There's Something In The Air [Fenrisk's Hatching]

[RavenSong]

{desc=Fenrisk's First Hatching}Early evening in Dalibor found the Hatching Sands quiet, though Fenrisk was staring quite intently at one of the objects in her nest. Outside, it was dark as night, rain pouring down heavily. A thunderstorm was in full swing, lightning flashing at intervals. Being the Watchpair that evening was likely a horrible task. A soft cackle escaped the white after a particularly loud crash of thunder, which caught Fenrimere's notice.

"What're ya laughin' at, lovely?" she asked, sitting up. She'd been laying on a bench, yawning a bit, bored out of her mind. It had given her time to think up pranks, though. Perfect pranks that would take time to execute, as well as time to find the perfect people to play upon. She figured some of the Candidates needed laughter, so they were going to be her first targets. Well... probably a Candidatemaster. She'd have to give fair warning, since the Candidates were likely to laugh at the unfortunate soul. Lady and Fen-bug trundled out to the nest to stare at objects.

Fen-bug and Lady shoo, Fenrisk said to the pillies, hissing at them. Fen-bug hissed right back and Lady just turned to go. Go, Fen-bug, Fenrisk insisted.

Ahah ahahahah, Fen-bug responded, sending a general feeling of dismay to the wher. She knew why Fenrisk was staring at the egg and cackling, and she wanted to be part of it. Fenrisk was having none of it, though.

Fenrisk laughing baby, the wher told her handler. Best prank ever ready. Babies ready. Just need can-dits now. We see how high can-dits jump. Hahahaha. Fenrimere shook her head and grinned.

"Well alright then," she said, moving onto the Sands to run interference, just in case. "Call the Candidates."

Hey all Dalibor! Fenrisk called out. Can-dits in nest now, babies say. Can-dit want baby? Be in nest. Going be great. Come on! Eat breakfast later, dinner later if dragonbutt.

She parked herself on her haunches, waiting for people to arrive. As she waited, she contacted other whers directly.

Other whers come watch. Maybe see funny thing! Jafask not allowed, Rask too. Bad babies scare everybody in bad way, suck shell for that. Fenrisk not want can-dits scared out of pants. Might scare Fenrisk babies too, not want. IMPASK! See babies! Impask Bestdaddy. Help keep babies good, maybe. Impask watch Stands, pin baby if be bad. Fenrisk watch Sands. Good plan?

Fenrimere smiled proudly. She hoped none of Fenrisk's offspring would prove violent, especially after the last Hatching that happened. Dalibor needed a dose of sanity.

Ya told ya babies ta be good, right lovely? Fenrimere asked privately. Before asking their sire ta come 'elp keep folk safe? I really don' want a repeat of any of th'bloodier 'atchings here.

Yep! Fenrisk tell. Babies and Fenrisk make other plan. Fenrimere see. Fenrimere raised a brow at her wher.

"Come on. Be nice," she said outright, crossing her arms over her chest after she tossed her dreads behind her. She took her place on the Sands, just on the edge of them beside the Stands. She'd certainly do her best to contain errant wherets, if she could catch them. She knew how many eggs Fenrisk had laid, so she knew how many to expect. Her pillies flanked her, speckle Fen-bug on her left, green Lady on her right. They chittered and chattered, then decided to go sit in the lake. The Sands were too hot for them. Fenrimere waved at them as they left.

AM NICE! Fenrisk responded while the pillies trundled off. Give babies to Weyr. BEST NICE. Just also best prank ever too with babies.

It's prob'ly not smart ta let the Candidates stand in th'nest, ya know. Kalenna said not to trust th'babies, even if they're yours. Ya know... I'm jus' goin' ta say y'can't let the Candidates stand in ya nest. Fenrisk gave Fenrimere the dirtiest look she could muster, but Fenrimere knew the little white would listen.

When the first people arrived, Fenrisk spread her stubby little wings and wiggled in place.

HI! she said loudly to them. YAY! You came, you here! Can-dits around nest! Safe, Fenrimere not nice and say no Can-dits be in nest. Fenrisk bite babies if babies mean, anyways. Kalesk bite too. They hear. Be happy! New life, yay yay yay.

With a wide wher grin, she waited happily for the fun to begin. Who would be the first to realize exactly what her nest held? She couldn't wait. Neither could the wherets, if the scrabbling sounds from inside one of the objects, quite clearly an egg from the sound, were any indication. The objects had been grouped to where there was plenty of room to stand in them, and each of them certainly looked as though they were small enough to be from a white wher... but there was no way all eight were eggs.

Most, actually, were rocks. Fenrisk had filled her nest with rocks to prank the whole Weyr. What a devious little wher she was! And still, the scratching went on. One of the eggs was sure to hatch any second.

[Maggie]

Eggs is be for hatch! Eggs is be for hatch! Gennesk trumpeted at his handler, dancing around in a mad little circle. Genner looked up from the scroll he had been reading and frowned at his wher's antics.

"Calm down. Do you really want the first impression we make on the new wherlings be that we're crazy? Pull yourself together." He got up, putting the scroll down and taking a deep breath. "Tell Mouse she'll have to watch with either Lirmox or G'lin this time and let's get down to the sands."

Lisk! Saosk! Genner called imperiously to the two wherlets who frequented Mouse most. Lisk and Saosk is be for Mini-Mouse guard! Mimi-Mouse is not be for hurt. Gennesk is be for baby-help, so Lisk and Saosk is be for only guards. Is be important! Mini-Mouse hurt, Lisk and Saosk for stomp! he warned hem, although he sounded much more happy than concerned. There were going to be babies! And he was going to get to play with them this time! They were going to be all his to teach and guide and take care of... This was a very grand day.

He followed Genner out of their quarters towards the hatching grounds. They took their place in the feeding area, waiting for the new wherlings to arrive. Fenrisk! Gennesk is be for watch, he told the little white jovially.

***

Up on a ledge above, a delicate, white-scarfed blue landed. The scarf had some random blue patterning in it, ensuring that no baby wher think that Anablimyth was a Candidate, but that was his sole concession to colour. He had insisted that G'lin attend this hatching. It was a white's hatching, which meant that it was very special and the babies who were born would be very special. Not as special as the babies of two whites, of course, but still very special. He had dressed G'lin in white and blue as well: eggshell soft linen trousers and a long-ish white shirt with delicate blue embroidery around the hem, cuffs, neckline and the button placket that cut down from the neckline to about mid-chest. He had tried to add a hat as well, since Doom thought it was the ideal accessory, but Dimglow kept knocking it off.

Congratulations on this momentuous day, Fenrisk, the fashion-conscious bue greeted the clutch-mother. G'lin said nothing, but took his place in the Stands with a grin.

"Is that your father and Gennesk down on the Sands?" Dawn slid next to him easily. He hadn't even heard her approach. He could see Nesdeth landing on the ledge near Anablimyth, looming with definite interest.

"Yeah, he got tapped as Wherling Master." He explained. "I thought you didn't like seeing wher hatchings?"

"Well Fenrisk asked so nicely and it can't be worse than the disaster that just happened." He could see some dark circles under her eyes. He knew it had been hard for her with A'bar off duty in the healers' care. "But Fenrisk's a good little wher and Nessie likes her, so it'll probably be fine." She paused, looking around.

