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 Posted: Sat May 11, 2019 11:05 am
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Stormy slowly stood, keeping her head as still as possible. She didn’t think the hatchling would get dislodged easily—having curly hair was a blessing and a curse in this case—but the green felt so small and fragile, she couldn’t help but be careful. “Maybe,” she said, Keleres’s smile drawing a little one of her own. “If she likes it.”
Thanking her for the offer, she took a few strips of jerky and laid her hands flat like a platform at shoulder height. Down here, please, she told the flit. She’d rather not get crumbs and drool in her hair.
The flit paused in her treatise and leaned over her forehead, a little afraid at first to make the leap. With some coaxing, she eventually half slipped-half hopped down onto her hands, where the firelizard then began delicately nibbling at the jerky with a musical trill.
“I’m sorry if you were trying to get her,” Stormy added self-consciously. The last thing she wanted to do was look like she was gloating. “But...Something with star in it seems fitting.” She was jumping from word to word mentally, reminded of when she and her mother had picked aliases. Though in this case, much like in hers, it was a name, not a mask.
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Teiha generated a random number between
1 and 13 ...
11!
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Posted: Sun May 12, 2019 2:03 pm
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Teiha generated a random number between
1 and 12 ...
7!
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Posted: Sun May 12, 2019 2:04 pm
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Teiha generated a random number between
1 and 10 ...
7!
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Posted: Sun May 12, 2019 2:21 pm
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Teiha generated a random number between
1 and 9 ...
8!
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Posted: Sun May 12, 2019 2:23 pm
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Posted: Sun May 12, 2019 3:42 pm
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As if there weren’t enough chaos already, it seemed that the wildlife of Pern had still more excitement to offer the gathered crowd. All at once, a third clutch of freshly hatched firelizards began to stream out of a well-camouflaged nest, already on the hunt for something to eat. It was hatch day for everyone in the neighborhood, apparently!
As a result, O’len would find himself facing down a baby who wasn’t going to take no for an answer, flapping its wings just enough to get the lift it needed to bellyflop onto his hand. It wrapped all four legs and its tail around the meatroll and his fingers, settling in for its first meal. A very fast meal. Hopefully O’len brought more!
Another flitterling was skittering from one scent trail to another, dodging Big Things and other hatchlings alike. Thieves, all of them, snatching all the good stuff before it could join in! After enough missed opportunities, it learned that the Big Things were the purveyors of the precious food. Or, at least, it might seem like it, they way it threw itself at a man’s feet and began creeling soulfully, as if begging. J’lar might want to find something to give it, and quickly!
Some babies seemed to be smart like that, but others just sprinted headlong until they bumped into something, hopefully something edible. This one was a sprinter, shooting off into the crowd, a flash of bright color. It also found itself at a man’s feet, and wound its way up into his pantleg, little talons scrambling against the fabric. That'll teach Bukichi not to be flirting when he should be focused on feeding!
One hatchling wasn’t satisfied with skittering along the ground. It climbed up a random person and used them as a springboard to launch itself into the air, where it had an excellent view. It homed in on the treat it wanted most, and like a scavenger wherry dove right for it. Adi might have a bit of a start when her hand and arm were practically enveloped, but the little firelizard just wanted the jerky, promise!
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Teiha generated a random number between
1 and 8 ...
6!
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Posted: Sun May 12, 2019 3:56 pm
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Posted: Sun May 12, 2019 4:07 pm
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Posted: Sun May 12, 2019 4:11 pm
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Adi had told herself she was just going to watch. She had five flits already. Five!! Every color but brown, and definitely plenty of adorable company. She didn't need more, and if for some reason five started to not feel like enough, all she had to do was keep another egg from La or Prim instead of selling or giving them all away. She really was just here because it was exciting!
Really. Mm-hm. Which was why she was standing back here, no matter how cute and hungry all those little baby flitters might be. That she had jerky in her with her was pure coincidence. She just liked to have snacks on hand for her lot, and only took some out of her pocket to...well....that she didn't have a ready excuse for.
