You'll let them Hatch while I'm here, Nahlimath! I'm still your mother, whether you like it or not. The green hissed up at the tiny gold and curled up even more around the tiny clutch. There were seven Candidates that had been accepted from outside the Weyr, and six that had shown interest from within the Weyr, and two more that had been Searched but refused the Search and Stood within the Stands. Nahlimath had welcomed them all, and seemed very reasonable about the whole thing up 'till now. I don't have to, Nahlimath shot back. They'll only Hatch if I want them to! The statement was something of a query, though Nahlimath loudly denied it when Flynnth gleefully pressed the point.
I'll start singing again! Flynnth threatened finally, and Nahlimath angled her neck to look at the eggs once more. The green had finally snapped - shouting (softly) at the gold to stop the absurd singing, as it would cause hideous defects within her children. She nudged one accidentally - one slightly larger than the rest - and Flynnth crowed happily. It doesn't matter, daughter-mine, for the Hatching has started! Flynnth crooned happily, with Kieranth joining in after a moment's pause.
T'len? You might want to tell Pazia the Hatching is starting.. I don't think Nahlimath will, as she doesn't look very happy. Riders dashed about the Lower Caverns, hustling the Candidates up towards the dorms to get them into Candidate robes. Kalionth reappeared, and neatly took over Headwoman Aince's command, snarling at the Candidates to make them move faster. Alianora apologized profusely to the Headwoman, who merely glared icily at the amber-rider before sweeping off regally to watch the Hatching - from Alianora's seat.
xXx
The Candidates finally shuffled onto the Sands, where Nahlimath had rescued the lone egg, shuffling it under her wing again. Flynnth perched delightfully close to the Sands, but far enough way so that Nahlimath would have to get off the eggs to retaliate physically. Pazia sat in between T'len and Synde, biting her bottom lip anxiously. "Synde, I'm sorry for anything Nahlimath's said to Flynnth that's offensive... she's not like this usually.." Synde waved off the apologies.
"It's fine. It's not like most of them weren't true. Kiara! Stop that!" Synde scowled at the gold fire lizard, who cheeped innocently. The Candidates' fire lizards had been ordered off the Sands and being with their "owners" (though some fire lizards had a different opinion of who owned who) and Kiara was ever so innocently inching towards the fair. "Leave them alone. Look, Pazia, Nahlimath's getting off the eggs. Flynnth's good for something." The green was moving off ever so slightly, as if the green mimicked gold Kiara. Finally all the eggs were visible, each shaking.
You better stay there, Nahlimath, Flynnth added. Pazia frowned as she counted the eggs. Only five? But Nahlimath had said six...
Shush, ridermine, Nahlimath snapped irritably. And just because they're shaking doesn't mean they'll Hatch! The last comment was directed towards Flynnth as well, and the gold's head snaked out to tap lightly on the egg nearest to her. Flynnth! Nahlimath shrieked, but the egg was already starting to crack, spilling out the dragon inside of it quickly. Except.. there were two inside; two browns that were slightly smaller than normal. Nahlimath started to hiss at the male Candidates inching forward, but two well-aimed tail lashes by "anonymous" dragoness made her stop sulkily.
"Itucith?" Harek walked forward, not making eye contact with the mother-green. "Come on out from underneath him.. you don't deserve to be on the bottom!" The bottom dragonet raised his head, and the whirling eyes met human eyes. With something like a laugh, the brown dragonet shook himself, neatly flipping his twin off his back and dashed carefully towards his chosen.
Well met, H'rek, my friend! the brown said cheerfully, and followed his bondmate off the Sands towards the meat that Aince had had cut up for the hatchlings. One of the Eriol Weyrfolk, not very afraid of the green Nahlimath who he knew to be quite friendly usually, walked towards the other brown, and crouched down beside him.
"Etucith? Did Itucith hurt you?" The brown, who had hit the Sands with a loud thump, slowly crawled to his feet.
Nooo.. I don't think so, Dnoces, Etucith said carefully, and the crowd cheered as the tiny brown and his rider made their way off the Sands, a striking contrast to Harek and Itucith, who had fairly bounced off.
Happy? Nahlimath asked Flynnth sulkily as the other four visible eggs cracked, bouncing off each other until all four split with a gunshot-like crack. The Falasians all jumped; the noise was eeriely similar to the attack after the FGPC Hatching. Nilofer, who sat next to Synde with the other Searchriders shuddered, and closed her eyes. Synde patted the girl's arm sympathetically, and one fire lizard from the motley mix of the Candidates' fair turned and crooned.
