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 Posted: Sat Jun 20, 2009 4:03 pm
News, Summary, Current Events
Dovan's lovely young dragons are now a full turn old! Most have reached their full sizes. Though your Weyrwoman's Gold is still growing, her fellow queen has reached her less-than-imposing stature, as have all the other hatchlings!
And, with these strong new bodies, flying lessons are due to begin!
First, the dragons will practice solo glides. In real-time, this will last for a week.
Next Monday, we will have a more minor time jump (assuming we have not progressed forward) of two weeks, so that Weyrlings will have their first rides!
Green hatchlings may apply for a mating flight in the Air Traffic thread.
The humming of the dragons had faded, along with the sun. But, two eggs had been unhatched. Little lives, fated to die unlived.
It was luck alone, and perhaps dragon bred tenacity, that saved them. These two tiniest dragons, smaller than any of their kin.
One whose body was white as snow, so long as you didn't look too closely.
And another whose body, though delicately tiny, had the pale glow of well polished gold.
==-==-==-==
Hatching has ended, but the Gather to go with it has only just begun. Visiting Harpers have banded together to regale their enraptured audiences, and have debuted a new song, dedicated to those lost in the Cataclysm, and to the spirit of the living that has helped rebuild their homes.
A certain snippy greenrider from Southern has slipped half a vial of fellis into some of the winesacks, for the sake of watching the adrenaline of celebration combat the narcotic slumber of a good dose, though most people's glasses had become so confused that, in the end, no one did get more than enough to set their head to spinning.
Many of the Weyrlings are fated to simply slip in, hoping to feed themselves and return to their dragons or their beds, only to be accosted by congratulatory families, or older riders of their own colors, greeting them into the folds.
Due to the sudden surge in candidate characters, additional hatchlings have been added to the "player impression" roster. Please see the editted list below.
Hatchling Listing
Of the forty six eggs on the sands, forty four will hatch successfully, including the gold. Of the hatched eggs, most dragonets will go to NPCs. However, available for impression to players are:
1 GOLD
2 BRONZE
2 BROWN
2 BLUE
4 GREEN
We have FOURTEEN candidates at the time of this writing. You will note that there are only ELEVEN hatchlings listed.
The candidate(s) who do not impress by June 30th will be contacted by PM that midnight.
==-==-==
Tomorrow, June 28th, Hatching "festivities" will begin. That is to say, the dragons will begin to keen, the stands will begin to fill, and everyone is (apparently) going to have to make a very quick break for their chests/wardrobes/closets/whatever to collect their robes!
On June 29th, (day after tomorrow), the Queen's Egg will impress. This will give female candidates who do not impress Gold to interact with the other, remaining hatchlings. By midnight, June 30th, hopefully, all candidates who are going to impress will have impressed.
On that note, you'll see there is a poll. If you support the idea of "timeskipping" two turns into the future, rather than playing through that maturation phase of your dragonet, please vote yes in that poll. If the yeses are in the majority on July 10th, we will have a timeskip.
Though it is a sour blessing, the people of Dovan, Bitra, New Tillek and New Igen cannot help their gratitude. Because there is so little on Pern that is populated, there will be no truly dangerous threadfall for the next two Sevendays.
The Weyrfolk rest, as best they can considering they have their own fields to till and manage, and prepare for what will- without a doubt- be one of the most gratifying moments since the Dawn Sisters fell from the sky. Before another flight will need to be mounted, the clutch of eggs on the hatching sands will crack, and give life to a new generation, that might be the only hope for Dovan and it's tithing holds.
The candidates have been searched, and even at this moment, are being trained, drilled in the ways to behave.
Desperation has filled every mind, threatening to quash the fragile seeds of hope. So worried are all involved that even the girls, traditionally forbidden from leaving their posts about the Queen's egg, have been lectured. They may not move until the gold hatches and Impresses. But, as soon as she has chosen her rider, they may join the young men. Hopefully, no hatchlings will be lost to lack of choice.
