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Post by **Auria (etc)** on Jul 31, 2008 15:34:18 GMT -5
As each candidate entered the grounds, bowing or nodding respectfully to her, Plianth relaxed just a bit more. Penna, bubbly pie juice sneakily clinging to the corner of her mouth, showed that relaxation in notches ... each time the dragon became less tense, the rider would loosen up a bit more. Now, as the sisters entered and bowed to the Queen pair, Penna even smiled slightly as she nodded in return.
It fascinated her to see how the candidates each seemed to be drawn to particular eggs, though the one girl was sharing herself with all of them. Egg touchings weren't the norm in her own time, so she found herself extremely curious about what the developing dragonets inside were experiencing. Would these touchings cause stronger bonds? Were the dragons themselves actually somehow calling to their intendeds from the shell? She wished she'd brought along a hide and ink, to make notes as to which candidate was drawn to which egg, so as to compare them at the actual hatching.
Then, her nose wrinkled slightly as she realized she didn't know any of their names, anyway. So what would she even write?
Tension once again began to rise up her spine. Puzzled, she looked around, wondering why.
She's still doing it, the voice of suspicion entered her thoughts.
Doing what? Penna looked up to gaze at the underside of Plianth's great jaw.
Touching them.
Yes, they're supposed to --
Touching them ALL. The suspicion was growing decidedly growly.
Oh, um, well, perhaps she's just ... generous.
Why does she have to touch them ALL, again and again?
Suddenly, before she could stop her, Plianth had leaned out across the clutch and placed her enormous head, eyes sparking just slightly orange, directly in front of Brinne. She made no outward threat, just hung there from above, blocking the girl's way.
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Post by C'lyn on Jul 31, 2008 15:58:38 GMT -5
L'kas was a bit surprised when Penna asked him to have Seath come in. He glanced to the Queen who was now getting rather agitated with one of the candidates. He sighed softly and ran a hand through his curly hair, ruffling it into a wild mess.
Seath, I think we might need you at the sands, Plianth is getting highly agitated. Penna thinks you might help keep her calm. he informed his bronze. He felt Seath's answering brush of his mind right before the bronze appeared in the entry way, a wherry hanging from his jaws.
It was a peace offering as well as a method to try and calm the upset queen. He carefully moved closer to her, crooning softly to her. They won't hurt your eggs Plianth, [/color] he informed her gently, nuzzling against her side, knowing he might earn himself a snapping, but wanting to calm his agitated queen.
L'kas placed a light hand on Penna's shoulder, helping to steady the woman.
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Post by Kitari on Jul 31, 2008 16:16:13 GMT -5
Treylis was entirely the opposite of Brinne in his approach of the Hatching Grounds. He moved with leaden steps, as if his feet had suddenly found themselves magnetically attracted to the ground, and his face was fixed with a pained expression. He had been struggling very nobly over the past sevendays, striving to maintain his distaste towards dragonriders and the Weyr institution. The enchanting green Igrainth had created great turmoil in his struggle, raising thoughts of how wonderful it would be to have a dragon of his own, and the candidate now feared that seeing the eggs would seal the enchantment and forever tear him from his Hold.
It was difficult to rationalize, to be sure, for he had an obligation as the son of a Lord Holder to take over Dawnfire Hold at some point (since Aclaryn so obviously no longer wanted the position!). And yet, he was wondering now if it would be possible to be a dragonrider and Lord Holder. Of course, none of this would matter if he failed to Impress... Then, Treylis knew, he would do everything in his power to escape the Weyr's clutches, certain that his Search had been purely political.
Finally, he stepped into the shadow of the Hatching Cavern and made his way to the edge of the sands. There, Treylis forced himself to bow the minimal amount to show respect for a goldrider, although he was much more gracious towards her dragon. All mothers deserved respect.
There were few candidates daring to touch the eggs at this point, and Treylis was reluctant to join them. Hesitantly, he moved to the closest egg, the Earthquake Egg, and placed a hand on its stone-patterned shell. It was not as fantastically coloured as many of the other eggs, but there was something calming in its presence, and he was surprised by the warmth that flowed into his hand, wondering if it was all a result of the steaming sands or the dragonet within.
