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

[summerrain]

Ayleneth heard the roar, but Hers was soudn asleep. She dared not wake Yuki. The young woman had not been feeling well. The child within her was taking its toll on her, and it wasn't even fully grown yet. These fleshy hatchlings were a strange thing of their own. She touched Yuki's mind before flying off. Surely ArchithQueen would understand?

She landed on one of the viewing platforms for the dragons, surprised to see the progress that the Hatching had already made. She touched the mind of the Gold, but hesitantly. She wasn't sure how the Queen would react to the knowledge that there was a Rider unable to attend a Hatching.

ArchithQueen, Yuki is unable to come. She is ill, and believes that the Hatching would be too much for her in her current state. She sends her regards and best wishes, though.

No sooner had she spoken then two Hatchings were caught up in a struggle. The Aurora's eyes widened, and a croon of sadness was barely controlled. She had not had to deal with fighting Hatchings when her own had Hatched, and for that she was thankful. However, the words of an Abyss were hinted through the crowd still. Strange... No one had seen an Abyss since the days of Dark Mysts, before Hers had been born. First the male Silverlight at Ice Stone, now an Abyss here? What was Pern falling to?

Ayleneth spotted Mosiliath's hide not far away, and she glided over to him, landing in the clear space next to him.

Mine wishes me to tell you that she has decided to, how did she put it... Sit this one out. She looked over at Mosiliath, a strange glimmer in her eyes. I have thought, and decided. I believe you. What he told her last time they spoke, about having Chased Archith because it was propper. She knew it was true. She just had a hard time accepting that fact. She had come to terms with it the night before, and had meant to catch him alone, but the Hatching had interrupted her plans. A good interruption, certainly, but an interruption all the same.

[Kaya]

Though an air of sadness still hung over the Sands, there was also encouragement and the rapt attention of the crowd. Archith helped her young ones along with a nudge of her nose every now and then, and kept an eye on the three eggs that had not yet hatched. She wanted to hope that they were just slow arrivals, but hope was in short supply that day.

There was a rather thick knot on the female side, now that Abyss had left, and all the dragonets had a chance to look at what had previously been barred from them. The Dream, the Moonlight, the female DarkBlue, and the Black-Green had started in amongst the girls. But also arriving was the White and the scarred Grey.

The Blue had stayed with the boys as he had gone over there with the Brown and the two of them looked together. They looked at Dandzeal for a long time, or perhaps they just stopped in front of him to discuss something else. The Brown was still looking rather dejected, and he didn’t look confident in his search. The Blue nudged him, but the Brown looked back with a frown, his metaphorical toes stepped on if not also his physical ones. The Blue took a step back, trying to figure what was the matter with his brother. He took one last look, then turned to head to the other grouping of Candidates. He passed his Grey brother in the middle, who was going to have a look at the boys.

Things were getting a bit tense in the crowd about the girls. A few noses had been bumped, tails stepped on, and wings jostled. The DarkBlue hissed at the White for one such infraction. She made no reply and continued on, fixed on her target.

KelsiraMine, Indauth has made it to you. the small White announced. She was isolated in her own moment of happiness, staring up at the one she had chosen: her Rider.

One dragonet had moved behind all of the Candidates. Though she faced their backs, she had much more room, and she preferred it to the crowd. She moved her tubby self along the row, looking at the best side profile of each girl she could manage to see. She knew, she knew she would know when she saw her, no matter the angle. So she faithfully went one girl at a time down the row, until in a happy burst she announced: Melana! Aliaroth is overjoyed to find you! You are pretty. Am I not pretty, Mine? We should be pretty together …and go get something to eat.

On the other side of the row of girls, the Blue had arrived. The DarkBlue didn’t take kindly to the Blue entering her space. He had bumped her to look at, she now noticed with rage, what she had been looking at. NO! she screamed, hissing at the Blue. He turned to look at her, though he leaned back and kept his shoulders hunched up.

No? he replied with a growl of his own. If you had known, you would have already left with her. No. You are not sure.

She is MIIIIINE! the DarkBlue announced and lunged at the Blue, who dodged. She cried out in rage. How could she have missed?

You have not claimed her! You have no claim on her! the Blue roared back, still on the defensive. She was not controlled. Her recklessness would be her undoing.

