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Many of Ryslen’s inhabitants were reminiscing about the teasing glimpse of spring they’d had a week ago -- warm breezes and the first green sprouts peeking out of the bare ground -- and bearing the reality of how winter had slammed back down on them, burying everything in a double-thick blanket of snow. Bright, cold morning had come, bringing snow that fell lightly, almost decoratively as a long-limbed Moirean dragon make her appearance, making graceful turns on her long wings. Tygiri, the last novo, had finally arrived.
Guests for the hatching would arrive in the next few hours, but when the first egg would hatch was anyone’s guess. The stands were filled with spectators, as was the norm for events of this magnitude. Dignitaries from all the major dragonries were present: Familiar faces like G*non and M*jora from Cy Dragonstake, along with Crescentleader Rem (who’d bonded at Ryslen) and her entire crescent, and wholly new ones like Cy and Kismet from Planet Holic, Lyllia from Haven on planet Malnev, and Quaira from Starburst Weyr and her companion, an anthro-dragon-shifter by the same name -- Starburst Efellai, leader of Moire, was there, as was Caerlady Kesava, and Public Minister Deborah Ann Falken, from Star City. The latter was chatting amicably with Toshi, who’d given her the idea to get her dad bonded. Tiyanni was sitting with one of her best friends in the Nexus, the Sanrixian of Azon. Though he hadn’t RSVP’d, he and his huge bronze-black bond Bolton showed up anyayay. It just wasn’t a party without Sargon. Everyone who was anyone was there, Engell of Alabaster (with his robotic bodyguard Mandragora), Aern “Shard” Kshau and Rue from the mighty Kshau Protectorate, and even the superheroine Rita the Retail Retali8r! It was a grand assembly, and of all the Nexus, only Bekirol and his hydra-loving ilk hadn’t been invited. Nobody wanted Beasts or Hydras at Ryslen, especially with so many impressionable young dragons about to break shell. Sixty-six novos filed their way onto the hatching sands where ninety-seven eggs and five fuzzy dragons pups awaited their bonds. Mirusian T’malia ty Niaran Alamyr had given birth to her trio - a yellow, a purple, and a dark Mirus bronze, and all of them half-white in the way of Ryslen Lights. Hemassa’s striped kits were playing, and a good number of peopel fell in love with the fuzzy live-born dragons. The Mirusan trio stayed by their mother, weak and defenseless this early in their lives. The eggs wobbled. It was fascinating in its way, and almost like a dream one egg opened slowly and gracefully -- it should be accompanied by music; by something beautiful and classic... strings? Adrasteia smiled softly to herself as the hatchling moved smoothly out of the remains of her shell. She was long and serpentine, with a very Hathian look to her. The diamondback marknings on heir pink hide made it obvious that she was that mischevious Jasdale’s daughter, which meant that her mother was the Myrsilk Summoner Mairo. Her markings - silver blue and white - were elegant and striking to the average person, but to one versed in the color codes of Myrsilkain dragons, they were clear indicators of her elemental powers, though her gentle pinkness was proof of her dominant element: Dreams. The muse had never looked away from her, despite the relative chaos of the hatching grounds, and felt very much drawn to the pink hatchling, though she herself was rooted to the spot. Fortunately, the serpentine Hathian hybrid had come directly to her.Adrasteia, my name is Yaseryn... Another Hathian hybrid was already moving determinedly towards her chosen. She was primarily silver, but had her sire’s dark armored scales down her spine.
