Archith's 2nd; Rules Made to be Broken [E]

[Nicole]

The Abyss had Impressed! For a moment, Elora had worried that her and the Brown working together had indicated that they wouldn't - could they have Impressed themselves, like in Ice Stone, without a shining surface? Or Impressed each other?

But no, the Abyss had a Rider, and now - now she was having a harder time seeing the Sands, as everybody around her had shifted and leaned forward.

But there was a spot farther over - not as close, but with a better view of the entire Sands. So once again, keeping an eye on the dragons, she moved, snuggling herself in next to somebody she vaguely recognized as a Rider.

On the Sands, there was a Blue, Green, Moonlight; they were pretty, all of them, and interesting and-

Most of the other Riders and Dragons seemed worried about the Abyss. You are not?
Why should I be?
You read the histories and obsess over colors and dragons more than most. You know their reputation.
A reputation isn't always the truth, Ser. You know I know that.

[Shoki]

D'ziel watched as the Abyss impressed, looking a bit relieved. Most stories he heard about all things DMW was about violence and such. So his first impression had been correct, it seemed. Archith seemed to have things well handled and the Abyss had impressed without a hitch. Maybe now some of the other candidates could impress, since he was rooting for one in particular. He couldn't feel bad about anything yet, after all, no dragon that Dan could impress had done so. Still, from the stands he wondered if he hoped hard enough it could reach the dragonets...

He was aware suddenly of someone sitting down next to him, not afraid of getting comfortable. He paused to give a sidelong glance to the one who sat down, seeing a very attractive looking woman. Didn't she impress at the Aurora's hatching? Yes, he was sure of that. His eyes flickered back to the sands, but his attention would not be there for long. In his lap, Pounce had not been pet in a bit. D'ziel hadn't noticed when he stopped, not realizing it in his concentration on the sands. The feline was not perturbed, but hardly felt this was the correct state of things. Either she was to be moving, or she was going to be pet. She turned her head up to the new person next to her, observing with wide eyes. After a moment she decided this was another good person to have and rose, attempting to go over to her lap and get a pet. D'ziel noticed this though and scooped her up before getting much more then a paw onto the woman's leg. Pounce gave a meow, but was soon purring in D'ziel's arms. Whatever got her attention. D'ziel turned to the woman and looked sheepish.

"Sorry. I'll keep a better hold on her." A vague feeling of disapproval tickled the back of his head, and he attempted not to show his frustration. He wasn't going to deal with Hocteth's opinions on Pounce right now, and Hocteth wouldn't do something so bad as attempt a lecture in the middle of a hatching. After all, it wasn't proper. Thank Faranth for that.

[kelsin]

Outwardly, Kelsira was calm as the Abyss walked towards the female candidates. Inwardly, she couldn't help wondering if the dragonet would even consider her. As the Queen passed her by, Kel let out a breath she hadn't realize she was holding. Curious as to who she would choose, the miner continued to watch the Abyss. Ah, it appeared that she'd chosen finally, and to a girl Kelsira hadn't spent a lot of time with. The girl had struck her as someone she wouldn't like, although she hadn't really given the girl a chance. Now of course, if she managed to Impress, Kel would have to show her a certain amount of deference. Shrugging her shoulders, she turned her attention back to the remaining dragonets and eggs.

[Void]

Archith's roar had made Svak jump and almost drop the pan of rolls she was carrying. She had been hard at work in the kitchens much of last night and now today. The hatching had known to be soon. Thought to be yesterday and so food was made and then stored and then made again as it was eaten. She was exhausted and Tsubareth had been sleeping soundly having kept her company last night. The roar signaled many things. The hatching was here, the candidates must go now, and the food was fianly going to get eaten, not just cooked and looked at. Someone took the tray from her. "Get you gone to the hatching you've worked hard enough already you were supposed to sleep when the sun came up, I know how much that night of yours prefers the moons to the sun." And with that she swept away with the rolls. A lot of those who worked in the kitchen knew of Svak's night time habits and Tsubareths preference for the night.

Wake up lets go to the hatching!!! She called even though she knew he was awake, who could sleep through Archith's demands?

