All-Stars {Kalith & Nikianeth's Hatching}

[4horseshowgirl4]

Dekistee noticed that Remiel Impressed, to the Purple that actually looked like a Purple. That was the extent of her paying attention to the Hatching. Well, a Purple was not a bad dragon. It wasn't the big, shiny Bronze she'd been predicting for him, but all things considering... not a bad dragon. He still had a chance of becoming her weyrmate if his Purple flew her dragon, especially if it turned out that there was no Queen in this bunch and Dekistee had to settle for a sub-Queen. A Brown had caught the Orange that had flown, and a Purple ranked the same as a Brown, right? She would just have to see how it all panned out.

She flicked her eyes away from Remiel and caught Jasra looking at her out of the corner of her eye. Dekistee was quite taken aback when she saw the expression of fury on the taller Candidate's face. What had her panties in a twist? Had her firelizards finally annoyed the heck out of her? Well, whatever it was, she couldn't expect Dekistee to be sympathetic about it! (Naturally, Dekistee had no idea that she was the cause of the anger.) "Be careful, your face might get stuck like that!" Dekistee said airily, smirking at her drawn-up features. She leaned towards Jasra, pretending to get a closer look. "Actually, I think it's an improvement!"

And with that, Dekistee turned away from Jasra, quite pleased at how witty she'd been.
And she'd even been soft enough that few others than the female Candidates would be able to hear her! Oh, wasn't she smart? She was glad that she had put Jasra in her place, so, you know, she didn't get any ideas about Impressing Dekistee's Queen or something. It was such a shame that she was stupid and had gotten those firelizards; Dekistee thought she would have made good friend material otherwise. She couldn't change the past though, and being able to put down Jasra like that was almost as good!

A voice behind her startled her. She turned around to see her other least favorite person: Engrye. Dekistee curled her lip in distaste. Them there were fighting words, even if Engrye could have been asking about the weather from her tone! "My dragon's not going to between because she hasn't hatched yet. Duh," Dekistee said, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world, and she used her hand to gesture to the empty Sands. She hadn't been referring to the fact that there were no dragons at all out there right now; that had just been a lucky accident; she was referring to the fact that there were no sub-Queens or Queens out there.

[/font]

[heytarsar]

Kjara nodded in understanding at Lin as she watched her and her dragon walk off the sands. There was a small smile plastered on her lips as she watched the bright green dragonet fallow her close friend to go feed. But Kjara felt lonely now. She was standing alone, watching them all Impress. What if she didn’t? Fear consumed her, but then, she felt something vibrating under her feet. She looked up, watching a very agile and graceful pink running towards her. Panicking, Kjara tumbled over her robe and stumbled backwards, the voice ringing in her ear. Her eyes looked at the feminine feet of the pink dragonet and let her eyes roll up to the top of her face, and into her yellow eyes. KjaraMine, your Bailarth likes the rhythm; Kjara looked up into the feminine dragon’s eyes and felt her heart skip a beat. Why was this dragon talking to her? Why? She could feel the dragon’s energy radiating from her body and Kjara held her head. The sound, the feeling; it was causing her pain. Can you feel it too? Can you hear it? Looking around, Kjara finally stood back to her feet and dusted herself off. Shards, she mumbled to herself. “No, I don’t.” she replied quietly, her eyes flicking around the Sands to watch other people Impress. Why a pink did chose her, she didn’t know. Practically ignoring the dragonet, Kjara turned around and headed towards the buckets of food so that she may feed the Bailarth.

Aware of her Rider’s thoughts and feelings, she flicked her tail, stomping twice again. Thump thump. But as soon as the hurtful thoughts came, they vanished as she was unable to stop moving! She ran after her Rider, thoughts jumbled.

KjaraMine! She yelled loudly. Yelping in fright, Kjara dropped the bucket and watched as a few pieces of the wherrymeat spilt onto the ground. Laughing quietly, Kjara turned to look up at Bail and shook her head. Dance with me, KjaraMine! Feel the rhythm! She watched as her new soul galloped gracefully around her, snatching up a few chunks of meat on her way. In truth, Kjara felt slightly disappointed that she didn’t follow in her mother’s path with a yellow, but Bailarth had filled the hole in her chest that had been missing since her mother’s death. As soon as Bail had finished her meal, she licked the blood away from her bright pink muzzle and turned left and right, still prancing on her feet. Thump thump thump thump. Much like Kjara’s heart beat. Do you hear it now, KjaraMine? She asked, cocking her head to the side with the twitch of her tail.

Yes, Bail. I hear it now.

The dragonet, for the moment, stood still as she lowered her slender neck down towards Kjara, bumping her muzzle against the also slender Kjara. Kjara brought her hand up and scratched the eyelid of Bail and laughed as a deep rumbling filled her chest. She wrapped her arms around the slender muzzle and squeezed slightly, a soft sigh escaping her lips. Let’s go meet new friends, she told Bailarth with a smile. Bellowing in glee, Bailarth flicked her tail twice, the prancing beginning again. Kjara kept a hand on the thigh of Bailarth as she sought out Lin. When her eyes caught sight of her curly haired friend, Kjara waved her hand in the air. “Lin!” she shouted. Bailarth looked down at Kjara, her feet causing the ground to shake with her thumps. Lin! She too shouted. Who is Lin, KjaraMine? Kjara smiled and laughed, slapping her forehead as she arrived at Lin and her dragonet. “Lin,” she started. “Meet my Bailarth. Bailarth, meet my best friend, Lin.”

Hello KjaraMine’s friend Lin! Bailarth, am I. A draconic smile pulled at her lips as her many-facet eyes sought out her green sister. Thump thump. Thump thump thump. All the while, her feet constantly moved, tail frequently flinched, and claws dug in and out of the sands.

[/blockquote][/blockquote]

[mangonumnum]

((Gah, I hope this isn't horrible. I'm a little out of it right now.))
Lasd found himself slightly lost in all that was going on. He saw the dancing Pink Impress to a girl, again one he had never met. He grinned. The Pink had been quite amusing with it's rhythmic movement. Lasd wasn't really a wonderful dancer, especially since he had never learned or tried to learn.

In watching the Pink, he had completely missed the two purples hatching from the twin eggs. They were both lovely. They didn't look anything alike, as their eggs would have suggested but they were both indeed lovely in their own right. However, they were not to be the complete centers of attention for long.

The adventurous black was now finally deciding to Impress. Lasd smiled, glad the black that he admired had finally found His. And just like that, the two purples and a newly Hatched blue Impressed leaving the Sands....bare. Lasd blinked. Was it over? Were the others not going to Hatch? He didn't expect any lulls to happen. He frowned gently, afraid again of not Impressing. ((Yes, it's horrible. Sorry. Bed time.))

[Admin]

A big strong tower,
She got the power to be,
The power to give,
The power to see.

Finally, after several long moments of waiting, the largest egg, the crowning jewel at the center of the back row, cracked. It slowly disintegrated to allow a draconic form to emerge. A foot appeared. Then a leg, and another. A head came next, followed by a torso, two more legs, and a tail. In the end, a bronze dragonet stood boldly out on the sands, amongst all the remaining eggs. He stood on the wreckage of the egg that had held his brown brother, who was long gone. He didn't seem to notice the prickle of the shards in his feet. He also didn't seem to notice the wafting heat of the sand around him. He lacked a sensitivity. With what had been the front row of eggs mostly gone, decimated by dragonets hatching and Impressing, he was plain to see. With some air of kingly charm and stature, he looked cheerfully about at everything in front of him.

A light bronze, his pale brown, green touched, metallic hide shone from the light that fell in from outside. He was mottled, as if an egg himself, except for the fact that he shimmered. Darker blotches, showing darker brown, and lighter splotches, showing a paler cream and more olive green, mixed in across his body, making him more like a million shades of bronze rather than just one. Still, a singular, light brown shade came out the strongest, underneath all the mottled patterning on his body. He was a small bronze, liable to be the biggest of the clutch unless a larger bronze or an iron somehow appeared but not hulking. Still, all of the awkward proportions of his body seemed to be simply from being a hatchling. Once he was grown, he would be fine and strong. And, quite possibly, fairly cheerful. He looked very content gazing all about.

The bronze wasn't destined to be alone on the sands for long. The egg just behind and beside him, the large and dark egg, cracked. He didn't seem to notice even the loud ripping noise that it made. He didn't glance at it. Uncaring of his lack of attention, the dragonet within would not be confined to her prison. She broke free of her egg with one kick, shattering one of its sides. With a flick of one her claws, the red emerged as a bundle of aggression and muscle. She wasn't a large red, definitely way smaller than the bronze who stood nearby, not noticing her. However, she still outclassed all the others but him, and she kindly just ignored him back. The fury of her gaze fell on everyone else. She took a prowling step forward, drawing past the bronze. He still didn't notice her, as if he was blind, his happy staring seeming to pass right over her like nothing.

Without a single mar, a light, warm shade of red made up her hide. It was a darker shade of scarlet. It wasn't a fiery color, but more a bloody shade. The somewhat unsaturated pigment wasn't brilliant, as it was matte across her body. She didn't shine or shimmery. That didn't matter. She wasn't a Queen. No great pride was in her stance as she moved. She didn't want to be. She would garner her authority by sheer force of will and drive. She wouldn't be a Queen, but she wouldn't be nothing. She wouldn't take being nothing. Her teeth gnashed, biting at the air, as she was disgusted at the thought. Despite a limited ego, she did have some pride in herself! Driven, she took another prowling step forward. Hunger gnawed at her middle. Her fiery mood might have been more mild but for that. She didn't like the feeling, and dislike brought out aggression in her.

Still ignorant of his sister, the bronze started to waddle forward, heading in a direction far to the side of the red. He didn't move with a great dignity. He didn't move with the greatest grace. Some charm held itself about him, in a bit of nobleness in the set of his head and the curve of the body and the swirl of his blue-green eyes. He was hungry, just like his sister, but he failed to notice that as well. The only thing he noticed was the candidates, and, faintly, the dragons and people beyond. His attention quickly became fixed more on the boys. Out of all else, those managed to catch his attention, and his attention was easily held once it was caught. He didn't move very fast, despite his obvious goal. He waddled on forward across the sands, just beginning to understand how to use his legs. It wasn't as if he noticed exactly what he doing anyway.

The little brown egg, the last of the front row, broke open silently. The dragonet within unobtrusively emerged into the world, detracting none of the attention to himself from his two much larger, ranking siblings. The black wasn't entirely tiny. He was larger than the other black that had hatched before him. He simply made no effort to draw attention to himself. In fact, in comparison to his black brother, with his previous antics, he made an effort not be noticed. With a cool silence, he slipped from a hole in his egg that he had managed to form with a couple of cracks. It left his previous home mostly intact, and he settled behind it, showing no interest in going out into the world. He peered around the egg, looking at the bronze and the red and all the people. He wasn't scared. He didn't feel much at all. He just liked the sight of it best.

Though it wasn't the easiest thing to see, the black wasn't entire jet black. Most of him was, but grayish patches dotted his body. Several stretched across his neck. A few more were tucked onto his legs. Some smaller ones splashed his chest, belly, and back. They worked into the curves of his body and the healthy slickness of his hide. They weren't glaring on him, leaving him definitely a black. However, they were interesting, and apparently the black himself noticed them. Breaking away from his calm watching, he caught sight of a bit of his hide and he turned his head. Black and gray. They could work quite well together if they were done right. How interesting. He filed the images he saw of himself away in his mind, with cool observations. Then he turned his head around to collect pictures , thinking colors. Brown. Red. White. Yellow. Orange. Pink.

The red continued to stalk forward, intense gaze fixed forward on what lay ahead of her. After a little bit of tense time, she reached the end of the line of girls. With a flick of her tail, she stalked down the line. She gave them no space. No respect. None of them had earned respect from her. Things weren't as simple as colors, especially with people. She watched them. She wasn't looking to see if they would step out of line. She wouldn't mind that. Full of a passion, she wouldn't mind seeing some of the same in the girls who was she examining. The sharpness in her brilliant red eyes, the fierceness in her manner, the simple and natural aggression, was reserved for other things. She would hold an authority. She would hold a strength. In fact, she did have a strength, and through that she had authority. Any slight stupidity was ill advised.

Unfortunately, out of an entire group of candidates, even all of them girls, one couldn't expect them all to be just brilliant enough to manage to avoid the wrath of a red. The manner of one of them screamed in the mind of the young lesser queen. Claws digging into the sand in a fury, she stopped. Her head turned piercingly to the side and her eyes came onto Dekistee. Insolent fool with stupid words in her mouth! A flash of claw heralded her attack. She only raked the girl's legs once. Her young claws weren't as tough as they one day would be. So, after that, which was effective for giving her an extreme advantage, she sank her teeth into the foolish girl's arm. She backed up, dragging her prize along with her. She moved with a passion. She didn't do anything halfhearted. Halfway across the sands, she finally let Dekistee go, dumping her.

