August 14, 2004
Tylia's gold Solarith by To'by's bronze Nebryth
Impressees: Hassaleah and gold Mhiyath, J'celin and brown Waipiroth, E'gin and blue Gadaith, and Fiona and green Sarendith.
Sands(#1411RJas$)
The sands are stiflingly hot beaneth your feat, nearly burning through your footwear. The sands themselves manage to heat up the large cavern as well, even in this cold climate. A mound of sand has been gathered in the center of the sands where a queen once laid its eggs.
Bordering the sands are benches of the galleries. Up above you, you see ledges of all sizes. A dark passage winds off towards the senior Queen's weyr.
People: Ph'eid Bettany Tylia K'lorin
Dragons: Helianth Solarith
Eggs: Sweet Custardish Cherimoya Egg Tart Yellow Pink Pomegranate Egg Cluster of Sun-Kissed Globes Egg Green Outside Pink Inside Papaya Egg Plump and Juicy Pear Egg Sumptuously Plump Peach Egg Succulent Sun-Ripened Raspberry Egg Roasted Coconut Egg Rotund Striped Melon Egg Yellowy Starfruit Egg Fuzzy Brown Kiwi Egg Crisp Green Apple Egg
Obvious exits:
Galleries Cavern Entrance
Sumptuously Plump Peach Egg gives a little wiggle here and another wiggle there. It's almost as if a worm is squiriming just below the surface of the tasty looking shell.
Elgin is near the head of the alphebet, so he follows near the begining of the line. The westerner follows the leader across to the far side of the sands, where they begin to form a semi-circle. Elgin makes sure he's got a comfortable stance with lots of room around him before bowing to Solarith and Helianth. This completed, he straghtens with a self-concious tug at the back hem of his robe and then settles to wait with hands clasped in front on him.
K'lorin leads the candidates onto the hatching grounds, frowning at them. "All right, be respectful to the dam and sire and try not to make fools of yourselves. Use common sense, don't panic, and don't startle the hatchlings." he says, then heads over to the side to watch. A bit anxiously.
Joscelin pauses once he steps out onto the sands, his gaze flickering over the eggs before they shift towards the dam of the clutch. Bending slightly from the waist, Jos offers a respectful bow towards Solarith before he moves to take his place with the other Candidates, immediately looking about for Fiona and Hassleleah. "I still get to hide behind you two, right?" Nope, he won't look at the galleries. If he does, he'll feel more nervous than ever.
Solarith is crouched near one side of the hatching sands, looking rather tensely at the rocking eggs in front of her. Once the Candidates arrive, though, her gaze is drawn to the line of white filing out onto the Sands. Tylia is standing back near the wall, well away from the commotion of the hatching eggs, though close enough to keep her gold company during the event. There's a slight smile on her face as she sees the Candidates arrive.
Mai follows near the farther end of the line, trying not to scuff sand into her sandals and brushing selfconsciously at her own robe. "Yessir," she says in a small voice, attention caught by the moving egg. She swallows visibly and keeps very close behind the next person in the line, only pausing to sketch a nervous bow toward each of the clutchparents.
Helianth casts a speculative glance over the Candidates as they emerge, tail flicking rhythmically back and forth in a ceaseless mantra. They're not his eggs, per se, but since he's helped to watch over them, by Faranth, he has a right to be here! Right? "Do calm down, Helianth, " Ph'eid chuckles, crossing the sands to his lifemate with a pleasant nod K'lorin-ward as he espies the brownrider. "You're not even their real father." The immense bronze snorts. Well, if he had his way, he would be. Ahem. "I can't get him to leave well enough alone, " he murmurs amusedly to Tylia as he approaches the Weyrwoman with a courteous half-bow. "She doesn't mind him witnessing this from this vantage point, does she?" Grin.
Cluster of Sun-Kissed Globes Egg starts to sway very slowly, the movement scarcely visible at first, but increasing with time until it takes on a lazy rhythm, and the egg tilts more and more with each impulse.
Hassaleah shuffles out onto the heated hatching sands, all properly in her alphabetical place after Fiona and before Joscelin. Handy, all of them being near the same place in the alphabet. She tucks one foot behind the other and sinks into the most graceful curtsey she can manage to the golden dam and the Weyrleader's bronze. It's hard to be elegant when you look like a round white pastry. She then quickly patters off to the rough semi-circle being shaped around the eggs. A neck cranes up to eye the galleries. "Shardit. I don't remember where my mother said they were sitting."
Fiona follows the others, careful not to trip on the dragging hem of the girl in front of her. She nervously tugs at her robes, and bows elegantly to both the dam and the bronze, then follows the line. She fidgits briefly, then settles down. She looks over at Joscelin, "Yep, go for it." she says, winking and giggling a bit, if only to release some nerves. She looks over at Hassaleah, "Nervous?" She asks her, but is startled as an egg begins to move. She swallows hard. "I certainly am."
Rotund Striped Melon Egg tilts slightly to first one side, then the other, giving an impulsive sort of twitch spasmodically every few moments. Something inside wants to escape, that much is certain, but how long this may take isn't immediately discernable.
Sumptuously Plump Peach Egg ripples as if the hatchling within begins to stretch. With a mighty heave the fuzzy egg breaks rather messily, egg-goo splashing out over the sands bringing with it Ain't Life the Pits Bronze Hatchling. Poor dark colored and little fat hatchling just lays there spread eagle on the sands crooning and warbling his heart out not even trying to move. What's this! Breaking from the line of white comes Jaimes, poor scrawny boy is sobbing his red-haired head off "You have to get up Hugeth, there's plenty to eat and you'll feel better and get big and strong I know it.." his mouth falls agape "His name is Hugeth and I'm now J'mes." is shouted out loud and clear with sniffling pride as an AWLM helps the weyrling get the tuckered out bronze to his feet and off the sands.
