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Post by purnip on Jan 16, 2011 19:29:56 GMT -5
One egg was rocking with far more energy than its brothers and sisters, but alas, it was not the first to hatch. The sound of cracking disrupted the chattering from the stands and on the Sands, but with Pan's eyes on the liveliest rocker, she could tell that none of those sounds could have come from the tiny egg with an unmarred surface. She only rose her head when the first youngling butted heads with freedom, or rather kicked at it, wrestling and wriggling herself free of her prison that now seemed two sizes too small. But of course, the mottled dragon would appear larger splayed on the ground, after the egg gave way to her struggle without much of a fair warning. The Tan did not take her tumble as a stab to her pride. She regarded the world calmly, as if she had spent a hundred turns alive rather than a few seconds, and sat patiently after collecting herself. Her eyes were locked on the girls, without giving the males an iota of her attention. Pananarie watched her back. Well, the Tan started it. She was the only one out and about, so there was no doubt about how popular she would be for the next few minutes.
But Pan did like her. She couldn't dislike youth if she tried. She took in the color, size, and shape of the Tan, but she was not aware of the dragon's rank at all. Pan remembered hearing of them, but there were only two from another clutching. She didn't think another one would be born. Instead, she mistook the firstborn to be a Brown. Because of this, she thought it was odd that the dragon was fixed on the girls rather than the boys. Wasn't it supposed to only Impress to them?
The next to hatch was only noticed when he strode into view, and Pan was intrigued by his stealthy entrance. She looked to the clutch to find the egg he left behind, well split and shed away like a cocoon. The Blue sported a lovely, pastel hide with what almost looked like stripes of a slightly lighter color. He was headed towards them, walking as if he had practiced how to do so beforehand. Then he paused, gazing at them all. What could he be thinking? Was he choosing then and there, or was he beginning to doubt choosing a girl at all? Pananarie knew they could Impress to girls; Tomarth was as true a Blue as a dragon could get. But would he choose her? Of that, she was uncertain, yet he pressed on in her direction. He nudged Naima aside, a girl that Pan vaguely remembered from their last Candidate lesson. Then he was just inches away from her before he nudged at her. Pan nearly reached out to give him a pat, but he was off to business moving Avna by her side and pressing on. Pan chuckled as the Blue settled before a girl named Zane, before looking to Avna and saying "Hello, fancy meeting y'all here." She gave a clap for Zane and shuffled to the side to give Avna some space. It wasn't an awkward situation in Pan's book, but she wanted to go back to her spot, a little closer to the eggs with a better view. Where Panith placed her, she had to look over shoulders. That wasn't going to do.
While she was getting back in place, she noticed another newborn was gracing their presence, with emphasis on grace. This latest Blue knew he looked good, and he was making sure everyone else knew it too. Pan's mouth was kept curved into an amused grin as she watched the younger brother strut his stuff. He could have his very own act someday; if a trader got his hands on that Blue, he'd make thousands. He carried himself as if he were a prince, which put Pan off slightly because it reminded her of Siegfried. She couldn't forget her first none-too-friendly conversation with a peer. But she continued to watch him, because there was hope yet that this creature was little like that spoiled brat. Even if he was, he still had credit for being a newborn. Pan couldn't resist the young.
Her attention faltered when the egg that had been rocking vigorously before finally caught up to her siblings. A pale dragon was set free, and Pan couldn't tell what color this one really was because the lighting in the cave was fairly dim. In fact, she could hardly tell that the newest Blue was blue at all. His size was what gave it away. She was told Whites were the smallest, but this pale beauty was not as small as her egg suggested. When she finally stepped away from her shells, her pink toes made it clearer that she was indeed a Pink. A color Pan thought was odd on a dragon, but all the better for being that way. She seemed to be looking for something, or sniffing for it. It seemed to be the only think on her mind.
But the peacock Blue was finally rounding down his decision, among the boys, toppling a couple over as he kept trying to show off his good side. Pan couldn't tell what was going on in the other group, but she began to clap for whoever it was that Impressed when she heard some clapping build up in the crowd. She kept looking that way, just to make sure. Nope. It didn't pick him. She didn't know why she was glad about that, because she didn't wish ill on the boy, but it suited him right. What she really didn't want was for him to Impress to some Kingly dragon, because it would surely worsen his delusions. No...I shouldn't think like that at all, she reasoned. He might be a jerk, but that Sig kid doesn't deserve to be left standing. Maybe he'd get some impossible dragon, like whatever he considered to be the lowest rank, and it would kick him into shape. That would be precious. That would make her night whether or not she Impressed herself.
Pan returned her attention to the remaining eggs and dragons, still seeing many left to go around. Her chances weren't improving as more Candidates arrived, but she tried to keep her hopes up. She was sure Zane would let her meet that beautiful stripped Blue. She had no hard feelings about being pushed aside by him. He was actually pretty gentle about it.
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Post by kitsufox on Jan 16, 2011 19:56:47 GMT -5
The hatching started as abruptly as the humming had when an egg with a tan in it shattered spectacularly, then a blue hatched and then he lost track as the Dragonets started moving around. They were stunning, so stunning. He didn't notice as the striped blue found his rider, nor as the tan and the pink searched about. He was decidedly distracted by the sashaying of the second blue. He became decidedly more distracted by it when it's sashaying sent him crashing to the dirt. It was exactly he wanted to spend his first hatching, lying in the dirt like an egg. Lorryn couldn't still the flare of hope that rose within him when the little blue looked directly at him with an expression that suggested he wanted amnesty.
Nothing came of it, however, and as soon as the little blue looked at Carradog it was over. The pang of disappointment rocked him as if he were an egg, and swept over him for a moment. He shed it quickly, grasping onto the hope that rocked in the eggs spread across the sand. One of them might like him as much as the blue liked C'dog. When the hope rose, Lorryn started to, twisting to bring himself to his feet, pausing once his knees were under him to scan the sands once more, looking for change.
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Post by rai on Jan 16, 2011 20:02:35 GMT -5
Ryn had definitely decided to keep her cool about her. She didn't need anyone thinking she would have a problem with not Impressing today. That she might actually give a herdbeast's backside if she had to leave here without a dragon. She cared. A little. Maybe a little more than a little. What was the sharding point getting all worked up and waiting all this time if you just had to walk away and wait longer? The thought irritated her and her nose crinkled up in distaste. She might have thought more on how stupid it was--or on how stupid she was still feeling in the robe that was too darn hot to be in on these blasted sands in the first place. Taking it off and chucking it to the ground though might get her eaten by that copper. Disrespecting, she was told, was not tolerated. And okay. She was cool. Respect the copper. Her babies and all that. She didn't want to piss off a big dragon. She didn't want to be thrown off the sands. If she made it off alive. So she pushed back her frustration at the robe and the heat. She never had time to start fussing over either of them after that, though.
She saw the first egg begin to crack and rock. Only the stupid thing had the audacity to make her eagerly watch it, then not even manage to break out. In fact, another one broke out while she was busy watching it! She'd seen the color around here. There were only a couple, but she'd seen them. Some off shoot of golds and coppers. Maybe even brown, female version. She didn't remember what they were called but they were a tan sort of color and they did have a habit of naming their dragons after their colors. She watched as it appeared to do...absofreakinglutely nothing. Well, that was a waste. Then another dragon hatched. Now that was more like it!
She didn't want a blue. No sharding way did she want it. She needed something impressive. Blues were for boys and homos. Not that she had a problem...with homos, that was. Boys were annoying and brainless most of the time. Tie swang that way so of course she didn't have a problem with it. Maybe if she didn't like Tie she might have used that against her in any way she could have. But she did and the blackrider was pretty cool. Blackie was too. Again she wondered if they were up in the stands. But no sharding way was she taking her eyes off these dragons long enough for her to find out! That was a great way to get mauled. Or to miss something. Ah, shardit! The blue was headed for the girls! She held her breath without realizing it. Secretly she willed the blue to go pick someone else. Seemed to work, too!
The blue nudged one girl, and then another. It seemed to be moving them. She had thought it meant to Impress one of them. But then it went on to another girl. A brunette. It was customary to clap so she went along with it. Congrats and all that. You got a dragon. You just won the grand prize. Hallelujah. She was just glad that it hadn't been her. She wasn't fussy and she wasn't a female canine. Not that she had a problem with blue, but she didn't need people thinking she was gay. Then she would have to fight girls off with a stick. Of course this was just her ego speaking. Really, in reality, she didn't have to even fight guys off with a stick. One cold look from her and they figured she was a prude. Not that she knew that. But that's exactly the type of attitude she gave off. Enough guys had labeled her gay already, too. She didn't know that, either. Probably good for them she didn't
Finally the small egg broke. Oh joy. It was pink. She almost thought white. White were just freaks of nature. They were too clever. They freaked her out. It was pink. It was the same color as something she recalled...a flower she'd once seen? A blossom, maybe? Well, no matter. It was a girl, wasn't it? And it was a dragon. Still there was a queen egg. Only thing was she still couldn't decide what was better. Power or not having to deal with responsibility. Besides the queens made people pay attention to you...and then again what if she wanted to be sharding well left alone? Maybe something in between? The pink was being a tool anyway. It wasn't doing anything, and another blue hatched and went to the boy's side and Impressed. More clapping. So far, so good. No blue for her. And the pink wasn't looking her way. Nor was the tan, though. And tans were bigger. Was bigger better? She wasn't too sure, but she thought so. Still, again: responsibility versus power. Ah, how confusion sucked dragon balls.
xXx
Tival was still focusing on the candidates filing in when the first egg cracked. He looked over just in time to see the first dragon hatch out. A tan? He'd asked about each new color that he had seen in since he'd come here. Tan were a step below copper. Like brown was a step below bronze. He wondered what kind of people they chose to Impress to. Or if they had any preferences at all. It didn't seem to manage a decision before another dragon hatched out. This one was a blue. He felt his excitement rise notably. A blue. Could Impress males or females. Only this one? Didn't even seem at all interested in any of the males. Well, this was only the first blue. As he watched it make its way over to the females, comically moving a couple out of the way carefully before Impressing, a smile grew on his face. Impression number one? Complete success. He clapped sincerely and enthusiastically for the girl who'd made the first Impression of the hatching. But then the egg he had not seen rocking spilled out a pink dragonet. Well, she was cute, wasn't she?
The pink dragonet looked about it with a certain air that reminded him of floating clouds. He wondered what ran through the smaller dragon's head. No matter, it wasn't picking and another blue had broken the shell. The second blue headed for the boys. Again, the rise in his chest and stomach. It wasn't exactly nervousness. No--it was hopefulness, he realized. He wanted to Impress and each prospect brought forth a predictable result. He watched, but it didn't go to him. It went to another boy on the sands, and he clapped just as much for him as for the girl. The other two dragons that had hatched had yet to choose. But he figured they would. He had seen male riders in the Weyr with a pink. Also females, however. So it was a multi-gender dragon. That meant it could decide to head their way. He was curious about the newer colors. Very. So he watched in rapt attention, the pair of them. Even if he knew the tan dragon wasn't for him, he still was curious as to whom it would be choosing. Every Impression was just as important as the others. It didn't matter if it wasn't his.
xXx
Alyssa didn't have a chance to hear Naima's reply. She felt bad, for she'd asked a question and then not even managed to get the answer. Yet it was obvious why and she doubted Naima would think much of it. The first egg had split in the shell. She was so struck by the suddenness of it that she turned quickly to face the sound. It was a smaller egg, one which rocked back and forth and yet seemed to be having some difficulties making its appearance into the world. Still, not to be outdone, another egg actually did manage to hatch. A tan--was that it?--dragonet spilled out onto the sands. She couldn't help but smile. The miracle that was birth was no less wonderful just because it was a dragon and not human young. She watched it with keen eyes, with a look she was not unknown to get at any event of birth. It was a miracle, simply put. The birth of new life.