The bronze was still waddling forward. Entirely oblivious, he wasn't at all aware of what the red had done. It was hard to tell if he was just stupid or he was purposefully doing it. In truth, it wasn't really either. The mind of the young King worked perfectly well. He was beginning to learn, as he walked, moving with a limited amount of ease as he adjusted his posture. He was even beginning to figure out that he was hungry. In many ways, the very air around him breathed of his charm. He simply failed to notice much of what was going on around him. He could see the boys in front of him that he was slowly approaching, but he saw none of the girls and he didn't see the red. Thus, he definitely didn't see her hurting one of the girls. It wasn't his fault that he was young and clueless. Of course, it didn't appear likely he would become less oblivious with age.

Finishing his crossing of the sands, he reached the boys. His pace quickened a little bit. The majority fell out of his gaze. He forgot about them, becoming ignorant to them like most everything else that was around. Eventually, only one boy held his attention, filling up the entirety of his vision. He came to a stop in front of that one. He held himself taller then, bringing all of his natural, happy charm around himself. L'amMine, might you accompany your Lebeth to get food? All gentlemanly manners, he addressed his rider in a cheerful, suave voice, that seemed ill-matched to his entire oblivious nature. Despite his shortcomings, all of which he wasn't aware of, less from pride and more from nature, he was still a King. I am entirely starving; he added, with faint amusement. When he thought to notice them, he picked up on things quick enough.



The black watched all of the affairs that went on across the sands, keeping himself separate from them. He couldn't interfere, if he wished to be a watcher. The pictures filled up his head. The sight of an injured body was more stimulating to him than scarring. He wasn't an emotional creature. In fact, he came off as a little warped, a little dead inside. He liked to simply look more than feel anything. He didn't make a sound. His world existed in pictures. The only feelings that ran deep in him was the feeling of colors, the meanings behind them. He was a deep creature, but he wasn't a sensitive creature. Highly visual, he was an observer. It was how his mind worked. He watched the bronze Impress to one of the boys. He peered closer at the pair. That was hard to understand in pictures from watching, but he thought he still saw how it worked.

Done with teaching a lesson, feeling like an excellent teacher with a nasty grinning quality to the way she bared her teeth, the red turned and stalked back towards the candidates. The foot she had used to claw Dekistee left bloody spots on the ground with each step that she took. She licked blood from the girl off her teeth and muzzle, and then she didn't look so bad. She hadn't killed the girl, which was capable of doing. Even in her youth, she was capable of even an extreme like that. She was a red. She was driven. Morality and morals only went so far with her. In the end, she would make the hard choices. She wasn't a bad person, but she wasn't a child, in most ways, and that couldn't be blamed for what she had done. In life, bad things happened. So it went. She was fiery, but she wasn't all anger, even if she still prowled as made her way back.

With the red back to being preoccupied with the girls, the black slipped forward. He was smart enough to avoid getting in the way of his fiery sister. He went far to the side, circling around near the boys and then back inwards. Across the sands, he sidled. He had seen all the candidates in watching. It really couldn't be a surprise that he knew exactly which one he wanted. That didn't keep him from taking a bit of time. There was much to see in the world, and he wasn't going to die before he could see it. In his rather cold existence, he did have some survival instinct. Halfway along, in the middle of the sands, he came to stop by the limp form of the mauled girl on the sands. Ignoring any sounds she was making, he peered down at her. There was blood on her neatly done white robe. Red on white. Death on purity. She had to be in pain.

DekisteeMine, you look better like this; he commented to her, not unkindly but not entirely reassuringly. He showed her, a picture of her, bloody on the ground, so she could see. He had seen her before, standing amongst the crowd, looking stupidly bored and uncaring. He didn't particularly care if she didn't care about him or not. She had simply looked foolish, all dressed up amongst the others. You're pretty as it is; he told her. It wasn't meant as a compliment. It was simply the truth. She had a natural beauty, and too much was too much. He didn't particularly care either way, as he didn't care about beauty or ugliness. He simply only cared about how things looked. Your Daibunareth hopes you can get up soon though. I'm hungry; he coolly added. He showed her a picture, one of red hunger, so she would understand. Pictures were easiest.



Suddenly I see, suddenly I see,
This is what I wanna be,
Suddenly I see, suddenly I see,
Why the hell it means so much to me.

[fidelli]

'Irale.' A sudden intake of breath through his teeth that produced a strange hissing sound was his only response, and he glanced up with the rolling dark gray eyes that suddenly seemed more stormy than before. LOW BLOW. Cadfael, at least, had had flings with several different girls - Remsey had only ever dug one girl... Who had moved because she didn't like him as much as he had liked her.

'You know, I’m not going to just off and leave you just because I’m Impressed. Never have, never will.' It really irritated him that Cadfael knew him so damn well, but there was a gratitude he had for him as well. He would never show - it was not Remsey's style, and I don't think he could ever say, but he grunted and went back to studying the Black. Of course, as the Brown's voice rumbled through his head again, the young man looked up to focus squarely on the dragonet, studying, analyzing. Thank you, Remsey. I am sure one of my clutchsiblings will find themselves in you. He nodded then, and handed Basker back to Cadfael, still looking at the Brown. "I'm sure they will. There are still plenty of eggs out there, and despite statistics, I'm sure I might have one out there." But he stayed where he was, even though he had begun to look over the large dragonet carefully.

He had not been paying attention to the dragonets anymore, and had not seen the Blue hatch, nor had he seen the Purple's Impress. He didn't even notice that the Blue was near them, with the echo's of quiet voices and the constant hum, until suddenly a smooth voice, almost oily, with a tart taste to it echoed in his mind. You have much to learn, R'seyMine. The man spun so fast he might have fell, freezing eye to eye with the dragonet. While your Desayunath must admit that he he has learning to do too. You underestimate the importance of some things in life. The boy narrowed his eyes at the Blue, but reached out to knock a piece of egg shell from the dragonet. "Friendship is important." The two squared off for a moment, eye to eye, and each tested the other's mind.

R'sey tested it, pushing, trying to understand as he did everything else, and the Blue did the same. He was smart - R'sey was pleased with that, and he could feel the faint trust that colored everything the Blue had said to him. The Blue seemed grumpy too - it just seemed the mood he was always in. But he was smart, and confident. Except for something. You're fake. The Blue snorted. I pretend. There is much to do in life that sometimes needs sucking up and pretending. The weyrling narrowed his eyes at the Blue again. Or you could just tell them what you think of them and be done with it. There was an irritation growing there, behind the Blue's eyes, and R'sey marveled that he could FEEL everything the Blue was. We will go as far as we can, R'seyMine - and you will learn to shut your mouth about your opinions. It was a face off, and R'sey crossed his arms over his chest. I'm quite content with myself, thank you.

And yet look how many friends you have.
I only need one.
Yes, well, him and His better not get in our way.
There is no way! I do not like people, and I don't particularly care about going up in rank.
Well you should, for we are going there.
You're a BLUE.
That means nothing to me - I am smarter than my clutchsliblings, and I choose you because you are smarter than the smelly rabble here.
Oh, that's nice, you picked be because I can shower.
You're friend is staring at us.

[/i]

R'sey looked up then to lift an eyebrow at C'fael. "This is Desayunath. And he's ambitious." R'sey spat the word out like it was a curse, but the smooth voice of the dragon in his mind only murmured, You will see. Greetings, Ansyth. I am glad you found Yours. The boy turned to look at the Blue, shocked by his much more pleasant voice and attitude. FAKER. The dragon's tail lashed, his only sign of irritant at his. HUSH. You must do things you do not like to get yourself higher in life, as you WILL learn.

This was going to be a fantastic relationship, R'sey could see it now. And yet, he could never pass this up. He couldn't imagine life without Desay's voice in his mind, or the constant squabbling - OH LOOK! R'sey had TWO people to argue with now!

The Blue rose then, and started to walk. Bring your friend - I am hungry, and the food is over there. He stared after the solid colored blue for a moment, and then rolled his eyes. "Coming, Cad? Err, I mean, C'fael? Ansyth, you can come to."[/blockquote][/size]

[hatori3070]

Dekistee! That, that, oh! There were no words to express her hatred for the girl. Jasra turned away before she really did something foolish. Getting into a physical altercation on the sands in front of the Weyrwoman and her Copper while she was Standing to Impress would be an incredibly stupid thing to do. All she could do was clench her fists tighter, nearly enjoying the slight pain that was grounding her to reality. Her jaw was squeezed so tight that she felt her teeth creaking in her head. It was difficult to focus on anything right now, so she closed her eyes. Jasra heard an egg crack open, but didn't look as it barely registered across her senses. Deep down, Jasra found herself wishing for Dekistee to be mauled. It settled right in her gut, a sickening yet somehow comforting thought. Another egg hatched while she was dreaming evil dreams, finally rocking her out of her delusion. A Bronze had hatched in her mental absence, along with a Red. Jasra tried to focus on them, using an analysis as a way to stop thinking like a child. She knew she was being immature, but part of her really couldn't care less.

They were both beautiful, in their way. The Bronze was slow, and slightly awkward, though he gained some skill in his journey toward the boys. The Red immediately began her own analysis of the girls, walking down the length of the candidates once. She looked at them all, and Jasra hoped that her expression wouldn't give away her thoughts. As the Red stopped, her eyes locked on someone near Jasra, but not her. She darted in among them and, just as if the fierce dragonet had read her mind, slashed Dekistee's leg. It nearly made her sick to see the creature grab hold of her and drag her out onto the sands. Throughout it all, she hadn't moved. Why had she wished for it to happen? The majority of her mind was in full guilt mode as her anger once again settled into a tiny ball in her chest, but in that ball a satisfaction was taking root. Part of her knew something had to wake up the spoiled hold brat, and that part was content with the current turn of events. That didn't mean she had to like it.

[lesa]

C'fael knew it had been a rather low blow, and didn't respond to Remsey's hiss. It had hurt, he was sure - but he'd been after Gwynell for seven Turns, even when he had looked at other girls - just his own fault that he was too tongue-tied around her until she fell for one of the Fort brownriders. Hey - he was a brownrider now too. Ironic.

He knew that Remsey understood deeper than anyone would've been able to say what he meant by the phrases. Of course, his friend would never actually express how it was truth. That was his way, and C'fael was used to it, after nineteen Turns together - okay, technically, only fifteen Turns, as Remsey had been plenty expressive up until four Turns old - but the fact still stood, he was used to it. The Healer did have to marvel at how he knew which of Ansyth's words were directed to him, and which weren't, it was odd. Exciting, but odd. Then again, such was the whole thought of even Impressing!

Hands came up to cradle Basker as the Black flitter was handed back to his... main person. Technically, Basker was just C'fael's, what with the Black having Impressed him and all. Only the Black would have turned such things on its head, with two 'Mines', to use the dragon-terminology. "I'm sure they will. There are still plenty of eggs out there, and despite statistics, I'm sure I might have one out there." C'fael held back a snort. Trust Remsey to bring up statistics when thinking about Impression! He'd go with his dragon at any time - Ansyth seemed plenty levelheaded enough to be telling the truth. At a Hatching, that was always the wisest thing to do.

C'fael let the grin tugging at his lips grow as the Blue stalked up behind Remsey. His friend's startlement - only the second time since childhood he had seen the expression on Remsey's face, and both had been on this very day! - was quite amusing. R'sey, now, was always so poised and prepared, to see him near floundering like that... it was worth everything. So was Impression, so to get both within moments of each other. Perfect.

"Friendship is important." What? R'sey had actually admitted to such a thing? Shocking! Hush, C'faelmine,[/i] Ansyth said with a slight chuckle, Just because R'sey had never really said it out loud, you knew he felt it inside. Is his saying so that surprising?
Yes, Ansyth. He never said as much to anyone before, even me, or our parents. We've always just been together. C'fael mentioned, staring curiously at the newest Bluepair.
And I also think Rem found himself a dragon as bullheaded as he is. Faranth, this is going to be amusing. And a headache.[/i] Ansyth's eyes whirled, but the Brown didn't comment further, in complete agreement with His.

