Hatching of Clutch 16
It is a cool spring evening at Jerdan Weyr and everyone has been invited to the Spring Gather. The merriment has been constant since early morning, and still more dragons are arriving with passengers. The Harpers are striking up a lively tune; one of the weyr candidates among them. Radon, a tall, dark-haired young man, is finally getting to sing the piece that he has longed to perform and had been afraid he wouldn't get to. His young tenor rings out across the bowl of Jerdan Weyr. His beautiful performance is suddenly interrupted when a loud bugle comes from the Hatching Grounds. The eggs are beginning to hatch! No one had expected the hatching to start in the middle of the celebration, and soon green and blue riders are taking the twelve candidates to their weyrs to put on their white candidate robes. Meanwhile, Lord Holders, Craftmasters, dragonmen, and ordinary people are running for the hatching ground hoping to get the best seats. The dragonriders who are transporting the candidates must have really rushed them because in no time at all the candidates dressed in white are standing on the hot sands. There are six boys and six girls, both sets on separate sides of the Hatching Ground. They shift from foot to foot in the curious dance that has so often been performed on the Sands. No one is sure if there will be a queen in the clutch, but Green Aldath isn't taking any chances. She's curled tightly around the twelve mottled eggs. Ayla, Aldath's rider, can be seen sitting close by G'ren, Blue Wakith's rider, with little green Gem perched on his shoulder. Her tail is twined tightly about his neck. The Jerdan Weyrleaders are close by. Weyrwoman Carah looks at the eggs with as much anticipation, if not more than that of Ayla. Just as suddenly as Aldath had called to the dragons, one of the eggs begins to rock. Everyone gazes on in awe. Not all of them are as focused as they should be due to the effects of the excellent Benden wine that had been served just a few moments ago. The six boys look on eagerly as the shell develops several neat cracks. It rolls away from it's siblings and cracks wide open when it hits bottom. A large bronze hatchling wobbles it's way out of the remains of the shell. That he hatched first is a very good sign and Blue Wakith looks on with pride at his son. The bronze walks towards the boys. He stares at them, and for a long time two of them seem to really attract his attention. He stumbles toward these, his awkward gait not revealing the slightest hint of the graceful movements he will have when he is an adult. All six boys eagerly step forward hoping to be chosen by the ungainly bronze, but the little dragon now only has one of these six in mind and moves toward him. Derak is surprised to find the bronze at his feet. The scribe looks down into the whirling eyes and finds himself lost in their opalescence. His body, mind, and soul are overcome with indescribable elation as Impression is made. Derak kneels down on the hot Sands, not even feeling the heat he is so lost in the bronze's eyes. He soothingly scratches the soft spot on the eye ridges. Jaye is chittering happily over her owner.The not-so-little bronze begins to croon. All of the onlookers wait patiently to hear the bronze's name. Suddenly the new bronze rider stands up. He has a look on his face that can only be described as complete and utter devotion. "His name is Jossith," he calls out. The dragons bugled to welcome the new pair. While everyone has eyes only for Derak and his new bronze, three more eggs have started to rock. A loud pop draws their attention away from the other pair as they are led from the sands by a blue rider. A dainty little green has at last broken her shell. The little dragonet pushes away the shards with her nose and stumbles across the Sands. She stares at the girls and then the boys. The little green seems somehow confused. She runs back and forth across the Sands unsure of who she wants. At last after an encouraging croon from her mother and the other dragons present, the little green heads toward the girls. Most of them take a step back, unsure of what to do. The little dragonet doesn't pay attention. She only has eyes for Asbontry. The brown-haired young woman looks down, her braid swinging as the little green butts her legs-- just as the dragonet had her shell. Once their eyes meet, there is no turning back. Asbontry turns shining blue eyes to the other candidates. "She says her name is Shelith, and she's hungry." The audience roars with laughter because as everyone knows, hatchlings are always hungry. Ayla and Aldath smile down at the pair, remembering their own Impressions not so long ago. Then two of her siblings