He was already waiting for her as she exited the kitchen and they glided over the people streaming into the Hatching Sands. He dropped her off and she raced up into the stands picking out a seat and finally looked at the sands. It was only then that she picked up the surrounding feeling of surprise and looked closer to find out why. She had been late she new that and dragnets were already looking for theirs. She spotted one leaving the sands and realized it was an Abyss. She had learned of their color in her Weyrling lessons but not much about them. Just that they were incredibly rare and one hadn't been seen in many turns. She tuned in to those around her and picked up bits and pieces.

"Hatched before...." "They were early." "No one was here..." "..hasn't been seen..."

She sat back and mused on this newest discovery. So some had hatched before anyone was even here. She grinned and mentally complimented them on their style. If you were going to make a grand entrance you might as well make sure no one forgets it. Might as well do it where no one can see it and make them guess what happened, keep them on their toes!

[Kaya]

As the world was absorbed in the story of the Abyss, a quiet pair of siblings arrived not too far from where the Moonlight had been born. The small Grey and White moved together across the Sands, steps together, as if they had been born the best of friends. They were making good progress when together they froze, then took several steps back, and then started to skitter away. What had caught their attention was a boy running across the Sands. His robe and sandals looked too small for him, and his face belied his age and once waning hopes of Turns of Candidacy. The look upon his face was not joyous, but panicked, as he rushed to a medium egg near where the two dragonets had previously been. Tears were beading in his eyes and he was shouting about something. He knelt by the egg and beat at it, and to some this was obviously one of the occasionally stuck dragonets that had Impressed and was now calling for help. Archith turned to look at the young man that was now so near her, and the way his mood declined did not bring her hope.

There had been very few signs that that egg was going to hatch at all, and now here was a cruel twist of fate. The boy felt his fingers strain, he even pinched them in a small crack and cut them in another place, so that red smears spread with each new attempt to open the egg. In one burst together, a green head pushed out of the egg and into his lap. The boy struggled to remove the rest of the egg, but in doing so he found the reason for the dragonet’s ill state. A howl rose up amongst the crowds, and the dragonet pushed herself up, hide a sickly green with black smoke running over it. She hissed and stared, a death glare, at the Grey who stood in front of the White. Why were they healthy, and she was not? Look at them, their proud necks, their clean bellies, while she had no such grand future.

The weyrling boy heard her thoughts and reached out a hand as if to stop her, but the black hazed Green lunged at the Grey and struck its face with all her might, her claws raking across his face and neck. The nearer dragonets saw this, and the Sunlance came running at full speed, his chest pounding and he knew he had to protect. It was in his nature. He pounced upon the Green and they struggled, the sand covering them and more and more greenish fluid. The Sunlance called to his world, his mind confused, for his one eye was gone and the other was so messy he could not open it. Archith turned with a snarl but in that moment the Sunlance vanished, and it was left for all to see that the Green was broken. Her thin and malformed belly had clung to the egg shell, and the fight had torn it off so that her intestines lay about her.

The world stopped, a still shock paralyzing the scene. And then she was gone, and the boy fell unconscious to the sand underneath.

Sad cries and keens rose up, from dragonets and dragons alike. This was not what they had hoped.

Come, Riona, let us go. a heavy hearted voice called. The Black-Blue would not always be so, but his grief was not yet passed, and he was hungry and tired.

The dragonets remaining moved closer to the Candidates, further from that terrible spot. Archith took sand from the other side of the grounds and poured some over the top to lessen the ugly sight, so her children could carry on. As she did so, it occurred to her that some humans buried their dead, and another hurt and mournful whimper escaped her. Then she was done with the light covering of sand, and she sat back up as straight and regal as she could manage, and she made herself to look strong and powerful. Then she set about encouraging each of her children, one at a time, and they continued on in their search, comforted by their mother.

Still there was one dragonet who hurt deeply, and even Archith’s soothing presence and mind was not enough to calm her. So she hurried to the girl she recognized to be hers. Oola, Limayth hurts.

With the dragonets calmed for the moment, a pair of healers came onto the sands and took away the once weyrling and now dragonless 19 Turn old. They washed his hands and did what they could, but their whisperings were not hopeful. Who could want to keep living in such a shadow?