The tan didn't seem to be making a move to choose anyone immediately. Obviously it was busy surveying, so maybe it was simply looking more slowly. Nothing at all wrong with that! Still while it was busy trying to make a decision or simply looking about, a blue hatched. Blues were usually not something she remembered many girls getting, and yet she could have been mistaken. Some chose those who had interest in their own gender to some degree, didn't they? Then that would not have been herself. She wasn't too surprised when it headed in the direction of the females, however. It didn't look at her. Instead it nosed a couple of the other candidates aside, almost seeming to be putting them in a place it desired them to be. She wasn't sure after the first if it would not Impress the second. But it instead chose another girl. She clapped, in her usual not too loud but not too silent manner. It was softer than many but not as quiet as some. She had a genuine smile on for the first Impression, however. It had gone well. That was a good sign, wasn't it?
She recalled hearing a rumor that if a bronze was the first to hatch it was good luck. Still, in a Weyr where there were so many different kinds of dragons, maybe the tan was good luck, too? She liked to think so, even as the first egg decided it was well and ready to come out and greet the world. She looked at it closely, before deciding that she was sure it was pink. It was a pale, pastel color and so pretty, too! The way the new dragonet looked around itself was quite precious, seeming to kind of drift as though lost in thought. It was, she was certain, female. Though she had seen men with them. So maybe this was a dragon that Impressed men and women? She was certain, though she had been here only a mere couple of days, that it was. She had been certain that she had seen one or two women accompanying them.
The pink, too, seemed to be slower to choose. Again, it was to be outdone by a blue. For the second blue hatched. The first she noted had striping patterns and she admired how they contrasted the pale, also pastel, blue. This one was a pure light blue, unmarred by any other colors or markings. They were both lovely blues, and so wonderful in their newness. She watched the pink, tan and blue as best as she could. Her eyes were wont to follow which one was actually moving, however. That was the second blue. He didn't seem to want anything to do with the girls, however. She was so delighted when it Impressed that she wanted to call out a congratulations, but not to call attention to herself. She clapped far more loudly for Carradog, one of only two persons she had really gotten any time to converse with--of sorts. The new blueweyrling was shy, and while she found it very cute, in the way that young shy children were, sort of? It was good that he had a dragon that could perhaps aid him in speaking with more confidence. She had yet to find out if it was women he had trouble with or both genders. Either way, she was pleased to see him Impress. Two Impressions down, and many to go. Her eyes fell back to watching the tan and pink. Would they choose next, or would more hatch and make their Impressions before they got the chance to?
xXx
Ceian's palms were sweating, and yet he hardly noticed. It wasn't because the sands were hot, either. Why was it taking so long for something to happen? He was getting more and more unsettled even though he had managed to calm himself far more than he had been before. The waiting was probably the hardest part, he figured. He forced himself to concentrate on thinking about something else. His mind tried to grasp at what that something else could be before a dolphin passed through it. Keeko. Would she be missing him, back home? He had promised to come see her after his dragon could fly. He had also promised to go see her if he did not Impress. He had known she wanted him to. Keeko loved the dragons who came to visit.
He was off in memories when the sound of hushed murmurs broke through the stillness. The candidates around him suddenly grew silent, while those in the stands began to make noises of excitement. He quickly looked towards the eggs, and then swallowed back a sudden rush of something that was not quite fear but indescribable. It was starting.
He found that as the eggs rocked he couldn't focus on just one thing. The candidates, the dragons, and the eggs that had not hatched yet were all receiving darting glances from him. Mostly the dragons, but which one to watch? The blues that hatched were for boys, weren't they? But one went to a girl. Then the other went to a boy. There was a color he had no clue about, and then one that was pink. It was only then that Ceian realized it. Having arrived only the other day? He had zero clues about all these colors. Zero clue about what Impressed what. When it was just the original five he had been fairly sure that blue and green Impressed boys and girls but blues more often boys. Now one had Impressed to each and he didn't know. He clapped a little clumsily along with everyone else, as though he couldn't seem to watch in rapture while making his hands move as he wanted to. He was feeling a rush of so many things at once that it was simply hard to remember to breathe.
They were nervous too. They were here too. He kept saying this to himself and it helped to keep him mostly leveled out. He wasn't alone, here. And look, the girl that he'd nearly scared to death? Had been the first to Impress! He hadn't even realized it until she stood up and walked with the blue closer to where he was standing. Well, that was really nice. If she, as nervous as she seemed to have been even in comparison to him, could do it? It was probably true he could. He was just like her, in that sense...he hoped.
xXx
Tay was practically unable to be still. She was smiling, looking all around and hopping from foot to foot, looking as though she did a strange little dance on the sands. This was so exciting, and none of the eggs had even hatched yet! As though to grant her wish, the candidates all grew silent and the first egg began to rock!
She wanted to give a cheer, to hop up and down and shout a whoop of joy. Yet she did none of the above, and instead bit her lower lip lightly in an attempt to contain her excitement. It was real! It was happening and she was here! She watched the egg, eyes riveted to the clutch now as though nothing could possibly make her look away. She was so excited that she suddenly felt a huge burst of energy, like that time she drank a whole cup of Klah by herself and she wasn't even tired, and then spent the next couple of hours talking a mile a minute, laughing at silly nothings and been unable to sit still. This was better, though! This was being excited for the best reason ever! In all her short young life nothing had been this amazing!
Everything seemed to be seen through a dreamy, yet more awake than she'd ever felt, haze. She was staring in complete amazement as she got to see from a sand's eye view the first of the dragonets hatch. The tan, the two blues, the pink...they were all so perfectly awesome! She would never have been able to pick a favorite. Though the pink was really cute! She grinned at it, but saw the blue heading towards the girls. Not so much towards her side of them, though. It passed her and then did something funny with a couple girls before it Impressed. She couldn't hold back a little cheer. It wasn't loud, it wasn't so quiet that it went unheard. How could she not? It was the first Impression! And then the second Impression left only the tan and pink on the sands. But so many more eggs! How would she bear to stand through them, with this level of enthusiasm and feeling so super hyped? She remembered about breathing and tried to slow it like her mom had taught her to do when she was feeling some particularly strong emotion. Air to the brain helped you think more clearly and she closed her eyes for the briefest of moments, breathing in and out levelly. Then first one eye, then the other, opened. They were still there all those seconds later, the pink and tan. She fought to be a little more still--like the other girls. She would try to be like them, even if it was hard. She clapped very loudly when Carradog had Impressed and resisted cheering this time. The people in the stands were doing it enough, besides! Tan or pink? Again, she wouldn't have been able to decide. A dragon was a dragon, was a dragon!
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Zane
Drudge
zanect[M:0]
They see me rollin', they hatin'.~
Posts: 40
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Post by Zane on Jan 16, 2011 20:12:48 GMT -5
Zane watched as the shells began to crack down the sides, unknowingly taking a step back. She didn’t want to be the first to be seen, rather, she didn’t want to be seen at all. What if some of the dragonets inside were angry, and decided to lash out? They weren’t all nice, after all. She sighed, starting to get a stomach ache. She bit her lip nervously and peeked through a space in-between a few girls ahead of her. She saw a tan emerge from its shell, a color she had never seen before. Was it perhaps some-sort of altered green? She knew not, watching it warily as if it would all of a sudden decide to bombard the Candidates. When it sat back, seeming content with just doing that, she stopped biting her lip. She was sure she’d already drawn some blood, and likely as the hatching went on she’d continue to bite and bite. It was a nervous habit that she shan’t be able to get rid-of. It was just another little thing that made Zane... Zane.
Then, another egg began to crack, and she took another involuntary step back, being hidden even further in the group. She likely looked like a coward, or like she was going to make a break for it. Either one could have been true, but no one-not even her-really had the time to find out. For, from what she could tell, this blue was different than his tan-colored clutchmate. He was walking about, seeming quite content, and possibly even sure of himself. She could not tell, but it looked that way to her. And he was coming towards the girls, which confused her all the more. He was a blue, and therefore a male, why not the boys? Zane shrunk down, trying to lose some of her height. She was supposed to be a Candidate, shards! And she was trying to keep from being seen! What a wretched idea... both her attempting to hide and her having decided that she could do this—Candidacy. She was mentally giving herself a good, swift, kick, continuing to do so as the blue didn’t seem to leave the girls’ presence. Did it mean to make trouble for them? She tried to examine the faces of the others, hoping to see reassured faces rather than anxious or frightened ones. She needed to feel as if there was nothing to be afraid of.
She began to bite her lip once again, now rocking on her heels. Anything to keep her mind distracted, to keep the fear from sinking in. She didn’t want to be here anymore, she didn’t want to be. Too much could happen here; these dragons were too powerful for her liking, no matter how young they were. She didn’t want to die, oh no, the last thing she wanted was to die! Her hand quickly rose to her lip and she began to pick at it fervently, trying to keep her whimpering quiet. Then the Blue was coming through the girls. Could it sense her fright? Was it coming straight for her? It nudged some of the other girls aside, not seeming satisfied with them. Why not? Why couldn't it just leave her alone! Zane closed her eyes over very tightly, not moving an inch. No, she would not move. Maybe it would figure her boring if she was not a moving target, and just go away. Her eyes were firmly shut, though her breathing was as loud as that of a runnerbeast's.
Then there was a voice, a rather... musical voice. Perhaps not even musical, but calming, oh so calming... Which girl was touching her, rather, which girl was at her feet? No, something didn’t seem quite right! ZaneMine, your Panith is here. Simple as that. Let’s walk. Let’s find food.
Finally the slight girl had enough sense to open her eyes to see where the voice was coming from. Some people had moved away from her, and she studied them curiously, giving them peculiar looks. Looking down, her eyes widened, and she felt the blue’s wedge-shaped head reach her stomach. He was around her in a protective-manner, and she felt all of her troubles seep away when she realized his mind voice would never leave her again. She would never be alone, or have to worry about any abuse, no, not anymore... Her Panith was here to keep her safe, and he’d always be here. Forever, as long as they both lived. Oh, they would live, long lives; the both of them. She said nothing, remaining silent, and still. The blue didn’t seem to mind, not overly hungry, no, he’d much prefer for His to be comfortable before they left the sands.
And then the blue uncurled from the small girl, for he felt her dropping her weight down until she was sitting on the hot sand. He stood before her, meeting her gaze. His eyes swirled a soft blue, a blue a shade darker than his hide. It mixed with a grayish-hue; while Zane’s soft brown eyes remained the same. Then there were tears, streaming, like small ravines, down the girls face. They met at the bridge of her nose, while some ran straight to her lips. She did nothing to keep the salty tears from running down, her hands atop her raised knees.
Mine, it is all right. Your Panith understands your pain, and nothing of the like shall ever come to occur again. Your Panith promises. The average-sized blue’s tenor voice did not at all falter, meaning he was completely resolved to do just as he assured.
I’m really happy, she found herself able to send back, feeling weird using her own mind voice. I just can’t believe it’s over, she sobbed, placing her head down on her knees, not afraid to cry in this huge crowd, not with Panith here. Panith shoved his maw into her folded arms, forcing her to raise her head up a tad. He nuzzled her cheek, the beat of his heart nearly matching hers. Let us go from here now Mine, let’s not stay. Like a child being guided by a parent she rose to her feet. She kept close to Panith, a hand on his neck. She was afraid to let go of him, lest he go and find another more suitable. The blue’s tail was around her backside, as if doing just that, guiding her. It also seemed as if the blue was daring anyone to bother her, or cause her any harm. The two walked off the sands in more than good spirits, simply glad for the companionship of one another.
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Tritsen was just about ready to jump up and down with excitement when the first egg showed signs of cracking. It wasn’t the first to hatch, however, another beat the dragon to the... crack. Bits of shell were splayed around the once whole egg. The tan that emerged from the egg rather ungracefully set her to chuckling. It was so cute! Not just cute, but unique. She hadn’t known that such a color could exist. It wasn’t a surprise since this was her first Dalibor hatching. Hopefully it would be her last, with the appearance of the dragonet she realized just how badly she wanted to impress. She wasn’t sure what color she wanted, did it matter? She just wanted a dragonet that would forever be hers. She suspected that everyone wanted the same thing, though some of the boys and girls likely had ambitions of impressing kings and queens. She wasn’t sure if that’s what she wanted, could she handle that responsibility? She shrugged off the matter, deciding that it was best not to take two steps forward to only have to take two steps back. She gasped when the second dragonet emerged, a blue, most definitely male. All blues were male as far as she knew. It would head to the males, no? It was moving around, unlike the tan that seemed content to just sit in place. The pink joined the duo, making a perfect trio of color. The pink was so soft in appearance, and it really looked like a most playful little creature. She couldn’t decide which to focus her eyes on, and then she wasn’t given much of a choice when the blue pushed among them. She moved out of its way, sure that it wasn’t her that it was trying to get to. It found a girl in the middle of the crowd of girls, stopping in front of her and then wrapping about her. Tristen was positively beaming, her smile stretching from ear to ear. She brought her hands together to clap quietly for the girl. She had been the first to impress, lucky, she didn’t have any wait time.