Elgin is often hard to read for those who don't know him, but it's clear to anyone from the way he clamps his hands together and shifts his weight back and forth that this candidate is just as nervous as his older associates. Voices carry to him from a little bit farther down the line, so when the bronze breaks shell, he's busy looking over at Hassaleah and Fiona rather then the hatchling. J'mes' exclaimations bring his attention back with a visible jump. "Shards!" Almost it's a squeel.
Cluster of Sun-Kissed Globes Egg jerks violently, assaulted from within, then chips of apple-green fly from the very apex of the egg. A damp muzzle appears, and the egg falls still for a moment before the whole head emerges with another violent heave. As if what bound it together had been released, the egg flies apart, sending panels of jade, violet and burgundy to rest on the sands. They form a jewel-setting for the creeling hatchling, shimmering and wet, who stands poised at their centre, blinking at the unaccustomed light.
Crystalline Swirled Nebula Green Hatchling
Brilliant flames of opalescent white-greens ensconce this svelte lady's form, flickering brightly over her somewhat elongated and slender limbs. The pointy muzzle is adorned in equally crisp, luminous hues, wisps of soft jade shooting over the barely visible cheekbones, accentuating her large, multi-faceted eyes and slipping protectively about arched, inquisitive eyeridges. Each neckridge, seemingly crafted to perfection, fairly glows, bearing whirls of dark and light silver amidst the dominant whitish-green that coats each ridge from base to tip. Sinuous, muscular neck, illuminated with snowy ivory and pale lime-greens, curves innocently, and should the light strike this apendature, the sleek musculature and potential power that resides within would almost be delineated. Wings, when folded to her back, blend in perfectly with the rest of her pale hide, but when opened and expanded to full length, the colorations are nearly blinding in their intensity. Lime, peridot, and fluorescent greens all coalesce together into an extremely bright starburst of light upon membraneous wingsails, each vein tinged with silver, each pinion tinged with gold. Though her tail, too, is covered in the pale shades of white-green and jade, her talons are surprisingly a polished, obsidian onyx, the only hint of darkness in this otherwise illuminated beauty.
Hassaleah admits, to Fiona, "Well, yes, a bit," in regards to the question of nervousness. Joscelin's inquiry doesn't get a response, though, possibly because she's too busy gawking when the bronze hatches. "Ohmy." One hand pushes back a little frizz of hair. "Isn't a bronze first supposed to be lucky? Or is that a bronze last? Bother. Or is it *un*lucky?"
Mai starts to look to the galleries for familiar faces, but the hatching of the first egg drags her attention back to the clutch. Her hands knot in the sides of her robe for all she tries to keep from wrinkling and smudging the cloth. J'mes wasn't one of the candidates she was really familiar with, but she calls a weak congratulations toward him before edging closer to the next person over in line, already breaking up into little clumps as it is. And there's another one from the egg she'd spotted twitching about-- "Oooh, look at her color."
Fiona claps, "Congrats Hugeth, J'mes!" she cries out. She looks over to Joscelin and Hassaleah, "Bronze first is good luck, I thought." she says, looking at the other eggs thoughtfully. Suddenly she is brought back to attention by the hatching of a Green, and the blistering heat of the sands. "Sandals... What was I thinking?!" she says, starting to shift her weight around to avoid the heat. "She's got good color." she agrees with Mai, who she'd heard down the line.
Joscelin nods, ducking behind the two girls and facing the eggs as he clenches and unclenches his fists, clammy hands occasionally brushed against white fabric to leave smeared sweat stains on the robe. The bronze makes him jump, eyes wide as he goggles at the hatchling. "Don't think that anything they tell you about baby dragons ever ever prepares you for what you see now." Gulping with releif when the bronze picks J'mes, he lets out a cheer. "Good show J'mes!" before the green is spotted. "She's lovely, really." And then he goes quiet, since he's just remembered he's supposed to be trying to blend into the background.
Crisp Green Apple Egg shifts abit in it's sandy hollow, the poor crispy things beings to rock back and forth. As suddenly as it begins to move it falls quiet once more.
Yellowy Starfruit Egg twitches about, tiny fractures on the surface causing it to glitter slightly. Soon enough it stills, still waiting.
Elgin's face turns to watch this newest hatchling, a lovely green who draws a smile from the candidate. "She's darling." He comments, then quickly looks at both neighbors with a red face. "Well, you know." *cough* The girl standing to his right just grins back and this allows Elgin to relax back into his 'watching' stance.
Rotund Striped Melon Egg continues its series of twitches, eventually even beginning to do a little hop or two. Maybe this hatching business isn't so unpredictable after all, for large cracks begin to split over the smooth shell.
Mai nods quickly, glancing with a smile toward Fiona, momentarily forgetting her nerves. "So pale!" she says. But then other eggs begin to crack, and more eggs mean more to keep an eye on at once. Her smile starts to droop and slide away into pale-knuckled fidgeting again, and the occasional hopeful look toward the green.
Crystalline Swirled Nebula Green Hatchling surveys the scene but makes no other move. Star-bright eyes show the colours of hunger and fear. The young green creels plaintively, then falls silent as her head tilts. She appears to be listening to something. She takes an experimental step forwards, and pauses to consider the result. Another step, another pause. Then the steps come more confidently as she turns in the direction of the nearest group of candidates.
Fiona watches the eggs twitch. "So suspenseful!" she tells those around her. "I wonder what will hatch next? Maybe Hassaleah's lifemate." she says, winking. "Have you seen your mother and children yet?" she asks, glancing up at the Galleries for the first time, looking for Hassaleah's daughter. Her attention is drawn back down to the Sands when the Green moves. "Oh!"
