Name: Shiki
Gender: Female
Colour: tan-yellow-pink, silver wings
Dam: Striped Red-Black-White Bipedal Teset
Sire: Starry-Blue Seram
Breed: Wyld
Size: Tiny
Height: 5'
Abilities: Size shifting
Personality: Shiki's preferred size is around that of a bird's... let's just say that personality-wise, it suits her. She enjoys going off on great flights of fancy, returning to the real world only when she's about to run into someone or something. She immediately forgets what someone has said to her, and if she doesn't, she more often then not responds with blunt, critical statements (which are usually made completely in ignorance). She prefers to be left with her imagination then in the company of others.
Cyborware: Shiki may redeem 1 minor cyborware token upon adult-hood.
There were lots of people watching her, some far away in rows of seats, some much closer, standing a small distance away. The hatching bay was quite large, covered everywhere with soft green moss. The dragoness looked down at her feet. They were light tan, with yellow and pink stripes running up her legs and, she presumed, the rest of her body, though she couldn't exactly tell right now without a mirror.
Her mother gave a sharp call, and she jumped, startled out of her thoughts. She looked to the candidates, though none in particular stood out to her. She took a few hesitant steps forward and stopped again. Her feet pressed into the soft moss underfoot. She wondered if the ceiling was made of moss as well. She was looking up to see when her dam poked her, bringing her back to attention. A few of the candidates stepped towards her hopefully, and the dragonet's eyes fell over them.
They didn't interest her, though. What did interest her was the food table. Striding clumsily on two legs, she made her way through the candidates, paying no heed to the humans and not-so-humans as she went to the food.
Finally, the spectators arrived at the conclusion that she had no intention of bonding, and sent the unbonded candidates away. The hatchling didn't notice, she took a bite of her food, looked away, wondering what she was supposed to do next, took another bite, watched some species of tiny bug make its way painstakingly slowly towards the uneaten food, take another bite...and so on.
Don't even think about it. She heard her mother's voice saying something, and promptly went back to eating. I'll be taking this one back with me, I think. And her name is Shiki.
Shiki shrugged, indifferent to her fate, and continued her slow meal as she ignored the rest of the people.
All this beauty was completely lost on Shiki. The two-legged dragoness was lost in her own thoughts without a map and too stubborn to ask for directions, as she was most of the time.
The size-shifting dragoness was currently perched-bird sized-on a tree branch that was still mostly bare, eyes focused on the fluttering form of a beautiful orange and black butterfly.
Her tan head cocked to one side as she watched the exquisitely colored insect make its way toward her in a weaving, zig-zag pattern. As it fluttered within reach, she snapped her head out, closing her jaws around the insect. The creature struggled weakly in her mouth.
Shiki! She looked up as a dark red and white dragoness strode into view. By the look of exasperation on her mother's face, she'd called her name several times already.
Hello mother. She answered simply, and turned away, once again oblivious to her dam's presence.
Teset's red-white wings were curled to her sides as the bipedal dragoness sighed. You know, I worry about you sometimes. She said as Shiki spit out the still-struggling butterfly. It didn't taste very good, anyway. Always off by yourself, Teset continued, oblivious. With no one to talk to or protect you.
I like it that way. Shiki answered dryly, but was ignored.
I mean, what if something were to happen to you? Who knows what sorts of creatures lurk in these forests. Teset looked around suspiciously, as if a giant, drooling monster was about to jump out and try to make them into lunch at any moment.
Teset was not normally an extremely motherly dragon-in fact, she usually had no maternal disposition at all where her children were concerned-but her maternal instincts had a disconcerting tendency to flare up unexpectedly when it came to her daughter.
Shiki just rolled her eyes and tuned her mother out, occasionally nodding her head and making sounds of encouragement to make her mother think she was still paying attention.
Shiki, are you even listening to me? Teset demanded.
Of course, mother. The yellow-pink striped dragoness said innocently, having no idea what her mother had been saying.
Teset eyed her daughter suspiciously. No, you're not. She said crossly. Shiki didn't answer-she'd already quit paying attention again.
Teset fought an overpowering urge to groan. You need a companion. The bipedal red-black-white said. Not a flitter, because they're annoying and get into trouble all the time, something larger and smarter-like a mate.
Shiki seemed to groan. Mother...
Not that males of any species are neccessarily intelligent. Teset said smugly. But they have their uses. Or better yet- Teset's eyes lit up in a way that Shiki had come to dread. You can bond! She said, as Shiki had known she would. It's become quite common for dragons to bond to other dragons, you know. There's many places that need more candidates. You wouldn't want a poor hatchling to go unbonded like you did for lack of candidates, would you?
I seem to have done just fine. Shiki answered crossly. I'm doing perfectly fine on my own, mother. I don't need a bond. Or a mate. She addd forcefully.
Shiki spread her silver-white wings and jumped off the tree branch, soaring off to her home at Darkling Dawn. Though the dragonry would probably be crowded, at least it was away from her mother.
Shiki eyed the flock of wherries hungrily. (The birds had been imported from Pern, as most of the dragons and riders had originated from there.) It had been a week since she'd last eaten, so was suitably famished.
The group of ostrich-sized birds could be dangerous, especially to a dragon as small as Shiki. Even at her largest size, she was barely bigger than a wherry herself. She was wondering how to take down her meal when one of the riders called to her, distracting her.
"Shiki!" The young man strode over to her. "I could use your help, if you don't mind." Kelduen said.