In watching the travels of the blue, she just caught another blue heading over to the males’ side this time. She watched him as he seemed to dawdle between two boys, winding up in an awkward position. She laughed at this, despite herself, and clapped for the second impression that was made when the dragonet chose Carradog. She didn’t know him, for she hadn’t been a Candidate near long enough, but she was still happy for him. She looked back to the tan and the pink, the only two dragonets that may choose her at the moment. She wondered if one of them was her lifemate and they were just being slow about coming to her. The two blues had seemed so sure of who they wanted to go to, maybe she was wrong. She looked to the other eggs that were yet to hatch positively, feeling a renewed energy. She had multiple chances to impress; she just had to impress, and she didn’t believe that she’d been set on this course for no reason. Even if she didn’t impress at this hatching, there was always the next, though this was two hatchings combined. She looked to Kalith, and then Noyth, wondering how they must’ve felt to lose their young to teenaged-humans. Did they care, were they happy? She decided to go with happy. She smiled at each in turn before looking back to the tan and pink. This hatching was only going to get better and better, she felt it!
She felt like dancing for some reason, or doing something equally energetic. Standing still was super hard. She just wanted to show how happy she was to be here! Now that she re-thought it, dancing was a silly idea, but even so! They would be able to dance afterward, at the hatching feast, so her energy could really be exerted then. For now, she would have to remain quiet, and still, unless she had to shift her position to see well. Other girls near her were moving to see well since the blue had shifted them. They didn’t seem bothered by what he had done, it had been awful cute. She was glad that the smaller girl had found her bonded, or rather that he’d found her. She tried to put herself in the girl’s shoes, imagining how it’d feel. Just be patient, you might find out soon enough! she told herself, unable to stop herself from grinning stupidly.
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Post by nagini on Jan 16, 2011 20:25:04 GMT -5
When Lys wished her luck and asked if she was nervous, Naima quietly replied, ”You too, and not really. Just excited.” Her heard pounded doubly fast when the first egg broke though.
Naima never knew what to think at moments like these, so she didn’t try. She just watched as the little tan dragon came into the world and looked about. Naima found it interesting how she just sat there waiting, even as another dragon emerged from its egg. There was something comforting about that to her, although she stopped looking at the tan to look at the other dragon.
Naima watched him intently, especially as he came in her direction. The streaks on his body quickly caught her attention, even though they were kind of hard to see in such dim light. When he nudged her though, she moved out of his way. She wasn’t about to block a dragon from his chosen path. Naima looked after him as he went though. She wanted to see who he was going for, and when he stopped and settled with one of the girls, Naima felt a surge of happiness for them.
When another egg cracked open, Naima refocused on the clutch. Another blue? she thought, looking at its hide. This one didn’t have stripes though, but Naima thought he made up for it plenty with his attitude. The way he moved was amazing to her. He wasn’t even an hour out of his shell and he looked like he owned all of the Hatching Sands!
Naima stopped looking at him when another egg hatched and a new dragon burst forth. She thought it was white at first, but then realized that the dragon was pale pink color. The color reminded Naima a bit of Ellebee, but there was something much more interesting about this dragon than her flitter, not that there was anything wrong with Ellebee.
Naima watched the pink as she approached others, but when the confident blue figured out what he wanted to do and started towards the boys, Naima’s gaze went to him again. She gave a soft mental laugh as he knocked over Carradog and another familiar-looking boy (was that Lorryn?!) and she hoped the two were all right. It looked like the blue had stopped at Carradog though, and Naima smiled a little when she saw that.
Good luck with him, she thought at Carradog, hoping he would work well with the blue. Well, of course he would. Dragons always picked the one they’d be the best with, right? Naima wondered what their life together would be like as she went back to watching the tan and pink dragons along with their unhatched siblings.
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Post by 4horseshowgirl4 on Jan 16, 2011 20:34:08 GMT -5
The Hatching was starting! The first dragonet to hatch was what Abalan at first mistook for an oddly colored Yellow, but quickly recognized as a Tan, a color supposedly native to Dalibor. They were... sub-Queens, right? Unfortunately, that meant that Abalan or the males surrounding him had no hope of Impressing her, but Abalan watched her anyway. This was the first time he had ever seen a dragonet, and it was hard not to be awed by their sheer adorableness. Two pale Blues and a pale Pink soon followed the Tan. Abalan was fascinated by how much the dragonets' different personalities showed. They were so young, and yet already seemed to know themselves so well! He had expected them to be rather like blank slates like human infants were. Then again, that would make it rather difficult for them to pick their mindmates, as any of them could Impress to any Candidate. As Abalan had learned, they tended to pick based off of the personality of the human involved and which matched best to them.
The two Blues Impressed, and Abalan clapped heartily for Zane and C'dog, though he had never met them and didn't know their names. With those two Impressed and off the Sands, Abalan turned to mostly watch the little Pink, as she was the only one on the Sands that would possibly be interested in the boys, though Pinks tended to favor females, didn't they? He looked around at the boys surrounding him, to see if he could guess if any of them would Impress the little Pink.
And then he saw him.
A sharp jolt of excitement, of nervousness, of that-schoolboy-crush-feeling shot through Abalan and almost sent his knees crumpling. It was that golden-locked, wonderful, intelligent, gorgeous specimen of a human being called Gallen, the one that Abalan had met and taken such a fancy to Turns ago. Never would he have imagined meeting the man again on the Hatching Sands, of all places, not that he was meeting him. And not that he was staring, either (okay, so maybe he had for a few seconds, but now he was pretending to watch the dragonets and eggs again).
It took several seconds for him to collect and settle himself. He was trying to become a Weyrling here, and Weyrlings weren't supposed to have crushes, and no dragonet was going to pick him anyways if his mind was filled with loving thoughts for another. So Abalan watched the eggs and the Pink and the Tan with more determination and focus than was necessary so he would forget about Gallen for the time being. The dragonets were far more important right now. Luckily, this was a Hatching, and if anything could distract a lover from the object of their affection, it was baby dragons!
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Pratyba was about to enter the Hatching Sands when she was stopped by Djorjdi. She didn't know him well, but she did know his darling daughter Aimsi from the times she'd helped out in the creche. She'd forgotten that he was a Candidate-- it had to be unusual for a Candidate to have children! She was glad to help, as she always was, and despite her reputation, she was a relatively good caretaker of kids. They loved her, anyway, and she loved them. "No problem, a'tall, Djorjdi! Good luck out there!" She scooped Aimsi up in her arms and cooed to the little girl, "We'll have fun, won't we?" And with that she carefully remounted Oorth and flew into the Sands.
The Pinkpair settled on a ledge as close to the Sands as Pratyba thought Kalith would let her (which was not very close at all). She hoped Aimsi would still be able to see her father. "Look, Aimsi! There's your daddy!" Pratyba said excitedly, pointing him out to the little girl. "He might Impress his very own dragon today. Like how I Impressed Oorth! Wouldn't that be exciting?" And as if to help prove that point, Oorth stuck her nose in Pratyba's arms and gently whuffed warm hair at Aimsi. Pratyba hoped she wasn't afraid of dragons!
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B'nyur and Oveth were slightly later than they'd preferred, but it always took them a few extra minutes to prepare for a Hatching. They weren't there to be mere spectators, after all. Oveth looked quite proud and self-important wearing his harness of medical gear. There rarely failed to be a mauling at a Hatching, and B'nyur and Oveth wanted to be able to take care of it if happen, which was incredibly likely considering the size of the clutches. Twenty-nine eggs! Including a Queen! There was bound to be hatchling drama, and the last Queen they'd had, that brat Couineth, had left quite a wake of blood behind her.
B'nyur quickly spotted someone he knew-- Akira, of Green Coreth, of whom Oveth was quite fond. Oveth landed next to her with his usual roughness. "Hello, Akira! Mind if we butt in?" B'nyur said amiably, sliding off of Oveth and giving the Blue an affectionate pat. Hi, C-- C---,[/color] {Coreth} B'nyur supplied automatically, Coreth! It's so exciting, isn't it?[/color]
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L'ven and Valleth were there, simply watching. They hadn't seen anyone they knew on their way in, but they were content to sit by themselves and watch the Hatching. They would never miss one, as they were quite fun to watch and vitally important events to the Weyr. He couldn't imagine how any Dragonrider would skip one, especially this one, since a Queen had been shelled! He honestly did not not know any of the Candidates, but he could not help looking them over, trying to pick which ones would Impress which dragon. He and Valleth were making a game out of it, and neither had guessed the Impression of the Blues correctly. [/font][/right]
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Post by theknightwhosaysni on Jan 16, 2011 21:03:29 GMT -5
Akira and Coreth had arrived just before the first eggs had hatched, honestly. The hum hadn't woken Akira up; she mostly just tuned those hums out, especially when they came that late at night. Even with Sea rumbling next to her, practically vibrating with the noise, Akira had managed to sleep through them until Coreth had very violently awakened Hers by shoving the greenrider from the bed. You must get up, AkiraMine! [/i] had been the green's words, The Hatching is starting![/i] And that was why Akira was there right then, yawning widely as she watched the Hatching. A tan, a new color, had Hatched, along with what looked with a large white and two blues. They were very pastel blues, and quite lovely shades at that, though they weren't nearly as lovely as her Coreth. Coreth gave a pleased rumble at that, twitching her dark green tail happily. Thank you, AkiraMine.[/i] Her eyes whirled with greens and blues as she crooned happily. B'nyur's voice startled Akira, and she glanced up with a smile on her features. "Not at all, B'nyur! We're just watching the Hatching, nothing too exciting." She nodded happily, stifling a yawn. It was too late for this, but whatever. She was glad to see a friend! Coreth gave a dangerous rumble at Akira's words, a flash of red swirling into her eyes. She didn't like sharing Hers! However, it was a Hatching, and it was too grand of an occasion to be too grumpy about such things! Plus, she was kind of tired. It was a bit too late at night to be cranky. So Coreth contented herself with only that growl, and turned her attention towards Oveth, ignoring the fact that it took him a moment to remember her name. Hello, Oveth.[/i] She greeted him with a nod, her mental voice rather tired sounding. It is quite exciting indeed. Hatchings are always fun![/i] Even if they did happen at night. And even if she did have to share Hers. "What's that harness on Oveth for?" Akira questioned, ignoring Coreth easily. She blurted the question out with a smile, as tactless as ever. There wasn't a particular reason for asking it; the question had mostly just occurred to her when she noticed the harness. Akira was probably just oblivious, but she hadn't seen anything like it before. Paying attention during Hatchings to anything other than the eggs was not her forte.[/size][/blockquote]
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Post by shimmer on Jan 16, 2011 21:09:27 GMT -5
In the dull half light, the hatching grounds were almost eerie in appearance. Around the glows, visibility was adequate, shapes and colors distinguishable as fuzzier, dimmer versions of themselves. Away from them, however, shadows quickly overtook the scene, the world becoming gray and indistinct.
In silence, she watched as something large and brownish popped out of its egg. A brown? It seemed far too big. Hadn't one of the new mutations she had heard about been some sort of strange, female brown? Was this one of them?
Another egg cracked open to reveal a pale creature that almost appeared to glow in the dark. It's hide was near white, but it was far too large for such a color, and as it neared the girls, it revealed itself to be a beautiful icy blue, faintly striped with bands of almost white. It seemed a wonderfully calm and handsome dragonet, and as it wandered among them, Mayalene actually felt a bit of hope and longing. It impressed to another, different girl, however, one that she did not know.
