Emergence

[saidaltam]

Kellain was nodding affably to Live when the first egg shattered, but he had been raised with some manners, and was quick to flash her a bright smile and reply, "Kellain."

He was so startled by the hatchling bowling her over then that he quite lost track of the hatching, wondering if she was alright and trying to decide if he dared try help her, such that, until the persistent voice intruded in his mind, he hadn't even noticed the brown making his way over. Then the hatchling spoke.

Kellain -- K'lain -- stared blankly at the young dragon for a long moment, suffering from stunned shock such that even his neverending stream of fretting and overthinking came to a sharp halt.

:K'lain? Food?: Mnemoth prompted again, startling the boy out of his reverie.

"Oh. Oh!" He wheeled around in place, eyes scanning the room hastily. He had just known he would forget something! How could he have neglected to locate the food, first? Even he knew the hatchlings would need to be fed.

Mnemoth nudged K'lain's hand and nodded toward his younger brother, walking away with Zenniel. :Over there. Quickly, please.: Though his tone was unmistakably persistent (a tone to which K'lain immediately responded, leading his new companion off to eat), it was oddly calm, for a hungry child, and, as they walked, K'lain smiled wryly at the notion that this sturdy, steadfast brown wonder was, indeed, just that: a hungry child.

He could not believe his good fortune.

[katgod]

The moments seemed to drag on for the crowds in the stands. Another brown hatched, quite at ease with himself as well. He was calmly surveying his options and walked off of the sands with a young man from the northern continent, E’an. The brown was the center of attention while three greens hatched one after the other. The first one stumbled a little to get out of her shell but the other two made quick work of impressing. One green impressed to a young woman from Star Hold and the other to her younger brother. The slower green managed to get her feet working how she wanted to and approached another girl. Solanath has found Tarilayn. Can we eat now? The light green’s eyes swirled with extreme happiness.

The Cavern grew hushed when a larger dragonet burst from his own shell. The Bronze was obviously unafraid of this new place. He knew almost immediately whom he wanted but he had to catch the youth’s attention somehow. Of course he would be the one holding hands with a girl. The Bronze almost chortled then and there. How funny these humans were! C’dest, stop messing around with the girls! Can’t you see I’m STARVING! The Bronze waited for recognition. And still he stands there gaping up at the massive Bronze…ugh. I thought you were intelligent. He paused. What part of Erinetath is hungry do you not grasp? The Bronze was slightly amused though he was actually very hungry. He wanted his to move as quickly as possible.

While the Bronze made his impression, several more eggs had hatched and impressed. One of these, a lovely blue the color of the ocean near the shores of Star Hold, was watching. The blue and two greens that hatched before him had already left the stands and still he watched. Two more greens hatched followed by a brown. They all seemed to have no trouble finding there life mates. Not that the blue was having trouble, he just wanted the boy to worry. He wanted him to squirm with impatience! Muahaha… oh wow, that hurt. He was hungrier than he thought. The blue finally decided he wanted to make his way to the boy. He practically ran at him, stopping just a split second before he would have crashed into him. Didja see? I missed! Aren’t I good? I’ll be the best dragon ever! You’ll see, S’rtol. Am I not amazing? Oh look over there… The dragon saw other dragons heading for food. Can we eat too? I’m soooo hungry you wouldn’t believe! Quinsyth would be even happier if he got to eat.

[E]

Feeling the squeeze of the woman standing next to him, Chedest smiled inwardly as his gaze was lost to the eggs. It seemed at that moment they began to hatch, as if on cue – that as soon as the man found some comfort to strip it away just as quickly with the possibility of complete uncertainty.

As the first little dragon burst forth from the egg, Chedest felt his breath caught. This was it, it was truly happening. It was as if the rest of the world slowly melted and spun out of existence. Suddenly not even Nashira was next to him, despite how much he clung to that hand, as if to keep the cavern from spinning completely away.

