Xanadu Weyr - Hatching Sands
The large circular "stage" is surrounded on one half by a towering wall, thin slit windows high overhead letting in some light without truly endangering the objects on the sands, though plenty of lights are spaced at human-level all the way around. The other half is ringed by the dark blue seats of the observation level, rising upwards towards the back wall. The circle itself is filled with a mix of red and white sands, deep enough to cover the largest of dragon eggs with ease. To one side, a small door is visible, hidden away behind a platform meant to provide a place for the clutch parent's lifemates to stand during the on goings.
It's early evening in early autumn, the first of the leaves turning to their bright colors outside. Soriana knows this because sometimes, she gets to leave the hatching sands and visit with the world beyond. It's a nice place. She'd like to live there once more - though at least with the change in the seasons, the heat of the sands is sometimes almost welcome. Still, she'll be glad when it's a place she can visit instead of staying. She's just heading out for one of her trips to the wide world of not them, leaving Luraoth to guard things on her own (just for a moment. Because Soriana wants a drink) when she stops in the doorway. Wait. What. Is. Thaaaaa- and Soriana turns back around just as the humming starts, going back into the sands (dry throat and all) to where Luraoth is arched over her eggs, wings spread as she invites them with a hatching hum soon picked up by other dragons all around the Weyr. Soriana will be escaping soon… but not. just. yet.
Gleaming in the Sun Egg rocks against the sands, soon wobbling steadily.
Stands> After scrubbing her skin near to raw for the last two sevendays, Kera has managed to remove most of the purplish stain from her skin. The same cannot be said for her hair however. While it's not as solid mane of bright healer purple, it is still a lightened hue of lavender. That's why the young healer has it bound and wrapped in a scarf. Lucky for her, the girl's mother inpmressed a like for pretty scarves. Venturing out away from the infirmary for a couple of candlemarks, she stopped by the kitchen and fixed up a little basket before heading across the clearing. About ten paces away from the entrance, Minimur appears above her chittering wildly before darting ahead of Kera to perch in the gallery rafters. Blinking at the odd behavior, she shakes her head then hears the weyr begin to hum, low at first, then growing louder. Hurrying her steps, she rushes between the rowed seating til she peers over the railing.
Ka'el is fortunate enough to not have not been confined to the sands as much as his goldriding counterpart, though in truth, the places he has been would happily be traded for a plastic seat in the stands. But those memories can't and won't be changed, and by now Ka'el has been left with only an ache for a memory that most times can be disregarded. He's out scoping out the dinner spread when the humming starts. Kanekith's voice is loud in his mind. A tune he's never heard from him before. And it's this melody that has the bronze rider hurrying back towards the annex, leaving behind what food he had secured to bring back with him. He's not the only one heading that way. The sound of dragon humming is beginning to alert the weyr, and many have stopped their duties to stream towards the annex too. Like mice following the pied piper. Among them is a line of white-robed candidates. Some wide eyed. A few feigning calm. While still others are tying their ropes around them, trying to finish their dressing while moving, their nervousness tangible. Ka'el glances at them briefly before he scurries by to head onto the heated sands, pulling at his collar while peering at Luraoth who hover over her eggs, then Kanekith who is near, head arched high and mouth opened as he hums.
Yolk in the Face Egg trembles on the sands, a subtle quaver.
Last time Soriana was here at these sands for a hatching, she was one of those candidates. Now, she's… "Okay. Okay, Luraoth." Of course it's okay. Her eggs are ready to hatch! Soriana crosses to the queen, glancing at the eggs as they begin to move, then reaches up to Luraoth. "Come on. Give them some space. They'll be fine." Of course they will. Luraoth just wants to welcome them… but gradually Soriana coaxes her to take at least a few steps back, so as to not loom too much when those candidates come in. First to arrive, though, is not a candidate at all but Ka'el, and Soriana glances back to him, offering a quick… well, it's supposed to be a smile. It ends up more of a 'Oh Faranth, well, here we are!' look, and then she's back to keeping an eye on Luraoth as V'dim leads in the line of candidates. They bow. Of course they do. V'dim probably just reminded them… and yet it's still erratic, some doing it quickly and others staring a moment before they join in.
There's a tapping sound from Gleaming in the Sun Egg, slow at first but persistent and growing stronger. The shell begins to crackle along the top, a shard falling away…
The Powder Soft Egg wobbles, the dragon inside beginning to tap at the shell from within.