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Posted: Sun Jun 21, 2009 7:56 pm
Senda's eyes focused on the cluster of candidates being led to the hatching grounds once more. Every day, now, the little children were being shown the unborn eggs, and lectured on the imperatives surrounding them as candidates, and as possible riders. Senda could almost quote the words by heart, she had heard them so many times in passing. "Do not touch the eggs, ever. You might harm the dragonets within, and if you don't, you will surely taint their ability to Impress." the young woman intoned under her breath. "Never stand between a hatchling and it's destination, they will trample you without a thought." The first time she'd heard the candidates being told that gem, she had almost scoffed. Trample was such a kind word to the sensations of newborn, powerful claws cutting into your flesh as a creature the size of a large man hurtled into you, and crushed you into the ground in a panic state. I am not a creature. We are not creatures, or beasts. Soamith replied to her rider's sullen statements. Senda immediately turned her eyes up to the ledge above her weyr, where her beautiful dragon was sunning, pale light filtering a soft greyish green through the thin membrane of one outstretched wing. Of course not, Soamith. That isn't what I meant. But you were just as reckless when you were born, weren't you? Bawling across the sand. Don't forget, one of those leg scars belongs to your over-eager talons. Senda answered back, her tone indulgent, even through her strict and knowing words. The green dragon simply flicked her tail, as though annoyed, and gave a small huff, raising dust from her ledge. But, her eyes continued lazily spinning in between shades of blue. ==-==-==-==-==-==-==
"They will trample you without a thought." continued the instructor guiding them around the edge of the hatching sands, and Zafir once again tamped down his immediate nervous reflex. His sandals were thin, and each passing day, he noticed that the sand was getting warmer and warmer. Would it hurt, to stand and wait for the dragons? Or would it be no different from running bare foot on the coast lines, hunting eggs and fruit after a particularly long day of netting packtails? It probably wouldn't be excruciating, or they'd be given sandals. Still, he remembered hearing raucous laughter and bragging once, when he was very young, from a few men who'd seen a hatching. The heat of the sands was something like a test of character. It was probably far too optimistic to hope that his soles- tough though the were- would be able to withstand it comfortably. "Now, as soon as the dragons call for a hatching," the instructor carried on, teaching the same lessons he had for days and days now. "Where ever you are, you run here as fast as you can. You can put your robes on before you run, or after you get here, but you won't be allowed on the sands without them. You girls," the man scanned the gaggle of candidates, eyes alighting on the young women, "will go stand by the Queen's egg, until she makes a choice." His hand gestured towards the massive, sickly pale body of Mirth, and the large, golden shelled egg between her forelimbs. The queen's eyes were still and grey, and she was almost painful to watch. "After the Queen chooses, to can run around with these other idiots, and we'll see if you don't get lucky and manage a green or two." Zafir let his mind drift away from the same, ever the same, words of their instructor of the day, studying instead his fellow candidates. A tall, almost treelike young woman with the strangest, palest hair. She seemed quiet, almost like a dream, but he was sure that, if provoked, she could be vicious. There was something about her that seemed far too collected and strong for a greenrider, but he couldn't imagine that she would be befitting of a queen. A pair of younger boys, laughing at some shared joke, each with a matching brown flitter wrapped around his neck. Though they looked too different to be brothers, Zafir was sure they were closer than any blood relatives. Maybe they had known eachother before all the recent tragedies. Another young man, probably a few turns younger than himself, but not by much. His hair was a few shades longer than Zafir's own, and it clung in the most fascinatingly girlish ringlets. It made the young man, Jeb, easy to find in a crowd. That, and his entirely too loud personality. Words, body language, the man carried himself like he was a king. Zafir envied him that confidence, the surety that he was always doing the right thing, even if it wasn't necessarily the smartest. If it weren't for his complete inability to believe Jeb would prove rational during a crisis, Zafir would think his younger fellow candidate was much better suited to this role than him. Perhaps, because of that envy, his eyes lingered too long on the curls and thin, bladelike shoulders of his peer, dropping him into a focused, nearly meditative state. It was no wonder than he made a strangled, startled noise when two thin tails wrapped around his neck, accompanied by the weight small bodies and feel of sharp claws in his shoulders and hair. Sometimes, he imagined he must look impossibly silly, with a pair of bronze resting on his sleeves, and a tiny golden fire lizard nested atop his head.
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Posted: Sun Jun 21, 2009 9:36 pm
Removing his intense gaze from the Candidate Master, Jeb's large brown eyes flicked over to see a tiny Gold settle on another boy's head. He noted the Bronzes too, but it was the Gold that caught his attention. Oh how he wished to be standing with the girls, trying to Impress the little Gold that would carry the future of Pern's dragons! Well that thought didn't last for long when his Esyn suddenly landed on his head, mimicking the Gold fire lizard. However, she was greatly unhappy, and it took all Jeb had to keep her quiet. SHE was just as good, no, BETTER than that fire lizard! She also succeeded in getting her claws tangled in his tresses.