"If Gennesk's down there, where's Mousie?" G'lin shrugged and she thwapped him lightly. "I'm going to find her." She got up, going to search for the little girl that she knew wouldn't want to miss the hatching.

May your children spook all the Candidates, the morbid cyan mind-murmured to Fenrisk, watching the clutch closely.

[Zephyr]

Mouse was just as excited about the hatching as Gennesk was. While the wher was bouncing away, Mouse was bouncing somewhere out of the way so she didn’t accidentally get smushed. She tailed the brown and his handler to the sands, where the girl was quite disappointed that she wouldn’t get to follow Gennesk down onto the sands. The child pouted in the stands as they walked off. She’d worn her wher costume and everything! What use was wearing it if there was no one to appreciate it.

When she didn’t see Lisk and Saosk materialize at her sides right away, Mouse began to look for other routes. Gennesk had told her she couldn’t follow him, but he didn’t say she had to sit right here and go nowhere else. So with a happy squeal, the child bounded down the stands, loving the way the breeze blew through the ‘wings’ of her wher costume. At the very bottom, she made her way around, bounding out onto the sands towards Fenrisk.

Now, Mouse knew she wasn’t supposed to be on the sands…but there were no candidates or babies yet, and Fenrisk was such a nice wher. What could possibly go wrong? AM HERE She announced to Fenrisk as she stepped on the sands. Guard Mouse for best babies!…but it went wrong in pretty short order when someone grabbed her.

She turned around and pouted at Fenrimere, about to plead to the woman when she spoke. But…but… How could she be guard Mouse with no babies to guard? She wanted to cry, but guard whers didn’t cry. Instead, she sniffled a couple times, wiping her nose on her sleeve, as she followed the woman back up onto the stands. Snuffling some, she sank down sadly in the stands, watching the eggs with quavering eyes. Would anyone ever trust her to be the best guard Mouse? She just wanted to be the best wher she could be.

[Cathaline]

Newt was miserable, and when the call came, he opened his trunk and fingered the material of the white robe. What would they do to him if he put it on and slipped onto the sands? Kick him out, of course. Maybe something worse. There had to be worse things they could do to him. But being expelled from the program would be bad enough.

His head ached fiercely, and he still looked rough, still hadn't been sleeping. Odds were if he tried to stand on the hot sands, even for a tiny hatching like this was bound to be, he would pass out and get trampled. That alone was reason enough not to do it, Yuri was completely right. And maybe if he was good about this and showed them that he cared about his own welfare, they would get off his sharding case already. Or something.

Honestly, though, he was just tired, and the thing that decided him was not his future, but exhaustion. It would be hard to put the robe on, as opposed to wearing exactly what he was already wearing.

So he didn't.

Lacing up his boots, Newt didn't bother to speak to any of the other candidates he passed, and he made for the main entrance to the sands, not the candidates' entrance. His head ached fiercely, but at least it was nighttime, dark enough not to stab at his eyes. He slipped into the cavern as pale as a ghost, a shadow of himself.

Even if he'd wanted to climb the stairs, there was just no way, and he sidled along the very front row until he'd positioned himself exactly in front of the nest, as close as he could get. Then he draped himself on the barrier and languished, resting his head on his arms for a long moment. I should be there. She's letting them stand so close, almost in the nest - I bet if I was there, she'd let me.

She'd have to, said his brain. You'd have to lean on one of the ones that's almost certainly a rock, otherwise you would fall down. Can we just go home and sleep? You're obviously not going to Impress.

He's right, said his conscience. This is just making you hurt even worse.

Stop ganging up on me, Newt ordered. You don't even sound like a conscience anymore. You sound like my mother. That's all I need, isn't it? Don't I have enough sweet parental figures riding me?

"Hey," a soft voice said, and Newt started badly and sat up ramrod-straight.

"Oh, hi," he told Kalenna, his voice a little rough.

"It's good to see you," she said. Kalesk was at her side, patrolling the edges of the sands as she often did when it was not her hatching to run; the gold stared him down, but mercifully, stayed out of his tortured brain. "We're glad you're here."

"Yeah," Newt said. "You're glad I'm not there." He nodded to the cluster of candidates on the sands.

"If we didn't want you here, you would be confined to your quarters," she said.

Newt shrugged eloquently, and hunched his shoulders until she went away again. Where was Yhimere? Or maybe Letorin would show up, roused from sleep by Newt's departure. Or -

But Lex wouldn't sit with him in public. Obviously. Newt shied away from the very thought of being seen like this. Lex wouldn't even come, right? He'd be asleep. Just like Newt should be, if he wasn't allowed to stand...

But there were baby whers, and Newt would never want to miss that. He would rather die.

[Tigersilk]

"Shouldn't there be fewer than eight eggs in that nest?" Annunziata asked her older sister Kahnasunita. The two, along with their youngest sister Jasjitta, were sitting in the Stands for this Hatching. All three had stood for the last Hatching, the double Dragon/Wher one where all the Candidates, plus a few spectators, suffered injuries from rampaging hatchlings. Sunita, at least, had walked away a Weyrling with new Cyan dragonet Ibith (currently sitting on the ledge above them, visiting with some older dragons), while Ziata and Jas had walked out relatively intact with their lives. The two younger girls would be on the Sands tonight, facing that terror again to secure a permanent spot of protection in the Weyr, if they were old enough to be allowed to Stand for whers. But they weren't, so they opted instead to watch the Wher Candidates and see what they did to avoid attacks, to use the next time they were allowed to Stand again.

"There should be fewer than that, yeah," Sunita answered. "Five, tops, I think, IF I'm remembering the lessons right. Don't know what's going on down there."

"I heard that Fenrisk likes to prank people," Jas offered the idea to her sisters. Sometimes being little had advantages when it came to hearing the gossip. "Maybe she wants to have fun tonight."

Ziata shrugged while smiling. "Beats having a bloodbath, at least."

"We'll have to wait and see if that's the plan for tonight," Sunita agreed. She really didn't want to witness another bloodbath anytime soon.

None of them did.

[Gray]

Asperath rumbled pleasantly when the call came. He gladly shared the news with his and perched on their ledge.
Let's go get her. A'til had been changing, getting ready for dinner, and finished tugging his shirt over his head.
She's not going to be happy. He grimaced a bit, thinking of his sister.
No way, she's going to be totally happy. A bit disappointed, yea, but happy. Now get on, she's gonna want a good seat. A'til relented and climbed onto the viridian's back, clinging tightly.

Matilda, on the other hand sighed a bit. Fenrisk's eggs. She had been so excited to see them with Kida, and she hadn't stopped talking about them since. But then she was told she wouldn't be able to stand. Not on the sands, at least. She could sit in the stands and watch, and of course still impress if a baby was intent on it. But she couldn't stand. That had not sat well with Matilda, and she had certainly raged at her brother, but there was little she could do. Still, Matilda was a candidate and she would look like one. Leaning against the edge of her bed, she steadied herself against it as she pulled her candidate robes over her normal dark attire. If anything, she would feel more comfortable in the white garment.

