Clutch 1


Xalia woke early and stumbled into the Hatching Sands, yawning as she walked. Frinaith rumbled unhappily from her position over the eggs and Dritenth rumbled a hello from above. Xalia smiled up at him and rubbed her eyes, then walked over and sat down on her dragon’s forearm, enjoying the warmth radiating from the sands.

“What’s wrong Love?” she said and smiled as F’rol walked in looking even groggier than Xalia felt.

Frinaith just rumbled again, lashing her tail back and forth. Xalia shook her head and chuckled, turning her attention back to her weyrmate.

“I must say I’ll be very grateful when the hatching is finally over and Frinaith goes back to her usual self!”

“Don’t worry,” smiled F’rol, glancing up at Dritenth who’s eyes sparkled in the early morning light, “I think it’s going to happen sooner than you think!”

Just then Dritenth began to hum and Frinaith jumped up, barking angrily at her mate. Dritenth just flashed her a smug look and bugled loud enough to wake the Weyr. Sure enough when Frinaith got up Xalia could see the eggs rocking. Actually having her first really good look at the eggs she counted them quickly, seeing only eight there.

“Frinaith!” she exclaimed angrily. “You were going to hide the hatching? And why on earth did you want twelve candidates if you only laid eight eggs! Four candidates will be leaving disappointed!”

Frinaith hissed as the Candidates started filing in and began swinging her head back and forth over the clutch of eggs. Xalia removed herself from the sands, shaking her head in disappointment for those who would leave without a dragon. She seated herself beside her weyrmate who tried to reassure her. She shrugged off the comforting hand he placed on her shoulder and kept her eyes on the eggs that were beginning to rock harder.

The first egg burst open and a proud brown hatchling creeled loudly. He sat down on the sands and nudged a piece of his shell with his snout before looking up at the nervous candidates. Frinaith lunged forward, putting a wing around the hatchling. Xalia immediately scolded the queen mentally and she slowly moved back, growling angrily at the candidates. The brown was unfazed though; he looked each one up and down before crooning happily. Meaki grinned as he strode forward to help the hatchling off the sands.

“Come on Parth, let’s eat,” he smiled and grinned at his sister as he and the brown left the sands.

Xalia smiled at the pair then turned her gaze back to the eggs, F’rol chuckled and leaned forward to whisper in her ear, “Calm down, I’m beginning to think you’re more nervous than the Candidates.”

Two more eggs burst open, spilling a blue and a green onto the sands. The two examined each other briefly before the green snarled at her brother. The blue scrambled away, somersaulting backwards and landing on his back at Nador’s feet. He looked up and crooned happily. Nador smiled, “Yes, Burkth, now I know I was meant to be a dragonrider!”

Jaral watched his brother lead the blue off the sands and turned around, finding another blue standing at his feet, looking up at him. “Piloth!” he exclaimed, surprised. “No, I’m very happy! Thank you for choosing me!”

They headed off the sands and Xalia watched as all the girls were watching the green intently. The green just sat there looking around for a while then eventually stood and stalked over to Kurana. “Jriath! Don’t worry, we make a much better pair than Meaki and Parth do!”

The crowd chuckled as the new pair left and another green hatched, this one crooning at the girls, whose jealous looks turned to hopeful looks as they saw the little green crooning at them. But this one was just a tease and scrambled over to the boys, throwing herself at Armand’s feet. He looked surprised at first then smiled. “Poth! No, the girls probably won’t chase me anymore.”

The next eggs to hatch were a sturdy bronze and another green. The bronze barked an order at his sister who creeled back at him. She marched over to Zhlae and barked commandingly. Zhlae grinned, “Yes, Kilith, we can eat, let’s go.”

The bronze watched as another egg hatched, the males watching him hopefully. The egg hatched into a brown and the bronze watched as the brown headed towards the boys. The brown looked up at Tand and Tanner, looking back and forth between the two, but before he could make a decision the bronze came rushing over, almost bowling Tand over. Tand smiled and reached out to comfort the bronze. “It’s okay Nralith, he wasn’t going to take me away from you, I wouldn’t have let him.”

The brown squawked and looked up at Tanner who smiled. “I knew you were looking for me, Kirth. Why didn’t you just pick me?”

The two new pairs headed off the sands, smiling encouragingly at their sister, Natti. The remaining four girls turned to look back at the sands and Xalia winced as four faces fell realizing there were no more eggs. She took a deep breath, preparing to go comfort the girls when suddenly a gold hatchling burst from beneath the sand. Xalia gasped in shock and turned a disbelieving, angry look on her very smug looking queen. “Frinaith! You hid the queen egg under the sands?”

Frinaith rumbled happily and watched as her daughter minced regally over to the remaining four girls. Xalia groaned knowing this little queen would end up being as fiery and snooty as her mother and hoping whomever she chose would be able to handle her. The golden hatchling examined each of the girls in turn before finally butting her head against Venara and crooning happily. “Oh, Jrineth! I thought for sure I’d get a green. No you’re right, you’re much better.”

Xalia chuckled and walked down to comfort the remaining candidates and give Venara a few pointers for dealing with the fiery young gold.

“Well,” Xalia started, smiling at the remaining candidates, “you’re all welcome to stay for the next clutch, we’ve got a green on the flight board who I hope will fly and clutch before long. You’ll have to let me know if you’re not interested though, because I’m assuming you are!”

Xalia smiled and led them off the sands; quite proud of her queen despite how hard she’d tried not to let her children Impress. It was a wonderful clutch, Love, you did well. And next time the clutch will be much bigger.

Frinaith just rumbled smugly and headed for the Feeding Grounds.