Another egg hatched to reveal another pale blue. It wasn't as pretty as the other one, lacking the stripes and the wonderfully regal stance. It was also headed for the boys. She found herself looking away as another egg hatched, a tiny thing that had started rocking before any of the others. The tiny hatchling that emerged resembled a white even more than the two blues from before, but was still far too large. A pink. Quite a lovely little creature, with her pale hide and her dreamy expression. Graceful too, her steps light as she made her way towards the candidates. Yet again, Mayalene felt a tiny bit of hope and longing. How very strange. Although she had been known to take a liking to a dragonet at a hatching, or briefly desire impression the same way other hopefuls did, to have it happen twice in a row was a new experience, though not an entirely unpleasant one.
Quietly, she watched the little dragon make its way across the sands, icy eyes occasionally straying to look at the tan, who didn't seem to be doing much of anything at the moment. A pale pink and a strange female brown. Would she impress one? A small part of her hoped the answer would be yes.
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Reky
Alphahandler
rekyct[M:-999]
SO PRO
Posts: 1,554
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Post by Reky on Jan 16, 2011 21:38:54 GMT -5
Emrin was still shaking in his boots. He was concentrating really, really hard on not peeing his pants, he was that nervous. He really should have went before he got here... But then he would have been late. That would have been worse. Maybe, once things started rolling along, he'd forget his need for a bathroom and be able to watch that hatching. He really hoped so, because this was getting ridiculous. He needed to calm down. He didn't need to be so nervous. What was he nervous about, anyways?
There were actually quite a few things. Firstly, dragons were big and scary and he was a tiny wimp. What if they hurt him? He'd probably die, because he was so small compared to them, even the baby ones. (Well, they weren't bigger than him, but they were the biggest baby versions of something he'd ever seen before.) He was also nervous about what dragon he'd get. Perhaps nervous wasn't exactly the right word... 'excited' was more accurate, but those were basically that same thing. He was also nervous about what X'ni and F'lan would think, no matter what happened. Would they be proud? Or would they be disappointed if, say, he didn't Impress, or got something that was really girly.
What was it that girl had said? That Xela girl? Besides telling him to burn the clothes X'ni gave him. He couldn't remember what it was, exactly, but it was something like 'be manly' or 'be yourself' or 'don't listen to X'ni.' It was all good advice, he figured, and he bucked up. He didn't need to be nervous! If something went wrong, he could be sad or wimpy when it actually happened. Right now, though, he just had to be the best he could be, because he was going to get a dragon! Enlith had Searched him, so she knew he'd get a dragon! She was really mean, but she was also pretty smart. He hoped she wasn't joking about him getting a dragon.
Then, dragons started hatching. Emrin held his breath, his eyes absolutely huge. The first dragon was a tan. He'd seen a couple around - one with that girl who was always hanging out with little kids and toddlers and stuff, who was actually really nice, and one with that crazy girl. The tan sort of sat around, and then out came a blue dragon, too. He moved around and was more fun to watch. Seceth was a blue... but this blue, and the other one that hatched, were too light to really look like Seceth. They were just babies, too, so they weren't huge and muscle-y like Seceth. The two blues both got some candidates, and then came another dragon. Emrin was baffled at how fast they were hatching. Were they supposed to hatch that fast? That was crazy! Or was it slow for dragons? When Mitzi and Merps had hatched from their pillie eggs, they came out right away, like lightning. Oh well. This seemed fast to him, for huge dragons. He didn't even care that he couldn't tell if the new dragon was a giant white or a pink or something weird. He was too entranced by the hatching eggs.
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X'ni peered down at that scrawny eleven-Turn-old standing amongst all the taller, late-teenage boys. He looked really out of place. Enlith, crouched beside Hers, snorted in disdain. Expecting Emrin to look any different was illogical, though. It wasn't like he could grow a foot and a half and get muscles and facial hair overnight. When Enlith had fake-Searched him, he was a skinny boy, and he was still a skinny boy now. He was just wearing candidate robes and silly sandals. X'ni really hadn't missed that get-up. He'd taken it off as soon as he could after he Impressed Enlith. She'd appreciated that.
Hopefully, Emrin was at least trying to act like a decent, strong male, instead of a wimp. X'ni wanted him to Impress well. Emrin was his son, after all, and any son of his would be great and awesome. F'lan was Emrin's other dad, too, which gave Emrin even more to live up to, because F'lan was so amazing. Enlith rolled her faceted eyes as that thought crossed X'ni's foolish, romantic mind, and just kept watching the hatching. She was humming, of course, but only out of animal instinct. She didn't think she really had to put all this effort into humming for so long, but it was social convention so she complied. There wasn't even anything to be excited about, yet. Just a dumb tan, some blues like Seceth (which had to be dumb because they were like Seceth), and some pink that didn't even look like a pink. She consoled herself, though, with the knowledge that she was better than everything on the Sands right now. [/blockquote]
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Post by derek on Jan 16, 2011 22:14:26 GMT -5
Lorryn was speaking in hardly more than a whisper. "So much better than runners!" Carradog nodded enthusiastically, his dark, usually cloudy eyes wide and clear in excitement. He was so glad Lorryn had taken the time to help him get over his fear of dragons!
Stepping slightly closer to his friend, he stopped nodding as the first egg began to rock. It was small, and seemed to really want to hatch! Concentrating fiercely on it, Carradog almost missed the first egg hatching. The first egg to hatch was larger than the rocking egg, and as the dragonet stepped out, Carradog blinked, confused. A female Brown? Then he remembered someone mentioning a new mutation from the last Hatching: a Tan.
They said there was a second new mutation, too, something called a Viridian. Carradog thought about the two new mutations as he watched the Tan topple out of the egg and stand up. She seemed in no hurry to find her Rider, as she sat down lightly, watching the female Candidates. Obviously, she would Impress to a female, as she was a Sub-Queen, or so he thought.
Carradog's attention shifted as a normal-sized, mottled cream egg split straight down the center, letting a pale hatchling head pop out of it. The Candidate scrunched his eyebrows together in confusion, trying to tell what color it was. As the dragonet emerged carefully from his egg. He seemed to look to the Tan, but then he stood taller, and crossed the sands with a Royal sort of air about him. Carradog was confused again as the Blue, as he finally identified it, began to head for the girls, pushing them this way and that until he found his match.
Clapping politely, Carradog went back to watching the Tan, who was still sitting silently on the sands, content to watch. The Candidate's attention wavered as another egg burst open, letting another Blue loose on the sands. He was not striped, as his brother was, but equally as handsome, about the size of a medium canine. Carradog was not intimidated by the hatchlings. He knew they would grow, which made him nervous, but for now they were cute, though far from harmless.
The second Blue was confident. He strutted about, unfolding a wing, showing off. He reminded Carradog of a player who did tricks in shows. As the dragonet was trying to fold his wing back, the first egg to rock hatched. Carradog puzzled over her color as well until he detected hues of the palest pink in her hide. She was still for a few moments until she headed toward the girls.
Carradog glanced back toward the Tan. She still hadn't really moved. He wondered briefly if something was wrong with her, but as he did so, something knocked into him, knocking him onto the sands. Looking up, he was startled to find the second Blue standing over him, looking down at Lorryn, who had also been knocked over, with a sad, sort of apologetic look on it's face.
Carradog started to get up, but stopped as an explosion seemed to rock his mind. C'dog! Oh, you know you look quite nice. You really can rock the scruffiness quite well. I'm sorry for messing it up though. You and I? We're gonna be ladykillers. I don't know what that means, but I think it means something better than it sounds. Isn't your Erosepoth beautiful? He tries very hard. It makes him happy. You're happy too, right? I thought we could be happy together. The Candidate-- no, the Weyrling --was confused for a good thirty seconds before a grin broke out on his face. Erosepoth! His dragon was Erosepoth!
The Blue bent down, nudging Carradog-- C'dog --lightly, as the boy was still on the ground. Sitting up, C'dog hugged the dragon around the neck happily. We'll be happy together forever! He exclaimed happily in his mind to the dragon, who pranced excitedly.
Looking over at Lorryn, C'dog was upset to see disappointment on his friend's face, and the Weyrling knew Lorryn was wishing Erosepoth had Impressed to him. Frowning, C'dog extended his hand to help his friend up, but Lorryn got up on his own. Erosepoth nudged His with his nose again. C'dogMine, be happy! I am yours and yours is mine, and we are happy! Food also makes me happy. C'dogMine, can we get food now? [/color] The Weyrling did not want to leave his friend, but his dragon was more important. Erosepoth was his for life. Lorryn may not last that long. Of course, Ero. Let's go get something to eat!As he turned to go, he glanced at Lorryn. "I'm sorry... you'll find your dragon, too. I promise." It was a promise he could not keep, but one he felt he had to make. C'dogMine! Food is happy! Be happy, Mine! Let us go be happy with food!"[/i][/size][/center][/blockquote]
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Admin
Administrator
brect[M:-2154]
Posts: 3,754
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Post by Admin on Jan 16, 2011 22:20:48 GMT -5
Go, go, go, go now, Out of the nest, It's time, Go, go, go now.
Another smaller egg was hatching. However, unlike the pink, the dragonet within was not content to wait. There were other eggs rocking and wiggling around the sands, but that egg, right there, was not going to wait. It was going to hatch right then. The dragonet ripped open the front of his prison. However, when he stepped forward, he seemed perfectly calm, silent as was befitting his hide. Pitch black in color, there was no mistaking what he was, not like his pastel siblings. Like the two blues, he radiated confident, carrying him well. However, unlike Panith, his did not falter even falter, and unlike Erosepoth, his was not born on ego. His was the sort to be a ruler, no matter his size. Oh, he did not need to be a King. He did not dream of changing who he was. That would have been nice, but him? He would rule what was justly allotted to him.
Standing there, the black scanned the scene in front of him. It seemed common amongst the dragonets, but each had their reasons. He partially did it to get himself acquainted with this big, new world, but he also behaved that way because that was how he would act. He waited and he watched, knowing that eventually something would happen and he would be needed. In the meantime, the world was regarded impartially. New life surrounded him, but he did not care for that. He was waiting for the other side of the gate. He was waiting to take or to release. Though he did not know to call it death, he knew it was there. Stricken faces in the crowd, covered by hope. The hope was not him. The rest would be his. When he was grown, he would ride to fight thread. His brothers and sisters would leave. That was life. He sat there, accepting it.
The pink drew near the candidates, but she took her time, in no rush, steps light and slow. It was then that the tan noticed her and the larger dragonet pulled herself to her feet. It seemed like she should go over there, to the candidates, especially the girls, and help out with everything. She plodded over to them, not particularly graceful or elegant. Her eyes went from one girl to the next, reading each of them. To her, boys read blank. But girls? They made sense to her. It wasn't a matter of facts or statistics. It was little things that she understand. Her understand was exclusively for the simple things, and that was all she wanted. She was content with her lot in life. That didn't mean she wouldn't fit for what she wanted, but what she wanted was simple. She knew what she knew, she knew. She would learn little more. What she learned that day was her rider.
Of course, she did not realize that he rider did not think she was supposed to Impress to her. The tan was not observant enough to figure out that. Besides, it wasn't as if her rider would reject her, no matter who she was. She knew that they were perfect for each other. She just knew that they would do such good. They could wait forever together. They could wait in life. I like little ones too. I like all my siblings and brothers, but one day we will be big. Then I will be able to help the other little ones. The tan's voice was placid and content, mixing a touch of ageless wisdom with a naive lack of brilliance. I will have my own one day too. I know it. Not too many. There will be many seasons before that though. Many seasons of waiting. You could have your own if you like too, PananarieMine. We could raise them together too. You and your Demeth. Me and you.
Two more eggs were hatching, both of moderate size and both mottled in a dark bluish brown even though there were on opposite sides of the clutch. The first one, far to the left, broke first, splitting into three pieces. From those remnants, a moderately sized green, perhaps a little on the larger size, emerged. Her hide was a bright, vibrant green, not horrible on the eyes but certainly eye-catching. Her eyes swirled a sour orange, a tenseness rippling through her body. She wasn't yet angry, but she was a stern figure, ready to do what was needed. She had hatched ready for it. How else would she come into life? Across the clutch, the other egg broke, spilling out a second green. This one was smaller, somehow had larger wings, and her hide was more pastel like the others but also darker than any of her siblings. She hoped to her feet with a brazen trill.
