Rayalith growled as she watched the candidates below her. This wasn't right, any of it. Gilondeth watched, his tail flickering with amusement as he tried to hide the humor for his mate.
What do you find so funny? her eyes narrowed as they held his, pausing in her bugling, the song of hatching that all the other dragons had picked up.
You act like a human, rather than a dragon. Nuzzling her to take the sting out of the insult, he looked down patiently. Our children will find good bonds, you'll see.
Rayalith snorted, unwilling to admit to the impatience and to the fear she felt. Dragons weren't supposed to think this way, were they? With an almost accusing glance at the candidates gathered, some cowered. Well, that was better.
It was about time they showed respect.
As if on cue, one of the eggs shattered, revealing a proud looking arrogant bronze. Gildoneth beamed with pride to see his bronze son, and marks exchanged hands as the bronze sauntered forewords, watching, waiting. Turning back to his mother with an almost critical eye, he shrugged.
There was only one out there, for him. Silly of her to think that no one would be perfect enough. Zaddizh he said patiently. My name is Sevedriseth, and I am yours.
"What did he say?" one of the scribes asked, and Rayalith, overhearing rolled her eyes.
Severdriseth, you incompetent.. she paused. It wouldn't do to have her insults recorded as well.
It was at that moment that three eggs hatched simultaneously, the way twins might have, had they all been captured in the same shell. A green, a blue and a brown surfaced, and it was the green who found her way forewords first, picking her way through the eggs and stumbling over another.
Meridda, you've waited a long time for me. I am sorry. But I'm here now. The green crooned.
Meridda smiled. "No worries, Falynith."
Dyalloy snorted. That was so... poetic. From below, a blue looked up at him, wearing the same look of amusement and disgust.
We won't be so silly, will we? he asked.
Dyalloy smirked. "Of course not, Kimaith."
The brown in the meanwhile, had been helping one of his siblings out of the eggs. Watching patiently as the green righted herself, the female shook her hide, irritated.
I wasn't ready, you know. She sulked.
Lirael, overhearing the remark laughed. "When are we ever ready for anything, Kaelith?"
It was Brian who approached the brown first. "Are you going to wait here all day, Theibeth?" he asked. The brown looked up, smug.
I was waiting for you to come to me, rider.
Rayalith was pleased with the choices her children were making, her tail dancing the way a canine's might. (Just don't tell her that. She's scary when she's angry.) The queenly arrogance on her features were obvious, and Riawan chuckled as they watched the hatching of three greens. One by one, the shade of soft silk they looked around, almost confused.
"I can help you out, Riwinth." Jezebel assured the young hatchling, and the green chirruped her answer back at her.
Jeanine looked down with a frown when one of the hatchlings stumbled towards her. "I'm not angry, Rherralith." she explained. "We'll make one hell of a team."
Meanwhile, the last hatchling settled back on her haunches, looking more and more patient as she viewed the eggs around her. Some hadn't hatched yet, and she was about to move over, to demand that they join her now, when a winged wolf touched her nose against the edge of the hatchlings.
"Be patient, Mnaith." Ekiprah cooed. "We can wait for them somewhere else."
So she wasn't going to wait after all? What happened to sibling unity? Taec looked down, surprised to see a small brown dragon watching him. Recently having wriggled out of his egg, sending the others into motion the brown snorted. I'm hungry.
Taec's brows arched in mild surprise, but he didn't say anything else. "What ever you say, Rhedorth."
Damn right.
Rayalith slid a knowing glance towards the bronze. Sounds like you. she commented.
People were getting impatient, and something seemed to travel in the winds because the eggs began to hatch. Two blues, a brown and a bronze struggled out of their eggs.
The blues looked at each other for a moment, admiring their shades and their size when Sanbart interrupted.
"You going to stare at each other all day?"
The smaller blue looked over. Why? You want me to stare at you instead? The blue retorted. Taking aback, Sanbart paused, and then smirked.
"Not really, it's unnerving, Thelith."
Meanwhile, the other blue, distracted now stepped towards the waiting dwarf. My name is Sanbith. he said simply, and Rargrarnd nodded.
The bronze watched his siblings with a snort, when the brown hatchling began to make his move. Not so fast. The brown looked up, inquiringly. It's my turn.
Jorik laughed. "You can't get your way all the time with such a flimsy excuse, Naith." he reprimanded, and the bronze looked up, insulted.
I was going to work up to the threats later one. he grumbled.
The brown, still looking mildly disgruntled stepped back, landing almost on top of another brown. Narrowly avoiding a collision, Dag stepped forewords, concerned.
"Are you okay, Wardoketh?" he asked.
I'm better now.
The other brown, slightly miffed to be ignored looked around, unsure of himself now. He was alone, why wasn't the other egg hatching? About to settle down, to wait, the decision was taken out of his paws when Shani stepped forewords.
"You won't make me wait for longer, would you Hopieth?"
The brown answered privately in return.
Meanwhile, Syran, who had been staring at the last egg with eyes that hurt, was relieved when it hatched. Still, he looked at the others, at candidates who were also waiting and felt unsure.
No need to be so shy, Syran. The brown who had hatched assured him. I'm yours.
Syran hid the sigh of relief behind a gruff response. "I knew that from the start, Jahith."
Is that the last of them? Rayalith seemed almost disappointed that the hatching had ended so quickly. Gilondeth laughed, or trumpeted his amusement.
You enjoy this too much.
The queen, not at all insulted watched the bronze with what could only be described as an arched look. I'll want to do this again, some time.
Oh? the bronze looked away.
Maybe you'll be there again. Rayalith smirked when Riawan's heated answer rang through her mind. This was fun. We should do it again some time.