Matilda, we're here. Come on out! It's time to go. She could almost hear Asperath's eager clawing in his voice. Grabbing her crutch, she tucked it under one arm, and hobbled quickly out to A'til. Smiling at Asperath, she patted him on his broad snout.
“Are you ready?” It was a silly question for A'til to ask, it wasn't like Matilda needed much, but she patted the belt at her hip anyways.
“I've a knife stored, you know. In case.” Her brother just nodded and gestured to Asperath.
“He'll carry you until we're in there.” Shrugging, Matilda let herself be helped up.

Near the dining hall, Dita waited, he waited for his tiny cargo.
“C'mn, leh goo.” Turning, she looked at his charge for the hatching. Kidanyr sat there, a roll stuffed in her mouth. Shaking with laughed, Dita offered Kida a hand.
“Disk'll meet us at th' sands. She's waitin' for ya.” Eagerly, Kida skipped alongside Dita, tearing the remaining part of the roll from her mouth with her free hand. Eager to talk, she tucked into the snack with a certain degree of ferocity. Dita just watched in silent amusement.
Has Kidababy yes? Disk find seat. Good seat. Has HonkQuince and Jonah. Is behave.

Disk was proud, sitting on her broad head, the two flits curled close, heads tilting and turning to watch dragons, whers and people gather. She had secured them seats on one of the upper levels. Disk had promised Zabelith that she would take care of Kidanyr, and what better way than keeping her safe and high?
“You know, I've never seen a white wher hatching.. Have you? Probably not, unless you stood somewhere else. I think it's really neat! I am sure there's going to be all kinds of surprises! What do you think will happen, huh Dita?” Her roll gone, Kida was now chatting eagerly at the Handler as they entered. Dita, trying to get a word in edgewise, steered her to Disk's seating. The green wher wiggled eagerly as they approached, Squeaking when they got near.

A'til and Matilda also arrived, the Weyrling supporting his sister's other side as he guided her into the cavern.
“Can we sit at the bottom? I know you want to keep me safe. But well...” Matilda trailed off. This was an odd subject for the pair. After the last hatching, A'til had tried to get her to step away from the Wher program, he wanted her to stand just for dragons. But she refused, and they had fought once again. A'til did understand a bit though, he too was once a candidate. Maybe not one as eager as Matilda, but a candidate none the less.
“Fine. We'll sit where you want.” As he escorted her to a empty seat at the bottom row, Matilda waved at Fenrimere and Fenrisk.
“Can't wait to see your babies, Fenrisk!” She called, earning a glare from A'til. Did she have any common sense? You don't yell at the mothers! Even if it is happy.

[Boo]

BABIES?!
The question was shouted back at Fenrisk, his almost-sort-of-sister as Kisk sat bolt upright. Luckily they were not on duty that night and the excitement coursed through Kisk very quickly. It was almost too much for the wher to handle as he shivered and then turned to his handler.
Kisk am want see babies! CAN HAVE BE SEE?!

Kire had been playing a game with Kirryl at that moment and turned to look at the wher. Biting her lip, she eventually nodded her head.
Is Fenrisk going to keep them behaved?
She refused to bring Kirryl to another hatching unless the mothers were going to stop their children wreaking havoc on the candidates.
Yes! She have be ask help. KISK AM HELP!
The last part was sent back to Fenrisk as Kisk snuffled his way over to Kirryl.

Want see babies MiniKire? HAVE MANY BABIES BE SEE!
Kisk bugled prompting a laugh as Kirryl made a similar sound, mimicking the wher.
“Yeah! Kirryl am wan’ see baby!”
Kire had been trying to stop the girl speaking like Kisk but every time she did, Kisk seemed to bring her back to where she was at before. At this point, Kire wasn’t sure what to do so she let it slide.

Lifting Kirryl carefully, the three made their way to the hatching sands. As soon as she arrived, Kire felt a little anxious, spotting Dita sitting down in the stands. She still hadn’t said anything to the other handler, unable to quite process the development herself but she sat towards the back, feeling assured that perhaps the whers might not come up here. Kisk ran down to the front and raised himself on his back legs excitedly and then ran back to his handler.
So many! There be many! LOTS NEW BABIES!
Kire frowned down onto the sands. It seemed Kisk was right, it was odd that there were so many eggs from a white clutch but then… Well, it made sense. Something was always a little strange about whites.

[/blockquote]

[Kila]

Autumn, 6th Turn, 11th Pass

It was evening, so the majority of the Wher population and their
counterparts were up and about. Nadya had watch duty to prepare for,
which she was none too happy about in light of the downpour, so Aydan
had left her and Nadysk. The weyrbrat had swiped a handful of meatrolls,
sneakily despite them being freely set out for the dinner-goers, and was
sitting under a table in the Dining Hall by turn eating and feeding them
to his pillies when Fenrisk called. He froze when her voice penetrated
his mind, announcing the start of the exact thing he had been waiting
for since he had seen her clutch. His eyes went wide but he wasted no
time in jumping to his feet and bursting out from under the table. Other
people were rising to go, but he sped past them all, running to the
Hatching Cavern as fast as his little legs would take him.

Like Mouse, Aydan's first instinct was to go to the nest. He was aware
that he was early, but the lack of actual Candidates scandalized him. He
looked to Fenrisk incredulously. Where were they? What were they
doing???? Shardit hissed, projecting his ward's frustration. He didn't
have a white dress, but he did want a baby, so Aydan thought that he was
good Candidate material and would be helping by filling in. He moved to
step onto the Sands, but another voice halted him.

Aydan no go to Fenrisknest, not Candidate. Nasysk
stood at the entrance of the cavern, dripping wet. The Brown went to his
bonded's child. Aydan narrowed his eyes and stuck out his bottom lip,
crossing his arms tightly over his chest. No,
Nadysk said again to his wordless protest. Aydan no Sands
go. Go bleachers. Go. He bumped the boy with his big ugly head,
herding him towards the stands. It was fortunate that Nadysk had
interjected when he had- if anyone had tried to remove Aydan from the
Sands once he was on them there would have been an ugly scene.

Sullenly, Aydan allowed himself to be marched to the bleachers. He threw
himself down on the first bench they came to: the one closest to the
Sands. Shardit and Bug wiggled up to sit on either side of him and
Nadysk sat formally on the edge of the sands right nearby.
Fenriskghost have many babies, he noted with
surprise. Congratulations on manybabies. Big clutch. Be
smart and fast like Fenrisk. He held no grudge against her for
not being picked during her Run so he greeted her warmly. If some of the
eggs had not been rocking Aydan would have continued to glare at Nadysk
for thwarting his plans, but the shivering eggs were way too exciting to
ignore. He squirmed in his seat, impatient for them to hatch since he
could not see them up close. Did the babies know he was there already?
Or did they need their eyes to see what their minds could sense? Aydan
would love to ask them.

[RhiaBlack]

Once again, Z'dyn had been dragged from a proper sleep by Baihujinth. His Iron had impeccable timing, Z'dyn was in the midst of quite the dream.

Shards an' shells, it's RAININ' out.
Come, MineOwn. I would like to see, we will go together.
Y'mean yer not stickin' me down there solo 'gain? That's a change.
Of course not. There will be more Whers there. You can sit up on my ledge. I will let Fenrisk's know that you are there.