In a matter of moments, Jeb had turned his attention back to the Candidate Master, forgetting the sound and the person it had come from. Afterall, with those flitters, and the way he acted, Jeb had no doubts about Zafir Impressing Bronze. Which meant he, most likely, had no chance with the older Candidate. Oh well!
Jeb's arm shot up in the air when the Candidate Master mentioned that they couldn't touch the eggs. He had only been at the Weyr long enough to hear this lecture once before, so he had no problem asking questions. The moment he thought he had been called on, his arm dropped and his bouncing (which had been going on for awhile, and not because of the heat) picked up a little. "I thought we could touch the eggs! One of my brothers said in Turns long ago Candidates got to touch the eggs." Okay, so he was being a little annoying, but no one else was being very energetic about it all, so why not be energetic for everyone? Wasn't there going to be a Hatching? Why was everyone acting so dull?
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Posted: Mon Jun 22, 2009 7:41 am
Zafir resisted the urge to snicker at the look on the Candidate master's face. The man was clearly not pleased that someone was disobeying his decrees. Then, the man's face blanked as he listened to some far off voice. When his focus returned to the group he was leading, he locked eyes with the outspoken boy and his head full of green lizard.
For a brief moment, Zafir wanted to feel sorry for his peer. Then, he realized Jeb was nearly bursting with something. Some kind of energy or pride or excitement. He wouldn't even feel any negativity, most likely, though the candidate master was rolling it off in waves.
"In better times, yes, you could touch them. Go, and be familiar with them, and not fearful. Unfortunately, if you managed to harm any of these eggs in anyway, we would be in that much more trouble. Not to mention that, some people believe touching the egg of a specific dragon gives you a better chance at impressing that one, and if that is true, and you aren't capable of impressing the egg you touched, then you might induce a hatchling to be lost between. And no one would want that, would they?"
Zafir was torn between laughing at the master's annoyance, or flinching at the idea of losing any of these dragons, when each was so vitally important these days. Kalt, his queen, chirruped, and dangled her long neck in front of his face, her eyes roiling green with mirth. Well, if a flitter could think it was funny, then he certainly could.
He let a very, very hushed chuckle spill out, and watched the outspoken Jeb closely, waiting for his reply to that fine little lecture.
==-==-==-==-==
Senda tipped her head towards one shoulder. The group was stopping, right in front of the eggs. Was this the day they would be allowed to tour through the hardened shells? It was a pity she could not hear them, from this distance.
Calinth says that his rider is insulted by one of the little ones. They are being told off! Soamith was unreasonably amused by that, so much so that Senda felt herself smiling against her will.
"I suppose they won't touch the eggs then. Is T'ren still claiming they'll hurt them somehow?" Senda asked quietly, knowing her dragon heard. "I certainly didn't hurt you, though I suspect you were in that egg I nearly tipped over. Nor did any of us hurt little Nearith, when we girls crowded about her shell, cooing and coddling. No, it took much more dangerous things than simple candidates to hurt her."
Senda could feel her emotional centers shutting down again, as they always did at the thought of her lost weyrmates. Still, it was unreasonable that these new candidates would not be allowed contact with their dragons to be. Perhaps she would go an have a talk with T'ren.
Soamith seemed to approve of the idea, though she did not say so. Instead, the dragon stretched her body long, and vaulted off her ledge, gliding a long, languid spiral until Senda dived out of the way, and she swooped into the wide cliff face of the weyr.
"Yes, I suppose now is as good a time as any. Care to take me down then, pretty one?"
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Posted: Tue Jun 23, 2009 2:07 pm
(Just to let ya'll know, I'm going on a trip away to Arkansas for about a week or so.. I'll try and post as much as I can.)
Lunara stood at the back of the girls, listening to the Candidate Master. She sighed, hopping from one foot to the other. The sands had gotten very hot. She had been waiting all her life for this moment, even when she had spent her time in the Harperhall. Brushing her curls from her face, she glanced back at a few of the guys. She wondered which would get what color... or even what color she might get. Her eyes returned to the eggs. The gold sat nestled in the queen's arms still. She had to wonder what lucky girl would Impress that glorious creature.
Brushing off her tunic, she crossed her arms and sighed again. Listening and waiting was so bothersome sometimes. A croon beside her head made it turn and she chuckled at her little flitter. He was a gorgeous blue, named Iseth. The little guy sat on her shoulder and glared at the eggs. Chuckling and patting his head, she shook her head. "I won't replace you, Issy." She said softly. Her eyes looked back when one boy questioned the Master. A lanky, curly headed kid. Hmm. Snickering, she shook her head. Why question him?