NOOOOooooo! the voice wailed and she leapt at him and managed to leave rips in his right wing. The Blue cried in pain. Cyanee! Get her off!

no. …no. no! You have stolen! Taken her! How could—how dare you?! the DarkBlue writhed, tossing up sand all around her and pulling on the Blue’s wing. Scared and hurting, the Blue turned to sink his teeth into her neck. He had to get her off!

Wailing, the DarkBlue released her claws and tried to wheel back, away from the teeth. The Blue’s grip was loose and she got free, but the frantic dragonet didn’t know what to do. What place was left for her in this world? It had been stolen by the Blue!

If I can’t have her, THEN NONE SHALL! she screamed, leaping into Cyan and knocking her to the ground, crushing the air from her chest. The wild DarkBlue clawed at the girl’s arms, leaving some deep marks, before the Blue rammed into her and they tumbled to the side together.

Leave her! he ordered. She looked back at him and her will broke. She felt it shatter into uncountably many pieces, her consciousness was left in shards. She had no one. Her only feeling was that of pain, physical and from her loneliness.

…no… the word wavered into the mind of the Blue and his Rider, and then the broken dragonet vanished. She left the world in which she had nothing for a world made of nothing.

Cyan? Cyanee? Speak to Zigbrieth?

And Archith sat in silence. For what would she have judged? She could not doom one of her own children, and yet in not judging so one had been. She looked up to the sky, the weight of loss and unfairness twice laid on her being this day. She strove to make sense of it, and found no answer. She saw only the faintest sunbeam in the distance, peaking around a group of clouds.


White (f)
Name: Indauth (In-dawth) [ɪndaθ]
Hex color: #FFFFFF
Adult size: 15 feet
About: Indauth is particularly fond of plants and takes a special interest in their study and use. She is excellent at identifying plants and would be a healer's most trusted flora gathering pair in the future should she and her Rider so chose. She has a good mind for memory and enjoys a good chat, discussion or exchange with most, though she's especially fond of exchanging information with those from elsewhere.

Black-Green (f)
Name: Aliaroth (al-ee-are-roth) - [æliaraθ]
Hex color: #000000 / #00a810
Adult size: 23 feet
About: Aliaroth would tell you that she's cuddly, but the truth is that she's a chubby dragon. She loves to talk about herself, what she's done, what she thinks, and has a bad habit of interrupting. If you can get her to discuss topics besides herself, you will find a rather genuine dragon with a good heart, even if she is a little apt to step on toes. She hasn't the best foresight, but she'll start tasks right away.

Blue
Name: Zigbrieth (zig-bree-th) [zɪgbriθ]
Hex color: #0042ff
Adult size: 27 feet
About: Could be called tactless, but with work he could improve. Greatly ambitious, he wants to be known, liked, and be the one pulling the strings for favors when he needs things. He is goal-oriented, future-minded, and feels useless without direction. He relies heavily on having a large support network of friends, mentors, and authority figures whose favor he's gained. When things don't go accord to Plan A, it rocks this control seeking Blue. He seeks stability in a changing world, and will struggle with this throughout his life.

[Terayne]

The knot of girls was making Adelia a bit nervous, all the bodies getting a little too tight around her, and she shifted off to the side slightly, where she had more room to breathe. This also gave her a better view of what was going on, and she watched intently as the dragonets hunted, carefully inspecting each of her fellow females(and her as well though she wasn't as interested in that for some reason).

Somehow she knew, just by watching their actions, hearing their happy sounds, that two of the other girls had Impressed, and she applauded them. a smile touching her lips. Then, she heard the shriek of rage, and her head snapped around, sky eyes fixing on the Blue and his Darkblue sister as they argued. She was unable to hear them, of course, but she could tell by their actions alone, having spent her life around their kind, that they were HIGHLY unhappy. The Darkblue seemed to be having just a FIT about something, and the Blue apparently wasn't helping, which, she was horrified to see, led to the two struggling.

Unlike the previous battle though, neither dragonet was slain outright or fatally wounded, she was glad to see, but she gasped in horror, taking an involuntary step forwards, as Cyanee was attacked. The swift defense of her by the Blue had her returning to her previous spot, but she was worrying her lower lip as she continued to watch the drama unfold. If she was honest, THIS was how a Hatching was supposed to be, chaotic, drama-filled, but with its happy...