C'fael blinked at R'sey's raised eyebrow, returning the look with one of his own - the mirroring expressions had done nothing but annoy their mothers at eight Turns old, and they'd only continued the knack - and snickered aloud at his friend's proclamation. Oh, he'd been right about the headache after all.
"This is Desayunath. And he's ambitious." Wonderful. C'fael nodded at the Blue, mentally reviewing all the ways he could contain the pair. Because it would have to be done at one point or another. Faranth, he hoped Weyrlings were allowed to spar - would help R'sey keep his temper, if he could attempt to beat C'fael to a pulp. Perhaps he could actually get his friend involved in actual Healing, to at the least keep him from experimenting while they were Weyrlings. No, what was he thinking? That wouldn't work - sparring, yes. Healing, no. R'sey able to Heal? That would be disastrous.

I am glad you found yours as well, Desayunath. Please, however, do stop condescending to me in that manner, the Brown said sagely, I do not appreciate such a thing, speak your mind freely. I am not about to push you to not be ambitious or overly help you in such an endeavor either. You will have enough trouble with Your R'sey, I believe. Bossy little thing Ansyth could be, when he wanted to. Would have to remember that, C'fael noted, much as his Brown noted his rising hunger.

"Coming, Cad? Err, I mean, C'fael? Ansyth, you can come too."
C'fael shook his head as R'sey rolled his eyes and followed after the Blue. "Faranth, Rem, call me Cad still. I'm certainly not going to stop calling you Rem, chap," he advised, Ansyth walking firm beside him piping up with his own thoughts - and perfectly willing to share the thought directly to R'sey as well as His C'fael.
If I didn't come, R'sey, I am afraid I would become remarkably hungry, and if Mine is going with you, why shouldn't I come as well?[/font][/size]

[purnip]

You're the everything
That led me to believe,
"Hold on, hold on"
You're the wonder in everything
That's wonderful

The suspense was reaching a climax. Rhysia was waiting with a certain vigor and a pleasant spirit about her. Lyam seemed to let out some steam and she once again wished the best for him, despite how despicable he was. No one deserved torment from themselves; it was the worst kind. Once she noticed the boy was calm once more, he looked to the Sands just as the largest egg was next to hatch.

A large and stately Bronze. Rhysia couldn't hope to Impress such a magnificent creature, but she didn't care much for it. First of all, it was slow. She could tell, just like that Pink and just like that Brown. Too slow for her liking without any of the spirit she craved in a dragon. She would settle only for hers, and she knew hers would be perfect. Slow was not perfect. Rhysia was slow enough as it was. The only reason her eyes still followed the Bronze's actions had to do with the fact that no other actions were taking place. The Sands were relatively quiet.

The sound of tearing and shattering then followed, and Rhysia's attention was diverted to the large egg that was just beside the one that bore the Bronze. From it emerged a scarlet dragon, Red she believed was the term. She had read about them. Other than Gold and Copper, Rhysia feared to Impress the color and therefor realized the Red couldn't possibly be hers. They were said to bear such tempers. Sure, Rhysia had to deal with some ill tempered creatures back at Fort, but nothing like a dragon. How could she jest and explore and bask in merriment on a dragon of such fierceness? She took a step back, letting some natural fear seep in. The Red was powerful even as a baby and she was coming straight for them. She did not wish to be mauled. Rhysia KNEW the Red wasn't for her and wanted nothing to do with her. She will back away with all due respect, not rejection. Standing in her way would waste her time, and the Red did not have time to waste freely.

She watched, growing pale at the sight, as the Red chose to target Dekistee with her intense passions of rage. All that blood...Rhysia was getting a little light headed. She couldn't let herself faint but at the same time she couldn't take her eyes off the fallen girl. She did not know Dekistee, but that did not prevent her from feeling any sympathy. Wanting to help, she found herself incapable of moving. The Red was still there and still impatient as ever. Unless Rhysia wanted to pollute the Sands with her own blood, she would keep her distance.

All that had distracted her from the hatching and wandering of the Black. Not a glance was spared to the Sands in fact, and probably wouldn't be until the Red made her decision. Rhysia didn't feel too safe with her prowling about and she didn't want to suddenly end up in the way. She had missed Lyam's Impression due to the situation, but she did not miss Dekistee's, since the girl happened to be right in front of her.

Her dragon was so odd and curious with its strange gray blotches...she hoped the girl was fine enough to get up and care for him.

-----

The largest egg was hatching. Lyam wondered intensely what it would bear within its shell. A Sub-Queen? Or a King? It mattered yes, not because of rank, but because he would not be likely to belong to one and more likely to belong to the other. When waiting would have otherwise been an easy task, at the moment it was gnawing at his bones. Soon enough he would not be able to stand so boldy. Soon he may even lose enough of his cool demeanor to dash on to the Sands like an idiot.

But from the egg had emerged a Bronze. A male dragon that impresses to males. Lyam happened to have a pair on him so he counted. Fair enough. Now that creature he would not grab by the head no matter how desperate he got, but likewise he remained ever hopeful. It was time.

A dreadful sound followed, as did the appearance of a new challenger. A Red. That's something. Not likely his and yet...well, he wondered. The Red was quite the brute however. Even the Bronze knew better than to get involved. Good for him. That Red would tear up her own mother should her mother have been in the way. He glanced back at the Sands in time to see another egg hatching that bore forth a Black. He'd take that one by the horns in a heartbeat if the beastie came over. Not that he was small or anything, but certainly less intimidating than the black. After these three, there would be five left. He couldn't stand to wait much longer. Numbers were dwindling and so was time.

His eyes darted up at an instant. The Bronze was upon them and moving quickly through the boys as if he had already made up his mind. Lyam stared him down; it was the best he could do. If his eyes could pierce that intense hide of his, he might leave some sort of impression of his own. To his surprise, for deep in the recesses of his mind he didn't think it would work, the dragonet stopped before him.

His eyes went a greenish blue as he stood a little taller, a little prouder. A sensation unlike any other he had ever felt in his life filled the boy as the words of his bonded slipped into his mind.

L'amMine, might you accompany your Lebeth to get food? I am entirely starving.

It took a second for the boy to recover from the shock of such a brilliant new feeling, yet he snapped out of his daze and gave a strong and short nod. "Let's ditch this place. I wouldn't mind something to eat myself."

The Bronze ducked his head for a moment, as if expecting something. L'am eyed him before he realized what Lebeth was waiting for. He reached out and gave the dragonet a scratch on the eye ridge with a smirk on his face. "I thought you were starving."

Oh, I am. Absolutely famished. But I do enjoy a good scratch. As soon as L'am withdrew his hand, Lebeth rose his head again with dignity and the same cheerful manner that was reflected in his voice. The soon-to-be Bronzerider liked that; a Bronze who's head wasn't all full of hot air. He also found it a relief that the young dragonet didn't catch that passing thought. Either Lebeth was hungrier than he was letting on or he was an oblivious youngster. Hopefully that could be worked out of him. L'am favored his dragon, though quite close to perfect the way he was now, to be just a little sharper. Nothing a little therapy can't cure. Or patience. Or whatever. What did it matter? He had Lebeth and Lebeth had him.

L'amMine? Sidetracked? The Bronze jokingly poked. L'am chuckled at that, and that would be his first genuine one in what felt like forever. So Lebeth was sharper than he gave credit for.

"Just thinking about what you'd prefer. Dark meat, I suppose?"

I wouldn't know, the dragonet began, chuckling in a low rumble. I haven't tasted meat yet.

Touche. Well, without further time to waste here on the Sands, L'am lead his lifemate to the supply of meat buckets, where the young dragonet would be filled to a pleasant amount with as much meat as was safe for a Bronze of his age to eat.

As I'm fadin' out
I don't feel anything at all
Think I'm movin' on
Know you'll be safe but not alone

[Nia]

Dekistee's comment only got an eye-roll from Engrye. Really, was that the best she could come up with? Apparently. But Engrye, while she did like a good fight, wasn't going to sink to the level of Dekistee's verbal prowess. It was like shooting fish in a barrel, there was no challenge to it. That, and she didn't want to start a fight right in front of the Weyrwoman and her angry, brooding Copper. That was just stupid, and if Engrye was anything, it wasn't stupid. So she allowed Dekistee to win this battle... but she certainly hadn't won the war. Even if she Impressed and Engrye did, the red-haired girl was going to make sure of that.

Well, anyway, the large egg was beginning to crack, and so she turned her attention away from Dekistee and back to the eggs, which she should have been doing the whole time. There was no Queen, Engrye knew that, so she supposed that the large egg probably held a King... and she was right. The Bronze stepped out of his egg and stepped... right on to his brother's egg. That couldn't be right, wouldn't that hurt? Apparently not, because the light colored Bronze just stood there. Well, Bronzes certainly didn't Impress to girls, so it really didn't matter much to Engrye how long he wanted to stand there.

Another egg was cracking open as well, the egg next to the Bronze's egg also opened, revealing... a Red. Well, that was a sub-Queen, wasn't it? That didn't matter all that much to Engrye either, but the red was a rather nice color. Engrye liked the color red, and it wasn't just because of her hair... which was really more of a burgundy color anyway, and not the bloody color of this dragon... though she supposed it was rather close. But enough thinking about colors... another dragon had hatched. A Black, this time. A quiet Black that Engrye would have missed if he hadn't been right in the front row. Compared to his Bronze and Red siblings he was tiny... and definitely wanted to stay out of the way a lot more than the other two did.

Now the Bronze had begun to walk forward, ignoring everything around him, and especially ignoring the girls. That was fine, though, he wasn't supposed to Impress to a girl. Was it even possible for a Bronze to Impress to a girl? No, she doubted it. A Brown or Purple had the slightest chance of going to a girl, but definitely not a Bronze. That was just as taboo as a Gold or Copper going to a boy... though, Engrye thought as she eyed the Red, perhaps sub-Queens wouldn't hesitate to go to boys? It was possible, she supposed. But the Red had stalked over to the girls and began to... inspect? analyze? them. She certainly was... invasive, Engrye noticed as she watched, the Red had no real regard for any of the girl's personal spaces. Maybe she was deciding if she wanted to maul one of them rather than Impress... it seemed like that to Engrye, at least.

The claps of applause for whoever had Impressed the Bronze went unnoticed, because the Red was approaching her end of the Candidates... but, she stopped. Dekistee?! Engrye's usually calm expression was replaced with shock as the Red reached out and slashed at Dekistee's leg. Now... if it'd been anyone else, Engrye probably would have felt some degree of remorse, but not for Dekistee. Even when the Red grabbed at the girl's arm and dragged her out on to the Sands... Engrye firmly felt like the girl deserved it. Dragons didn't just maul Candidates for no reason, it was either an accident as they were walking past or... on purpose because the Candidate did something to displease them. And Engrye was utterly positive that Dekistee had done something to piss off this Red. So she felt no remorse at all for the other girl. Was it mean of her? Yes. But Engrye wasn't a nice person in the first place.

Looking away from the bloody mass not too far in front of her, Engrye noticed that Lyam, the only one she'd really had a good conversation with, had Impressed the Bronze. Good for him. He was faring much better than Dekistee... and he'd Impressed higher than that dreadful Tylar. Deciding to chance a glance back at Dekistee, Engrye noticed the... Black. With whirling rainbow eyes. No... that couldn't be right. Why was it Impressing to her? To that awful, wherrybrained girl? That filled Engrye with more of a rage than the girl's words could ever do. That... that wasn't fair. Dekistee wasn't even going to like that dragon! Why did she get to Impress?!

[/size]

[theknightwhosaysni]

Daintily, Feeroneth sampled the meat, having finished before long, in time that he and His could catch the Bronze Impressing to . . . Lyam?

Furiously, T'lar glared as the newest Kingrider came closer to them, "I deserved that King." he growled to himself, eyes fairly throwing daggers at the boy.

Mine, if you say one more foolish thing, I shall take back everything I've said about your potential. Feeroneth sniffed primly, That Bronze didn't deserve you. He was slow in Hatching, and completely unfashionable it was clear from his tone that this was the worst thing possible for a dragonet to be, Besides, T'larMine, you were the most fashionable of the Candidates remaining, even if you do need some help from me. Feeroneth twirled in a little circle, before glancing up at His.

"What?" T'lar demanded irritably.

Be fashionable, Mine. Go tell that L'am, whoever he is, congratulations. Get into his good graces, it'll be easier to be fashionable if the Kingrider likes you.

"But he already doesn't like me!" T'lar grumped, "And besides, I deserved that Bronze."

Mine, he had no potential. No fashion, no nothing. Your Feeroneth is the best there is for you. Feeroneth reminded him cheerfully, Even if you do need some work

"I do not need any work!" T'lar shot back, frowning.

T'lar hardly seemed to notice that he was causing a scene, and Feeroneth in front him was as unperturbed as ever.

Oh yeah? What about that ugly robe of yours? Feeroneth replied, laughing.