Black-Blue (m)
Name: Sotrileth (so-trill-eth) [soʊtrɪlɛθ]
Hex color: #000000 / #161665
Adult Size: 30 feet
About: Sotrilleth seeks balance. He thinks all can do whatever they set their mind to, that great things are accomplished in groups, and that a polite word goes farther than most give it credit. This dragon is an observational one, waiting to see what others do in a new situation before he tries it himself. He doesn't handle contention well and for all he watches he's better as a supporter than a mediator. Above all he wants his common days peaceful and his memorable days grand.

Sunlance (f)
Name: Limayth (lih-mayth) [lɪ meθ]
Hex color: f7f7e1
Adult Size: 25 feet
About: Limayth feels death of her sibling Sunlance closely. She has strong, overwhelming emotions that make her good days better and her bad days worse. Her Sunlance nature to protect others has been inversed by this event, such that to survive in her state she seeks the best for herself even at the detriment of others.

[Shoki]

Cyanee watched with wide eyes as two more eggs hatched. A White and a Grey. Smaller dragonets, but very pretty ones. She watched them for a bit, then noticed their surprise, and she turned to gaze at what they were looking at. A candidate was running to the eggs. Her brown eyes watched, as he went to an egg and demanded it to open. She was confused, but more then that there was an odd feeling of dread that she couldn't quite place. What was going on? She continued to watch, the dragonets forgotten, though she would come to regret it.

She watched him work, and work at the egg, getting it open a bit, bleeding for his effort. Finally the egg cracked open, and there was a Green dragonet. Now it would be well, yes? Cyan's thoughts were in vain, for she was ill, and hated for it. The black haze over her hide was something that she had heard of, but it wouldn't be bad, right? Right? All at once, the dragonet lashed out, furious and Cyan's eyes widened, as she struck at the Grey. That wasn't right! The Sunlance apparently agreed, and went to stop her, but it was even worse somehow. Cyanee watched, horrified and silent as the dragonets fought each other. this wasn't how it was supposed to go at all. The Sunlance cried, and Cyan winced, and he just vanished. She stared, unable to breath for a moment, then tilted her gaze to the Green. She would wish she hadn't done that either.

For one, agonizing, horrible moment Cyanee could see intestines of the Green Haze on the sand. She stared, mouth open, eyes wide. Even after she vanished, Cyanee could still see it, and she continued to see it. For a while Cyanee stared at the sand, where the Green had been. She couldn't think of anything, she couldn't see what was happening around her. The events just played again in her mind, two dragonets vanishing from the world, before they could properly begin, and one scarred from it. She didn't hear the dragons' sounds of sadness, not paying attention to anything. She was shocked, through and through. She couldn't feel anything, it was like she was sitting somewhere else, not really in her body. Time passed and eventually she found one option returned to her. The ability to think.

...Why? ...Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why?! Why?! Why?! Why?! Why?! WHY?! WHY?! WHY?!?!

The word echoed in her mind getting louder and louder and creating so many instances of the word it started to loose meaning. It was baffling, it was frightening, it was saddening, it was painful, it was desperately and hopelessly wrong! Why? She couldn't understand, she never understood. Hatchings weren't like this. She understood hatchings! What was this? Her feelings, they appeared like a Gold dragoness sitting on her head, and the weight of them was unbearable. She was soul crushingly sad, impossibly angry, repelled, disgusted, desperately praying that nothing would ever happen like that again and, somewhere, taking up a tiny corner to all the rest, feeling alone. So she stood, silent, in shock, and still, being slowly crushed by what just happened in front of her eyes. There was nothing she could do but think, and feel, and hope she survived the crucible she had been thrust into.

[catsavage-Z]

The last few days had been very unusual for Sanderon. His life had changed in the blink of an eye and there was no going back. Waking up in the weyr was the last thing he had ever expected. Three days later, those around him began to display an intense anxiety. Or was it anticipation? A few minutes later everyone seemed to disappear.

Was he suppose to go somewhere to? What was going on?