Her thoughts abruptly trailed off as the Darkblue vanished, and a soft cry was drawn from her. Another life lost! That made three of the seventeen, and three still UnHatched. She looked sympathetically to Archith, wanting, oddly enough, to go to the great Gold and just give her a hug. She looked so unsettled, and Adelia couldn't blame her for that.
_________________________-

Above the grounds, Aurorath was watching as well, her tail tip twitching, wings shifting restlessly. The Silver knew what it was to lose Hatchlings-almost her entire first clutch had been lost when the volcano that had been Waterfall Valley's original home exploded after all, only one egg saved to save a BrownWeyrling and His instead-and she sympathized with the Gold below her. A soft croon was emitted, aimed at Archith, though the elder Queen didn't speak, choosing instead to give voice only to that sound. It would be alright, but it would take time for the healing, especially after the loss of three of her children at only the beginning of their lives....

[catsavage-Z]

As Sanderon stood in his shadow, not in the stands but not on the sands either, he observed what was happening. He had been a candidate for all but a day and most of that time he had spent resting in the infirmary. He still had much to learn about the do's and don'ts of candidate behavior. All he knew was that he should have been on these sands with the other candidates. He had been late, so he observed before venturing forth.

With the tragic loss of yet another hatchling and the mauling of a girl candidate, he could not remain where he was any longer. Sanderon had previously seen two or three extra candidate robes for those that might come late without one slung over the arm of someone near the entrance where the candidate had no doubt come through. Lowering his arm that had given stability to his ribs, he walked calmly over to that person, bowed his head with respect and muttered quietly.

"I am a candidate." Either by surprise or having known already, the person with the robes handed him one.

Carefully, he brought the robe over his head and slipped into it, moving slowly so as not to hurt his aching ribs. When he had it in place, he left his footwear in place and took his first step onto the sands. He was naturally observant and so saw that all the other candidate were wearing sandals. Not having a pair, he worked with what he had, hoping he wasn't doing something horribly wrong.

A respectful glance was given to the queen mother and his heart went out to her for her loss. The dragon's rider probably felt the agony of it too he imagined.

Ignoring the crowds looking on in the stands, he headed out towards the girl that had gotten attacked. He knew healers were probably coming but to see another in pain was just too much. He had to offer comfort if nothing else.

With the uncertain footing of the sandy terrain, he stepped carefully as he went, careful not to jar himself with a faulty step. His gaze was open upon the hatchlings still hunting and the candidates round about as he made his way across the grounds. His senses was very keen and his hunter's gaze missed very little.

He wished he could hurry to the candidate's side faster but knew that caution was best. He was halfway there.

[Terayne]

The late arrival was noted, but only in a glance, although eyes swiftly returned to him, then narrowed, and Adelia turned, distracted from the Hatchlings. She knew that boy, and knew too that he was in no shape to be here. Had he been called? The Gray was still, to her knowledge, not Impressed, as was the Brown, and either one could have called for him...

However, she knew he was injured, and his steps proved that to her, causing her to abandon her post off to the side of the knot of girls and move swiftly towards him, her copper locks streaming wildly around her. "You should be resting," she told him, her voice gentle, but firm. She knew he was a Candidate, had been told as much, so moved to support him if he needed it. "Did one of them call to you?" The question came with an incline of her head to the two remaining Hatchlings as she watched two elder Healers come rushing onto the Sands to tend the injured now Weyrling. The Blue's antics spoke of him being Bound to Cyan very clearly after all...

[seraphim]

Melana froze as a voice entered her head. She'd been in a trance since the first incident of the hatching, and had unconsciously moved behind Kelsira to avoid being mauled. Not that she'd throw the other Candidate under the proverbial bus to save herself, but she'd found that being smaller than a predator usually made it leave you alone.

Usually.

Melana! Aliaroth is overjoyed to find you! You are pretty. Am I not pretty, Mine? We should be pretty together …and go get something to eat. Melana turned to peer at the Dragonet as she spoke to her, and tilted her head to the side. This ... was a Black-Green. She was no Queen, what sorcery was this? Melana wanted to be angry at the creature that it wasn't a Queen, blame it for all her problems; T'lon and Deidre, being without a family. Everything she wanted to blame on her new Dragonet.

But her heart wouldn't allow it. The creature brimmed with so much love it was almost heartbreaking. Sinking to her knees, she cupped the baby's cheeks and hugged her close, nodding,

Of course we'll be pretty together ... we'll be the prettiest pair in the Weyr, my beloved Aliaroth.