T'lar glared at Feeroneth, "Of course it's ugly. We have to wear these things for Hatchings. It's a requirement."

Feeroneth snorted, Mine, you could've ironed it, at least before the Hatching.

"But I was in a hurry!" he shot back.

Serenly, Feeroneth replied You shouldn't have been. His was so easily distracted...

"Hey, I heard that!"

Feeroneth snorted, Heard what? You've been fixating on that fashionless King since he Impressed. I was only making you see that I have a fashion sense, which is far better. I shall help you be the most fashionable rider in the entire Weyr!

T'lar raised an eyebrow, "But what if I don't--"

Of course you want to be fashionable. Feeroneth interjected before T'lar could finish.

And throughout it all, Akal and Meggo remained strangely calm. Akal was merely plotting, now he had two usurpers to get rid of, but Meggo was just watching. Meggo didn't mind that His was getting annoyed, it just proved that Meggo was far better than Akal, or this new dragon. He never got His angry, after all!

Now, don't you have someone to congratulate?

"Oh, fine!" T'lar glared at Feeroneth, before stalking towards L'am, with Feeroneth padding along daintily at his side, the Purple peering at his feet, which had sand all over them. He'd have to take care of that soon, it made him look unfashionable, and that wouldn't do at all.

[fidelli]

Tonii, still panicking, had at least calmed down slightly. That was, until, Kalith sent Streak away. Now, she was alone, and she wished that the Purple would come back, even with the threat of Kalith still brooding over them. Oh, she couldn't breath! But then... A presence hit her, a soothing presence that just oozed... Blue. It will be alright, Miss Toniiandra. I still believe you are a good choice. And Mine is here as well. We are both proud of you, whether or not one of these dragonettes chooses you to bond with. She recognized the voice of the Blue, and buried her head in her hands, relief stark in her form. Thank you, Gryth. Thank you. She needed that, needed the something to hold on to. There were too many memories on the sands, too many ideas, too many of everything. The scars on her back burned, and the timid candidate yearned to be done with this place. But... Gryth was like the wash of water, the cooling oasis she needed. Please, don't go anywhere. She clung to the alienness in her mind, clung to that, needed that, and with that... With that, she stood.

She watched then, as the Purples hatched, amused by their antics, and admired the Blue as he slid by - but he was not nearly as pretty as Gryth. And then, the main event happened, as it were. The Bronze hatched from the big egg, and he Impressed.... But she worried over that Red. She looked angry - and her blood red coloring did nothing to dissuade Tonii's original impression of the Red. And she was proven right, as the Red prowled over to the girl's and lashed out at one of the girls. Tonii didn't know Deskitee, and her eyes went wide at all of the blood, and she felt awful. Oh, no! But it gave her all the more reason to be wary of the red, and she shifted back minutely, wary now. She edged partially behind one of the girls, and glanced upwards, trying to find Gryth and N'yrl. There. She felt better immediately - the Blue and the polite rider wouldn't let her get mauled by the vicious Red.

---

Meanwhile, A'mor was at the Hatching as well, sitting with his sister and Zuchie on the ledge. The White was keeping them both informed as the to the hatchings - The Blue, that Impressed the boy, he is a tricky one! With everything that the White said, it was happy, and the brother and sister pair were amused. Zucie and Noyth were curled together, and Nim and A'mor were talking quietly, the girl more eager than the man. "Look, A'mor, look! The red is so cute!" The man looked much more skeptical down. "She'll slash someone, no doubt."

Why must you say stupid things? His Gray's voice echoed in his head moments later as a girl went down, and A'mor rolled his eyes. B'nyur will get it. The Gray, however, had a different opinion. No. I told Oveth that we would get this one, since you had to jinx it. Come. Excuse me, Zucherroth. The White shifted gladly, moving to curl around His's. Have fun! The Grayrider only scowled, and rose, flinging himself over the Gray and grabbing the bag he carried to Hatchings. Kalith, we are coming down to take the Weyrling.

With that, the Gray flung open her too big wings that all of her color sported, and glided down carefully, landing behind the candidates. A'mor slipped off his small dragon, still cursing silently, and crossed over to the girl. "Watch out, kiddo's." Noyth reached out to the Black, telling him quietly, Do not worry.Mine will be healing Your's. Do not attack him or I will bite you. A'mor looked down at the girl, kneeling next to her and saying quietly, "I'm A'mor, my dear - I need you to hold still and tell me excatly where it hurts." He was scanning as he did so, and saw the broad slash over her legs - that would need stitches, and the arm would need to be wrapped, at least. She had been brutal - well, that sucked.

"Tell me your name? And what's your dragon's name?" He needed her to talk to him, to make sure she was alright mentally, to keep her awake until he could clean up the bloodflow and figure out where the worst of the bleeding was.

[kia]

Somewhere, in the stands above the Sands, someone was moving through the crowds of people, trying to make it to the available seat that the person saw. Mental voices called out, hoping by Faranth someone would not try to take the seat. If someone took that seat… the person refused to think about it…

O`ris reached the seat next to Avalle and smiled to her. “Hey, Avalle,” he said calmly, though he was really out of breath from trying to get to the seat next to Avalle. He was already late. A few dragons had already made their way out onto the Sands and were finding their Riders already. The sign of the fourth Cyan of Pern made him stare and smile. In fact, he felt a bit… emotional, something he rarely let himself feel unless he was with Avalle. Avalle brought many things out of him. And now this new cyan brought something else out of him: Pride. O`ris Impressed the first Cyan of Pern, so far the largest Cyan of Pern (and it looked like Rhyolith would remain that way for now), and he was the first Cyan of Pern. Would Pern sing his praises?

We will show them our worthiness. We will show them that we deserve songs sung about us. The first Black, Iron, and Copper Rider were remembered. We will be remembered! Rhyolith spoke up from where she watched the Hatching. The fourth Cyan brought happiness from her. She and her Mine would be an inspiration to them. They will show their worthiness. Sure there were two other Cyans in Dalibor, but none held the determination that Rhyolith held in bringing honor to her color`s name.

O`ris looked back over at Avalle and gave her a gentle smile. “Remember this two Turns ago?” he asked Avalle. He gulped slightly, silently, and reached a hand over to take Avalle`s hand in his. They were graduated now. Touching, holding hands would not hurt the dragons. Heck, even though that Lynx girl did not see it yet, her Green was already starting to glow some. Rhyolith would be Rising soon. He rather hoped Rhyolith would never Rise. Rhy had never been interested in the boys. To see her one day actually interested made him chuckle mentally. But he watched Avalle, letting his hand hold her lightly, giving her room to pull her hand out if she so desire to so. But, hopefully, now that they were graduated, they could continue their relationship and take steps in becoming true weyrmates.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Gulath watched as Irath flew up to his ledge and decided to join him as their Riders watched the Hatching. His eyes whirled in shades of greens, happy to see the army-green color dragon. They were a match with their colors, especially since he was like an army-blue colored dragon. As she greeted him coolly, something other dragons would have taken as a rude sign, he seemed to dip his head in greeting. Hello, Irath. This is a big Hatching, is it not? the Blue asked as Irath bumped shoulders with her. It was starting to become very obvious that the Blue was larger than the Green, even though Gulath figured Irath would be a large Green in her Right. Probably in rivaling size with that graduating Green, Gneith.

N`tal picked up on his dragon that Gulath was talking to Irath. That Blue adored the Green. Well, that Green and Gulath were the deviants of their Weyrling group. After all, Gulath and Irath were the only ones who have gotten in trouble so far, even though it had just been over hunger and a thrill of pleasure in torturing people. But, if Gulath was talking to Irath that meant Tesla would be around here… somewhere… His eyes quickly scanned the crowds and caught sight of the woman coming towards him. He then realized he had empty seats around him. Rightly so, no one really liked him. And he really did not like the people here.

Tesla made her way to him and had sat down. He simply watched her as she did so, but merely for the sake of watching. There was no glare, no anger look, nothing but curiosity why she continued to talk to him, hang with him, or anything at all. She did not know, after all, what he had planned. Who he really was in this Weyr: A spy. But, no one needed to know that right now. He had to keep his presence low. The Weyr knew he hated them, but he did not need to raise suspicions as to what he had planned now. He would simply become slightly less vocal about his hatred here.

She spoke, talking about the day they had Impressed and the Candidates down below, which made him realize that he was not doing his job just yet. So many dragons had Impressed. He had to pass on the info. Gulath, send this message to Alizadehth, and Alizadehth only. We are going to send this in parts, he mentally told his dragon, right as he was sitting next to Tesla as she spoke. He told Gulath that one Bronze, one Red, one Brown, two Purples, two Blues, one Cyan, one Green, four Pinks, and two Blacks had already Hatched thus far.

Gulath, without lifting his head, making sure he was calling out to the right dragon (he knew when he had reached Alizadehth`s mind when he felt hatred for Dalibor and compassion for her Blue son). He passed the message along, telling the Orange Queen everything that N`tal told him to tell. N`tal and I also sends his greetings and respect to you and your Mine, hoping that you and your Mine are doing well. We are also so very grateful to you both for allowing us you’re your ranks, though unofficially, until the time comes when we can officially join you, the Blue added.

N`tal continued to watch Tesla as she spoke. She actually had a sweet voice to her. It was calm, assuring, and filled with pleasure with what she was doing right now and in who she was. She really like Dalibor, something N`tal did not understand, but that seemed to be her only flaw. But, everyone had a flaw. Tesla was talking to a murder, to someone who had thought about murdering W`al until he came up with his grand plan to become a spy for Varya. “Yeah, those kids are excited about Impressing, something I did not feel the day I Impressed Gulath until after it had occurred,” he replied honestly.

It was the truth after all. He had been swept up by some BlackRider and dropped off, given a white robe to wear, and forced to stand on the Sands. If he had not bowed, if he had tried to run away, surely that Orange Queen would have killed him. So, not happily, he stood and happened to be the first to Impress on the Sands. Of course, he was grateful now. He was becoming something more than he had dreamed of, and he had control of his life for once. Kalith was not his true Queen and Fajra was not his Weyrwoman. Vayra and Alizadehth ruled them, and he and Gulath would serve them well like loyal Riders. After all, he was a BlueRider, meant for work. And working for Varya and Alizadehth would be his job.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Nikianeth watched as the Candidates were filling the Sands with their dirty little feet. They all acknowledge Kalith, the Copper Queen, and only Lyan and Cadfael had bowed to her. To her! A sub-QUEEN! She deserved respect too, even though her eggs were not the ones moving and Hatching. She snorted as she thought about ripping some of their heads off. She demanded respect! Demanded it! She had eggs on the Sands, and if none of those Candidates Impressed at Kalith`s Clutch Hatching, a few of them would surely Impress to one of her gorgeous children.

She looked up and saw Duareth coming to her rescue, to her comfort, to her side. These were his children, too. They had to be protected! As he nuzzled her, she sent him images of dragons accidentally crashing into their eggs, telling him why she was on edge. Instantly, Duareth seemed to understand and took a protective stance around the eggs, wrapping his tail with her to watch over them.

They better stay safe! Nikianeth piped up quickly in response to Duareth. She was not trying to be rude, but her motherly instincts made her fiercely protective of her Clutch. This could very well be her only Clutch, and if it should happen like that, then she had to protect them with all her strength. She expected nothing less from her Brown mate, but he seemed to understand that. She gave him a crooned, letting him know he still had favor from her, love from her, admiration from her. Our children will be strong. And they will Impress to strong Candidates. I already know that our children will not be stupid, she said as well.

Sure enough, an adventurous Black decided to move closely to her eggs, curious, but still a threat to her. She gave him a warning hiss as Duareth made sure he was sent off. If that Black had tried anything else other than looking at her eggs, she would have, without second thought, lashed out at him and possibly killed him. She cared, respected, adored, and loved Kalith as her Queen, but Kalith would continue to always have eggs and children. Nikianeth may never have the chance again. The loss of one little dragon might have been sad and even mourned, but when it came to protecting her eggs, Nikianeth spared no expense.

Armania looked over at S`rial as the man entered on the Sands, coming to join her side in comforting her Orange. The woman was still shy of the man, but she had started to become less and less uncomfortable around him. He had only good intentions if his rank only proved it. He seemed to be proud that their dragons had managed to produce a Clutch together. She offered him a gentle smile as he came closer, watching as the dragons were off Impressing to their Riders.

“Yes, Kalith`s Clutch is very strong. I doubt many people will go to bed unimpressed. But, they will have a second chance with Niki`s Clutch,” she said politely, shyly, almost quietly. She was not out-spoken, but she was comfortable speaking to the man now. He had visited her and Nikianeth when the Orange had laid her Clutch. And, surely, Duareth visited Nikianeth often while the eggs had grown on the Sands. So, S`rial was a good man.

