and added, {Waroth said not to step out of line!} He felt the confliction rise in the brown as he froze half-way ready to take off. He knew his brown hated the thought of a dragon trapped inside his shell but he also hated the idea of disobeying an order from his superiors. Polyth didn’t realize that Waroth’s order had been meant for the candidates but O’hu didn’t feel the need to enlighten him.
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Lan
Weyrlingmaster
lanct[M:-1025]
Nomming ALL the kidpets!
Posts: 1,266
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Post by Lan on Jan 9, 2013 23:49:10 GMT -5
"I will Stand with you."
Kai felt like maybe some of the weight had been lifted off of his chest. He smiled, contorted and bloody still, and gave her hand a squeeze. Good, he seemed to say, although there were no words. He moved away from the Healer's camp with some urgency, eager to be off before one of them caught sight of his nose and asked him to stay. His nose could be fixed later. It'd be painful, but he'd be fine. Even still he felt the dull throb of the cartilage out of place, but he ignored it and continued on. The gritting of his teeth and the feel of Irohvyne's soft hands beneath his own rough, dusty, sweaty, bloody one was all he needed to keep himself moving forward. As the heat of the sands fell upon them once more he winced, the furrowing of his brow causing still more pain from the broken bridge of his nose. His breath caught in his chest, but he kept moving forward. He would move to where Irohvyne could stand on the girl's side and he could stand on the boy's side and hopefully no one would bother them again.
Once there he looked to Iroh and tried to smile back at her, but the action proved to irritate his wounds too much to manage. As he looked out at the sands the skewed image of his nose in the corner of his vision bothered him--a hard thing to ignore even as he forced himself to all the same. The world around him seemed to grow calmer, even if for a minute. Sian was with the healers, Iroh was by his side, and for the first time in this Hatching it seemed like no one was out to kill another person. All was calm, he told himself. All would be right. Even if he didn't believe it, he had to convince himself if only to keep the pain from taking over.
A'lan politely bowed out, not at all offended by Ondine's interruption. If it would make Sian more comfortable to have the soon-to-be-Journeywoman Healer work on her, then A'lan would gladly move out of the way. Irith was saddened by the blue's reprimand, but A'lan focused on calming the rainbow-colored white down. He was confident in Ondine's abilities and everything, he was sure, would end up okay. Instead, he focused his attentions on the incoming wounded that would be needing his assistance. Hakotep and Ghris, for instance, would be needing plenty of attention. When Ondine called for Tesla, Lonet too bowed out and left the prepared sutures ready for the pinkrider's use. She would assist whoever needed her and, like A'lan, she was focused on the incoming wounded who would need their aid.
Tesla squeaked when Ondine called her, almost jumping out of her skin. Tessk cooed soothingly at her, taking every step as her handler moved to the side of her friend. "I'm here," she almost whispered, her voice weak as she saw wounds that were not unlike ones she had sustained back at Tessk's hatching. This must have been what she looked like; bleeding out all over the sands. The image made her sick to her stomach, but she bit her tongue in her cheek in an attempt to keep her resolve. Her hands were held up and slightly in front of her to keep them from touching any contaminants and Tessk stayed a little bit behind her to keep from introducing any germs to the situation as well. "I-" she stopped suddenly, deciding against talking. There was no way she could help or understand any of this by talking. All she could do was assist Ondine and hope for the best. Be fine, Tessk told her, sending loving thoughts her way, Tessk right here. Never leave. Tesla looked back and gave a faint smile, then turned her attention to the task at hand and waited for Sian's approval of her presence.
Action on the sands drew Kaihekoa's attention, although his vision was still fuzzy as tears and sweat intermixed over his eyelids. There was a brown there, he could discern, and... something else? There appeared to be movement from within the egg, but he couldn't rightly tell. Was it trapped? Did the dragonet require assistance? He couldn't tell... However, having been given a direct order by a very large red dragon, he could not conscience leaving his spot and exhibiting bad conduct once more at this Hatching. Kai felt he, Sian, and Iroh had gained themselves enough trouble for one night--they would probably be paying for it for months to come as it was. So he stayed still, one eye squinted and the other looking out to see what would happen. Blood dribbled down from his nostrils, none of it allowed to crust as the heat of the sands had produced a fine layer of sweat on much of the woodcrafter's--candidate's-- skin. It was uncomfortable, standing here injured and unable to do anything to change his fate. His fate, it seemed, had been sealed long ago. He and Iroh would go back to Crescent and Sian would remain here as a dragonrider. Sian... His thoughts dwell on his friend as his mind tried to wrap itself around what had just happened. It was fruitless, though, and he decided to forget for now. There were other things still at hand and there was still a chance a dragonet could decide to attack himself or Iroh as well...
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kireon
Candidatemaster
kirct[M:-191]
Posts: 739
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Post by kireon on Jan 10, 2013 2:21:49 GMT -5
For the first time in what felt like forever, Yuri actually managed to give the young dragonet- and his newly Impressed partner- a smile. It was a quiet one, but genuine all the same. No one Impressed a dragon, or wher for that matter, without the match being exactly what the other person needed, or who was exactly perfect in their own ways. Blues were wonderful dragons, often times considered a voice of reason and a well-pool of stability for more emotionally inclined partners. "Off we go," and gently began guiding the trio off the sands to the medical side of thing. G'is was a strong lad, had to have a strong will for a dragon like that bronze, and he was rather pleased by the pairing, though he felt a measure of pity for the Weyrlingmaster who had to monitor them.
Once at the Healers' section of the sands, Yuri was careful, giving instruction to set Sian down, gently, where they instructed her to be. A'lan's offer was generous, and though he knew the man wished to help, Yuri was unsurprised to find Sian uncooperative, but gave a relieved and welcoming smile to Ondine, and then to Tesla as well, bowing a little to the handler of Yusk's precious, lovely little daughter. Growing up dainty just like her, he thought to himself, pleased and returned his thoughts to what he needed to do next.
It was time to tend to those still beneath his care- in this case, Kaihekoa and Irohvyne. A considerably dark and unpleasant look was sent in Q'sis' direction, Yuri's opinion fell directly in with Jazz and Nimara's- and even if it hadn't, he would do what was best for the emotional well being of his Candidates. The look was quickly tossed aside as he listened to the conversation between Iroh and Kai. Part of him wished to reach out to both of them, to offer them a chance to stand down or retreat to the stands.
But would it be what their clearly beloved friend would have wanted for them? Yuri chose to remain silent, though had either of the two looked to him for help, for an opinion, he would have given it to them- would have made the offer to take them to the stands where he, Jazz and Nimara had been, and where the two women continued to be.
Others gave directions, Yuri chose to quietly retreat from the healers, allowing them to do their tasks, and instead made his way between the healers and the feeding area- in case anyone needed further aid. He would remain there, clearly seen by the Candidates should they look over, and also by the weyrlings as well, those he would have to let go into the loving care of Weyrlingmasters. Given the time, he checked in with Yusk, finding her baring her fangs at the little flit queen who'd gone to dive bomb her. Don't kill, just warn. He ordered, relieved that Yusk had taken it upon herself to play nursemaid to someone who'd needed it.
Grim and stern, Yuri's dark eyes turned back towards the sands, to the new dragons who were hatching- and gave a smile to the newly impressed, a low, soft, "Congratulations," were given to each individual who passed. He would need to speak with Jazz and Nimara about submitting an official report on the tanrider's conduct during the hatching, not to mention on any number of things regarding their candidates' unacceptable behavior.
This would be a hatching that would not be repeated.
Yusk bite ShinyLittle if be bad more. The full grown wher informed Shino and Pex both, eyes whirrling red in warning, as well as at the sight of the scratch on Shino's cheek. Would bite indeed, bad little flyer, not hurt little ones! That tail would get shortened, little flyer would have to get used to it. Yusk leaned further, blue tongue stretching out to lick the scratch in a most tender manner before nuzzling the injured cheek with the soft bits of her snout. No mind, YuriYusk be love all. All love be Yusk. Yuri know, be okay. Pet more?[/i]
Yusk chose to look through Yuri's eyes again. No more scary bronze raging, maybe be okay for Shino to look again. Maybe, she'd think about it after some more pets. there was a glimpse of a light, pale and iridescent hide- and she recognized that as the product of her egg, the good baby, not the naughty one who had hatched first. Good Egg Tessk. Proud be Yusk.[/i] She declared happily to Yuri, to Shino, and, of course, to her pale daughter as well.
**
He glared at the entirely too chipper dragon, the thoughts coming into her head were directly counterproductive to his own. Rax almost wondered if punching a full grown dragon in the snout would be an effective manuever in getting her, as that voice was quite definitely female, out of his way. And then you'd prove yourself absolutely no better than Sian as you end up in the infirmary beside her, minus a dragon, and missing an arm at best, don't be a dimglow. He scolded himself for even considering the notion. "I don't have time to dance in whatever semblence of joy you're expecting, and I most certainly have no time to be Searched. My bro- ...sister is down there and I need her to know I'm here so she doesn't do something dramatically stupid like decide this whole event is the end for her."
He wouldn't mention that he needed to be there because that's where he would do himself the most good instead of panicking left and right. "She'll listen to me." Sort of, he amended slightly. Sian would listen only when she wanted to. Judging by the pink's- Dilath, he thought he'd cuaght the name- croon, strangled and awkward as it was, seemed okay with that, and let him pass.
