The Beginning

Credits

The Carrivan

The guard, who's name was in fact Kurill, agreed with her, but he would never tell her that. On a principal Kurill tried never to agree with her, because she was pompus and spoilt, and though Kurill supposed that underneith it all Marri'ashta was lonely and confused, he still didn't like her attitude.

Marri'ashta, so used to having her own way, had been fuming for the last two hours that Ne'rimmus had dared to go against her will and keep the boy-thing (which, by of course, she meant Shy'aroin) that made them all see nightmares.

In fact, Marri'ashta was still fuming, in a vague sort of way, when they struck, two days later.

It was swift, in fact, most of the men were dead before the others even realized anything was going on. Another quarter were dead before anyone could react. It was about then that the door to Ne'rimmus' cart-room opened and Ne'rimmus himself vaulted out, falling to his knees beside the nearest guard. Marri'ashta's guards were fighting a loosing battle and very soon there wouldn't be any left. Kurill, desperate to help his fellows, instead stood facing the door of the cart, sword drawn, waiting for them to enter.

In fact, they never did. One of the attackers had apparently decided that Ne'rimmus would make a good target, and had been about to kill him from behind as he tried to save one of the guards, and the boy-thing had seen him.

Apparently, Ne'rimmus had made quite an impression on the boy-thing, and he didn't want to see the old healer killed. So when the attacker had gone to kill him, the boy-thing had lost all the control he'd built up over his gift. And if they'd thought he'd lost control when they'd found him, they couldn't have been more wrong.

In the end, all of the attackers who didn't turn on each other, killed themselves, and the survivors of Marri'ashta's pary were left alone on the road. The boy-thing, who had been standing in the doorway to Ne'rimmus' cart-room, collapsed into unconciousness before Marri'ashta and Kurill ventured out of the cart. Kurill immidiately began checking for signs of life on his fellow guards. Marri'ashta desided that it was a perfectly acceptable response to be physically ill.

Some time later, Marri'ashta wasn't sure how long, Kurill and Ne'rimmus had come to the conclusion that they were the only four of both parties left alive. The obvious question was: what would they do next? No way could a lordling's daughter, an untrained mage, a healer and a single guard make it on this road. It was swarming with brigands and robbers. Ne'rimmus had just come to the conclusion that the best they could do was abandon everything they didn't need (i.e., everything that wasn't food, weaponry or medicine) and strike for home post haste.

In the end, they didn't follow this plan. A blue dragon swept out of the sky and landed several feet down the track, away from the bloody mess that was their caravan. Marri'ashta thought it was a good thing that the boy-thing was unconcious, or he probably would have started up again.

Ne'rimmus and Kurill conversed with the man who got off the blue dragon, and Marri'ashta probably would have felt insulted if she hadn't been so far into shock that she wasn't really registering what was going on around her.

In the end, Ne'rimmus and Kurill decided on behalf of their charges that they'd go with this "G'vin" character to bond some dragons.

It was safer than anything else, anyway.

Marri'ashta, Shy'aroin, Ne'rimmus and Kurill are standing at Darkling Dawn.

Hatching One

Silver-Black Losaas

A silver-black, exactly like his mother, burst from his shell. He craned his head as he gazed at the candidates, and slowly walked forward. Shy'aroin grew increasingly nervous as the hatchling approached him, and hastily avoided eye contact with the dragon when it looked his way. The calm, steady voice that spoke in his mind was distinctly at odds with the gangly hatchling before him. You need not turn your head from me, Shy'aroin. I am Losaas.

Startled, Shy'aroin looked up-and the hatchling did not cringe when he met his gaze.

Hatching Two and Weyrlinghood

Green-Dawn Carria

The green-dawn moved first, going straight to Ne'rimmus, and stood, cocking her head upwards at him. Ne'rimmus, you'll be my rider, all right? And I'll help you heal people. I am Carria.

At almost the same time, Losass and Carria both discovered the thought of mating seemed very appealing. Ne'rimmus signed Carria up for her own flight, rather afraid of what would happen if he disagreed with her at the moment (not that he was particularly inclined too...) knowing what he did about proddy dragonesses. And Shy'aroin, still hopelessly enamoured with Losaas for not being afraid of him (as well as other reasons, but he still couldn't get over that), would go to the ends of the Universe for the silver-black and found the simple task of signing their names on the Darkling Dawn flight boards just that, a simple task.

Green-Dawn Carria is rising at Darkling Dawn.
Silver-Black Losaas is chasing Clouded Purple Sayienth at Darkling Dawn.

---exerted from Darkling Dawn's Hatching---
By now, they were inside the hatching cavern, and A'ra was interrupted as the first egg cracked and a sudden hush fell over the sands.

The egg split open neatly, and a tiny green hatchling fell out of the shell. Tradition dictated that the higher ranking the first-hatched dragon was, the better luck the Weyr would have. But then, traditions were just traditions, and A'ra had never been a superstitious man. He did not dwell on it, and watched as the green hatchling walked to the candidates.

Marri'ashta watched the green approach, and, though slightly put out that it wasn't a gold, readily accepted Auteth as her bond.

A dull roar echoed through the cavern as another egg rocked and hatched. This time, a light brown male emerged, dropping neatly onto the sands. He had a cheerful grin on his face as he moved towards the candidates. They all watched apprehensively as the brown moved among them, until finally, he stopped in front of one candidate.

Kurill! You want to be a warrior, right? Do you think I could be one too? Can I help you out, Kurill? The brown asked anxiously.

Kurill smiled. "Certainly you can, Eirynith."

The second bonded pair headed off to the kitchens as two more eggs began to crack.

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