Clutch 7

A collective writing effort.

K’naret yawned as he dismissed the weyrlings to go join the midday meal. It was hard work being the Weyrlingmaster and even harder trying to be Weyrlingmaster when your dragon wanted nothing more than to be watching over his eggs which were due to hatch at any time. Even now Kweinalth was slowly creeping away toward the Hatching Grounds, one big eye focussed warily on his rider, waiting for the expected reprimand.

K’naret was too tired to argue this morning though, the confounded bronze had kept him up all night worrying about when his eggs were going to hatch. K’naret just waved a hand at his bronze, mentally telling him to go on into the Hatching Grounds and to have Rhinth tell Luna he’d bring her something to eat. Kweinalth was airborne before he’d finished his message only a vague, distracted reply to show he’d heard the rest. K’naret just shook his head and hoped fervently that the clutch would hatch soon.

K’naret headed for the dining hall, but before he’d set two feet in the door he heard a faint hum coming from the Hatching Grounds and Kweinalth’s voice burst into his mind. Forget the food! My children are hatching!

K’naret shook his head as he laughed aloud, a few weyrfolk nearby giving him a surprised look. “How’s that for timing?” he said cheerfully, his exhaustion momentarily forgotten. “The clutch is hatching!”

With that K’naret took of running for the Hatching Grounds; half the Weyr close on his heels. When he got there the eggs were merely vibrating lightly and he quickly took his place beside Luna on the edge of the sands. Rhinth was lashing her tail while Kweinalth did his best to dodge it and when the candidates filed in Rhinth bellowed, followed by a roar from Kweinalth. K’naret scolded his dragon and could see from the glare on Luna’s face that she was doing the same to Rhinth. We’re just trying to make it interesting... said a much chagrined Kweinalth and K’naret exchanged a grin and an exasperated eye-roll with his weyrmate.

Just in time, a single, large egg began to rock, furiously, knocking into the smaller egg beside it, chipping away at its shell. A horrified creel came from the smaller cream orb as it toppled to its side, shattering on impact to reveal a small green, rather dark in hue.

A gasp was heard from the group of female candidates, and one of the girls raced forward, to meet the new dragonet’s attention.

“Araneth! Are you all right?” Aelma asked in a soft tone. Araneth shook off the last piece of her shell, from the tip of her muzzle.

I’m fine, ridermine. He didn’t try to hurt me. You’ll see. The green assured her, nuzzling her chosen’s hand, affectionately.

The larger egg of the two shook with one final length before splitting almost straight down the middle, showing its prize; a large, bright blue dragonet, flapping his damp wings with a croon to answer his call to the world. Aleken grinned widely; knowing at once that the dragonet was his.

“Herragoth! There you are!” He cried. “Do you want to come to me, or do I come to you?” Herragoth glanced up with a blink, cocking his head, curiously. With a slight bugle, he darted forward, wings spread to keep his balance.

I want to come to you! I need to start warming up these legs… they fell asleep when I was in there… I don’t feel them, anyway. Can we go eat, now? Aleken let out a short laugh at the talkativeness of his new bond, but obliged the blue’s request, leading the pair from the sands.

A pair of eggs rocked and rolled harder and harder as Shiro watched. They neared each other in their frenzied spinning and rolling, slowly getting within dangerous reach of the other. The remaining candidates gasped as the eggs shattered and a pair of browns spilled onto the Sands. One of them looked directly into Shiro's gray eyes. I'm dizzy. the hatchling complained. "I'll bet your friend is just as dizzy, Faharith." he assured.

The other brown staggered a few steps before bumping into Aeshi. Oops, sorry, Aeshi. he mumbled. "That's okay Querilth you have a right to be dizzy after all that spinning." the boy replied.

After the two dizzy browns staggered off the Sands, with much help from their riders, a blue warbled from the midst of the male candidates. The boys moved towards the little blue, all with hopes of Impressing him. Help! the little blue pleaded from his chosen. Acelar knelt down and ran a hand over his dragonet's neck. "It's alright, Rduith, they're not going to hurt you." The blue crooned. I know, but I wanted you to come to me.

Then, a bronze warbled and broke his shell. He looked around at all the candidates and chirped to himself before going to the boys. He hissed at the few that approached him as he paced up and down beside them. Where are you? he muttered. Myrrdin stepped from the clump. "Here I am, Kantirth." he said. You were hiding from me! the bronze accused.

Another blue hatched at that moment and spread his wings to dry, catching one of them on his foreleg and sprawling onto the Sands with a squack. Infantani moved towards him and helped the blue untangle himself yet, to his dismay, the blue continued on to inspect the others. He looked them over and then sat down, sighing.

Another blue walked up behind his brother and shoved him with his nose. The first blue stared at the second before dashing back to Infantani. Sorry, Infantani! I don't know what came over me! he cried. The young man smiled brightly. "It's alright, Ijanefth, I forgive you." he soothed.

A brown chirruped as he came up behind Osquin. Can I help you weave, Osquin? he asked plaintively. The young man smiled at his bondmate. "Certainly Wynorth."

Now, it was the blue's turn to make his move. He moved towards Ameno. Enjoying the wait? he asked. Ameno hugged his blue. "Not at all, what took you so long Lukerafth?" he asked.

Tajima sighed as the most resent pair left the sands with their bond. Maybe she wouldn’t Impress? There was one egg that hadn’t seemed to move at all since the Hatching had started… Maybe that was supposed to be hers… a dud… Was her life truly to be like the egg? A dud?

Don’t you dare think that way, ridermine. A voice commanded. Tajima blinked. The voice was full of authority, but it was so soft… Do you want to see me, Tajima? Look down and see your Bondmate. The girl did as the voice in her head told her, and there, planted before her, was a small, green dragonet, watching her every move with great interest.