Pass he did, at that, bolting down the steps two at a time and practically flinging himself around the corner to stand out of the way of Ondine and Tesla's minstrations, but close enough that he could yell, sort of, at Sian and know that she'd see and hear him. "What mess have you gotten us into this time, Si?" Raxeris asked, the sharpness in his voice the same as it had been in their childhood, but it was distinctly missing that same keen edge it usually had, the sting that often accompanied it completely lacking. Might have been something to do with the way her face kept blurring, damned sand and heat was making his eyes water.
Or someone had been chopping onions, he'd positively render a fool into a sobbing wreck if he found the person cutting onions on the sands.
He glanced at Sian's blue, handsome as he was and gave a curt nod to him. Blues were sensible dragons, for the most part. Intelligent and hardworking, a good companion to his sister. And then blue eyes turned to the healers. "On Sian's behalf, thank you for your hard work and your dedication to repairing her injuries." Yet another thing he was used to doing; stepping up and filling in when things got uncomfortable. "You do realize, I am going to have a red of a time attempting to word this to Lady Alosara," he invoked the name of his mother, and her foster parent as well. He knew she looked up to the woman in her own way, and his mother had been rather fond of her foundling as well. "I may have to stay here to hide out until the dust clears, you know how she can be."
She'd take those words as they were meant to be- after all, one didn't grow up together without learning to catch what was, or wasn't, being said in certain situations. In short, Rax had essentially both informed Sian that she'd scared the glows out of their baskets, mind her manners and be a good patient for the healers, and that he would not leave her side, or return to Igen, until she was well and able to be back on her feet.
Of course, he wasn't going to include the little fact that he'd just gotten Searched by Ondine's dragon into any of that. There would be time to figure out how to break that little tidbit of news to her in time.
When she wasn't bleeding all over the place.
**
Willow heard murmuring, heard chaos continuing around her and the sound of shells being broken and more scrambles in the sand. She forced one eye open, and then the other to peer about her. The Bronze, fierce as he was, was gone. Impressed to the one who'd so bravely shoved his arm into its mouth and acted as if to wrestle him. A Blue had gone, looking around, she saw that Sian had Impressed. Such a pretty, pretty blue. Good for hi- err- her, she was happy for Sian, something needed to make the terror of that hatching go away.
A green arrived, Impressing to the boy who'd nearly gotten beheaded- or so she'd been believed to think would have happened. And then another blue, equally as pretty, Impressed to another of the boys. Relief flooded through her as a cyan emerged and immediately secured her chosen partner. The violence seemed to have settled down significantly, and she watched as another dragon- a brown, hatched and began looking about. A second- an arm, rather- popped out of a brightly colored egg. She froze, unable to see what was going on in the egg right as a wail exploded from the hole.
She jumped, startled, and eyes impossibly wide as she looked around, seeing anyone were to dare risking it, again, to go aid the infant out of the shell. Poor thing, she thought, brow furrowing at the cries. You can do it, try again, you got a piece out, you can do it. Just try a little more, just a little harder. [/size]
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Boo
Jr. Weyrwoman
booct[M:-425]
Shirath: THOSE aren't spirit fingers... THESE ARE SPIRIT FINGERS!!!
Posts: 1,917
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Post by Boo on Jan 10, 2013 3:16:29 GMT -5
"I'm Naanell an apprentice harper here and a wherling. I just wanted to welcome you and express my gratitude at your arrival here as well as my hopes to continue my studies with you." She smiled. There was not a thing Naanell wouldn't do in order to achieve her mastery and she would ensure that he would teach her... Somehow. It would happen. Bad eggs. Naanesk growled and clambered his way to stand between Naanell and the sands, concerned that the people down there would come and smash her too. Not to mention that large bronze down there who was causing such pain and devastation. He also hated the shouting in his mind and hissed softly at that, bunching his muscles and preparing to attack if anyone was going to attack His. "This is Naanesk..."
She stopped speaking and watched in horror as a bronze tried to eat a candidate's head and then promptly Impressed to the candidate who was wrestling him. Breathing a sigh of relief she couldn't help but notice that the male healer on the sands looked outraged.
Tedaon glared at Q'sis. It felt like a slight to him, a reminder that he was no longer as capable as he had once been at healing. "Tanrider Q'sis, I understand that you need to concentrate but sustain any more serious injuries and you won't have a choice in the matter. I will finish my work here whether you make your dragon remove me or not." As much pain as that would cause him on multiple levels he would just keep coming back. If it ended in his death so be it. He cared not for such matters, deeming it a warm embrace but so long as he had work to do, he would fight against the call. This was who he was now and with a determined expression he finished patching up the wounds as best he could at this time.
The bronze Impressed and Ezzia's eyes narrowed at the boy who had Impressed. Well that was a surprise. Weren't bronzeriders supposed to be heroic guards strong and powerful with an abundance of confidence? Then again, Ghris had just wrestled the dragonet off Hakotep for which she was surprised to find she felt exceedingly grateful. For the moment they were all standing on the sands with no other dragonets, a blue having wandered off with one of the attention grabbing trio. The candidate folded her arms and looked across at the eggs when another hatched.
Blue, not for her. No, she was holding out her hopes for the next largest egg. That had to contain the queen meant for her. The order to leave the sands earned the briefest thought and then a snort of derision. And give up the life of luxury she had always desired? Hah, they had to think her a fool. Another egg hatched and a weird looking dragonet spilled onto the sands. It was not blue but neither was it green. Ezzia knew very little about dragon colours and this was no different. What in the heck was that thing? She assumed it was a blue and moved on, noting it's graceful movements across the sands with grudging approval this quickly replaced by annoyance when it kicked up sand.
It then stopped before her and headbutted her in her pelvis. Requezzia stepped back with annoyance and was about to shoo the beast away when she heard a distinctly female voice in her mind. My queen Requezzia. Hands dropped slowly to her sides and imperceptibly, the candidate stood taller pleased to be recognised for what she was. Bessienth is here. Oh so this was a new type of queen was she? Your confusion... I am a cyan like my sister Eidukth. So not a queen. She was deserving of a queen! That was why she was here, what was this? A feeling of disapproval invaded her own emotions and Requezzia stared at the dragonet who was now sitting with her tail wrapped around her. You, my queen Requezzia, are deserving of me. I am a queen. You will learn this.
Yes, Bessienth was her queen. Drawing herself up taller, she looked around at all the peasant candidates now remaining on the sands. A cyan was new to Pern, she had found a remarkable creature here just as she was herself remarkable. Disdain ran through her but she could not tell why it felt as though it was not her own emotion. A nudging on her leg made her look down. Food. I am hungry. Oh yes, they had to go to get meat. Ezzia flounced her way off the sands, Bessienth dancing behind her, the pair of dancers.
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Cathaline
Lady Holder
cathct[M:50]
Posts: 3,279
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Post by Cathaline on Jan 10, 2013 3:31:20 GMT -5
Sian tensed herself in expectation of - what, exactly? Well, she assumed A'lan's polite request for permission was just that, politeness. Not really a question, and without caring for the answer. Having never interacted with a healer before, at least not as a patient, Sian had internalised some opinions. Healers were stubborn, and egotistical, and they thought themselves better than others because they had a little knowledge. They could confine you and violate you, and nobody would say a word, because they knew best. And she couldn't take that right now. Yes, there was a certain foolish pride driving that decision, but there were also deep-seated issues she couldn't shake...and she was hardly your average patient. She might not be trained, qualified, or particularly capable of helping others, but she'd been stitching up her own wounds for turns. Sian knew her body, oh yes, and she wasn't going to be told differently by anyone.
But A'lan accepted it, and turned away. Kai and Iroh had retreated; Sian didn't dare crane her neck to see where they'd gone, but missed them fiercely all the same. For a moment it was just her, Ondine, and the meek little whitehandler called over to assist.
Sian felt - raw, and exposed, and unnerved. Unmanned, she thought, with a mental smirk. It was not in her nature to meekly accept help that was offered, but she had no choice. With Shalith's strong presence by her side...she wasn't going anywhere. Everyone in this place would be against her, would endeavor to force her into whatever they required to protect her dragon. And while she resented them (resented them because she had just become Q'sis, detested but tolerated because of the precious jewel attached to her by the soul), she finally understood them. Of all the things in her life, of all the things in the world, he was the most deserving of her protection.
She gave a small smile at Ondine's pathetic jest. "Everywhere," she returned, and finally relaxed. Somewhat, anyway. "It's not bad. I've had - worse." It wasn't a lie. The hints of puckered pink scars would be visible around the edges of her current wounds, once the blood was washed away. The shredded sleeve of her robes laid bare the ancient scorchmark just above her elbow, its shape distorted by time and growth, but still visibly stylised. Permanent and purposeful.
Xuqulzeth's claws had equally shredded her skin, painting cruel lines across her shoulder (those were the deepest, in his fanatical quest to remove her sleeves), down over her breasts (the shallowest, protected by the bindings) and down along her abdomen, ending just above her hip. The remains of her robes still maintained some form of decency, and she made no move to cover the rest, since clearly Ondine needed to get at the slashes. It was deeply uncomfortable, but there was no helping it.
"Shoulder's the worst," she decided at last. "These need stitches." She indicated each gash that she could feel was deep enough - at least none were laid to the bone. It looked - and felt - much worse than it was, though the splattered blood that was everywhere somewhat confused the situation. Shalith was a stoic and calming presence; now that her emotional breakdown was staved off, she had a healer's - ha! - focus. Yes, she'd been hurt before, many times. She could work through it. She didn't fear Ondine's hands. Just her eyes.