Finally realizing the first little one was a brown, he watched as it looked past him – and at the same time Chedest looked past it to see the next little hatchling. Again the world seemed to spin and suddenly it was just the two of them, him and the little green. That did not last long as the green seemed to meld into the blur of the world, impressing to a familiar face that Chedest would have been able to name if his attention and whole world suddenly shifted with a whirl again. This time to the little blue.

Again and again his world shifted, the only stable part seemed to be each hatchling, and only for a moment until they impressed. The young man could feel the bile begin to build in his stomach and he fought to keep it down, to keep his feet standing on the floor as the colors wavered from black and white back into the rainbow of colors that were spewing forth from the now rapidly hatching eggs.

Then it all stopped – suddenly – the whole world seemed to come to a complete and unnatural pause now, as the next egg cracked and a proud bronze stepped confidently out of his shell… and meet Chedest’s clouded, dark eyes. He watched, his breath caught, as the bronze made his way to him as if in slow motion. Chedest’s jaw dropped, his body shaking… this was it… this was where it would all be decided wasn’t it?

C’dest, stop messing around with the girls! Can’t you see I’m STARVING!? The young man was lost, the rest of the color in the world fading out to give way to the bronze little thing as it took a few steps closer. And still he stands there gaping at the bronze… ugh. I thought you were intelligent. The little bronze paused, and if he would have had feathers he would have clearly ruffled them indignantly. What part of Erinetath is hungry do you not grasp?

And with that, the world around Chedest snapped back into place, sickingly so. The colors back to normal, the movement back to normal speed and everything far too bright. Swallowing the bile down once more, he dropped Nashira’s hand and reached it out, shakingly to the little bronze. Fingertips barely brushed the hide before the bronze pushed his muzzle against the hand as if the young man had taken far too long to come back to reality.

I said I was hungry! Can you not hear properly? I thought you were a good choice. The bronze said, though his tone was still loving as his eyes whirled a mix of blue and green as he gazed at his new life mate.
C’dest narrowed his eyes at the bronze before turning away – the rest of the hatching lost to him as he fought to control his stomach as well as the little bronze who was attempting to push him toward the food. “Alright, alright. We’ll go you little tramp.” Taking a step on his own caught the bronze off guard and he tumbled, barely caught in time by the farmers strong arms. “And you questioned my intellegance?” C’dest added softly with a laugh.

At least I can keep the world still, you had it spinning everywhere. This made the once-farmer blush deeply as the pair continued to the feeding tables.

[Adobe]

Sera was watching the eggs with wonder, which shall be his? As they each hatched and Impressed elsewhere, his spirits were slowly being ragged away. Was his dragon out there this time? Another boy had mentioned that some candidates were left standing, that Impression was never guarenteed, but surely there was a dragon bond for him? Sera was a good boy, right? He always listened to his master aboard the Golden Lady, he talked a big game, but really he wasn't sooo wild a dragon wouldn't want him, right?

The black haired, pale skinned boy looked over to his older brother. An encouraging nod or a smile, or something would be nice from Destre, Seratol needed to know it was going to be fine. Then the boy standing next to Sera gasped. The former cabinboy looked ahead to see a blue dragon CHARGING him! Seratol put his arms above his face and braced himself for impact, but it never came. Slowly he let down his guard and looked down. There was a blue dragonet standing there looking at him, the color of a tropic lagoon. Could this beautiful dragonet be his?

Didja see? I missed! Aren’t I good? I’ll be the best dragon ever! You’ll see, S’rtol. Am I not amazing? Oh look over there… The dragon saw other dragons heading for food. Can we eat too? I’m soooo hungry you wouldn’t believe! Quinsyth would be even happier if he got to eat.

Seratol grinned and announced like the other's, "HIS NAME IS QUINSYTH!!!" Oh joyous day! S'rtol laughed at the dragon, who had now discovered his own tail and was trying to catch it, "Well come on you little bugger, let's get some food in ye."