"Look at this one," he spoke quietly, as if not wanting to wake the egg's inhabitant, and gestured towards the other male candidate, Sun Yew.
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Post by .K.aci on Jul 31, 2008 16:57:34 GMT -5
Kal, my pretty boy, you are the biggest idiot of them all. As the call went out to fetch the hopefuls, Kal had been in the infirmary, chatting easily with one of the cooks while patently wrapping up her burn. Here he was in his element, relaxed and calm, intense, even when he appeared to be self-controlled and calm, the seething intensity of emotional energy under the placid exterior seemed ready to erupt at any moment. The immense forcefulness as he assured her that keeping the bandage on was important, the magnetic intensity that called her eyes to his face and kept her listening, and his strangely hypnotic personality under the tranquil mask kept her from worrying too much as he sent her on her way with a small jar of numbweed.
In social gathering's he was pleasant to be with, thoughtful in conversation, dignified, and reserved, yet affable and courteous - however, that was when he had to be. Even as the aging woman left, he stuck his tongue out at her behind her back and crossed his eyes at her. Silly old woman, he knew what he was doing! Yesh, at least have faith in his skills. Penetrating eyes which made some uneasy scanned the room restlessly, and he plopped down in one of the few chairs in the room, not really wanting to go check on anyone else at the moment. Edgy and not sure why, Kal had for the past few days been more and more restless, unable to sit still and barely able to keep the calm mask he kept for patients on. It was the hatching, shard it, he knew. Kal didn't want to impress, didn't even want to be a candidate, but the rider had insisted, and the only way that the searcher would take him here was if he promised to Stand. Well, he would Stand, but it didn't mean he had to like it. He was here to be a Healer, for Faranth's sake.
These thoughts running through his mind, he slouched lower in his seat, tilting a long face back and closing long eyelashes over dark brown eyes. Self-discipline, he chided himself, recognizing the qualities in himself that made him different from others. He prided himself on his tenacity and willpower, and it wasn't that bad, right? He tried to convince himself of this even as he rose, the depth of character and passionate conviction that he tried so hard to hide overspilling in the critical moment. It was at this moment, as he was trying to breath, that one of the Apprentice Healer's peeked his head in and asked him curiously why he wasn't at the Touching.
"What?"
The touching, of course. The Weyrleader's Bronze had sent out the call, the Candidatemaster had gone to fetch those that wanted to touch the eggs, and he was a Candidate, wasn't he? With a muttered oath, Kal bounded to his feet and was out the door in moments, hurtling down the halls and out to the Sands, cursing whatever Queen couldn't be like any other Queen and just call them, from her mind. No, he had to be pulled in to be touching the psycho queen's eggs.
Threw the doorway, he was hit in the face with a burst of hot air, and, despite not wanting to be there, was struck by the aura of it all. Ah, have fun at least! Striding over to the Queen, closer than most of the Candidates had gone (but not too close because even he wasn't that much of an idiot), he bowed to her bravely, flashing a brilliant smile. She looked mad as all hell, and yet Kal didn't really take that into consideration as he spoke.
"Thank you so much for a chance to look at the eggs, mam'mam's, I appreciate it.."
And then he was off, slipping to the middle of the sands to look around and view them. Even as he just gazed at them, he couldn't help but glance out around to see if Cilnah was here yet... The girl intrigued him, partly because she could match his wit with her own, and second... He couldn't get a d**n rise out of her. Crossing his eyes to himself and muttering about silly girls that didn't get mad, he again eyed them, completly ignoring the angry mother. She'd get over it.
He started from the middle of the eggs, and completly ignoring the heat that soaked threw his Healer robes, used the mind not often put to work like this, carefully deciding a strategy. What called to him, he mused to himself, having never done this before. He was doing this from what he thought he should do, and despite the very mean looking mother that he decided that he should keep a careful eye on, he would forge along his own way. Good god, it isn't my fault if he gets eaten.
The Firestorm Egg was small, but it seemed to not realize that, and Kal bounded over to lightly touch it with a palm. Loud, and intense, it gave him almost a shock, and he drew his hand back before settling it back down on the egg, grinning. It was exuberant, like him, and had the intensity that people found so unnerving in himself. He liked this egg! It was like him in more than one way, it seemed, suddenly growing... Miffed? Underneath his palm, sending out another shock. With a yelp, he jerked his hand away and stuck out his tongue at the egg, turning away from it.
