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Post by etoile on May 25, 2008 20:13:16 GMT -5
Almost all of the eggs were rocking at this point, with some moving slowly and others quickly. The fastest moving egg was the Desire Egg, and the red shell developed long, thin cracks along the sides. Some of them sunk deeper, to a point where movement could be detected from within. Other eggs that moved with a fast speed was the Affection Egg, the Confusion Egg, and the Greed Egg. The first was nearly jumping where it lay in the little nest, twitching around excitedly, while the second was wiggling impatiently. Tapping from within all of them were audible, as well as a few other eggs where their motions weren't as obvious. From the looks of things, those three eggs were going to be the ones to hatch first, and that notion didn't disappoint. The Desire Egg, overwhelmed with its cracks, shattered. The pieces crumbled inward, but the flitter inside refused to let that happen! With a triumphant screech, a flitter with bronze hide shook himself free, sending the shards flying.
The bronze looked around expectantly. His instincts screamed "Food!", but there were too many distractions right now. All of the people, all of their thoughts running through his mind... He cocked his bronze head. It glittered beautifully in the dim light, a gentle shade of orange-bronze. Tentatively, he began to spread his wet wings, but paused as another crack rang out from behind him. The Affection Egg had followed its brother's suit, crinkling open to reveal a petite blue. He looked very unlike most blues, with his deep, sea-blue hide possessing a peculiar metallic sheen. His eyes whirled happily, looking up at his bronze brother as if to say 'Well, what are you waiting for?' Bugling cheerfully, he darted off into the sea of people.
While the bronze wrestled with thinking about who he wanted, the blue wasted no time! Letting his wet wings droop beside him, he darted over to Kyeidahel, sinking his little jaws onto his foot. Sending her a wave of hunger pangs, he ignored the hatching of another egg from behind him... The Greed Egg fell to pieces from the little nest it lay in. But before whatever lay within could get up, the bronze let out a challenging screech. He had decided who he wanted, and nobody would get in his way!
Bolting towards the crowd, he leaped at Crown's leg. He wasn't going to risk that other flitter taking Crown from him! He loved his Crown! He crooned, and his claws dug into Crown as he latched onto her. Hers, most definitely! A few seconds too late, the Greed Egg was tossed aside by its inhabitants, a startlingly acid-green flitter. She looked up anxiously, and hissed at the bronze. What if she had wanted Crown, eh? Eh? Good thing she didn't. He could keep that stupid girl. She began waddling over to the crowd, but paused. There was another crack.
The Confusion Egg was beginning to crack open, and was followed by a screech in the direction of the Fear Egg. It had totally forced the top open, and a quivering brown head peeped from the top. Squealing, it ducked back into the rest of the shell, scared for what would happen next. The Love Egg, too, was showing signs of life, with thin cracks on every inch of the shell. Well, the green didn't want them to come out and take Hers! Growling, she spread her wings and pushed herself off the floor, flying awkwardly over to Farallen. This one belonged to her and she needed to get there before the others did!
--
Pride Egg -- Unhatched Hope Egg -- Unhatched Depression Egg -- Unhatched Rage Egg -- Unhatched Affection Egg -- Blue :: Kyeidahel Greed Egg -- Green :: Farallen Apathy Egg -- Unhatched Smug Egg -- Unhatched Surprise Egg -- Unhatched Desire Egg -- Bronze :: Crown Happiness Egg -- Unhatched Euphoria Egg -- Unhatched Boredom Egg -- Unhatched Annoyance Egg -- Unhatched Confusion Egg -- Hatching Rapture Egg -- Unhatched Suffering Egg -- Unhatched Fear Egg -- Brown :: ??? Love Egg -- Hatching
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Post by B'kay on May 26, 2008 11:47:12 GMT -5
Rainy days were some of the few times Ravyna could get away from studies and training to visit the runners. She leaned on the wall, just inside the shelter of a slaughter cave, and watched as the little Beastmaster was putting the finishing touches on a carcass.
"He doesn't mind being ridden in the rain, can't you leave your butchering for an hour?" she complained. Though her truest love was for Igrainth, her young green was not yet old enough to ride, and the greenrider still enjoyed a romp on runner-back once in a while.
Caltrain collected the scraps of bloody meat and tendon that had fallen to the smooth, hard floor, and dumped them into a large bowl. "I'll be done soon, and may have an hour after--"
A happy chortle sounded from the lithe green dragon, who was lying outside the cave, wings stretched wide to catch the cool, soft rain. Both humans looked at her.
