Dangerous Guess

[fidelli]

The two were at a loss. Again tucked in Nim's small weyr, the Whiterider glared at the paper in her hand. So far, she had learned from gossip, she and Fajra had both found two clues - but the last clue, the one she held in her hand, was from Fajra. What she wanted most, was to win. To be able to say she beat the Copperrider... Well, it would be nice.

And she loved a good challenge. Read it again. She sighed, and took a deep breath.

Danger
Perilous, hazardous
Hoping, gambling, praying
Will you make it through?
Jeopardy

The both stayed silent, but it was Zucherroth who spoke up first. Mine... Could it possibly be Kalith's clutch? The necklace is among the eggs? Nim paled. "Crap. Damn it, if it was Pratyba who did this, she would be tricky enough to do this. Alright, Zuchie, stay here. We don't need Kalith eating you alive." Gulping, the girl donned her quietest clothing and took off. In through the tunnel, she stopped at the edge of the warm sands, watching the two Queen's and their mate's sleep. Ever so quietly, as sneakily as a mouse, she began to circle the clutches, in and out, very very careful not to touch any one of them as she raced against the clock to find something. Zucherroth stayed outside the Sand's, listening and watching.

[Admin]

Get out, leave, right now,
It's the end of you and me,
It's too late now,
And I can't wait for you to be gone.

Four protective dragons can not all be expected to sleep for long, least of all a brooding Queen. By instinct or by pricked hearing, Kalith woke from her halfhearted slumber easily. Her head swung around and slowly turning green eyes turned a violent red as they locked on Nim. What was she doing? The scavenger hunt? It was the only answer that seemed at all likely. Mine knew that the whiterider and her dragon had found the answers once or twice. Anyway, the clue had lead to her eggs, but her rider had already found the clue! For a moment, she merely stared at the girl who had dared to intrude on her sands. Her body shifted protectively towards her eggs, and even stretched to protect Nikianeth's.

It started with a hiss. It quickly grew. She surged to her feet. Her maw opened and she let out a roar. Useless rider of a runt! Useless girl who had Impressed one of her children from the stands because she was a fool! Yes, she remembered! Out, out, she would not have her children tainted! She didn't want them touched. Not by anyone, except for her and her rider. Perhaps Nikianeth might touch them slightly at one point, but no one else! Her body rippled with muscle. Her vigil had made her lose very little of her tone. It had only stripped fat from her body. Get out! At the entrance, Fajra appeared, like a very human ghost with a halo of red hair. She fixed the almost graduated weyrling with a cold look.

But I refuse to cry,
No tears will fall from these,
Eyeee-eeee-eeees,
Ooooh, ooooh, get out.

[fidelli]

Very careful not to touch the egg shells, she prowled among them, looking at the sand… But her luck was not to hold that night. Kalith moved, and Nim froze, locking with the red eyes. “Oh, shards.” She expelled in a breathy whisper as her terror spiked and Zuchie was on his feet in the weyr, asking frantically, Mine? “Oh, SHELLS!” And she turned, fighting for a foothold on the sand, hampered still by the shells that she was working hard not to touch. As the hiss began to grow she got out of the eggs, yelling, “I DIDN’T TOUCH THEM, SHARDIT, I’M SO SORRY!” And even as she thought that she might make it out, Fajra appeared like a wraith, freezing Nim between the two very dangerous woman. “Oh, cracked shells.”

She skidded to a halt closer to the rider, figuring this one was the lesser of two evils. Her eyes flickered to either side – room enough to escape, but Fajra could grab her if she really was going to punish her. No! Apologize first! Queen Kalith, I’m sorry! Please forgive Mine, please do not eat her! Even as Zucherroth begged frantically, Nim threw herself into a bow. “I’m so so sorry, I never touched `um, it’s the sharding Scavenger hunt, I’m sorry, I wouldn’t dare touch `um, I’m so sorry, I won’t ever do it again!” And then she was darting for around the Queenrider, hoping beyond hope that the arm wouldn’t snake out and grab her. Her intentions were quite clear, she knew, and she knew that Fajra was already ticked enough about the scavenger hunt – damn that Pratyba, she was going to wring her neck!

[Admin]

Well, darkness has a hunger that's insatiable,
And lightness has a call that's hard to hear,
I wrap my fear around me like a blanket,
I sailed my ship of safety till I sank it,

The apology of Zucherroth stayed Kalith from further action beyond her furious calls. While unlikely to follow through with any threats of eating anyone or otherwise killing anyone due to the simple nature of dragons, clawing and biting were still within the reach of the hulking, aggressive Queen. The bow didn't so much help. She wasn't looking for respect. Her eggs, her precious eggs. It wasn't about her, simply her eggs, her life. However, she was fond of her blind white son. Even if he was almost out of the nest, she still didn't mind him. She would listen to him begging, at least, even if she acted upon nothing else. Fajra blinked once at the Nim as the girl tried to explain what she was doing. She made no attempt to stop the whiterider as she darted away. She glanced at Kalith with care.

With a disgruntle hiss, the copper laid back down, with a wing extended protectively over her clutch. She gave them a little sniff, leaving her rider to stand proper guard for a few moments while she awkwardly inspected the nineteen mottled eggs by craning her neck. No cracks or breaks. They seemed to be fine. They were where they were supposed to be, all carefully laid across the sands. With a huff, she settled back a bit more, though she didn't move the protection of her wings. Fajra, rather neutral to the matter except for the fact it was possibly the most stupid thing to anger a brooding Queen, smiled an encouraging little smile at her irked but calming dragon. Quick steps took her back up to the spot she was keeping in the stands. Back to their guarding work, for the both of them.

The less I seek my source for some definitive,
The closer I am to fine,
The closer I am to fine,
The closer I am to fine.