Kee tucked herself under Hers' hair - this was -exciting-! It was the first Hatching Z'dyn had let her come for, and as a result she was nearly trilling with happiness. Nearly. She understood, without a shadow of doubt, that she was supposed to be quiet. In that right, Kee didn't make a peep.

As Z'dyn glided in aboard his Iron, Bai landed gracefully on a chosen ledge, let Z'dyn down, and peered down at the nest as His wrung out his hair. Kee climbed up on Bai's neck ridges, and perched there to get a better view. Z'dyn notably remained close to his bonded - he could spy the moving forms below, and he knew what they were. He was all right with Fenrisk. He wasn't all right with the rest of them.

::Your eggs are glorious, Fenrisk. You must be so proud. Z'dynMine is up here, with me. He does not know the other Whers, but he wanted to come watch, as did I. We will see from up here.::

*************

Czervon had only recently arrived at Dalibor. He'd been doing his best to adjust his sleeping schedule to a night-time rotation, as that was what his life consisted of now. It wasn't easily done, not for a man who was used to sleeping at night and tending a shipdeck during the daylight candlemarks.

Sure, he'd done his share of night watches and the like, but it had never been long term. Part of him felt bitter that he would only see sunsets and sunrises from now on. Probably not at all during the Winter months, but it was something he had consigned himself to when he had gotten word that his application for the Wher program had been accepted.

He'd only been in the Weyr for less than six candlemarks when the call came through. That was a new sensation for him, the voice in his head. Something he didn't feel overly comfortable with yet, but it was all going to be new. This was his ship, now. His crew, and shard it he had better get to learning the ropes if he expected not to sink himself.

There wasn't a shred of uncertainty in his step, or his presence. Czervon radiated confidence like a lighthouse beacon, though he'd be lying if he said he wasn't at least groggy from the lack of sleep in the last several days. He had traveled long from Tillek to get here, and had been looking forward to a good night's sleep. Alas, Faranth had other plans.

Long-legged strides carried him along the corridors, and out into the pouring rain. Headscarf saturated with water, he removed and wrung both it and his hair out upon stepping into the doorway, before it was securely re-tied into place. His shadowed features preceeded the rest of him, as he stepped into the main cavern and took his place with the rest of the hopefuls among the Sands. Formidable potential, but it was difficult for him not to sneer. Children, half of these. He had to be the oldest one here. Fantastic. Eight eggs, though, so that stood for something, didn't it? Perhaps he could get his bonded squared away, and get to work immediately. That chore list he had walked past didn't seem nearly long enough, it made him wonder what else they were supposed to do after he'd finished.

It would only take him a few candlemarks, anyway. He bowed respectfully towards the white Whermother in the midst of her nest, as he saw the others do. Well this wouldn't do. He'd have to educate himself quickly, to make sure he didn't do anything stupid. Better these hapless kids look the fool than he. He was too good to laugh at, they'd find that out soon enough anyway.

There appeared to be Dragons here, too. He peered up at them with a pang of envy, which was quelled soon by the realization that in order to become a Rider, he would have had to Stand at a much younger age. Which very well would have made him useless to a craft, all the same. Most of these people probably didn't have any suitable craft. He'd heard of Riders who did, but he hadn't met any. One tended to never meet Riders or Wherhandlers outside Gathers, and he had been too busy in the past to really spend any time rubbing elbows with any of them. Just enough to get the word about Dalibor.

Just enough to count, which was all that mattered. Which was precisely how many eggs there were. Just enough to count.

[maruset]

In a way, he had been expecting it, but Valasco still jolted upright when he heard the call. He had been getting ready to go have a breakfast/dinner meal with his sister, but then Fenrisk had called that the nest was hatching. That cause a detour, and he quickly moved to get his robes. Did wear his boots. They had saved him some damage last time, and the last thing he wanted was to end up limping on both legs. Shards if that was going to be something he just let happen.

Once his robes were on, he heading for the sands, Lavi falling in beside him for a moment before elbowing him in the ribs and peeling off to got find her spot in the stands. Valasco moved through the candidate entrance and gave the white a nod. "Thank you for allowing me this honor." He moved to where he could see things easily, and waited to see what was going to happen. Still hadn't figured out -why- there were so many things on the sands, but he was sure that there might only be a few viable eggs anyway. Whers had a tendency to dud eggs anyway, though he figured there had to be at least -one- live, given that it was a hatching. So he watched, grinning faintly as he waited to see what would happen this time.


***

Not having been asleep, just stretched out and relaxing before dragging himself out to get dinner, Letorin was a bit amused at how quick Newt could move when he wanted. He was a bit slower, but he soon got to the sands. A glance around, and he waved at G'lin, then moved to sit next to Newt. The other had been looking pretty stressed out lately, and Letorin was almost tempted to start sitting on him at night to see if that would make his friend stay still long enough to actually sleep.

"Hey," he said softly, glancing around as he settled. The skin on his back stretched oddly, but at least it didn't feel like that constant ache it had going one for a while. That had been annoying.

[Maggie]

Dawn spotted Mouse right away in her wher costume. Honestly, it was no wonder Talin had taken G'lin if Genner didn't realise that leaving a young girl all alone like that at a hatching was a terrible idea. She summoned Lacey to her shoulder, having found that the flitts could translate silent Mouse-Speak somewhat when Gennesk or Nessie weren't around. Lacey chirped a cautious hello, unsure how pleased she was being that close to the sands. "Hi Mousie! Come watch with me. You don't want to go down there, you might Impress one of the Candidates and you're not ready to have a handler yet. Let's go hide in the Stands and guards the spectators from babies if they come up, ok? That'll be our job. It's very important." She paused, looking over at Gennesk and Genner. "And Gennesk will be Wherlingmaster now, maybe if you prove that you're good at guarding spectators, he'll let you be his assistant."

G'lin waved to Letorin, grinning. Now that he didn't have lessons all the time, he would have to go and see his friend more often. It was Gennesk who bespoke the Candidate however. Delicious is not be for whers? he asked plaintively.

[Chimera]

Like the time when Fenrisk had called any willing inhabitants of the Weyr to see her eggs, it was evening when said eggs had begun to hatch. So for Lirmox, Lisk, and most of the other Wherfolk, it was the equivalent of morning. And a rainy one at that - it brought back memories for the wherling of the quiet night two seasons ago when he'd bonded to Lisk. What was it with rain and hatchings? He'd heard the most recent dragon hatching before the first Holdless arrived had been on a rainy day too.

SO many baby! How tiny white so many baby! Lisk grumped as she padded along Mouse and Saosk. Guard Mouse guard even bad baby. Very guard. Careful guard, still tiny! Oh. Forgot. HelloOOO, AnnoySaosk.

Lirmox frowned at the eggs. He didn't think a white wher's clutch hatching would match the chaos of the last occupants of the Sands...but some interesting things were sure to happen nevertheless. And Genner would be the next Wherlingmaster - that would be interesting. Lisk still thought Talin should have taken his place, but Lirmox was sure Genner would be a good, if...odd Wherlingmaster.