From an egg that looked more like a river-polished rock than an egg came a very well conformed young dragon. His... no, her sky-blue foreparts blended seamlessly into her pure white hindparts, and even if egg-slime spiked her short mane and tail tuft up in odd directions, she was clearly a well-defined dragon. Her ancestry was undeniable -- with the Askan headplate and hair, and the Ryslen “Light” coloration, there was no doubt that she was Aegre and Laradanri’s daughter. The hatchling walked solidly across the sands, as stable as bedrock. Anyone making that particular connection was amused and yet not in the least surprised when Sahkyoth Inoudo stopped before the pumice-stone golem Litha. Like minds, they say. The faeries danced around the newly bonded like their own private pyrotechnics display, but they were oblivious as they shared a perfect moment. When the tableau broke, Sahkyoth led her stony bond off the sands, trailing the cheerful faeries like a comet’s tail. From the wreckage of another shell came a gold-colored hatchling, her belly was white and she had darker gold ‘points’ and her mane and the tuft of her tail were the same dark gold. Her downy fur was damp, and as she started across the sands, she tripped over her own feet (hatchlings are notoriously clumsy... you would be too if you were using your limbs for the first time ever.) and thoroughly coated herself in sand. Many people stifled a laugh at her expense - she looked like she’d been “tarred and feathered”... no... “Shake n’ Bake-d.” A few laughs did escape as the sand-covered gold started toward the novos again.
In her wake came another that was undoubtably of Ryslen stock. Bronzes and browns danced wildly across his hide, deepening in the the black of Night in his hindquarters, and yet the hatchling was sparkling with thousands of snowflakes. With the steadiness and determination his colors warranted him, he stalked up to the novos, and with eyes that whirled in devotion and excitement spoke to his chosen: Faolan, I am Kerrsetan. From an egg near the center of the hatching sands came a sleek hatchling with a shiny whte body, glitzy purple wingsails, and soft downy golden feathers along the leading edge of her wings. She moved skillfully through her yet-unhatched clutchmates and closed on a rain elemental.
With a sound like river ice breaking, an egg snapped open. From its depths came a hatchling that embodied the spirit of winter -- prismatic colors swam beneath a layer of ice, and his wingsails were snow-spangled glass. There is none for me here. I call myself Prism Winter. He announced to all and none, then took himself off towards where the meat for the hatchlings waited. Dark paws pushed a pale shell open, and from the shadowed interior she came, body covered in silken fur -- primarily white, but colored heavily by blue-black flame ‘points’ and underbelly. Her wings hung about her like a cape, but she opened them and gave a few experimental beats, they filled out as a butterfly’s wings become firm shortly after the creature emerges. Indeed, her wings were those of a butterfly -- striking black with a blue swath and white moons along the edges. She moved lightly across the sands and stopped before the SpellWeaver, and cocked her ears as if listening to what wasn’t being said. One of the small eggs from a mini dragon’s clutch opened like a flower and a hatchling that shone like diamond emerged out of it. On his head and the tip of his tail was a strange sort of foliage, spiky green leaves and bright red berries.
An egg burst explosively, and a dark silver hatchling flew out of it, screaming his rage. The horns on his head marked him as one of the Azonese Kioli’s offspring. In addition to that he bore gems like his part Geperna mother Favas’fiks and that strange biological armor that some Rayllomian dragons were born with.
Eyes were drawn to an egg that was as normal as they come, but it hatched in that perfect, effortless way that only ever happened in stories. One novo in particular was watching that egg as if there was going to be a quiz later. She stood stock still except for the subtle twitching of the tail she wasn’t quite used to having. From the egg came... This came from many dragon voices at once, and Q’wil’s pen stopped above the paper. “What?” He said, incredulous. The voices prompted him to write it.
Though Albin was looking at the rocking eggs, his mind was entirely elsewhere. In his heart, he was still mourning the loss of his sister, and the depression weighed on him like all the snow from an avalanche. Something white as snow passed in his peripheral vision and drew his focus. It was a white dragon, but her head- and tailfins and underbelly sparkled with rainbow confetti. It reminded him too much of the snow and the festival lights, and he wanted to look away, but could only watch as that beautiful white moved past him and towards a pale young girl with eyes as darkly blue as his own. He stared, but then she laughed.