Standing, she would guide the dragonet to the food, snatch a bowl, and head off with it, ignoring the bloodstains nearby on the sands. So much sadness.. she could feel it from the dragons nearby. She couldn't hear their words, but somehow she simply knew that they were saddened by two losses that day.

What is wrong, Mine? Do you not like me? I am sorry if you do not like me, but I love you! Can we please keep each other? Also, I am hungry. Melana almost misstepped, and shook her head, feeding the meat idly to the dragonet who gulped it down,

Be easy, else you'll choke. And no, that's not it. I love you with all I am. I am just ... surprised, is all. You weren't an accident, love, but you were a surprise. One that I intend to cherish.

I love you, Melana.

And I love you, my precious one. The two followed the other Weyrlings, Melana's hand resting on the chubby Dragon's head and the Dragon's head leaning on her hip.

[Shoki]

It really couldn't be expected, that anyone would see that Cyanee was still standing perfectly still in silent desperation. Still in shock, still silently crying out the word 'Why' so many times. Her eyes were still straight ahead, and it was hard for The girl to understand how this torment would end.

It would not end well, of course.

Cyanee! Get her off!

The words broke through her lack of senses, shattering her shock, for a very different kind of shock. Cyan didn't know what was happening as a very strong set of emotions imposed themselves on her, which caused her to look around quickly. She was so very confused, the voice was so real, and suddenly everything around her was too real for her. She finally registered the Darkblue and Blue dragonets were fighting, and Cyanee's eyes went wide. No! Not again! Why was this happening again? She was late to react but to the best of her ability got a step forward and half a sentence in before what happened next.

"Stop it, you both need-!" Cyanee got that far when the Darkblue barreled over and knocked her down, hot sands being a small cushion. The rest of what she could have said was thrust violently away, leaving her trying to get air. So she couldn't say anything as the claws raked against her arms, having just barely enough sense and focus with all of the chaos to get her arms up. The pain from the wounds was too real, too painful. Suddenly the Blue crashed into the Darkblue and they tumbled away. Cyanee was still trying to get her breath back, and could only look to the side as she lay on the sands. Both dragonets had been scarred, but Cyanee didn't quite think it was as bad as the fight between the Sunlance and the Black-Haze Green. Surely it would turn out better, right?

Leave her! The command was no more sound then she could have expected, but somehow it rung in her head. Wait, she could hear a dragonet. Didn't that mean that-?

...no... Cyan looked on, eyes wide. As she watched, horrified the Darkblue vanished and Cyanee's eyes were wide again. No, no that didn't have to happen! Why? She was still staring, looking for breath when the feel of a mind with hers got her attention.

Cyan? Cyanee? Speak to Zigbrieth? Cyanee couldn't quite figure out how to feel. She didn't move, didn't speak, only tried to get her breath back, which was rapidly coming to pass. The Blue came back, standing over her to see if she was okay. She wasn't okay, she wanted to cry. On impulse, she sat up and threw her arms around the dragonet, catching him completely by surprise. It was a painful hug, blood was still flowing from the gashes, but she didn't mind it any. She just needed this, needed someone so desperately right now. Her head was buried down, next to the Blue's neck, when she finally spoke.

"Can we stay like this a little longer?" At some point Cyanee had started crying softly. She hadn't noticed, everything was too overwhelming. The single word that the Darkblue had spoke haunted her. She could be the only person to have heard the Darkblue before she vanished. And somehow, that was worse then seeing the guts on the sand by the other fight. Zigbrieth accepted the hug a while longer, even while it was painful for him too. His wings had gotten signs of the Darkblue's rage and it was still hurting. It lasted for a time, until Zigbrieth spoke up again.

Food Cyan? Cyanee quickly let go, sniffling a little but otherwise no longer crying. She wiped away her tears, getting some blood and sand on her face, but not noticing either. She nodded quietly and got up, suddenly realizing there were healers around her. She explained she could be fixed up while she fed Zigbrieth, whose name she couldn't quite stop saying over and over in her head, and she was led away.

After a time of being patched up she had a quiet smile on her face and was feeding the Blue, though she was on the edge between smiling and crying at every moment. She needed time. Zigbrieth was there, so she could hold onto the fact that she had impressed, she had got her wish, and the dragon would be there for her. For the time being it was the only thing she had to hold onto. She couldn't stop thinking about the Darkblue's last word, and the idea that maybe, things could have been different. Both Zigbrieth and Cyanee would have lasting scars from this, though time would tell how hide, skin and feelings healed.