The Rotund Striped Melon Egg rocks in wilder and wilder motion until at last it rolls completely over, splitting into segments and leaving a chubby blue hatchling lying on his back and protesting loudly. After a brief struggle, he manages to right himself, and staggers across the sands to fall, legs akimbo, at the feet of Terenz, formerly apprentice to the Weyr's glass-crafter. T'renz bends towards the young dragon, his expression stunned. "Melth. Yes, of course I will. We'll find you something right now." The new rider looks wildly round for help, and an assistant weyrlingmaster is soon heading their way.
Hassaleah gushes a little, too. The bronze produced mostly shock; now a little recovered, she can admire. "Oh, she's a pretty thing. I don't even remember looking at my firelizard when she hatched, I was fussing so much over getting her fed and not forgetting what to do." She shifts around a bit, not so much avoiding the hot feet so far as trying to adjust her robe so that it looks less embarassingly bad. "I *think* that might be them over there," she tells Fiona, pointing in the direction of one of the middle rows.
Crisp Green Apple Egg seems to have gotten back into the swing of things again. The rocking starts up again, sending it bumping into another of it's siblings, before it rights it's self again only to tip in another direction.
Joscelin has to move. He's been standing still way way too long, and he shifts his sandaled feet long enough to find another location on the hot sands to stand, although he hasn't moved much father behind the two girls. "That green headed somewhere?" he leans forwards slightly, the question asked of either Hassaleah or Fiona before he happens to catch sight of Terenz's Impression. "Blue for him, eh? Can't say I really knew him." And then he's basck to eyeing the green. "Good luck," is a final whispered remark to both girls.
Mai knew Terenz, at least a little, and positively lights up for a moment when she spots his Impression. "Oh, look at his face," she breathes, letting go her robe sides to hug herself instead, shifting foot to foot to try to shake the sand from the open sandals that would have been so much better as low boots, or anything with sides. And there goes another one wobbling around and distracting her. She sets her teeth tightly in her lower lip, glancing up along the line to the rest of the candidates she knows.
Fiona glances briefly to the area indicated, but is too busy watching the Green. She hears a crack, and looks over in time to see Terenz impress. "Good job T'renz and Melth!" she calls out, clapping wildly for the pair. "Well, it wasn't yours that hatched Hassie." she says. She looks over her shoulder to Joscelin, "Can I ask why you're hiding? Don't you /want/ to Impress?" she teases the tall boy. "Good luck to you too! May you Impress a Bronze!" she says in hushed tones, flashing him a brilliant smile before looking again at the Green
Yellowy Starfruit Egg shows a little more frenzied motion, as if something inside can't WAIT to get out. It twitches back and forth, scattering sand all over the place, then lies quiescent again.
Shuddering and shaking one sweet and crisp egg begins to move in earnest as the hatching fights it's way out of it's confinement. Yes Crisp Green Apple Egg seems to be pealing, as strip after strip of it's shell fall to the sands. With each movement of the hatchling with in, more of the green shell falls way. As the last piece falls, the hatchling with in stands there on the sands partially hidden behind one of the other eggs. With a loud, warbled cry Prince of Thieves Blue Hatchling is on the prowl, there is much for him to and he needs a accomplice to do them with.
Prince of Thieves Blue Hatchling
From the depths of darkness comes the true royal blues that mask this hatchling. Cobalt washes over his face, with only a hint of a much paler icier color around his eyes, along with flashes of green and bronze hightlighting his eyerideges. Dancing indigo races along the arching length of regal neck, intertwining with glistening sapphires, giving him the appearance of being wet without being so. The muscular dpeths that make up his back seem to be covered in wild synchronization of all hues of blues from blueberry to a pale blue of the skies. Trailing out behind him like whipcord is the twitching length of his tail, once more the midnight blues takeover this part of his bdy right down to the spade. His glorious wingsails spread out to a fullness that almost overshadows the rest of him. Spars shine with slivered blues, while his sails deepen to a cerulean with a dusting of gold spread out over them. Fore and rear legs seemed to have been dipped in inky blues, with his belly splattered in azure with droplets of muddy browns accentuating his muscles. Rounding out this princely dragon are claws that seem ready to deftly snag even the smallest object from the unsuspecting.
Elgin gives a quick chuckles at that poor little blue. Grinning, he turns to the girl next to him. "Weren't you you one of his friends?" He asks, to which she gives an affirming nod. "Bit of a clutz himself." That last comment earns him a glare and his new little companion side steps away. "Opps." The young man sighs and turns back towards the group he spent more time with, Hassaleah and Jos.
Crystalline Swirled Nebula Green Hatchling walks past a dark-haired youth and a girl with blonde plaits, ignoring them completely. She studies a seacrafter from Ista, but passes on. A pair of giggling girls, scarcely old enough to Stand, are passed by too, as is the fair haired apprentice weaver from Nabol who watches with hope in his eyes. At a gap in the line of candidates, she halts, her head slowly turning as she searches for the one, the only one, who can make her happy.
Joscelin chuckles dryly -- and quite reasonably to be sure, it's sharding hot on the sands -- as he glances at the Weaver-turned-Candidate. "Bronze?" he remarks good-naturedly, "I wouldn't know about that. Never really fancied myself as a bronzerider before. But then again, until recently, I never fancied myself as a 'rider at all. We'll see," he shrugs, pausing to watch the newly-Hatched blue. "Now wait, wasn't that that show-off egg? And what's that green up to?"
