Strings of Fate [Callistath's Fourth Clutching]

[Nia]

{desc=depressed beebs}

Despite everything that had happened, Callistath was still a mother.

She didn't support Avalle staying cooped up in their weyr, but at the same time Callistath was loathe to make appearances outside when she was so egg-heavy. The pair had mostly been in their personal weyr then, dealing with the consequences of their actions and trying to keep under control. Avalle's anger had long since faded and she was simply depressed, snapping at anyone who so much as displeased her. She was still determined to run this Weyr. It was her's and no one was going to take it from her, despite how much they might hate her. She could deal with being hated. It wasn't anything new to her.

It was late and Avalle couldn't sleep, yet again. She lay awake in her bed, stroking Maris who slept soundly next to her. The orange cat was purring loudly, snuggling close to his owner without a care in the world. The Goldrider was jealous. She wanted to be able to get a decent night's sleep at least once. Yulari was curled next to her, but the flitter was awake, snuggling close to the Weyrwoman.

Avalle sat up, looking over at her Gold dragon. Callistath was also not sleeping, and was instead staring out at the night sky from her ledge. Already, huh? Avalle asked, although it had been quite a while since the Gold's flight. It hadn't seemed like that long, though. She'd been so busy and stressd out that it felt so much shorter. She wasn't really all too happy to leave her weyr to go live down at the Hatching Sands, but there wasn't much that could be done about that. Avalle and Callistath were still not as close as they were, but the gap was closing. Neither could really handle staying angry at the other for very long. The distance was still there, but they weren't openly cold to each other.

Yes,

[/i] Callistath said simply, but didn't move from her ledge, staring up at the sky. Avalle got up from her bed and threw on something that resembled clothes. It was only Kalenna down there, who would probably be awake due to Callistath's nighttime clutching. Avalle wondered if Callistath had chosen the time on purpose, as to not disturb Kalesk and her nest. That's nice of you, Avalle said calmly as Callistath affirmed her thoughts. It was a civil conversation, and it felt oddly awkward to talk to her dragon.

Callistath took off into the air and gently made he way into the Hatching Sands, careful to keep away from Kalesk and the wher nest she'd already made. It only irritated the Gold a little bit that Kalesk had staked her claim first, but she supposed she could just let it go. It wasn't too big a deal. Afterall, Kalesk's clutch was comparatively very small. The Gold set about making her own nest in the Sand, letting her Rider dismount and stand off to the side to watch. Avalle gave a glance and a small, almost-forced smile towards Kalenna before looking back at Callistath.

One egg after the other, Callistath laid her eggs in a neat and orderly manner, placing the larger ones in the middle and having the smaller ones circle around them. There was only one very large egg in the middle of the clutch, two smaller, but still large eggs and a lot of smaller ones. Callistath hid one of the smaller eggs near the back of the clutch, closest to herself. Once she was finished she allowed her rider closer to check on the clutch and count the eggs. It was quite a lot. 26 eggs. Avalle let herself relax and smile. She'd been mildly worried that all the distress and the clutch father would cause it to be a small clutch, but it definitely wasn't. It was one of the largest Callistath had laid yet.

She looked at the Gold and made eye-contact with her dragon, patting the Gold's side in an unspoken gesture of love. I don't really want you to call Perbiath, but if you want to, you can, she said, glancing over to Kalenna and Kalesk again. I will alert him in the morning. It would be rude to wake them up,[/i] Callistath settled on, and Avalle smiled, leaning against the Gold's hide. If Kalenna wanted to say something, that was fine. Otherwise, Avalle would leave her be. She didn't mind just sitting in silence with the Goldhandler and letting the peaceful night remain silent.
[/blockquote][/size]

SPOILER: Click to show

[Kila]

Though Callistath had kindly endeavored not to wake him,
Perbiath shunned sleep as she was clutching. D'lios was wrapped in his
furs and dead to the world, but the pensive Brown sat on his ledge and
watched the moon. Dalibor, he found, was equally beautiful when bathed
in moonlight. It was accidental that he saw his golden mate fly down to
the hatching cavern. She was heavy with eggs, his eggs, and it
was her time, but it still surprised him. Oftentimes he thought it was
all still a dream, but much to his pleasure he never woke up. He rose
quickly as she disappeared from view, intending to follow, but thought
better of it and forced himself to still. Instinct told him that
Callistath would want to be alone during such a time. He lay down and
stared at the gaping black mouth of the cavern, summoning as much
patience as was in him.

He knew when the thing was done. Perbaith sensed Caliistath, even though
he did not see her, and the divide was night and day. He rose eagerly,
looking back over his shoulder into his weyr where D'lios slept.
Should I wake him? Perbiath knew that he should.
But still... He looked to the sands, torn. The Weyrwoman would be
displeased to see him, and if she was upset then Callistath would be
upset. Perbiath was dying to see the eggs that he knew were inside, and
if His was there it could very well ruin the moment. Selfishly, but with
only a hint of guilt, he spread his wings and glided silently down from
his ledge, leaving his Rider behind.

Callistath? he inquired softly, stopping just
within the opening. May I see them? D'lios would
have said that he did not need to ask since the eggs were half his own
and he was the Sr. King, but Perbiath was anxious not to upset
Callistath or Hers, so he only entered once she allowed it. Landing
beside her, he took a tentative step towards the freshly-laid clutch and
admired it breathlessly. His children. They are
beautiful, he said reverently. And so many! He raised his head
proudly as he counted them. Let them say something about that!

It was the Queen who had done the real magic, though. After apprising
each one he tore himself away and gave his attention back to Callistath.
He hardly knew what to say, but he felt that she should know how happy
he was. Our children will be strong and beautiful,
he managed. He extended his neck and nuzzled her tenderly, knowing it
would speak more for him than his awkward words. He had not touched her
since the flight, though the desire was there. The strangeness had been
palpable in the Weyr, and between them, and he would not force something
that she did not want. Here, however, he dared and hoped that she would
not pull away.