“Donlth…” She breathed the dragon’s name, “… I never should have thought that way…”

At that, two eggs shattered in time, showing two new dragonets to the lists of Tripaldi Weyr. Two greens. One was rather larger in size, paler in color, and though the other was smaller, its hide was dark, almost a deep, forest green. The two sisters looked at each other in a blink, before heading off together towards the female candidates, towards their chosen. Each any every of the females there stood, wishing, hoping, dreaming that perhaps one of these greens would choose them.

But both Aarde and Zand knew better then just to dream.

“She is Naith!” Zand claimed, motioning towards the larger of the two.

“And she is Vnaedth!” Aarde informed the spectators with equal pride. And together, all four of them made their way off the Sands.

Tell them my name, Cadyn. A delicate green asked of one of the female candidates. The girl jumped in response. Neither she, nor anyone present upon the sands had known of the green’s hatching until that very moment. Ridermine, tell them my name, please? I’m rather hungry… I know there’s food, so don’t try to fool me into thinking otherwise. The green informed her new rider, matter-of-factly. Cadyn grinned.

“I wouldn’t dare try to hide anything from you. You are my Hyacinth, for now and forever.” The dragonet crooned happily thus began to lead her rider from the sands, directed by her hunger.

Xalia smiled from her place in the tiers as the last of the normal eggs hatched. Frinaith was not present, as the gold was moody and proddy and the two did not mix well with a happy occasion like a hatching. Xalia was affected by the happiness around her though and was able to hold her dragon’s bad mood at bay. Now the only eggs remaining were the gold and that mysterious rare egg that had been lain so late.

The five candidates gathered around the two eggs, which seemed in no hurry to hatch. The gold egg was rocking steadily but not in the frenzied manner that bespoke a hatchling desperate to get out, while the rare egg hardly moved at all. Xalia frowned as she watched it, concerned as she had been from the start that this egg would not hatch. It had been laid much later than the others and already quite firm when it was laid. Xalia hoped the five waiting girls would not end up disappointed.

The gold egg continued to rock casually, though cracks were beginning to appear in its shimmering golden sides. Quite suddenly the egg shattered, sending shards everywhere. The girls all ducked, throwing their arms instinctually in front of their faces to avoid being struck by the sharp eggshells. A large chunk of shell crashed into the rare egg and the shell burst at the impact to spill a weak-looking hatchling onto the sands. The hatchling was wet, her egg had held more fluid than was normal and though it was obvious her color was dark it was hard to immediately tell what color she was. The gold hatchling, miffed at being ignored as she burst from her shell, squawked indignantly at the candidates and snorted at them before prancing over to her sister and snarling as if she might attack.

A gasp ran through the crowd and each of the girls reached out a hand to try to stop her, but the strange, dark hatchling snarled back as she pulled herself shakily to her feet. The gold snorted in surprise and backed away, scurrying into the group of girls to wrap her arms and wings about Maya’s legs. Maya gasped as she looked down into the gold’s eyes and the gentle voice filled her head. I wasn’t really going to hurt her, Maya, you know that. I just thought she needed to get up!

“I know, Zyialth, now let’s leave her be and get you fed,” replied Maya, in a bit of a daze as she led the gold hatchling off the sands. The gold bounded by her side going on and on about destinies and running and most importantly food!

Xalia smiled softly as she watched the new goldrider leave the sands with her bondmate though the smile turned to a grimace as Frinaith’s mal humor intruded on her thoughts. She suppressed the urge to snarl and turned her attention to the sands where the remaining four girls watched the rare hatchling in suspense. The dragonet had shown no preference it seemed and was merely standing trying to dry herself off much like a cat. The entire crowd gasped though as her shimmering hide was displayed for all to see. She was dark in color, yet her hide shimmered with colors in dark hues, and all Xalia could think to call her was a Dark Opal.

The dark opal hatchling, fully as big as the gold had been now that she was standing and dry, looked about her with an air of appraisal about her. She looked each candidate over in turn until her intelligent eyes fell on a young woman standing a little apart from the others; a young woman who wasn’t sure yet of her place in this new world. A young woman, who even as the dragonet looked at her and tried to meet her gaze, glanced nervously back at a group of people who seemed to be waiting expectantly for her by the door.

Keigharia swung her gaze back around and was startled to find the dark opal hatchling at her feet, peering up at her curiously. Eyes wide in surprise and still weak from her ordeal she felt herself swaying on her feet as she stared into that multi-faceted gaze but then such joy and love suffused her that she gasped and felt her head return to normal.

Keigharia? I will help you find your parents if you will let me. Keigharia placed one hand on the dark opal hatchling’s head and nodded. “Of course I will, Oscurielth, come, I’ll introduce you to everyone.”

Can we eat first? asked the dragonet as Keigharia led her off the sands, her tone longing and Keigharia couldn’t help but laugh as she nodded in agreement.

Xalia smiled as she saw the pair walk off the sands together. She had hoped Keigharia would impress as the young woman had entered the sands after the beginning of the hatching. Something about the young woman seemed very familiar and Xalia had felt the young woman deserved to impress well. She would have to go talk to the young woman during the after-hatching celebration and congratulate her on her new, very remarkable bondmate.

In the meantime however, Xalia needed to go comfort three disappointed candidates. She thought perhaps she would transfer them to the TSCZ if they were amenable to that suggestion, but of course they were welcome to do as they wished. Frinaith crooned mournfully from her ledge and Xalia put a trip to console her moody dragon on her ever-increasing list of things to do before the day was over. She sighed as she got up and headed off to get started, another dozen things springing to mind as she went. A Weyrwoman’s work was never done...