Stands> Lucky for her, she was heading to the galleries before the dragons' songs began. That's why she's got a prime spot at the railing, and oh look, a basket of food and juice to help celebrate with. "Owe!" She glares around to some guy wearing weaver knots "Walk on your on feet." Determined to keep her spot at the rail, she even leans forward a bit, just as a couple of eggs seem to move, then there are cracking noises.
Stands> The stands are filling up quickly. Curious weyrfolk, candidate parents beaming hopefully at their offspring, people with bets or making belated ones… quite the hatching crowd!
Kanekith's humming lowers as the Candidates arrive. He eyes them, watching them bow. Yes, they'd better bow. Grrr, that one over there, he did not bo- .. oh, there is is. The bronze is satisfied, and his tail gives a whippish sweep to one side as he now watches eggs rock, rumble, and crack. Ka'el does manage a smile to Soriana, who likely has a bit more on her plate than he does at the moment, and he continues over to Kanekith to stand near him, touching a hand to a foreleg. There's not much for him to do but stand and watch. It's up to the candidates now. And even so .. ther'es not much for them to do either but stand and hope and hopefully not pass out.
Like poor Bolanse, who nearly tripped over her robe which ahs ended up being a bit too long for her. Not much she can do about it now as she toys with her dark braid, eyes on the wobbly egg. Rosalba is near her, her curly blonde hair pulled up and away from her face. She looks far more confident, but her eyes betray her nervousness. Her heart races as she coaches herself to breathe. In. Out. Pheeeeew… She can do this!
All this time with the eggs, it's been hurry up and wait. Now? All that hurrying seems to be catching up all at once! The eggs are moving, and Luraoth - while no longer looming quite so much - is definitely still watching them. The candidates? She eyes them, but… she's already seen them. Watched them, as they touched her eggs and met the babies inside. This evening, when her babies are going to come out and meet the world, her attention is on them, and Soriana's attention is on Luraoth. Mostly. She glances to Ka'el, to the candidates, to the growing crowd in the stands… and then reaches to brush her fingers along Luraoth's neck as the dragon croons her welcome to the rocking eggs.
Galberet did bow, honest! He'll do it again if Kanekith isn't- whew, okay, the bronze is satisfied. He hustles in to get to a spot in the rough semicircle forming, nodding to Johann as he stands next to the other fellow. "Good luck," he says, and flashes a grin.
Stands> After a little bit of jostling at the rail, Kera retains her spot. When the candidates start scurrying onto the sands below, she squints, trying to get a better look. "They look small. Or the robes wayy to big." A hint of a chuckle might be heard before the apprentice sets her basket between her feet then reaches up to tuck an escapred lock of lavender tinted hair back under her scarf.
Yolk in the Face Egg is moving steadily now, with small rocking motions.
Beneath the Bright Surface Egg begins to rock, a tracework of cracks beginning along the lines underlying its hues. Perhaps they were weak spots?
"Will you please stop breathing on my neck?" whispers Gerra, her tousled hair looking even more so this evening. Maybe she was caught in the middle of a nap? Aggravated looking eyes glare at Rosalba, who she ended up near by some series of unfortunate events. Ugh! She breathes so loudly. She can hardly concentrate on the eggs because of it! She shoves her way to one side, away from her and against Iaungwi, whose slanted eyes are closed yet mouth is moving. Saying a prayer of some sort, maybe? Or just willing himself not to faint.
Johann, whose hair resembles an afro more than anything else, cheesily grins back and gives Galberet a thumbs up. No, make that two! And then he wipes his sweaty hands at his sides and goes back to crossing his fingers as he stares at the wobbly Powder Soft Egg. Sweatdrop. Yup. That's actual sweat rolling down the side of his face! Hopefully the dragons aren't adverse to sweaty candidates.
Carbon Turns to Coal Egg wobbles, then thumps over onto its side.
If the dragons objected to sweaty candidates, maybe they should have turned down the heat in here! But, it's too late now, and they'll just have to suffer. Bolanse glances over at Gerra and shakes her head, looking away out at the eggs. "They're moving," she murmurs softly.
Well… of course they are! Luraoth kneads the sand as she settles down, more restful now as her eggs grow more agitated. They're coming. They're ready. It's all good… and with that calm, Soriana leaves her side, though she doesn't go far. Just enough to step over next to Ka'el. "…" is the sound of a dry throat and not knowing what to say. But she swallows and gets it working and tries again. "Hey."
