Fissures Forming...

[M'kel]

It was quite early in the day, and M'kel had yet to haul himself out of bed. Others would no doubt be at work in the Lower Caverns by now, preparing food for the rest of the Weyrfolk, but the bronzerider had deemed himself worthy of a later morning. It hadn't taken much to convince Tirenth of the benefits of this plan, for the bronze had quickly closed his eyes to slumber for a time longer.

They were due to survey the Continent again, although today they would be headed for the Barrier Range. The 'special' mission assigned by Sitareh was a definite priority, but M'kel didn't want any of the other bronzeriders to find out about it. Therefore, to make himself as inconspicuous as possible today, he wouldn't rouse any curiousity by rising too early in his excitement. At least, that was another of the excuses he'd made to grant himself a longer sleep. With these thoughts in mind, M'kel rolled over and swung his arm over the side of the bed.

CRACK!

The dragonrider shot out of his bed in surprise, jerking his head around in an attempt to see through sleep-blurred eyes. M'kel rubbed at his face, seeking a clearer view, and squinted at his ordinary-seeming weyr. "What was that?" he muttered, indignant at such a rude awakening. Finally, his eyes settled on a shattered mug of klah on the floor. It had been perched on his bedside stand since last night, as he hadn't finished it and returned it to the Kitchens yet. The klah slowly seeped its way across the rocky floor of his weyr, and the bronzerider sighed at the mess he'd made. He must have knocked the mug off the stand when he'd swung his arm out.

Disgruntled and no longer able to seek the recluse of sleep, M'kel grunted and began to pull on his wherhide clothing for a day of flight. It was then that he noticed the shaking of his pile of sand. Upon finding the fire lizard eggs and bringing them back to Araelen, M'kel had heaped up a mound of sand in front of his mantleplace and buried the eggs in it, keeping a fire burning day and night. Sand was now shifting and slithering down the mound as the eggs within quaked.

"They're Hatching...they're Hatching!" he cried, the nervous thrill of a still young dragonrider coursing through his veins. "Tirenth, inform the riders who expressed interest." The candidates, too, needed to be contacted, but they would be rather more difficult to locate without the convenience of dragon-to-dragon communication. M'kel suddenly remembered that the Lower Caverns staff would be awake and labouring in the Kitchens by this time, including a number of candidates assigned to chores in that area.

Hurrying to the shaft in his wall, M'kel hollered down, "The fire lizards are Hatching! Send up the candidates with bowls of fresh meat, will ya?" He darted back across the room, then paused and returned to the shaft. "And tell them to run!" Even if the eggs weren't due to Hatch any second...which they very well may have been...those younglings could do with an excited sprint.

Unless they trip and fall on the stairs, Tirenth grumbled, eyes whirling with a lesser level of excitement. He, too, was interested in watching a Hatching of little cousins.

"I haven't yet!" M'kel smirked, then added, "Well, not with any serious results, anyways."

[Journye]

Journye looked around the busy kitchen as she finished peeling another red fruit to make juice from. She was glad that she had been allowed to take a morning away from the room she had first been shown when she arrived to the Weyr to make into a hospice. To many days of trying to get the items she needed had begun to wear on her. Everyone was busy and that was understandable, but so far she had only been able to get four beds for the room which would work for now, but well...She sighed and shook her head, turning her attention back to the bowl of fruit she had yet to peel.

She had finished two more fruit when she heard someone yelling down one of the shafts that connected to the kitchen. She couldn't quite make out what was said, but tilted her head as she noticed the excited activity of those close to it. She laid down the knife and wiped her hands off on the apron she was wearing. just in time too because one of the kitchen staff shoved a bowl of raw meat into her hands.

She blinked in confusion and looked up at the older woman who was smiling "Take that to Bronzerider M'kel's weyr, he has some firelizard eggs that are hatching and he wants the candidates there," she explained. Journye stood there for a moment longer as it sank in then she smiled brightly and hurried out of the kitchen.