One of the small eggs cracked and then fell open, releasing a shining silver hatchling. He was quick to get to his feet, much like a newborn equine, and his markings reminded one visitor very strongly of a resident of her domain. Efellai peered at the Lian hybrid, then turned to the person beside her. Mico smiled amicably at Moire’s leader.
Another small egg jerked and then broke apart, revealing the dark emerald counterpart to Lady Havre’s holly-bedecked mini. Getting to her feet, the plant-dragon/Lian hybrid walked carefully across the sand to where L’raylia was being groomed.
A silvery dragon pup ran though the eggs, persued by her black and gold brother. They were Hemassa’s children, now about a month old, and as playful and curious as any other youngling. Tokifosa was almost close enough to pounce on Sykanaya when he noticed that the hatchlings were pairing off with the novos. He slid to a stop and when his sister realized she wasn’t being chased, she came back towards him.
With a convulsive shudder, as if it had seen something most distasteful, an egg fell open. From the egg tumbled a mostly white hatchling with deep blue ‘points’ and spots. The white-blue walked steadily on the sand, his big Ryslen-type paws a distinct advantage, and walked right up to a young boy direct from Nexus-influenced Pern.
Then something different happened: a smallish egg hatched. Or was trying to anyway. After an extended struggle, hind paws kicked the fragmented shell open. The hatchling was still for a moment, as if hatching his breath, then twisted slowly around and backed out of the shell. Somehow, the Sapphire and white dragoin didn’t get his wings stuck on the way out. Tail, paws, wings, forelimbs, ... what appeared from the shell next was NOT a neck, not by far. There was excited chattering as Ryslen’s first centauroid dragon cleared his shell and began to look around.
It was then that the first of Koiri Syaess’ offspring chose to make his appearance. From a snowy white egg tumbled a silver pup. He gained his feet with the grace of a dancer and then shook the sand and egg-slime from his short fur like any canine would. His fur was silver, but his belly was blue and nebulous like his mother’s, but spangled with snowflakes instead of - or in addition to - stars. He had short silver eyepieces and a bright gem between his equally bright eyes. He crossed the sands with the seemingly carefree attitude of any professional performer, and with an almost flirtatious look to the pretty lady standing there, the wolfish hatchling stopped and looked right up at a pleasantly surprised Heron.
Another hatchling snaked his way out of the egg, his silver hide glimmering with more than egg residue. Long and serpentine like his mother and rainbow-striped like his sire, this hatchling -- with Hathian ancestry on both sides of his pedigree -- was an eye-catching favorite.
Ririkaedi thought she couldn’t get any happier than seeing her “firstborn” bond, but she was wrong. Something settled against her, and when she looked down in surprise she saw a white-gold Geperna hybrid with gold plate on her limbs and bright jewels in her crest.
There was a flurry of activity as several dragons won free in the same moment. One was a pale blue with rainbowy-silver feathers, one was a small glitzy silver biped, and the third... The egg rolled over onto its side and split in half. From the shell came a modest sized hatchling. White and blue, and distinctly Avengaean. His paws were big and on his front wrists were spurs - persistant remnants of his grandmother’s wing-arms. The third bore such a resemblance to his sire that Frux Ivou found himself experiencing some intense Deja Vu, especially when the blue-white started towards him. While he was clearly Mico’s son, the glitzy gem coloration of his mother made him more spectacular -- and Frux was only a little biased. Yet there he was, looking up at his grandsire, eyes huge and scared and lonely -- and ultimately loving. “Oh, come sit with me for a while.” Frux invited, and pulled the part-Aven hatchling up onto the bench beside him. The white-blue leaned close.
The blue feathery hatchling looked around a bit and then made a bee-line for a candidate who smelled of adventure and the EverRealm. Seirafin watched in delight as the half-whorling came right up to him.
The last of the set, the half-Lian biped wandered around, looking everywhere for the one he wanted. Which was tough, considering he was the size of a newborn human. Finally he stopped and wailed: Thes! Where ARE you?!