Shalith's tail tightened around her wrist at the first touch, and she sucked in a breath. "I - I'm sorry," she said, her voice going high. Feminine. "I don't think I ever thanked you."
Sian smiled, really smiled, at her brother's voice. Her fingers twitched toward him, begging him to hold her hand as her dragon held her wrist. Some comfort would be nice. Reassurance. Not that she would be fine - she knew she would be fine - but that someone in this forsaken place cared about her, not just the dragon. "I will spare you that chore, Rax. I'll write to her myself and tell her I'm - s-sorry - her recommendation to the steward was for..." Nothing? No. Everything. Shalith was everything.
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Boo
Jr. Weyrwoman
booct[M:-425]
Shirath: THOSE aren't spirit fingers... THESE ARE SPIRIT FINGERS!!!
Posts: 1,917
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Post by Boo on Jan 10, 2013 7:04:07 GMT -5
Holding the hands of the tiny infant, helping her shuffle her way across the bowl as she made her way to the hatching sands had taken longer than expected. For a while, Kire had been focussing on the good things in life like her daughter and Kisk. Her family. Although she remembered Camea with fondness and sadness, she knew the other handler had achieved her dreams and was now looking on in happiness. She would not want her friend to be so depressed. It was important to remember her as she was, happy and healthy.
As a result of their taking a long time to get there, and Kisk stopping to take a swim in the lake, they missed all the drama. Kire lifted Kirryl and then sat down. The child's eyes were wide with wonder as firelizards flew everywhere and when she spotted the dragons on the sands could not suppress the loud, joyous laughter. Kisk was sniffing and snuffling his way through the sands and then stopped before Jazz. He barked a greeting and then pushed past her towards Audren. Kisk am say Halloooooo!! LOVE AM LOVE LOTS!
He waggled his body and then charged his way back to Kire, performing a tight circle around Shino and licking her leg. The black wher found Tessk and giggle gurgled at her and then stopped before O'hu and Polyth. He was just excited to be out with all these great people! Kisk am have be friend!? MUCH HAVE BE LOVE! LOVE AM FOR HAVE BIGBROWNDRAGON! Kisk, calm down or we will have to go back inside. So Kisk sat down and stared at the Weyrling pair, tail thumping on the floor. He didn't know of nor notice the drama on the sands.
"Maybe if we stuck one of the reds on the sands with the tans the candidates would remember their manners next time," Rayna muttered darkly.
Rayna watched the black wher with a frown and then shifted her weight from one foot to another, eyes narrowed at the sands. Things seemed to have settled down with Waroth's warning accompanied by the weight of Callistath's but she still was not satisfied with Q'sis's behaviour much less that candidates had come to stand without actually wanting to be there.
Of course, all she knew about searching had come from the searched side. Couineth was not a searcher but one thing that was always asked was whether or not the person even wanted to Stand. Some had children or other commitments so it was necessary to ask. There would be a few things to speak about regarding these matters. Searching conventions was the top of her list. There was no need for her to do anything now. So she just resolved to stand there and watch the rest of this mess with the candidatemasters too annoyed to do much else.
Ezzia looked at the buckets with a confused and disgusted expression. You're supposed to cut it. Like the others. I am not touching that. I do not want to cut my hands. Bessieth looked at her with a bored expression and then took some meat in her claws and mouth then ripped into it, dropping her belly to the ground, tail lashing through the air.
She had Impressed the first time she had ever stood. What did that mean? She was clearly one of the best candidates there and she didn't have to attack a dragonet to get one. Bessieth was hers. Life was assured.
[/blockquote]
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Cathaline
Lady Holder
cathct[M:50]
Posts: 3,279
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Post by Cathaline on Jan 10, 2013 13:40:23 GMT -5
M'iles sat beside O'hu in companionable silence, far too busy scrawling down notes at Taceuth's command to actually talk about the events they were witnessing. It started off intriguing and quickly progressed to dramatic, and he breathed a sigh of relief when the bronze Impressed. Well, maybe that would be the end of it, right? It wasn't that he wanted things to become boring, or that regular Impressions were boring. Simply that his wrist was aching.
Of course, then some creepy thing started to burst out of the second-largest egg. Taceuth craned his neck, trying to see what it could be. Polyth, do not fret! I don't think she is trapped, just hurt, and not badly. Write that down,[/i] he commanded M'iles.
M'iles rolled his eyes amiably and did as he was bid. "Think we'll have anyone else defy their Candidatemasters to go rescue her?" he asked O'hu.
----
Jazz watched that same egg alertly. After Aysha, after Anya, even after Sian, she could no longer trust that things would go according to plan. If the baby needed help, it could be provided by a sibling, by Unath, even by Q'sis, but not the Candidates. Still, the last two to cause a commotion had conveniently Impressed just after. In that respect it might be their ticket into F'reki's hands. No doubt he would be...creative...with his punishments for what his new weyrlings had wrought, but it would be worth it, to Impress.
Of course, would any risk their Candidacy on that slim chance?
----
As Headwoman, of course, Vinnie could go virtually wherever she pleased. She applauded firmly for Nartovyn's Impression, and rose to begin making her way down to the feeding area; she would definitely not wait until the feast to congratulate her grandchild on his beautiful cyan. Still, she walked slowly. Vyna was still out there, behaving herself, and Vinnie was sure she would Impress as well. She wasn't about to miss that.
...and what if the twins were separated after all? The thought did cross her mind, but she put it out.
Despite Nartovyn and Vyna being her top priority, her keen eyes missed little else, and she chuckled often. Doubtless for the dragonriders this was less entertaining, but until a dragonet or Candidate actually died, well...it would make for excellent story fodder. She couldn't wait to hear Salina tell it.
----
Penteryth chose poorly, in Ambrith's estimation. She was as bad as Altaith, and he instantly dismissed her: not his. The bronze he'd so hopefully awaited was a bit of a disappointment in his stupid brutality, but Ambrith rallied. He's mine,[/i] he told Day'ar and Prith. Ours. He knew just what sort of lad to choose to control his...attitude.[/i] He might never be capable of leading wings, but oh well. They couldn't all be perfect specimens of manhood like Ambrith.
Shalith provoked a confused array of emotions due to his shocking choice of a shocking Candidate, and at last Ambrith sniffed, I suppose he might be mine. He will teach her to be strong.[/i] Strong meant traditional, of course. And not punching his precious bronze baby in the snout.
Not being privy to Iopiath's mental beauty, she too was labeled silly, like Toonooth, with no evidence. Perhaps he'd change his mind later on, once he had tallied up how many infants belonged to him. The godly Ocilovoth was instantly determined to be Ambrith's get, and Bessienth was just as rapidly cast down to the position of absurd. Just absurd.[/i] The brown was watched keenly, and whatever was in the second-largest egg horrified him to the point of tears. I always knew that flight would produce such pathetic children,[/i] he lamented. That's what you get for mating with a human.[/i]
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Azhdarchid
Jr. Weyrwoman
azhct[M:-1490]
Totes.