She got directions from one of the riders outside and made her way to the bronzerider's room, managing to get up the stairs in a hurry without tripping, but she was a tad out of breath by the time she reached her destination. She paused at the door way and took a couple of deep breaths to regain her composure though there wasn't anything she could do about her excitement flushed cheeks. She knocked politely on the door frame before stepping inside, bowing respectfully to M'kel and his bronze Tirenth.

~~~

Hunter dusted off his pants as he watched a few excited candidates heading toward one of the weyrs with bowls in their hands. He furrowed his brow and tilted his head in complete confusion. He was even more surprised when someone shoved a bowl into his hands. He looked down at the bowl and it took a moment to register that it had raw meat in it "What....?" is all he could get out before the person explained "Firelizards hatching in M'kel's weyr, get going," and he was pushed in that direction.

Hunter shook his head and followed the others heading that direction at a more sedate pace "Firelizards eh?" he said to himself. He wasn't really sure he wanted one, but he could atleast get an idea of how a hatching happened. He would be sure to stay at the back of the crowd, let those that wanted one badly get them, he simply wanted to observe, and well if there was an extra that was fine. He nodded to himself at his decision, observation was the best way to learn how something was done if you couldn't do it hands on.

[etoile]

Elkie hummed to herself as she pushed a broom along in the kitchens. Chores were so tedious, and it was so different from the life she was used to back in the caravan. Someone had to do it, though, right? And it was all work toward her ultimate goal! Thinking of dragon dancing, Elkie grinned and pushed the wide broom with increased vigor. The harder she worked, she decided, the better she had a chance at getting a good spot on the sands. Some candidates had been murmuring the front was best so the dragon could see you. Elkie needed to be seen- the sooner she got a dragon, the sooner she could drop off its back and into the air!

Humming louder now, she shoved the broom with a surprising amount of energy, practically running as she pushed the broom between the tables. Unfortunately, an unlucky candidate was in her way. A candidate that Elkie didn't see. Brooms collided, and she bonked heads with said candidate. "Oooh! I'm sorry!" Elkie laughed, rubbing her head. That would leave a bump. She paused. The candidate didn't appear to listen to her. Finally, that candidate shook her head, murmuring something about it wasn't her place to get a flitter as a candidate.

Elkie had been too preoccupied to hear M'kel! "Where?!" she asked, startled, and the candidate told her to make a run for M'kel's weyr, even though candidates had more important things to worry about. The dancer snorted. "Like hell I do," she muttered, and dropped the broom. Grabbing a bowl of meat from a harassed-looking drudge, she ran up and up, pleased that she had gotten out of those chores for the morning.

Finding M'kel's weyr wasn't a difficult task- she simply followed the slow trickle of people that were hurrying toward a room. Grinning with excitement and rubbing at the bump that had quickly jumped out of her forehead from the collision, she joined the throng of excited weyrfolk, hoping with all her might that she would Impress a little flitter.

--

Robika was... asleep. She tossed to one side in her sleep, not hearing Emanor's hum. Both Kmarath and Emanor knew that Robika wanted to Impress another 'little darling,' as she called them, but both dragon and flitter were hesitant about waking her. Emanor didn't want to share attention or food with a baby, while Kmarath didn't wanted another Emanor- one greedy little green was bad enough. Though those thoughts were only fondly complaining ones, she didn't know what she'd do if another fat little creature came around.

Kmarath grumbled, shifting from where she lay on the weyrledge. She knew Tirenth had told everyone with a rider who wanted a flitter to go up. Robika certainly fit that category- Robika had been excited since that day at the beach. As if that made her decide, she nudged at Robika's mind to wake her up. Emanor squealed in protest. She didn't want to share her food, anything but that!

Robikamine, the little cousins are hatching, Kmarath said, resigning herself to just deal with whatever happened. Robika grumbled, taking a long moment to sit up, covering a yawn with her hand.

"Huh?" she asked, sleep still obviously in her head.

I just said the little cousins are hatching! Kmarath repeated, impatiently this time. Robika blinked, scratching at her messy blonde hair before it sunk in.

"Shards!" she gasped, leaping out of bed, running to Emanor's food stash. Eyes red in rage, Emanor screeched in complaints. "I'll get you more later," she told the green irritably. She didn't want to listen to those ugly sounds this early in the morning.