Following that was the appearance of another tiny hatchling, this one entirely Lian. She shone like a freshly polished amethyst, and rose carefully to her feet, spreading her snow-marked silver wings for balance before starting towards the place where Topaz Lisle watched the hatching. Soon, the tiny purple female Jessaya was nestled in his forearms, and Lisle forgot all about watching over his yet-unhatched offspring. A lightly dappled egg began breaking open, and soon a white face with the look of Ryslen dragons peeked forth. The hatchling scrambled a bit and managed to climb out of her shell. She was indeed white, with the bluish cast in the shadows that only the palest of whites seemed to achieve. The only exception to her whiteness was a sort of fleur-de-lis marking on one side of her graceful neck. IF there was any doubt about whether she was a true Flurry White, one only need glance at Kerilleth to see her all but glowing with pride, for this was her second Flurry and her first Flurry White child. The hatchling sat back on her haunches and then rose, albeit shakily, into a straight biped stance -- made possible by her strange Moirean hips -- and looked about for her mindmate. Having spotted her, the hatchling reverted to her quadrepedal posture and trotted neatly up to the dun-striped dragoness who’d arrived only that morning. The half-Moirean, half-Rysleni white beamed up at Tigiri, forging a connection between them so strong it would withstand any trial.
Two eggs rocked together, the sound of their impact a sick sort of crunch. Near identical hatchlings struggled free of their crushed shells. They were bipedal and had bright stars on their rainbow-colored wings, and their hides had a clouds-and-rainbow look to them. One ran off towards a Novo who loathed the full moon, and the other went in the opposite direction to end up before a student of wizardry.
A near spherical egg burst, shell shards flying everywhere. The hatchling was purple and green and had wingarms in addition to the “normal” sort and nubs of horn and she was just wild looking. She strode across the sand confidently, her head held high as if she owned it all. She came to a stop before an equally wild looking elemental and regarded her carefully.
Utagoe rose and shook out his fur. HIs goal here was accomplished, both his girls now being bonded to dragons -- and females, which prevented their bonds from becoming forceful mates. Now he knew they’d be safe and now he could go --
A sparkling white-gold dragon crawled out of her shell and threw open her wings as if to say HERE I AM, PAY ATTENTION! She had gold stripes that shone even brighter by virtue of her glitz coloration.
The next dragon to emerge would grow to be a nice medium-small female though she was almost as tiny as a full Lian right now. She had two sets of wings, one feathered in three colors and one webbed in a rainbow of gemtones. Fluffy ears turned as she listened and then trotted out to where a blue Flurry RysHathian waited hopefully and patiently. The Lian-hybrid bounced up to Trilanyeth and introduced herself as Thanath. One of Mistylia’s four eggs shivered and came open, ervealing a shiny silver who was serpentine like her father and beautiful like her Avyndal mother. With a sort of quiet dignity she extracted herself from the egg and went to her Chosen. Only another princess is worthy of me. Aradon, my name is Nahasia Syaess. A large egg cracked and the large dragonet within pushed it open easily. He was a swirled mix of bronze and white, his Ryslenesque features mixed evenly with the Askan. He -- with the confidence characteristic of bronzes -- strutted across the sands to an elf male who was more than he seemed.
An egg was quick to yield to the will of the hatchlin within, falling open to reveal an octet of fire-orange wings. The half-daemon got her wings arranged to her liking and struck out across the sand. SHe had her mother’s long ears and the horns of her father. Her path thook her directly to the feet of Domovoi, but it was not to him she spoke.
A largish egg gave a shudder before the hatchling’s will won out. A tan and green duowinged hatchling spilled out, it’s colors muted with snow white. The hatchling was quick to her feet and stood utterly still while she got her bearings.
A downy-winged white tumbled from her shell and gracefully rose to her feet. She had a semi-bipedal raptor stance and her light purple plumage, by the looks of it, would have a soft rainbow cast to it when the flight feathers grew in. She moved quickly to where a tall female waited, a girl with cloven hooves, a lionlike tail, and claws.