Looking back at the boys, she watched them for a moment. One had a golden flitter, one that Isith was watching closely now. Rolling her eyes, she thumped his nose. "No flirting right now, Issy." She said and chuckled. Though, she had to admit that the gold's owner was kinda cute. She shrugged and yawned. When was this over?
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Posted: Tue Jun 23, 2009 4:22 pm
With her dragon's agreement, Senda climbed atop Soamith barebacked, just a hint of her amused sneer left on her face. "What do you say we back-wing over them until the scurry and make a bit of room to land?" she asked, patting the long green neck.
Soamith let out another little huff, lifting dust into the air. What if they ran into an egg. Cant we just land without being mean, just the once? Orange danced faintly at the edges of the dragon's wide eyes.
Senda chuckled as she rolled her eyes. "I'm not that mean, you silly girl." she replied, "You're just too sensitive. But, if you prefer, we can come up behind them. Less terrifying for the holders, I suppose."
Yes. I like that better! Soamith replied, launching herself into the air as she spoke, wings spread wide. The wind caught them, and the jolt of going from a fall to a glide nearly unseated Senda, but she caught her balance with practiced ease.
"Down we go then!" the rider yelled, well aware that words were unnecessary. But, she liked speaking aloud, being heard. Only a few short moments later, the pair settled back onto solid rock and dirt, with a feather soft thud, and a small cloud of dust.
T'ren was clearly not pleased. Senda was tempted to laugh, but schooled her face to impassive and unimpressed. For all that her rank was low, she had never lost her Lady Holder-to-be skills, and one of those was to make others feel terribly beneath her. It helped that she remained abroad Soamith's shoulders, giving her the illusion of height.
"You know, T'ren, dragons do not know how to keep a secret. Are you really asking us to believe that letting the children touch their soon-to-be-born life partners would cause a problem? I have never heard of such a thing, and I'm sure that, if I asked the others they would agree. Who has ever heard of an unimpressed hatchling coming for touching the eggs? Even the White Ruth was not harmed by being touched, only by being small."
A self satisfied smirk filled her tanned features. Poor T'ren looked as though he just been told by a Queen that his hair was the wrong color and he was to be exiled for it: indignant, and unable to come up with a suitable response. "Will you be letting them run amok with the unborn now, or will you make them wait even longer?"
Oh, she would get a fine berating for speaking so crassly against a superior some time this evening. But, Senda could not convince herself that it wasn't worth every second.
T'ren stuttered, for a moment, before narrowing his eyes at her. "You!" he said, gesturing towards Jeb. "You'll get your question answered then. You'll go first. And then the rest of you can follow, if Mirth doesn't have you all thrown out."
Calinth says that you ought not speak like that to brownriders. He says the bronze's men are listening to it, and that you'll be in great trouble... Soamith stated with only the bare minimum of confusion.
Ah, but won't it be worth every moment, for the children and the hatchlings?
Soamith had no response for that. Senda, I want a bath. All that sunning, I think I've got new hide cracks. Come and oil me?
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Posted: Tue Jun 23, 2009 5:34 pm
Sevina walked out into the shimmering sands of the hatching grounds, looking for the Candidate master. Sev'en was curled tightly around her neck in a strangle hold, the tiny golds head glaring at the two browns that darted in the air around her. Slipping a finger under Sev'en's tail Sevina tryed to losten the strangle hold. Then with impatiance Sevina pushed a annoyed feeling into the little golds mind. With a harsh chirp, Sev'en dropped her tail and hissed. Her tiny eyes rolling with Orange and Brown.
"Im sorry little sister, but it hurt." Sevina crooned to the tiny FireLizard.
Sev'en twitted and turned her tiny angular head away. Then she blinked and hissed. "Hum?" Sevina murmered looking up, she had stumbled into the candidate group. Unabashed for her lateness, she did have a good reason, she stopped in the rear of the group. Buck and Harper, her two nutty browns made themselves scarce, slipping into the seats that would be used on the hatching day.
Sevina stroked Sev'en remembering when her preciouse three had hatched. Then the terrifying day when Sev'en had been scored. Her heart had almost broke. But the little gold pulled through. Pushing a calm aura of genital green at the Lizard Sevina turned the Candidate master into her thoughts.
'Gosh I hope the Drums master backs me up if they call me out on this... I truly hope I didnt miss too much' Sevina thought. Her two toned eyes glancing at the other candidates.
