It's Now The Monster Mash: The Spooky Clutch Hatching!

[mewrose]

Tacelon

Tacelon had been on edge all through the Demon bronze's rampage, doing his best to stay away from it. When it finally Impressed, he was able to take a moment to look around at the other hatchlings on the sands. They were really quite a handsome bunch, and worth taking a good, long look at each one. But he barely had time to get a good look when another hatchling started attacking, and another. Were all Hatchings this violent?

He was so focused on keeping track of who was attacking and how best to avoid them that he hardly noticed a quiet green slipping towards him. He jumped when a trill sounded right beside him, and whipped his head around to look at the slender green.

As soon as his eyes were on her, she spoke, her eyes whirling rainbows. My Tacelon... I've dreamed of meeting Mine for as long as I've been shelled. Never shall you need doubt yourself, for your Taivshath is here. Your dreams are my dreams, now, and I won't stop until they all come true.

Along with the unexpected voice in his head came a wave of love and admiration, wrapping around him like a warm blanket. For a few long moments, he stood their dumbfounded, unable to believe it. A dragon? There was one that really wanted him? She saw his doubt and offered wordless reassurance, continuing the flow of positive feeling until her rider could no longer doubt that his missing half had somehow found him.

His legs were suddenly weak with shock and relief. He fell to his knees, heedless of the hot sands as he wrapped his arms around his dragon. Not knowing the words to say, he instead offered wordless wonder and admiration to his remarkable lifemate. In response, she unfolded her long wings and wrapped them around the two of them as best she could.

They stayed there for a few moments, silently absorbed in each other's company, before Taivshath offered a feeling of hunger to her rider.

He nodded, head still pressed to her neck. Of course, she'd just hatched; she would be hungry. The pair uncurled from their embrace and Tacelon...no, T'lon now... stood up to lead his dragon to the feeding tables.  

[Mewsings of An Angel]

Kieza and Green Suwayeth

-_Wish of Tevarae_-

Teiha

Before Kieza could have said another word, two of the people who had helped her quickly left, and she noted that... they had not Impressed. Perhaps lingering hurt them, as it had hurt her many times to experience. And for a moment, the gil felt a feeling of... shock? Uncertainty? She couldn't decide. She frowned, her brows knitting as her mind truly wrapped around what was going on. She... SHE... had Impressed. A wash of sudden love and devotion spread through her like a healing balm, and a small head pressed against her hand. A loud croon made the girl finally look down and her thoughts were immediately forgotten as the shining rainbow eyes looked into hers, renewing the deep bond of rider and their chosen dragon. Kieza took a breath and slow...deliberately, let it loose, letting at least some of the stress leave her. Kiezamine. I am hungry. Please feed your Suwayeth. And... could you scratch me? This... wrap, it's itchy! And I hurt, oh my beloved Kiezamine, please assist me! Another wash of love and a desperate feeling of need.

For a moment, Kieza just stared at the beautiful little creature who stared up at her, eyes a swirl of colors before they settled a deep lavender of love and devotion as they stared up at Kieza. "Yes. Yes! Of course, Suwayeth. I could never let you be hungry. I would be terrible for allowing it." She said, a touch of reproach in her voice. She smiled and a croon flowed from Suwayeth as Kieza stroked the hornknobs gently, still adoring the softness of the baby down that would soon flake away in favor of hardened scales.

Kieza looked at... oh goodness... she still didn't know his name! The boy! She had helped him and in turn he had helped her! She smiled at Silviu and his beautiful blue Aramath. "Thank you, both of you. I honestly... I honestly thought I would be alone... That it would be a horrible thing that would leave us to deal with by ourselves." Suwayeth's eyes swirled grey as she felt a hard sadness press upon her, but Kieza swooped in and gently picked up the small dragonet, careful to avoid jostling her wing. "No no no.. don't you dare feel sad, my beloved. It... it happens... you are not the first hatchling in history to kill a Candidate who took to the sands." She pressed her face into dragonet's neck and Suwayeth crooned, pressing her nose into the girl's neck as they embraced, closing out the outside world for a moment, the pair radiating unending love that knew nothing else.

Kiezamine... I really am very hungry. May we eat? But.. I really love you holding me so close. The dragonet crooned against Kieza's neck, and the girl had to resist a giggle as Suwayeth's snout vibrated against her skin. Kieza finally relinquished her hold and after a moment, walked toward the meat table, which as she neared Suwayeth all but vibrated in her grasp at the sheer delight of being able to finally eat and fill her stomach, and rid her tongue of the venom she had wrought upon herself for biting a human, for killing a human. That venom would linger upon her for a long while as the dragonet fought to allow the memory to pass from her. But.. she was just doing what she felt was right! And... it had involved taking the human. She still felt the burning thoughts of those who loathed her, but she held onto the vindication that Kieza and others spread. But she didn't have time to listen to the naysayers. Past was the past... it would never come back. Here and now, the dragonet was hungry and that was what she decided to focus on. Suwayeth’s head tilted back over Kieza’s shoulder and she let out a soft call to her sister Brancath. I would join you, sistermine, but my stomach hungers and I cannot wait!