One of those rocks proves too much, and Yolk in the Face Egg tumbles sideways and breaks, leaving the dragon inside a sprawl of limbs with a yellow eggshell hat.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~< Remembering Eternity Green Hatchling >~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
An elegant green, long of limb and graceful. Her hide is an olive shade, dappled with golden patches around her head that evoke a crown. Her wings seem almost too long for her body, tapering all the way to delicate points. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Stands> Kera turns her attention down to the fidgetting candiates as they fan out below. Some seem to be encouraging each other, and others succomes to nerves and snipe at eat other. A loud crackling echos across the sands and Kera peer around just as one of the eggs topples over. Raised whispers behind her concerning colors, odds and wagers has her just shaking her head. Then a rather…yolky egg, no pun intended, trembles a bit before spilling an unsteady green dragonette onto the sands.
Iaungwi gasps as one of the eggs topples over. Apparently his eyes have been squinted open just enough that he does see what's going on. They're fully open now, boggling at the Carbon Turns to Coal fallen over egg. "It will be…all right, won't it?"
To which Gerra rolls her eyes. "They're hatching aren't they? They're supposed to break." Duh.
Ka'el is glad to not be in the candidates' shoes. Not this time around. Not ever again! Two times was more than enough for him, and this third time is probably the most peaceful. He doesn't have to worry about impressing or not. He's got his lifemate buddy right here, and he continues to rub at Kanekith's leg as the bronze watches the eggs, just as eager to see HIS GREATEST CREATIONS as the Candidates are! As Soriana moves over, he doesn't hesitate to curl an arm around her waist. "Hey," he greets back before the sound of cracking gets his (and the Candidates'!) attention. "First green. Wow.."
Remembering Eternity Green Hatchling gathers her legs beneath her and stands up, spreading her wings experimentally and then folding them against her back once again. All limbs check in! Four feet, two wings, and one - she flicks it to make sure - tail. The young green croons, echoing her mama's hum for a moment as she peeks back toward Luraoth, then chirps in perplexity as her eggshell hat slides down over her face. It got dark! What's that all about?
Carbon Turns to Coal Egg starts rolling across the sands, as if it's turned into a treadmill for the dragon inside.
Black and Blue Washed Out Egg begins rocking to a slow rhythm.
Luraoth's croon intensifies as her first child emerges. There you are! She was waiting for you, and now you're here. Soriana's gaze was on the green, smiling at her with… yeah, fondness. Luraoth's feelings are shared, and besides, with how much time she spent in those stands, Soriana can really feel glad it's over with! Besides. The green's kind of cute, and she laughs as she leans in against Ka'el's side despite the heat. "She looks healthy." Once a dragonhealer, always a dragonhealer? But it's not all practical, because… "Luraoth's first hatchling. Huh." Though it seems like some of the other eggs have plans to join in, before long, and Galberet doesn't know which way to look. There's just so much to see!
Stands> Kera watches the wobbly hatchling then stifles a chuckle when the green suddenly has an eggy mask hiding the world from her. "Tough luck that. She spent on that time and effort getting out, only to find herself right back in her shell." Celebrating the first egg hatching, Kera tugs a roll from her basket and start nibbling as other eggs begin twitching. Kera scans the sands for Soriana and Ka'el quickly before she's back to watching the amusing newborn.
Rosalba kind of fluffs up her curly hair a bit. Maybe hatchlings like presentable Candidates? And that green is terribly cute! Look at that shell on her face. Adorable! "Oh!" She squeezes her hands into excited fists, one of which is unfortunately holding onto Bolanse's who gives a little yelp of protest!
Ka'el grins, chest swelling a bit at the exact same time as Kanekith's. Look at his little girl! Everything is perfect about her. And she is strong! She'll definitely choose her mate well. Kanekith croons, wings flaring slowly before folding back to his sides. Welcome, little daughter. I am your father! "Course she's healthy," Ka'el remarks to Sori. "They all are gonna be. Just watch."
Soriana glances to Ka'el, and nods. "I will," she says as she returns her gaze to the eggs, leaning in against him. How could she not watch? These are her Luraoth's hatchlings, and the gold hums happily to them, hatched and unhatched. Come, little green! See the world instead of just your shell. It's a beautiful place. There's a real sun, instead of that yellow shell. You can bask in it and fly high toward it!
Beneath the Bright Surface Egg continues to break, the pieces shearing from each other but not falling away.
Remembering Eternity Green Hatchling shakes her head. Hey now. Hat is one thing. Blindfolds are another! She wants to see - and after a moment, she does, leaning her head down and knocking the shell away with a paw. There! The young green lifts her head high, chirping to mother and father both - hello! But I already know you - before prancing toward the candidates. How are you? Rosalba is sniffed curiously, the green's head leaning in… then drawing back. Nope. Not you. (Wrong hairstyle?) She's going to keep looking!