Posts: 1,627
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Post by Azhdarchid on Jan 10, 2013 14:21:46 GMT -5
The brown blinked a few times as he sat beside the wailing egg, which had evolved by now to a kind of windy ocean howl that would pry up roof shingles if any were handy. At first he blinked one eye after the other, uncoordinated. When he finally got a handle on it, he was squinching his lids so hard they made layered wrinkles over his bulbous eyes. Around the time he finally got a handle on how to moisten his eyes normally, the egg eked out a final protesting sigh and went silent. He put his paws up on the pale green flank of his clutchmate's cabin, then stuck his head into the hole in the top. A shadow piled over the two of them, and the brown pulled out, looking up into the face of Unath. His entire body was shorter than her head, but he did not move away even as she offered fangs at him, a side-effect of her sniffing at the green egg. "They're not serious," Q'sis muttered at Tedaon, but let him go. His eyes were on the meeting of hatchling, mother and egg. Whether Unath was at that moment under his prerogative was not something he'd care to reveal, but the clutchmother did take a moment to wag her paw dismissively at the brown, shooing him off his perch. He dropped his paws off the shell and into the sand, but remained close. His round snout and knot-ridged eyes turned on the Candidates, unimpressed. He did not know why none of them had responded. His late wakefulness had been a cushion against Waroth. Mostly. Unath's claws glided along the shell, hooked points twitching against the surface as she listened for response. Eventually she pressed her thumb-claw into the hole already made, pulled up, and cut the egg in half. A limp line of goo fell out of the opening. Unath folded each half of the green shell into her paw and pulled both away slowly, the rest of the hatchling dumping out of the receding bowls. Though it lay still on the sand, the hills its chest made on each breath were plain, the general outline of a craggy young head, lanky body and serpentine tail all there. With time, and some prods from the weary brown, the new arrival pulled its head out of the hatching goo, sheets of liquid streaming off it skin in semicoalescent cobwebs. It got to its feet. On a distant wall sat a glow mistakenly filled with the blue-type fungus rather than the usual green. Its diluted pinprick of light could still be seen by those that stood with the green egg's occupant between them and the wall, a blue dot hovering in her abdomen. When she took her first oozy step forward, the light fell into obscurity again, now pressed by something opaque and blue-purple. A loop of intestine. Her whole body looked like that: skin just thick enough to provide an outline, and anatomy inside all on frosted display. The entirety of each eyeball twitched visibly in the socket, engorged and insect-like. Blue lungs muffed beneath sheets of semi-translucent green muscle. Aqumarine bones glittered in her paws and in a stripe down her back. Vein clusters heaped over the rest like emerald starbursts. But like any dragon, her hide spoke the extremes of her mood, and now as she recovered it colored. Pale, creamy brown, similar to the twin who was not her mother. The clarity of her transparency dropped, though it did not disappear. The overlying hide would be, contrary to its appearance, thick as any other dragon's. But never so colorful. No, this tan took desaturation to the point of ghoulish mockery. The difference did not appear lost on the tan herself. She considered the bones in her legs. Her brown brother poked her green thigh with his claw. He moved around to her behind to give her another nudge on her way, but at the last second she glided out of his gesture. She looked back apologetically: unfortunately she was not capable of being touched by mortals. But there were fun things only a spectre like her could accomplish: for example, she opened her wings, more glows shining straight through them, and lifted herself into the air (she jumped forward and splattered into the Sand in front of the female Candidates). She slid among them like a snake of ectoplasm, never touching. Oooo, oooOOOooOOoo, oooOOOOOOoooooOOoooOoooo. The brown sat there staring at her, and did not respond when she undulated back his way. He was getting a feeling like someone was pulling his leg. He looked at his leg, but it was just lying there in the sands. Unath chuffed behind him, and he agreed with her assessment of his next goal. Even if, maybe, the ghost still needed help. He went over to his and sat back down next to him. There was a girl holding hands with his, but the brown didn't mind being part of a fancy line-up, even if he didn't understand what it was all about. He hacked once in the dry air, but pulled himself up like a good little soldier. His knobby head tilted at his, then back out toward the Hatching. That's where Kai was looking after all. At least at first. When he finally got a sense that the young man might be looking at him, he looked back up, and grunted, Ughck. I don't like being made stupid.[/color] He looked back out at the Hatching. But he could still feel...the eyes...and turned his head back up at the man. Hi...K'oa.[/color] It took him a second to come up with it, so what? I'm your Geth.[/color] Brown Geth, Impressed to K'oa [/color][/center] Appearance: 40 feet. Each of his back ridges stand out as if merely jutting samples of his spine, his skin running tight down from them. His belly arcs up, giving him a lean, or if the viewer is uncharitable emaciated attribute. With favorable proportions to his legs, he's quite good at walking and even charging on the ground, with a swift, feline character to his advance. His wings are large and especially wrinkly, and the first few ridges off his head fuse into a single bumpy crest. His eyeridges are knotted as a gargoyle's, and his headknobs curve down, then back up again. (5d3c32)
Personality: A brown with a blocked imagination. When he's wrong, he doesn't want to know why, he just wants to know the correct answer. He wants to move on. He's humble, not at all showy, but he will lead when he feels the situation requires it (and he's quick to judge it so, not because he's inherently favoring his own abilities, but because so many situations appear disordered and confusing to him). He's a dragon that takes to human parlance ("yeah" instead of "yes," "I'm" instead of "I am"). His intellectual missteps don't bother him so much as when others critique him about it. If they don't let him go on his way, if they dare voice their concerns to his face, avoiding subtlety, he turns into a huffy uproar of a beast. Things he doesn't like get the silent treatment. He rapidly becomes avoidant if he feels he's unliked (and like most conclusions he may come to this notion prematurely). Perhaps the best thing that can be said of him is that his heart is in the right place. He'll generally do what he's asked, even if he doesn't entirely understand it. The dead tan (she was most assuredly dead, the way she looked) left the female Candidates behind. She floated around the men, around her brother and his and the extra girl with them, then drifted away like a grain of rice on a departing wave. Far beyond her and well in Mith's giant shadow, the smallest egg of the clutch splintered and a black inked out onto the sand. An idle noise from somewhere in the pale twin's stomach made him seize up on himself, and then he sprang around behind his mother so as to hide from...his mother. Up she flew (she was crawling awkwardly), the ethereal tan. She ascended great stone steps without ever touching them, and began slinking down the benchways. Stay in line? Stick to your place? She did not have a spot on this living Pern anyway. So she could do what she wanted. Like Impress weaver girls who weren't even in white. Frayya, I am so sorry. Sixwith tried to live long enough to be with you, but it was not meant to be. Would her remains be acceptable?Tan Sixwith, Impressed to Frayya [/color][/center] Appearance: 42 feet. A long creature with an almost gooey softness to places, like elbows and knees, that should be solid and sharp. Her ridges cast off her neck and tail in almost contiguous frilly waves, mostly short and mostly narrow. Her head has the cast of a runnerskull, but with two long knobs coiling down off the end of it. And there is her translucence: green muscle, emerald veins, spokes of blue bone, and the dark organ patches down her abdomen all color what is otherwise a very pale gray-brown dragon with just a trickle of browner spotting. Her innards seem caged in frost. Though her hide is thick as any other's, she prefers shady haunts where she can afford them. (ddd4c9)
Personality: If one were to meet Sixwith without any foreknowledge, one might be utterly baffled. She is far from the most clever dragon on Pern, but definitely the smartest tan; she can construct sentences, she is not always surprised, and she actually has a mind of her own. She could never fall for the puppeting tricks so useful with others of her color. She is friendly and sweet, quite sociable. There's just one little problem that reveals her to be truly tan: Sixwith thinks she's dead, and that she is a ghost bound to Pern. She is brave and reckless because she genuinely thinks she can't be harmed anymore, and she is compelled to play tricks; she moves things around without consciously thinking about it, opens and closes any door she happens to be near, and walks and flies silently, sneaking up on others. When something does pain her, the shock completely overrides her system and she becomes a useless lump until it fades, at which time she instantly and totally forgets it ever happened, since it doesn't fit her worldview.
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Serah
Wingsecond
serct[M:-148]
Posts: 358
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Post by Serah on Jan 10, 2013 14:47:51 GMT -5
Lots of Impressions were made. Two blues, a bronze, a cyan, a green and a tan. They all Impressed to the people that would be theirs. Aelynn had begun to wonder if she would Impress at all this time around. Sure, she was happy for everyone who had already Impressed, but she was finally starting to worry for herself.
There was a large part of Aelynn that wanted to Impress. And wanted to Impress badly. Though, there was a small part of her that wondered what it would be like to continue on as a Candidate. There were still a few eggs left, maybe one of them had a dragonet in it that would Impress to her.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
C'tan and Majeth, Naima and Thanath, and F'vyr and Yryth. All six of them watched on from their spots as each of the dragonets hatched and Impressed. All of them mostly silent, with the occasional, "Oh, what a pretty hatchling!" from one of the dragons. Each new dragonet was seen by the watching riders. Each rider forming their own opinion, though not necessarily sharing it. Yryth was quiet, which was unusual. F'vyr asked her if something was wrong, but she just continued looking at the Sands.
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Post by bailiwick on Jan 10, 2013 15:11:08 GMT -5
G'ris look a lingering look at H'tep over his shoulder, as if to give a cursory "mental sanity" check for himself - no missing fingers, no blood, and a very sweet erethreal looking green that seemed to hold his attention fast. Good. This let him refocus his attention.
Do not look behind. Only ahead. I am hungry. Xuqulzeth instructed firmly, leading his Impressed on towards the feeding area.
This was quite a scene of gore despite attempting not to be. The herder initially felt dizzy looking at it, the deep red dribbling from wooden buckets which held massive amounts of raw chunks of crimson, fresh flesh. But he was suddenly overruled by the foreign concept that this was delicious - coppery, sweet, nurishment. He craved it, although he didn't want to, because Xuqulzeth craved it. This was going to take some getting used to - the dragonet's emotions were intense and his instinct assuredly never wrong.
G'ris felt tired under them and the absence of adrenaline still, exhausted from his nerves and the events at the Sands. He took a heavy seat next to Requezzia and let out a loud, tired sigh. He was happy. He was complete. And he was spent. He tried not to think about Sian...it seemed like it would upset Xuqulzeth immensely, so he didn't. He understood his dragon. And, despite his earlier actions, trusted him implicitly - probably too much, at the moment, but that would be managed in time.
Xuqulzeth waited for a moment of patience before indicating he must be served, and that G'ris was the only one worthy to do it. Requezzia's dragon seemed to be self-sufficient. But G'ris obediently reached into a large bucket and tore up strips and chunks of flesh. The bronze snaked his head around the boy's neck and ate over his shoulder, his enormous body pressed to his back. One of his heavily clawed hands rested around the waist of His...and he made terrible faces at anyone that got too close, except Requezzia and Hakotep as he was fed.
"Hey," he finally said, aloud, to the girl sitting next to him. It was if he had forgotten how to speak out loud for a while as he busily shared information mentally with his dragon. But with Xuqulzeth occupied except for the fleeting mental spark of anger at any approaching strangers he was free to talk. "You look beautiful." it was addressed to the both of them, really, the cyan and Requezzia. His voice was tired but genuine. Xuqulzeth rumbled around him.
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Nia
Sr. Weyrwoman
niact[M:-790]
Posts: 991
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Post by Nia on Jan 10, 2013 15:28:39 GMT -5
Avalle's headache only got worse, but the situation seemed to be getting a bit better. Callistath's words had stirred a bit of order, although Q'sis' (she was sure it wasn't Unath) words made her angry. Callistath's intent had been to get the Candidates to stop getting in the way of the Healers and touching eggs, not to force anyone to stand. But Q'sis' words made hers suddenly seem like she was forcing them to Stand as well. Waroth's commands soothed the remaining cracks out, and the Candidates looked like they'd made up their minds, as it were. Things were fine, at least on the surface.