Deciding she didn't have time to get her hair into their usual buns, she just pulled on a jacket and ran up to M'kel's weyr. Pushing people out of her way to get in, she somehow got inside. "Any out yet?" she asked, suppressing another yawn.

[Flamewolf]

Keldara had been awake for some time, and was wandering around down near the lower caverns. She was so lost in her thoughts she didn't hear the murmurings of the dragons and that the weyr was getting steadily more busy. The candidate was forced back to the present time, however, when another person smashed into her and made her stumbled backwards against the wall, just outside the caverns. What in all Pern... she thought as suddenly a kitchen attendant grabbed her arm.

"What is goin-" she began, but the lady cut her off and gave her a bowl of raw meat, then shoved her in the direction of the dragonrider weyrs. "Fire lizard hatching in M'kel's weyr!" the lady said. The candidate paused for a second before quickly turning and fast walking in the direction she was pushed in.

She pratically stumbled up the stairs and laughed at herself, before finally reaching the bronze rider's weyr. SHe stepped in and off to the side, approaching where everyone else was, still slightly amused at her own blunder back on the stairs. "Wow, that went around fast," she said, glancing at the handful of people already in the room.

*~*

Kerji was woken up by loud noises outside of the weyr. He sat up on his elbows in his bed, trying to blink the sleep from his eyes. He couldn't remember about anything that was supposed to be happening today; why would everyone be up and about this early in the morning? He yawned, stretched his arms above his head, and swung out of the bed. He shivered as his feet touched the floor before going over and changing into comfortable clothes. The candidate stifled another yawn as he stepped out of his room and glanced both ways.

He stopped a passing candidate. "What's going on?" he asked. She looked at him, annoyed. "The flits are hatching in bronzerider M'kel's room," she said quickly, then walked down the hall. He ignored the "moron" she muttered under her breath and quickly walked in the other direction. Sleep seemed to desert him as he walked to the lower caverns, took a bowl of meat from a lady in the kitchens that was handing it out to candidates, and walked into the direction of the weyrs.

He nimbly went up the stairs two at a time and got into the weyr, standing behind Keldara and not saying a word as he glanced around. He'd much rather stay in the background, of course, as was in his nature.

[Shikai]

A wide, uncharacteristic frown consumed much of Tarren’s face as the boy scraped almost violently at the floor with his broom. Slyly, he glanced sideways to see if Alana was watching, but his older sister had gone off somewhere else. With no one he knew around to watch his show of pouting and silent complaint, he abandoned it entirely, snapping back to his normal self in an instant. Having been caugt by Alana while he was in the process of slipping some dye into the sand she used for her hair (he had planned to get her to unknowingly dye her hair blue) he had received, in addition to a stern talking-to, extra chores for that day. He didn’t really mind the chores, but he wanted Alana to think so. Ah, but she knew him too well, and she had simply ignored his façade. Smiling amiably, he hummed to himself as he swept the floor, his mind not on cleaning, but thinking of a way to get back at his sister somehow.

-----
Anya dunked her cleaning rag into a bucket of soap water with gusto, not even bothering to wring it out before sloshing it, water still pouring down the sides, onto the table. Her nimble-fingered hand holding it in place, she raced alongside the table, leaving a trail of water on it as she went. She then turned around and went back, which got rid of some of the excess water. While she could seeminly find amusement in anything, her favorite cleaning activities were those involving water. However, while she was enjoying herself, her somewhat sloppy methods were unfortunate for her partner, Myra, who did the finishing touches on the tables by drying them.

-----
Myra groaned inwardly as she watched another shining trail of soap water appear on the table, although she chuckled softly to herself as well. It was good to see that the other girl was having fun…yet it meant more work for herself. Oh well. She wasn’t one to complain, for she would really prefer to work with someone as nice as Anya and have to work harder than work with someone mean, but have an easier time with the work. Besides, more work meant she would be occupied longer, and wouldn’t have to sit awkwardly at her bunk, which was a bit small for one of her stature, trying in vain to think of something to do. With a slight smile, she continued drying the table.

-----