Right, right! Oh I want to eat. Did I tell you I am hungry? I am. Very much so. The blue gave up on his tail and started to walk with His. Oh, look, one of my brother's is hatching.
----------
Amala was not smiling. She was not clapping. Amala was not particularly in a good mood. She had not wanted to come to the Weyr in the first place. How many times did she have to tell people she just didn't belong? Already for talking back to the Candidate Master she had gotten herself punished. In fact, all the other girl candidates made her mad. The only females she got along with in this joint was her sister and the Head Cook that she worked for, Wisthia. The Cook was patient with her, and was already trusting Ama with her own duties. In the kitchen, Ama got attentions, and she most certainly was not just another girl candidate! She hated being just another girl in the crowd. And she was certain she would not Impress.
------
Nashira was a little more open minded than her sister was right now. If she Impressed, great! If not, she had other duties. Nashira's world was wide open for the moment, she could travel back to Star if she wished and help out her mother, she could stay at the Weyr, hope to help out the Head Woman, or be a creche nanny.

Nashira's soft smile expanded then when a bronze picked her Chedest! She blushed at the thought, well, her friend Chedest. He let go of her hand and she clapped for him vigorously, he deserved a bronze! She was so happy for him, now he belonged to the Weyr, more than she could say for herself, but at least he was completed with a dragon! Nashira was glad for him and watched him leave the sands...

[katgod]

Another green hatched, a larger one and rather pushy too. She found her young man immediately he was hers and she was going to make it known that he was. After all, she wasn’t going to wait around and let someone else snatch him up! Only a complete dimglow would do that and she, despite her color was far from that. F’lipek, you did not think I would leave you standing there like a dimglow did you? Hurry, now, Sheanath is hungry enough to eat a Candidate.

((Written by Adobe))
The nineteenth egg started to rock and tremble. It was one of the larger two eggs, and no one could doubt what was inside. At last the egg burst apart, and left in the shards of the mottled egg stood a dripping bronze. He was bulkier and sturdier rather than lithe and graceful. With each determined step the bronze took, the little bit his hide dried. The skin declared his true color was bronze, if his sheer size did not. The bronze was masculine built, with thicker neck and strong shoulders, his paws were large and promised large size, his claws were coppery-bronze. His hide was gradient between dark, dusky hues and brighter metallic sheens.

The bronze walked slowly to the lines of candidates, looking at each one. Finally, the bronze paused on one boy and he rumbled with happiness, Ah, D'tre, there you are. Keebrith hungers, now come, Mine. The bronze lumbered on with out waiting for the former deck hand to awknowledge him. Before my brothers and sisters eat my share, Mine.

((Back to Katgod))
The last two eggs rattled vigorously. The first to hatch, a green found her life partner on the edge of the sands, a meek young boy who seemed very scared until that smile lit up his youthful features. No doubt a dragon would be good for someone like that.

The last egg broke little piece by little piece. While the dragon inside seemed to be in no rush many of the Candidates were wishing she would hurry up already. The green pushed her little head out and then her right wing broke free. She was going to get out on her own. The green was determined and in her determination lay her strength. When she finally was completely free, most realized just how tiny she was. It was a miracle she was not stuck inside her shell. The smallest of her clutch made her way toward the Candidates with an ease that could only be expected of a green. Do not fret Nashira. I am here. I’ll show you courage. The green had a soft mind voice, very soothing. You will call me Aramyth. Food is that way. She nudged her rider gently in the direction of the other dragonet’s eating. She was hungry but figured it would be redundant to say so.

It was with this last egg, that the Hatching finally came to a close. What a wonderful day for the Weyr. 21 eggs, all impressed with two Bronzes even!