Kieza carefully placed Suwayeth on the ground and grabbed a free knife as she gathered slabs of meat to her in the small unoccupied spot at the table. Many others were there, feeding their own beautiful dragons. But Kieza had her mind wrapped up to pay attention only to hers. But she felt a strange tickle on her leg, and after chopping meat for a moment, she dropped her gaze only to finally notice that she was bleeding, her knee swollen and scraped raw by the sands when she had stumbled to her dragon's aid. She sucked in a breath and shook her head. She would deal with that later, her injuries were not worth any more strain to others than what had happened. Suwayeth crooned, noting Kieza's distress, and gently leaned against the uninjured leg, looking up at her rider expectantly. Finally Kieza loaded the pieces of meat into a bucket and pulled it from the table with a small hiss as her knee throbbed. She walked away from the table with it, allowing others to take up her spot if they needed to feed their dragons.

As soon as she let the bucket down on the ground, Suwayeth was upon it hungrily. Piece by piece Suwayeth gingerly ate, filling her gullet in an endless cycle until her belly began to distend and the bucket was empty. Her small body hung low to the ground despite her lanky limbs and the dragonet let out a long stream of breath in a satisfied sigh. So full, Kiezamine. Thank you, my beautiful Kiezamine, for feeding me so well!  

[Ryala]

~Ryala~

Watching as the green finally Impressed, Ryala sighed in relief. Perhaps now, there would be no more attacks. Surely, this sort of thing couldn't be normal for a hatching! Yes, the records had stated that accidents occurred, and the occasional mauling... but this! To her, it very much seemed that there were far more injured candidates and dragons than not. Granted, there really hadn't been that many truly violent hatchlings, but those few...!

Suddenly, the girl realized that the last of the eggs had hatched, and the hatchlings had all Impressed.

And here she still stood. Alone.

A quiet mental touch, accompanied by images of the hatching seen from a far different viewpoint, instantly shook Ryala free of her momentary loneliness, and she smiled. No, not so alone. She still had Ghost... and always would.

As the blue circled down to land on the shoulder of her torn robe, Ryala welcomed his presence. Only a few sevendays old himself, and becoming more active and curious, he was enough of a handful for her. For now.  

[Meepfur]

"Mine weren't useful at all," Dezerac observed ruefully, glancing down at what had been robes.  What hadn't been shredded by the green or removed by the Healers hung in red and white tatters from his waist. "Whoever had the brilliant idea that shoddy white robes and a pair of sandals would be the perfect uniform for Standing ought to have tried it themselves first, before sentencing future generations to it for the rest of history." Not that there was anything that could fully protect one from a mauling, but thin white fabric?  Really?  It was like they wanted robes and Candidates both ripped and bloodied.

The conversation, however inane, was both a welcome distraction and a useful point of focus for continuing to hold on to awareness, though one was no less injured or exhausted than the other.  Remaining semi-upright was a feat of concentration in and of itself.  Vedmath actually swayed a touch at the brush from Hessianth, though it was no less welcome, and he returned the gesture. They are treating me very well, and it is much better, although Mine warns me that it will be worse in the morning. Oh, he and His would be feeling the day's struggles for some time to come, but they were alive and they had each other.

demon_pachabel

 

[demon_pachabel]

He laughed at the sarcastic question. Cheap funeral garb? Hessianth suggested and L'nik couldn't help but wonder where it was that the brown pulled such a suggestion from. Other than the white dressed boy that was going to be lost between after this Hatching. Hessianth felt it was a perfectly reasonable answer. "I'm gonna guess because it's easy to make and they have to have a lot of them sometimes in a short amount of time," he suggested on a lighter note, though it didn't excuse that they were basically wearing their bedsheets out to meet dragons.

Never again, for either of you. Hessianth reminded with a gentle wave of love before he snapped his jaws towards the pile of meat that was growing but not being fed to him. L'nik offered him another bite, much to the brown's pleasure.

Vedmath's assurances earned a questioning prod - though it was directed towards his chosen, rather than his brother. Does it hurt more later if you are injured? he inquired, curious as to why a fresh wound would be 'worse' later. L'nik brushed a hand over the brown's perfect head and he practically melted into the boy's knee. Shock usually takes the initial edge off hurting. Once the body is done supplying you with a temporary painkiller, it hurts more. It was an interesting fact and one that Hessianth passed on to his brother. Mine says that is a sign that your bodies have accepted they will continue to live, rather than bracing you to a more pain free death.

A good thing! The world needed more dragons like his brother and him.