Mai scarcely knows whether to follow Joscelin's lead and try to hide behind someone, safer from possible claws, or stand right out in the open and be prepared to move quickly. Indecision means she ends up doing the latter, though she swallows more than once and continues shifting her feet. The blue's hatching dragons her attention briefly away from the green, and she takes another admiring breath. "I wonder if he'll look like that when he's dry?" she says, half to herself. "Such a lovely dark blue."
Yellowy Starfruit egg twirls about, jigs and jags, spins like a top, and shoots across the sands, then bursts, egg shards flying everywhere like miniature stars themselves. Out pops I'm a Star! Green Hatchling, a rather dainty little thing. Happy Birthday, Mister Weyrleader! She looks about, staring consideringly at a few girls, then prances down the proverbial red carpet towards Andimaggion, commonly nicknamed Gio. "Marilynth!" D'maggio calls out, grinning ecstatically as he follows an AWLM off the sands with the green.
Hassaleah peers off after T'renz. "I'd seen him in the crafter areas before all this. I think. Wasn't he an apprentice, before?" she inquires of the other white-robed Candidates standing near her. After another tense glance around to keep track of what's going on, she favors Joscelin with a smile. "Glad I'm not the only one who feels like this. I'm still thinking I'm going to wake up any minute now and find the kids begging for breakfast."
Prince of Thieves Blue Hatchling stands there, inspecting himself carefully. Wings shake to rid themselves of the last bits of shell, before he turns swirling eyes upon the long line of white. Oh yes he must find someone to help him in his services to the poor and aiding poor maidens. One foot infront of the other, tail swinging behind him as he treds quietly over the sands. See he can move very well for a hatchling can't he...Oh Wait to late, down he goes sprawling in an untidy heap not far from the forms of his parents.
Fiona claps, but doesn't call out, "Can't remember his name..." she whispers to Hassaleah. She takes a moment to really look at the Galleries, "Yes, I think that's them, though can't really tell from here." She glances around for anyone she may know from the Weaver craft, but soon her attention is drawn to the Blue. "I like his coloring. Nice dark shades." she comments. She glances down towards Elgin, and gives him a little wave and a bright smile. "Good luck."
Green Outside Pink Inside Papaya Egg shivers in place a little. Has the time for ripeness arrived yet? The egg moves about consideringly, then lies quiet again.
Elgin's face visably changes at the appearance of the dark blue but he's apparently alert enough to catch Joscelin's comment. "Wasn't a showoff. Just..mischievious." He reprimes his fellow candidate, eyes still glued to the blue. It takes Gio and his little star to get the candidate to look away, an impression that earns a smirk. "Perfect." Then back to the blue with a small gasp as he falls.
Crystalline Swirled Nebula Green Hatchling continues her search, going from one little knot of candidates to another, but in vain. Her steps slow, and become erratic. She stumbles, and takes several seconds to right herself. A thin creeling starts to come from her lips as she moves forward again. It's so far!
Prince of Thieves Blue Hatchling looks up at his queenly mother then his stately father, as if to say that didn't just happen I swear it. With a loud chuff the little prince makes it to his feet, looking disgustedly at the sand that now clings to himself. Eyes turn on his sister who seems to have found something, and he's not to be outdone by a mere slip of a female. Stomping steps carry him to the candidates, then beyond as if he's heading for the stands, but no he's merely content to watch them from the shadows for now.
Mai hesitates short of moving forward, biting the inside of her cheek. "Poor things," she says, hugging herself more tightly and taking occasional deep breaths, trying to ignore the sands' heat rolling upward. "Too new to their feet. Oh-- there she goes-- and he...." She pauses, caught in watching the blue. Has he found someone? Or perhaps not. She breathes out again.
There are a few lazy twitches coming from Fuzzy Brown Kiwi Egg. It gains a bit of momentum, though it soon falls back into silence. Nope. It just wants to stay in its egg for now.
Joscelin ah-has as a sideways glance at Elgin's words brings his attention to the next Impression. "Now /that/ was the show-off," he remarks. "And that guy that Impressed, wasn't he the one with that really long name? I never really got to know him either." He glances over at the blue, able to pay attention now that he's realized what egg it's not from. "He's really nice looking." he tries to offer a compliment to soothe Elgin's reprimand. "Interesting colors to him, and where's that green going?" There's one advantage to being tall -- he's got a great view, even if he's trying to hide behind people. has been removed from the sands.
Hassaleah watches green and blue carefully, keeping her distance for the moment. "Those others seemed to know right off, but these two are taking their time about it. I certainly hope it's not because there aren't enough of us or something. There should be plenty of choices..." She rubs her hands together and fusses with her hair a little, again.
Fiona runs to the Green and falls to her knees, wrapping her arms around the hatchlings neck. "Sarendith!" she calls out, tears streaming down her face. "Yes, yes I'll feed you!" she says, jumping to her feet and looking around wildly. She spots K'lorin and heads towards him, unsure of what to do next. Vo'on looks over at K'lorin from where he stands as Fiona is heading towards him with her green. Vo'on makes in indication to Fiona to come towards him and he points to some meat that she can feed to her dragon.
K'lorin grins at Fiona. "Congratulations. Follow Vo'on, he'll show you the way and get Sarendith fed." he says.
Elgin beams widely as Fiona runs to the green. "Congrats!" He calls, followed by, "What a lovely name." This seems to re-endear him somewhat to the young girl beside him. That or the nerves have gotten to her, because she sidles back over to him and side stands behind his right side, peaking over his shoulder at all the activity.
Fiona blushes, and heads towards Vo'on, Sarendith following on wobbly legs close behind her. "Thank you sir!" she says to K'lorin, and continues on her way towards Vo'on and her hatchling's food.