Then her eyes fell upon the almost compleat eggs. Her heart beat a rappid stroke in her chest.
=======
Sev'en watched her human's eyes with interest. Unsurity coated her eyes with orange, but she stayed quiet. Turning her faceted eyes to the other queen lizard in the room, her eyes shaded purple with sadness. The other queen was whole and healthy. A musical note slipped out her thin lithe neck. Questioning the other gold, wondering if the other had mated.
Then in a sudden sulin wave she dipped her head into her humans hair. It was soft. It was safe. Sev'en hummed softly, showing her trust in this huge thing without wings or claws. It was a strange creature, but it nested with her in the big warm bed thing.
Sev'en churpped and slipped into a slightly hungery mood.
========
Buck lay his muscular neck accross his egg brothers neck. His brother, from the same queen was larger, yet more streamline. No envey was protrayed between the brothers, Harper, the size of a queen mater, and Buck, the streagth of a queen mater.
Harper crooned gently and licked Buck accross his eye ridges. His eyes red rimmed with hunger. But trained as he was he stayed quiet.
======
Sevina slipped behind the group of expectant Candidates, her eyes on the nearest egg. It was soft in the light, a milky mottly color. She turned her eyes to the Master, and the dragon rider behind the group. Hesitant she waited. The dragon rider had vouched they should be able to touch the eggs. And her heart pounded with excitement.
Sevina felt her Firelizards hunger, it was light at the moment, but soon her boys would creen. She wanted to feel the preciouse eggs before she was forced to go to her supply of scraps for her friends.
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Posted: Wed Jun 24, 2009 1:27 am
Zaira walked out onto the sands with Twitter jetting around her head again. She had a stoic expression and wasn't really listening to T'ren. Her mind wandered back to the hold the day of the Cataclysm. She sighed and felt someone was watching her. She chanced a glance and saw that it was Zafir, the boy from earlier she had seen being gathered for this lecture. She sighed and straightened up again, clenching and un-clenchin her fists. She decided that she'd take in the surrounding area while she was down her again. She had helped build their nameless hold and was good at taking in small details. She was concentrating on Mirth's appearence when a dragon landed behind her. Instinctively she closed her eyes and waited for the dust to settle before she turned to see Senda and her gorgeouse green Soamith. She smiled at the thought of have a brilliant blue. Or maybe a green. She smiled and sighed before a sentence caught her attention.
Touch the eggs!? Wasn't that forbidden?
She strained to listen to more but Twitter landed on her chest and sent messages of hunger into her mind. Sighing she pulled some meat out of her pouch that hung at her side. A gift that came with having a firelizard, one that she recieved from her father before she was washed away. Getting glassy eyed everytime she thought of her family wouldn't help her in a Fall, she closed her eyes and cleared her head. She felt the presence of more then one Firelizard's hungry stomach in her mind. She chuckled, louder then she thought, and silenced herself immediatly. Opening her pouch again, she grabbed a wad on meat and sent friendly invitations through Twitter that the other's could join in. She laughed as she was swarmed. She outstrechted her arms and immediatly became tense fearing that the other's would become angered by her generousity towards their friends. She let them finish and closed her pouch, trying very hard to hide the smile tugging at the corners of her mouth staring straight forward.
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Posted: Wed Jun 24, 2009 7:59 am
Almost as soon as the order was given, Zafir found himself moving inexorably towards the eggs. There was one, in particular, that was quite large and covered in grey-green patterns that he wanted to investigate more thoroughly. Alas, before he got anywhere near it, Kalt and Cor very suddenly demanded food. He had half a mind to reprimand them, having just gone fishing with him a few hours ago, and requiring that he wake on a sailor's schedule of pre-dawn, rather than a candidates lazier sleeping hours. Then, his smaller bronze, Serrin, offered up a vivid image of one of the female candidates feeding half a fair of flitters from a belt-pouch.
"Ah, so you're hungry because you're jealous, then?" He asked quietly, scratching lightly along the gold's eye-ridges. "Well, you're just a greedy little bunch, aren't you."He stated that with only a hint of the fact that he'd known that from the beginning, and felt the trio's change from hungry and jealous to hungry and worried that their master didn't like them anymore instantly. Kalt began crooning softly, and dug her talons deeper into his hair to comfort what she imagined was an upset human.