The brighter green's orange eyes snapped to her sister. The darker green returned the gaze. However, she was not stern and harsh like her sister. She was fleet of foot and light of body. She watched the other green as the other green watched her. Slowly, that lighter green, still watching, started forward, heading towards the candidates. The darker green stayed were she was. Then the first green finally looked away. Leaping forward, moving in wide bound, the second green fell upon her sister. She nipped the larger dragonet's rump mischievously and then leaped away, lunging to safety. The attack green barely made a noise of surprise, merely growling in response to this unfair attack. Her head turned sharply as her sister darted away, her eyes, going from sour orange to angry red, tracking the smaller green's flighty, dastardly movements.
The watched green, pleased with her success, trilled triumphantly and headed towards the candidates. However, the first green was not about to let her go without revenge. She strode forward, purposeful in her manner. With a ringing cry for justice and herself, she tackled the smaller green, throwing her forward onto the sands and pinning her. The capture creature shrieked indignantly, not liking this change of position, and struggled to get free. She clawed her way out of the other green's grasp, pricks from claws scrambling to pin her making ichor drip from her hide. As soon as she could, she reared back, throwing off her sister, and took off running. The first green, unseated but not about to let her mischievous sister get away, went after her. They wove amongst the candidates in a very malice game of tag, the first snarling and the second hollering away.
The black watched the two greens fight. There was nothing for him to clean up yet and it was not big enough to call him to interfere. In truth, his staring was largely accompanied by thoughts of how pretty the two were. He would never admit, of course. His color and nature meant he would only think of their beauty, and the loveliness of their fiery temperaments, in the privacy of his own mind. At that age, he hardly knew what he was thinking. He just found them interesting. In time, he would grow and understand, but he would never know how to approach it. To woo a lady? That was not within his abilities, at least not well. If he desperately desire something, he would try to get it, but for the most part, he believed that silence and discreteness were the better parts of valor. He appreciated the beauty of the greens, but he would remain content where he was.
What would eventually draw him from his place, a few moments after the green's began their chase and started to pace out of his range of vision, was a mission. He strode forward with pride, his sudden movement surprising after he had only moved his head for so long. He was not graceful, more elegant. His choppy stride was not even a proper march. However, he carried himself well, because no one could tear him down. What he held, no one else could have, even if they wanted it. Most wouldn't. His rider would have to be selected with care. Due to that, he slowed when he neared them, not wishing to get too close. His steps before that had been purposeful and efficient. When he slowed, he soon stopped, coming to stand out in the middle of the stand, bold and uncaring. He regarded each boy and girl, every candidate, with a withering gaze.
Of course, when he had found the boy, for it was a boy, fated for him, for he did believe in fate and destiny, even though he believed in logic and sense as well, he knew. Despite immediately knowing, the complete understanding that there was only one boy for him and he had found that boy, he did not move to meet the waiting candidate. He simply sat down. For once, he spoke. It was not something he would do often. Hello T'valMine. It is time for myself and the other dragons to be fed, if you would assist your Hadeth in making sure that all survive as they should. He voice was quiet but strong, clear inside the mind of his rider. His few words were worthwhile. Of course, thread will not survive by our hand. Nor will any threaten us. The black was not passionate about he said, at least in tone, but he did sound quite assured, and he was no liar.
Mother the car is here, Somebody leave the light on, Black chariot for the redhead, Dancing, dancing girl.
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Birdy
Wingrider
birdct[M:50]
Posts: 22
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Post by Birdy on Jan 16, 2011 22:25:15 GMT -5
[/b] Paralee cheered loudly from the stands, waving her banner and jumping up and down excitedly! Pan had Impressed~ Pan had Impressed! Oh this was delightful! And to big one too! Gleefully she sat down again, still clapping and hollering in Pan's honor. [/ul][/size]
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Post by purnip on Jan 16, 2011 23:33:01 GMT -5
It is the springtime of my loving - the second season I am to know You are the sunlight in my growing - so little warmth I've felt before. It isn't hard to feel me glowing - I watched the fire that grew so low.
It is the summer of my smiles - flee from me Keepers of the Gloom. Speak to me only with your eyes. It is to you I give this tune. Ain't so hard to recognize - These things are clear to all from time to time.
The hatching of a pitch black dragon did take Pananarie by surprise, after having seen so many pastel-hued pretties grace the Sands. He wasn't ugly though--she could never call a dragon ugly. His color was just so staggeringly different from that of his siblings that he stuck out like a red blade of grass in a green field. Her gaze remained steady on him, trying to figure out the dragon underneath the dark hide. He was something complex, a labyrinth of secrets. Pan was not the best judge of character when it came to other people, but she always had a talent for reading the minds of creatures. Sometimes she was off. Way off. This time however, she felt it was right. He had a very different air to him than the rest of his siblings so far. He seemed to be patient, like the Tan Pananarie was mistaking for a Brown, but unlike his sister, there was a flash of something critical about him in general. Like his sister was life everlasting and he was just...patiently waiting for the end.
Pan blinked, tears forming in her eyes from staring too long without blinking. Maybe she was putting too much thought into it. For all she knew, the Black was just saving face in front of his less dignified siblings. It wasn't kind to cast judgments on strangers, but some things couldn't be helped.
The Pink with the pretty toes was picking through Candidates, near enough to stroke at one point. But Pan resisted. She remembered what they had been taught, and though in her book many rules were made to be broken, when it came to animals, the consequences of breaking those rules could be fatal, no matter how innocent the intent might be. The girl's gaze shifted towards the Sands again when the Tan was up on her feet, moving towards the girls at her own pace. She reminded Pan of a burden-beast, an offset of the runnerbeast that does more with strength than speed. The dragonet wasn't as graceful as her siblings, but she was duty-bound and wise. There was no desire in her to rush through things and make a mess of everything. The blonde admired this, and she continued to watch this dragon approach until it was her turn to be read. It felt like forever as the Tan was slowly approaching, looking over every girl in her path before reaching Pan. But here she was. She was looking Pananarie straight in the eye, and Pan did not falter in doing the same. There was no challenge in her soft, green eyes. The girl was smiling at the youngling, because whether or not she was chosen, she couldn't help but love such a sweet creature.
And it turned out that the creature couldn't help but love her back.
I like little ones too. I like all my siblings and brothers, but one day we will be big. Then I will be able to help the other little ones. The Tan's voice was placid and content, mixing a touch of ageless wisdom with a naive lack of brilliance. I will have my own one day too. I know it. Not too many. There will be many seasons before that though. Many seasons of waiting. You could have your own if you like too, PananarieMine. We could raise them together too. You and your Demeth. Me and you.
As Demeth spoke, the noise all around Pan was gone. Everyone on the Sands was absent. There were only two left on the entire face of Pern for that instant. Pananarie and Demeth. Human and dragon. The ancient bond that carried on for centuries. As that dragon spoke every one of those centuries seemed to pass by, and every season when the time for flying, clutching, hatching, and bonding came about. She reached out and placed a hand on Demeth's snout before stroking her like the loving mother she always was at heart. "Me and you. We'll take good care of them, won't we? But...I've gotta take care of you first."
That was the next step, even though neither one of them was in any hurry to meet their brothers at the feeding section. They just stood there, facing one another, soaking it all in. Pan could hardly believe she found such a jewel, and it was clear by now through Demeth's voice alone that she was indeed a lady, and likely to be one of those Tans she knew so little about. But the color didn't matter to her in the slightest because it never did. All that mattered right now was her Demeth, and even though it was hard to move, she knew it was time to feed the young.
It cannot be helped. I must eat, but I will not take more than I need. I must save plenty for my sisters and brothers who have yet to feed. When she mentioned 'brothers', it sounded like a near-oversight, but Pan failed to realize it. It was nothing of any sheer importance. She scratched gently at Demeth's eye ridges, enamored by the fine beast. So caring, so loving, and so responsible. She couldn't have been happier.
"I understand. Let's go over there before the others hatch, so we won't be in anyone's way," Pananarie nudged her head in the direction of the bucketed meat supply and the Tan gave a dip of her head in compliance. The newly dubbed Weyrling started towards the feeding area with Demeth close behind, but when they were out of the group and Pan paused to look upwards, the Tan was following carefully enough to pause with no problems as well. She didn't look up, but she could sense why her human was stopping.
Pananarie waved up at Paralee and Tomarth, smiling proudly and utterly grateful to have the support from above. "You'll love Paralee," she mentioned aside to her dragon, still waving victoriously. "And Tommy too!"
I'm sure I will, Demeth responded, finally glancing up towards the girl in question. She has a good spirit. And she has my gratitude for supporting you.
Pan stopped when it was probably the best time to. She didn't think at the time that it wasn't very polite to make a big deal about Impressing when there were so many Candidates left on the Sands. She started to feel a little sorry about it, but she wanted to show Paralee that she did good. Really good. Now that the moment's celebration was over though, it was really time to get a move on and feed her dragon. She had been stuck in that egg for a long time. But she knew the Tan had no trouble waiting.
I've felt the coldness of my winter I never thought it would ever go. I cursed the gloom that set upon us... But I know that I love you so
These are the seasons of emotion and like the winds they rise and fall This is the wonder of devotion - I seek the torch we all must hold. This is the mystery of the quotient - Upon us all a little rain must fall...It's just a little rain...
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Post by shimmer on Jan 16, 2011 23:36:58 GMT -5
A black spilled onto the sands next, inky hide a sharp contrast to its ghostly pastel siblings, though he seemed to possess the same calm nature. Mayalene admired him for a moment before turning her attention to the pink, and then to the tan, as the latter finally decided to do something.
The sub queen wasn't as graceful as her siblings as she approached the females, and although she was quite charming, Mayalene wasn't particularly disappointed when she impressed to another girl. Pananarie. Her first... speed date. They hadn't really interacted with each other since that night.
The sound of more cracking eggs pulled her attention back towards the sands in time to see two greens hatch. The first seemed tense... angry? The second seemed bold and brazen. Neither was what she wanted, a thought that was confirmed when they began to fight. She did her best to move out of the way as they chased each other through the groups of candidates, frowning at their behavior.
Distracted as she was, she didn't notice the black impressing to Tival. She might have actually cared about that one had she seen. He was one of the few people she knew here, even if she had only spoken to him once. Currently, though, her attention was focused on avoiding those greens.
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Gray
Wingrider
grayct[M:-350]
Posts: 870
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Post by Gray on Jan 16, 2011 23:48:51 GMT -5
Tasia's hand's moved to her hips as she watched a those who already impressed left to feed their dragons. She wondered, did they get what they want? Were they happy? They looked happy. But where they really happy? Her stern facade dropped for a moment, and a look of fairty worry crossed her face. Her brow furrowed, and she frowned just a bit. Would she be happy? If she impressed that is. What was it like?
Tasia tried to imagine how having some one who knew you totally and completely felt. Was it like the bond between her and her brother? She wouldn't like that. Her brother was her brother, and she wasn't overly fond of him. Shaking her head, she banished those confusing thoughts. Turning her attention back to the hatching, and was rewarded with the sight of another egg bursting into shell fragments.
The black that tumbled out was a rather regal looking thing. He didn't move much. He just sat there, staring. Well, a lot of them tended to do that. So far, the only ones to really take off were the blues. They all seemed to be taking their time. Well, it looked like the tan had time enough! Moving through the ranks of the girls, she finally settled on one. Tasia clapped for the two with a nod. The tan was pretty.
She wasn't really surprised any more when two more eggs hatched. Greens. A rather rambunctious pair two. When they started fighting, she lept back. She had no interest in getting into the middle of this one. Someone was going to get hurt. “Cut it out the both of you!” She stamped her foot in the ground, glaring at the dragonets. Due to all this, she missed the black's impression.