She looked over as Orso, Fajra`s son, began singing about his parents kissing and all. Nia seemed to blush slightly as the boy sang. Even though Orso had and was referring to his parents, Nia felt a small bit of Orse almost singing that to her and S`rial. She and S`rial… they were unofficial weyrmates… weyrmates only by Flight and drawn together through Flightlust. She had barely met the man before the Flights. Sure, she had known him to be a good person, but she almost knew absolutely nothing about him. But, what if their time together in bed had brought forth a child? Nia was unsure what she would do or even say. But it had not even happened.

Nia`s looked back at Nikianeth`s eggs. That one, closest to Nikianeth, had grown rather large. And the yellow to white egg on the left in front of the larger egg seemed to have gotten bigger as well, though not as big as the red and orange egg. As for the blue and green egg, that one had barely gotten any bigger. The woman hoped that none of the eggs would come out duds. That would just make Nikianeth very upset. Maybe the little dragon that was inside the green and blue egg would be something special. Maybe that green and blue would yield a dragon after all. Nia hoped that by Faranth all the eggs would Hatch safely.

[kyrillion]

Remiel watched one of the few remaining eggs hatch, revealing the clutch’s second blue. He was a much darker shade than Paralee’s had been, and he looked much more stoic. He had an almost calculating air about him, and Remiel scrutinized him as he made his way across the Sands, clearly more intent on Impression than many of his siblings had been. He was an interesting one, certainly, and because his attention was caught up by him, he did not notice that the purples had finally made their way over to the Candidates until the pinker, more effeminate one went trotting by him.

The darker purple was tagging along like a babysitter; Remiel, younger brother that he was, could hardly understand that mentality. Besides, it didn’t particularly look like the pink-purple even needed looking after. He was a bit indecisive, even looking for his choice among the girls for a moment, but he settled on a boy soon enough. Only then did the darker purple begin to consider his own options.

Returning to regard that last blue, and the as-yet unhatched eggs, he didn’t notice that the second purple seemed to be much more decisive than the other. Or, at least, that he’d managed to find His between chasing down and being pushed about by his finicky brother. He didn’t realize where he was headed until the peripheries of his vision registered dark violet. Turning, startled, he felt as if the world suddenly lost its balance as the little dragonet’s eyes whirled rainbow. Everything tilted and shifted, and then a foreign voice was invading his mind.

Your Oomieth apolgizes if he took a little while, R’mielMine. Feeroneth is quite a lot of work, but it is so nice and rewarding. I believe he is going to get food with his choice. Can we get food, as well?[/color]

All of his former delusions and hopes for grandeur, his desire to ride a king dragon and be regarded by all with the respect he so wanted, were gone in an istant. But he didn’t mind; how silly of him, to have wanted a bronze or an iron, when Oomieth was so clearly superior to any other dragon that Pern had seen?

Mine! Don’t be silly.[/color] Despite his words, Oomieth sounded quite flattered by his new rider’s subconscious praise, even if he had no such delusions of grandeur. When Remiel - no, R’miel! - reached out a hand to scratch his eyeridges, Oomieth’s eyes swirled a delighted dark blue.
Mine, what about...[/color]
"Food? Let’s go find you some, shall we?"
Yes, please![/color]

R’miel - shards, he’d waited a long time for that name - led his purple off the sands, looking obviously proud, and wearing a broad, genuine smile for all to see. Oomieth, though, took a moment to try and catch a glimpse of Feeroneth through the crowds.
"Don’t hurt yourself there, Oom," Was that really the nickname he was going with? He took a moment to go over his options. Oom, Oomie, Oo...? Yes, Oom would work for now. "Your brother can take care of himself. Or better yet, you could leave all of that to his rider..." Oomieth, however, seemed a bit indignant about the suggestion.

Feeroneth needs me.[/color] He insisted placidly, though he refused to elaborate further. Shrugging, R’miel turned his attention to finding his own friend among the group that was gathered at the tables... And there she was!

"Paralee!" He snagged a bowl filled with wherry meat, and hurried off towards his friend, leaving Oomieth to scramble after him with his nose clearly trained on the food. When R’miel at last staggered to a stop before his friend, he paused just long enough to grab a handful of meat and hold it out to Oomieth’s waiting jaws, before greeting his friend.

"I knew it! I said you were a dragonrider, didn’t I?" He was clearly thrilled, though more so of course for his friend’s Impression than for predicting an outcome of the Hatching. "And you were picked, first! Am I good, or what?" He grinned foolishly, and would have given her a hug except Oomieth was already asking for more food. Shoveling it in his purple’s direction, careful nevertheless to not let him overeat, he glanced at his friend’s own dragon with interest. "Look at that. He’s handsome, isn’t he? What’s his name?"

Oomieth, hunger at least somewhat sated, finally took notice of the conversation. He eyed Paralee with kind interest before turning to Tomarth. His eyes swirling contentedly, that same navy-blue color as before, he offered a wave-like gesture with his tail and a jovial greeting. Hello, friend of Mine’s…[/color] Just them, a few staggered shrieks and just-audible gasps drew both dragon and rider’s attention back to the Sands. They were just in time to see Dekistee mauled by a red that neither had seen hatch. Oh, no. I hope she is not broken… But look, Hers has found her now. He will make it better, surely? Everything is better with a dragon, Mine says.[/color]

“I never said anything of the sort.” R’miel said with a quiet laugh, eyeing his purple in mock-disapproval. Though he felt bad for that Dekistee girl, even if he’d found her a bit tiresome during their herb-gathering foray, this was certainly not the first mauling he’d seen. Her injuries didn’t look to be fatal, or crippling, and so with little more than a sympathetic grimace he turned his attention back to his own group.
You thought it. It is the same thing.[/color] Oomieth answered his previous assertion placidly.
“Huh! Maybe to you – but I guess you’ll see the difference soon, for yourself.”
If you say so, Mine.[/color]
And with that, the purple turned his attention back to Tomarth, eager to make a new friend. However, every now and then, his eyes would dart over to where Feeroneth was having an animated debate with His own. If Feeroneth called on him for any reason, he would be ready to help his brother.
[/size]

[Birdy]

Paralee was in the back, she could see the Sands yes but the only REALLY interesting thing around was Tomarth. He seemed very intent on eating, looking at each piece before putting it into his mouth. Chomp chomp chomp, chew chew chew, swallow, repeat. ParaleeMine this meat is good. Very good very good, he said somewhat absently, taking another piece out of the bowl. He had already gone through one and was working through the second. Paralee, quite amused by how seriously the dragonet took eating but afraid her would overstuff himself, pulled the bowl out from under his waiting maw. “I don’t want you to stuff yourself, that would be a bad thing Tomtom,” she chirped to him, holding out a piece of meat in an attempt to slow his already sluggish eating.
Tomarth eagerly took the scrap, it didn’t matter who or what gave it to him as long as it was food. And if His gave it to him that was even better! He repeated his process of eating, chew chomp swallow, chew chomp swallow. On to the next piece.
Once Tomarth had finally had his fill, Paralee plopped down on the floor next to him so they could see eye to eye. “You are such a handsome blue Tomy,” she said, with a happy smile, scooting closer to him. The blue’s eye whirled happily, standing next toHis. Am I ParaleeMine? Thank you thank you. he replied, looking about and spying an empty bowl on the ground. Darting forward from his place by Paralee he grabbed the bowl in his mouth and attempted to put it back on the table. But, as it was much heavier than he had expected, he ended up sprawled on the ground with the bowl on his head. Quickly, as her immediate thought was that the Blue had hurt himself, Paralee jumped up and removed the offending object from his head, placing it on the table.
Finding Tomarth perfectly alright, a grin appeared on her face. “What on Pern were you thinking Tomtom?" she said with a giggle, helping him back to his feet. I was trying to put it back on the table ParaleeMine, he said looking a bit put off that he hadn’t been able to finish the task. “Silly Toto,” Paralee giggled, hugging the blue lightly before sitting beside him again.
She didn’t stay there for long. Hearing a familiar voice she shot up and whirled around. Remiel! “Remiel!” she squealed, so he HAD Impressed! If he hadn’t been carrying a bowl of meat she would have hugged him but the risk of being attacked by a hungry dragonets rushing towards spilled food wasn’t worth it. “Yeah I guess you called it huh? Being first is nothing though, I didn’t get to watch any of the other Impressions. Just sat back here all lonely…” she faked a grimace before grinning again. “ Well not lonely I had my lovely Tomtom- er, Tomarth, that’s his name by the way it’s cute huh?” she said, all very quickly with glances to Tomarth who was by her side, watching His intently as if taking mental notes on how she did things.
“And you Impressed a handsome dragon too!” Paralee said grinning at the purple. “I’m Paralee! It’s very nice to meet you pretty purple dragon of Remiel’s. I hope we can get to see a lot of each other at lessons and elsewhere!” Tomarth stayed firmly by Paralee’s side but was happy to return the tail wave.Hello to you too! At the sight of Dekistee’s mauling the Blue winced, though he was mostly glad it wasn’t His. I do not think she is broken. Broken mines do not find Theirs do they? Tomarth said, turning away from the bloody scene.
Tomarth watched Oomieth’s wandering eyes. Turning his head he spied just what the Purple was looking at. Why do you stare at Feeroneth? he asked, tilting his head.

[Admin]

I have been rocking back and forth across the line.
Hanging for a moment on the wrong side.
Now I'm standing up, I think I'll be here for a while.
Hope I remember how to keep on this steady smile.

The mottled brown-red egg near the end of the back row quite suddenly broke open. It hadn't really rocked at all, more shivered a few times, and it had been silent for several moments in advance of the crack. The dragonet within quickly scrambled to escape after that crack, so that she was out as quick as she could be once her entrance began to become apparent. As soon as she was out and free of the egg, the green struck a rather dramatic pose as she stopped. She didn't even look around herself or out at everything in front of her. She just stopped and tried to look dignified. Considering she was an ungainly large and awkward green dragonet, the effect wasn't that effective. That didn't keep her from trying. She had to try. However, she did give it up quickly. That wasn't working, and she was sharply aware of it. Her mind whirred.

Despite the awkward design of her body, which she would hopefully grow into, her hide was interesting and attractively designed. The base was a deep, evergreen-type green, a dark and natural green. However, distinct stripes of an even darker green curled around her neck and back, up over her head, and along her tail. Both of the colors were very similar and she was definitely very much a green, a deeply colored green, but she was also definitely striped. When she started moving forward, there was something a bit feline about her that went with the fur-like patterning. She wasn't graceful or lithe, but a certain bit of intelligence started to grow in her as she settled. She looked about with a new interest, sizing everything up for what it was worth. She was intrigued, but in a calm fashion. For a green. There was still the entire drama bit.

The light egg beside the one that had produced the striped green toppled over and broke. Huge shards of the egg covered up whatever was inside. For a moment, there was no movement. Perhaps the dragonet within was dead? Perhaps the egg had just been knocked over by the hatching of the green? Perhaps it was supposed to be a dud? Then there was a shiver in the remnants. With a toss of her head, a new green tipped one of the shards off of her and she emerged from the wreckage. She was smaller than the other one, but she wasn't tiny. She was about average, for a green. In fact, she was about where average would be for most dragons. A little on the small side, as a green should be, but basically average. She was slightly built, with a slender body and skinny limbs. Her wings, in her youth, were awkward for her.

Where the other green had been darkly colored with an odd patterning, she was more brightly and brilliantly colored. While not quite as vibrant in shade as the green who was already gone and Impressed, she was a nice lime green. It definitely had a little yellow to it, but it was dark enough that it was still most definitely a green. It wasn't even that blinding! It was simply eye catching, especially as the green shook to remove bits of egg from her hide. The light tan bits dropped away and revealed no oddities in the color. She was entirely a deep lime, a rather hypnotizing shade in such a quantity. With a chatter and a chirp, she stepped forward with an energy. However, she quickly paused, eyes scanning all about for something interesting. So far, she was feeling a little bit bored. Falling over wasn't entertaining and it hadn't been her fault.

The remnants of the back row seemed to very much want to get in on the action occurring on the sands. The brightly colored egg near the middle of the row rocked with a great enthusiasm. Cracks began to form, and then it burst open. A dragonet came rolling across the sands, but she hurriedly hopped up onto her feet. The cyan was a big creature, though she wasn't huge. There wasn't a great deal of a range of size in her color. They tended to border right between the size of a large green and a small blue. She sat right on average, right between the two colors, leaning towards a little on the bigger side. Once she was confidently on her feet, she let loose a little roar, her boisterous voice ringing out across the cavern. No one could question she was there! She would be the one asking the questions. She just had to find someone to ask.