He had been resting on his back trying to take it easy as per the instructions he had been given. But with the sudden lack of persons round about and the beginnings of a muted sound he had never heard before, he was slowly getting up into a sitting position.

The movement was not fun. A aching stab dulled his curiosity a little but not completely. Standing up quietly on silent feet, Sand's dark eyes search the corners and shadows for anyone he might have missed that might shed some light on what might be happening. Not finding a soul, his gaze traveled to the hallway and his feet were soon to follow.

Following the strange humming sound to it's source, he began to hear what sounded like the reactions of a crowd of people. The air, as he went began to get a little warmer and everything combined clicked into place in his mind and he suddenly knew.

Hatching!

Keeping his steps as silent and carefully placed as he could, Sanderon tried to avoid jarring his head and ribs as he quickened his pace. A communal gasp of horror stabbed at his heart as he neared the place and he couldn't help but cringe. Whatever could make the entire crowd respond with such negativity could not be anything but horrible.

Slipping in finally, Sanderon viewed the stands and the sands. Finding a darkened shadow near the stands, he moved into it and stood silently as he gazed upon the terrible scene that had just unfolded upon the sands. His first taste of what a hatching was like, was the most terrible it could possible be. Right?

He hated to think it could get worse. Standing there in the dark shadow, leaning up against the wall there with an arm wrapped protectively over his ribs, his eyes, ears and other senses took in everything it could. What he thought about everything he was witnessing now would have to come later when things were calmer and he had time to consider what exactly this all meant. Was this normal for a hatching? Did things like this take place often? Could they get worse? What would he have done if he were out upon the sands like so many of the candidates and had a 'front row seat' upon the chaos? He did not know.

With all senses alert, Sanderon looked on. With the bad, there was good as well as two of the candidates impressed. Despite his approval for the bonds that had just been made, Sanderon did not smile. His face remained a quiet blend of consideration and a subtle touch of feralness. He was a hunter after all and kept himself alert and ready to act if needed.

[Moo]

No! No!

A sharp squeal pierced the air as Mosiliath tossed his head and reared where he stood, his wings flared out. His eyes spun a wild red as the killing blow was dealt to the once-Green and once-Sunlance. This was wrong! All wrong! So wrong! They were only younglings! What if they had been his own? His own hatchlings? He could feel the beginnings of a keening in his throat as he stared in horror at the spilling intestines on the hot sand.

Seeing as he saw, knowing what he knew, D’gan jumped right into action, his hands outstretched as he reached out to the wild Tiger. This could quickly escalate if he did not take control.

“Woah, steady! Steady, Mosiliath! It's going to…” The words it will be fine stuck in his throat. It wasn’t going to be fine, not in the slightest, but they had a duty to the Weyr and that was to remain calm.

He knew what his D’gan was going to say.

But – did you see? Did you see? How can this happen? How can I be calm, Mine?!

We are here to show support for them, no matter what happens! We’re the older ones. We can’t claim to say we haven’t seen maulings before. Believe me, I KNOW you’re scared. It’s okay. But we need to appear as if we aren’t. For her. Just…just sit down, please. I need you to keep calm.

In the rational part of his brain, he knew D’gan’s words to be true. People looked to their elders for support, and in this matter, Archith was excused from appearing diplomatic. His behavior was inexcusable. Grief was allowed – shock, even – but his reaction was not.

Oh, Mine...What are we to do now?

By now the shock had gone out of him, now replaced only by sorrow. Mosiliath refolded his crumpled wings and took a seat. He watched on, eyes wide, as his Queen buried her dead hatchling in the sands beside her. The color in his eyes changed from violent red to a hushed, slow grey as he listened – which wasn’t hard in the silence – at the mournful whimper she uttered, and he could feel the parts of his heart that D’gan did not inhabit broke. When she raised her head and resumed her regality once more, he realized that he had been foolish in his actions…as well as his thoughts. If she could manage to pick herself up, then so could he.

But he felt her pain just as strongly as if the dragons were his own. They both had hatchlings. They both were parents.