The pretty shimmery green shell was next, and he looked at it carefully before placing his palm down on the Spring Rain Egg. It was a good size, and he felt as though he could take on the mother even as he drew his hand away from it. It was so... Happy. Pleasant and relaxed, he nodded at it and then turned away. A little too happy, he thinks... He pulled away just because he was tactless. It just didn't seem to feel anything besides joy, and that was nothing that could be put to use, after all. Everything had a purpose. Without that, life was pointless, and Kal would probably (if told that life was useless) do everything that he had refrained from doing because it would have gotten him in trouble.
My reader, do you begin to see that under the easy child was something that you would be better of ignoring, because he was rude, tactless, obnoxious, startlingly wild, and all together not a nice person?
So he settled down to fondle the Radiant Sun Egg, entrapped with the air of strength, vitality, and promise it held, welcoming his attention and wearing confidence like a cloak. Too bad it was such a girly color... But it pulled off the color well, he thought. Not bad at all!
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Post by sapphire on Jul 31, 2008 23:26:15 GMT -5
Lonana stepped on the hot hatching grounds and moved torwards the eggs with the other candidates. She looked around, awed. She looked at all the eggs. The eggs were all different colors. She looked at the queen dragon, and moved closer. **Which egg should I touch?** She stepped by watery looking egg and felt and air of power. She looked down and saw a smallish egg.
Loana Looked around at the other candidates. She fingered her pipe necklace. No one seemed to notice her as she was standing there by the egg. She reached to touch the Tsunami Egg She hoped the hatching was not to far away. She couldn't wait to get a dragon.
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Post by .K.aci on Aug 1, 2008 0:27:11 GMT -5
He rose after a few minutes, smiling at the egg good naturedly, giving other's a turn. Right past the Tsunami Egg, a girl was touching it already, to the Scorching Sands Egg, who's large presence and the intensity of it, bold and strong, a solid force. He couldn't help but to lay a hand on the exterior, expecting it to be hot and unforgiving. However, it was only warm, comfortable as it seemed to welcome the cool hand on it's shell. But Kal couldn't hold still for long, and moved on rather quickly, smiling at the egg and giving it a friendly pat before moving on.
The Hurricane Egg drew his eye next, both the color and the swirl of emotions. Kal lived from chaos at times, and it drew him readily, making the boy grin micheviously before dropping a hand on it. It was oddly... Disciplined, he thought irratatedly... Not an egg for him, if it was going to be like that. A sniff and his head held high, Kal strutted away, bumbling straight into the Monsoon Egg, falling right over the average sized egg. The egg seemed to shiver, bucking the boy off and Kal righted himself, frowning. A hostile bunch! But he was feeling petty, so he sat down next to the egg and began to trace the odd patterns on it, amused despite himself. Such a pretty egg, and the rush of emotion only made the ride more interesting before it finally gave in, sulking and ignoring him. Only then did Kal rise, slightly sad that it was over, to turn to the next egg.
The Stormy Night Egg was next, and immediatly Kal felt swamped as the darkness over-took, making him frown. He enjoyed watching the stars at night, and this little shelled thing thought it could just block all of that out? With a face at the egg, he brushed past it, barely touching it. When he did, he suddenly felt the vunerabilty, but with a sneer, the senstive boy muttered,
"Get over yourself,"
And moved on. My dear reader, the boy is a stupid teenager, but do not use that as his excuse. He was in the wrong, and yet he did not know that, only thinking of himself. It was the Hailstorm Egg next that he touched, ignoring as he usually did the hard fury and the quiver of energy that rushed to his fingertips. This large egg was cold, hard, not relaxing as most of the other eggs did when confronted with the feeling. Odd... So Kal sat down with it, forever the curious cat, and just sat for a while, his hand on the egg. In that time period, as people came and went around him, he just chilled there. It was interesting, to say the least.