Gerra snorts a laugh at the green's attempts to clear her head, which makes Rosalba look away from her primping long enough to roll her eyes. And Gerra complains about her being loud? As. If.
Gleaming in the Sun Egg cracks as a hatchling head pokes up through the small gap and forces egg-wet hide into the light as the shell shatters around it.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~< Making It Work Brown Hatchling >~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A sturdy brown, on the small side for his color. His hide has a reddish hue to it, rich clay worked and molded into this form. His head is auburn, and burnt umber sweeps along his back, paling to mahogany out along his wings.
Are the boys not so interested in the green? Or are they just shell shocked? Probably the latter. Iaungwi is still staring, unable to focus himself enough to complete any meaningful phrases and words just yet. Galberet has his eyes on the Gleaming in the Sun Egg, and Johann is..picking his nose? No no, he was scratching his nose! Geeze!
"Oh, a brown!" Galberet is the first to point out the newest hatchling, literally pointing to the new little brown.
Rosalba nurses her ego after being rejected by the hat/mask wearing green hatchling. There are other eggs! She squares her shoulders and follows her candidate-mate's pointing finger to the sturdy looking brown. Oh, browns are definitely nice too!
Stands> Kera glances down a moment, fumbling for something in her basket and comes back up with a bottle. She alternates between sipping from it and nibbling on her snack while the young greenling parades along the candidates. Kera giggles when the little hatchling seems to tease a candidate or two before moving on to continue looking for…something. Pops and cracklings whip the apprentice's head around tothe other side of the sands, just in time to see a cute brownling get free.
Some of those shells on the sands are definitely shocked, just like those candidate boys. The Carbon Turns to Coal one is still rolling around, crunching some of the shattered shells from the green's egg as it goes. Oops? It's not like the occupant can see anything! Soriana glances to it with a small brow-furrowed frown. Is it going to be okay? …probably. She doesn't have much time to think about it, for there's the brown making his entrance to Luraoth's welcoming hum! Soriana asks Ka'el without looking, "It's… always this fast, isn't it?"
Making It Work Brown Hatchling puts his feet out in a stable sort of position. Okay. He's got this. He… thump. Thump. Elegant he is not, but he's trundling along toward the candidates, headed straight for that group of boys. Evidently, he knows where he's going?
Remembering Eternity Green Hatchling slips along, her steps falling into a graceful pattern. What about you? Are you- nope. Definitely not! She snorts right back at Gerra, continuing on to… oh, look! The boys. She investigates them from behind as her brother does so from the front. It's a flanking maneuver!
Black and Blue Washed Out Egg's motions quicken, the shell itself seeming to pulse.
"Only when you're watching, I think," Ka'el answers Soriana, his eyes also on the new brown, but he glances back to the green as well, curious to see just who she'll choose of the many Candidates out there. "To me, ours felt like hundreds of candlemarks long, when maybe it wasn't even one." He squeezes her gently, encouragingly. It's all going well! No one's been squished or scratched or otherwise harmed. Two of six are hatched and looking. And the clutchparents are as good as can be. If Kanekith swells any further, he'll surely burst. His first hatched son is here! Is he small? Definitely not. He's strong.
The poor girl candidates are being ignored in favor of the boys! The boys, who seem to have frozen upon being inspected from all sides. Snuffled and sniffed at by a green and brown snout. Iaungwi squeezes his eyes shut, quivering with aniticipation. Johann…grins crookedly at the brown face in front of him. "Heeeey…" While Galberet gets his bottom sniffed by a green. Luckily he's bathed! But that doesn't stop his cheeks from flushing pink. Oy.
Stands> Kera forgets her snack momentarily when the young brown starts off with purpose. Soon his green hued sister is joining him in sizing up a group of candidates as the double team the white clad figures. Grinning as she takes a quick look around the galleries before looking back to the sands drinking from her bottle.
Remembering Eternity Green Hatchling considers carefully. There's a treasure for her somewhere here, she just knows it! She heard rumors even back in her shell. She just has to find it. Maybe Johann? She leans toward him, investigating, but… a toss of her head. No, he's not her rider. She snorts past him to her brother. Is this what you're looking for? He doesn't smell right to me. Or maybe that's the bath soap lingering? Really, Galberet, did you have to use the one with water lily scent? It's not the most manly… though the remembering eternity hatchling supposes she can't argue with a sense of adventure, whatever form it takes, and she stretches up to set her head on the lad's shoulder. Crooon. Galberet turns to her, staring wide-eyed. "What. You. I." Chirp? Aren't you ready? "…of course I am! I'm always ready, Antinoth!" Nodnod, staaaare, nod. "I, uh. You're right. Ga'et is shorter." And if they're going to be off on adventures, best to be able to call each other quickly!