Family and common bonds seemed to be the theme of the moment, as two of Aegre Egretudo’s offspring broke shell. One was a Light Purple and the other a swirled gold-white. The latter pranced towards the female Novos and coyly pretended to to be interested in the half-Niteshan who was so obviously her chosen.
The other hatchling, half-brother to Marinna’s gold, marched right up to a girl whose life had been terribly shadowed by The Darkness. Now Chadirra Kane had a little Light in her life, and his name was Nymeith Inoudo. Sayai, one of the rare (but hardly unusual) pregnant Novos felt something tugging on her heart and mind, as if a baby were crying for her attention. Startled, she looked up and saw T’malia’s eyes on her, and the furry Mirusan nodded, indicating that the mother-to-be should come.
Two long-limbed hatchlings pushed out of their eggs, side by side but decidedly not synchronized. The darker broke her shell in half, but the lighter wriggled free of his, leaving it mostly intact. Their colors were a mess of warm browns and silvers, and not one doubted that these sibs were half Niteshan. The female would call herself Maanonel and the male would be Aadascion, and to the dismay of many, the two would not bond. There was a veritable explosion of eggs as not one or two but six Lian Minis burst from their shells. The first two, an aquamarine and a blue topaz snapped at each other, and thent he topaz male chased his sister around the pile of shells and towards the smallest of the elf novos. The aquamarine ran to hide behind Greyrobin and the topaz slid to a stop before Daggerblur.
A peridot and a very male pink tourmaline were making their way separately to where the Minis who flew in the Flurry watched.
The peridot looked up at aquamarine Erile with adoration in her tiny eyes. I’m Kaliya. The last two -- a diamond and a garnet, also siblings -- had taken their time in choosing, but still came quickly to their chosen, startling the newly-bonded Greyrobin and Dagerblur with their arrival.
The second duowinged Lian Hybrid broke free of her shell, shaking out downy wings and full-webbed sails. She looked about, then ran joyfully to a cat girl who watched eagerly from the knot of Novos.
The next egg to crack did so under the loving gaze of Chisagilera selamputo. Those keeping track would knwo that this egg was the exact halfway point for all the eggs hatching (though the bondings were skewed by non-bonders and the liveborn dragons). A white head poked out of the shell and there were loud cheers (some from the spectators who’d bet that the 48th egg to hatch -- this exact middle one -- would hold a Flurry White) as the hatchling pushed out into the world.
A sparkly hatchling with rainbow stripes wormed himself free of the egg. The long Hathian-hybrid announced his name as Zetasera and took no bond. The very next egg to open held an equally sparkly pink dragoness with stripes that ranged from white to deep pink in color. Zetasera’s cousin danced right up to a Novo who’d somehow managed to sew hundreds of irridescent white sequins onto the short white vest that many novos wore at hatching.
A shell broke apart, revealing a white hatchling with tranclucent blue wingsails and a tricolored mane and tail. HIs forelimbs and eyeridges were dotted with bright sapphires and he had nub horns that would grow into the long, impressive sort that his Avyndal ancestors sported. He looked around for quite some time before spotting his chosen.
With the sound of ice breaking, a shining silvery-colored hatchling burst into the world. He had a rainbow crest, but otherwise looked extremely icy. He slid up to one of the novos, one who had a fondness for snowboarding.
The next dragon bloomed from her egg, her damp white fur spotted and pointed with red, and her belly and wing-nubs were green as grass. The half-Schattar picked her way through the broken shells, carefully placing her big Ryslen paws. Finally she came to a novo who was the daughter of a Flurry dragoness. Gestosa looked at the hatchling and Nyter-Rehn looked right back.