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Post by Cilnah on Aug 1, 2008 6:11:43 GMT -5
There was a decided silence in the halls of the weyr. At first, Cilnah did not understand the tranquility, until she met a passing Lower Caverns worker that she was somewhat acquainted with, and was informed that the candidates had been called out to the Hatching sands to touch each of he hardening eggs. The girl cursed herself. How had she missed this announcement? Then she paused to actually think about it, and did not feel quite so bad as she had a moment before. She'd been napping when the request was sent. It was no excuse, to be certain, but at least there was a reason, and not simply her own ignorance.
Thanking the person, she turned and jogged out towards the sands, careful to keep from jarring the flitter that hung about her neck. Since his hatching, he had not left her side, and she wasn't about to antagonize the little one by leaving him confined to her sleeping quarters while she did this. Makamae keened as they got close to the sands, feeling not only her own anticipation, but that from the dragon, and the eggs. The girl had to stop as she came into her first view of the brightly colored eggs, and a wash of emotion from some of the stronger dragonets that lay scattered about. She couldn't remember a clutch quite like this one in her past experiences, but that was because this was no longer the past, was it? No, it wasn't.
Cilnah cautiously stepped forward, pausing to give the Gold mother and her rider a deep bow of respect and greeting. "These are some of the most impressive eggs I have seen in my life as a weyrbrat," she murmured, not doing so to flatter, but actually meaning it. Feeling that her respect had been sufficiently paid, she moved off towards the eggs and the other Candidates milling about. A smile flickered across her lips as she saw her new chore mate Kal, but she moved past him without a word. He wasn't exactly the friendliest type, and she doubted that he would be happy to interact with her without him starting it. She left him be.
As she passed it, her attention was first drawn to the Stormy Night Egg. At first she thought it was because of it's deep, rich color, but as soon as her hand reached out to touch it, she recognized why she'd been drawn to it. It had the same need for validity that she felt within the flitter on her shoulders. Obviously Makamae felt the similarity to, and crooned out to the unhatched creature. She felt a reassurance from him, and smiled. Her little bonded was trying to reassure it's brother. "It will be alright, you'll see," Cilnah whispered to the egg, before letting her hand slide from it's surface and move on.
The next to draw her attention was the Fog Egg, and immediately she flinched back from it as her mind became clouded. The one thing that she could not live without in her lie was a clear path for her thoughts, and this little one blocked that well. She shied away from it quickly, skirting the Clouds at Dusk Egg as she did so. It's dreamy feeling also repelled her, for she couldn't stand people, or creatures for that matter, who could not get a grasp on reality. She passed others on her trip through the clutch, paying little attention to the Dawn's Breaking Egg or the Gust Egg. Most of the others didn't even catch her attention, except to admire the color of their shells. Suddenly though, she spotted the Sandstorm Egg, and walked towards it. But as she drew closer, she realized that this was not the one that was calling out to her, and looked past it.
Hiding in the shadows of it's larger clutch mate was the Drought Egg, and immediately Cilnah knew that this was the one who had so effectively commanded her attention. "Hello, little one," she whispered, kneeling down next to it, brushing her hand carefully across it's surface with a mixture of reverence and delight. Despite its air of near frailty, to her it seemed to have a hidden power. It might not have mastery of body, but perhaps of mind?[/size]
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Post by .K.aci on Aug 1, 2008 11:57:12 GMT -5
The Hailstorm Egg, while never having given up the fight, seemed to have relaxed under his hand marginally when he felt the need to rise up and go to the next egg. One last pat, and the boy was moving on, straight inbetween the next two eggs. The Crisp Autumn Evening Egg and the Jungle Downpour Egg both carried air's of something very different, and Kal turned to the pretty orange shell first.
The Crisp Autumn Evening Egg, not tiny, not really big... It was very warm to the touch, more so than others, and at first he thought it was his hand that had caused it. He could have sworn when he first touched it it was cool... Alright, well then. It was a happy egg! He did like happy eggs, and it had energy, oh yes it did. He liked the energy and fell happily into a stroking rhythm, just happy to feel that thrum... But of course, much to see and do, and Kal turned to the next egg, The Jungle Downpour Egg . When he first brushed his hand on it he felt only a steady calm, and was about to pull away, disappointed, when suddenly the egg erupted. With a yelp, he pulled back, thinking that the egg was hatching and that the queen was going to kill him for making one of the babies hatch prematurely. Instead, as he looked around wildly and then focusing on the egg, there was nothing. Biting his lower lip, he touched the shell again.. Nothing. Quizzical expression, he tapped it one more time, and then the flood came again, a burst of emotion and energy and wow that was so cool. Not attracted to the egg because of the depth, no, he just liked the ride.