With a triumphant cry the Remembering Eternity Green Hatchling has found its lifemate at last. After a few moments the Weyrlingmaster leads the new pair off the sands.
Soriana laughs to Ka'el, and nods. "That too. I mean… it took forever." Maybe an eternity? "And no time at all. It was…" she shakes her head, looking back over the eggs and hatchlings and… "Oh." She just points to the green who's taken a rather… proprietary… interest in one of those candidates. Luraoth… croons all the more!
Making It Work Brown Hatchling blinks at his sister. This one isn't right? Oh. Well. He whfffs and turns to shuffle off. Maybe one of the girls will be the right one for him? They look interesting, anyhow…
"Ooh!" Rosalba watches as her cute little green Impresses to … Galberet of all Candidates. Her green! But obviously not her green. That's alright. There are others waiting to hatch and find her, hopefully. She straightens her shoulders and loosens her neck. She's ready!
Iaungwi deflates as he exhales a suuuuuper long breath, slouching a bit as the green moves off with her new lifemate and the brown turns his back on them. Johann gives him a hearty pat on the back, one that has him lurching forward a little under the impact. "It's all good, bro! Next one." He gives him a thumbs up before whooping a cheer for Ga'et. "Alright, man! I knew you was a green at heart!" Whatever that means.
Ka'el can't help but laugh. He saw that buttsniff before Impression! "Glad you weren't so thorough with me," he murmurs to Kanekith, who only rumbles in happy reply.
It's probably a good thing for Johann's sake that Ga'et is busy staring into Antinoth's eyes. If he hears the greening comment, he doesn't say anything about it before he and his new lifemate are ushered off the sands by one of the weyrlingmasters. Antinoth's first adventure? FOOD. Her second? Well, that's yet to be discovered!
Making It Work Brown Hatchling trundles off, one foot in front of the other. Rosalba? He peers at with soulful eyes, then lowers his head. Nope. Too girly. Gerra? He edges away from. Bolanse, though… he pauses near her, giving her a considering look. Maybe… possibly… sorta… he can see something like that working… one paw edges forward. Steps back. Edges forward again… and…
When the moment comes, Beneath the Bright Surface Egg breaks all at once, falling into large chunks around the emerging dragon.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~< Deepness Of the Sky Blue Hatchling >~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A small blue, but well formed. His wing membranes are pale enough to be nearly white, though a tracery of darker patterns evokes the shapes of nonexistent feathers. Along his slender body, the hide takes on a deeper shade, bright around his shoulders and then drifting darker and more purplish as it extends down toward his paws and tail, until the tips of them are nearly black. His first steps are an attempt to leap spread-winged to the skies… only to come tumbling back to the earth with a thump. His next are more cautious, approaching the candidates and searching for… there. Another incautious leap, and this one brings him to a dark-haired girl whose brown eyes widen in surprise. "Icarith?" Bolanse asks. "…really?" Yes, really, the bump of Icarith's muzzle declares.
With a triumphant cry the Deepness Of the Sky Blue Hatchling has found its lifemate at last. After a few moments the Weyrlingmaster leads the new pair off the sands.
Stands> Kera pauses in lifting the bottle to her mouth as the green hatchling seems to make her choice, and then the hushed voices of the better among the stands murmurs from the galleries. A few marks change hands while the apprentice manages to take a drink finally. When the greenling pair makes a path off the sands, Kera peers back to the other hatchling, and the eager eggs. Shells fly, producing a brillaint blue that causes even Kera to lean forward a bit to admire it.
Gerra looks back at the brown's eyes, her expression more of a glare than anything else. A 'I dare you!' sort of look. She dares you to Impress her, you brown! Which he doesn't. She grumps and crosses her arms, eyes rolling.
"What is your problem?" hisses Rosalba. "You're making them all go away from here!" And away from her! She needs to find another spot away from Grumpy Gerra. So she tries to shuffle off through the sands, edging to a new spot, trying to squeeeeze her way between a pair of unimportant candidates. "Excuse me. Pardon…"
Bolanse, meanwhile, is left with the brown, not quite sure what to do. Breathing would be nice, but she's kind of forgetting to do that as the hatching moves forward..then no, back. Then forward again.. Oh the agony of waiting! Sweatdrop.