Shikai’s brush swept across the floor with long, purposeful strokes, gathering the dirt from the floor of the Lower Caverns into a small, neat pile. She was nearly finished with her section, she noted happily. Unlike Myra, Shikai did have something to do in her freetime, something she loved: she would go and do her best to aid Journye in creating the hospice. Shikai worked mainly with the plants, but she made efforts to learn other things as well. However, Shikai was not to work on the room at that time, because many hungry, yet-unborn firelizards were soon to call out to the candidates and riders who had expressed interest, seeking love and someone to care for them. It had not been long, it seemed, since some riders and candidates had found the dear eggs in the sand, made their promise to the queen, and taken the clutch to the weyr. And now, as she heard M’kel’s call to the lower caverns, she knew that the time had come for them to hatch.

Hastily propping her broom against the wall, she grabbed one of the bowls of meat the drudges were putting out. Many faces appeared, also fetching bowls before hurrying towards M’kel’s weyr. Among them were Tarren, Anya, and Myra, although she did not know who they were. They all followed the others up the stairs, excited and hopeful that they would somehow be able to coax a firelizard their way.

[biraun]

When B'raun had heard that a nest of fire-lizards had been discovered he was absolutely enthralled. He had been fond of the little things cavorting about the Weyr, miniatures of the massive dragons that reigned over Pern. He found them quite amusing and was impressed by their exceedingly helpful talents when it came to sending messages to Holds and other Pern-folk. He had been envious of those that posessed the petite partners and had always had a fondness for the critters, itching for the chance to finally call one his own. It seemed a silly, juvenile little desire, but it was a desire none-the-less. When B'raun finally heard the call from M'kel that the flits were finally hatching, his skin prickled slightly with excitement and he hurriedly fetched meat from the slowly dwindling supply as many others were aiming to get a flit of their own. He marched up along the stone steps to the sleeping-cavern of M'kel only to find it full to the brim of chattering people. B'raun hoped that this didn't mean he'd be left without a little beasty but he reminded himself that a lot of the people hear were just observing the event.

I don't understand why they amuse you so... Klazariath crooned softly in his mind. He had remained in his own cavern, too tired to be bothered by the hatching this early morning. B'raun smiled to himself and talked back to his dragon, "Why is it you like dolphins so much?" he retorted. He recieved no reply from Klazariath and took that as a 'point taken.'

[D'gellin]

Mine? Q'tris, who had previously been nodding drowsily in his cup of klah, blinked his eyes into focus.

Yes, love? He asked, rubbing one of his eyes with the palm of his hand. Shards, he just hadn't gotten any sleep last night...

Tirenth says that the fire lizard eggs are hatching. Minth replied serenely, though she gave him a mental poking to move him into gear. "Fire lizards...?" Q'tris repeated with a quizzical expression. "Oh!" He cried, realization finally kicking in and mercifully giving him a burst of energy. Pass the message to Trilia? I don't think she's assigned to Lower Cavern chores today.. He said while abandoning his klah for a bowl of meat, only now noticing quite how many people were vacating the lower caverns with similar bowls in hand.

She expresses her gratitude. Q'tris grinned slightly as he walked quickly down the halls. He really couldn't help himself; Trilia would just be so excited about the lizards, and seeing her happy was enough for Q'tris to be happy. He didn't need one, after all, he had his Minth, but as he secretly doubted that Trilia would impress at the upcoming hatching (she was still so young...too young) he felt a fire lizard would serve a duel purpose for his daughter. Do you ever think of yourself? Minth sighed reprimanding. Q'tris shrugged. Occasionally.

"There's so many people here all ready!" Trilia cried, half delight half anxiety as she rushed up to her father a little while later, her eyes wide and alert. "Thank you." She added brightly, hugging him for bringing the meat. And with that they weaved their way into the mess of people. They weren't at the front, but Trilia could easily see what was going on through a small gap between people, and that was good enough for Q'tris. The little girl snagged a piece of meat and held it at the ready, eyes locked on the eggs with a wide smile. Q'tris hung back just behind her, bowl in one hand and piece of meat in the other to pass to Trilia in the hopeful chance she needed more.

[draien]

Draien awoke to the sound of rushing footsteps, vaguely hearing M'kel's announcement over it. After a couple moments of blinking stupidly, the words penetrated his skull, and in his haste to get up managed to trip himself, landing face first on the floor. It took him a few seconds to steady himself on his feet, grabbing the bowl of raw meat that was shoved in front of his face and dashed up the stairs. Finally.