But she was going to have to have a word with all of them. Candidatemasters, Weyrlingmasters, and Q'sis. The Candidatemasters she only needed to talk to in order to discuss Hatching rules and how to handle sub-queen, Tan in particular, clutches. She also wanted to know what in Faranth's name had caused all this. Avalle had a sneaking suspicion it was due to the Search expansion, as some of the other Weyrs had different rules when it came to Hatchings. Though she was certain no sharding Weyr allowed their Candidates to just run up and smack eggs. They'd have to refine Candidate lessons to make sure this didn't happen again, despite how stupid the next batch was. And no Touchings, or at least far stricter rules for the few dragons that would allow them.
The only reason she needed to talk to the Weyrlingmasters was about the two girls and their punishments. They couldn't be allowed to get out of anything just because they'd Impressed. If they hadn't Impressed, they likely would have been kicked out of Candidacy. So something had to be done. That would be an easy discussion, at least. Probably wouldn't take long. She really didn't want to have to deal with Q'sis, though. But as Callistath had been the one to tell him to back off, she figured it was probably her responsibility now. Fajra's dealing with Q'sis had been anything but pleasant, and she really didn't want to get involved with that man at all. His behavior was way out of line, however. She wasn't going to let him get away with it. Avalle sighed, leaning forward again. This was a massive pain. At least this Hatching had been so disasterous it would give her a chance to finally talk about the Candidate guidelines.
----
The commotion was getting better, it seemed. The hurt Candidate was off with the Healers, and Vyna knew well enough to stay out of their way even without Callistath's announcement. Waroth's confused her, though. Leave? Who in their right mind would ever want to leave? They'd all come here knowing full well that young dragons were dangerous, and maulings were things that happened at Dalibor before. It wasn't a surprise.
Though, she guessed, she was a little bit scared. It was terrifying to see a dragon maul someone in front of her, and she desperately wished she had Nart's hand to hold in her's, but he'd Impressed and she hadn't and there were... she paused to check, four eggs left. Vyna chewed on her lower lip, watching the Brown hatch and move around. They didn't go to girls, did they? No, not often. So she didn't expect much from him, although she thought maybe it'd be kind of cool to Impress something like a Brown.
The egg nearby was having trouble, though. Vyna bit on her lip again, looking at the Candidates. That cry was really pitiful, but... they weren't allowed to go help it, and she really hoped that no one would try. They'd already had so much trouble about that, and Vyna didn't want to get in any more trouble even by proxy! But luckily the one Tan was helping the dragon out of her egg, which was good. Although... the sight of the new Tan made Vyna start a little bit. She was kind of gross looking. Like not to be offensive! But she was a little gross. Veiny and stuff. Would she be ok? That didn't look right. It made Vyna nervous, but she was sure it was ok. Probably.
The Brown had Impressed while she was watching the Tan move to the boy for some reason. She clapped for him. Right, Browns went to boys. Three eggs left. And the Tan had disappeared. Where had it gone? She scanned the Hatching Sands and the Candidates gathered to look, but oh, there she was. Up in the Stands. That probably wasn't right either, but Stands Impressions HAD happened before at Dalibor, hadn't they? Yeah, there'd been one at Callistath's last Hatching. She was there for it! Not that it mattered to much to Vyna who the Tan had Impressed to, because it wasn't her. She clapped anyway.
Three eggs left. That kind of scared her. Vyna glanced at the remaining Candidates and there were a bit more than three left. People would be left standing again. Vyna nervously looked forward again, holding herself straight in an attempt to maybe make the dragons like her more. All that was left was to wait for the three remaining dragonets to hatch, she guessed. It'd seemed like this hatching had gone by so fast, what with all the problems and drama. Before she'd even known it almost all the dragons had already found Theirs. [/size]
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Lan
Weyrlingmaster
lanct[M:-1025]
Nomming ALL the kidpets!
Posts: 1,266
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Post by Lan on Jan 10, 2013 16:42:19 GMT -5
Upon hearing Rayna's comment Nimara couldn't help but give a brief cough of a laugh, although fortunately it was seemingly just a cough to everyone else. Waroth heard the comment, too, and immediately Nimara shared the mental image of the red proceeding over the ceremony and knocking dumb kids around left and right. Well, maybe that'd be one way to solve the problem... It'd certainly give the passionate reds a sense of purpose to channel their energies into. Perhaps she would bring up the idea with Jasra, Doggarel, and Avna when she got the chance (if the Weyrwomen decided on this solution). In the meantime, though, she watched on in silence. The meetings and the decisons and the talking would come later. For the moment, she was just counting her blessings that the craziness seemed to have stopped.
Kaihekoa saw the blurry outline of the ghost-like hatchling and thought it must have been his eyes (which would inevitably turn black) playing tricks on him. It must have been the combination of the sweat and the tears and the trauma. But as she slid around between the female candidates he could tell there was something different about her... whatever and whoever she was. He was so focused on trying to make his eyes give him the proper information about the odd hatchling that he didn't notice the brown had come to sit next to him. Then, suddenly, there was a cough at his hip.
His bloody face, swollen and already darkening with bruises, tilted down to where he saw the the brown dragon looking back up at him. What in the world, he seemed to think, eyebrows furrowing and contorting his face into even harsher shapes that it already occupied. The male hatchling gave a grunt, which Kaihekoa returned, and then seemed to give an answer: Ughck. I don't like being made stupid.
Kaihekoa had to agree with the sentiment. The brown had stood sentinel for his sister and was trying to help her (which he seemed to understand now for some reason he couldn't explain) and she up and flitted around and teased him. It was definitely a situation that Kaihekoa could relate to, having just done his best in vain to keep his friends together only to end up with a broken nose. He looked over at the tan again, then down to the brown. It seemed odd to the woodcrafter that the dragon had yet to move on to someone else. The blue had talked to him and then gone on to Impress that insane girl who was trying to open all the eggs, which had led Kai to believe that it wasn't uncommon at Hatchings for dragonets to talk to several people before they found the one person they desired. But the brown wasn't leaving. It left Kai feeling very awkward, and he shifted to the side and closer to Iroh in an attempt to give the brown enough space to wander off again.
It was all for naught, though. The brown looked back up, his head tilting backward like a canine sitting on his human's shoe, and the voice returned to the tall man's mind. Hi... K'oa. I'm your Geth.
Wait... what? Kai's head tilted in some confusion, but he winced and straightened again when the change of the direction of gravity on his nose caused some discomfort. He looked to Iroh with some confusion and then back to the brown again.
I'm your Geth... I don't like to repeat myself, K'oa.
"Right... sorry..." K'oa ducked his head, his cheeks probably turning a sheepish pink somewhere underneath the dust, blood, and sweat. He hadn't realized he had even said anything... or, at least not anything the brown could hear. Telepathy was a strange thing. He doubted he could get used to it. "Uhh..." He looked to Irohvyne again, sadly this time. She would have to be on her own. K'oa didn't like the idea of leaving her by herself, although he knew he would have to go and take care of Geth. Hunger boiled in his stomach as if it were his own and he had a new-found sense of responsibility. It was more than that, though... it was... different. He wasn't sure how to describe it.
"I'm sorry," he mumbled to Iroh, rubbing the back of her hand with his rough, calloused thumb, "If you... If you don't want..." the words were hard to come by, "You don't have to stay..." he looked to her eyes, somewhere beneath his injuries solemn and pleading. He really wanted her to stay and to see her after. He, Sian, and Iroh were supposed to be together always. The thought of drifting apart was unbearable. It was not, however, his intention to keep her in a place she felt uncomfortable. "Just... stay safe. Okay? I'll see you later."
He looked to Geth again, who grunted up at him. K'oa grunted in return and together they moved from the sands to the feeding area, neither of them speaking a word to anyone else. As the brown started to feed, occasionally K'oa would try to look toward the healer's camp to see how Sian was doing, but he could not discern any useful information. Geth caught on, it seemed.
She's with Shalith.
"Can you talk to them?"
Sure.
There was a pause as K'oa watched the speckled brown with some anticipation. Geth continued to eat, but as he felt his rider's eyes upon him again he looked back up to the man's broken face.
Yeah?
"What'd he say?"
Oh... Well, you didn't tell me you wanted to talk to him now. The brown grumbled. K'oa frowned.
"Well, I do. So... Yeah." Geth paused for a moment and his eyes whirled blue. He tried to touch at Shalith's mind, but he stayed a respectful "distance" so as not to interrupt the bond between hatchling and rider.
Hi Shalith... I'm Geth. Mine's concerned for Yours.
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Cathaline
Lady Holder
cathct[M:50]
Posts: 3,279
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Post by Cathaline on Jan 10, 2013 16:55:36 GMT -5
The scratched marble egg had long been silent. All the roars, all the madness, all the blood and revelations did not touch the dragonet within. She had never heard her mother, or her father, or her siblings. She had never heard the squeaking fair of firelizards, or the boom of Q’sis’s voice. Had anyone touched her shell? They had never touched her mind.
Most infant dragons learned. Slumbering in their eggs, their telepathic minds subconsciously took the words from the ever-watchful dams, from the riders, from any who ventured close enough. They were born knowing. She had learned...some things, somehow. There were words, but she didn’t know what else. She didn’t have that innate understanding of the world outside her shell. She would have to be educated a different way. Fortunately, she was very eager to learn.
The sands were empty of everything but the dazed remnants of the Candidates, and the shells of eggs, and one silly black shadow in hiding. One egg left, after hers. She didn’t know. She didn’t mean to be last, or not to be last. She simply awoke, suddenly. It was time! Time to do her job.