"Look! Oh man, a blue!" Johann points again to the newest hatchling, who ends up beating out the brown for Bolanse. Johann snaps his fingers. "Darn it. That would've been awesome! His colors were wicked!"
Whups. Carbon Turns to Coal Egg hits something! The shell shatters, falling into pieces.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~< Something Slightly Strange Green Hatchling >~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A rather large green, her hide splotched harlequin fashion with lime and apple greens. Maybe she's been trying to compare apples and citrus? She's got a hunched posture, her hindlegs bigger than her for, and the effect is like she's crouching and ready to pounce, even at rest.
Bolanse certainly isn't paying the brown any mind anymore, because she's got an eager Icarith who wants to go flying with her. She's leaned back, almost about to fall down, and then finally dares to reach out and pat his muzzle. "We, uh…" should go eat. Or so a weyrlingmaster will inform them, and lead the dazed weyrling and dragon away!
Pieces of shell start falling away from the Powder Soft Egg, making a gapwork pattern of shell and white parchment lining.
Making It Work Brown Hatchling stops, paw reaching out into the air as his brother leaps past him. Oh. Apparently… this one isn't his either. He snorts, lowering his head, and eyes Gerra again… nope. Not touching that. Not touching that with a ten foot tail… before turning back toward the remaining eggs. Maybe he doesn't need a human after all. He looks up at Luraoth, and chirps hopefully. Can he just stay home? Maybe he can find a bigger shell. One he still fits in. Please?
Kanekith yarps a happy sound as his second son hatches and finds his mate in a girl. That girl was alright, in his opinion. Good choice! But what's this? He rumbles and twists his head at the brown who is still milling about undecisively. What? He can't make up his mind? Boy, you'd better go out there and find your lifemate or so help me! He lowers his head a little and makes a snorted sound. You. Go. Now!
Iaungwi has shut his eyes again, but with Johann's whooping, he's realizing that he's missing things. Ok! He can do this. He takes in a few deep breaths and opens his eyes again. There are still eggs and a new green he hadn't seen before. "I can do this," he coaches himself, nodding. "I can." And he will! Sweatily.
Luraoth peers at the uncertain little brown, and croons. He'll always be her son, but he can't stay home forever. He needs a human companion too. The one who's right for him. Go on. The same encouragement as Kanekith gives, but softer and more gentle. He's a wise little dragon. All her children are. He knows the answer, doesn't he? She believes in him.
Making It Work Brown Hatchling lowers his head. Yes, mama. Yes, papa. He'll find his human. He turns away, trudging a few steps and pausing to look over the candidates again. There's a red-haired fellow over there, but… no. It doesn't feel right. He's looking for… for… for the one who's right for him. A moment's hesitation, and then his head lifts. Oh. He starts back toward where he started - no, not the eggs. The second place he started.
Something Slightly Strange Green Hatchling shakes herself off, and prances across the sands after her brown brother. Maybe he'll find something interesting. Or maybe she'll pounce his tail. It is dragging in the sand rather attractively, now isn't it… so she crouches and leaps after him, but either she's actually playing jumprope or else she misses, because she hops right over and tumbles to her side. Oops.
Stands> Kera follows the rushing blue, with her gaze, across the sand. As the little thing bullies by his larger brother, the brown catches her attention and she watches it roam. Among the candidates it still searches before pausing to confer with his dam and sire, perhaps over his choices? He better hurry, another hatchling is dumped to the sands, a strange looking little green. Kera chuckles when it looks like the green one is more interested in playing than anything else.
Oh, another green! Rosalba can't stifle her giggle as she watches the playful one follow after her clutch sibling and fall over. "Oh! Are you…" Alright? She sucks back the word before speaking it. No need to get her hopes up. No need to get too attached to a green that may look her over in the end. She clasps her hands together and hopehopehopes.
Gerra rolls her eyes, glad that curly haired blondie over there decided to move. That just gives her more space! Not that she needs it with the way she's standing, arms crossed and face a tad sullen. Arms uncross long enough to draw the length of one across her forehead, wiping off sweat.
"Uh oh, watch out man. Here comes a green," warns Johann to Iaungwi, gesturing to the tripped over greenling. Iaungwi gulps. "Wh-what's…wrong with…greens?" He thinks that one is kind of pretty!
Black and Blue Washed Out Egg collapses in on itself, a rain of shards falling on the hatchling.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~< Mountains In the Mist Blue Hatchling >~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A sturdy blue, with strong features. His hide is a soft shade of blue-gray, dusky around the craggy shape of his face and paws but softening to a gentle sky blue over his body and out along his winding tail. His wings are broad sweeps, their points darkened in hue to define his edges.