Eggs hatch! We must go see the little cousins!
Ravyna recalled the firelizard flight some sevendays before. "Robika? Was that her name? The little gold's human? Her eggs are hatching?" she said aloud, glancing at the Beastmaster to see if he caught the meaning.
I do not know of names, I do know there are young little ones trying to come to the world. We must go see, perhaps one will love us!
"Well, there are only so many eggs, but it can't hurt to go watch, anyway," she replied to her heartfriend, then turn to Caltrain. "Are you coming?"
The little man, uncertain, wasn't sure how to reply. He had always had a way with beasts ... but would something as lovely as a firelizard want his twisted person? "I ... I guess I can..."
Meat must come, too! Igrainth commanded, and ambled into the cave to nudge Caltrain toward the large bowl.
"Wha--?"
Ravyna, already heading in the direction Igrainth indicated, called back over her shoulder, "She says to bring that bowl of bloody meat!"
Without thinking twice, Caltrain lifted the large bowl and jogged after the greenrider, the young dragon trotting behind him as if she were a herding canine.
Once in the weyr, Ravyna and Caltrain wedged themselves quietly into a corner, and settled on the floor amongst the others. The woman could feel her dragon's excited touch strong and warm in her mind, and knew that Igrainth watched the event through her rider's eyes. Several of the young had already claimed their humans, who were feeding greedy mouths with expressions of delight on their faces.
Caltrain, seeing that most of the humans present had hands full of food, took a large dollop of the bloody raw meat and plopped it into Ravyna's lap.
She grimaced at the mess, but scooped it up and held it, dripping, before her. "Gee, thanks," she whispered to the odd little man who had become her unlikely friend.
****
The little faded gold nudged her human gently, sending thoughts of longing and wistfulness into the sleeping mind. Gaylen roused slowly, her head filled with foggy pressure. Storms and heavy rains often brought on seizures, and she had had a difficult night.
"Memory?" she muttered, rising in her sleep tunic to set bare feet on the chilled stone floor. "Are you hungry, sweetling?"
The emotions that responded told her no, there was another desire, another longing, another lost and faded memory that the little one was trying to convey.
Alabanth's clear thoughts touched her in explanation. There is a flitter clutch hatching, my One. Would you like to go watch?
The gray-blue head snaked around the corner, eyes whirling gently with love.
A clutch, oh yes.... Gaylen replied, and moved to her lifemate, staggering slightly, as she clutched little Memory to her breast. Thoughts of her own flitter's hatchings poured joy into her heart, and she began to climb Alabanth's foreleg, trying to mount.
Perhaps you should dress first, he tried to dissuade her gently.
"A flitter clutch. Memory is hatching her clutch ... Goldberry... ? Whose clutch? Oh, I would love to see the babies...."
The old blue sighed in resignation, hoping no one present would mind his rider showing up in her pyjamas to watch, and helped her to mount. The weyr the little one's clutch was hatching in was a short glide from C'lyn and Gaylen's, and the dragon managed to get there under the shelter of various ridges and ledges, keeping his cargo safe and dry.
Alabanth lay flat on the ledge and, arching his neck around awkwardly, helped Gaylen to dismount safely. The aging ex-healer, as quiet as a shadow, slipped clumsily into the weyr and settled into a niche, where she and her little faded friend could observe without being seen.
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Post by .K.aci on May 26, 2008 17:12:37 GMT -5
The beauty of something so simple astounded her. Two creatures created these - One nurtured them and then carefully laid them, protecting her brood with her life on the line. Pale ice blue eyes watched the protector now, as she hovered over the clutch, watching carefully, calmly, although beware the person that tried to get to close to the watchful mother.
Crown's eyes flickered from the mother to the clutch, glad that she had taken off the cloth that covered her hair and let the untidy cut swing in front of her eyes. She could peer from underneath them, without actually showing that she was impressed. Several of the eggs were rocking wildly, and she let herself drift to them, locking onto crew and enjoying herself. At least she didn't have to work, and she could sit here and hold the bowl of cold meatrolls.
Then the first egg hatched, and her eyes flew to him, focusing on the little bronze. She was going to be Searched and Impress something like him. The determination filled her as she watched him, amused at his methods. The next one, a blue, and she watched as he wasted no time, unlike the small Bronze. It went to a boy that she knew as a Candidate, and then, even as she was looking back over the eggs, a loud harsh noise made her startle, looking back at the Bronze that had suddenly seemed to come to his senses. He rushed over a little green, (but then again, who cared about greens?), and rushing through the crowd, he attacked...