Mai's eyes widen. "Fiona," she says. "Sarendith? Is that what she said?" she asks, edging toward Joscelin and the others. "Such a beautiful color!" She blots her hands on her robe again, nerves giving way to something more like just plain jitters. "Ohhh, there are more moving around. That brown one...." Eggs /have/ to move, but somehow today it merits mentioning.
Now is the time for ripeness! A bounce, a crack, a -splat- and Green Outside Pink Inside Papaya Egg twitches this way and that, bouncing a little, before going up and smashing down. Green and pink pieces go flying, revealing an earthy brown staggering out, as if drunk. Belching slightly, the brown looks about and hiccups.
Intoxicated Barley Brown Hatchling
Slight of build, this brown is willowy and lithe, rather than the common perception of too skinny. Larger than most of his color, his form seems somewhat elongated or stretched out from the too long legs and back to an overtly lengthy neck and tail. A thin tapered muzzle, on his angular, wedge shaped head and then his deepset eyes, dominating in his thin face, shadowy against the dark ripe barley hue of his hide. Speckles form, across his neck as that shade is mixed with lighter golden ales and they slide down across his body to his very pale belly. Darker colors show up in points, capturing his feet and talons and then the crest of his neckridges in the honey dark rum hues, a rich ruddy brown. Heavily muscled hindquarters are a study in darker colors, before that fades out as the hide traverses back to his body. His wings are swirled with hues of rum, mixed with the brighter barley colors across the sails. Touches of lighter foam crash up on his wingspars and decorate his trailing edges.
Vo'on grins at Fiona. "You got yourself a good looking dragon... Fiona" He then takes a few steps away from her, to allow her to feed her dragon by herself.
Hassaleah bounces visibly as Fiona goes running off. "Good for you!" she calls after, before settling back and shaking her head to Joscelin. "Either that's the power of positive thinking for you, or she's the luckiest person on both continents," she says a little more quietly, breaking out into a wide grin. "Now, I wonder who the blue will go after..." She's distracted by the brown's hatching. "And another handsome little guy!"
Joscelin eyebrows tilt upwards in surprise. "Well, it looks like that green wasn't going anywhere, but Fiona looked like she was." Darn, now there goes half of his cover. "Congratulations Fiona!" he calls out, hands cupped over his mouth to shout out his words to his fellow Candidate. And then that brown catches his eye, and he just gapes in surprise at it. "Wow," the Vinter-lad breathes. "Look at him. And I kinda liked that egg."
Fiona walks past Vo'on, through the gaping mouth of the hatching cavern to get her little green fed, whispering, "I know. I hope your Senrialth likes her." she winks and follows the hatchling out.
Prince of Thieves Blue Hatchling moves along the lines, checking over a few girls here, stopping to look at Josccelin then moving on to sniff at Mai. Shaking his regal head, no none will do for him. Stopping as if something as finally caught his eye, yes there's something out there. Leaving his shadows behind, the blue comes up behind one candidate, his partner in crime his helper to save fair maidens. Yes that curly hair, that short nose, Yes he has found his sidekick at last!
Elgin spares Joscelin a look and grin for the tone of voice used in kinda liking that egg. Then he whips his head around with mouth wide open in surprise. "Rescue maidens?!? Are you crazy Gadaith?" It takes a moment before what he's said and felt really takes hold, then he drops to embrace the blue. "Of course we'll eat and I am now E'gin." The hug is held just a moment, before he's up looking for food for his lifemate.
Mai tries to take advantage of Joscelin for cover instead. He's tall, after all. Apparently the resolution to stand tall and visible has eroded a little bit. "They're different than I thought they'd be," she says, then catches sight of where the blue's gone and breaks into another smile. "Oh-- congratulations! Gadaith... that's a good name."
K'lorin motions towards Elgin, now E'gin. "Congratulations on Gadaith, E'gin. Now let's go get him fed." he says, leading the new pair off the sands.
Hassaleah is rapidly becoming the beginning of the line, it seems, as the blue picks out the Candidate formerly known as Elgin. "Faranth! I mean... congratulations to you and Gadaith," she offers, even though the boy's unlikely to even notice. A broad smile settles on her face, and she claps her hands a bit as she edges over to fill the space on that side. Besides, that spot seems to be lucky.
There are a few more twitches from the Fuzzy Brown Kiwi Egg. It wiggles once and then twice, and then three times before the shell CRACKS, causing Lazy Days Green Hatchling to fall onto the Sands with a thump. She sways there a bit, dazed by the sudden appearance bright lights. It takes quite a while for the green to get moving, though when she finally does, she moves at a very quickened pace towards the candidates. Soon she stumbles and flops down in front of Bernard, a young boy from the Smithcraft. Tears staining his face, Bernard, now B'nar soon lifts his tear-stained face to announce, "She says her name is Veneraith!" Soon, B'nar and his now slow-moving green are led off the sands by an AWLM.
Two giggling girls fall silent, holding their breath, as the green hatchling approaches them, then sigh as she passes by. One turns to the other. "Wonder who she'll - ooh! Bernard! Fancy!"
Joscelin lets out a yelp of surprise when he realizes that Mai's trying to hide behind him. "Hey!" he exclaims. "I'm supposed to be hiding behind you." Or rather, Hassaleah. He regards the blue warily for a moment when he started looking at him, but then Elgin's Impression is met with a wild burst of clapping from the tall Candidate. "Oh way to go Elgin. You got him!" He glances about now, trying to see where that brown is.
Intoxicated Barley Brown Hatchling lurches forward suddenly, glistening in egg goo, and he stumbles then makes a rather impressive nose dive right into the sands. Snorting, he thrashes a little until he is back on all four legs. Now, where's his partner in crime? He staggers a little in a rather crooked line as he heads towards the group of white things. Splendid!