He didn’t dare look back at his first wish when he saw the Abyss queen. The one where dragons didn’t Impress. He had taken that back…but it had come true anyway. The unsettling thought rippled through his hide in the form of a shiver. When he felt D’gan’s hand on his forearm once more, Mosiliath looked down at his Rider, and then back up to stare at the young, Golden Archith. He wanted to reach out to her, offer her any comforting words or thoughts, though none came to mind. He was still too shaken.

#

Riona choked back a cry as the violent scuffle on the Sands between the Green and Sunlance turned into a horrific scene. Eyes wide, she bit hard on her lower lip and pressed her arms to her sides, her hands curled into tight fists as the dragonet disappeared, the other left to die, the damage done.

Her eyes welled up with tears at the shock of it all. Why had this happened?

Come, Riona, let us go.

The sudden intrusion of a voice in her mind, heavy with loss, made her jump. Who was talking? She looked to the boy beside her, brows furrowed.

It is me. Sotrileth.

Riona turned and found him -- the Black-Blue dragonet. For a moment, a brief spark recognition warmed her whole body. It was he. Sotrileth. He was her and she was him and they were together at last. She instinctively moved toward the small hatchling, meeting him halfway. His tail dragged behind him as he took short, listless steps closer, and wave after wave of hunger and sadness and tiredness took over her mind, her body.

Let us go now? I hunger and do not wish to stay.

Lifting her eyes to the small, sand-covered mound behind them, Riona tilted her head in a nod. She looked back down to the Black-Blue and tried a small smile. “I don’t want to stay, either. You want food, right?”

His brightening eyes and rumble in her own stomach confirmed the question.

“Come on, I think it's...this way...?”

Though for a moment, she had no idea where to go. She hadn’t been paying attention to what to do after you Impress – she had been more concerned with Impressing in the first place. Riona scanned the crowd and behind the candidates for that one, older girl and the Abyss. They had already Impressed and had gone off to…wherever it was they were supposed to go. Which was….

Sotrileth froze, uncertain, and wobbled over to rest against Riona’s legs while he waited for her direction.

Mine?

Ah, there they were! The feeding stations. A flood of security rushed over her and, consequently, the dragon at her side. They were on the right track.

“It’s this way. Follow me.”

And, moving at a glacial pace, Riona and Sotrileth together tottered off the Hatching Sands and all that had transpired on it. They didn’t need to think about that, if at all. They had each other now, and that was all that mattered.

[Terayne]

Above the hatching Sands, Aurorath shuddered as the boy rushed across the Sands, feeling the dread of the Golden Archith wash over her. It was a dread she recognized, knew all too well, and her head folded down and under her wing as pain lanced at her gentle heart. She couldn't watch, and it was probably better the beautiful Silver did not. Her rider was not so fortunate, and a horrified cry stuck in her throat as she watched everything that happened, her gaze dropping to be sure Adelia stayed put, out of the way and out of danger. The girl had seen Hatchings before, since she was very young, but this one was NOT going as it should, not in the slightest, and the once Weyrwoman of Waterfall Valley, once Junior of this very Weyr, felt herself cringing back into the soft hide behind her as the Green and Sunlance struggled, only to be gone not too long afterwards...
___________________________________-

Adelia gasped as the boy raced across the Sands, her hands flying to her mouth as she realized what was happening, but she stayed put, reminded by the Lessons she had learned, both from her dragonrider family and her Candidate Lessons, that she was not to move, not to interfere. It had to be this way, as painful as it was to watch him beat hopelessly at that shell...

The two healthy dragonets held her attention, but only as long as it took the Green Haze dragoness to attack. Then, another gasp fell from the girl, and she instinctively went to step back, away from the battle between brother and sister. Something inside her stopped her, and she drew in a deep breath, forcing herself not to move, to stay where she was. She was afraid yes, she would not deny this, but she was not going to run away, as... Horrific as the scene before her was becoming. She closed her eyes, but that only made it worse, for she could hear the growls, the snarls, and finally, the inevitable keening, for she had seen the damage done to the Green Haze as she pulled away from her egg to attack. Shuddering, the girl opened tear filled blue eyes and stared at the Sands, where the poor Golden Mother had buried the traces of her child, a child lost before she could ever grow... And what of the boy? Healer instincts kicked in, and her head turned, sending copper waves flitting about her shoulders as she searched for the other victim of that scene. He was being tended by two Healers already, but oh the pain he was going to go through when he woke... If he ever did. She'd heard of riders who had lost their dragons going into comas from which they never emerged, which, in her heart, she felt was probably better for them, for it was an escape from the soulessness, the halfness, she'd heard described in pained terms by Terayne and K'yne.