"Mouse...stay off the Sands." Lirmox sighed as his little cousin nearly made it there, but luckily was blocked by Dawn. "Hey there, Dawnova...thanks for helping with Mouse." He said, a bit embarrassed the Weyrling had beat him to keeping the wher-costumed girl off the Sands. And she said...why hadn't he thought of that? Oh well. The help was still appreciated. He returned to his usual smirk, even if it was something of an embarrassed expression this time.

"Dawnova...that is your name right? I've never really...talked to you, so I guess it's nice to meet you formally!"

***
Akklyn was still eating when the announcement came. A lopsided grin spread across her face. She was no Wher Candidate, much to her disappointment - she was much too young - but she could get to see the baby wherets regardless. How many would there even be? Fenrisk sure had laid a big clutch. Though MiniMe squeaked indignantly, her green hide soaked but washed by the rain, Akklyn wasn't deterred, and she nearly ran to the nest, but made a beeline just in time for the Stands, plopping down next to Aydan.

"What do you think's gonna happen this time?" Akklyn whispered to the boy. MiniMe sniffed at him curiously.

***
Somewhere else in the Stands, a wherling by the name of Dardranel sat down, wiggling a leg out of boredom. Could the wherets hurry up already? Dardrask elegantly laid down, every inch of his blue and red tinted black body filled with a mean-spirited pride that oh-so arrogant Jafask and stupid, violent Rask could not attend.

But he could.

Hello...Looks on faces here - priceless. Dardrask remarked to Impask as he slithered up to the older black wher. He could be associates with this wher indeed...

Fenrisk, Dardrask congratulate. He usually did not speak even that much, but this was just a formality. Formalities were something the little terror could deal with, especially when it came to the whers he was fine with.

[lee]

Dalibor was weird.

This profound revelation had been arrived at within candlemarks of the quick trip between that had brought Oshumer and Meirene to the Weyr in question. The dragons were weird—the one that brought them sang—the Harpers were weird, the whers were weird, the food was weird and the people…the people were really weird. Oosh hadn’t decided if that was bad or not yet, but he was leaning towards not.

Except at night, when sleeping in a strange bed with strange noises still stunk.

His mom wasn’t around—Oosh figured she was sleepin’ with someone, and at least they weren’t in their cavern, making even stranger noises—so he hadn’t had to sneak much to get to the kitchens, after carefully placing Dragonth on his bed and telling the stuffed brown dragon solemnly to keep watch. In the kitchens, he’d put on his best, big wide eyes and been given a meatroll for his trouble, which he was nibbling, swinging his legs on the empty bench when he noticed the drudges carrying buckets of meat away.

That was weird.

Naturally, Oosh followed them, creeping silently some distance back. Maybe the buckets of meat were for a dragon to sick to leave his weyr. Maybe they were for a meat castle. Maybe they were for a sacrifice to the volcano. F’rrol had told him all Weyrs were volcanoes. Oosh was pretty disappointed they never blew up.

But no.

It was for a hatching.

Oosh struggled a moment, and then decided that was cool too, even if a volcano sacrifice would have been better. He tried to sneak with the drudges onto the Sands, but a slim hand stopped him. Oh no no no, lovey, ya can't be in the Sands either. Go an' sit with ya friends, now.

Oosh shot Fenrimere a murderous glare, sticking his tongue out at her and tried to decide if he could dash past her.

He almost did, but he heard a sniffle. A snuffle almost. He raised his eyebrows. Ugh. It was a girl. He opened his mouth to tell her not to be such a crybaby when he was escorted—rather handily—to the Stands. He squirmed and thrashed irritably, "Hey Pumme down! Pumme down I wasn’t gonna do nothin! The person grabbing him paid no heed, so Oosh promptly and enthusiastically bit them, bringing his teeth down hard enough to break skin and scampering up the Stands to dive and hide behind someone bigger than him, peering out behind so he could—obediently, though he’d never admit it—watch the Hatching in quiet.

He frowned.

Tugged the person he was using as a human shield’s arm, "Why’s there so many? That’s weird"

Maybe she wasn't really white.
Maybe she was a really pale gold.
Or a tan.
The first tan wher! And no one even knew.
Maybe she stole the extra eggs.
Maybe....maybe another wher hadn't wanted them, so Fenrisk was gonna be their momma instead.

Oosh scooched out from behind his hiding person to tug his knees glumly up to his chin, lazily watching the goings-on. He didn't feel like wondering anymore.

But being glum was lame, andso Oosh scowled and shook his head, and, instead of waiting for an answer, clambered down the Stands to a lower perch, where a boy about his age sat...with a brown wher not too far away. Oosh scrambled over the bench to plonk down at his side, and poked Aydan in the shoulder and then using the same finger to jab in the direction of Nadysk. "Hey! Is that your wher?"

[kireon]

Impask and Impa were just finishing one of the ciruits, checking back in with the on duty guard to report their findings when the news came in. A blue would be called to switch them, as apparently the handler had been out with a cold- something about his wher deciding that the only way to cross some section of territory was to roll a log across the water with them both on it. Impa didn't know who that handler was, but the sight was probably something amusing, if the handler had more control over his wher, things like that would probably happen less often.

The guard seemed amused by it, however, and she took that to mean the woman was familiar with who the pair were on more than one level. She shrugged it off and headed for the Hatching Sands with a firm hand wound around the black's harness. With as much a handful as Impask was, she felt sorry for the obviously young bluehandler.

It never got easier, you just had to learn how to be smarter.

Impask BEST clutchfather, make sure scare all back to nest if naughty and not listen FenriskOooOooOoo. Heeheehee. The chilling cackle was a sharp sound cutting through the air as he bounced in, spiky head utterly intimidating- more so now that he'd gone and dropped his lower jaw in a parody of human grins to expose his fangs for all to see. He strutted, not walked, strutted to where the white wanted him and puffed himself up proudly.

All the terrifying, that was him. He would be the best, ever. They would fear him, his children, Fenrisk, and all would learn that they were the ultimate ones to be-

Thunk.

Impa's still gloved fist dropped like a stone atop the bony gap between his spiky headknobs.

Impask wriggled a little, eyes shading from intentional red- because red was BEST next to black, after all- to yellow and then to green because the fist loosened to rub the offended spot. What do now? Why ImpaNoNoNo be ImpaTHUMPTHUMPTHUMP Impask head?[/i]

Two sets of green eyes met and held, one perfectly maintained eyebrow arching up in a fair skinned face at the failure-to-be-indignant expression on the gnarled hided one opposite her own.

Impask broke first, as always, loosing another wicked cackle as he turned his attention back to the sands, club-like tail thunking gently against Impa's boots, dyed the same color as his hide, twice before it stilled. His head bobbed a little, swaying from side to side in time with his cackling. Impask best. He said proudly and looked up to his handler once more. There was the dull sound of hide covered palm connecting with flesh as he watched as her free hand sought the stinging solace of her forehead.

Impask laughed again.

Impa just sighed.

Poor Impa.