Whatever her reason for having jerky at the ready, she was not expecting one of the newly-hatched babies to come diving at her. Her surprised little squeal quickly turned into a delighted life, however, as the tiny bronze wrapped himself around her arm and plucked the jerky from her fingers. "Hey there, little guy. Want some more?"
Five, six...what was one more flit, really?
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Posted: Sun May 12, 2019 4:23 pm
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Posted: Sun May 12, 2019 4:51 pm
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Bukichi gave a violent jerk as one tiny baby bolted straight towards him, sinking its claws into his clothing as it shot straight up his leg. His first instinct was to smack the poor thing away--and he clamped down on it, tossing it out the metaphorical window. He thrust the hand clenching the meat towards the red-eyed little creature, and the flit greedily lunged forward to snap up the offering, gulping it down. His eyes darted briefly to Aryale before he grabbed another piece of meat, carefully feeding the ravenous hatchling.
She was still so hungry--he could feel it. "Wait," He scolded without any real heat as she started to squawk at him, suddenly blind to everything around him as he focused on feeding the green.
It hadn't really sunk in yet, that she was his. His, and his alone.
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Posted: Mon May 13, 2019 5:47 am
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Keleres merely continued to smile, that mask of warmth and good naturedness a comfortable, familiar facade to hide behind. Stormy didn’t mean to harm her in any way- it was just easier to people-please with that particular face in place. The obedient candidate, the caring and empathic young lady… if Kel knew what folks wanted, they accepted her better. It made sense.
The green’s pitiful begging for more food halted abruptly as the young woman before her coaxed her from her head. It was sweet- reminding her a little of a kitten and a new handler, in a way. Not that she’d ever seen feline handlers with newborns- only heard the tales (tails?), of course. A shadow of amusement crinkled her smile, drawing the corners of her lips upwards.
“Ah, no. Not at all. I found it easy to see she had you in mind. I would never have dreamed of stepping between the two of you.” She waved her free hand before her, as if to repel Stormy’s very words. “A name with star in it… yes, it would really suit her. What about Starfire? She has a lot of… vim and vigor.” Keleres chuckled a little, though she had no real desire to step on Stormy’s naming rights. That would be rude.
At first, she didn’t notice the arrival of a third clutch, engrossed in her admiration of Stormy and her green. A surge of Impressions seemed to happen around and nearby, but Kel’s little world seemed to be bordered by conversation and thoughts of the sea- until a blue all but latched onto the bag of treats she held in her hand, a flying pounce far more impressive than any baby should have the right to do. Well- she supposed human babies would not be able to do that… but firelizards… well, they either did that or became prey, right?
“Oh! Hey now, there’s enough in here for you, I promise. Don’t rip it or you’ll spoil it all.” Without considering her actions or their consequences, she slipped her hand beneath the scrabbling blue to support him, the other moving to retrieve a piece of jerky. “Look- food.” She dangled it before him, drawing his attention away from the purse. Fierce red eyes traced the movement in the air, but he seemed to hold himself, opening his maw wide as nimble fingers ripped off a small chunk. He ate one piece greedily, then another, and another, and the red slowly turned to a shimmer of rainbows as a bond surged between them. “Oh…” Kel uttered with a sigh, her face breaking into a radiant smile. He released his grip on the bag, though began to creel between the disappearance of the first long strip of jerky and before the appearance of the second.
“He’s such a… fussy… flitt.” Kel chuckled, wry amusement and heartfelt endearment very clear in her voice. Her green eyes glittered with delight and happiness, her heart aching with joy. She hadn’t felt this good in- well… there had been moments… quite recent, too. She was determined not to think about him, not right now. No, this particular moment was for them… “Hum… Cosmos? Stardust? Pix?” Man, it was hard to name a flitter! She glanced at Stormy, an unspoken plea for help in her vivid green gaze.
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