After the three other elves from her holt had bonded, Skytamer had been left more or less alone on the sands. Her eyes were on the smallest of the ‘full-sized’ dragon eggs when one split open, tumbling a small dragoness onto the sands. Her white hide was marked with pinto-like sky blue splotches, and her nearly transparent wingsails matched. She had a secondary set of wings, narrow and feathered and somewhat alluring. The very small dragoness turned to face the elf, and her faceted eyes shone in a rainbow of adoration.
Another of the hybrid Lians broke shell, this one glitzy white with fluffy silver “hair” that also shine in that odd holographic sticker sort of way. Though only the size of a human infant, the bipedal hatchling walked right up to Remote.
It occurred to many of the novos that there were now twice as many eggs left as there were bonders. They were all virtually guaranteed to bond, yet there was till so much tension in the air that you could cut it with a knife.
The second of Artemis Moonpaw’s eggs snapped apart with a dramatic flourish, and from the shell came a white furry hatchling. She had a star-spangled blue belly and a bright gem on her forehead. She walked with determination and stopped a few paces from where the novos all stood expectantly. And she posed.
Another of Kioli’s offspring broke violently from his shell, a white with bronze wingsails and bronzy metal plate armor. He charged across the sands and Ponevi stepepd forward to block the male’s apparently destructive path towards Ketessa and Thanha. The dragon didn’t slow, but charged right up to him.
The next egg broke open to reveal another shimmery silver dragon. She was clearly part Geperna, and her rainbow crest was a delightful splash of color agains tthe stark snow of her hide. She moved right away into the presence of the ice dragoness Isina, her eyes glowing with adoration.
The next dragon burst from his shell in a flurry of electric blue wings. The half-bonder daemon quickly placed himself at the feet of Chung Ming.
The next egg shook as though it were in an earthquake, then flew apart. From the wreckage came a solidly built half-drak in what was an undeniable earth coloration.
A snowy white dragoness broke free of her shell and spread her citrus-colored wings for all to see. Fenkarath was quick on her feet and nimble, and soon stood before Inande, with whom she’d never be short. A blue was next to break shell, clearly half Hathian, it was the armor-like scales down his back that identified which pairing had produced him. At any rate, the pale blue was a patient sort and after he walked to his chosen’s side, he politely waited for a break in the conversation to announce himself.
Hambia adjusted her glasses and grinned at him, and the centauroid Lian hybrid waved shyly at the larger hatchling.
Visible cracks spread like excitement over one egg before the dragon pushed his way out. On the top of his perfectly white head was the headplate-horn of his Askan ancestry, and behind that the distinctively shaped crest of the Geperna dragons from Mythicalae.
Jesi’s attention was more on the eggs than ever, and just in time too. From the egg came an ice blue dragon, long and sinuous. His hide was marked in a diamondback pattern, in a brilliant blue, a silver, and snow white. The hybrid-Hathian Myrsilkian cross moved across the sands in a most magical way. This was so much cooler than a wand... (but she still wanted one.)
The next egg to open did so without fanfare. The hatchling’s hide was primarily white, but his downy wings and damp mane were decidedly blue. He had a gem on his forehead and silvery Hathian eyepieces and black horns courtesy of his Avyndal mother, Mistylia. Who was bonded to Iris, a friend of Lucas’. He’d seemed a bit surprised to see her here, actually.
The next egg to crack did so in a time-tested manner -- right in half. From the cream y shell came a liquid purple and black hatchling, a “Wild Night” dragoness who outright ran across the soft sand to ensure her girl wasn’t taken by another. Thanha, a very calm Wierbrat did not panic as the hatchling charged at her, wings half spread for balance. The dragon fell into her arms and regarded her with rainbowy eyes.