In actual truth, given her size, the cyan might have been mistaken as a blue by some. The color of her hide was very blue, very brilliantly blue. Still, there was definitely a little green to her hide, and she was girl. She was definitely a cyan. She was certainly confident of that, the way that she strode forward across the sands after her call. Her boisterous nature shifted from her voice to simply the way she moved. A happy defiance laced her walk and her manner. She constantly look all about. Questions formed in her mind, more and more. She had no one to ask to them too still, though, which put her off a bit. She had questions! She shook her head and let out another little roar. Bold as brass, she moved off ahead of the two greens, garnering all the attention that she could. Not really intentionally, in truth, but simply by her actions.

Needless to say, the red wasn't exactly pleased by that. In fact, she wasn't exactly pleased by just the appearance of three female dragonets. Turning away from the candidates, she glared at the two greens and the cyan. She let out a sharp hiss. Her body tensed and her head lowered. However, she refrained from even trying to attack. She remained where she was. Dragons don't fight dragons. She was more liable to attack a human, as she had, than she was to attack another dragon. Anyway, she had worked some of her aggression out on Dekistee. While her hunger still kept her on edge, she had calmed somewhat. Violence was set aside for simply passion, fire, and drive. She wasn't in a good mood, but she tempered herself. She exercised some control. Some. She loose another hiss, a louder one, so that the other three would hear her.

The lime green spied the other green, noting the cyan and the red but not paying them much heed. She hopped over to her same colored sister. Quietly, she chattered to the other dragonet. She wasn't just talking to talk. It seemed to have a clear purpose, the sounds she made carefully articulated. Her head turned every so often so she could glance towards the cyan as she spoke, so it was quite apparent that she was probably discussing their brightly blue-green sister. She broke off every so often, before picking up again. She didn't particularly need a response from the green with which she was speaking, though she looked out for it in those pausing. Still, she continued to chirp on about the cyan, and then a bit about the red, though she was a little more careful in her glances towards the lesser queen. She had a little bit of sense.

The striped green quickly grew bored of the less than eloquent gossiping of her sister. For a moment, she struggled with how to react. Just hatched, she was still developing. She wasn't quite as set as many of her other siblings, though she was beginning to settle into herself. Not quite yet, though, was she developed in what she was. In the end, she shut her sister up by giving her a shove with her noise. Bigger and rather brutal about it, she sent the other green sprawling onto the sounds. The shoved green picked herself up with a look of shock. She chattered loudly and defensively towards the nasty pushing green. Why in the world had the other dragonet done that! She hadn't done anything to deserve that! She had just been talking! It didn't mean anything! It didn't do any harm! Her observations had been perfectly sound!

With a final indignant shriek, the brightly colored green turned and raced away from the other dragonet. She slowed after a few bounding steps. She didn't know where she was going. She simply wanted to get away from the the other green. In fact, towards the boys she went, away from all of the other dragonets and eggs. She held herself with a faint pride, nose stuck way out. She felt hurt and offended. About the boys, she stalked. She didn't really pay them that much mind. None of them interested her. The idea of a girl jumped stronger in her mind, but the red was over there so she wanted to stay away from them. However, then one mind amongst the boys leaped into her mind and she stopped. She turned her eyes towards him and they turned into a new brilliancy, yellows and oranges of agitation turning to a rainbow of greens and blues.

A'barMine, there you are! She sounded very pleased and happy to have found her rider. She twined lovingly around him. She didn't question a thing about him. He was her rider. She would always respect him above all others. She wouldn't talk about him. She would talk to him. Your Ablath is glad that you're here. I have so many things to tell you; she told him eagerly. Her attention turned away, across the sands, towards the other green who wasn't Impressed. Her expression and manner turned more nasty at the sight of her sister who had pushed her. My green sister is so mean. She just pushed me for absolutely no reason! We were just talking; she told him with a defensive innocence, even though she was already starting to gossip again. She twined tighter around him, staring over at the other green.



The cyan headed towards the girls, not heeding the fact that the red was standing right there. She didn't care. She couldn't ask questions to the stupid red, so she didn't care. Part of her, a small part, did care about her sister, but not enough to go and just respect her. She wasn't an entirely uncaring individual. However, she was rather selfish in her ways. She was bold and brash and she wasn't in the greatest of moods right then, just like the red. She was feeling especially defiant, which was almost a bad thing with her. She was liable to be a defiant at any moment of her life. So, on she marched, right towards the girls. The red gave another fiery, lower hiss of warning. She didn't want to hurt the cyan, which might have been surprising to some. Of course, if it came down to it, she would, which wasn't exactly the best trait that she had.

At the hiss, the cyan stopped, as if she might have been listening. She turned her head towards the red. Then she gave a soft hiss of her own. Her first question, and it was entirely rhetorical. She held her ground, digging her claws into the sand. She wouldn't be told what to do! She didn't particularly like being near the red and having to look at the candidates with her, but no one saw her complaining, now did they? For a moment, the red seemed rather surprised by the reaction. However, surprise didn't go very far with her. Letting loose a roar that was far louder than any of the cyan's boisterous calls, she lunged forward, teeth and claws flashing through the air. However, the cyan saw the attack coming and she dodged to the side. She wasn't so interested in standing her ground as to get injured for it. She quickly darted out of the way.

The remaining green stood where she had been when the green who had Impressed had been talking to her. She watched the cyan and the red interacting, and she began to learn. At first, it was just an effort on her part to figure things out for herself. Then she began to really settle into that specific role. She learned, and her focus began to sharpened. She figured the weaknesses of her sisters - the anger of the red and the simple defiance of the cyan. They could be worked. Why wouldn't one notice it and save that away for later? She flashed her teeth in a dramatic fashion. She had her own weaknesses, and that was the main one with her. She liked to make little flourishes between the learning that she did. She wasn't stupid, but she wasn't entirely aware of it. She still had growing to do. However, on she watched the squabbling pair.

With the red on her tail, driven in her new quest to seek revenge upon her, the cyan fled towards the candidates. She didn't do it happily. She would have liked to have stayed exactly where she was, simply because the red didn't want her to stand exactly where had been and she knew that. However, she wasn't one for physical confrontations, and she still had questions to ask of the world. She was going to figure everything out, and no one was going to stop her from doing that. It would start with the red, and then, actually, her rider would be second on her list of people she wouldn't let get in her way, because there was the girl that she had all along wanted out of the group. She fled from the red towards the girl and came to a skittering stop. For a moment, amusement flashed across her face as she heard the red retreat.

Then she focused on her new rider. JavykMine, your Buscarth would like to make a few things perfectly clear; the cyan informed her rider in a loud, cutting mental voice. I only like you on principle, and I do not have to like anything or anyone you like. In fact, I probably won't. You find stupid things funny. Why in the world do you find them funny? The question seemed sincere, mainly because she liked asking questions, any question, regardless of level of appropriateness. The parts about not liking things was also sincere. On principle, she wouldn't go about liking things because she got some sense that her other half liked them. That would be stupid, and she was naturally defiant. She could be ordered around by her rider, but she could always hold onto what she could like and dislike. She was an entirely brash creature. I need food; she demanded.



Knowing that she couldn't fight her Impressed sister, the red turned away. It wasn't that she couldn't fight the cyan now that she was Impressed because she couldn't injure the girl she had chosen. It wasn't that she couldn't fight the cyan then because she couldn't break up their happiness. She chose not to fight the cyan then because the odds weren't even and she was hungry and it was pointless. Angry she might be, but she wasn't entirely off her rocker. That was what made her all the more dangerous. She could temper herself, as it was, at times. She had a control and an emotional passion that didn't mix well. She was going to be taxing on anyone with which she dealt. Along the line of girls, she stalked, away from the cyan, and then she found one she wanted and she stopped. Impression didn't bring out much of a change in her.

JasraMine, do not question me or what I do or what I have done. I will not let you hold me down; she hissed at the girl who she had chosen. She wouldn't kill her rider. She wouldn't go that far. However, if she was defied by the insolent girl she had chosen out of passion, she wouldn't take to it kindly. Mild injuries would be dealt unless she was convinced otherwise. Her rider wasn't going to be able to learn how to deal with her nearly fast enough for the good of anyone's sakes. Except for the red's. The red liked how things were working out. She became somewhat more placid, though the drive and passion of her existence didn't diminish in the slightly. Feed your Izkeeyerdath; she advised the girl in a tight, fiery voice. She had no patience, and she was hungry. She might end up developing a little patience once she was fed and full.

All but two of the eggs had hatched, and only one unImpressed dragonet stood on the sands with them. Kalith looked with fondness at her red daughter as she Impressed. There had been no Queen for her feel great pride over in the clutch, so the red sufficed. Anyway, she had mauled a candidate when she had hatched. It brought out fond memories to see the passionate fury of the little red. By her shoulder, her rider refrained from rolling her eyes. She could remember stepping in the angry copper's way like a fool to save the poor, idiotic girl who had garnered the young Queen's attention. Content, for the smallest fraction of a moment, with the health of her children, the mothering Queen turned her head to glance over at Nikianeth's eggs. There were only three of them and they were not Queenly ones like her. Would they hatch?



I don't wanna fall apart, don't hold me down.
You see you're waking up and feel it now.
I'm breaking down and nothing's gonna stop me now.
No, no, nothing's gonna stop me now, no, no, no.

[kia]

As eyes were on Kalith`s Clutch Hatching, no one seemed to notice the small amount of movement being made on the other side of the Sands. It really was not its fault that no one was noticing it. It was no one`s fault. A Copper Queen had first command and demand attention first. Besides, even if this event had occurred after all Kalith`s Clutch had Hatched and the Hatching Feast had come and gone, people would still talk about Kalith`s amazing Clutch. Well, it wanted in on that! Nothing would hold it back when life was so determined to make its presence known to everyone.

The humming in Nikianeth throat seemed to get louder suddenly. Nikianeth was unsure. She had been humming for Kalith`s Clutch, even though it was a light hum. But her humming was becoming louder and louder as Kalith`s Hatching was starting to come to an end. The Orange looked down at her Clutch wrapped around her tail. The red and orange egg was safe; the green and blue egg seemed as tranquil as the color on its shell; and the yellow to white egg was… shaking?!

Nikianeth bugled happily at the sight of one of her eggs Hatching. So they were going to Hatch today and right now. Her children were very smart. They were not going to be over shadowed by Kalith`s Clutch. They wanted to join in on the fun! Nikianeth could have laughed if she was human. Her Clutch would be forever remembered. Her Clutch would be remembered with Kalith`s second Clutch. And who else to share a Hatching with other than with the Sr. Queen, a Copper Queen!

Nia looked over when Nikianeth started to bugle. What had gotten into her crazy Orange`s brain? But then she saw what was making the Orange so excited. One of her eggs was starting to move and shake. Was Nikianeth`s eggs going to Hatch now? Nia felt the excitement swell inside of her. “S`rial, look! The eggs are Hatching now,” Nia said, pointing to the yellow to white egg toward the front of the small Clutch. Nia slightly held her breath and let it out as she saw cracks begin to coat the eggs, signaling that the little dragon inside would soon be joining them in Pern.

Nikianeth stood up and pulled her tail away from her clutch so that everyone could see her beautiful eggs shaking. She also wanted everyone to see her beautiful children as they Hatch so they could admired. Yes, Kalith`s children were beautiful, but so would Nikianeth children. She was proud of her children, no matter what came from the eggs. They could all be Blacks and Pinks for all Nikianeth cared as long as they came out healthy and strong. She reached her head over and nuzzled Duareth. Their children were Hatching now!

As the yellow to white eggs continued to shake, it was the little green and blue egg that started shaking next. As both eggs shook, threatening to hit each other in the sides with how they shook. But, true to form, the medium yellow to white egg shook more violently, signaling the start of Nikianeth Clutch Hatching. The cracks streaked the top and sides, making it look like a spider had been trying to make a web on the egg and had failed. The cracks continued to come and grow longer as they reached the bottom of the egg. Finally, with a very violent shake, the little dragon fell out.

The little dragon was an apparent Blue, though his shade was a bit unusual. He was a medium royal blue color with darker royal blue on his stomach down to the underside of his tail. The little dragon stood up and seemed to shake himself from his fall out of the egg. As he looked around the Sands, he was very apparent in how he acted. He was confident with how he looked, stood, and thought. He turned his head and looked up at Nikianeth and Duareth. They were large, he thought.