[catsavage-Z]

When a young woman intercepted Sanderon, one he remembered having seen before, he stopped walking. Peering around her (Adelia) he watched as the other female candidate that had been injured sat up and began to hug the blue dragonet there. It was obvious that she had impressed. With the hurried arrival of healers, his first mission to comfort the girl was no longer necessary.

Turning to the one that asked him questions, he shook his head. "No. I have not heard any of them call for me. I am well enough to move if needed."

Looking at the knot of girls, he narrowed his eyes in consideration while tilting his head in thought. Probably breaking all the rules, he called out quietly to them. His voice was clear and far-reaching but not loud. There was a touch of order in his voice but the majority of his tone was filled with a suggested concern. To all the female candidates gathered close together he said, "Spread out a little."

Perhaps the dragonet fight might have been prevented if the candidates had not been so bunched up. If not, it couldn't hurt to spread out a little. Perhaps at the very least the dragonets would not have to hunt through a crowd to find their own.

Turning back to the young woman (Adelia), he spoke carefully, trying to keep the tired ache out of his voice. "Thank you for your concern but I mean to stay. Walk with me?" And with that said, he stepped around her and began his careful trek across the sands, keeping his eyes open for the hatchlings should they come near.


(Feel free to walk Sanderon over to the others if you wish.)

[Simile]

Chantrea frowned. There was too much and too many so close together. She had to get out of this tight knot. It was the only way her dragonet would ever find her, she was certain of it! So... very carefully, though she was already standing in front of the females, she tried to move through the dragonets and further forward and a bit off to the side, anything to get out of this mess. Faranth only new what would happen. Not that she had to wait long to find out what it was that would happen.

A darkblue and the large blue... they seemed to be fighting over a Candidate. Faranth. That wasn't good at all. Chantrea reached out to try to pull the Darkblue back... "Stop! Stop! No!" But she was too late for anything other than to be knocked to the ground as the DarkBlue dissapeared, feeling an errant claw cut into her arm before she could rise and try to get out of the gaggle of dragonets there, rushing towards open sand as quickly as she could, her arm burning where the hot sand stuck to the blood and her skin feeling a bit burnt. She was out there - in no man's land - too close to the Queen. Faranth! Was she going to get hurt. "So sorry, So sorry..." she bowed to the queen, holding her injured arm and backing away slowly. She was breathing hard, but she would not admit she was afraid nor would she act without dignity, she pulled herself up and looked at the grieving queen and looked back at the knot of dragonets that she had just tumbled out of - not without injury as her arm was not the only thing that had been hurt... she felt it.. though most were small burns from the heat of the sand which should heal relatively quickly. It was then she noticed the unmoving eggs and sighed softly.... Oh Faranth.... would they be like the poor green who's ichor still stained the sands? She felt dizzy for a moment, but she didn't let it show as she tried to take up a place not so prominent as to be behind all of the dragonets... more to the side of them. That would be much better - much, much better.

Though... she felt it. She was in plenty of danger here. More than plenty. Oh Faranth. The only thing she felt she could be thankful of so far was that there hadn't been a single human casualty in the way of death as of yet. But could she be one? What more would come of this hatching. The hatching seemed to be far from over. She was slowly making her way to the side, perhaps a little bit more near to the boys where the crowd was less thick and she felt like she could breathe - where she felt like she might actually survive this particular hatching that was seemingly turning into more of a dragon massacre by the minute.

How could the dragons deal with this. So many of their own children were killing each other. She wondered how the mother could be so strong and how the father of this clutch was reacting even now. She had heard of violent hatchings, but never had she seen one or ever dreamed she would be a part of one. Never had she thought she would stand here before a hatching in which it seemed like there was more death than successful Impressions - more death than life. And yet... there was a certain... certain something in her that did not entirely detest what was happening around her, but something that accepted it as the way it was the way the world worked. What more could there be. There was death and there was life and it always seemed like there was more death than there was life - as in more bad that good. Or so it would have corresponded with the world in which she was raised. Full of violence, death, thievery... trickery. Who was she to resent such things. SHe was standing here in front of them - a trick herself, wasn't she? She had her family attempting to hunt her and make her work for them even now... stealing and performing sabotage. It wasn't what she wanted, though. She cared about these people, as much as she did not want to admit it. She wanted them to love her and look at her as per son they knew and were friends with... not a stranger. She wanted their attentions and love in a way that she had never gotten such a thing before. And even now she was standing here at a Hatching where she should be awaiting the love of her life - her bonded to choose her... and instead she was thinking about the nature of death and the evils in the world. What was wrong with this picture? Would she always be separate? It was certainly starting to feel that way.