The bundle of ten blues of greens stirred; heads and tails and various limbs sticking out of the pile randomly. The sight was comical, and the crowd turned from it's attention on betting to snicker at the ungainly Hatchlings. Leryine scowled up at the crowd as she marched forward.
"It's not funny!" she fumed, and paused to pat a green in the middle of the pile absently.
You're absolutely right, Leryine, and it hurts, too, the green replied. Leryine gasped, and stared down at the green. It's just me, Leryine, Amlath! Leryine smiled, and helped Amlath squim out from underneath the dragons on top of her, earning "scowls" from the dragonets she squished and the ones she pushed off from on top of her. Leryine giggled, and the remaining dragonets fanned out to face the rest of the Candidates.
Sulai yawned, watching the dragonets that now peered interestedly at the assembled humans. There weren't enough for everyone, and she thought that would be a shame... sort of. Maybe if she didn't Impress..?
I wouldn't worry about that, Blink - or should I say Sulai? - because I'm here. Me, Nuath! One of two greens who were quite obviously twins, purred affectionately at the non-Pernese girl. You don't have to worry about not Impressing since you have me. Sulai smiled back, somewhat cautiously, but accepted the Impression with a bowed head.
"There's rumors that that's all there's gonna be," Shanti whispered over to Pazia. "I don't think all of them are only green- and blue-worthy! I mean, Jeyaa's J'tha's daughter, and Heriridith approved of a few of them as rare-quality.." she trailed off. "Is Nahlimath sure those are all the eggs?" Pazia squirmed uncomfortably, but Synde shushed the younger creamrider.
"Just wait," she ordered, and Shanti turned her attention back to the Hatching, picking out Catalys quite easily.
Mother, my rider isn't here. Neither is Celadarth's. Two blues turned piteious gazes onto their mother, starting back towards her. Nahlimath smirked up at Flynnth.
See, Flynnth? I can keep some of them.
For Faranth's sake, Nahlimath, they are dragons, not stray canines who followed you home! the gold snapped. Have them look in the Stands if they must! Look there, and see if your riders aren't there! Flynnth's tone was still brusque with the twin blues, and they peered cautiously up at the Stands, shrinking under Flynnth's quelling gaze that was directed at Nahlimath.
Nekkar!
Zosma! Two people stood up in the Stands, anonymous faces within the crowds, but both started to pick their way towards the Sands.
"I'm coming, Celadarth," Zosma called towards the one blue, while Nekkar nodded towards the other.
Me as well, Eldarth, he assured the blue mentally. A third blue quietly claimed Tarazed as his own; he was a triplet to Celdarth and Eldarth and he did not want any attention drawn to him.
"I understand, Aldarth," Tarazed said quietly, and the two skirted around the other Candidates to leave unobtrusively, with hardly anyone noticing them.
Three greens were left, as well as two blues. Two of the greens moved decisively forward towards the female Candidates left, of which there were five. One, Nunki, burst into tears, afraid that she would be the one chosen.
Nunki, don't cry! I want you. The green rubbed her wedge-shaped head against Nunki's leg, pleading with the young girl.
"Kuath..." she whimpered softly, before kneeling down to hug the dragonet as best she could. The other gren snorted, and glanced at Situla.
Such theatrics, don't you think, Situla? Neither I, nor my sisters Amlath or Amleth, will ever act like that. Situla smirked at Nunki and Kuath before nodding at the green's words.
"I should hope not, Amloth, especially not in public!" As the two girls left quickly, the remaining three dragonets headed towards the boys. Achamar was surprised to see one of the dainty greens coming towards him, but maybe he shouldn't. After all, a male blue had Impressed Zosma, hadn't he?
Larae, you are mine now, forever and ever, a blue told the boy on the far side loyally, pausing a few steps in front of Larae. Larae nodded, causing a lock of gray hair to fall into his eyes.
"I agree, Utiyith, I truly do." The blue's twin tilted his head at one of the other boys.
I shall call you F'rro and you shall always be mine! he announced loudly and dramatically, clinging to F'rro's legs. Please?
"Of.. of course, Uciyith," F'rro stammered, but grinned down at the blue's head.
Achamar swallowed nervously as the last remaining dragonet - the green - stumbled and fell, head over tail, on the Sands, quite belying her "graceful" nature.