He turned and started walking toward the Candidates, a proud sort of creature. He was obviously just a little larger than average size for a Blue, and he would more than likely grow to stay like that the rest of his life. He looked over at the females and then snorted. There were few females that he would respect, and so far the only females he respected were Nikianeth and Kalith. He ignored the other dragons around, knowing that he was not their clutch sibling but would be revered as a sibling for Hatching the same time as Kalith`s Clutch.

The smaller egg, the green and blue aurora borealis egg, continued to shake until the little dragon managed to make a small, not very circular hole so it could escape. The little dragon was a bright spring green in color, but what was very odd about her appearance was a darker green spot around her right eye. She was on the average size, though her wings were slightly small. But they were not too small as to hinder when flying as she got older. As she looked around her with green and blue eyes, she spotted her Blue brother and crooned happily to him, trying to get his attention.

The Blue simply ignored her. He did not really care about his smaller Green sister. She did not look that great, and he doubted that she would be that great. The Blue noticed Noyth and his Rider nearby, trying to treat a wounded girl. His whirling eyes seemed to get softer. That Gray, and obvious female, had a respectful job. They treated people and healed them. Well, as he moved around, continuing to ignore the croons of the Green, he made his way toward the middle of the boys.

[arratra]

A'tra glanced at the table with the meat just in time to see Tomarth try to put the bowl back on the table, and couldn't help laughing.
"Oops," he said, giving the image to Avartiath, who couldn't help but laugh along. Margras chirped questioningly, not understanding what was so funny. After a moment, his scatterbrained attention went back to the Hatching, and they watched as the Bronze hatched.

"She got her just deser-. hey, wait!" Matren said, when Deskitee was dragged across the Sands, only to impress with the black he had previously not noticed, "That's not right!"
That was when he noticed that something seemed... wrong about this black. He wasn't like Avartiath, despite the older black's somewhat eccentric behaviour, and seemed... dead.
Up above, A'tra and Avartiath were equally concerned. "They won't stay at this Weyr for long," A'tra said, frowning, having overheard the comments among the candidates, "She fights dirty... he is dead inside... I wouldn't be surprised if they were thrown out forcibly." he shook his head, sighing.
Avartiath was silent, but A'tra got a general impression that his black was shaken by something; Avartiath was generally fairly talkative.

[mangonumnum]

Lasd almost sigehd aloud with relief as more eggs hatched. Maybe one....possibly just one of those remaining was his. He tried to stay positive. And even if he didn't Impress one of Kalith's eggs, there were still the three from the Orange's clutch, right? He frowned gently as he watched the new dragonets emerge.

The first was a small Bronze. He stared at it, feeling a small smile come over his face. How he would love to Impress that. Though, he wasn't quite sure it was meant to be. Was he King-worthy? Probably not. The bronze seemed to take a moment to take everything in. He seemed cool and collected. But, Lasd watched as he was joined by another little dragon.

This dragon, a red, just emphasized the calmness of the bronze. The seemed to possess a certain coolness like the bronze, but it was like she was steaming below, just waiting for someone or something to make her angry. Then she would show it. Lasd hoped dearly that she wouldn't Impress to him. He also didn't find himself very much a red dragon kind of person....or a sub-queen dragon kind of person for that matter. Lasd hoped that the red wouldn't even venture over to the boys. It was a mean thing to wish, he realized, but it wasn't like he was hoping the dragon would maul someone. He just figured a boy probably wasn't going to Impress her. And if this was the case, then she had no business coming over there unless it was to attack someone she didn't like.

Despite his angry sister's Hatching, Lasd watched the bronze still move forward. As this occured, another egg broke open, neatly and quietly. A black came out of this one. Lasd grinned slightly, remembering the other one that had been on the Sands. However, this one seemed quite, quite different. It hid behind his egg, staring out into the world. Though Lasd would have liked to focus on the black or the bronze, the red certainly now garnered the attention. He turned, horrified to see the red lash out at a girl.

Lasd had never met her, but she seemed to be the sort of type that definitely took pride in her appearance. Maybe a high noble or something of the sort. He seemed to remember her coming onto the Sands a bit late, taking her time and not looking the least bit frazzled. Now this in no way, he felt, meant that she should be attacked by anyone. He watched in slight horror as the dragon grabbed her arm, dragged her a bit and dumped her on the Sands. It didn't really turn his stomach, he had seen much more disgusting things than that. Though the act of the red sort of reminded him of fish (probably any animal but Lasd tended to have an easier time comparing thigns to fish). The larger fish would often strike out at its prey to stun it. Then it would clamp on and drag it to tire the prey out before it devoured the smaller fish.

Lasd was glad that the red didn't eat her. Now that that fiasco was over, Lasd noticed the Bronze was right in front of the boy Candidates. He didn't hesitate, but went straight to Lyam. A wide grin spread over the fisherboy's face. Was one of the only people he could...kind of....consider a friend here going to Iimpress a Bronze? It would appear so. He applauded slightly louder than he had for the others, flashing the boy a grin of congratulations that he doubted the other saw.

The little black seemed to take this chance to dart to the fallen girl. It wasn't helping her, was it? Lasd watched intently. No....it seemed like the girl was to Impress the black. Well, that was good. It would get her off the Sands so that she could get some medical attention. The dragon bite hopefully wasn't too serious. The cut on her legs probably wasn't either. He clapped gently, hoping the two would leave together alright.

As if she wanted to steal the show, a green suddenly fell out of her egg in a dramatic fashion that.....failed. Lasd laughed slightly, shaking his head gently. Such antics. Right after the slightly dramatic one was hatched, the egg next to hers seemed to fall over and...perhaps Hatch? Lasd hoped it would. That would be one more chance for him. He didn't necessarily know if he was a green sort of person, though he don't think he'd really mind. Especially with the number of cross-Impressions.

The other egg did Hatch and out popped another green. He studied both, the dramatic one was a deep green, quite a lovely shade. The other was a lime green that wasn't quite bright and loud but appealing to the eye and eye catching. Shortly after, the two were joined by a third, a cyan. Lasd sighed quietly. There were only girl dragons on the Sands. Though he wouldn't be repulsed by an Impression by one if it was the right dragon for him, he felt like this made his chances less likely.

And it seemed even less likely as the lime green Impressed. Even after the short feud between the red and the cyan, both of them Impressed as well. Lasd sighed gently only a green and three eggs remained in Kalith's clutch. There were the three in Nikienth's clutch, but when would they even Hatch? Lasd hated it, but he was feeling a bit hopeless. He wanted so badly to find the one that completed his soul- like his brother and father with fishing and their wives, like Daroma and Damal, despite Damal's death, like Rama with her Green. He just wanted to feel that connection.

[purnip]

Once again, Rhysia noticed none of the action on the Sands due to the Red, stalking about the group of girls with eyes the same brilliant crimson as her own hide. She still did not entirely fear the creature, only the damage she could cause if someone ended up in her way. The next thing she knew, a Cyan was butting in, which she had initially registered as a Blue, to impress upon one of the girls. One she knew! One she...didn't really like. Javyk was that girl in the cafeteria practically sucking on H'loric's face in front of everyone. Still, feelings weren't ill enough for Rhysia to believe she wasn't deserving of her Impression. She clapped for Javyk, none too loud with the Red still about, and finally had a chance to glance for a full second to the Sands.

There was a beautiful darker green dragonet that must have hatched while she wasn't looking, as well as one she did not remember witnessing leaving with a boy she had never seen around. Her eyes darted back to the larger red hulk within her parameter, but the glow of fresh colors in the Red's eyes confirmed that she had found her lifemate. It was...Jasra. Yes, that girl from a couple of nights ago who came to the sleepover. Rhysia clapped for her enthusiastically. If she knew someone, even a little, then unless they made her feel bad she was happy when they were happy.

That would only last for so long.

Because turning back to the Sands, attention where it should remain, she noticed the scant amount of eggs left behind. Two, including the evergreen dragonet. She didn't see what had transpired between her lighter colored twin, so Rhysia knew nothing of this little one's personality. Maybe it was hers? She felt herself stepping forward again to reclaim the spot that the Red had intimidated her from. She even took just a step closer. With so few of them left, there was a thirty-three percent chance {not that she saw it that way, being terrible with numbers}. She saw it as an encore. Her dragon would soon burst upon the scene like a star that had been dying to shine.

As if she had predicted it herself, such a thing practically happened, though none of the dragons still about were guaranteed just yet. The three eggs that have been set aside due to their youth in the hardening process had started to rock and two of them had born forth dragons of their own. Niki's babies! Wouldn't that be valiant? Rhysia wouldn't mind one of Niki's babies! To think, what was to be a better underdog than a pup born from an underdog? Not that the Orange was a dog...or under anyone. In fact, she spared a sorry glance at Nikianeth for the insensitive thought, even so much as giving a small bow to her. Did she forget to do that on the way in? Silly, silly Rhys.

But the two new dragons were dashing. A dashing young Blue and the cutest Green Rhysia had ever seen were now joining their auntie on the Sands. Adorable! She couldn't have wished for a better scenario!

It was strange that none of her old doubts surfaced. For someone with Rhysia's sub-par upbringing, she was being surprisingly optimistic. But everyone was telling her the same thing. She WILL Impress! It was inevitable! She was chosen by a Searchdragon and she knew that now, more than ever, she possessed the spirit willing to bind with one. A friend, the best friend she could ever had...was waiting out there. In her pockets her fingers crossed, but one was cut on something in her pocket. Something that wasn't there. Anyhow, she still looked awfully strange with hands in her pockets and her robe folded around her arms as if she was in the process of removing it. She wasn't the polished type. Plus, she was well aware of what cut her finger. She must have picked up a shard of egg that was stuck to one of the dragons that Impressed to one of the girls. With her picture-perfect memory for visual things, she needed to find out who's shard it was. She could give it back; it could be a memento for someone! Smiling to herself, she watched the three wee dragons with her confidence back in check. Such a rare thing, but how could it fade when something so magical is about to occur! Hers will come for and it will be magnificent. The greatest show on Pern.

---------------

"I thought you were hungry."

L'am stood before Lebeth, his expression still fixed with amusement and pleasure, but his patience was irking him once more. He didn't like to stand on this hot sand now that he finally registered it, he felt disgusting from having sweat so much, and he was holding a large piece of meat in his hands that was beginning to stink. If he had been any more sensitive about it, L'am would declare himself a vegetarian at this point.

Hm? Oh, I am sorry, MineL'am, the Bronze replied, returning his attention to the food His was presenting. He took it rather daintily and practically disappeared the decent portion in one bite. L'am hoped that wasn't going to sit badly in Lebeth's stomach, but the dragon didn't seem concerned in the slightest. He kept pausing to stare at him, as if the Bronze himself couldn't believe that he had chosen. Still, he could feel a soft reminder that wasn't from his own mind reassuring him that Lebeth made the right decision and that was final. There was no doubt in the youngster's mind that he had made the most important decision of his life. Such a thing was admirable indeed. So why did the Bronze keep staring at him? This time he got no answer. Lebeth's attention was not focused but this time he wasn't looking upon him with such prying eyes. They were focused elsewhere. L'am looked up and over to find out why.

No mistaking that approaching figure or the hide of that pinkish-Purple. T'lar was on the approach.

A friend of yours? The Bronze's eyes gave a fleeting glimmer of green in his anticipation. Ah, so he Impressed that brother.

What was that supposed to mean? Yet Lebeth did not respond fast enough. T'lar and his Feeroneth were upon them.

"Congradulations, T'lar" L'am greeted, a grand smile upon his face. "Your dragon is a fine one. I'm sure Akal and Meggo won't disapprove of him entirely. Nothing they can't get used to though." He didn't feel like being sarcastic and cruel towards the other former Candidate just yet. He'd rather wait for the Purplerider to try and attack him first. Meanwhile, Lebeth gave Feeroneth a bit of a greeting, though he seemed to still be entranced by T'lar and His interacting. He wasn't just oblivious to everything. The young and gentlemen-like creature was simply tunnel-minded. It was what was bound to happen to a Bronze that didn't waste his time trying to muscle out competition. He focuses on other details, but frequently misses the big picture. Oh well. He knew he had made the right decision because L'amHis could point out the big picture for him. All his bases were covered. Indeed Lebeth made the best and only choice.

[basile]

The relief that she felt from his presence was as obvious to the Blue as it would have been if he was connected to her as his own rider. He was observant that way, noticing the tilt of her head and the stiffness in her body. Giving what he hoped was a reassuring chuckle, Gryth left his conscious voice with the girl. Don't worry. I won't leave you. We are both here for you. N'rylMine was actually quite willing to come today simply because you are here. I must commend you for that. Usually it takes hours of nettling to get him to go anywhere! Rambling? Maybe. But he got the feeling that it didn't matter what he said, just so long as the girl knew she wasn't isolated on the warm sands.