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Post by rai on Jan 17, 2011 0:25:16 GMT -5
Tival made sure he didn't miss any of the Impressions. Shells, he didn't want to miss a thing. He wanted to remember all of this. Maybe he would get to do it again, but maybe not. That's what he had thought earlier and that's what he stuck to now. No matter if he had to stand again? It would be great to remember doing it each time. He knew not everyone managed to think of it that way, and yet he knew that those who didn't were swamped with disappointment when they got all their hopes on Impressing the first go around and didn't. He could handle it though. Maybe he'd help other people handle it. He actually did glance over at the girl's side then. Was it harder for them? He'd seen girls cry who hadn't Impressed. But maybe that was a bit unfair. The guys might have gone off to do that in private. Didn't mean they weren't just as disappointed. Everyone wanted to be accepted. Having a dragon not choose you--for some he could see how that might be a sign of rejection. He didn't think of it that way. But he could empathize easily enough.
His attention was stolen by the next of the eggs to hatch out. There was no mistaking what color the dragon who was shelled was. A dark black, so dark it might have altogether disappeared into the darkest nights, stood there. Like the second blue to Impress there was something about the way he carried himself. It was confidence. He recognized that. He could not have known the blue had an ego--it wasn't his to know. So he summed it up to confidence. Like the tan and pink before him, he just stood there. Tival would have watched him longer--he was the only male dragon on the sands at the time--but then two more eggs hatched near simultaneously. Both were greens but distinctly different. The one that had hatched to the left was larger, and a bright green that was rather eye-catching. The one on the right had the same sort of look to it that the two blues had. Only it was darker than they had been, and the pink who was similar to the blues. They seemed to be eying one another--and had the tan just Impressed? He had seen it go up to a girl, and yes--it had! He clapped once more but was busy watching the greens. He missed the smaller green's antics, and the next thing he knew the larger one had the smaller one pinned. His eyes widened a little. Not something he could precisely do anything about. The little green then got away and swiftly outran her larger sister. He caught something out of the corner of his eye, then, so he looked back and saw the black was on the move.
The way the black moved reminded him of a mix between a stride and a near prance, of sorts. It was not exactly graceful but more purposeful, a level gait that was strong and seemed to serve the purpose. It might have looked odd for a dragon, but it seemed to do the black well enough. Then, it stopped. Tival wasn't even sure what it was doing, at first. It seemed to start where the first girl stood, and then along the entire line of them. Was it trying to come to a decision? Did it mean to choose a girl, then? If so, why did it stand right there in the middle instead of moving closer to get a better look? Maybe it wasn't sure it wanted a girl. That was probably it. The greens who had been fighting didn't have his attention right at the moment. They didn't seem to be trying to make a choice; and he very much doubted that if they were, he would be an option. He didn't swing that way, and he was at least mostly sure they only Impressed guys who did.
Then it did the same thing, and he watched it, brows a little furrowed as he shifted his stance on the hot sand beneath his feet. It started at the opposite side from him. Its look was flat, and at the same time almost something else, too. There it was again, that sense of confidence he had seen before. Was that even it? Maybe it was just bold. But as the gaze of the black drew nearer to him, he felt a slight fluttering feeling in his chest. It got closer, and then closer. And then it stopped.
Tival shot a quick glance to either side of him and even behind him. There was no one behind him and as he quickly looked back, the black sat down. It was still looking at him. That was when he actually really looked back. The feeling was instantaneous. It was like the feeling of something so familiar you had always known it. The feeling of acceptance, complete acceptance for every single part of you--and not just the good. The good, bad, and ugly. Every flaw, every nuance, was accepted. Just as he accepted that which was so completely accepting him. It was like he had been half a person his whole life but had never really known or understood. It was so overwhelming and his chest felt so full! So full that it might be unable to contain the feeling. It was love, a love that would never die. Love that would never betray or be betrayed. It was eternal. He was complete.
Hello T'valMine. It is time for myself and the other dragons to be fed, if you would assist your Hadeth in making sure that all survive as they should.
The voice was the same. So familiar, though it was the first time he had ever heard it. Heard it, but not with ears. It was so strange, and yet natural. He heard it within his mind, and that was something far more than mere words could convey. There was a flood of feeling and he felt strength and honesty. Certainty. Confidence. He felt all that was Hadeth. There was nothing kept from him. It was not like talking to a person, where you couldn't ever really know the feeling behind the words. Not like this. The voice reminded him at once of black velvet. Smooth and quiet, but clear and strong and it reminded him of the night and the dark. But the dark in a way that wasn't frightening. No, this was a dark that was both dark and the light to that dark. He was so overwhelmed!
Of course, thread will not survive by our hand. Nor will any threaten us.
So assured was that voice. It spoke only truth. This was not, he knew, someone who minced his words. Only truth would be spoken by his Hadeth. His Hadeth. Just like he was Hadeth's T'val. A little room for surprise. He wasn't Tival from this day forth. Now he was T'val of black Hadeth. He felt the pride well up in his chest. Not in himself, though he was proud to say he was Hadeth's partner. It was pride in Hadeth, his wonderful, magnificent Hadeth. And he had included the other dragons in this. In that instant he knew that Hadeth, though no King, was special in a way...he would lead in a different way. A way no others could, all his own. Not in a way that held power of the kind having a King would bring--heck Hadeth was more to him than any King would have been. This power was Hadeth's own and no one else's. It was purely unique, and purely the black's. He looked at Hadeth in wonder, not completely able to grasp what that would mean in their future. It was something to do with acceptance, and life. It was also something to do with passing, and death. He might have found it eerie if someone had tried to describe it to him in words, if it was not his own dragon. But it wasn't eerie. It was something beautiful that he and Hadeth were now able to share.
Hadeth looked at his quietly, as though waiting patiently for him to do what he had inquired they might do. Tival grinned then, letting out a chuckle, and then realization and reality snapped into him. He'd just Impressed! He, T'val of black Hadeth, had just sharding Impressed! At merely thinking the word, Hadeth eyed him. He got the feeling the look was like that of someone raising an eyebrow at him, bemused but at the same not. He put his teeth to his lower lip to keep from laughing while his smile broadened, then raised his hands in a 'mock defensive' gesture.
"Okay, got'cha," he said, speaking to the black for the first time ever. There would be many more words shared between them, in time. "Feeding...is done over there," he said, still grinning full blown and feeling a little bit loopy from the too-powerful emotions of joy and exhilaration. The black's head gave an ever so slight incline. Tival could feel Hadeth powerfully. As if words would rarely ever be needed to communicate. Not so much as other dragons, though they would communicate. Hadeth would only say what he felt was needed. What was important to say--necessary. Tival didn't mind being the one to do most of the talking. Heck, Hadeth to him was perfect. He didn't have to say a word for all he cared, he'd still be just right for him!
He nodded back, the grin more changed to a smirk now, as he jerked his head towards where the food was. He didn't bother telling Hadeth that the others would be taken care of by their new partners, just as he would be sure to care for him. Hadeth seemed to want to make sure it was done. Well, there was no reason they couldn't stay off to the side where the feeding went on for the rest of the hatching. There was still a long ways to go, and he felt so lucky to have been amongst the first to Impress. Hadeth. T'val and Hadeth.
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Nia
Sr. Weyrwoman
niact[M:-790]
Posts: 991
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Post by Nia on Jan 17, 2011 0:37:44 GMT -5
As the other dragons were off doing their own thing and Impressing and all that, a slightly small-ish egg in the front began to shake and crack. It split neatly in two, and the dragonet inside revealed himself. He was a Blue, although he was on the smaller side. He awkwardly moved forward, trying to support his large wings. He didn't seem very comfortable with his body at all, perhaps even worse than the normal hatchling. He would probably always be a bit of an awkward dragon, even in the sky. The Blue was very dark in color, nearing an almost denim shade. He looked around warily, watching the other hatchlings on the sands but not particularly going out to join them in looking for His.
The egg next to the Blue also began to shake. It was another small one, and the Blue just eyed it from where he was. He may have looked a little stupid, just sitting there, staring at his clutchmate's egg shake, but that was far from what this Blue was. He was actually quite intelligent, he just got a bad feeling about this egg that he didn't like. The Blue wrapped his oversized wings around his awkward body, content to just hide where he was and wait for the egg to hatch. Which it did, in due time.
Emerging from the now-shattered egg was a Black. He was quite a large Black, and his hide seemed almost opaline. It was a bit glossier than most Blacks, and there were flashes of other colors that could be seen, similar to a White. But he wasn't a mutation, he was just a slightly odd colored Black. Well, more than a little odd. He also seemed very, very angry. With a swipe of his tail, he shoved the eggshells that the Blue was hiding behind aside. The Blue watched him with calm, intelligent eyes, just waiting for the Black to do something rash. Perhaps he was even attempting to calm the Black down? Because that Black was steps away from going on a rampage, and the Blue could tell.
With an annoyed noise, the Black turned away from the Blue, purposely smacking the Blue in the face with his tail before stomping out towards the middle of the Sands. The Blue was knocked to the ground, tangled in his own wings. He flailed around for a bit before he finally managed to untangle himself, and by then the Black was too far away for the awkward little Blue to retaliate. But that was fine. He didn't really care, let that pissy Black do what he wanted. Not that the Blue would have any luck getting back at him anyway, considering the fact that he was probably the most awkward dragonet alive. So no, the Blue just shook his head and watched the Black go off to attack something else. It wasn't his problem, and he didn't care. He was hungry and grumpy, leave him alone.
The Black stomped through the eggs. He wasn't all that angry, not yet. He was just... hell, he was angry. Pissed! And he didn't know why! Damn stupid everything! He stomped through the eggs some more, taking out his anger on the already hatched eggshells. He angerly knocked over a medium sized egg, toppling it over and expelling the dragonet inside on to the Sands. It was a Green, and a rather large Green at that. She looked confused, then somewhat annoyed as she pulled herself out of the remains of her egg. She was a foresty green color with splotches of lighter greens along her hide. She immediately dropped into crouch-mode, a true hunter at heart. What had knocked over her egg! What had done it! She was going to get them!
That was when she noticed the Black, who was fuming still. He hadn't wanted to break the stupid egg! Just knock it over! It pissed him off even more, that the egg hadn't done what he wanted it to. He stared at the Green, and she stared back. Quite a mouth, she must have had, because every second it looked like the Black was getting angrier and angrier. Until, finally, he snapped. The Green gave a little "huff", indicating she'd probably won their little verbal sparring, and started stalking off towards the girls, obviously growing bored with the Black. But the Black was so not done with her. Not even close.
The Blue had finally had enough of watching the Black while sitting there with an empty stomach, so he finally forced himself to his awkward feet and made towards the boys. He stumbled a few times, almost falling on top of one of the more unfortunate male candidates, before he finally found his pick. Finally! Now he could get fed! He locked eyes with the boy and sat down, trying to keep himself steady. Z'isMine, your Hephaeth ith finally here. Thothe two are tho annoying, I don't want to be around them anymore, [/i] He sounded rather grumpy, and it was doubtful that his sour mood would improve, even if he was fed, Let'th jutht get thome food.[/i] [/blockquote][/size]
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Post by shimmer on Jan 17, 2011 1:27:45 GMT -5
And now, there were even more dragons.
While she was trying to stay out of the way of the two rambunctious greens, it seemed a dark blue had hatched, as well as a strange rainbow black. The blue seemed like a calm, intelligent creature, another dragonet she might actually want to impress, but the black, although stunning in appearance, just seemed mean. He stormed through the eggs, attacking the shells of those already hatched, and even breaking an unhatched egg open to reveal a green.
The green was... interesting. Not quite what she wanted in a dragon, but still charming in her own way. She stood up to the black, something Mayalene approved of, even though she couldn't hear exactly what the two said to each other. The black seemed to be quite angry about this, and as the little green turned and made her way towards the females, she found herself sincerely hoping that the black didn't attempt to harm the little creature.
Her attention was drawn away from those two, however, when the dark blue began to move towards the males. He impressed to a boy she had never seen before, and she promptly lost interest, turning her attention back to the dragons still wandering the sands. That pink hadn't impressed yet, it seemed.