Mai shakes her head, but edges back out into the open, looking guilty. Caught being a teeny bit cowardly. "You weren't hiding behind me, you were hiding behind /them/," she says, and takes a deep breath. Look at them go! "Oh, he's coming, um, this way." And clumsily, at that. Edging back behind Joscelin seems like a good idea at this point, and she sort of scuffs that way.
Hassaleah looks over to Joscelin as she's reminded of this. "Oh, you're a grown up," she says dismissively. "You don't need to hide behind anybody!" She, after all, doesn't have anybody to hide behind, so nobody else should, either. She wipes her hands on her robe and idly picks at some of the none-too-skillful stitching. "I'm going on a diet," she mutters quietly, "as soon as this is over."
Sections of the Succulent Sun-Ripened Raspberry Egg start to flake off, falling off into the sands. Bright wine shards littering the area around the Icily Perfect Arctic Green Hatchling now reposing on the sands. She waits for several long moments, contemplating, or just getting her bearings before she lunges to her feet to charge at the semi circle of candidates. Her forward momentum almost carries her too far, and it's with a sharp turn and a near over balancing that brings her to Lanvib. L'vib, reaches out to steady her, offering. "Innaeliseth, watch what you're doing. You could hurt someone if you don't slow down."
Joscelin steals a glance towards the brown hatchling, eyeing him speculatively. "He's dizzy," the young man remarks. "Either that or he's sharding drunk. And I can't see how a hatchling could get drunk just when he's hatched." A pause. "Fine," he comments to Hassaleah. "You can all hid behind me." Or whatever. Yeah.
As if awakening from a long sleep, Plump and Juicy Pear Egg suddenly begins to twitch here and there a little bit. It wiggles this way and that, obviously not sure whether it wants to go through with hatching or not yet. In the end, it decides that it's not time just yet and falls silent once more.
Intoxicated Barley Brown Hatchling does indeed act drunk as he stumbles and staggers his way to the candidates, staring at this one and that one. He pauses by a short black-haired girl, then snorts and moves on, creeling a bit pathetically. This is as bad as a hangover! Creeel. Wait...whozzat? Pause, and stare, then stumble s'more, wings and tail dragging a little behind him as he lurches about.
An older candidate looks hopeful as the brown pauses by him, and looks incredibly disappointed when he moves on. "Shards. I was hoping he'd pick me." he complains to the others. A girl nearby gives him a disgusted look.
Mai takes a squeaky breath as the brown gets closer to the candidates, the little squabbling knot trying to decide who's hiding behind whom. "Two more?" she says thinly, watching for stray claws from the druken little fellow, leery of taking her eyes away from him to make a definite count in the shard shambles. "Isn't it?"
A herder lad who's standing close to Joscelin laughs aloud. "What's that, Jos? A drunk dragon? You'd have to have been drip-feeding it in the egg!" After a pause, he adds slyly, "Wonder if they'd like that? A pre-hatching bribe, sort of!" His other neighbour glares at him. "Oh, OK." He falls silent.
Hassaleah screws up her mouth to look at the brown. "I'm not sure dragons can get drunk, in general. Or that anybody's tried. Herdbeasts aren't usually alcoholic, and I've never heard of a dragon eating anything else. Well, maybe a wherry." She heaves in some deep breaths as the number of eggs dwindles somewhat, and looks over to the movement of the pear before going back to watching the wandering brown. And staying well out of the way, since his movements look anything but predictable.
Another shiver overtakes the Plump and Juicy Pear Egg, causing it to quake in its protected little portion of the egg mound. It rocks to one side and then the other, as if unsure which way to go. Left or right? There's a tentative tapping on the side of the shell again before one big *SMASH* causes the whole egg to break apart. With a confused squawk, Sentinel of the Sands Gold Hatchling falls from the shell and lands rather unceremoniously onto the sands.
Sentinel of the Sands Gold Hatchling
Molten gold sweeps across the neat line of delicate ridges that arch elegantly over the watchful, whirling eyes of this rather thin, leggy dragon. Dark antique gold pools across the long bridge of her muzzle and drips down to either side before fading into the gleam of the burnished color of her cheeks, creating what looks rather like a faint mask. Shadows swirl along the undersides of her earknobs and slide down the length of her neck, blending into the bright gold that shines readily upon her muscular shoulders. Highlights of near-white pigment shine out from underneath her chin and skip across her chest and belly, mingling here and there with the dominating dark coppery gold. Rich flaxen color twines over her gently arched back and splashes over her thin haunches, making it appear as though the sun is forever shining on her hide. Darkness touches at the bases of her neckridges and encases the spaded tip of her long, almost bone-thin tail. A shower of tawny gold falls from her shoulders in the form of expansive wings, the thin membranous sails colored a light smoky amber. Deep gold cover the bottommost portions of her legs, which are almost too long in proportion to her body. Despite this, she manages to maintain a very elegant appearance, even though she may not appear so at first glance.
Joscelin turns around, his expression on of protest as he overhears that comment from the Herder lad. "I have not been drip feeding it!" he yells out. "I haven't so much as come near wine or beer or anything else alchoholic related to my Craft since I became a Candidate." So there.
Intoxicated Barley Brown Hatchling hiccups, then decides enough is enough. He slowly takes a few very deliberate(and in a straight line!) steps, then sits down in an 'I'm not gonna move another step until you make me!' right in front of the squabblers, creeling at the tall candidate.
Mai giggles despite herself, covering her mouth in a hurry and darting another fretful look at the hatched hatchlings. "Oh!" It comes out muffled. "Joscelin!"