She scrabbled her way out of the egg and rose up on her hindlegs, sniffing the air. She was a pale sunrise yellow, but unlike her siblings, she was nameless. That is, she had a name, but she didn’t know yet what it was. It was in a part of her mind she couldn’t access by herself. For the first time, she took in the world, every scent, every sound, every beautiful splash of exciting colour. There was so much to do! Where to begin? Where could she even begin?
The yellow tripped over her own feet as she scrambled out of the remains of her egg, and gave a startled squeak as she rolled end over end and fetched up against Q’sis’s ankles.
She stared up at him, but could not feel that strange steel trap of a mind. She knew nothing of his opinions, whatever they were, about her colour or sex or existence. Only that he was very big and very beardy! Abruptly, she swarmed up his body to lick his scratchy chin, and then made as much of a face as a dragon could make when hair got stuck to her tongue. It was gross! But exciting! It was a new sensation, and only good could come of things that were new.
Letting go of Q’sis without tearing his skin further - for a beautiful hero like her could never harm a soul, surely - she scampered off. She had a duty, but she didn’t know what it was. She had to find it! Once again, she tripped over her own feet; she was only as clumsy as the average dragonet and would grow into her long, delicate limbs, in time. Not yet, however. It would probably be easier if she stopped rushing everywhere, but her energy could not be contained for long. When she skidded to a stop after this latest fall, she stared upward in bewilderment, trying to analyse this situation.
Far, far above, where the roof of the cavern met the sky, were the stars. She was captivated. They sparkled and glowed, winking down at her like jewels, and her wings fluttered against the sand. Oh, how she longed to race to them, to explore the depths of space...but she was Pernbound for now by her own infancy, even if she did not have an understanding of why she would never get that far even when she grew.
At last her scrutiny came to an end, and she twisted upright. So. Something was wrong with her feet, and she needed to replace them. Glowlight winked on the hilt of Q’sis’s knife, drawing her attention back to him, and she examined the strange things on his feet. Her feet lacked those, and that must explain it.
Traipsing back to him, she butted his knees until she could hook her claws into first one sandal, then the other, chirping apologies all the time. I’m sorry! There’s somewhere I need to be! There’s something I need to do! I don’t know what it is, but I have to find out - what’s THAT? Don’t worry! I’ll bring them back.[/i]
He wouldn’t hear her. She thought maybe he might, but he wouldn’t, for she did not know how to enter his mind; she could not feel it. Still, she eventually managed to obtain two sandals - leaving him to Tedaon and Samael’s ministrations, now trapped unless he wished to scorch his feet - and slipped her front paws into them. A few hesitant steps and she got the hang of it, and began to prance toward the Candidates instead. Okay, here we go! Now she could walk, and that meant she could investigate all these lovely people -
Sandals, it must be made clear, are not meant for dragonets. Especially dragonets who think they are racerunners. Soft sand entrapped her when she broke into a canter, and she gave a surprised shriek as she flailed and tripped. The sandals flew from her paws, perhaps with enough velocity to concuss or bruise if they hit someone in the right place or at the right angle; one rocketed toward Vyna, the other toward Aelynn.
Whoops.
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Ruin
Wingrider
ruinct[M:-786]
We build the worlds we wouldn't mind living in
Posts: 1,137
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Post by Ruin on Jan 10, 2013 17:41:29 GMT -5
It had taken some time, perhaps heartbeats in actuality, but what felt like a journey in her mind, for the high-pitched keen of the trapped hatchling to break through the protective barrier of her thoughts. How much of the Hatching had she blocked out for the sake of emotional survival? Did she even remember an Impression beyond Sian’s? Her roommate had Impressed, she could remember that, if only because the girl had been so brazen as to return—though loyalty, as always, was rewarded by Iroh, and the Holderwoman would need to find a way to thank the Blueweyrling—without condoning her actions. The sound that had pulled her from her mental slumber, had ceased, and Iroh’s eyes focused on the movements of the large mother: Perhaps it was Q’sis again, puppeting her; regardless the Tan made no further moves against her, so Iroh relaxed.
Apparently the egg had held a Tan, much like her mother, though not at all like any of them, which was no surprise. Hopefully this one would require less controlling than her dam, and be more useful. When the little lady made her way through the girls, Iroh followed her movements with cautious eyes. This was not something she wanted, especially not one, as Sian had said, that would make her a breeder like the man who stood before the clutch and claimed it. Yet the little Tan came on in her attempts to find what she was looking for, and Iroh moved closer to Kaihekoa—only to find him moving closer to her. Startled from her observation of the hatchling, she turned and looked up into his ruined face questioningly. Beyond the swell of his damage, he too seemed confused, but he looked away from her and she was forced to follow the movement or go without an answer.
The Brown at his feet was all the answer she needed, and his presence smote the air from her lungs and formed a knot in her throat she couldn’t quite work through. This was it then. That final separation. She had returned to the Sands with Kai because she believed in him, and knew that he needed Sian like he needed air, a man such as he was nothing without the loving support of his friends—but it seemed they would have to get on without her. It really wouldn’t be so bad, would it? Her father would find her a matching, and perhaps one day she would replace Samara, and they could all still see one another on cold winter days and Gathers. As long as Thread didn’t take them, or poison take her. It could be a long life…perhaps even a happy one.
If she could let them go.
They had no choice but to leave her, bound to tiny needy bodies that cried into them with feelings that overwhelmed and overpowered—even if the vestiges of their former hopes and dreams existed, the melding with their dragons had surely softened the blow of that loss. Suddenly her attention was drawn away from her inner turmoil by Kai’s gruff voice, thick with Impression and the sorrow only a brother could still feel during such a time. His rough finger upon her soft skin drew her further from her own quiet sadness, and she was pleased to find a smile had already formed on her face, washing away the neutral look that had been her previous observation of the grounds. ”It is quite all right, my guardian,” she whispered softly. Only the breathy husk beneath her words gave away the slow emotional tightening of her throat as she forged on, squeezing his hand one last time before releasing her last protector from his duty to her.
No longer hers.
”I will see this to its last, and then I will see you again,” even if it was for one last farewell that saw her on her way home—where Q’sis had told her she should go all those sevendays ago. Perhaps they would both have their wish, though not in the manner anticipated—or preferred. As the pair departed, she shadowed them, keeping well within the area ordained as for the females so as not to earn the ire of her Candidatemasters: Though she wasn’t certain a one of them would have the heart to stop her at this juncture. It was a promise she had made to Kai that made her stop on the edge of that zone, an answer to the plea she had seen in his mangled face, and she would not break it after coming so far. After losing so much. From that point, on the cusp of her current world and the one beyond, she watched the Weyrling and his Brown go out into the softly glow-illuminated night.
Only yards across a flat expanse of craggy stone lay the healer camp, and Sian; as often as her head turned to encompass both of her friends in their respective areas, she could see the twist of Kai’s head as he sought information of his own. A tongue of cool night air snaked in against the fire of the cavern and licked her body, drawing wherryflesh up on her exposed pale arms and urging her to break with the posturing and hold herself, but the cool night was slain by the vivid heat and once-bumps fell away to call up flecks of salty sweat. That kiss of the outside world, so close and so far, drove her back one step, and then another, until she felt wholly submerged again; though she did not turn to see what could only be the last of this catastrophe unfold.
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Rii
Wingleader
riict[M:420]
RP demon hungers...
Posts: 803
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Post by Rii on Jan 10, 2013 18:33:26 GMT -5
Some of the frentic activity was slowing down, order being restored to the Sands. Well, good. Not that activity was bad in and of itself! But this had just been mad, bad activity, with the blood, and the fighting, and... well... everything. He might have come from another Weyr, but surely it was obvious how you were supposed to behave at these things!
Iroh and her friend had come back; it surprised and pleased him, and gave him some small hope that maybe she wouldn't entirely hate them after all. Maybe he could find her after the Hatching. They could sort things out. Somehow! He offered her as encouraging a smile as he could, a good Varkyr smile, though he suspected she wouldn't even notice. Oooh, good thing they came back. Her friend Impressed the brown! If he'd been in the stands, he would have clapped. Here he just grinned, and turned his attention back to the dragonets.
The tan that had been hatched - thank Faranth, that sound had made his skin crawl - was... odd. He gulped and stared. He could see her insides. That was creepy! Kind of cool. But creepy! She seemed healthy otherwise, at least. He'd been fretting about duds. Now she was on the move, and he watched her with fascination; clumsy, but her movements had some kind of... purpose. Through the candidates, and up... into the stands? Varkyr swallowed a sigh. He supposed Stands Impressions happened. Made things interesting. A stray thought brightened him. Wonder how many wagers were thrown off by it?
Another egg cracked. Second last already... it goes so fast. The Istan boy looked as another pale-colored dragonet scrambled free of its egg. A yellow - I think it's a yellow! He leaned forward slightly, eyes bright with interest. He'd never seen a yellow hatch, although one of the Candidatemasters here had one. He clapped a hand over his mouth as she scrabbled her way up Q'sis like a ladder and licked him, trying to muffle a giggle. That's it. Get him!
Scamper, fall, get up again; every movement spoke of energy, of... could it be a fascination with the world? Varkyr decided to interpret it that way. Another muffled laugh tried to escape from behind his hand as she stole the tanrider's sandals and tried to run off in them. But she fell, the sandals going flying, and he winced. Um... hope they duck!
Hope she's - or he's? - okay. He looked at the yellow and willed the dragonet to get up and keep on exploring. There was a whole big world waiting!