hatch at once. A brown and a green are soon standing on the Sands. They don't hesitate and act as if they have known before they cracked their shells who their riders were meant to be. They quickly head toward the candidates of their choice. The little green reaches her rider first. Loran isn't sure that she is who the dragonet wants, but as the dainty green croons at her feet, Loran accepts the fact and looks into the whirling eyes of the dragonet. "Tenith. Her name is Tenith!" the weaver calls out with pride. The brown hatchling is following in his sister's footsteps. He runs over to the boys and actually knocks one of them over. Taroll isn't hurt though and immediately reaches up to stroke the brown's eye ridges. "Lirioth!" he calls out for all to hear as he struggles off the ground. Blue Treil is crooning his approval. Then he and his new brown are lead from the Sands. They are right behind Loran and her new green. One of the smaller eggs is rocking now. It rocks so hard that it knocks itself and the egg next to it down the little rise that separates the clutch from the rest of the Sands. They both open with a loud smash as they crash into each other. The shards reveal another green and her brown brother. The two bugle at each other as if arguing and then head to different sides of the Hatching Ground; the brown toward the boys and the green toward the girls. The sparkling green hatchling reaches her destination first. After the initial shock of the first green, the girls have calmed down considerably. Now there are only four remaining. They look at each other nervously. The green dragonet paces around the loose semicircle of girls as if carefully choosing who would be her rider. As she does so, the poor little thing trips over her own wing scathing her leg with her wingtip. Caina doesn't hesitate but swiftly runs up to the injured dragonet as she croons piteously. No sooner has she scooped up the small green's triangular head than Impression is made. The two turn as one and laying her hand on the dragonet's head knob, Caina with joy in her blue eyes announces to the waiting crowd. "This is Metath," she says with a large smile on her face stretching the scar that runs from nose to chin. At the same moment across the Sands, the brown is being even more picky. He begins to nudge certain candidates out of the way. He soon has the number down to two. Not being as awkward as his sister, he walks up to the candidate he has at last chosen. The little brown begins to rub against Jannus's leg in an almost feline-like gesture. Jannus looks down at the dragonet, his brown hair slightly covering his face. Instantly his blue eyes lock with the dragon's iridescent ones. After a while of talking to his new dragon, Jannus begins to lead him from the Sands. "Come along Exicath," he says affectionately. Then G'ren repeats the brown's name for all to hear. "That was Jannus and his new dragon Exicath." After the newly hatched brown and his rider disappear off the sands, the remaining candidates turn their attention back to the pile of mottled eggs. Several expectant minutes go by and still nothing happens. The girls shift from foot to foot on the hot sands and the boys uncomfortably adjust their itchy white robes. Onlookers grow restless and murmurs of conversation begin to drift down from the crowd. As the noise level in the Hatching Ground rises, a young woman turns around with an irritated glare at the spectators. With an angry look on her face she mutters, "By the first shell people, show some respect!" A faint cracking noise draws her attention back to the sands. The crowd hushes as the cracking gets louder and louder. Three eggs are rocking and the candidates crane their necks to try and see which one is making the noise. Finally, a blue muzzle breaks through the shell of one of the larger eggs. The dragonet scrambles to it's feet and looks longingly toward the cluster of girls. In it's haste, the glistening blue claws it's way over the two eggs that are still rocking violently. As they roll down a mound of sand, the tiny blue is already halfway to the waiting candidates. The petite girl who had been annoyed with the crowd only a few moments before now has an ecstatic smile on her face. Quipa steps forward to greet the crooning dragonet, calling out her name. "Katoth," she says soothingly to the dragonet, "I'm not mad at you!" As if on cue, the other two rocking eggs burst open just as Quipa leads Katoth off the sands. A bronze and green dragonet tumble to the ground. Startled, they look at each other. With a loud squawk, the green takes off running toward the boys. Seeing his sister get a head start, the bronze screeches and follows close on her heels. Not to