Making It Work Brown Hatchling stops for a moment to stare at his green sibling. What? What are you even… no. Nope. Not gonna be distracted. Not gonna let her get there first. He's got his human in mind. This one is his. Even if he's looking at the green. His human. He's gonna do it. The brown launches himself into a lumbering, awkward run, headed straight for the boys. He's gonna do it he's gonna do it he's gonna ohShardsHowDoesHeStop? Answer he doesn't. Not before slamming right into Johann, at which point he tumbles down on top of the candidate in a splay of limbs. Ohno! Did he break his human? He broke his shell and now he can't go back. If he's broken his human, too… "Hey, no, I'm…" having trouble breathing, but, "…great!" Johann assures his (his!) dragon. Pant. What's wrong with greens? …other than distracting him so he gets crushed by a brown? Iaungwi may have to find out for himself. "Alsi…kkanth. Move." J'an needs oxygen!
With a triumphant cry the Making It Work Brown Hatchling has found its lifemate at last. After a few moments the Weyrlingmaster leads the new pair off the sands.
Something Slightly Strange Green Hatchling picks herself up and shakes the sand off before following after her brother. Oh! He fell too. The green bobs her head … is she laughing at him? It kinda looks like it. Maybe that's what's wrong with greens? Not that she herself seems to mind! She chirps cheerfully, then turns back to look. Oh! There's a new brother. Perhaps he'll be more interested in playing?
Snerk, "Haaa!" Gerra snickersnortlaughs at Johann's misfortune of being pounced by his new lifemate. Hopefully nothing is broken, but she's not thinking about that right now. It's funny, so she laughs at his expense. Her crossed arms drop to her sides now, face still looking humored as she calculates how many more are left. Many Candidates. Three, no make that one egg, two hatchlings.
"Congratulations Johann," offers Iaungwi, blinking as his friend is pummeled, then helped up by the weyrlingmaster and helped away with his new brown in tow. Oh man! He rubs his hands together, murmurs something beneath his breath, and then looks between the laughing green and newly hatched blue. Or…gray? What a stormcloud!
Mountains In the Mist Blue Hatchling regards his green clutchmate with a steady gaze, and… does not much else. Is he secretly a rock? He's just standing there… no, wait. There it is. A motion of his head as he surveys the humans gathered here. His sister holds no interest for him, but one of these here will. Or already does - he has a memory of one, if it wasn't just a dream. Slowly, slowly the blue drifts into motion, coming toward the candidates like the clouds on the horizon drifting closer… or like a baby dragon who's really not sure of his footing and doesn't want to fall over. Either way.
Something Slightly Strange Green Hatchling even tries a little pounce toward her brother, but no. He's boring! And is that Kanekith giving her the 'go on, pick a human' look? Not that she cares, but she supposes she can go take another look! Just in case there's something she missed. Besides, there will be more playtimes after. (She's sure of it! Allowed or not.)
Oh, maybe it will be her this time! Rosalba can't help but to feel hopeful! Isn't that what this is all about? Hope for a different sort of life? Hope to find one that you'll never be without again? She messes with her curly runnertail again, then straightens her robe. There! Surely now one of these hatchlings will come for her?
Gerra's thoughts have wandered to where the hatchling's thoughts usually wander to: Food. There's going to be a feast after this, right? Impressed or not, her belly is complaining. It's dinnertime! Where's the chow? She looks to the blue, green, and the final unhatched egg. "Hatch already, will ya?" she murmurs softly. "You're gonna hold up the party."
Iaungwi is … back to praying. Or meditating. Or whatever it was he was doing from the start. But at least now he's keeping his eyes open as he murmurs to himself! Which, in the end, may just make him look a little crazy…
Something Slightly Strange Green Hatchling is intrigued by this game of humans, now that she's looking. There's so many interesting things about them. Like… that one has sandals of two different sizes. Do they all? No, but this one's feet smell! She snorts, and thwaps the unfortunate candidate with her tail as she continues on down the line. Fewer now than when she hatched, but still plenty to choose from. She'll just meander along and give them all a good once-over - and some a twice-over - until she finds the one that… oh, hey. Hey hey hey, this one is worth a thrice-over. Maybe more? Round and round she goes, circling a rumpled candidate until she's wobbling, at which point the green slumps in against the candidate's side and gazes, adoring, up. You look fun. All three of you! …whoa. Dizzy.