The herder apprentice rolls his eyes, and pronounces haughtily to another neighbour, "I didn't say he had. I said he'd have had to. Or someone would." A calculating look comes into his eyes. "How much do you think it would take to get a dragon squiffy?"
Hassaleah is paying more attention to the brown's approach to Joscelin than the pear's hatching, all toothy grin. She claps her hands together again, squeezing them and fairly hopping in place with the excitement. "Good going! What a fit." Then she turns back to regard the eggs and notices the newly-arrived gold. "Oh, oh my. I guess it's a good thing Kile couldn't make off with that one. He would have had some trouble with *that*..." The woodcrafter dissolves into giggles.
J'celin sniffs, his expression suddenly amused for a moment as he stares at the brown hatchling, his breath held for a moment or two. "Well," he finally breathes out at last. "Oh shards, like I said, up until this moment I never really thought about being a rider. But it seems I will be." The brown gets a grin. "All right, Waipiroth. We'll go get you something to eat, and then have a little chat, you and I."
Another candidate, a seacrafter from Tillek, frowns at the herder apprentice. "That'd be incredibly stupid. How do you know getting a dragon drunk won't kill it or anything?" he scoffs. He claps belatedly as the drunk dragon chooses.
K'lorin grins as he heads over to the newest weyrling. "Joscelin? J'celin. Let's get you and Waipiroth off the sands and something into his stomach." he says. "Congratulations."
The herder shrugs, a little disappointed as the 'drunk' brown chooses his neighbour. "Oh well, he looks sober enough now. Congrats, Josc- uh, J'celin." He steps away, with a glare at the seacrafter.
J'celin nods. "Yes, sir," he starts forwards, leading the dragonet towards the waiting Weyrlingmaster.
Mai keeps losing her cover. But she calls "Congratulations!" after J'celin anyway, then takes another shaky breath and sidles over into another re-forming knot, the ebb and flow of candidates on the Sands. "At least it's almost over," she says in a little voice, glancing over to Hassaleah with an even smaller smile. "My feet-- though I'd really just like a glass of water right now." Babble, babble. Nerves and tension are beginning to show.
Sentinel of the Sands Gold Hatchling is confused. Suddenly she's out of the darkness and into the light. And there's lots of light. Lots more light than she's used to. Craning her neck back, she gives the hatching cavern a good look. Fluttering her wings as bit, she moves to lean to one side, somehow managing to struggle to her wobbly feet. Even so, she's a bit shaky as she tries to take a few steps forward. She only manages to move one step or so before she trips over one of her own feet and lands on her belly on the sand. Well. That wasn't as graceful as she'd hoped. She lets out a few complaining rumbles as she starts to try to get her feet back underneath her.
The seacrafter candidate returns the frown, then pointedly ignores the herder candidate and glances at the gold, then looks hopefully at the remaining eggs.
The herder apprentice spots the seacrafter's glance at the gold, and mutters provokingly, "Fancy that one, do you?" He shrugs. "Anyway, someone must know about dragons and alcohol. If it's not bad for them, they might enjoy it."
Hassaleah edges over towards Mai, similarly, wringing her hands together. "No kidding. A drink and a cool foot-soak sound lovely right now." She wipes sweat from her forehead then wipes the hand on her robe, leaving a wet mark. She regards the gold thoughtfully and then the couple other remaining eggs. "Getting really down there, now. Just those couple over there left," she says with a gesture towards the three remaining eggs.
Littering the sands now are the shards of the Tart Yellow Pink Pomegranate Egg, although the Rambunctious, Eclectic Hued Green Hatchling has already left that area, making her wobbling way on toward a certain fair haired young girl. Methi was searched from Telgar, but there she won't be returning as the girl reaches out, smiling a bit more. "Caelmyth! Yes, I'm right here. Right where you expected me to be. And where I'll always stay."
The seacrafter jerks his thumb at the leaving J'celin. "If anyone, it's him, the one that got the dizzy dragon. He was a vintner, wasn't he? And I don't want a gold, I'd rather have something better, like a bronze." he says, and looks hopefully at the eggs again. As one of the eggs hatch, he looks disappointed that it's not a bronze and ignores it, looking at the remaining two.
Mai agrees with a fervent nod, raising one foot at a time -- completely typical candidate shuffling. "My feet are stinging. I hope we get a little bit of a rest. And lots of water." She wraps her arms around herself again, looking toward the way out with a deep breath. "I hope Glimmer's not too upset. I told him to sleep.... Oh," she adds, catching sight of the other eggs she's pointed at. "That's one less, now. Is that Methi?"
The herder tilts his head, flutters his eyelashes, and says in dulcet tones, "Awww! But you'd make such a lovely weyrwoman."
K'lorin frowns at the two candidates jabbing at each other. "If you two won't be quiet you'll leave the sands now, either or both of you!" he says with a scowl as an AWLM leads the new pair off the sands.
"That's ridiculous, " another Candidate pipes up, joining in the discussion about inebriated dragons, if such a thing were possible. "Me mam studied a bit o' dragonhealing, she did. She never mentioned anythin' 'bout drunk dragons." The scrawny lad sniffs, appearing highly offended as K'lorin admonishes the other two nearest him. Perhaps he thought the Weyrlingmaster was directing those remarks at him?
Sentinel of the Sands Gold Hatchling tries and tries again. Soon she's back onto her feet, fanning her wings happily at her accomplishment. It looks like she's finally got the hang of her legs now. Needless to say, her first few steps are slow. Slow and careful. Though once she's sure she's not going to go tumbling to the ground again, the gold starts to move a little faster now. Those white-robed candidates are her target. It's hard to tell where exactly she's going, though she's giving most everyone that's left a good look. She then pauses several feet away from the line of candidates, considering. Which one? Obviously she didn't expect there to be so many of them. But hers has to be there somewhere.