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Ondine
Jr. Weyrleader
ondct[M:-155]
Posts: 436
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Post by Ondine on Jan 10, 2013 19:16:59 GMT -5
Ondine was somewhat dubious about her assertion that she'd gotten through worse, but it was certainly true that this wasn't the baddest she'd ever seen. Not even Rennin, on the sands two Turns ago, had been the worst. So she worked and listened, having figured out that the shoulder was highest on the priority list already. But it wasn't to the bone, and that was good.
Had it really been two whole turns since she'd worked first aid, and a bit more, on Rennin? Saved her life, out on the sands? It seemed like it was so much more recent than that. That she wasn't two years older, wiser, more experienced, more confident in what she could do. Little words and comments floated towards Tesla, asking for things, for her to prepare things (except for the sutures, already thoughtfully prepared by Lonet. She'd have to thank the woman, later) and her eyes picked out details on Sian. One thing bothered her, but it wasn't really an issue. Just above the elbow, there was a stylized, purposeful scorch mark.
And Ondine didn't care about it at all. What it might mean, what could have happened in her past, was ignored. Perhaps later, she could ask. But the only thing that might stop Ondine from healing a patient who needed her was the brand of the Holdless, and something like that wasn't even a concern. “Yes, they do. But don't worry, I've been doing this for over half my life.” There was a bit of a wink and a smile, as she finished applying the redwort and numbweed to Sian's body, making sure to avoid her breasts (they weren't scratched up enough to need it, and Ondine could see that).
“The Hatching where I impressed Dilath was a fun one. Kalith and Waroth both clutched together, rather the opposite of this hatching, we were all scared shardless.” She chuckled lightly, starting to use the first suture on Sian's right shoulder. “Turns out, I had to use my craft on the sands, on one of the other Candidates. She's fine now, but she had to stay in the infirmary for a while. You're not nearly that bad, should be fine to be up and about in a few days.” Probably not best to mention that Rennin had been sliced down to the bone.
When Sian thanked her, though, Ondine didn't know what to say. It wasn't what she had expected. She didn't know that she'd expected anything at all, but she remained silent as Rax approached and spoke. So, he knew her. And intimately, apparently. That her touch distressed Sian was obvious, given the tightened tail of her dragonet, and little other clues, but the healer didn't know what to do about it, per say. Other than to keep herself professional. She couldn't guess what Sian was going through, and she wouldn't do anything unless Sian reached out for someone.
But maybe that was wrong. Maybe the woman in front of her was trying to reach out, and she just didn't know it. Shards, she didn't know. She moved slightly, to allow Rax to take the hand that was reaching for him, even if only a little, but otherwise said nothing. Finally, after Sian stopped speaking to Rax, she responded. Her voice was...not happy. A sharp break from her voice of even a minute ago, but her body didn't reflect the change. “You have nothing to apologize for. Until a few minutes ago, all I'd done was drag three people from lives they had plans for. But you're welcome, and I'm glad you Impressed.”
She'd done a great deal more than that, but she wasn't going to think about that until Sian was stitched up and in the infirmary. And maybe when she could really get some privacy with the woman. At that moment, though, Dilath gave another happy croon to her bonded lifemate. The Woodcrafter Impressed! Do you think Iroh will find Hers here as well? That would be great, all three in the first hatching they went to! Ondine sent a small glow of pleasure through their bond, but she could really celebrate, of a sort, later.
She frowned, considering the people coming here and the state Sian was in, and then made a decision. In a flash, she had a sheet up and over the woman before her, covering her from her toes to just below her shoulders, where the biggest damage was, and what she could work on and finish before the hatching was over. “I'll do the rest later, but with only three dragons left that might Impress, this hatching can only last a few more minutes, and we can take care of the rest in private.” The woman hadn't lost enough blood for it to be an issue, but Ondine knew that she wouldn't want to be so exposed, against her will, with so many people coming over to this area. With numbweed over most of the wounded areas, the sheet would hardly hurt.
Perhaps she should have done it at the start, but she'd gotten to it now. Back in a much more normal voice, Ondine spoke loudly enough for everyone to hear. “Looks like another of your friends Impressed. A Brown, to Kaihekoa.” Her hands moved more, threading stitches through with precision and speed. “Would you like him nearby or kept away? Once the hatching ends, we'll move to the infirmary, but until the dragonets are fed, I can ask for him to be close. It is your choice.” Given how Sian had bashed in his nose, that wasn't a certainty, but that was why she had asked.
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Post by thyme on Jan 10, 2013 19:53:03 GMT -5
‘Will someone shut that sharding beast up?!?’ Frayya thought as the wail rose to a pitch that battered against her eardrums. Its wail would just incite the candidates to further foolery. Luckily, for the candidates, the brown beat them to it sticking his head right into the open egg. The egg went silent. Frayya sighed and rubbed her temples with all the roaring and carrying on at this hatching she was well on her way to a headache. The hatchling within the egg seemed to make no more effort to escape until Unath stepped up and split the egg in two. She was hard-pressed not to gag when goo poured out onto the Sands. Was that normal? Nothing at this hatching was what she had come to expect from hatchings.
The hatchling that emerged was anything but normal. She could almost see its veins and entrails through its skin before its form seemed to solidify into a creamy brown. A tan then. She looked too much like the clutch-mothers to be anything else. The brown who had stood guardian for her nudged her thigh but when he went to touch her again she jumped away. He looked rather disappointed at being left behind. Frayya watched the brown’s progression over to the male candidates. He sat down next to one of them and his eyes eventually shifted into rainbows.
Frayya didn’t notice that the tan had deserted the Sands until the crowd of spectators began pushing back from something. The tan was making her way through the Stands. This is precisely why Frayya had chosen a seat so far up. The Weyrleaders needed to think about adding some railings or something to prevent the beasts from crawling onto the Stands in the first place. The spectators shouldn’t have to be worried about getting mauled by half-mad hatchlings. She could have sworn that right as that thought popped into her head the tan looked up at her.
{Frayya. I am so sorry.} Frayya stared at the pale tan in incomprehension. {Sixwith tried to live long enough to be with you…} Only one word registered in Frayya mind. A name. The dragon had spoken its name. The weaver was on her feet in a heartbeat but it certainly wasn’t to run to the beast in joy like some might expect. “No, no, no,” She said as she backed away hastily. Pest leapt off her shoulder and flew towards the hatchling singing her welcome to the tan. Welcome to the joy of being Frayya’s. Frayya could almost feel the sarcasm in the little pest’s welcome. “Shut up, Pest. Get back here!” {But it was not meant to be. Would her remains be acceptable?}
Frayya continued to back track her palms outstretched in flat rejection. The tan continued to float towards her unconcerned. “No, NO, NO,” The weaver insisted determined to keep as far away from it as possible. Her foot caught on a rock causing her to tumble onto her backside and she almost wailed as she felt some of the fragile lace rip from her perfectly crafted rouge dress. She looked around wildly for someone to rescue her, to steer the beast back towards the ones who hungered for this. Her eyes fell on Q’sis. This was all his fault! All of it! He had stolen her from the Weaver Crafthall and brought her here. It was his fault she had been trapped here because of the plague! Now his puppet had clutched Six…NO…this…this monster to torture her. Q’sis fancied himself king of the tans…but whatever hold he had on the other tan riders he would not have on her! No! It didn't matter what he thought because it wasn’t her dragon!
‘Wait, what?’ Frayya thought as the rest of what the tan had said clicked into place. ‘Her remains?’ Great. Not only had she got a dragon. But it was a crazy dragon! Wait. No. Sixwith wasn’t her dragon! She would not give up that belief. There was still time to right this wrong. She jumped back up just as the tan reached her level and began backing up as if the tan had plans to eat her. Frayya’s stomach betrayed their connection by growling in a hunger that did not come from her own belly. The tan refused to acknowledge that same hunger that clawed at her own belly. Ghosts didn’t need to eat, you see. Frayya tried to keep the beast at an arm's length as the tan pushed forward still unconcerned. The weaver couldn’t escape Sixwith! She would haunt her wherever she went.
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Serah
Wingsecond
serct[M:-148]
Posts: 358
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Post by Serah on Jan 10, 2013 20:36:13 GMT -5
Aelynn had not really been paying much attention after she started to worry about herself. She had missed the black and the yellow hatching. Completely missed that precious little dragonet. She went back on to wondering whom these new dragonets would Impress to. Surely, their people were still on the Sands. With only three dragonets left, there were still plenty of people to choose from.
The sandal flying at her head was also something she had missed. However, Aelynn caught a glimpse of it in time to where it only hit her head hard enough to only give a bruise, instead of knocking her unconscious. This late into the Hatching, she would have hated to miss a second of it. She wanted to know whom these little dragonets would Impress to. She surely was not going to let a simple thing like a random flying sandal keep her away from this incredibly interesting Hatching. Especially not so close to the end.
There were, after all, only three more dragonets left to Impress. The third had not even come out of its shell at this point. That was what kept the suspense and the fun in all of the craziness that was Unath and Mith’s Hatching.
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Nia
Sr. Weyrwoman
niact[M:-790]
Posts: 991
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Post by Nia on Jan 10, 2013 21:01:09 GMT -5
For a moment, Vyna had to recheck the eggs. Huh. Had that small one been broken the last time she counted? No. It hadn't, had it? No dragon had come from it. Not one that Vyna could see, anyway. She frowned, wondering if the little dragonet had already gone and Impressed. That couldn't be either, because she would have heard the clapping for whoever Impressed. So there was another dragonet left on the Sands somewhere! But where? She did know that sometimes dragons hid, so maybe it was doing that.