He just laughed and shook his shoulders fiercely. "Go on then. I've got eggs to study." Kalt and Cor joined the feasting immediately, though Serrin's tail stayed wrapped tightly around his throat, almost enough to constrict Zafir's breathing. "Oh no you don't. I know you. You'll whine and whine that you didn't get lunch." Zafir muttered, wriggling his fingers beneath the strong prehensile limb.
Only when Serrin had joined the frenzy did he slip towards the egg that had his interest. He'd go and thank the girl... was it Zaira? He'd go and thank Zaira for the food soon enough. Right now, this task was more important. Besides, who could say the opportunity wasn't going to be stripped away again, as quickly as it had been offered.
And it was such a lovely egg. He'd been watching it from the beginning of his candidacy. It was harder, beneath his fingers, than he'd expected. And hot, hot as the sands. He was tempted to knock on it, and listen to the sound. Would it be hollow, with the goo of all unhatched eggs? Or was it so full of dragonflesh now that only a solid thud would come of it?
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Posted: Wed Jun 24, 2009 9:00 am
Jeb's bouncing was stopped by the talk of dragonet's going between, but his mood didn't seem to sour too much. Even before the Greenrider sided with him, he smiled and looked over at the eggs. "So we must all touch every egg then, to make certain that the dragonets, and all of us, have a fair chance in this wonderful opportunity to become defenders of our beloved planet!" Oh yes, that sounded grand enough to have come from him. The smirk only grew when T'ren finally gave in and allowed them to touch the eggs. Stepping between a few of the eggs, Jeb grazed his hands over any within reach until one egg in particular caught his attention. The others seemed to disappear as he crouched down beside the beauty. He guessed that most of the colors could be found somewhere on the small egg, but he would investigate that later. For now, he simply stared at his hand as it rested gently on the warm, firm shell. Jeb imagined his hand resting on the head of a darling little dragonet, who was perfect in every way. It's color kept changing, from Gold to Green, he dreamed himself a rider of each color, and smiled at the thought of the possible life ahead. He had picked one of the smallest eggs, but he didn't realize it.
While he had been walking among the eggs, Esyn had untangled herself and taken to flight. She was too timid to go near the source of food, but she watched the others and waited to see if there would be enough food for all of them. Chirping quietly, as if to herself, the shy Green couldn't bring herself to get close.
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Posted: Wed Jun 24, 2009 11:28 am
Zaira cringed as the little bronze of her's settled onto her back with it's talons in her wherhide vest. Watching the other little lizards return to their respective owners she stepped forward and looked at an egg. Sliding through and touching the eggs as she went she was somehow drawn to one of the eggs towards the far side. Continuing to touch the eggs as a fair chance like Jeb had said, she made her way to the molten beauty that was tilted slightly. She smiled and crouched to the ground, her white teeth shining against her tan. She placed her hand upon the egg, and slowly, very slowly, leaned in and laid her ear aainst the hot shell. Her smile became broader as she felt safer near this egg. Twitter made a chirping noise from her back and nesstled himself in her hair once more. She patted the little wedge shaped head under her right ear and sighed. Standing and getting a quizzical look on her face she chuckled at the thought she had been sent.
You silly little thing. I could never replace you. You are my best friend and I could never put another where you stand in my heart.
Zaira reached back and pulled the little worried friend into her arms and craddled him there, cooing reassurances softly. She walked away from the eggs and leaned against the wall feeling the heat through her sandals once more.
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Posted: Wed Jun 24, 2009 12:01 pm
As Omerzen listened to the Master droning on, he looked anywhere but at T'ren. Green eyes swept over the candidates around him, scrutinizing. Noticing that a number of the other candidates had firelizards, he absently rose a hand and began stroking his little green, who perched on the shoulder pad he had fashioned to protect himself and his clothing from her claws (but of course, that never stopped Meek from perching where ever she pleased). Meek crooned at the attention.
He'd always thought that he was special because not many people had firelizard friends - at least, not back at home. Here, they were in abundance. Golds, Bronzes, Browns, Blues, Greens. Some even had multiple lizards. At least, he mused, Meek will have plenty of friends now. The green chirruped, as if in agreement, and pressed her tiny head against his cheek.
Okay, reviewing. Don't touch the eggs, keep out of the hatchlings way - oh, wait, that greenrider said we could touch the eggs. Omerzen peered up at her, sitting proudly astride her green, looking much more authoritative than T'ren, and chuckled. I am more inclined to believe her. Sporting an almost bored expression, he watched the young man who had first questioned the candidate master move out among the eggs. The rider had said the rest of them could follow, so Omerzen didn't hesitate to start meandering about the eggs.