[katgod]

Destre had been enjoying himself watching the dragons impress to other boys and girls too. He was shocked, that a blue dragon had impressed to a girl. The fact that girls were even on the sands shocked him. Whether it was their place or not was not for him to say. Back home it would not have been permitted, that much he knew. This Nova Weyr was a very very strange place. His brother was the only person he was concerned about. When a dragon went racing right toward Sera, he almost had a heart attack. The blue who stopped before hitting Seratol, impressed to him. Thank Faranth! Sera- err, S'rtol was now a dragonrider and had a lovely blue named Quinsyth.

He couldn't help but be happy for his younger brother. As he watched him, he was ignoring the other eggs. They continued to Hatch as was expected. The older boy finally brought himself to pay attention as a large shattered. The dragon couldn't be mistaken for anything but what he was, a Bronze. Two bronzes in one clutch, that was good, at least from what he knew. Destre watched, this one was weighing each Candidate as he came to them. Something Destre could only admire him for. He would have done the same. This was the most important decision of a dragon's life. Not something to be taken lightly.

The young man watched as he came closer and closer and finally stopped before him. Ah, D'tre, there you are. Keebrith hungers, now come, Mine. The bronze lumbered on with out waiting for the former deck hand to awknowledge him. Before my brothers and sisters eat my share, Mine. Oh my...he stared at the Bronze with a level eye. He wasn't sure he deserved this but he wasn't about to deny that the dragon was his life mate. This was WONDERFUL! He smiled a wide, happy grin, and shouted as he had been told to do, "He is called Keebrith!"

The dragon was a few feet ahead of him but he ran and caught up easily. Food was the only thing these little ones thought about when they hatched. Little wonder after being in a shell for so long. All D'tre could think now was how lucky he was and how amazing Keebrith was. As the Bronze took the meat he was giving him ravenously he couldn't help but keep smiling. The others seemed to have started filtering out toward the Weyrling Barracks. He figured they must be tired after breaking out of their shells.

"Are you finished?" D'tre asked. He had never learned much about dragons. He just used common sense. Talking with one's mind had not ever been something D'tre had been taught. Ask him to bring a ship in to port, fine but talk to a dragon with his mind, he didn't even know where to begin. Good thing for him was that Keebrith understood what he was saying as well as what he was thinking.

MMMM, yes. I'm starting to get sleepy. The dragonet stretched out his neck and pushed past anyone in his way. He didn't have enough energy to go around them. "Do you think you could try not to be rude?" Look, D'tre. I'm a Bronze, they will respect me and move out of MY way. Not the other way around. D'tre shook his head, one of these days he was going to talk some sense into Keebrith. Today was probably not the best choice of day.

-------------------------

Laszreen, in the stands, clapped at the end of the HAtching. It was a fine strong looking clutch. She had nothing against any of them. She could appreciate the healthy young hatchlings even if she couldn't be happy about a certain sire of theirs. Still she had to be Junior Weyrwoman and congratulate them on their Hatching. The Gold rider was not pleased at the number of women who had impressed. If the Telgarians were going to put women on greens and blues how were they going to populate this place properly?

She sighed looking down at the last green and her lifemate leaving. Pretty little thing about the size of a dragon from Elfreth's clutches. Igen had a reputation for smaller dragons. Some claimed it was from being too inbred. Laszreen believed that they had a warmer climate and the sands were hotter sooner, maybe that caused the hatchlings to be smaller? She wasn't sure but she didn't really want to think about Elfreth's upcoming flight. She had known yesterday that it would only be a matter of a few days. Also, she knew that there wasn't anyone she wanted to have as a partner for this Weyrsecond business. She hated all Bronzers and one in particular.

Something told her that the evening was only going to get worse. Standing she moved closer to Neory and J'var. First she congratulated Neory who seemed to be swept up by the myriads of people Congratulating her. When she reached J'var she gave herself a moment before looking up at him. Wretched body! Laszreen felt the familiar pang of want. She wanted him but not enough to ask or even beg for him to forgive her. Laszreen was proud. So proud that she could never admit herself to be wrong.