Another egg was hatching now, so Vyna abandoned her search for the mystery dragonet for now, deciding instead to watch the scratched marble egg hatch into a really cute colored Yellow. She was kind of a weird Yellow, but Vyna had heard that most Yellows were kind of weird. Oh, wait, she'd only kind of been assuming the Yellow was a girl because she looked feminine. Yellows could be male or female! Vyna knew that, she'd checked. Whites, Yellows, and Grays. They could be either gender! But uh, she'd just go on assuming this Yellow was a girl because it was easier....
But the Yellow was getting even weirder. First she sat up to lick Q'sis (ewww!) and then started doing something to his feet? Was she trying to eat him or something? No she er, wanted shoes. Sandals? Why sandals? Vyna watched with wide-eyed fascination as the Yellow tore Q'sis' sandals right off his feet in order to put them on her own feet. That... that was really weird! These dragonets were really weird! First a veiny pale dragon and now a Yellow that thought she was people?! Vyna wanted to laugh but thought it would probably be inappropriate, so she didn't.
Oh, the sandals didn't last very long. Vyna let out a small squeak as one of the sandals flew her way, and she immediately flung herself to the side and towards the ground to escape it. She avoided a direct impact with her face, which was good, but the sandal smacked straight into her left arm while she was trying to drop out of the way. She lay on the Sands for a moment, sitting up and gently touching her arm. That'd definitey leave a bruise. Vyna rubbed her arm, flexing her fingers to make sure nothing had broken, at least. Nothing had.
Alright, all in order! Vyna pushed up from the sand and back on to her feet, as the sand was getting too hot for her to sit on anyway. She rubbed her arm again. Really though, she was probably lucky. She hadn't been bitten. Just sort of... uh. Hit by a sandal. That sure was something. [/size]
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Cathaline
Lady Holder
cathct[M:50]
Posts: 3,279
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Post by Cathaline on Jan 10, 2013 21:36:29 GMT -5
"A few days," Sian echoed, but she had no intention of staying in the infirmary more than one night unless she developed an infection or something of the sort. True, she'd also have to test herself out to make sure she was correct, but she felt she could hobble along to lessons. Sleep in her own bed. Not have to worry about creepy healers doing creepy things. Naturally, she assumed the famous Ondine would have better things to do - she could not be the only injured weyrling, right? - and that she would be at the mercy of those far less understanding.
Funny, how things could turn upside-down in an instant. She'd viewed the pinkrider with disdain, viewed her as one cause of her problems. They were certainly not friends all of a sudden, but Sian had extended trust to her - something she did not give freely, whether Ondine grasped that or not. Funny, because with her masquerade Sian had ensured no one would ever trust her. Or at least that she'd have to prove herself. Soon she would have to deal with the inevitable fallout of her actions, but the thought exhausted her. Nothing was hidden from Shalith; their silent communion had long since dissected all the parts of herself she locked tight away. Sian wasn't particularly fond of the idea of telling the Weyr leadership all about her tragic history (would they even believe it if she did?), but neither could she tell a lie about why she'd done this. Dishonesty did not come easily to Shalith, and if they were to reach their potential...they had much to prove.
She winced at one (fortunately painless) pull of the needle. Her hand tightened in Rax's, but she knew it was almost over. The speed with which Ondine covered her did surprise her, and Sian cautiously eased herself upright, testing the stitches. Her legs were fine and she was no longer near-fainting with blood loss and Impression, and the healers would have a fight on their hands if they really thought she would lay still to be carried when she could walk.
"Thank you," she repeated, and then the blood drained from her face. Ondine clearly thought she was delivering good news, but it plunged Sian into turmoil. She'd believed male dragons to be creatures of lusty, horrible passion; obviously Shalith was different, but she had only just met him, and he was a baby, so she had yet to extend her feelings about him to her feelings about other male dragons. Especially the ranking ones. She had opinions about browns, and only the brutal Xuqulzeth could've been a worse match for her sweet, beloved Kai. Besides, while she now understood what having a dragon did for you, she also knew what a loss it would be to Kai. The bond would mitigate it, but his future was gone now too, just like hers...
Hello, Geth. There's no need for concern. We are just heading to the infirmary, and the healer says you and Yours may join us there.[/i] Obviously, once Sian snapped out of it, she would want Kai. Do not rush to eat, and make sure you obey the Weyrlingmaster,[/i] Shalith advised. These were unusual circumstances, but even his rider's peace of mind was not worth the horror of breaking the rules.
Sian finally choked out, "No, I - I want him. I need him. If he wants me." Her betrayal must have sunk in by now, and she could see the mess her panic had made of his face. "But we have to wait until it's over. For Iroh." Either she too would walk off the sands a dragonrider, or she would exit alone. Either way, Sian was...pretty sure...not totally sure...Iroh would want to be with her tonight, at least for a little while. Iroh would want answers. Kai, however...he might want time to cool off, or he might never want to see Sian again. Still holding Rax's hand, she blinked back tears. Now that her body was numb, the emotions came creeping in from wherever they'd been hiding. She was a passionate woman and she was used to feeling things strongly, but...not now. Not in front of all these people. On top of everything else, they must not think her weak.
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Azhdarchid
Jr. Weyrwoman
azhct[M:-1490]
Totes.
Posts: 1,627
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Post by Azhdarchid on Jan 10, 2013 22:34:23 GMT -5
A small triangular head poked out from beyond the coil of Mith's tail. The runt of the clutch flinched as sandals took flight in the distance, exhaling in a whistle. No one heard. He was far from any of the Stands, and would have to traverse his dam's entire length to get near the white-robed ones. He had no qualms about their importance: they were sanctuary. Their white bodies would open pale wings to admit him, and keep him safe. But the journey: he would have to cross a burning desert between twin sphinxes with glowing eyes. Though the shards of those that had gone before had been mostly wiped away, his fine globular eyes picked out patches of jewel dust in his path. And the air crackled with the goading song of a hundred faceless giants. Though the cavern was well-lit even at the end of this barbaric ceremony, that hum pressed down on his mind, dimmed his vision like a claw closing over his head. No choice, though. He stumbled out of cover, wet wings half-spread as if he could leap away on them. Like the yellow, he saw the stars beyond it all. But the night would have only been a temporary escape. He desired nothing more of it. What he wanted was only his safe place at a White Robe's knee. Stiff-legged, he headed across the golden flat. Stopping every few feet to flare his wings and cock his head, the black walked the dusty trail alone. At last he looked up and saw he was past the maternal monuments. Nothing lay between him and the Candidates but air. His head lifted, jaws parted, and he sang them a note of greeting. But oh no. Ohhhhhhhhh noooooooooooooo. His assessment had been wrong. The yellow was still- she was still- With a bark the black hatchling sprang into a shambling run, crashing through the remaining girls and breaking for the Stands...then returning to make sure he splatted against Irohvyne's legs too, just for thoroughness' sake. His was a soft contact, but his claws whistled past them all. He snaked up into the stands and found an unoccupied bench, then squeezed himself between it and the barrier to the Sands. Pipping up his gawky head, he flushed his facets with uncommon ebony, just so they matched him and he was entirely inconspicuous.On some level, he was aware that he was, perhaps, taking this all too seriously. But that yellow. The footwear-flinger. He wouldn't survive! Vyna save me! he called. That other...she's at least six inches taller than your Eachuth. And he squawked helplessly on the pronunciation of his own name. Black Eachuth, Impressed to Vyna [/color][/center] Appearance: 20 feet. Eachuth will always have a bit of a hatchling's disproportion about him, with a large head and downturned beak. His headknobs wing off the sides of his skull, grander than the rest of him, and his neck is a tender, willowy stalk. His spinal ridges are fine and tall, save where his rider sits, and continue at his midback rather than the base of his tail. His flukes are long and a bit splintery, his toes long, thin, and pincer-like. His wings are brief and taper rapidly from base to ends, giving his flight a fast-beating, intermittent character like an oversized finch. (131313)
Personality: Do...do you need a hug? Tries to be reassuring, comes off as clingy. A bit shy and bashful, but certainly an optimistic thinker. He doesn't go into any conversation fearing rejection or believing the other person dislikes him, per se, but he thinks of himself as goofy, and he's self-conscious about it. He would rather it worked like harper's song, all happy endings. He's not impervious to the notion that real life doesn't work that way, but he...has to try. He's small, nervous and bird-like. He congregates well with dragons of similar smallness, but large ones make him nervous. He doesn't grasp the concepts of freedom and independence, and desires nothing but a comfy cage. He's a watcher, a listener, (a creeper?). He does a lot of physical communication, b-o-d-y-l-a-n-g-u-a-g-e. One road marker Eachuth had tried to pretend did not exist, as it did not fit his current gloomy adventure, was the solid pink lump remaining at the back of the clutch. It had been quite still, and now Unath gathered her paw behind it and migrated it to the forefront of the Sands, a bit closer to the girls since it was pink. But when the egg stirred in response to the jostling, and a patchy blue head popped out, the tan's nose wrinkled in a very un-Unath-like disdain and she pushed the whole egg back over to the boys' side. There weren't many left now. A little kid, really. The blue fell out of his tricksy egg and onto his back. He flipped onto his feet and shook himself, showering the remnants of the Candidates with the remnants of his egg. Fourth blue, final hatchling. He'd be little brother for life.
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