Inwardly, Shiki sighed in frustration, but she showed no outward sign of her irritation and only nodded.
Kelduen grinned. "Great." He held out a letter, which she had to take in her mouth, as she had no forelimbs to hold it in. "We were supposed to take that to Keandyn Isle, but Hoflichth and I are too busy. Could you take that to the leader, Waeswen Litha for us?" At Shiki's resigned nod, he smiled at her. "Thanks!"
Shiki snorted as she watched him leave, and threw one last, wistful look at the flock of wherries before she flew off to find someone to take her to Keandyn Isle.
Shiki clutched the green's riding straps as she hung on the dragon's neck. They burst into the air above a giant, labrynthine structure. Shiki raised an eyeridge as she stared around her. She was impressed.
The currently bird-sized dragon jumped down from the green's neck, spreading her wings for balance as she hit the ground. She swung her head from side to side, still clutching the letter in her mouth.
"Diath and I need to go back to Darkling Dawn now. You can get back on your own, right?" The rider asked.
Shiki didn't answer. She was already striding off to the labrynth. The woman rolled her eyes as her green dragon leapt into the air.
Shiki had to shift to her larger size as she entered the structure, simply to keep from being bowled over or stepped on. If the inhabitants were startled by a human-sized dragon wandering around the labrynth, they certainly hid it well.
Of course, the people could have been staring at her as if she was twenty feet tall with purple polka dots and Shiki probably wouldn't have noticed. That was how Shiki was.
The bipedal dragoness soon found her way to the Hatching Sands. Not surprisingly, there was a clutch on the sands.
The golden mother narrowed her eyes when she saw Shiki approach. The queen's white, feathered wings curled over the eggs protectively, practically hiding the clutch from view. What are you doing here? The mother asked sharply, favoring the much smaller dragoness with a glare of suspicion.
Shiki rolled her eyes at the irate clutchmother's behavior and tossed her head head impatiently. I'm here to deliver a letter to the Waeswen, Litha. I don't care about your silly eggs!
The gold dragon hissed. Watch your language when it comes to me and my rider, wretch! I could squash you like a bug!
Shiki rather doubted that, if only because the dragoness wouldn't dare endanger her clutch, but she wasn't inclined to argue with her.
"Kedeawen, what's going on?" A young woman said as she strode onto the sands and rushed to the gold's large head to placate the queen.
You're Waeswen Litha? Shiki asked, tail lashing back and forth behind her furiously.
The woman frowned and nodded her head. "Yes, what is it?"
My name is Shiki. I was told to give this to you. She dipped her head and deposited the letter in Litha's outstretched hand.
Litha nodded. "Thank you, Shiki, was it?" She smiled. "I've heard about you from some of the seekers. Gerrath says you have some potential as a candidate."
Shiki blinked. She'd certainly never heard anything about that.
Kedeawen growled indignantly from behind them. Surely you don't intend to let that overgrown flitter bond one of my children, do you?
Litha rolled her eyes in exasperation. "We'd never get any candidates at all if they all had to meet your high expectations. The hatchlings can choose their bonds for themselves."
The gold didn't answer, just snorted and rested her head on her foreclaws. The Waeswen turned to Shiki. "So, how about it?" She asked.
Shiki cocked her head to one side. About what?
"Standing."
For what?
"The clutch!" Litha said in exasperation.
Shiki blinked. Oh, why didn't you say so? She said crossly. Sure, I suppose I could stand. Shiki didn't give the Waeswen or her dragon time to answer, and wandered off.
Kedeawen rumbled as she watched the tiny bipedal dragon leave. Strange, that one.
Gender: Male
Colour: Brown
Dam: Gold Kedeawen
Sire: Silver Etyth
Size: Medium
Personality: Melimwen is much more focused than his bond is. He is also, fortunately, very patient with the smaller dragon and gently nudges her thoughts back on track when she gets distracted. Though the younger of the pair, he is usually much more mature than Shiki; he is kind-natured, intelligent, and friendly, and usually stoic and serious, however when it's just him and Shiki, he lightens up and even acts downright silly.
Hatched from: Keandyn Isle, clutch ???
At the mental call, the brown dragon looked up curiously to see his bond walk into their weyr with a tiny, dragonlike creature attached to her head. It was slightly smaller than a house cat, hide a shiny black color, with hathian-like wings on its front legs. Except for a forked gold thing on its head, it was relatively plain featured. Yes, Shiki?
The bipedal dragoness was looking extremely cross. What is this thing on my head?
It's a jracini. Melimwen explained, matter-of-factly. Some dragonriders brought them back from some world, and they were looking for people to take care of them. I told them we'd take one.
Oh. Shiki stated, suddenly nonplussed. Well, why's it sitting on my head?
Melimwen shrugged. Perhaps it likes you? As if in agreement, the jracini chirped brightly and jumped to the ground, rubbing itself against Shiki's leg in a catlike manner.
Shiki blinked, then bent down and nuzzled the creature, who chirped happily. He looks like a Yalul, don't you think so, Melimwen? She said decisively.
Whatever you say, Shiki.
Come on, Yalul, let's get something to eat. The jracini followed happily at her feet as Shiki left the weyr again.
Race: Jracini
Gender: Male
Color: Shiny Black
Parents: Wild x Wild
Offspring: None
Owner: Shiki
The jracini glows brightly for a moment, and when it fades, Yalul has a new set of red markings!