--

Poor Impa, Yuri gave the darkly clad woman a distinctly pitying look as he and Yusk took their places upon the Sands beside the Healers' sector. He expected mischief, not unnecessary bloodshed for this one, but all the same... better to be safe than sorry. He hadn't envied the blackhandler, and had been the victim of pranks more than one occasion with the naughty little wher. Wouldn't be as much of a big deal if it weren't for the fact that his face looks like something my father told me would come from Between and devour me should I leave my bed at night. He wondered just how much the wherets would take after him, or if they'd take more after their paler, prettier in his opinion, mother.

Yusk huffed, she'd had to go scare off Impask and chase him through the caverns back to his nest on more than one occasion. As a result, she was not fond of him, and was contemplating the rewards and consequences of giving that thick, stupid tail of his a really good chomp if he tried anything during the hatching.

He was certainly sneaky, and big for a black wher, but she was proven to be faster, and she would knock him tail over snout ten times over before he knew what happened.

Because she was the best, not him.

After greeting each Candidate and ensuring they would be well situated- he didn't like that Fenrisk wanted them in the nest, that was almost unheard of- Yuri reclined, waiting, and ready, against the stone wall and braced himself.

Very few hatchings at Dalibor ever went according to plan, and he had the feeling this one might just be one of those extraordinarily "interesting" ones.

[Raining]

HURRY, SAOSK HAVE JOB TO DO! bellowed the black as Saowyn slipped on something a little heavier so she could block the cold rain. "I'm going as fast as I can, relax." CAN'T WHEN SAOSK'S SO SLOW! when she had her furs almost on the small black would nudge her towards the exit, IF YOU NO HURRY, SAOSK EAT ALL YOUR NO-WORTH FRIENDS! SAOWYN BE SO SAD, SAOSK WILL NOT PITY! WILL LAUGH BECAUSE SAOSK WAS LATE FOR GUARD! GENNESK STOMP SAOSK FOR LATENESS! YOU WANT FRIENDS? MOVE! SHARDING FASTER!

"Keep your hide on! I'm going! Stop pushing so I can walk properly!" HUMAN LEGS SO WORTHLESS, SO SLOW, LIKE UGLY BROKEN WHERRY!

---

It didn't take long to spot Mouse in her adorable little costume standing with Lirmox aand a girl she hasn't formally met yet. Saowyn pulled back her soaking hood and grinned at Lirmox giving her friend a hug (with wet coat and all), "Hey sorry i'm late! Getting ready with a pushy wher isn't all that easy," she laughed and bent down to see Mouse, "hey Mousey!... Or is it Mousk?" she winked at the girl, "you look so adorable in your costume!"

Saosk was at Mouse's side in an instant, this would be the first time Saosk would be guarding Mouse (with Lisk) without Gennesk supervising. This was a very important job! VERY! BILELISK, came the short curt (if still loud) greeting to his... fellow guard. He knew not to start any fights, and he wasn't! Can't help it if that was her name. He turned to Mouse next his eyes swirling a very content green a fast switch from the irritated orange from when he was looking at Lisk.
SORRY AM LATE, SAOWYN SO SLOW. SAOSK HERE NOW! The black wher took his place on the other side of Mouse his eyes trained on the sands.

SO MANY EGGS..?? WHY? this was directed at Lisk, since she was the only wher here that would he could complain to. STILL HATED HER THOUGH.

Saowyn turned to Dawn next and offered her hand , "I don't think we formally met? I'm Saowyn." she greeted smiling brightly.

[mopsy93]

Fenrisk’s eggs are hatching, Junonth announced to Carissa as Carissa was walking towards the dining hall after leaving Junonth half-asleep in the Weyrling barracks. Carissa had finished feeding and oiling the growing Dragonet and on her way to have her own dinner.

I’m not sure whether or not K’var will let me watch Fenrisk’s hatching though, said Carissa to Junonth.

There was a slight pause from Junonth before the Green said, Argotath says that his rider agreed that it would be alright for the Nightnamers to watch.

It might take a little time for me to get to the Hatching sands from where I am now though. It wouldn’t hurt to send Janvia ahead I think.

It took surprisingly little convincing for the Green flit to go to the hatching cavern without Carissa, going between as soon as Carissa made sure that the flit wouldn’t make a nuisance of herself there. In no time Janvia appeared out of between high above the Hatching Sands’ floor and it didn’t take long for Janvia to find somewhere to perch near a couple of other flits interested in what was going on tonight on the sands. Meanwhile Carissa turned around and started heading towards the Hatching sands instead of the Dining Cavern getting a slightly blurred image of the hatching sands for Janvia as Carissa walked. With any luck this hatching would be tamer than Callistath and Kalesk’s double hatching, then again you could never tell especially with wherets.

[Azhdarchid]

Halventh stuck his nose out of his weyr. A drop of rain splashed onto it and he withdrew with a honk. But after a couple minutes he darted out onto the ledge, leaped skyward, then glided for the Sands at top speed.

Through Fall, fog and fire... the blue rumbled in wry sing-song. L'xon rubbed the wet shoulder in front of him, and Halventh fluttered down onto the dragons' palisades. Not there, he reported, sniffling as rain coursed down his snout and tickled his nostrils. L'xon was still blinking at the Sands when Halventh lifted his head enough to grunt a hello down at Newt in the Stands. Dragon voices were so loud as to be generalized: the blue just appeared to be hooting in that direction, not at the Candidate specifically.

Or ex-Candidate, L'xon thought as he spied the woman next to Newtollen. Not because of them, or he would have been addressed too. And Kalenna wouldn't have walked away. And Newt would not be here at all. Someone would have said something.

But it seemed he had arrived in error. He could not leave, but he thought to rest up on Halventh, where he was safe from the clammy proximity of the rest of the rainsoaked masses. Actually... Halventh's head drifted up, turned back and slipped under L'xon's hand, encouraging his fingers to scrub at one of the rough ridges over his blue eye. The dragon chirrupped in pleasure, and waited till L'xon stopped to continue. Can you get off? I want to bother Wenth. Lex grit his teeth.

You may greet Wenth politely. The tan was starting to color up, for all that meant in a tan. Halventh refused to leave her alone. L'xon dismounted, standing between his dragon's massive paws. Halventh shook off, dousing him in water.

I do not want her to forget me, the blue explained, then hopped off the ledge, knocking L'xon into a seated position before he had any time to process that statement. It was as good a place as any to watch from. Laying his hands on his upper legs, he glanced across the Sands, emptied of relevance. Halventh dodged a couple latecomers on his way back out into the storm, then started buzzing up toward Wenth's weyr.

[Zane]

There was a bunch of commotion in the bowl, which, naturally, sparked the boy's curiosity. Having come out of the barracks there had been many in the halls, caterwauling whilst heading off someplace. Normally Zahir was happy to be off in his own little world, but all of the raucous behavior was hard to ignore. He wondered if either of the weyrling boys he'd met in the first couple of days of having arrived at Dalibor also knew about whatever it was that had people so excited.

Perhaps if he followed said group of people, he would find one of them there. Or, even, one of his fellow candidates. Judging by the groups in the barracks, they were all planning on attending this... whatever it was.

Abandoning the bit of ground he'd been idly kicking with his worn out shoe, Zahir followed the crowd, hands in pockets. They were heading back through the caverns, and past the barracks, to which puzzled the boy all the more.