Two eggs broke apart in succession revealing a feathery blue and a bronzy-white with the strong Ryslen look of his mother Kerilleth. The blue was Metanis Landwerlen, and the bronzed white Miriratha, son of the Moirean Himala. Neither would bond. From the very next egg sprang a light green -- not a pale pastel but a rich grassy green blended to white in the manner of Ryslen Lights. Unlike her full-sibs, was the “correct” gender for her color. She looked for her bond with singleminded determination, and why she chose Cyrale only she knew, but the half-Aven would have no other. Which was fie by C’rale, since Ukaoth was everything he dreamed of in a dragon. Pieces fell away from a dappled egg, and a damp and pale dragon pushed her way into the world. She was decidedly pale for a Piralan descendant, but considering that her brother was White, it mattered little.
An egg fell open and a purple and white dragon made her appearance. She had gem-toned points and bright glitzy wings. She moved with grace and with the sort of patience that marked her as a budding scholar and briliant conversationalist.
Two tiny hatchlings broke free of their equally tiny shells. One was a deep sapphire blue and the other a rich ruby. They looked about in confusion and then left the sands in search of their bonds. The sapphire found his first, and butted his tiny head into C’rale’s leg. The newly bonded was startled by the appearance of the firelizard-sized hatchling.
The ruby found her bond stroking the silky fur of her wolf-dragon. Dierdre smiled at the Lian who rushed to her.
Back on the sands, a blue and white dragon had broken free of his egg-shaped prison and was now seeking out his bond. The half Geperna seemed puzzled that HIS bond already had two dragons at his side -- a Lian hybrid and a many-winged daemon cross.
The next egg came open with an audible pop and a bronze-pointed whtie hatchling sprawled onto the sands. He had his mother’s narrow secondary wings but his father’s face -- and view on bonding.
With Thanha and Ponvevi already bonded, Ketessa Keir was the only one of the Wier trio yet unbonded. She began to walk around the edge of the semi-circle (not a long walk, considering how few novos were left) and then kept right on going until she was standing by T’malia, the Mirusan white. Ketessa didnt’ need to be told that the last kit - the purple-white - wanted her. She felt drawn to the kit, and when the kit turned to face her (despite having her eyes tightly closed like a newborn kitten) Ketessa knew the kit felt the same.
Other eggs were cracking open, the hatchlings tumbling out and openign their wings -- Ch’aecian, a copper-oxide half-Mirusan tumbled out, his darker points striking against the lighter fur of his body. Near him appeared a glitzy sky blue dragon with golden yellow feathers along his the arm part of his wings. His name was Dorainth, and neither of them bonded. The next egg, or rather its entirely colorless occupant, held everyone’s attention. The white had the Ryslen looks of Kerilleth and all of Bryotev’s Avengaean charm, and absolutely no desire to bond.
Another egg fell apart, and the hatchling emerged, like the butterfly he was, opening his bright wings, which emphasized the warmth of his fiery markings. He would call himself Sunflame, to show solidarity with his dark sister Nightfire. Besides -- it suited him. The next hatchling to come out of her shell was as highly pigmented as her albino Silshar mother was not. This hatchling was, so to speak, her father’s child. She was the same rich red as Shkora, and even had his rainbow-confetti accents. She went right for the novos - and right up to the one who was (when in her draconic form) as red as she was.
The next egg burst as though it had exploded, and from those ruins came another fiery hatchling, this one boasting the head-plate of her half-Askan sire. She waslked away from the novos and right to her grand-sire Frux Ivou.
Pebai Cn’eni was SO wrapped up in greeting Alaina that she never saw the swirly silver-white half-Askan that came up behind her.
When things were still loud, the last of the Lian Minis emerged; there was a very female citrine and a dark emerald male. They repeated the ‘stunt’ of the previous two and quietly left the sands in search of their bonds. The emerald Inbole was quick to find Rylen and his half-drak.
On the sands, eight eggs shook with the hatchlings’ efforts, and four novos watched nervously. After a long wait, a ehad popped out of one shell, the white face topped with a damp and colorful mane. The rest of the hatchling followed in short order, horned and bejeweled and fabulous. Her wingsails were at tranclucent blue, which suited her.
The next hatchling was impatient and his egg exploded, sending shards everywhere. He moved gracefully, his lean white form and copper-toned feathers showing him to be the half Avyndal son of Koiri Syaess. He cried his disgust.