One in particular caught his eye, a medium sized egg. He gravitated towards it and boldly placed a hand on it's shell. It was warm and had a leathery sort of feel to it; that came as a surprise. It was also firm and unyielding. That meant they would hatch soon, to Omerzen's knowledge. He wondered what this egg contained - probably a brown, or a large blue. He wondered if it would impress to him, since he was paying so much attention to it.
Quite abruptly, Meek sprung into the air, and after chittering angrily at him for a moment she winged up towards the roosts where the dragons perched during hatchings. Omerzen supposed she was probably jealous that he was more focused on an egg than her. Ah well, let her sulk. He had a clutch to get familiar with.
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Posted: Wed Jun 24, 2009 12:39 pm
Sev'en hissed and churned when the fare of FireLizards had taken flight, many of them. The sinuous gold was upset. She buried her head into her humans hair and crooned. Anxiety mixed with hunger.
Buck peeked over Harper's neck and cocked his head at the noise in the hatching ground cave. HIs eyes shimmered with amusment and interest. With a questioning chirp his wings shivered open. Just as a green shot past his head. Buck shrieked with surprise, and took after the little green. She shimmered in the light.
Harper rolled his faceted eyes at his smaller brothers flight. Buck had always had a thing for chasing the egg layers. Harper was too lazy to be tempted.
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Sevina sighed when Sev'en didnt join the flight of Lizards when the other candidate had offered them food. It ment her time with the eggs would be cut short. With an annoyed poke at Sev'en's tail Sevina walked to the nearest egg. It wasnt the queen. She wanted to wait a moment before touching that one. Sevina stood looking at an egg. As tall as she was and four times as wide. Not too big. But it wasnt the size she had gone for it was the strange patterned markings.
Mottled silver and black veins ran the shell. Her hand slowly reached out to the shell. It was hard and almost burning hot. She suddenly was reminded of her friends hatching. There eggs had been near this hard. Sevina hummed a soft note. Replyed by Sev'en.
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Sev'en blinked her deep eyes. Looking at the massive egg under her humans hand. Sliding gently she purched upon her masters sholder. Her head slipped sideways as her master slowly removed her hand from the sparkly egg. Sev'en was a shiny collector. And she was thinking of ways she could get this very big shiny into her collection hole.
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Sevina turned her head to look at the tapered head of the lovely green dragon. WIth a longing sigh Sevina turned to look at the slightly seperated queen egg. 'I should touch it while I can... I need to fee my sister and brothers.' Sevina thought to herself.
Walking closer to the egg who's shell looked almost like liquid. She ran her fingers over the shell of any egg she walked past on her way. The last one a mottled green and red. Her hand reached out and lay palmed down on the large queen egg. It was so much different than Sev'en's egg had been. Hers had had nothing to distinguish it from the others. This egg was extrodinary.
Warmth and life stirred under the hard shell. Sev'en slid down Sevina's arm and chirpped. Questions ecohed in her tiny voice. "I dont know little sister, any of these candidates have as much or more chance than I do. No one truly knows how a dragon choses its bondmate..." Sevina whispered to her little scared friend.
Sevina pulled her fingers off the egg and ran one down the long puckered scar on Sev'ens stomack. The one that stole the little golds ability to clutch. "Come on little sister, lets get you fed."
"Candidate Master?" Sevina called in her bold commanding voice. Her eyes sparked challange. As she walked closer to the master her fingers brushed the eggs she passed. Soon she was standing at the first egg she touched. The silver and black veined one.
"I must retire from this lesson Candidate Master, My Fire Lizards are hungery, and this lesson seems compleat. As well as Im sure the Weyr woman needs help with the constant arrivals for the hatching." She said as her eyes found the Candidate masters eyes.
Sev'en slid back up her arm and chirpped at the man.
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Posted: Wed Jun 24, 2009 1:13 pm
Words could not describe the excitement Hedria was feeling. All her life, she had never even considered becoming a dragonrider, yet here she was, a candidate for a clutch vital to the survival of Pern. She could actually make a difference in the world she lived in. She had never felt so important, despite the fact that she was only a candidate, hardly better than drudges in the weyr hierarchy.
The candidate master was rather dull, but Hedria hung on his every word nonetheless. She had a lot to learn, considering she knew almost nothing about dragons and the weyr. What he was saying was too important for her to dismiss as easily as some of the other candidates. For a moment, Hedria diverted her attention to examine her fellow candidates. Many were looking bored, which was understandable considering T'ren had a way of droning. Some were preoccupied with firelizards, of which she was envious. Others seemed just as enthusiastic as she was.