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Post by Kitari on Aug 1, 2008 14:00:28 GMT -5
Absorbed in stroking the lovely shell of the Gust Egg, it was only when she raised her gaze to seek out the next recipient of her loving touch that Brinne found a large golden head hovering right in front of her. Her mouth fell open instantly, and she instinctively froze, her wide, frightened eyes gazing into the intensely whirling ones of the Queen.
For a panicked moment, the candidate was certain that the gold was about to kill her. Somehow, she had transgressed in her treatment of the eggs, and the Mother was about to remove the threat to her younglings.
A moment later, though, Brinne realized that the golden snout was not advancing, though the intense gaze was still upon her. She took a step backward, glancing around for help and trying rapidly to figure out what was wrong. Then, it came to her, for while other candidates seemed to be spending most of their time with a few eggs here and there, she had been purposely moving throughout the Clutch touching all. But how could she explain herself to the Queen dragon?
"I..." the girl began, her voice quavering with uncertainty. "I didn't want to...miss the egg...that my dragon will Hatch from. She might not choose me if I don't visit her, when I am visiting others." There was great sincerity in her tone, for Brinne was being utterly truthful. Imagine the insult to her future dragonet if she gave attention to most of the eggs, but not to the one containing her lifemate!
Fearing this was not enough, she hastily added, "They are also all so beautiful! I thought that every egg should be given attention, even if just a caring touch, in case other candidates don't want to go to it because it isn't as welcoming as others..." Her gaze drifted to the Fog Egg as she said this, for candidates seemed to be giving it a wide berth.
Anyone who knew the level of compassion Brinne had for other humans would likely have disbelieved these words, but the candidate had decided early on in life that while she cared little for most people, the creatures of Pern always deserved love.
"I'm sorry?" she added as a final squeak, shrinking in on herself under that accusing gaze.
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Post by **Auria (etc)** on Aug 1, 2008 18:08:34 GMT -5
As Brinne spoke, the whirling eyes of the great golden dragon gradually slowed and calmed. At the girl's final, "I'm sorry", Plianth let out a long warm breath and drew back slightly from the candidate. Then, to let her know she'd approved of the apology ... as well as the reasons, she reached out and very gently brushed her muzzle against Brinne's shoulder.
"Very good, dear!" Penna whispered loudly, nodding to the girl. "You handled that very well." The woman, though she was trying to sound approving and authoritative at the same time, couldn't hide the fact that her voice was trembling.
Plianth, satisfied with that resolution, was in the process of drawing her enormous head back to the edge of the clutch, when she heard a young male voice mutter, "Get over yourself".
The dragon grunted softly, and the eyes, though more in control this time, began to whirl again. This time, however, instead of just anger, there was a hint of amusement in the glare.
Penna, picking up the dragon's emotion, startled. Was her Queen actually enjoying this?
Quietly, the gold shifted her angle so that she was hovering about half a head's length behind the boy as he moved on. As huge as she was, it was amazing to see that she could shift and move without making a sound, and the light coming in from the high entrances cooperated by casting her shadow away from Kal. He had crouched down near the The Jungle Downpour Egg, and had just touched it for the second time, when Plianth very slowly moved toward him....
... and blew a blast of warm dragonbreath down the back of his tunic.
Then, she raised her head, turned to Seath, and nuzzled him gently, finally accepting his offered snack. She moved to a point where she could reach the clutch if necessary, and kept watchful eyes on the eggs and candidates, as she munched thoughtfully on the wherry.
Penna's mouth fell open. She had seen Plianth in many moods ... but never a mischievous one!
Relaxing, certain that her dragon had found different outlets for the emotions that had so frightened her a moment before, Penna turned to L'kas with a slight smile. "That was a close one," she whispered.
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