Hassaleah fans herself with one hand, standing back from the gold's regard. "I'm still surprised," she tells Mai, "that Intaglio's listened enough not to try to come out here. She's probably just scared of the dragons. She never listens to me... much like my kids, actually." A little hesitant smile and a nod as Methi Impresses. "Lovely green. Lovely name, too, actually."
With a great shuddering crack, the Sweet Custardish Cherimoya Egg begins to open, splitting apart at the seams and spilling out a Tropical Skies Blue Hatchling onto the sands. A shake of his egg wet wings before he gathers his feet underneath him and begins his journey on the sands. A vibrant creel as he starts walking, heading directly toward the line of candidates. He finds what he was looking for, staring up into the dark brown eyes of a candidate from Southern Boll. Vectin, now V'tin is smiling ecstatically, calling out. "Of course, Rheleth, right this way."
The herder squirms. "Yessir!" He takes a few steps away from the seacrafter and stands looking as innocent as he can manage - though he does shoot a disappointed glance at the dragonhealer's scrawny offspring, and at the blue that impresses V'tin.
Mai admits disappointedly, "I didn't catch the name. What was it?" She pats her hands down her sides, tugging the fabric that sticks in too many places, making it seem even hotter, then hugs herself again regardless of the heat and watches anxiously. "Another blue. Oh, they are pretty. Even though they're sort of slimy." It makes her smile a little to say. "To think we touched them."
The seacrafter looks suitably chastened, and just watches as another egg hatches blue. Drat, that means only one left. Hope it's for him!
Hassaleah nods after the blue, adding, "Caelmyth. Sounds so elegant, don't you think?" Idle chit-chat to fill the time, though gaze lingers momentarily on that one last egg. Pickings getting very slim indeed. The gold receives a cautious look. "She seems to have a little better control than most of them. I guess it's amazing they can move so quickly after just hatching, in the first place, isn't it? They seem to just know."
Sentinel of the Sands Gold Hatchling lurches to one side, stops, and then starts to move decidedly towards the closeknit group of Candidates to the left of the Sands. She pauses again, looking over the faces, curious. That one? No .. that's not her. Where is she? She wobbles a few more steps forward before she seems to find what she's looking for. Almost falling over with her excitement, the little gold starts towards her. The only one she'll ever love. A happy croon escapes her. Yes. This is the one.
Mai agrees with a nervous little nod-- emotions pare down pretty tightly on the Sands, nerves, anticipation, a little fear. Her eyes get very wide when it's toward their area that the biggest of the hatchlings heads, and she swallows to keep down a squeak.
Hassaleah weaves a little on the sand, at first. Just a little bit of weakness in the knees, a vague sway about the shoulders. In fact, she looks very much like she's about to faint. Only at the last moment does she step forward. "W-well. No, I wouldn't necessarily call it *fun*. It's awful hot out here, Mhiyath," she finally finds the tongue to say. She starts to crouch down, then thinks better of it as the robe reveals bare knees to hot sand. "Okay. Bad idea. Starving... we'll get you food, right away." Eyes are wide as saucers as she looks up, seeking out the Weyrlingmaster or one of his assistants.
The herder candidate scarcely glances towards the gold when she finally impresses. His eyes are fixed on that one remaining egg, and he edges a little closer to it. He seems to have run out of banter.
There was a steady tap-tapping at the hard shell of the Roasted Coconut Egg, the last egg on the Sands, until finally the shell can withstand the pressure no longer and it splits neatly, nearly down the middle. Now bereft of his home, the Twilight's Shadowed Mountains Blue Hatchling takes one trudging step forward after another. Ho Hum. Now to pick. But who. Just at the moment though, Caralise turns, startled somewhat at the hatchling's proximity before she stutters out. "Oevylisth. You quite scared me. Did you do it on purpose?"
K'lorin comes forward, nodding approvingly. "Looks like your kids will have to wait a bit longer, Hassaleah. Congratulations, let's get you and Hassaleah off the sands and feed Mhiyath."
Mai takes a breath of relief when she doesn't have to dodge aside, and edges away from Hassaleah with a wide smile. "Oh, Hassaleah! Congratulations! Mhiyath," she adds softly to herself. "Oh. The last one-- there." And that's that. "At least I can get off the sands now," she says, and starts to gather with the others left on the grounds.
The seacrafter, too, moves forward towards the last egg, and looks /severely/ disappointed when it just hatches a blue. And then there's no more left! "I wouldn't have minded a blue..." he says in a small voice.
Hassaleah takes a deep breath, and finally lets out a little chuckle. "Wait? I doubt it. They'll be under foot all the time now, just you wait..." Then she waits for Mhiyath to get her bearings, and both head off towards the sides and the food waiting there.
The herder, finding himself alongside his seacrafting fellow-candidate, murmurs in agreement, "Nor me. Oh well. That's that. What now?"
The seacrafter shrugs. "Go home, I guess."
Once the last pair has been escorted completely off the Sands, Tylia pushes herself away from the wall to step further into view of the remaining candidates. "I'm afraid that's all there is. It seems that your lifemates were not clutched here today." There's a pause before she continues, "Please remember that just being thought worthy of a dragon is enough to be proud. You're free to stay on at High Reaches Weyr for the next clutching, or you may choose to go back to your home. Thank you for being such a good group of candidates. Hopefully you'll find your lifemate out there somewhere." And with that, she nods her head towards the remaining candidates and steps back.
Disappointment may set in later. For now, Mai just nods politely to the Weyrwoman and makes her escape with the rest of the candidates, for the water and cooled feet she was wishing for not so long ago.