Hoping everything would be alright, the young woman drew in a deep breath, wiped away her tears, though they refused to completely ease, and straightened again, her pale eyes shadowed by what she'd seen and heard, but determined to carry on regardless of this....

[Cait]

Saddyris was the first to notice the unconventional arrival of a Candidate with too small robes. Beside her, when Dyranor finally noticed the young man, he snorted and earned himself an elbow in the ribs. Something wasn’t right. She loved her cousin dearly but some days she wondered how he even remembered to breathe much less survive in the world with so few social skills. Whether it was laughing at a situation that clearly wasn’t funny, cheering like a buffoon during a tense moment or hitting on a married woman, she had her hands full following being him and smoothing ruffled feathers. One of these days she was going to leave him to fend for himself and dig his way out of the messes he got himself into. Of course, knowing Dyranor, he’d likely dig himself deeper before even thinking of digging himself out.

Both caravan brats watched as the young man—not much older than they were—ran like he was being chased by a pack of whers towards one of the eggs then dropped down in front of it, hammering at it with his fists. Saddyris’ eyes widened and in her peripherals she caught a glimpse of Dyranor scowling, opening his mouth no doubt to say something idiotic.

“They’re just going to let him do that? He’s going to damage the hatchling!” His concerns were greeted with a frosty glare from the robust woman beside him and he blinked before scooting closer to Saddyris. The young woman just shook her head and kept her gaze trained on the egg that the young man was trying desperately to pry open, to the point that he was causing himself harm. Something must be terribly wrong with the hatchling inside for the boy to be so panicked. Leaning forward slightly, Saddyris bit her lower lip, brows knitted together. Then she sighed when finally with a crack and a sickening squelching sound, a green head spilled into the boy’s lap. But rather than sighs of relief, cries of dismay rebounded through the Stands.

Blinking, Saddyris leaned forward trying to get a better look as the young man pulled bits and pieces of the egg away from the green. Well no, it didn’t seem quite like a green. There was something strange about its hide that she couldn’t quite pinpoint. But before she could ask anyone, the gnarled, almost premature looking green flung herself with surprising strength at a nearby hatchling—a grey—and raked her claws over face and neck. Even as she tensed she felt Dyranor rock forward in his seat, hands clenched.

In mere seconds, things had gone from alarming to horrifying as another hatchling launched itself into the fray and almost—almost but not quite—faster than she could react, Dyranor lurched forward, intentions to launch himself from the Stands quite clear as the Sunlance slammed into strange Green. Her hand darting out, Saddyris grabbed a handful of the back of her cousin’s tunic and gave a might jerk, causing him to topple back from the raised wall and back onto the bench, though he nearly landed in the large woman’s lap.

“Someone has to stop this! They’re just babies!” Dyranor growled, trying to twist around to pry at his cousin’s hand. When that failed he shoved her in annoyance, knocking her into the person beside her who turned and glared. But as usual, Dyr was oblivious and his blue eyes were intent on the chaos on the sands. “Let go of me, Saddyris! I have to go try and—“

Saddyris did let go of him, but not so that he could go and get himself mauled by the crazed hatchlings. Instead, in a single fluid motion, she released his tunic and slapped him hard upside the head before grabbing hold of his ear and tugging his head down so that it was close to her face. “You don’t need to go try anything, you dimwit! You do not interfere; we are here to observe. Now shut yer mouth and sit on yer hands if you have to, but stop acting the fool or I’ll drag you out of here by your leg hair!”

Had she given that rather unconventional threat to anyone else they probably would have laughed, however, Dyranor had a great deal of leg hair and he knew better. When he clamped his mouth shut and nodded, Saddyris finally released his ear and they settled back into their seats…just in time for Dyranor to turn his attention back to the clutch to see the Sunlance disappear amidst keening cries and the Green disemboweled. Surging to his feet, his face paled as one shrill cry rose above the rest, making every last hair on his body stand on end. In fact more than one person turned to see the source of the noise and found the Abyss balanced on her hind legs, tail coiled about herself, issuing the hideous sound.