Puzzlement turned to fear, and then fear turned to ultimate confusion as he was pushed along in the stands of the hatching sands. "C-can someone tell me?" he attempted to ask a passerby. "E-excuse me, sir?" But no one was paying him any heed, and so he stood there as people took seats, pointing down at the display of eggs and candidates below. Was he missing his own hatching?

In a panic, he shot past people, attempting to get down the stairs so that he could join the figures below on the warm sand. "Why wasn't I told? I'm missing my hatching-please excuse me. Do excuse me." And so, true idiocy was born.

As he made his way onto the hatching sands, he stayed a fair distance back, squinting his eyes as he got a better look at the creatures about him. They... were... different. Not having ever known much about whers, or having ever opened up his ears when they were being talked about, Zahir was left wondering if some of Dalibor's dragons had a more unique form.

Turning to get a better look at those around him, he accidentally bumped into the man called Czervon. He hadn't caught on quite yet that everyone else was wearing white robes. If he were meant to be down here, not only would he have been told, but he'd also be wearing said robes.

If only he had a clue.

"Oh, my apologies, my good fellow." And he placed a hand upon Czervon's shoulder, regarding him with furrowed brows. "You're very white today, 'ole chap." A smile soon overtook, "I'm Zahir, by the way."

[RavenSong]

Oh, Fenrisk was a joyous wher. So many people to see her precious babies enter the world and find their bonded!

And, of course, get shocked by her prank.

She greeted those who greeted her with excitement, bowing to the Candidates herself as they walked onto her Sands, looking around her rock laden nest. She watched their expressions intently, looking for any sign at all that the Can-dits, as she called them, saw the rocks for what they were and saw that she only laid three eggs, not eight.

Fenrimere, on the other hand, was busy running interference with the weyrbrats. First Mouse tried darting onto the Sands, so she intercepted the little girl, grabbing her gently by the arm.

"Oh no no no, lovey dear, ya have ta stay in the Stands. Fenrisk will come see ya after the babies Impress, okay? Y'stay up in the Stands, love. I don't want ta see ya get 'urt," she said to the costumed child, nodding when she willingly followed her back up into the Stands. "That's a good girl, there." She smiled warmly and took her place once more, watching the eggs. She was grateful when Nadysk intercepted Aydan, quite aware of the little boy's penchant for shrieking obnoxiously when he was dismayed. She didn't like provoking that at all.

Fenrisk's thanks Nadysk, Fenrisk sent privately to the Brown, warmth in her greeting. Bestprank. Watch.

And of course, her favorite Iron (for she only knew one Iron dragon) got a mental nuzzle too. She was focused on her prank, so she would visit with everyone after the babies hatched.

Then Fenrimere had to intercept another weyrbrat, placing a gentle hand on his shoulder.

"Oh no no no, lovey, ya can't be in the Sands either. Go an' sit with ya friends, now," she directed gently. The weyrbrat was quickly picked up, thankfully, by someone else and hauled away before he could get himself in trouble. Thankful that she didn't have to move Oshumer herself, she focused on the Hatching again.

Fenrisk, this is all ya fault, she said.

What? Fenrisk demanded. Not say babies come on Sands, only Can-dits! Fenrimere's fault. Not Fenrisk's.

Then it happened.

The first egg broke. It was one of the larger ones, sitting upright towards the back of the nest, closest to where Fenrisk was seated. A very tiny rock had been to its right. It didn't just break, either. It exploded dramatically, sending egg shards flying. The scrabbling from within it had been the crafty black it held carefully scoring the shell. Fenrisk fell over giggling. The little black stood there for a moment, his skeletal-looking wings held high as he looked around in absolute amazement.

He hadn't expected the world outside his egg to be so... interesting. Not even caring about the scare he'd just given (which was awesome, he'd decide later), the little black wandered around the nest, sniffing at the rocks and the other eggs in the nest, then wandering outside the nest to nose at his dam. Fenrisk nosed him back and nudged him toward the Candidates, firmly admonishing him to pick. He was having none of it, though, as he stretched his gangly limbs. He was particularly long-limbed and skinny, with a largeish head and a very long tail. He was a lighter shade of black, and had a skull-like marking on his face in a dark shade of gray. His chest was marked with the same gray as his face, a little vest-like mark that didn't cover his whole belly. His wings had very little membrane to them and wiggled as he looked around in excitement. What was all this amazing stuff? He just had to know. Putting those long legs of his to good use, he took off, racing around the Candidates, weaving in and out of them. Then he beelined for the Stands to investigate everything and everyone in them. All these wonderful sights and sounds and smells! He just had to know what it was, had to see it for himself.

Fenrisk watched him, mentally reminding him to Be Good and not hurt anybody, or she'd bite him. He seemed to have no intention whatsoever of harming anybody, just investigating. He didn't touch anyone as he ran around, darting from here to there and over to another place rapidly as things caught his notice. The world was amazing, and he was bent on seeing it all.

[Cathaline]

Newt managed a smile for Letorin, grateful for his presence. "Hey," he said, shifting to lean his head companionably on his roommate's shoulder. "Look at us. Just a pair of dragon candidates tonight. It feels wrong, does it feel wrong to you? I should be down there. I should definitely be down there."

Just as the first egg broke, Kalesk darted out of the shadows where she had been lurking, and latched her teeth around Zahir's arm - not tight enough to break skin, of course, but she was rough, and there was enough pressure in her jaw to tear the whole arm off if she so desired. Not Candidate, she snarled. Off Fenrisk sands NOW.[/i]

It was all but impossible to resist a gold wher, of course - she towered over the poor kid, and she used her tail to nudge Czervon away from the miscreant so she could put her bulk between Zahir and the nest, and begin force-marching him back toward the stands. Kalenna put a hand momentarily over her eyes, and sidled closer to Fenrimere once the last of the weyrbrats had been sent back. "Do we need a better security system?" she asked. "This has never happened before - what in the world is wrong with these children? Kalesk, please don't bite him. You don't need to bite him."

Newt had night-eyes and always had, so despite the dimness on the sands, it was easy enough for him to see what had hatched first. A black. He sucked in a breath and pushed himself upright, not caring about any of the human-caused drama. "Okay," he said. "So that's why I'm not down there. Why do they have to be common, why do they have to come this way - "

[Zephyr]

Fenrisk’s eggs are hatching. Cirruth mused from his spot up in the ledges. He’d made the executive decision to go watch the wher hatching for the both of them, since Remy wasn’t particularly inclined to get out of bed. So what? I’m not a wher candidate anymore. You made sure of that. Cirruth hummed an acknowledgement, shuffling his feet on the ledge, but he wasn’t done yet. Your friend’s down there. The words were simple matter of fact and Re’on groaned through his pillow. Gonna have to be more specific, Cir. Who? It took the blue a second to transmit a picture of Zahir to Re’on. That boy you like. Kalesk has him.

Re’on groaned loudly. What, did the kid need a guide 24/7? He thought about staying in bed. Zahir wasn’t his responsibility…but Cirruth was right. Despite his better judgment, he liked the other kid. Huffing, he got out of bed, made sure his clothing was straight and ran a hand through his curly hair so it wasn’t too mussed.