She looked towards the gaggle of hatchlings, feeling surreal and disconnected from the world around her. She felt so distant and far away from them all. It was as if this was a dream - no a nightmare. It wasn't real and she would wake up to find herself once more amongst her family who treated her poorly - like a servant rather than a person. K'tar, the little wood weyrling, and the Weyrwoman would all be dreams - figments of her imagination and things that for such a short time had helped to make her feel happy.

Happiness always seemed to be short-lived and pain always seemed to last forever and go on and on unending. What a pity it was. It made hope so difficult to hope. Because if everything like this were unending, then what use would hope be? She frowned. No. Those thoughts were wrong. Hope was entirely pertinent and important because things did change and they would change. There would always be dark before the dawn, but the dawn was always coming. She had to believe it.

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

Dandzael looked up in time to see the brown before him and he went still - entirely still, just breathing. He felt just the faintest glimmer of hope. He noticed the blue. There were two of them... but when the blue tried to get the brown to move her felt his heart sink... but the brown reprimanded him and stayed there in front of him. He breathed again. The brown looked... so dejected. It couldn't be him then, could it. "I'm sorry... if I'm not the right one..." he told the brown softly, bowing his head slightly. "Please... find your rider..." He told the brown, looking at him with a soft smile. "I'm sure he... or maybe she... is waiting for you..." You never knew. A dragon's bonded could be anyone. It was all a matter of time, though. If the brown did not find his bonded soon... would he disappear forever? Dandzael didn't want to let that happen... he knew what the risk would be if he tried to force the dragonet to Impress... or even if he did... he couldn't. He just simply wouldn't. He reached out a hand to the brown, but did not touch him. He pleaded with the brown silently simply to pick... even if it wasn't him. Even if he was destined to stand and stand and stand forever. He would take that chance so long as he coudl save one of them... just one. Already too many had died and he felt the faintest trickle of horror at the thought that this Brown might be lost as well. he couldn't let that happen... He reached out a little further, fully expecting the dragonet to take his hand off entirely by now. he was so close, nearly touching him.. but he didn't. His hand wavered before the brown as if making an offering. He would offer himself to the brown - but of course, why wouldn't he? What did he have to lose?

Dandzael hardly noticed the other dragonets on the sands and certainly did not notice the other eggs. If he had, it would have changed very little... That much he knew for certain. He felt the faintest bud of hope in his chest, ready to blossom, but still closed. Closed and still working on trying to bloom. He was so reserved about it. So reserved. Reserved about how much hope he could feel and about what. He was reserved in his manner. He was reserved in his actions. It was the way that he was. He was afraid to hope in case he was going to have those hopes crushed again. And again... as that had, thus far been his legacy. His brother was the lucky one - Impressing when he had to a wonderful dragonet. He wondered if his brother realized just how lucky he was. Or if he didn't think anything of it. He hadn't had to stand and hope for as long as Dan had. Dal was indeed a lucky one. Right now, he wished his brother was beside him to help give him strength and resolve. His brother was so good at that...

[catsavage-Z]

Ria was on the sands. She had been for some time now, trying to remain invisible. She also tried to keep thoughts in her head that might turn any nearby hatchlings away without scaring them. She loved the dragons but her heart's desire was to bond with a wher.

Her grandmother, with her vise-like grip had led her to the sands to ensure that she actually attended. The woman was extremely controlling and though Ria was seventeen now and fully capable of choosing her own path in life, her grandmother had a different belief. Ria was hers to control as she wished. And according to her, Ria was going to be a dragonrider and not a beast-loving idiot.

As the events revealed themselves before Ria on the sands, she closed her eyes briefly and breathed in to steady her heart. Tragedy and delightful impressions played out before her as if a strange play upon a stage. How it would end, she had no idea.

Ria stood apart and tried to wait it out. She would not mind being left to stand again. In fact, she looked forward to it. Her grandmother could not be angry with her if none of the hatchlings wanted her, right? It was a nice idea but her grandmother was always angry with her and it really did not matter why.