The Hatching had gone from bad to worse and this time Saddyris made no move to force Dyranor back into his seat as he leaned against the low railing, his brows furrowed. Though she’d killed and cleaned enough animals in her day, somehow it was too much to see a dragon in such a state. Saddyris looked away as Archith made quick work of covering the poor strange Green with sand and missed the consequent Impressions. It was highly unlikely that she was the only one.

Dyranor, however, was unable to look away and for perhaps the first time since arriving at the Weyr looked dead serious. He stared at the young man as he crumpled to the sand. It dawned on him suddenly that that Candidate with the too small robe had been Impressed upon by the sickly Green only to lose her a few short minutes later. He’d heard stories about dragonless men; horrible stories about half alive individuals with no humor or luster left in their lives. Half lives. His eyes followed the Healers as they took the boy away and slowly, Dyranor turned his attention back to the mound of sand underneath was buried half of someone’s heart by what he’d gathered from his various conversations with dragonriders. “They should have done something.”

[phantomofthewolves]

Oola watched in horror as something that she never experienced at a hatching before happened. A young boy she did not know rushed to an egg and beat it so that it hatched into a sickly green. It lunged at a grey and wounded it. Then came the male sunlance as he charged at the green and they fought. Soon, they both vanished, their green blood still on the sands.

She couldn't grasp what just happened before her eyes. Why would a dragon attack another? She crumpled to the sands and silently cried. Then, she heard something call her name. Oola, Limayth hurts. it said. Oola looked up and saw another sunlance hatchling staring at her. She realized it was the male sunlance's sister and that she was now a rider! Limayth whimpered sadly and Oola quickly responded, gently touching her and leading her to where there was food. She took a bowl of meat and began feeding her. Oola? Limayth began, her eyes swirling with the grey of pain. What's the matter, Limayth? Oola replied.

Thank you, for being there for me. Limayth said, her eyes now swirling with blue instead of grey. Oola smiled softly and continued to feed her. She was special, and she was glad to Impress a dragon like Limayth.

[kelsin]

Not for the first time, Kelsira idly wondered what drew dragonets to certain candidates. She'd spoken to her brother about his experience, and how it had felt to Impress his blue. She'd been annoyed that while he'd given basic advice, his final answer was that she'd have to simply experience it for herself. Now however, she understood. She could take the advice and instruction from her brother and the candidate master, but ultimately, she couldn't really get it until she stood herself. While this wasn't her first hatching, with each one that passed, she learned more about how things worked.

Kel continued to cheer or clap as her fellow candidates Impressed. It always amazed her how the dragonets entered the world with their personalities fully intact. Chuckling at some of their antics, she eagerly watched as more eggs rocked, cracked, and eventually hatched.

Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed a boy running toward the eggs. Frowning, she wondered what he was doing, as they'd been expressly reminded not to interfere with the hatching. Her eyes widened as he reached a small egg and began to try to help it hatch. Finally realizing what had happened, she silently cheered the candidate on, hoping that he could free his dragonet. At first, she breathed a sigh of relief as the green's head appeared from the egg, but quickly realized that something wasn't quite right. She watched in horror as the malformed green launched herself at the grey, seemingly intent on hurting her sibling. Her jaw dropped as the male sunlance joined the fight, trying to protect the grey dragonet.

Silent tears trailed down her face as the sunlance disappeared, leaving behind a broken green and her comatose rider. Shaking, she wrapped her arms around herself and let the keening of the dragons wash over her. Fervently, she hoped that the rest of the hatching wouldn't continue in this manner. Her smile was bittersweet as two of the dragonets Impressed, glad that they at least, had found theirs with little trouble.

[Nicole]

The Rider's cat was lost on her as the Abyss moved, the Black-Blue Impressed and the Sunlance - oh, the Sunlance.

Elora turned her body away from the Sands, the need to have moved closer seeming like a curse. Nausea rolled up her stomach and into her throat; she crossed her arms hurriedly in an attempt to keep her calm.

