Post by Kaya on Mar 5, 2015 14:47:25 GMT -8
Rilora watched the people file in from her place on the edge of the Sands, near the Candidate's entrance. Some of them wore the worry of the Weyr on their face, and others looked blissfully ignorant, or at least so overwhelmed by excitement that any other thought was left in the Barracks with their everyday clothes and practical shoes. She looked up to scan the crowd, so many. And she would need just the right moment to speak to them all. Then R'le caught her eye with a wave and she moved to wave back, though he was already turning to go. She waved anyway. For a moment she thought the crowd got louder. It couldn't be for her, surely not. She didn't have the ego to bear it.
Archith could feel herself relaxing with Mosiliath's support. She resisted at first, how could she when her little one was somewhere out in the world all alone? The ones here need you, she told herself, you must give them the best start in life. She nuzzled the Tiger back and rested against him, looking down at the eggs, the Candidates in the middle. Thank you, she told Mosiliath. It wasn't eloquent. It was what she had. It was enough.
People of Weyr and Hold, she addressed the gathering crowd. She presented with body language that matched the way she wanted to feel, in charge, powerful, the respected leader. Thank you for coming today. We celebrate the arrival of my hatchlings. A pause.
It is true that there should be ten eggs on the Sands before you. One was stolen from us and I intend to make the guilty pay for their crimes in blood. A Queen's wrath was not to be trifled with. That will happen in its proper time. Now, today, a Hatching. Candidates! Carry yourselves well. I do hope you are worthy of this honor. Archith snorted and settled down onto the ledge above the sands with her mate. She still worried, but bossing people about made her feel better. For the moment.
On the Sands below the eggs were all rocking. They had heard their mother, they were ready to meet the world. They were hungry for sights and sounds and, most importantly, food. The crowd pointed at a number of eggs, hollering and guessing, which would be first?
It would happen that it was the one straight across the Sands from where Rilora stood. The egg cracked and the seems protested the pressure placed on them until they finally broke apart and fell to the sandy ground below. Out wiggled a shiny Blue head and the crowd clapped and eyes from all over turned to see. The first out!
---
"Look, Mau! A Blue!" Holt whooped, "How 'bout that?" He and Korith were elated. What lucky Candidate below would match this young, new life?
---
It took him a moment, but the Blue indeed made it out. It was then the crowd on one side of the Stands took to more pointing, confusing those on the other side. The dragonet of course was headed straight to the cluster of Candidates in the center. He had things on his mind, the great and most important search. And he was hungry.
What one part of the crowd saw that the other didn't, was that there seemed to be something clinging to one of his eggs. Was it sand? It didn't quite look right for sand, though the Blue certainly did have sand on him. All dragonets did. But parts of his front, left leg looked pale, almost yellowish. What it was become the topic of those would could see. He was a Blue, surely? Was it a trick of the light? sand? A second color? What indeed? And they would have kept talking about it, at least for a while longer, but another egg was breaking and so the conversations diverged and some stayed looking at the Blue and others waited for the next egg to arrive.
It didn't take long. A Purple's leg poked through both shell and sand, its dark color contrasting the sand well enough that people were sure this time what was sand and what was hide. Then another leg. The base of the egg fell out and a little rump wiggled its way back, getting stuck and fighting the egg until it broke enough to release the dragonet properly onto the Sands. She was a deeply hued Purple, covered in more than a little goo from the egg, all sticky and shiny in the sun. Her face had pale yellowish bits blurry and speckled across it. She needed someone to wipe her eyes. And she knew just the ones to do it. Like her Blue brother she worked her way to the middle.
Archith could feel herself relaxing with Mosiliath's support. She resisted at first, how could she when her little one was somewhere out in the world all alone? The ones here need you, she told herself, you must give them the best start in life. She nuzzled the Tiger back and rested against him, looking down at the eggs, the Candidates in the middle. Thank you, she told Mosiliath. It wasn't eloquent. It was what she had. It was enough.
People of Weyr and Hold, she addressed the gathering crowd. She presented with body language that matched the way she wanted to feel, in charge, powerful, the respected leader. Thank you for coming today. We celebrate the arrival of my hatchlings. A pause.
It is true that there should be ten eggs on the Sands before you. One was stolen from us and I intend to make the guilty pay for their crimes in blood. A Queen's wrath was not to be trifled with. That will happen in its proper time. Now, today, a Hatching. Candidates! Carry yourselves well. I do hope you are worthy of this honor. Archith snorted and settled down onto the ledge above the sands with her mate. She still worried, but bossing people about made her feel better. For the moment.
On the Sands below the eggs were all rocking. They had heard their mother, they were ready to meet the world. They were hungry for sights and sounds and, most importantly, food. The crowd pointed at a number of eggs, hollering and guessing, which would be first?
It would happen that it was the one straight across the Sands from where Rilora stood. The egg cracked and the seems protested the pressure placed on them until they finally broke apart and fell to the sandy ground below. Out wiggled a shiny Blue head and the crowd clapped and eyes from all over turned to see. The first out!
---
"Look, Mau! A Blue!" Holt whooped, "How 'bout that?" He and Korith were elated. What lucky Candidate below would match this young, new life?
---
It took him a moment, but the Blue indeed made it out. It was then the crowd on one side of the Stands took to more pointing, confusing those on the other side. The dragonet of course was headed straight to the cluster of Candidates in the center. He had things on his mind, the great and most important search. And he was hungry.
What one part of the crowd saw that the other didn't, was that there seemed to be something clinging to one of his eggs. Was it sand? It didn't quite look right for sand, though the Blue certainly did have sand on him. All dragonets did. But parts of his front, left leg looked pale, almost yellowish. What it was become the topic of those would could see. He was a Blue, surely? Was it a trick of the light? sand? A second color? What indeed? And they would have kept talking about it, at least for a while longer, but another egg was breaking and so the conversations diverged and some stayed looking at the Blue and others waited for the next egg to arrive.
It didn't take long. A Purple's leg poked through both shell and sand, its dark color contrasting the sand well enough that people were sure this time what was sand and what was hide. Then another leg. The base of the egg fell out and a little rump wiggled its way back, getting stuck and fighting the egg until it broke enough to release the dragonet properly onto the Sands. She was a deeply hued Purple, covered in more than a little goo from the egg, all sticky and shiny in the sun. Her face had pale yellowish bits blurry and speckled across it. She needed someone to wipe her eyes. And she knew just the ones to do it. Like her Blue brother she worked her way to the middle.