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Post by kyrillion on Jan 17, 2011 1:47:56 GMT -5
Gallen watched, fascinated, as the atmosphere on the sands transformed - from anxious, tense excitement to frenzied, hectic chaos, and all in a matter of minutes. One moment, a single egg in the clutch was rocking steadfastly to-and-fro, and the next several other eggs were breaking open and spilling out baby dragons. Baby dragons everywhere, and shards if they weren’t cute. They were awkward little things, certainly, but each endearing in their own way. Just as Abalan had noticed (and he'd been surprised to see the other boy, as well, though they'd met so long ago), he saw almost immediately that they seemed already to have developed personalities – they were nothing like human children, in that respect. Somehow, they had at least a rudimentary knowledge of the world, and though Gallen couldn’t ‘read’ them in the sense that he could an ordinary human being, you could plainly see at least a rough outline of each hatchling’s character simply by observing their actions and mannerisms. And that was just pure gold. He could watch this for hours and not get bored.
The first to hatch was one of those exclusive-to-Dalibor ‘tans’, and that was fascinating enough all on its own; he remembered, rather fondly, the rantings and ravings of certain northern-continent people who felt that these new colors (they referred to them as ‘mutations’, more often than not) were abominations, or some such nonsense. They got all worked up for nothing, over there, which was just endlessly amusing; human beings were such energetic creatures - even those that seemed outwardly calm or lackadaisical were really just waiting for the right moment, the right catalyst to spur them into action. Where or how that energy was spent was often very telling, and it was one of the things he always watched for when evaluating someone, and he looked for it in the Candidate's, now. So far as the dragons were concerned, he didn’t pay any mind to the color. He knew, superficially, that the colors were associated with a ranking system. Even that some of the colors tended to favor certain personality types. But what was far more interesting than any of that was the actual process of Impression, and he waited eagerly for either the tan – or her blue brother that Hatched shortly thereafter – to make their selections. Unfortunately, it looked like the tan was going nowhere fast; but the blue, though he’d seemed rather hesitant at first, strode forward with a clear, if somewhat unexpected, sense of purpose. Gallen had never seen an actual Impression, before, and he watched with rapt attention as the blue moved unerringly towards the girls and fixated on one who he remembered as Zane. He knew very little about her, but they’d both been around for the past few Candidate lessons, and he'd always had a somewhat overzealous memory.
This was it, then; the moment when rider and dragon bonded. Though her body language had screamed fear not a moment before, he watched as her fright became confusion, first – as though she hadn’t realized right away what had happened – and then, finally, all of the tension left her. He saw the realization dawn, watched as the finicky blue wound himself around her protectively, and he found himself smiling. Not grinning - just a simple, unassuming smile. That was it, right there. A perfect match. He hadn’t given much credence to the idea, in the past, that every dragon was meant for only one rider, and could or would not have any other. That it was fate, or some sort of destiny, that brought dragon and rider together. It had seemed… well, irrational. No species that selective could thrive the way Pern’s dragons did. He’d always felt, rather arrogantly, that he understood things too well to buy into such fanciful notions. He saw things that other people didn’t; understood other people in ways that they would never understand themselves. Things other people perceived as fate or fortune, he understood as statistics or inevitabilities. Every person, every situation, was unique, certainly – but not so much, perhaps, as many people liked to think. Nearly every circumstance had a predetermined outcome, decided in advance because the person or people involved were prone to react in instinctive, habitual, and very predictable ways. People were easy to manipulate, like that, and when weyrfolk cried that it was destiny at work in every Hatching he preferred to think of it as… a match of best fit. A process of elimination. He'd always been of the opinion that, while the Candidates weren’t necessarily interchangeable, the dragons would nevertheless settle for their most preferred option, as opposed to the person they were ‘meant’ for, and 'couldn't live without'.
And yet, as he watched the first Impression between the blue and his chosen rider, he could… understand how such notions had come about. He didn’t necessarily buy into them – that would require much though and analysis, preferably at a later date – but he could certainly see where all these dragonriders were coming from. There was no such thing as perfect, but that… that partnership, from what he could see, came pretty damn close.
Another blue hatched, then (and they were extraordinarily similar in appearance, he thought, though he was by no means an expert), and also Impressed, and by now Gallen was all but catatonic, in a state of delirium and near-shock at all of this new information being absorbed and processed. This fundamentally different perspective he was achieving, one he’d never been able to gain before. It was all of it utterly mesmerizing, and his over-active mind was, for the moment, completely content and sated (which did not happen very often). If he did not end up Impressing, himself – which was just another rung on the ladder, he supposed, and nothing he was going to let himself worry about – he would have to be sure to stop by the Weyrs back home more often, especially when there were clutches on the Sands. Just to watch. That was all he needed, really; the Hatching wasn't nearly over, yet, and he was already dreading the moment it would end. He felt as though time were standing still, even though more and more of the eggs were hatching and their inhabitants moving off to Impress. A pink, two greens, another blue… Despite the exhilaration of it all, the near-constant movement, it was strangely relaxing. Hypnotic. He felt oddly and refreshingly peaceful. The experience was certainly exceeding his expectations, and it had definitely been worth the wait.
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Gray
Wingrider
grayct[M:-350]
Posts: 870
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Post by Gray on Jan 17, 2011 2:06:50 GMT -5
There were so many dragons now. Tasia all but gave up watching them all. It was pure, unbridled chaos now. Shells were flying, dragons were running, and every now and then, someone would impress. It was just getting crazy. Tasia wished her brother was here. Then she could lean against him. Her sleepless nights were starting to wear on her. Stretching her arms above her, she yawned. Rubbing her eyes a bit, she looked to the black and his antics. He seemed a bit rough. Cute, in a weird way. Sure he was mean and grumpy, but the faces he made when the green bested him? Hilarious. The green caught her eye as well. She was a courageous one.
The heat was staring to get to her. Tugging on the edge of her robe, she tried to let some of the steam from her. Her feet were starting to hurt a bit too. Warily, she glanced to her fellow candidates. Most of them looked excited, and a few looked a bit confused. She wondered how she looked. Turning her attention back to the dragons, she sighed. As each minute ticked by, another rider would walk off with their dragon. Good for them. Tasia couldn't help but feel a bit jealous though. They got to go somewhere cooler than these sands.
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Post by rai on Jan 17, 2011 2:50:43 GMT -5
Ryn was totally unimpressed. Three greens? She didn't really want a green. They were total flight whores. She didn't need some disgusting pervert crawling all over her that often. Or at all, really. But if you were a girl you might likely get a girl dragon and most of the time? Flights were inevitable. She wondered if anyone ever locked themselves in their room and flew solo. She might try it. No way she was letting some guy in her skirts. Especially not some dirty old man! There were plenty of older riders and shardit they didn't care about age. She did! She shot a dirty glare at the greens. She was no girl to go letting men--or women!--into her skirts all the time. Let someone else do it, but nuh-uh. Not her. Not Ryn.
She was perfectly happy to see the blues and the black Impress. They knew what they wanted, and they went for it. But the black throwing a temper tantrum she wished would hurry up and Impress already. And the greens. Seemed like the only sensible ones had been the tan, blues and the first black. The tan had Impressed, which was too bad. It had caught her interest. All the blues had the sense to Impress. Why did the greens let some sharding male dragons outdo them? She bet if she was a dragon she'd have known what to do better than to fight in the middle of the sands and make a mess, and throw a tantrum and keep people waiting! She snubbed the black and greens. They were all wherry brained things. She wanted nothing to do with their shenanigans. If you were going to fight should at least be for a reason. Maybe didn't have to be the best reason. But at least a reason. Then you had more of an alibi. Sort of.
She kept a wary eye on the offending dragons, but she was more interested in why the pink still out there hadn't even chosen. Was the person it was meant for missing? It was small but bigger dragons took more time to oil and bathe but still had the bragging rights in her mind but were they definitely better? She wanted a totally cool dragon that could kick tail and butt. Something that could hold its own. That would have been a load of winsome. She imagined her dragon. It would kick tail just because they would be a duo. She almost laughed aloud. What a perfect dragon she would get! Then reality hit her because she nearly got knocked over by one of the greens and she cursed a few words under her breath. Stupid sharding mini dragons couldn't even watch where they were going! When she got her dragon it would make them so afraid to ever try and knock her over. Her dragon would be the intimidating one. Not them! And all that kind of stuff.
With curiosity she watched the pink. It was really being careful about who it went to or something. Smart pink. If she had to be stuck with someone the rest of her life, she'd be taking her sweet time to check everyone out too! The others, meanwhile? Still squabbling. She was eager to see what else would come from the clutch. She really hoped that there would be some other colors and more sensible ones like the tan and pink. She didn't know if a girl like her would or could get something like blue or black. So pink and tan? Were the ones she had been eying with the most interest and curiosity. Certainly they were all neat in their own way. But she wanted to meet the one for her. That would be the most awesome of all.
xXx
Lys was astounded by the rate of which the hatchings were occurring. It wasn't easy to follow every single thing going on. After all, there was never less than two or three--or more!--hatchlings on the sands at any given time. The pink had still not Impressed. But the tan finally had. Then a black and two greens hatched. The black Impressed to a boy leaving the two greens squabbling on the sands, while yet more dragons hatched. A blue and an unruly black, who seemed to be having a temper tantrum and knocking things about. It even managed to knock over an egg, spilling yet a third green onto the sands. Then the blue Impressed. That left three greens and the unruly black on the sands. And it seemed they were all running around in a way in which she could easily foresee injuries. Not just injuries to dragons, either. She had been at Eastern long enough to see what wayward dragonets had done. It was not exactly intentional and varied in severity. There were very rarely any hatchings that did not have at least one or two candidates receive maulings. She was suddenly alert to her predicament. It didn't seem to her that many were all that on guard. Three rampaging dragonets and what looked could be a fourth. They would not be thinking clearly. That much was certain. She changed her position so that she was able to see all the young dragons. If she could see them she stood a better chance of dodging them. But one of the girls actually shouted at the greens. She shot the girl a surprised look, lips pursed. Was she trying to call attention to herself? She even accentuated her outburst with a foot that stamped the ground.
Lys didn't want to be anywhere near that girl at that precise moment in time. One of the first things you were taught was not to touch the dragons, and not to try and call the hatchling's attention to yourself. Those were ways to get mauled brought on by the candidate's own mistake. She didn't want to say anything. In case she had not been heard or noted in the midst of the fray, things would be all right. What happened if a hatchling did take notice? Two of them in the very least were quite out of control. She eyed the girl and then the dragonets warily. Keep sharp and alert. She might miss a hatchling breaking free, but she would rather that than be injured due to inattentiveness.
xXx
Ceian had reached the state where he was as comfortable on the hatching sands as he would ever be able to get. It wasn't easiness because he was still nervous, still clenching his fists, still suffering sweaty palms. Now a bead of perspiration slid slowly down is face and brow. He reached up and wiped it away as though it were a natural action not in the least thought out. However his so-called comfort was soon disrupted. When a black hatched out, two greens did right after. The one green must have done something to set off her larger clutchsibling. The next thing he knew, the larger one had the smaller pinned and then was chasing her about. It didn't exactly look friendly. He took a step back and again nearly slipped up. He bit his tongue jarringly as he prevented himself falling backwards with a quick but unpleasant step back with his other foot. He was a fool. He would send himself to the ground and get trampled because of his own clumsiness! No one would have noted it. All eyes were on the dragons on the sand.
A blue, then a black, then another green...Impressions were made but the black was intimidating. It smashed discarded shells and stomped about looking not altogether unlike a raging herdbeast or wherry on stampede. Was it angry? But about what? Then it sent one of the unhatched eggs over, and it cracked open. Three greens now? Three greens and a black. The blue had just Impressed. At least it was out of the dangerous fray! He wanted to be, too. A nervous swallow before clearing his throat ensued. Then he found his eyes darting about, trying to follow both greens and the third whom the black knocked down. This was...not good. He swallowed again, a dryness in his mouth becoming far more notable. He wished they would just Impress so that the chaos would stop. He didn't see himself Impressing any of the greens and that black intimidated him enough that he didn't want to Impress that. Not that. It was large for a black and altogether its bearing seemed full of anger and upset. He didn't do well with confrontation. Let along confrontational dragons! He really, really hoped the black Impressed most of all.
xXx
Tay was still soaking up every little detail of the hatching with eagerness. Every time a dragon Impressed she clapped and wanted to cheer for the pair. Every time one hatched she was careful to try not to miss it. This was all so awesome! She wasn't really thinking about the danger that came with hatchings. It was hard to when the whole occurrence was so amazing and marvelous. Still she was to be quickly reminded that though they were hatchlings and though they might be Impressing to people? They also had sharp teeth and sharp claws. She would not have even thought about it had the two greens not hatched. Not have thought about it if one did not proceed to set off the larger one and then the larger one attacked. She could see something oozing out of the smaller dragon where the larger one's claws dug in too much. Was that...blood? Dragon blood?