Due to his graceful maneuvers while standing up, the majority of people had already passed him by, and the current flow of candidates was slightly better, allowing him a moment to squeeze in. He couldn't help the smile that tugged on his face, after what had seemed like forever, the fire lizards were finally hatching. Shoving his pessimistic side out of his mind, the one that told him that there was the chance of him not impressing any lizards, he ended up climbing the stairs two at a time, unable to with hold his excitement.

Stumbling over his feet, and gripping the bowl he held in his hands tightly, Draien couldn't help but be overjoyed. How long had it been since his family was killed? A few months, he knew that much, and now, at last, things were starting to look up. The hatching had finally begun.

[M'kel]

((OOC: Remember, you can still enter the contest after this one post, but you won't be able to predict the first lizard to hatch/who it Impresses to. And congratulations to all who entered! Every single one of you correctly guessed the first colour to hatch!))

Kneeling on the fire-warmed stone in front of the pile of sand, M’kel began to gently scoop away the surface sand to reveal the eggs underneath. The hardened ovals were eventually arrayed across the sand, which had been spread more evenly across the floor. He didn’t want the fire lizards hatching on top of one another, nor did he wish for them to have to burrow their way out. It would be much more exciting for the viewers and easier for the flits if their eggs were nicely spaced. The mound technique had been used to conserve heat, but this was no longer necessary.

So engrossed was he in the task and in admiring the quaking of most of the eggs (some had yet to twitch) that M’kel didn’t hear at first the disgruntled cries from his outer weyr. Raising his head, the bronzerider realized that Tirenth had stuck his fat head right in the doorway for a better view, blocking the entrance for those arriving to view the Hatching. “Tirenth!” he cried, gesturing wildly with his hands for the dragon to back off. The bronze snorted in a manner which said, ‘Hmph!’ and reluctantly withdrew his head. “As soon as everyone’s in here, you can watch,” M’kel reassured the great lug, grinning fondly and watching the procession of people with bowls.

He nodded to all as they entered, gesturing for the hopefuls to array themselves around the now-wide circle of sand. As Robika strolled in and inquired as to the status of the Hatching, M’kel shook his head. “Nah, none have even cracked yet. Although some are definitely looking close.” Two that were side-by-side, in fact, had begun shaking so violently that the bronzerider half expected them to collide and shatter.

Instead, lines from the pressure being exerted on the inside began to form on one, as the sides seemed nearly to bulge out. The hardened shell finally gave in an explosion of shards, and a blue tail shot forth from the surprisingly small opening. It seemed that the tail was all that was going to fit through, so the tiny claws of his back limbs began tearing at the opening to widen it further. Finally, the fire lizard was able to back out of the confines of the egg, shaking his head to free himself of the last clinging shards.

The long-legged blue began crossing the sands, creeling insistently and eyeing all of the onlookers. His royal blue hide was streaked with light blue, and his whirling eyes were fixed rather lower than the expectant faces above. Before M’kel could encourage the hopefuls to crouch down and stick the meat right in his face, the blue fire lizard was off the sands quickly with his long-legged strides and began chewing on the first edible-looking thing. Someone’s pants. These were not much to his liking in flavour, but the texture was all right, and he screeched in challenge, gnawing on the pants more fiercely and using his claws to hopefully tear a piece loose.

A sudden whiff of air caught the blue’s attention and his head jerked up in response. Meat. Now that would have a much nicer flavour. The blue immediately scrambled up Q’tris’s leg to his extended arm and down the length of it, tiny claws scrabbling for the meat held in the man’s grip. He grabbed the entire chunk in his tiny maw and swallowed it whole, turning to creel up at the startled man’s face for more.

[Kitari]

Barec's tunic clung to his back in the heat of the sun, as the lad swung away at one of the multiple felled trees drug into the weyr for fence building and other uses. Although the herdbeasts were appropriately contained by now, the few qualified herdbeast tenders in the Weyr had insisted upon a separate enclosure for pregnant herdbeasts, in order to hopefully maintain a self-reproducing population. This had required widening the cleared track down to the docks, and numerous men had been recruited to aid in the task.