Two eggs came open, one was a long-legged amethyst clone of her mother, and the other a white and pink darling who looked very much like her parents. Indeed, like Mico with Enbanonth’s coloring.
The pink gem-pointed one got her feet under her and then looked around. She was very pretty, but she seemed unhappy.
Another egg broke apart, and an aquamarine that matched Greta’s Dolisa stumbled forth. He gave a very equine snort and declared himself as Werile, and bondless. “Warily” would never truly describe this little beast. What was left of the next hatchling’s egg looked like it had been smashed, albeit from the inside. He was white with black stripes and blue points, and was moving deerminedly towards the last male.
Jeyann couldn’t remember if he was officially a Novo or not, but he was one the sands, which made him fair game.
The next-to-last egg snapped open while the unicorn/boy spoke and from the remains came a wild looking reddish dragon, all horns and wings.
After the hatching, but before the feast and the rest of the celebration, Prima Jeyann along with her husband and co-leader Ke’l stood in the middle of the shell-strewn hatching sands with Decurio D’lrik. Also with them was the first Flurry White, Neva’, who was always ‘in the know’ about Flurries, and eighteen hatchlings played around them, their birth-hunger sated.
D’lrik did find Baeris with Tiyanni, and happened to overhear her tell the retired Weyrwoman “...it’s a good thing this is a Nexus world, with all this Sanger running around...” Ty laughed at that. ‘Too much’ Sanger might cause something strange and unusual to happen.
The Mirus delegation was quite familiar to D’lrik -- Kathamus and Rheyvana having bonded at Ryslen somewhat recently -- and with them were two men from Danach who hadn’t been around for quite a while. The two from Dou Pas were easy enough to spot -- the blond in red who looked like (and was) an ex-mercenary, and the very pregnant spotted feliniod who was with her. “Prima Jeyann requests your presense in the hatching grounds.”
Tracking down the quiet dignitary from Avengaea turned out to be a little more difficult. Finally someone pointed him towards one of the oddest bunches of visitors he’d encounter today. A tall draconic-type and what appeared to be one of those Xeno things. Why would someone want to look like one of those? Dragons were respectable enough... and there were plenty of little dragon-types running around near where they stood in the entryway looking out into the snow. “Excuse me, is one of you Aloia Laerir?”
Nion and Phryon overheard Dray’s question, and quietly slipped off to find Shainon.
Some of that relief would fade when she caught sight of Kalkin, Talon (the geneticist from Oros Mountain), and Dr. Schroeder (from Abstract Destiny) in conference, possibly discussing the strange Shy-child Shan, or the pregnant feline that Arena referred to with the male pronoun. Dr. Schroeder’s shadow Valentine was keeping an eye on security for this knot of scientists. At least Dark Shadow wasn’t part of that discussion... or was she? There was a grand feast and an even more grand party that followed, with a multitude of beverages and treats from everywhere in the Nexus. There were coffee and espresso-based drinks, as well as smoothies and shakes, and some icecream treat from Earth, all whipped together with candy bits that was so appropriately called a “flurry.” (And very good wines and spirits, but how could they really compare with fancy blender-drinks that are so out of place in a dragon-filled medieval-esque setting?) At some point during the dancing, Tessrabia, Baeris’ daughter, met Kitlyn, J’len and Red’s anthro-fox daughter, and got herself a grand tour of Ryslen. Naturally she hauled Cynonix along. Calmath Rufasilex and Audeo Rufaincul, bonds of Zora and Lucas, joined the party too, in their humanoid forms. The Asandae (riders, guests, all) added such color, and were unanimously accepted by the crowd. Even J’lenn was overheard saying nice things about Calmath’s golden complexion. Magika quite enjoyed the champagne, and a number of new connections were made, some intentionally and some by chance, but noone was disappointed by the events of the day. How could they be? |