"Amleth! Are you okay?" he asked, brushing sand off the still-damp dragonet. Amleth "grinned" up at Achamar, who was just now realizing the Impression.
Of course, but I hope you don't expect me to be graceful, do you A'mar? What if I can't? Achamar assured Amleth that it was fine, but any other speech between the bondpairs was lost in a bugling match between another set of mother and daughter.
You're hiding an egg, Nahlimath, I know you are! Jeyaa and Aeman will Impress! Synde buried her head in her hands.
"I'm sure she means for Catalys and Conchúr to Impress too," Z'ki assured the goldrider. "Don't worry. Maybe they can't hear?" But it was quite obvious that all the Candidates could hear, for they paused in heading off the Sands.
What makes you so sure? Nahlimath challenged, and Flynnth pointed with her tail.
That, she said in mock-sweetness. As Nahlimath peeked where Flynnth was pionted, her head swooped back up to lock gazes with Flynnth.
Not fair, she grumbled sulkily. Underneath Nahlimath's tail, two tails poked out, as well as two heads. Two cream tails, two cream heads; two white tails, two white heads.
They better be for our Candidates, Flynnth grumbled to Synde, who merely sighed. As Nahlimath backed away even further, not two, but four dragonets were revealed. A cream, two whites, and another cream sat in a line, blinking in the bright light. Jeyaa, Aeman, Catalys, and Conchúr all stepped forwards hesitantly towards the two creams and two whites. Catalys had sucked in a breath when she saw the tiny creams; so like Heriridith.. only smaller! Heriridith preened from up in the Stands when she heard Catalys' thought, and mentally urged the cream farthest to the left towards "her" Candidate. The cream on the right, however padded cautiously towards Catalys.
Catalys? I am not like Annuath, but will you accept me, Cimoath? the cream asked shyly, spreading her wingsails to prove that she was cream through and through. Catalys nodded, tears leaking out of her eyes. She had truly come home now. One of the whites moved forward, poking about until he paused in front of Aeman.
Aeman, I assure you that you made the right decision in coming to Stand. Why, now you have me, Nimoath! The white spread his wings as Cimoath had done, showing off cream wingsails. Aeman smiled at the white-cream and nodded.
"I always knew I was right," he said simply, and paused to see if Jeyaa would Impress. The other white moved forward, however, looking shyly at Conchúr. Ennuath was single-toned, as Cimoath was, and Conchúr led the little white off the Sands.
Go, Jeyaa, Flynnth urged, and the last Candidate, daughter of J'tha, rider of sunset Zenith walked hesitantly towards the cream.
Jeyaa, I am not sunset like Zenith, nor gold like Niayith. I am merely Annuath, cream-white Annuath. The cream spread her wings delicately and elegantly, and the snowy-white wingsails glittered in the afternoon sunlight. Jeyaa swallowed back tears.
"It's okay, Annuath, really it is," she whispered, and the cream-white walked elegantly towards her rider.
But Annuath means "sunset," Jeyaa, so that is close enough. Jeyaa laughed at the cream-white's comment, said smugly and the last four riders walked off the Sands, leaving Nahlimath alone with the remains of eggshells.
I blame it all on you, Flynnth, Nahlimath snapped, but it wasn't as irritable a snap as it had been before the Hatching. Flynnth merely smirked and hummed her little song.
We’re of to the Weyr of Eriol!
The wonderful Weyr of Eriol!
Where my daughter tenders her eggs!
And I will soon be to bug her!
Oh, we’re off to the Weyr of Eriol!
Nahlimath gave a groan and sprinted towards the exit.
Not the song again!
The crowd shuffled out quickly, with quite a few marks having exchanged hands. Shanti dropped back to speak to Synde. "You know that song of Flynnth's? It's a real song. I asked Catalys about it, on a whim, and she said it's from something called a "movie" known as "The Wizard of Oz."" Synde grinned.
"Really?"
"Mmm-hmm. It goes something like.. "we're off to see the wizard, the wonderful wizard of Oz. We hear he is a whiz of a wiz, if ever a wiz there was." There's more, but you'd have to ask Catalys or someone from Earth." Synde nodded her thanks to the younger creamrider.
"Thanks Shanti.. maybe I'll do that.." Shanti laughed.
Thus ends the first hatching of Weyr Eriol, as recorded by Kismi, with Calliste and silver Karneuth providing essential dragon information