Although Barec was a candidate at the Weyr, a concept he was still struggling to grasp in a foreign world, the Lower Caverns' workers had quickly become fed up with his attempts at their assigned chores. 'Fetch some fresh glows,' they had ordered him. When the lad had only stared at them in incomprehension, one of them had cursed and shoved a stick with bristles at the end of it into his hands. 'Fine then, you can sweep.' Barec had then stared at the stick, confused as to its reason for existence. Barden and Arecca had brought few Hold ammenities with them into the jungle, and most cleaning had been performed with a strip of wet cloth.

Barec knew perfectly well how to slice meat and perform basic cooking tasks, but before he could suggest these options, the Kitchen staff had shoved him out the door and directed him to join the tree fellers. 'Dimglow,' they had muttered. 'He'll only ever be good for mindless physical labour.' Thus, the candidate found himself in a rather un-candidatelike role, and he feared that he would be forgotten, a gruntman for the rest of his life.

"You, boy, you're a candidate, right?" drawled a supervisor, one of those important people who stood around making sure everyone kept working at all times. Barec paused in his labour, nodding to the man hopefully. At least someone had remembered! It was still so unusual to be around...people. Was his facial expression correct? Did he look like he was listening? The lad certainly attempted to do so.

The man gave him a strange look, then jerked his thumb over in the direction of a stream of people. "I think you're supposed to be going with them, wherever they're going." Barec stared at the line of people while the man rolled his eyes at this frequent habit of the lad's. Finally, Barec nodded once again, recognizing a few in the crowd as fellow candidates, and joined the flow.

Upon entering the crowded inner chamber of the dragonrider's weyr, Barec felt his heart rate increase dramatically and the air catch in his throat. There were so many Pernese...all around him...clogging him in... The lad was sure that he was suffocating, probably near fainting already. His eyes darted about, seeking an escape from the pressing throng, until a cracking sound caught his attention. He had been unable to see the eggs that everyone was hovering over before, but now, if he leaned to the right just a little bit, a little blue mini-dragon was visible. Or were these the dragon hatchlings? Could they really grow that much?

Excited murmurs coursed through the room, and Barec latched onto the word 'fire lizard'. He had always imagined seeing them in the Southern jungle from time to time, but he had never actually seen one. The little creature's antics held his attention, and the lad's anxiety began to fade. Was he brought here to gain one of these? That wouldn't be so bad...

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

"Rotten. Rotten. Fresh. Bruised," Kitari droned on and on, picking up redfruit and either tossing them into an increasingly smelly crate or one of an array of bowls lying on the table. An older woman stood over her, scribbling on a scrap of hide as Kitari called out the status of each fruit, her brow furrowed at the unsettling numbers. Sitareh would be most displeased to hear of another unacceptable shipment. The woman only hoped she wouldn't be the one to deliver the message; the last poor, unfortunate worker had been stripped of her title and made a drudge. It wasn't the workers' fault; it was the Holders', but until Sitareh could vent her anger on those men, it had to be unleashed somewhere.

The Fishergirl had dealt with rotting food before; if the ship was caught at sea in a storm, the fish in the holding bay had begun to sour and fill the Hold with their stench. Still, there were few things quite as unpleasant as grasping a fruit and having one's fingers sink into its slimy flesh, only to discover that the inside held live crawlers and their eggs.

The candidate shuddered, tossing the latest inedible discovery into the crate, then paused at the sudden commotion at the far end of the Dining Caverns. Candidates were being ushered out, bowls of dripping meat in their hands, and excited voices echoed in the stony chamber. Fire lizards! Kitari lowered her eyes to the still large mound of redfruit on the table, then raised them hopefully in the direction of the woman. The woman had looked up, disgruntled, when Kitari had paused in her listing of the fruits' status, but she quickly understood what was occuring.

"Well, get on then!" she cried, nudging the girl and flashing a rare smile. "Not everyone gets a chance to Impress one of those handsome little beasties." The Fishergirl grinned in thanks, wiping her hands on the towel beside the mound of fruit. She scurried to the kitchen, procured a bowl, and scampered on up the stairs to the weyr, along with the rest of the throng.

Although not pushy, the dark-haired girl made sure to squeeze her way to a position fairly close to the sand. Thus, she was able to watch the complete hatching of the first blue. Her eyes shone with excitement as the little fire lizard strode quickly across the sand, but this one was not headed in her direction. It was no matter to Kitari; there were plenty of eggs left. There must be at least one who would find her suitable!