"Hey!"
Her voice was loud, and a few of the riders next to her looked back, amused that the little flit wasn't even bothering to find His, just looking for the food that she held in her lap. But Crown knew differently. As he claws his way up her too-big breeches, his tiny voice crooned, and barely able to believe it, a sudden awareness in the corner of her mind, and a raging hunger alerted her to the fact that she had just Impressed. A Bronze too, no doubt. This was of course, a foreshadowing. Now, any lingering doubts rushed from her mind and she knew that she would Impress a Bronze at the next Hatching. It was fate.
But now, her attention was suddenly on the small creature in her lap, and for once in her life the young girl did not look hard, glittering, warning. She tipped the bowl up, letting the pretty Bronze scramble into the food source, smiling tenderly down at the newest member of the small harem she watched out for.
This was his next problem. The food. He was hungry, and now that his clutchmate had gone to torture another human, he turned to the offered bowl. Look at all the food! With a funny noise that sounded like a glomp, he scrambled into the bowl and attacked the first roll, watched by Crown with adoring eyes. She needed a name.
Suddenly, she had another thought. What if they didn't let her keep him? Flitters weren't given to drudges, after all. Now she was worried, and gentle but callused fingers darted into the bowl to pull the sticky creature out, along with the roll he had yet to relinquish. He was hers, and no one was going to say otherwise. Taking the cloth that she had brought along, she began to rub him, getting the sticky birthing fluid off before it dried.
"Name... Name..."
Happy whirling eyes looked up at her as he gnawed at the roll, sending with waves of happiness the approval in his choice. He had chosen well, and with another weird noise, glomp, he went back to his food.
"Glomp."
And thusly he was named.
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Post by C'lyn on May 26, 2008 17:51:02 GMT -5
C'lyn scratched the back of his head as he yawned, looking out at the rainy weather. He had gone to fetch a bowl of soup for Gaylen and some of her medicine to help with her seizures. He didn't care on bit that he had been up with worry for her all night, he was all to glad to have her back with him.
Yes she had aged and had trouble remembering, but she was still dear to him. He was grateful the corridors that lead from the infirmary back to his weyr so that he wouldn't get any wetter then he already was from the dash to the kitchen. He balanced the tray as he walked into his weyr, walking carefully in case Gaylen was asleep.
He frowned slightly when he noticed the bed empty and Alabanth missing. He bit his bottom lip and set the tray down. There is a clutch of little cousin's hatching and Alabanth took his, but she only wore her sleep clothes,[/color] Greylith informed her rider.
C'lyn closed his eyes for a moment and took a deep breath to calm his quickly beating heart. "Thank you Greylith love," he told his green before gathering up his jacket and one for Gaylen.
He hurried back out into the weather, getting directions from Greylith, and made his way to Robika's weyr. He arrived just as the first of the eggs hatched and looked around the room, more interested in finding Gaylen then in impressing another flit, his Rhapsody was napping back at his weyr.
He spotted Gaylen hidden in the shadowed niche and let his breath out slowly as he carefully made his way to her. He gently draped the jacket about her shoulders and smiled softly "Good morning Gaylen," he said softly, hugging her about the waist gently. He wouldn't make her leave, but he did want to be with her and little Memory.
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Post by B'kay on May 26, 2008 18:31:19 GMT -5
Gaylen's heart beat with warm emotions as she watched the little hatchlings chose their own. She was smiling, silver tears trickling down her cheek, her own darling Memory crooning softly against her heart, when warmth draped around her, and a familiar voice sounded soft in her ear.
"Ah, C'lyn, the babies, they're arriving, aren't they marvelous?"
As his arm went around her waist, she leaned into his warmth, content to simply be close and watch the miracle of life.
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Post by Kitari on May 26, 2008 18:31:36 GMT -5
Brinne was stuck in the winding, maze-like passages of the Lower Caverns for the entire day changing glows, or so she believed. It was turning out to be a miserable load of work, for there was nobody to gossip with (despite her insistence, the Headwoman had refused to allow that changing glows would require two people!), and she was sequestered away, far from prospective lads. However, as she made her way back to the upper levels near the Kitchens in order to re-fill her basket with glows, she spotted broad shoulders that drew her like a moth to a candle. The Headwoman surely wouldn't notice if Brinne took a few minutes to have a nice little chat...
However, before she could approach, overflowing with charm, the lad began to speak. At first, Brinne thought he had heard her coming, then she wondered if he was mad, and finally she noticed the green flit darting about in front of him. It seemed excited by something, and the lad exclaimed loudly about a fire lizard Hatching before darting down the hall toward the Kitchens.