[Nicole]

Elora had taken the cat absentmindedly, curling it against her chest as her attention was one again fixated on the Sands. The Abyss had left, the Blues had done some mauling, and oh, there had been so much blood at this Sands.

So much blood here, and none had been shed at hers.

Was it a sign of bad things to come?

She stroked the back of the cat's head, slowly turning her head back towards D'ziel and away from the deepening red of the Sand. "Sorry. I'm Elora. No family of importance to talk about." Her eyes drifted back to the blood stain and to the dragonets slowly leaving the Sands. "Thank you for letting me hold Pounce."

From outside, Saphireth did her best to send comforting feelings towards Elora, but she, too, was worried.

The entire Weyr seemed to be.

[Terayne]

Adelia smiled gently, reassuringly, at him and moved to pad at his side. "I had no intentions of stopping you. I know you belong here, as surely as I do," she said lightly, her blue eyes dancing. She had heard his suggestion, seen Cyanee hugging her Blue-she HAD Impressed, as Adelia had thought after watching the male-and wanted only to help him. He was smart, that much she could tell, and, after watching him a moment, she decided this was a man she could come to like and trust if given the chance. He struck her as honest, thoughtful. But more than that, his intensity called to something in her dragonbred heart, intrigued her in a way she'd never been intrigued before, not by a human anyways.

Her thoughts echoed through her flitters, who, for the first time in a LONG time, disobeyed her direct order to stay put in her Candidate Quarters and flicked into view above the Sands. They didn't dare come down to more closely examine the young man who had Their's so curious-they didn't wish to risk Archith's wrath as well as that of their Mine after all-so both fluttered to where Terayne and the rest of their Mine's 'Fair' were, settling to the Silver'Rider's arm and shoulder, the other shoulder being occupied by her Brown Ceros, an aging beast who was getting snippy in his advanced age.

[catsavage-Z]

"I had no intentions of stopping you. I know you belong here, as surely as I do," she said lightly, her blue eyes dancing.

Sanderon's lips twitched in a quiet smile as this young woman (Adelia) spoke her mind with a pleasant twinkling in her blue eyes. Yes, Sanderon noticed the color of her eyes. They were...nice-looking.

As he made his way across the sands with the young woman at his side, he stopped in his chosen spot and said, "I'm Sanderon. Maybe we can talk after?"

[Terayne]

An inclination of her head was given at his suggestion, sending her free ranging hair waving down over one shoulder. "I'm Adelia. That would be lovely," she said mildly. She then looked to those Hatchlings and eggs still on the Sands. "I wonder if Mine is here," she murmured thoughtfully, wording it with a careful emphasis on the word "Mine" that clearly made the word special. "Or if I'm to be left Standing..." She was about to say more when she recalled his comment about talking afterwards, and she chuckled at herself. "Sorry. Thinking out loud."

[Cait]

The noise was almost unbearable, especially since she couldn’t see what was going on. Alyga, her face pale, squinted in vain at the Sands from her spot in the front row of the Sands. She’d been surprised and excited for her brother when she’d been informed that he was now Weyrleader. But his idea that she attend the Hatching…

Her fingers twisted and tangled as a shrill, high pitched keen grated at her nerves, clogging her throats with confusion and sadness. Something had happened! Something that involved shouting and keening and screams from a few of the candidates. Shaking, Alyga closed her eyes and stopped trying to see what was going on.

Instead she listened.

That was worse! The words death, mauling and a great many other disturbing, unsettling words swirled around her in the stands. Her stomach churned and she opened her eyes again, this time not even bothering to attempt to focus on the Sands. It was then that another bout of shouts and keening erupted, making the girl jump.

Beyond frazzled, Alyga began to hum quite loudly to herself, her knuckles white as she twisted her fingers further in the material of her tunic. By the shell, how much longer would this go on? And she was expected to perform at the feast following this? There was no possible way!

---

Saddyris glanced at Dyranor as things settled after the death of the strange, malformed Green and the Sunlance. He still looked rather distressed and the young woman found herself rather surprised. She had known that Dyranor had a sensitive side to him as well as a strong aversion to unfairness, but his almost compulsive need to fling himself into the fray and try and stop a fight between dragons…she honestly hadn’t thought he was that…well stupid came to mind but wasn’t entirely accurate. Perhaps it was his affinity to the creatures that surprised her.