As the Red dragonette drew near, however, his words took on meaning. Don't hide from her, Miss Toniiandra. She might take it as disrespect, and you do not want that. He spared a glance for the small form who now had a Black hatchling standing over her, wondering what she had done to earn her the sub-queen's wrath. Even Reds, with their fierce temperaments, did not attack without reason.

Noticing the little dragonette moving closer to his nervous charge, he presented the girl with an image of his tail wrapped around her protectively, his bulk between her and the the prowling sub-queen. Do not fear. If you do not disrespect her she will not harm you. There, see? She has chosen. You are safe now. Gryth assured, as beside him N'ryl clapped for the new Redrider, a sigh of relief escaping him that the creature had done no more harm. The hatching was almost over now, one way or the other Tonii would soon be free of the Sands.

It was then that the Blue noticed that two of the Orange's eggs had hatched, in the midst of the distraction of the Queen's daughter's prowl. Tilting his head slightly, Gryth gave a small bugle of congratulations to the Orange clutch-mother.

[Nia]

It seemed that after the small pause there was a sudden explosion of activity... perhaps that was what came with the hatching of the Red and the Bronze. Kings and sub-Queens tended to cause some kind of commotion, Engrye supposed. But the next dragonet to escape the confines of it's egg was a Green, though a very interestingly colored Green. She was striped... in almost a furry pattern, reminding Engrye a lot like a feline. The red-haired girl was quite fond of felines herself, so the pattern of the dragon's hide caught her interest right away. She seemed like an awkward little thing, though, like she didn't quite fit into her own body.

Another vibrantly colored Green hatched after the cat-like (in both appearance and actions) Green, and she reminded Engrye, once again, of Twee and Dee. Now... any dragon was a good dragon, but... with the trouble those two had given her, she was fairly certain that she did not want a hyperactive dragon. But if one decided to pick her she wasn't going to do what Dekistee was most likely doing (when she was busy being, you know, almost dead) and reject the dragonet... but yeah. Anyway, the next to hatch was a brightly colored Cyan. She was big, and pretty, and the Red didn't seem to appreciate the three new fighter's appearances.

But luckily for them all, the Red didn't seem like she wanted to attack her sisters. Which was good. While mauling a Candidate was perfectly fine in Engrye's book (she had her reasons to believe so and firmly stood by them... as long as she herself wasn't mauled, that is) it wasn't right for the dragons to fight each other. They'd done nothing wrong, really. But the Red seemed to acknowledge that and ignored them... which couldn't be said for the Greens. That was... cute. As cute as Twee and Dee were when they weren't being insanely annoying. However, the striped Green didn't appear to think so... and Engrye felt her mouth twitch into an almost-smile as she shoved her sister into the Sand. It was mean... to think of something as funny, but it really was. Poor bright-colored Green. Oh, but that seemed to be the push she needed to go find Hers, and she Impressed off to a boy.

The Cyan had also gone off to Impress, but not after having a stand-off with the Red. Well, good for her. Engrye could appreciate boldness like that, and clapped for the Impression, to a girl Engrye had taken as rather eccentric. A bold dragon for an eccentric girl. Though, she had to wonder if the dragons were fighting over that girl or not, or just all the female Candidates in general. But that didn't matter, because the Red Impressed! To that Jasra girl she'd met, the one who she'd also just seen make faces and get Dekistee angry. Well, who better to Impress... such a violent dragon? She mentally wished the girl luck and clapped, though her twitch of a smile was gone and replaced with her usual, emotionless, narrowed-eyes.

A rather unexpected twist, at least, to Engrye, was that... the other eggs were hatching. Nikianeth's eggs. What better time, really? All the Candidates were gathered. And it gave Engrye more chances at Impression... now that Kalith's clutch was dwindling. She didn't want to lose hope, not that she had very much to begin with. But a Blue and a Green had both emerged from the oddly colored eggs. The Blue seemed... pretentious. That was the best word she could think to fit with him as he barely even gave the female Candidates a glance! Rude dragon. His Green sister seemed much more amiable, though, even if her brother didn't want to talk.

~~~~~~~

Avalle's eyes lit up as O'ris approached, and she grinned widely at him, waving as he approached. "Hey!" she said cheerfully, happy to have company. Not that you aren't great company, or anything, she quickly added to Callistath, not lacking a certain degree of sarcasm. You just don't know what good company is,

[/i] the Gold replied, though even with her haughty words, neither was really taking the other seriously. Even Callistath couldn't scold Avalle for her outright childish behavior at waving to O'ris. It was a time of looking back, so she figured Avalle could relapse into her more harsh ways for just a moment. But she'd talk to Hers when they got back to her Weyr, oh yes, she would.

However, despite her good mood, O'ris taking her hand took the brunette off guard, and she faintly blushed, but didn't move her hand. Instead, she gave his hand a squeeze, blushing even more at her own boldness. Callistath mentally snorted at Hers for thinking that, of all things, was bold, but she would let Her's have her fun for now. Of course, she could have easily teased Hers about how girly she was acting right now, how not in command she appeared to be, but she was smart and wasn't going to ruin a moment. Afterall, silly Hers hadn't even gotten past hand-holding yet! But then again, it was a lady's way to go slow and delicately, so the Gold had nothing to complain about. She was perfectly content to watch the Hatching.

Working up even more courage, Avalle even managed to slightly lean on O'ris, smiling. "Yeah.... I still can't believe how nervous I was back then," she gave an awkward laugh, it was pretty embarassing to admit that she, the Great Avalle, had actually been nervous. ... not that anyone even thought she was the "Great" Avalle, or anything. The Red down there did slightly worry her, though. Maulings were terrible things, but... they really couldn't be helped. Does the girl she Impressed to seem able to handle her? she asked, frowning slightly. I believe so. If not, then she will learn.[/i] Avalle nodded... dragons had a thing about changing people, or all the ones she knew did. But maybe that was just her luck.[/blockquote][/size]

[arratra]

A'tra jumped when Nikianeth bugled, and almost fell onto the sands, but Avartiath swung a wing around and pulled him back.
Careful! he said, Without you, I am nothing.
Sorry, Av... I was startled.
The other eggs are hatching!

Matren jumped in equal measure to his brother, his attention jumping from Kalith's eggs to Nikianeth's.
It was the green with the splotch over her eye that caught his attention, and he eyed her curiously. His blue eyes met hers for an instant, but nothing happened.
Is it too far? Matren wondered, Or is she not meant to be mine?

[hatori3070]

Jasra was glad that a healer was seeing to Dekistee. She didn't want the other girl to die after all, just learn a lesson, but she had also noticed a dragonet standing next to her. After all that, had she actually Impressed? And to a Black? She would never be able to appreciate it like she should! More anger bloomed in her chest at the injustice of it, but she willed herself to refocus.

Another egg hatching drew her attention, though she kept an eye on the Red still scrutinizing the girls. It wouldn't do to get mauled simply because she hadn't been paying attention to the dangerous little sub-Queen. A Green had hatched, and it had...stripes? That seemed odd. Although, several odd-colored dragonets had already hatched and Impressed. Why break the trend now? A Cyan was next, followed by another Green. While the two Greens seemed hesitant to approach their angry Red sister, the Cyan barely paused and made straight for the girls. After returning her sisters his, the Cyan ran, leading her in a chase that ended when the blue-green dragonet Impressed to a girl she didn't know.

Jasra had just begun to clap for the girl, with a twinge of fear at the dwindling number of dragonets, when she noticed the Red had stopped again...in front of her!JasraMine, do not question me or what I do or what I have done. I will not let you hold me down. The Red had chosen her? There was still the stain of blood on her chin, she had probably been about to injure her clutchsibling, and she had stopped to Impress to her? Feed your Izkeeyerdath. She seemed quite full of herself too, ordering her about like that. You need me as much as I need you, Izkeeyerdath. Jasra knew that she couldn't afford to give ground so early in their partnership. Reds were notoriously strong-willed, and required strength on the part of their rider. Izkeeyerdath snapped her jaws together loudly and stamped a forepaw on the sands, further expressing her annoyance with her tail lashing back and forth. You feel my hunger as your own, JasraMine. You will feed me. Jasra winced inwardly at the hunger pain in her abdomen, and Izkeeyerdath shoved her with her nose. Of course I'm going to feed you. Let's go.

She was unsure who had won the encounter as she led her over to the bowls of food laid out for them, but she was a bit too preoccupied to really care. Iz was by her side at last, the place she was meant to be forever. You will never call me that in public. Izkeeyerdath had to instill respect, and a healthy dose of fear, in those beneath her. They had to know their place, always. Wouldn't dream of it, Iz. Jasra replied, leading her bonded over to where she saw Amara. Before she could take a bite out of her instead, Jasra provided her with a good sized piece of meat. "Hey Amara. I'm so glad we both Impressed. Now we'll be weyrlings together! This is Izkeeyerdath." True to her word, Jasra refrained from using the nickname. Izkeeyerdath chewed the meat well and was soon taking chunks out of another when she realized there was another dragon in front of her. A Black. I am Izkeeyerdath. You will tell me your name. He was far below her, and required no other greeting. He had been lucky that she'd spoken to him at all.

[theknightwhosaysni]

Vee was finally done eating. Best adventure ever, Mine! the black sang out, Well, at least until our next one. he amended, twirling around at Amara's feet.

Amara smiled warmly, patting Vee's head. "Silly." she said fondly, "We'll be headed for more adventures at the rate you're eating."

Hey, AmaraMine, is that red heading for us? It'll be fun to meet her!

"A red? Um, Vee, try and be careful, okay?" Well, she was fairly new to all this dragon stuff, but she was fairly sure that reds were very volatile. And dangerous, definitely dangerous.

But it'll be an adventure! Vee whined, What's the fun in being careful on an adventure?[/i]

Amara frowned, "But..." she didn't get to finish, well, anything, before Jasra arrived in front of her. With the red. Amara blinked, wide eyed and edging backwards a few steps.

"Hey Jasra!" she said with noticeably less enthusiasm, eying the red, judging whether or not the dragonet would head for her, fangs bared. She was certainly happy for her friend because she'd Impressed, but reds were scary...

Veejarth snorted, Mine, you can not be adventurous if you do not take risks. I'm sure the red will like you. How could anyone not?[/i]

Amara frowned, but it melted into a smile, revealing for an instant just how happy she was for Jasra, "He's Veejarth!" she pointed happily at Vee, and she leaned forward, still grinning, "You can call him Vee, though." Amara grinned widely, her fear forgotten for an instant, as she was with her friend once more.

There was still a hint of worry in her eyes as she glanced at the red, Izkeeyerdath, she remembered. ”She’s pretty!” She smiled cheerfully. Yes, Izkeeyerdath was pretty. Perhaps not as pretty as Vee, but Amara wasn't going to debate that, not with Jasra.

A few seconds later, Vee blinked. The name’s Veejarth.[/i] he replied coolly, remembering His’ words, and keeping his words and tones polite. It wouldn’t do to anger the red, whether or not it would be an adventure. Reds were dangerous when angered, and Vee would not like to be on the receiving end of her anger. AmaraMine calls me Vee, though, so you may as well, if you please.[/i] Again, he was more polite than usual, his tone controlled, his words were in no way offensive. At least, that was what he hoped…
[/size]

[jack]

It seemed that in the time he'd taken to blink, everything had changed. Firelizards had been shooed from the Sands--although Cogs refused to leave His's shoulders--and Candidates had trickled in far too late, and dragonets were hatching left and right! Blues and Greens, Blacks and Pinks...even Browns and a Bronze, a Cyan and a Red! More colors than he could hope to keep track of stumbled across the hot Sands, searching out Theirs or just interacting with themselves.

Sprocket swallowed, watching with fearful eyes as the dragonets wandered about, several that he recognized quite cleanly as females stalking about far too close to the boys for his own comfort. When a boy nearby him was Impressed to a Green, the poor Smith immediately squished into the boy at his side, not seeming to care if the other turned to glare. Cogs, meanwhile, gave a soft chatter of encouragement, his own attention on the Cyan and Red--both of whom were much more frightening than the gossipy Green.

The Cyan Impressed to a girl that the Bronze distantly recognized, but the Red's Impression was to a person he'd never before seen. His tiny eyes whirled however, as he rubbed his head against Sprocket's chin, distantly attempting to sooth the boy as he babbled on about Girls and Greens. The Red, Cogs knew, would be dangerous.

--

While Sprocket was busy becoming more and more panicked, Javyk was becoming more and more amused. Dragonets were flicking about left and right, stumbling here and there and going about their merry way the way young dragons should.

(Can't concentrate. Will Finish later)