Throwingon a jacket, Re’on made haste to the hatching sands, wishing he’d told Cirruth to come pick him up…but he wasn’t completely comfortable on the blue’s back quite yet. Once inside, he made his way past people, giving a polite nod, or bow as he slipped past a few people towards where Kalesk was dragging Zahir back to the stands. He stood as close as he could, leaning over the railing with a bright, highly amused smile on his face. “You’re gonna get yourself killed, kid.” He took the arm not currently in a giant wher’s mouth and smiled winningly at the gold. “I’ll take it from here, your grace. Enjoy the rest of the hatching.”

Providing Kalesk would allow him to, Re’on would draw Zahir further up into the stands where he wouldn’t be so close to Kalesk’s stalking. The weyrling squeezed the boy’s shoulder. “You’re lucky that was Fenrisk and not Ausk or Damask. They’d eat ya for getting onto their sands like that. You okay?” And he really was concerned, despite the amusement in his tone.

---

Mouse was still pouting as Dawn made her way over. She may or may not have been about to cry, and that defiant little streak she had told her not to go with Dawn. Still, the girl was nice to her. She was a wher too, after all. The child was conflicted. If she could impress, then maybe she could be the bestMouseguard ever. Wiping her nose with her sleeve again, she stood up. Can we bite babies? Mouse asked Dawn plaintively, following the woman up into the stands.

She was still a little sad, but in no time, her best wher friends were at her sides. In a flash of defiant petulantness, Mouse glared up at her cousin told her to stay off the sands. Lirmox no tell me what to do. No wher. She growled lightly, leaning against Lisk as they walked and leaning over to kiss her lightly on the snout. Mean Lirmox thinks he can tell me what to do. Not wher. Then Saosk spoke to her and she moved to wrap her arms around his neck and try to wiggle his way up onto his back. Is okay. She told the black as she got caught on one of his spines and tried to concentrate on trying to get up onto his back. All the people are mean. So mean. Just wanted to hug white Fenrisk. And see best eggs.

Mouse thought she was a perfectly well behaved little wher, and the babies would never hurt a fellow wher, plus she was yellow. Who would ever think a yellow wher could hurt anything?

[mopsy93]

Carissa managed to get to the stands before any of the eggs hatched, admittedly a little out of breath from jogging all the way there. Janvia on the other hand was happy to see her and flew down from her vantage point to chirp a hello and nuzzle Carissa’s hair before flying back up to her previous position well above the sands. The number of eggs was surprisingly large for a white, taking into account the fact that even Gold whers having a maximum of 18 eggs per clutch was perfectly normal though there were doubts that all of them were actually eggs. At there seemed to be at least one viable egg in the clutch at least with one of the bigger objects in the nest exploding revealing a long limbed black wheret. He didn’t stay in the nest long that was for sure, taking off running around the sands before making run for the stands. Thankfully this wheret at least seemed more curious than aggressive seemingly more interested in investigating the world he was just born into rather than causing trouble.

With any luck the other wherets in this clutch will be like this,[/color] said Junonth though still half-asleep.

You don’t have to stay awake Junonth, I’ll tell you what happened in the morning, said Carissa. The only reply being a sense of happiness and relief coming from the Dragonet before Junonth went back to sleep.

[Gray]

Asperath hummed happily from his perch, the viridian looking down at the eggs with curiosity.
Look at how many there are Mine and SisterMine! So many little slate eggs clustered. He knew it was up to him to make sure Matilda and A'til didn't start a fight. He didn't think they would here, of course. But he never knew. The two seemed to just fight spontaneously.
“He's right, you know. That is a lot of eggs for a white.”

Matilda just nodded. She had thought the same thing. Lots of eggs meant lots of fun babies though! Even now, Matilda wondered how many would hatch. Whers did tend to have duds often. She hoped there wouldn't be many, she could only imagine how it would feel for Fenrisk. She did not know how attached dragons and whers got to their children, though.

Kidanyr squealed as the first egg broke.
“Oooh, what is it?” She stood up, leaning and squinting to try and see through the gloom.
Is black Kidababy. Disk proclaimed with pride. Another little black to the family of whers! Jonah chirped happily. Blacks, of course, were his favorite. And no, he totally wasn't biased! Dita just smiled a bit, he couldn't help but remember what he heard about Kalesk's last hatching. He hoped Fenrisk's children would behave.

Kida wasn't worried though. Whers would be whers. This one had practically exploded from his egg, so Kida knew he had to be interesting. Sitting back down and wrapping her arms around Disk, she pressed her cheek against the green's warty flank. Both had their eyes glued to the sands, though.
“He's looks kinda long limb-ed. Maybe he'll be a really tall wher.” Disk just cooed in response.
Baby will be what baby is. He find his person soon.

Matilda too, had her attention on the sands.
“Oh look at him,” she hissed at A'til, clinging to his side, her nails digging into his arm.
“He's certainly something.” A'til agreed, watching the skeletal wher cautiously. Matilda bounced in her seat a bit, rather excited. She watched the Wher run about, looking at the candidates, then heading to the stands. He seemed like a pretty curious guy, but then again, she would be too if she had been cooped up in an egg for so long.

[Serah]

Ryiah had been thinking, thinking of just what she would do if she Impressed at her next hatching. Of course, she would go through with whatever training she would receive. Be it for a wherling or weyrling. She had almost jumped for joy when Fenrisk called the Candidates to the Sands. She got everything she needed together and on before heading to the Sands. She had gotten there just before any of the eggs had Hatched, luckily for her.

When the first of the eggs did Hatch, there was a small Black wheret on the Sands. He seemed to be quite interested in the world he had come into. This one didn't seem violent, like some of the wherets of Kalesk's Clutch. Though she supposed that was due to the different personalities that whers could have. She wondered who it would Impress to, as she looked around the Sands.


Awnia was just waking up for the night. Fenrisk's call only sharpened her awareness. She pulled on the robes and grabbed the knife she was to carry to the Sands. She hoped that none of the eggs had Hatched yet. The first shell had just exploded to reveal the baby inside. The Black wheret did hold some interest for her, but she wondered where the egg that would Hatch next was, if there even was an egg next to Hatch.

[RhiaBlack]

Czervon was less than pleased. He had been focused on the eggs and the Stands when the jarring bump to his side had occurred - followed by the hand on his shoulder. 'Ol' chap'? 'Good fellow'? Who was this kid?

The Journeyman Fisher's lip curled, revealing the flash of teeth that would have served to snap out a rather harsh remark, beyond the shoulder-roll to unhand his shoulder. Nobody that wasn't his crew or that he didn't know touched him. Least of all some unrobed brat that probably wasn't supposed to--

Kalesk to save the day. Czervon nodded his head not to the boy, but to the Gold Wher, before he moved with her nudge to grant her the space needed to remove the personal-space-defiler from his presence. Rightly so. He'd only been here six candlemarks, for sharding sake, and he knew what he was here for and what he was supposed to wear. That much had been explained when he came in. Audren was good for that.

Lip still marginally curled, he turned his attention back towards Fenrisk's nest - and the hatching Black wheret.

Let the games begin.

((Sorry so short, about to leave to get the hubbs and didn't want post to get buried lol)).