Blue eyes suddenly concerned, she wanted the younger dragonet to escape. When it did she heaved a sigh of release. Only the larger one proceeded to pursue it! From that moment on, she barely saw anything more than the moment of hatching for the next dragons. She was watching the greens, suddenly terrified that the larger would wound the younger badly. Only then the black hatched that startled her so badly by making such a fuss, knocking over eggshells and even an egg that was soon to let its occupant down into the sands. The occupant seemed to be sparring verbally with the black. Then it turned to go, and she watched the black while it stood in a posture that made her think that the green should not have turned its back! Were they going to start fighting on the sands too? What if someone was in their way? Would they keep fighting?
She felt a little stab of fear. Maulings. Something that happened and she was to try and safely avoid having happen to her. Only they were suddenly seeming to be everywhere. The two greens running around and then the last green was walking towards the girls. Towards where she was. If the black followed and pursued his course, someone would probably get hurt! She was a little scared, she realized. The black wasn't small, and he reminded her nothing of the other black who was solid in his color. This one had a strange bit of iridescence that reminded her almost of white, but backwards. She was trying to watch everything at once and could not. She was suddenly backing up a little. She had to try to be calm and not afraid. If her dragon was here, her fear might jeopardize it. She couldn't let that happen. She had to stand strong. Her mouth was a straight line as she steeled herself. She could try her best to not let the two near her. Not unless it looked like one was interested in her specifically. Were the other girls becoming nervous or a little scared too? She didn't want to look like a child amongst the other girls. She was just as brave as they were. And she wanted to prove that. Just in case her dragon was here, she needed to prove it to her or him, too.
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Post by kitsufox on Jan 17, 2011 9:28:29 GMT -5
"I'm sorry... you'll find your dragon, too. I promise." Lorryn had to smile at that, from where he knelt in the sand. Carradog, C'dog probably, had impressed a dragon and was still taking the time to worry about other people. "Don't worry about me, worry about him. And if one of this clutch doesn't want me, I'll help you wash him tomorrow." His voice was quiet and aimed at his friend's retreating back. He was going to watch to see if C'dog heard, but then came a small growl, followed by a louder and more purposeful cry. Lorryn turned and a sort of heartbreak griped him.
Two of the little dragons were locked in combat like a pair of canines sparing over a bone. The pair of green dragonets snarled and wove amongst the candidates. More than anything Lorryn wanted to stop them, only he didn't know how. It might even be like with Canines and Runners, where getting involved in one of their fights was a surefire way to get yourself hurt. He was took distracted by the fight to notice the impressions happening around him.
"Please don't..." His voice was almost desperate, and he struggled the rest of the way to his feet, spraying sand. If they came close, he might risk it. He was small and quick and had reflexes learned training runners. Shardit if he was hurt, at he'd have tried.
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Post by theknightwhosaysni on Jan 17, 2011 10:54:52 GMT -5
Follansbee was honestly quite entranced in the Hatching so far. There was nothing quite like the magic of a Hatching to a weary Candidate's mind, he thought, a sleepy laugh escaping him as he eyed the eggs once more. A black! A rather interesting black at that. Not that the other dragons weren't interesting, but this black was . . . sort of different. He just sat there, but he wasn't like the tan in his waiting. It was different, and that was the best way that Follansbee could think of to describe it.
The pink came closer to the Candidates and the tan slowly rose to her feet and made her way over to the female Candidates. Follansbee did his best to watch it all, but he was definitely failing. The tan. He probably shouldn't watch the tan, since tans certainly went to girls.
He clapped absently when the tan Impressed, having known that she did only because others were clapping around him. It was a good thing that everyone else was paying attention to the Impressions!
He felt better, having one less dragonet to watch, Follansbee decided with a nod to himself. Of course, two more eggs promptly began to rock, and Follansbee snorted to himself. Of course, that was just his luck. The two greens that had Hatched looked to be rather . . . hmm, interesting was probably the right word for it. This whole clutch was interesting, but those two greens had the whole sibling dynamics thing going on right then. They didn't exactly remind him of him and his little sister, but they definitely acted like siblings. They fought and played, just like siblings did, and Follansbee smiled to himself as he watched the rather violent looking game of tag. It was kind of funny, actually.
He noted absently that the black was moving forward, though the creature stopped long before the Candidates and examined each one of them. Follansbee did his best to stand tall under the black's gaze, some part of him hoping that the black would choose him.
But no, the black didn't. The black Impressed to someone, but it definitely wasn't to Follansbee. He didn't hear the dragonet's voice in his head, so Follansbee clapped rather reluctantly for the Impression, a slight hint of jealousy tinging his thoughts. However, it didn't last for long. There were plenty of other chances to Impress, yup! And the Impression was kind of funny!
More eggs were Hatching, however, and keeping only an absent eye on the sibling greens, Follansbee focused quickly on the eggs again. A blue had Hatched, and he looked around the Sands, not seeming interesting in moving any time soon. Like the tan, for example. She had watched for a while before Impressing.
A black was Hatching! Everything was starting to pick up! Follansbee hummed to himself as the black emerged from his egg, a rather large looking specimen. If Follansbee wasn't mistaken, it was also an interestingly colored black, but it was hard to tell in these shadows.
The black smacked the blue with his tail, sending the dragon to the ground, flailing awkwardly around. Follansbee snorted to himself at the thought, his lips quirking upwards. That was actually funny too! Especially since he wasn't the blue, you know. The way that the blue flailed about before he managed to untangle himself from his wings had Follansbee smirking to himself.
The black was stomping away from the blue, however, and Follansbee glanced away from the blue, since he didn't really look like he'd be doing anything hilarious again. And the black did look pretty funny, stomping his way through the eggs. He actually managed to knock one of the eggs over, revealing yet another green. However, this green didn't seem like she'd be starting a game of tag any time soon, as she immediately dropped into a crouch, looking sort of like those kittens Follansbee had seen. The ones that had their eyes on, like, feathers and stuff.
The green didn't pounce, however, and Follansbee was a bit disappointed when she only stared at the black, who stared right back before she stalked away from the black and headed towards the girl Candidates. Follansbee was only slightly disappointed when she didn't head for the males, but he stifled that. It wasn't going to be half as fun if he kept getting disappointed whenever dragonets didn't even come over to the boys.
And anyways, that blue was making his way over to the boys! The one that had been all awkward flail-y! Follansbee turned to watch the dragonet's progress, and smiled to himself as he watched the blue make his way over to the males, stumbling a few times as he made his way over to the male Candidates. When the blue Impressed, Follansbee clapped happily, still rather amused by the dragonet's clumsy movements.
This hatching was shaping up to be lots of fun, yup! It was already under way and everything, but with clumsy dragonets and games of tag, it was surely going to be grand fun! Of course, he did think that just about everything was funny, but this was different! He hardly had to distance himself from it at all to think it funny, yup! [/blockquote]
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Post by matsi on Jan 17, 2011 11:43:13 GMT -5
One by one, Sig's eyes watched the dragonets hatch. One by one he inspected them with his vibrant green eyes. Yet, only three had really caught his attention. The tan, which impressed to a girl he really didn't like the looks of, the pink, only because she was eye catching, and that mad black baby. That black had the spirit of a true fighter. He had to respect that. He hoped that more, in the time of his reign (which he knew would happen in a few turns) would be more like that dragonet.
During his inspection of the greens, (which were quickly rated too childish) Sig swore he heard his joking companion laughing. He wouldn't be surprised. Quickly, he shot the smaller boy a glance, wondering what was so funny. All he had to do was look at Follansbee's eyes and he knew. He was not surprised. Bee was watching those greens. Sig let out a sigh and slightly shook his head. The corners of his lips turned upwards slightly in amusement. Follandsbee was deffenently amusing, that was for sure. Maybe he would get one of those childish greens. Then they could remind Sig and his dragon about fun when the stress of pern domination ruling got too stressful.
With another patient sigh, Sig's eyes were back on the eggs and already hatched dragonets. Why couldn't more come their way? Ok, so he was being impatient. But he was a king! Well, would be a king, so he could be impatient! Oh well... Great things take time, right? So if he was getting his lordly dragonet... Then that would take slot of time, right? RIGHT! With this thought going through his head, he stood tall once more and watched on with green eyes glittering.
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Post by 4horseshowgirl4 on Jan 17, 2011 12:37:12 GMT -5
Oveth, oblivious as he always was, bless him, might have missed the dangerous red in Coreth's eyes, but B'nyur didn't. Luckily, Coreth was Akira's bonded, her partner for several Turns if not more than that, and not some confused dragonet. He wasn't afraid that she would do anything to him-- she knew better, and Akira wouldn't let her, anyways. However, he did keep it in mind to tread carefully, as he didn't want to do something to tick off the Green. He sidled away from Akira a little bit and gave Coreth a little nod, hoping that that would placate her.
"They're just medical supplies," B'nyur said to Akira, not fazed at all by her blunt question. If anything, he was glad for an invitation to idle conversation while the Hatching went on. It made the whole thing feel like less of a spectacle and more of a Weyr bonding experience and celebration, which it was. "Dragonets are prone to accidentally, or on purpose!, hurting the Candidates and each other. With a clutch this large, a mauling or something is almost inevitable." He reached up and patted one of the rolls of bandages strapped to Oveth. "Best be prepared in case something does happen!"
He paused and pointed at the fighting Greens down on the Sands. "Like those two, see? They're liable to accidentally hurt one of the Candidates, or themselves. Now, if it's just a scratch or something, I won't go interrupt the Hatching, but if someone's about to bleed to death, quick action's necessary. Hopefully it won't be this time around, though! Everything's looking good so far, but I swear that the bloodthirsty ones always hatch near the end!"
Oveth settled down to watch the Hatching, lying on his belly with his nose resting on one of his forelegs. Yes, they are!
[/color] he chirped happily, waggling his tail a little bit to get comfortable. But why did it have to happen at night? I hope all the little Candidates woke up in time! Wouldn't that be awful, if a baby dragon died because its Candidate was still asleep?[/color] Oveth's eyes clouded with sadness, but he quickly forgot to be sad: this was all so exciting! Ooh, lookit![/color] Oveth said excitedly to Coreth. That Blue just Impressed! Do you know any of the Candidates? I recognize some of them. If they visited the infirmary. But I don't know any of their names![/color] --- Three more Impressions! Things were moving quickly, weren't they? And there were still five dragonets unImpressed on the Sands! The Tan had Impressed to a Candidate Abalan recognized from the one Candidate lesson he'd managed to attend since arriving here, and a Blue and a Black Impressed to two males that Abalan hadn't seen before. He clapped for all of them, all the same. However, now that the one dragonet that couldn't possibly Impress to a male, the Tan, was off the Sands, Abalan didn't know where to look! The cute pale Pink, the fighting Greens, the Green that a Black had forced-hatched, and the nasty-looking Black were all still on the Sands. Abalan decided he was most fond of the Pink and the mischievous Green, but he paid most attention to the rather evil-looking Black dragonet. That one looked the most dangerous, and if he was planning on coming anywhere near the boys, Abalan wanted to get out of the way. At the Healer Hall, they had sent many victims of dragonet mauling to the masters there to fix serious internal injuries, set broken bones, try to prevent ostentatious scarring... it wasn't pretty. Abalan wasn't afraid of the dragonets (if he was, he had no place standing here!), but he did have a healthy respect for their sharp little claws and teeth, despite how cute they all were and how harmless-looking most of them were. He wasn't nervous or jumpy, but he was wary enough. Well, half of him was wary, and half of him was enjoying this too much to be wary! [/font][/right]
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