Hatching of Clutch #1
The day started normal enough. The sky was clear and by mid-morning, and it was very hot. When the air was pierced with the growing hum of dragons announcing the immenent hatching, it was almost a relief. Even if it meant a lot of work to entertain the guests, it would be a welcome change from the normal routine. Carah was with her queen, Raenith, on the sands while the queen carefully arranged her eggs for the last time. Riders were sent to gather the candidates, their families, and others, who would be priveledged to watch. By the time most of the guests had arrived, Carah still saw no sign of M'lek. It was one thing to almost miss the hatching of your own dragon, but to miss the hatching of the clutch your dragon sired? The humming increased with each additional dragon that landed to witness the special event. By now, all the candidates were in place. Still no sign of M'lek. About the time Carah was about to give up hope, Ferth dropped off M'lek and a very young boy who appeared to be a candidate. The boy quickly took his place with the rest of the candidates while M'lek found Carah. It always amazed the weyrwoman how most everyone made it in time to witness a hatching. It was certainly a lot of people to organize in a finite period of time. She often wondered just how many dragonriders timed it so they wouldn't be late. The first egg to crack captured everyone's attention. It was a brown! Then two more green heads, and one more brown head appeared from nearby eggs. The tiny hatchlings wobbled towards the waiting candidates. When a green approached the girls, a green fire-lizard swooped down as if to attack her. "Alla! That is not acceptable behavior!" Kali firmly told her fire-lizard where she should wait. The green hatchling, however, stopped in front of Azrael with her head bent upward, crooning softly. Azrael was heard to say, "Riabith, of course I'll get you something to eat." The first brown had narrowed his choice and was heading towards Secol, Puteh, and Zyzen. All three were hopeful, but the brown only had eyes for Puteh. Respectfully, Secol and Zyzen stepped out of the way as Impression was made. "His name is Wynesuth!" Puteh announced. The other brown made his choice, knocking Zurinthe over. The crowd chuckled as they heard Zurinthe tell the brown, "Dreguth, I know you're hungry, but I can't feed you while I'm lying here on the ground." The second green took young Diral by surprize. His total attention had been on Zurithe and Dreguth. He didn't even see the green until she was right in front of him. Beaming with joy, he bent to embrace her. "Ferth says her name is Nyarth," M'lek told Carah, "Diral is a deaf mute or he would have shouted it out himself." A bronze and a blue were the next to hatch. While the blue headed off towards the girls, the bronze had an unfortunate slip, diving nose first into the hot sand. One of the few blondes in the group scrambled to his rescue. As Secol cradled the bronze in his arms, he said, "You're alright, Wrendeth. That's nothing that a full stomach and numbweed won't fix." While Secol attended to Wrendeth, the girls were surprized see the blue headed their way. As he crooned towards the group, Kali stepped forward before her fire-lizard could repeat her earlier performance calling out the name of the blue, "Prinath!" Raenith's bugle attracted the attention of the crowd to witness the hatching of the queen. The remaining five girls, Zeneeta, Clarissa, Jemina, Lysia, and Dalia moved closer. Almost as if on cue, the egg shatterd revealing the golden beauty. Zeneeta, Lysia, and Dalia were in front, but the queen was not interested. They politely moved out of the way and watched her pass. The tiny queen had her eye on either Jemina, or Clarissa. The crowd was held captive until she finally stopped at the feet of one of the girls. "Her name is Coralyth!" Jemina shouted as she gently reached down to rub the queen's eye-ridges. Once the queen Impressed, all eyes returned to the rest of the eggs. While the queen made her choice, 5 more eggs had hatched - two browns, two blues, and a green. One of the browns practically ran over Jaren in his haste. "Ishpanth! watch out," he warned, "I know there is enough food for you. I chopped it myself!" "Liendirth, of course I'll feed you," Zeneeta addressed a hungry green who was in the process of nudging Zeneeta towards the exit with her head. When Zyzen was approached by a large blue he told the creature, "Festeranth, I know just the thing for that itch." Farvan watched his sister, Zeneeta lead her green from the sands and wondered if he would be chosen. The sudden pressure on the back of his legs was just enough to tip him over. Farvan found himself looking up into the eyes of a mischievious blue. "Brianath, you startled me!" Srebbshin, for some reason didn't really care whether or not he was chosen. With each subsequent pairing, he looked less and less interested, until the brown made his way over to him. It was a sight to see the tall young man instantly melt when he looked unto the brown's eyes. "He says his name is Chandoth!" The last 5 eggs revealed a blue, two greens and two bronzes. The greens converged on the remaining girls, Clarissa, Lysia, and Dalia, while the two bronzes headed towards Ravian and Gaman. The only dragon left standing was the blue. He took one look at the boys, and then raced towards the girls, beating the greens, and knocking Clarissa off her feet. "Praynith, I'm not going anywhere. Yes I can feel your hunger too," she said as she got back up. "Laranath, you sure took your time breaking out of the shell," Ravian told one of the remaining bronzes, while Gaman addressed the other, "Arnoth, I thought I'd never Impress." Lysia and Dalia closed the distance between the remaining two greens. "Her name is Derith," Lysia announced, while Dalia just kept repeating her green's name over and over, "Pranth, Pranth." It was over so quick, but now 34 lives were now just beginning a live-long partnership.
[ Home ] [ Apply ] [ Lower
Caverns ] [ Records Room ]
|