The woven basket fell from the candidate's hands as her mouth opened in shock, and her limbs suddenly sprang into action. Darting over the fallen basket, chore forgotten, Brinne bounded after the departing figure. All of her lady-like charm and poise disappeared, for Impressing a fire lizard was one of the few things that Brinne fancied more than impressing men. She had longed to have one of the little creatures ever since she had laid eyes on one as a child but had been denied the opportunity due to her low position. Perhaps today, she would be given a chance!
In the Kitchens, Brinne floundered for a moment, nearly spilling the bowl of meat offered to her. "Calm down, girl!" one of the ladies cried, thoroughly exasperated with the frenzy of activity caused by this Hatching. The candidate heeded that advice, taking a deep breath before racing, at a somewhat calmer pace, into the rain and up the steps to the dragonrider's weyr (following the stream of hopefuls, of course).
Upon entering the inner chamber, her green eyes alit with wonder and delight. The multitude of eggs were more beautiful than any she had seen before, and Brinne marveled at the variety of colours. She didn't have long to enjoy the scene, though, for she soon realized that some of the eggs had already Hatched! Her gaze scoured the room to find the lucky ones who had already Impressed, and she couldn't help but scowl at what appeared to be a drudge holding a bronze. Brinne sniffed indignantly. If that kitchen lady had been a little faster, she might have caught the bronze's eye!
This indignation only lasted a moment, though, for Brinne quickly smothered the thoughts, not wanting to deter an innocent Hatchling with any kind of anger. Instead, she knelt, trying to be more accessible to creatures so low to the ground, and gripped a piece of meat more tightly than she was aware of (blood was squeezing out of it and draining into the bowl as well as onto her lap...).
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Post by Flamewolf on May 26, 2008 19:29:04 GMT -5
*There are riders here! Act good and mature for once.* Hel sounded unnaturally excited as he commanded Ky. Mentioned personality sighed in resentment but said nothing and didn't remark on it. But he did keep quiet, at least. For a reason of course; the eggs were starting to move.
The shattering of the bronze was extremely intriguing and kept Ky's eyes on the shells as they broke away. He watched the young creature for a moment before another egg started to crack. Many others were shaking too. But he found that the initial hatching was extremely interesting, though of course the firelizards were too. The shell of the Affection egg started to peel away, a much different hatching than that of the bronze. Maybe that had a sway on their personality?
For the defiant way that the bronze had hatched, he sure took his time to find a person to go to. But the blue, who'd been more careful, was positive of who he was going to...Them?
Though the little one's jaws didn't puncture skin or hurt a lot, it was still shocking enough to make Kyeidahel jump. *He's only a flit,* Hel's voice said sharply. *Don't act so startled. And teach that flit some manners. He can't just randomly bite people.*
While Hel was speaking loudly into his mind, Ky fought off his influence to reprimand the hatchling and instead got a piece of food from the bowl he'd brought. "Hey, fella," he said. The blue's eyes turned up to him. "Instead of munching on my foot, how about on this?" He held out the food. The blue let go gently and crawled up Ky's other arm. He took the meat with a claw and ate it that way, the other grasping the boy's arm firmly but still carefullly. He's not bad, he was just hungry, Kyeidahel thought. Hel huffed, but Ky ignored him. "What about a name?"
*How about Nuiscance?* Hel's dry voice offered.
"No...How about...Talic?" The blue peered up at him, a piece of food halfway to his maw, before he nodded and then continued eating, making Ky laugh.
*Oh, shard it.*
*~*
"Hm...This place is boring," a boy complained, outside of the Lower Caverns. "Nothing happens around here. Why they bothered to drag me to this weyr is a mystery to me." Yes, he was speaking to himself, for he knew nobody here. He was new, and he was a candidate. And that gets you absolutely nowhere. He gave a tired sigh before glancing inside to see drudges going about their work. "They should give them a break once in a while," he muttered, before leaning against the wall.
Until someone knocked him over.
"Hey!" he said with a snap as he fell to the ground.
"Don't stand in the doorway then," a drudge growled back, eyes flashing as she picked up the things she dropped.
He got back up and gave her a look. "If you had taken the time to notice, you would've realized that I wasn't in the doorway but was beside it. You could've gone around me instead of smashing into me."