be outdone, the bronze darts past his sister and runs smack into one boy's legs. The stocky boy, Camin, barely budges as he peers down at the glistening little body. The expression in his brown eyes changes from curiosity to elation as he bends down to scratch the bronze eyeridges. " 'is nam's Babath!" he shouts in a jubilant voice. As the herder leads Babath off the sands to the waiting wherry meat, the little green is crooning at the remaining candidates. One of the boys grins and points towards the girls. "I think you're looking for one of them!" he chuckles. The tiny green dragonet cries, confused. A pretty tan girl with black shoulder-length hair steps forward, calling to the green. "Oh, come here you silly thing!" Laurilyn calls. At the sound of her voice, the little dragonet freezes. Turning her whirling eyes on the young healer, her cries melt into joy. With a broad grin on her face, Laurilyn runs to the dragonet's side. As she bends down, a gold and a green firelizard come swooping down to spiral around her head. They chitter a greeting as the young woman laughs. "Reamith, meet Nyssa and Ranaly!" Meanwhile, the two remaining male candidates have been staring intently at the diminishing pile of eggs. You recognize one of the young men as a harper who had been singing at the gather before the chaos broke out. His green eyes have not stopped sparkling since you first saw him early this morning. As another one of the eggs wobbles uncertainly, his muscles tense. The round egg is rolling all over the place, rocking furiously as the hatchling inside tries to break free. The two boys have strained looks on their faces, as if they wont be able to handle another moment of anticipation. Slowly, a faint crack slithers across the egg's surface. With tiny crackling noises, a portion of the egg is finally chipped away. It rolls over to reveal tiny brown hindlegs waving wildly in the air. The girls stifle giggles as the brown hatchling finally manages to escape his cramped prison. Unfurling his wings, the tiny brown bugles a welcome to the entire weyr. He then turns his attention back to the boys and steadily walks straight up to the young harper. For once, the harper is at a loss for words. After a few minutes, someone in the crowd calls out, "Radon, what's his name?" Without lifting his eyes from the dragonet's, Radon's powerful voice rings out, "His name is Dedith!" A perfectly shaped egg startles the candidates with a loud pop. Splitting neatly in half, the shell fragments fall away to reveal a glistening blue hatchling. The tiny dragonet extends his wings, shaking them in the slight breeze. He stretches his little body to it's full height, arching his back and standing up on his hindlegs. He looks so grateful to finally be out of the cramped shell that everyone in the cavern laughs. He finally turns and studies the two groups of candidates, as if he's trying to decide whether or not he has enough energy left to reach them. With a small hop, the glittering blue hatchling sets out across the sands. When he reaches the girls, he stops. Peering up into their faces, he utters a soft croon. He sits there expectantly, like he's waiting for something. Finally, a girl with short dark hair steps forward. With a questioning look on her face, she slowly bends down and gives the blue's eyeridges a gentle scratch. He shrieks in delight and Impression is made. Her eyes reflecting the glossy blue of the hatchling's hide, Analyssa laughs as the blue dragonet leans into her hand. "Come on Solath," she grins, "let's go get you some food!" After watching Analyssa and her blue make their way to the waiting wherry meat, the lone male candidate turns back to the sands. His attention is focused on the last large egg. It has many peculiar dark markings that resemble stars sprinkled across it's side. As the young man brushes light brown hair out of his eyes, there is a tender smile upon his face. Suddenly, shock, fear, and finally excitement flashes in his eyes. The last egg is rocking! The egg he had been watching intently begins to split in half. The crack widens until a little muzzle can be seen poking through. The muzzle is followed by two hindlegs and a forearm. The fumbling hatchling gets to it's feet, a large shard of it's shell still balanced on top if it's head, covering it's eyes. The hatching belts out a loud frustrated squawk before losing it's balance and falling flat on it's face. That's all it takes to move Menderan to the dragonet's side. Gently removing the large shard, Menderan gazes down at the little bronze dragonet. Suddenly, his face aglow, Menderan looks up into the sky in triumph. "His name is Gerith!"
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