Outside, Saphireth tilted her head back and keened.

Elora's eyes drifted back to the Rider next to her. "Tell me something. Anything. Who you are. Let's forget that, just for a moment, until things get back to normal, as they should be. I'm Elora. And your cat is more than okay."

She flashed a tight smile, and for once, she didn't even care that she was showing her true feelings on a situation to the world.

To be fair, in a situation like this, she couldn't do anything but show the truth.

[Shoki]

D'ziel stared at the sands, unable to speak. Horrifying things were happening, and he gripped Pounce closer, for something to hold onto. He heard Hocteth keen, somehow making things more real and horrifying. This wasn't good. So when the woman next to him spoke, he jumped into conversation without hesitating.

"I'm D'ziel, and this is Pounce. Here, try holding her, she's soft." The words tumbled out of his mouth awkwardly, like he was trying desperately not to focus on what happened. It wasn't working very well from the audible rushing of his words. Pounce Didn't resist as she was pushed toward Elora, merely looked up at her again and purred. She was a feline, nothing else, so the world revolved around her.

"Uh...I..." D'ziel searched for something, ANYTHING, to talk about so he just said the first thing that popped into his head that he could pull out as a fact. "I'm a twin. Wow, that was random. Do you have siblings?" Family, yeah, that usually worked out as a topic of conversation. Right? D'ziel seemed to be a bit on the fritz as far as how 'normal' conversation went. Hopefully that fact could be forgiven in light of current circumstances.

[Simile]

She felt herself breathing more quickly as the scene unfolded before her. The boy.... She stood stock still, her eyes trained on him. So much so that she hardly noticed as the other two - the gray and white came to be. Such a sickly green. She hadn't a chance in the world. Not really at least. It was a miracle she had so much as hatched into his arms. Her heart beat quickly. She was so sickly.

And so angry. Chantrea stared, her face grim, but she did no flinch or look away, though her hands clenched tightly at her sides, feeling something curl in the pit of her stomach. Something told her that there was more to come. That there would be more rules to be broken. She watched the Sunlance disappear... followed by the green and she winced as the boy hit the sands. There was a mass of green ichor covering the sands... And the poor boy. She found herself sighing. Faranth. What she wouldn't give to fix this. But, she supposed she couldn't... anymore than she could expect to fix the Halderon Clan, her family.

She breathed in deeply and let her breath out slowly, turning her eyes towards the Queen and the dragonets gathered near her, though she was certain they would soon be coming towards them. But whatever the case... she would either Impress or she would not this day... but either way, fate was taking a course that none of them could truly see. It could be dealing them a cruel, misshapen hand for their underdeveloped minds and capabilities. Or it could be giving them the greatest tools towards their future. But which was yet to be seen and there was more to this hatching which now seemed to have dragged on for days.. By no means was it slow, but the rush and the change.... there was too much experience in one day for anyone, she felt. And it was hot. Very hot. And getting hotter. She rocked forward on one foot before rocking back on the other, feeling the slightest relief as one foot rested lighter against the sands... and then the others. She could already start to smell the ichor... it was enough to make the stomach turn, and she would not be surprised if she saw a few stomachs turning...

In fact... one boy who had watched in horror now seemed to be covering his mouth as he tried not to gag. She pittied him. What a thing in front of all these eyes.

Dandzael covered his mouth and breathed deeply as he tried to regain himself. It was no secret taht he didn't do well with gore. In fact, he had had friends who had liked to make fun of him for it... but it was more than that this time. He sincerely felt deeply saddened. It was so brief... could it really have that big of an effect on the now ex-rider? What would it do to his mind...? Oh Faranth, there were so many questions. He closed his eyes and breathed, trying not to let the horror or sadness overwhelm him. he had to stand and be strong and brave for the dragonet which would be his partner. He had to. Though in him, he felt the smallest bit of fear that, if his draognet was here... it could be killed... could have just died.... right there. It could. Just like that boy's. What if he didn't Impress? He was getting tired of standing and discouraged... adn now he wasn't sure if it would be so good for him - what if his dragon died?