The Junior Weyrwoman spoke in a determined voice, "Weyrleader, Congratulations on your clutch." She gave him a false smile and tried to move on before he could say anything to her. If he said anything she would have to stop and then she would be looking at him and then thinking about him and that could only lead to him getting his way. She wasn't going to let him do this to her.

[franny]

Falia was wondering when the eggs would hatch, and then they started. She wasn't much paying attention to the hatchlings because she expected to impress a queen.

Then, a beautiful green came up and said to her,I am Naraleth. Then, with a slight pause that meant that Naraleth expected that to mean something, Falia then heard, Falia, come and we will be wondrous together.

For a second Falia was felt sorry that she hadn't impressed a queen, but she soon got over that and was head over heels for her dragon. Falia loved the beautiful green. How could she not? In a fuzz of emotion she went and got food for her gorgeous Naraleth. All those small plans of taking over Pern didn't even matter to her anymore, she loved her Naraleth, who couldn't?

For once Falia had no concerns about people noticing her, or pretending or anything else, she was just herself, stripped bare to the bone after impression. She vaguely notices that Chedest had impressed to a bronze, she had been right about him. He also caught her notice because he was one of the few who had actually ever noticed her.

She hadn't been getting the food ready fast enough her Naraleth, and she soon heard in her mind, that other one speak, Come Mine, I still would like to be fed. Falia quickly fed hers, not wanting to deprive her Naraleth for another second.

A strange smile lay on Falia's face the entire time, for she had been laid to the bone, a girl who didn't really know what she wanted, even though she had thought she had wanted something all her life. Now, she only wanted for Naraleth to be happy. Maybe in time, she would fiund out who this new self trully was.

[Adobe]

Nashira watched as dragon after dragon Impressed and she was left there standing. The crowd of candidates got thinner as they were taken away by their bonded. As much as Nashira said she didn't expect to Impress, she was still desired to, even if she were too modest to admit it. Finally the last egg daintily broke, and revealed was a fragile-looking green. Every bit a lady, the green approached, and of all people, chose Nashira! Do not fret Nashira. I am here. I’ll show you courage. The green had a soft mind voice, very soothing. Youwill call me Aramyth. Food is that way.

"Her name is Aramyth," Nashira breathed, looking into the miraculous eyes of the tranquil dragonet. Tentatively, Nashira reached out and softly touched the eyeridges. She rubbed lightly, as if afraid the dragonet were going to break. The green chortled dreamily, You can rub harder mine, I will not bust in half if you do. Again, she breathed, "Okay, well let's get you fed, right?"
---
Amala looked as her sister Impressed, Nashira would be a good dragonrider. Very protective, very obedient, and overall a good person. Ama, on the other hand, knew she herself was hard to deal with, stubborn, and she didn't say things just to please superiors. Not to mention, Ama actually enjoyed cooking. She liked Wisthia and learning from her. Ama liked the attention she got as a good cook. She was even thinking about entering her variation of a bubbly in a gather contest.

When it was all over and there was nothing but shards and shells left, Amala just stood there. She knew her dragon wasn't there anyway. At least she had a job to go back to, not those depressing candidate barracks were there was more than a few girls sulking about. Life went on, eh? Still... she would have liked to be a rider. Better luck next time?
---
J'var was rather proud of his bronze. It was a very decent clutch, no casualties, human or dragon, and it held a lot of promise. He looked over to Neory, in truth they could work well together as friends, and smiled lightly, "Congratulations Weyrwoman, your Sheluth is a great clutch mother."

He stepped back as others came forward to congratulate Neory and her queen. After all, most of the credit was given to the golds, and occasionally the bronze was given extra if there was a gold included in the clutch. A few amount of people clasped J'var on the shoulder for the good clutch, and then he saw her- Laszreen.

She may as well hate him, but he still burned for her. He wasn't quite ready to let her go indefinately. They always came back together, right? She congratulated him and turned so that he could not reply. Instinctively he reached out and let his fingertips lightly brush across the back of her hand. It would be enough to grab her attention. With some hope in his eyes, he pleaded softly, "Meet me tonight? Just to talk, really, I need to see you. Ionuth will be at the lake, like old times."