She stood back up. "I don't have time to listen to you complain over your own mistake. Now move before I get into trouble with the Headwoman." She started to go towards the door. He moved right in front of her. The drudge's eyes narrowed, and three more times she tried to get around him. He wouldn't let her. Finally, exasperated, she said, "For the love of Faranth, do you have nothing better to do than to stir up trouble?"
He stopped and frowned. "Not really, no."
She stared at him. "Who are you?"
"Sun Yew."
"Oh, the new candidate. Here, take this bowl and go up to that weyr," the drudge said, thrusting him a small sack of meat rolls, probably only about five, then pointing up to a weyr that was recognizable as a green's. "There is a fire lizard clutch hatching there. Maybe that'll give you something better to do. Now go!" She shoved him to the side and stalked into the Lower Caverns, muttering under her breath.
Sun stared after her for a moment, then looked down at the sack, then up at the weyr. "There WAS something going on the whole time!" he exclaimed. "I'm always the last to know these things." He shook his head then quickly set off in the direction of the weyr. He got there a few minutes later, just to see one egg hatch into a lovely brown. With a glance around, he saw that a few impressions had already been conducted. "Well, not too late," he murmured as he shifted himself into the crowd assembled.
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Post by C'lyn on May 26, 2008 21:53:32 GMT -5
C'lyn smiled softly and leaned down to gently kiss Gaylen's temple "They are absolutely lovely," he agreed softly as he turned his attention to the hatching.
He eyed the eggs curiously, taking in their assortment of colors with curious awe. He shook his head and held her close, as he looked at those gathered, wondering how the hatching would go.
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Post by sapphire on May 27, 2008 22:02:13 GMT -5
That same day after swimming, Kera joined the candidates for the firelizard clutch. Kellis, forever a nuisance and always following Kera, was on his guard. Kera ignored him, for once. She was too busy being excited. Another friend! Kera also wondered which firelizard would come to her. She sneaked to look at the clutch. All those eggs...Kera thought. Then she hurried off to sit at a near by tree. Kellis was off hunting by a bush anyways. "when is the Firelizard clutch going to hatch?"Kera asked aloud. She was only answered by Kellis's purring as he was coming back with his lunch in his mouth. Kera also was thankful Fyla had said that she had been invited to be in the flitter hatching, or else she would have never have had to come down there and have a chance to impress.
Kera went back to the eggs and knelt down by a muddy brown egg. It seemed as though the egg couldn't deside what color it was. Confused by this, Kera looked at all the eggs more closely. Some were red yellow and even stone gray. **hmmmm.... kera thought. All the colors are so pretty. The muddy brown one though, is not.** Interesting.....
Kellis destroyed her thought by tugging on her clothes becuase she was not looking at him and Kera had ignored too long. "Okay Kellis I'll be there in a second,"Kera laughed.
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Post by D'gellin on May 28, 2008 21:14:19 GMT -5
Without taking his eyes off the clutch, D'gellin carefully sat himself down, meat bowl in his lap. His eyes flicked eagerly across the eggs, a smile playing at his lips. Hatchings were so intoxicating; he'd never get used to that strangely euphoric feeling that came with them. The fire-lizards' hum filled his chest, thrumming in his ears. It wasn't until his green nipped his hair indignantly that he realized why the humming had been so pronounced. "I'm sorry, Mother." He reached a guilty hand up to scratch the large green's eye-ridge. "But you'd like a new friend, right?" He chuckled. "One that doesn't like to sit on you." For Lancetoth had taken a shine to playing with Mother, who didn't care for the young bronze's antics in the least.
The first cracking of the eggs drew the young rider's attention back to the clutch. Eyes alight, D'gellin dunked his hand into his bowl and held out a meat roll low to the ground. Mother and Lancetoth were a handful but it would be fun to have another little friend around.
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Fallen shifted uncomfortably by the wall. Did everyone in the Weyr come for a lizard? Maybe it wasn't worth it. Having to stay cramped up with all these people for Faranth knows how long didn't sound very appealing. He glanced down at the bowl in his hands as he turned to leave, contemplating weather he should hand it off to someone else or not, when the first screech of new-born fire lizard drew back his attention. Fallen's eyes searched the clutch for the source before landing on...an awkward little creature but a lizard none the less. Were all newborns so gawky looking? An unwilling smile tugged at his pale lips as the eggs began to show more signs of life.
"Well maybe..." Fallen murmured, sliding down the wall to sit. He took a quick glance around him to see what everyone else was doing. He hadn't had the fortune to attend a fire lizard hatching before so this was entirely new to him. Then he placed the bowl to his side and held a piece of meat at the ready. This would be...interesting to say the least.
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