Her attention snapped back to T'ren when he addressed the girls. He explained that they were to gather around the queen egg until she hatched - Hedria nodded, already aware of this - and that once the gold had chosen, the remaining girls were allowed to join the boys and try for a green. Her eyes widened. It was possible for women to impress greens? She'd always been taught that women could only ride golds, and nothing else.
Her eyes wandered towards Mirth and she sighed. Poor, valiant Mirth. She looked so sickly and grey, so lifeless. How ironic Hedria thought sadly. Hopefully the queen would find peace after her clutch hatched. Her gaze then drifted down to the gold egg situated between Mirth's protective arms. The future of Pern hinged on whether that dragon hatched and impressed well. Looking around at the other girls, she wondered if any of them had realized the gravity of the situation. Whoever impressed her had a daunting task ahead of her.
There was the sound of wingbeats and then a thump behind them. Hedria whirled around and gasped. A dragon had landed, a green. Her rider called out to T'ren and ridiculed him, of all things. Hedria was delighted to discover the greenrider was a woman - so it was possible! She had such an authoritative air about her, and T'ren was looking like a kicked puppy. Hedria snickered quietly. "Maybe she ought to teach the lesson," she whispered to one of the candidates beside her.
They were dismissed to move about the eggs and familiarize themselves with them. Not sure of where to start, she simply went to the egg nearest to her and knelt down beside it. Tentatively, she placed her hand on its hot surface. "Oh..." How amazing she thought appreciatively. She wondered what color it was, who it would impress to, and if she could be the lucky candidate. Ah, one could only hope. She moved around the egg, and with one last light pat on its surface, she drifted to the next egg.
((There, all caught up. Whew!))
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Posted: Fri Jun 26, 2009 1:22 pm
{{Aha! I shall induce inter-candidate conversation and interaction through the brute force of slight godmoding and a crash! I will not have this guild dying on me again! I won't.}}
Senda smiled, rather than sneered, as T'ren acquiesced to her demands. She patted Soamith's neck as she dismounted with practiced grace, her air of superiority fading. It was not hard for her to command and control, but watching those hopeful little faces mingle with the eggs, she was reminded of her own time as a candidate- sarcastic and caustic- and the softening that impression had given her. At the time, haughtiness and superiority were her only traits. Now, they made up so much less of her personality. It was amazing, what just over a turn as a dragonrider could do.
"Come on then, pet. Let's go clean and oil you, before the bronzes find us for a fine lecture of weyr ranks." Senda muttered, already headed on foot, across the gravel and sands of the weyr's ground, towards the dragon-sized bathing pools on the far end. Soamith simply took to the air, circling over her rider, so that they could reach their destination at the same time.
==-==-==-==-==
Zafir felt almost loathe to leave behind the egg that, in the back of his mind, he had marked as his own. The lovely, large, mottled shell. Would his dragon come from that egg? Or would it be another? or would he be left alone?
In the shadow of the great, dying queen, Zafir found himself strangely more confident than he had been in several days. No, he would certainly be a rider. Why would the blue have sought him out, unless that were the case. There were so few candidates here, less than two for every egg. Most would impress, and Zafir knew, without any fear or doubt, that he would be among them.
Along the edges of his thoughts, however, worry seemed determined to creep back in. All the survivors from Old Tillek, who had known him from his youth, were certain he would ride a bronze. His ability to lead, to judge, to think under pressure and keep others safe during even the harshest squalls all spoke of a bronzerider hiding within him.
The green-eyed young man, however, was not so sure. And, if he found himself suddenly among the highest ranking of all people on Pern, Zafir could not find the faith in himself to believe he'd handle the honor properly.
With one last touch, he hoped that the little dragon in the egg would be his, and that- please, by Faranth's shell- it would be green.
Then, he moved on. He'd heard Jeb's cry of unity. Touching every shell, so no one would be at advantage. Far be it from Zafir to disagree. Even if the other candidate was loud, and from what he could tell, quite flighty, it was a good idea. And, it would create a sense of unity among the candidates, which would serve well those who would become riders.
He was lost in idle thoughts about the political hierarchy of holds and weyrs, and the ways the cataclysm had changed those hierarchies, idly running his fingers along each egg he passed. With his head elsewhere, it was no surprise that he ran headlong into another passing candidate.
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