[katgod]

Laszreen felt the familiar hand reaching for hers. She looked up at him, briefly enough that she wouldn't fall victim to staring into his eyes for very long. It was more to aknowledge that she heard him. She felt her own cheeks growing warm and looked away. "Alright, I'll meet you." She said, her voice was resigned but she was not about to let him off easy. Why he continually found ways to hurt her, she would never understand.

The Goldrider slid out of the stands making her way easily through the crowds. The sooner she was out of this mess, the better. Elfreth would certainly be happy it was over. Although she doubted the Queen would be too thrilled with her decision to meet with J'var.

[Zenniel]

Dissapointment.

Live brushed off her once-white robe while looking on at the hatchings. It seemed hers and the boys near catastrophy with the blue were the only 'serious' injuries, and then their injuries could not fully be called injuries. Now she wondered, truly wondered, if she would Impress.

'It was a lot of 'if's.' She told herself, looking on as many candidates Impressed. 'Too many 'if's?' She wondered.

Dissapointment.

Live watched as the last of the dragonets hatched. They were so cute, so small, but none of them headed toward her. None of them even looked her way. 'Great,' she thought, 'I got pummeled for nothing.' But she was happy. She had been chosen to try to Impress to a dragonet from Sheluth's clutch.

Dissapointment.

The last of the dragonets Impressed. Not to her, not around her, either. She had not moved from the spot where she had gotten up from, three feet away from the candidate lines. Maybe that's why no dragon had deemed her adequate--they probably thought she was scared, not that she had gotten nearly mauled.

She saw that the guy who had gotten run over with her had Impressed to the second-to-last green. Well, he deserved it, he had looked scared even before he had gotten run over. Live brushed more dirt off the off-white robe, and then smiled.

Disappointment no more. Live would try harder next time, yes she would. She knew Elfreth would Rise soon, and Elfreth's clutch would soon beckon to her. 'It was the lack of a Bronze hatching first.' She told herself firmly. 'And that I had been flung backward.' She smiled as she made her way back to her room. She didn't need to go back to the Candidate's barracks because she lived here anyway. She hadn't really needed to go to the Candidate's barracks in the first place, she had just wanted to because.

Happiness.

Live was happy that she had, at least, survived this hatching. There would always be more. And Nova Weyr would soon grow strong--was already growing strong. Live left the hatching sands in a mood that many candidates rarely left with. Live was looking forward, not back. And Live was right--there would always be more. Elfreth rising soon was testiment to that knowledge.

[TheDreamerLady]

Twenty-one eggs, all hatched, all attached. R'net smiled in a hazy sort of way as he watched his Weyrmate deal with her admirers. And their were a lot of them. Neory had made a wonderful Weyrwoman, just as he had thought she would. He hoped that they could celebrate together later- before the Feast, and disappear, as they had done many times before, even if he, himself, hadn't had any of the work involved with this Clutch.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Eggs Impressed everywhere. Girls Impressed, a girl Impressed to a Blue. Filipek's eyes were wide with a little bit of shock- the fact that no one was mauled was different as well. In all of the Clutches he'd been in before, at least one person had gotten a cut. It was very different, these Hatchling's from Sheluth.

And then suddenly, there was a green. And not just any green. She was Sheanath, and she was hungry enough to eat a Candidate.

"Her name is Sheanath!" He called, fine with being one of the normal male Greenriders, though had you asked him before, he would have never agreed that being a Greenrider would be a perfect fit. As long as he was with Sheanath, he would make Greenriding work for him, no matter what.

As the two of them headed for the bowls of food, F'ilpek focused on touching the place in his head that was Sheanath, and shuddered with joy each time, as she send him love, unconditional love, and took the place of his missing family. For the first time in turns, he felt safe, and complete, with a mission and place in life.