Gerra is inspected and passed by! Or… not. Because while she's staring at the egg, the green circles back around. By the third time, she's darting her eyes to follow, smirking at the green who - "…well whose fault is that, Yoddweth? You'll be hungry again in a moment."
When the moment comes, Beneath the Bright Surface Egg breaks all at once, falling into large chunks around the emerging dragon.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~< Doing Up My Laces Green Hatchling >~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A petite green, her hide traced with delicate patterns of spring greenery. Along her stomach and sides, delicate ferns overlap with each other in a display of subtle variation, while draped across her back are larger patterns, myrtle brocades sweep out to her tail and tracing over the spars of her powerful wings. Her tail is long, restless in motion even when the rest of her is still. She steps forth with a desire for grace and legs that are almost willing to achieve it, stumbling her way into a skip forward across the sands a she looks for the human that will complement her natural style - and finds it, in a young woman with curly blonde hair and a long face that breaks out into a smile. "Oh, Carrith," Rosalba murmurs. "You're beautiful."
Mountains In the Mist Blue Hatchling will find his place. He's got a sense of it. A peaceful place. One where his thoughts played with another's, back when he was in the shell… though of course, he isn't now, but… maybe… there. He turns, heading toward one of those candidates still left on the sands. There. That's where he belongs. He begins to croon softly, his pace quickening toward inexorable as he heads straight for the place where he belongs, heedless of his sisters finding theirs. He stops as though unmovable in front of a staring candidate, meeting his eyes.
Iaungwi's eyes widen. They're very open, now. For a moment he just stares, then reaches out and touches the blue's dusky muzzle. "Mojieth." It's as soft as his other murmurs, and then he's silent for a moment as the blue croons. "Yes. We will. Mojieth… and Wa'nei."
With a triumphant cry the Mountains In the Mist Blue Hatchling has found its lifemate at last. After a few moments the Weyrlingmaster leads the new pair off the sands.
With a triumphant cry the Something Slightly Strange Green Hatchling has found its lifemate at last. After a few moments the Weyrlingmaster leads the new pair off the sands.
With a triumphant cry the Doing Up My Laces Green Hatchling has found its lifemate at last. After a few moments the Weyrlingmaster leads the new pair off the sands.
Stands> Kera eyes are soon drifting here and there quickly as she tries to watch everything at once. Then a flurry of commotion where another cracks and splits out a another pretty greenling. Things are happening almost too fast for the apprentice to keep up at one point.
The sands empty of hatchlings, one impression at a time. Ka'el watches as new pairs are made, grinning to himself as he leans his side against Kanekith, marveling that he was ever so small to have fit within the shells of an egg the size of the those that are now shattered to shards on the sands. His arm stays around Soriana for a time, watching as the last of pairs are led off of the sands to begin their new adventure-filled lives, then he gazes at the faces of those left behind. Disappointed, sad, dejected faces of hopefuls whose hopes were not meant to be fulfilled this time around. Sori is given a slight squeeze before he withdraws his arm from her and removes his weight from his lifemate to instead look up at Luraoth. "Well done, Luraoth," he murmurs up to the gold, his smile warm.
…there's no more eggs. There's no more hatchlings wandering the sands, either - not by themselves. They're with their lifemates and being led away by the weyrlingmasters. It's all over. …but the sands aren't empty. There's still candidates here, the ones who got searched but didn't get chosen, and Soriana's eyes settle on them, one after another. They look… disappointed, mostly. Candidacy is a big thing, and now… it's over, and they've got to go back to their normal lives. Only six dragons. Only six new weyrlings. It's a hard thing, and now would be the time when somebody steps forward and says something comforting to send them on their way. It'd be the time when… oh. Wait. Soriana blinks. She's supposed to be doing that part. She should have written a speech! Or at least been doing something other than leaning against Ka'el and watching. So, as Ka'el turns back to the dragons, she steps forward. Words, words, augh! "Than-" Cough. Dry throat! Also augh. Swallow, swallow… "Thank you all for coming. Uh. Those of you who did not impress, you… are thanked nevertheless-" She's repeating herself already. Awkward. "-and are welcome to… stay or return to your homes." She hopes? Probably? She remembers something of the sort. "There will be a hatching feast-" she hopes "-shortly. Thank you-" aaaaugh she already said this why did nobody give her a script? "-for coming." And then she leaves, because the hatching's over, and she can finally leave the heat and stay gone. Also pretend she didn't botch that speech. There'll be drinks at the feast, right? …yeah, she's not gonna wait.
Stands> Kera watches til the final pair are led off the sands then proceeds to grab up her little basket and tries making her way through the crowd to the cool refreshing air outside.