As she mused over this new development, she cast her gaze back to the Sands and snorted as she noted the clustering of the female candidates. That was certainly a recipe for trouble, especially if the hatchlings were more combative, which they seemed to be. With each hiss and jostle and snapping of the jaws, she could feel the tension from Dyranor increase.

Thankfully an Impression was made without too much drama and when a second one was made, Saddyris thought that perhaps things would get back to normal…whatever that was. But then the Blue and the DarkBlue stopped in front of the same girl and a sinking feeling in her stomach alerted the young woman to possible trouble. There was growling and then the darker blue lunged for the larger, bright Blue. Stunned at the concentration of foul tempers in this hatching, Saddyris shook her head.

Someone shouting a warning behind her distracted her long enough for Dyranor to do something stupid. He shot to his feet then bracing his hands on the low wall that separated him from the Sands, launched himself over it even as Saddyris shot to her feet and made an attempt to grab the back of his tunic and haul him back. When she missed she instantly turned and began pushing her way towards the entrance to the Sands so that she could at least try and keep him out of trouble. “Curse him and his impulsiveness!”

Landing with a muted thud, Dyranor nearly tipped forward. Bracing himself with his hands against the overly warm sand, the young caravan man slowly stood to get his bearings. It was harder to see around the cluster of candidate from this distance without the addition of height. But he heard a dragon squeal with pain and started towards the female candidates at a steady pace, ignoring the angry shouts from the dragonriders and spectators alike.

The sound of the clashing dragons was almost deafening and when it was joined by the shrieks of the girls he picked up the pace slightly. Seriously, what was wrong with everyone here that they just sat around and let crazed hatchling run rampant and kill each other? The crowd parted for a fraction of a second and Dyranor glimpsed a white robe stained with red and growled. The Weyr was mad! He was distracted, only for a moment, by another boy on the Sands, approaching the others and as he paused to look at the boy…young man really, he heard a commotion behind him.

“Let me through; I have to stop my idiot cousin!” Saddyris snapped, her green eyes flashing. When the young man only moved to block her passage again, she narrowed her eyes. While she was certainly the more diplomatic of the two, she wasn’t in the mood to be thwarted any more than Dyranor was. But the fact that her idiot cousin might inadvertently cause a rift in the relations between the Clan and the Weyr with his misguided good intentions didn’t exactly allow her to sit idly by. “Move now or I will move you.”

The man snorted, clearly not impressed. While Saddyris was taller than average, she wasn’t exactly intimidating, especially in her brightly colored skirts and scarves, her hair flowing around her shoulders. Of course he changed his tune when she surged forward, hooked his leg with her own and used her momentum and body weight to bring him down, flat on his back. Rather than give some snappy remark, she rushed past him and towards Dyranor who had turned back to the cluster of female candidates.

Spotting the late comer and a female candidate, Saddyris slipped past them, only vaguely recognizing the young man as the hunter she’d helped to rescue no more than a handful of days before. She murmured an apology for essentially cutting him off and grabbed hold of Dyranor’s arm just as he reached the outside edge of the cluster, hissing under her breath. “What do you think you are doing?!”

“Let go of me, Saddy.” The dark-haired man growled, his own blue eyes snapping with just as much fire as Saddyris’ green ones. He tried to twist his arm free but his cousin clung like a burr.

“I will not! Now get back to the Stands before you cause some sort of diplomatic disaster for the Clan. We are here to observe as guests not to interfere or lecture or whatever you plan on doing!” Her words were hushed so as not to be overheard though it was hard to tell who might be paying attention. Thank goodness for mauled candidates though, or the whole of the candidate population would be on them for sure.

“They’re all cracked here! Letting hatchlings run amuck and the candidates—“

“Keep your voice down!” Saddyris snapped; Dyranor jerked on his arm again but didn’t move away.

“I will not! Someone has to do something or the hatchlings will kill half these silly women before killing each other.” There was a zealous gleam in his eyes that boded ill for talking some sense into him.

Deciding that perhaps knocking some sense into him might work a little better, Saddyris moved for Dyranor in a move similar to the one she’d just used on the man by the door. Dyranor, however, who had been trained alongside Saddyris, saw the move coming and countered it. Saddyris ended up flat on her back, shocked for a moment before she truly became angry. Pushing herself up, she went at Dyranor again to subdue him only to be shoved away a bit more forcefully than either one intended, resulting in the young caravanwoman stumbling backwards towards Sanderon and Adelia, her skirts tangling around her legs and reducing her to a clumsy fool.