Meepfur

 

[Sinders Path]

Tsunake

]

Roana snorted and rolled her eyes. "Yea because you can't do anything on a blue or a brown like you can a green." Her sarcasm was more biting that she meant it to be, but it had been a long day. "I've seen plenty of blue female riders here, even a few browns. But I don't think the bronzes will accept women, but then the queens won't accept men, so it all evens outs." Roana flinched then, aware of her own short manner "Yea, I think we're all tired." She admitted.

She turned back to the sands so they could simply stand in companionable silence while they watched the last of the dragon hatchlings impress one after another, none of them to either of the two girls, one from high reaches, one from western that were waiting so patiently. When the last of the dragons finally wondered off the sands with their chosen partner Roana sighed. "Well, that's that then. Come on. We can at least go and get a bite to eat and something to drink" She told the younger girl.

Gathering herself and forcing down the surprising well of disappointment she limped towards the exit. Looking back for Iathe to join her so they could head to the feast together.  

[Meepfur]

"A reasonable enough explanation," Dezerac allowed.  Disposable robes for disposable Candidates, essentially. "I suppose it wouldn't be fair to allow us to wear our own clothing." Equality and all that.  Still, he couldn't help but feel that he would have left a little less of himself on the Sands if he'd been wearing his proper gear.  But at least, as L'nik had put it, this had been the last-time use for their robes.  No more murderous hatchlings to worry about, though he didn't begrudge the green her mauling of him.  His dragon, though?  That was going to take some time, and if any of the damage she'd sustained was from him, he had no regrets about it.  He would do it again, and more, anything to save his Vedmath.

He continued to steadily pass meat to the bronze as he wanted it, who rested his head gingerly on his leg now that the dragonhealer had finished seeing to his throat. Mine knows pain very well, and I will take all this pain and more, so long as he is beside me, he said emphatically, large eyes looking up with adoration.  It did hurt, not only feeling his pain but the pain of His, but if Dezerac could soldier on, then he would do the same.

I would take yours, too, if I could.  What's a little more? But he could share it, and show him how to work through it.  It wasn't possible not to hurt, but it didn't have to shut them down.  Not as long as they were conscious, anyway. Dezerac had come close there, a couple of times, but he was now reasonably certain that risk had passed...although he would be very, very glad to surrender to sleep sooner rather than later.

demon_pachabel

 

[demon_pachabel]

"They say dragons in older times were....more easily distracted when they hatched and more likely to Between themselves too." L'nik added. Though to be honest, he was thrilled he'd never have to wear this dumb thing ever again. It had been worth every moment of waiting, even if he'd been impatient for it. I wasn't there yet. I couldn't come for you. Hessianth pointed out and L'nik found himself again being drawn into the brown. His beautiful brown. His hands again returned to that beautiful, dark head as he ran his fingers along it's edges and curves. Hessianth thrummed contentedly at the attentions, eyes whirling blue and purple in joy. Oh yes, L'nik knew the good spots (though truly, all spots on his head were the 'good' spots).

So it was with some disappointment that his hands soon went back to chopping up the first meals of the two dragons.

Yet Hessianth could understand the feelings of his bronze brother, his eyes remaining transfixed up at his chosen with similar adoration. Yes, he was very lucky such a boy had been left on the sands for so long. His perfect. His. I'm sure he'll fight you for that honor. As it should be. Hessianth had no worries about such offers from his bonded. They didn't need to be said, at least.

"I have a feeling this Feast will be...rather vacant of familiar faces." L'nik said suddenly. Between mauled victims needing to eyes of a healer, mourning people not attending, and some simply not feeling the festivity. However.... Mine did not eat. Did yours eat, Vedmath?

Meepfur

 

[Meepfur]

Odd, to think that a hatchling might between as a result of non-uniform attire, but then, even now many of them hatched very...confused, to put it mildly. Dezerac accepted the explanation with a nod.

This is only the beginning, Vedmath rumbled, a strange mix of eager and foreboding. There are many battles still ahead of us. And not just Thread, oh no - there were countless wrongs in need of righting, and the bronze intended to see to every last one, and His could weather every fight beside him.  Just one entry on the never-ending list of why this man was absolutely perfect for him.

"There will be few who feel like celebrating, I imagine," Dezerac agreed with his new classmate.  Although overjoyed to have finally been found by his bonded, a celebration seemed inappropriate in the wake of the death and the many near-misses. "Not that I would have seen many familiar faces, regardless." Not that he was the only one from High Reaches to Impress, and plenty of others had come as help or spectators, but even then he couldn't quite call them familiar.

When Hessianth asked whether His had eaten, he posed the question, then relayed the answer. Not since this morning.  He says he was not hungry, not until I was hungry.

demon_pachabel

 

[Teiha]

Along with Kieza, Silviu watched as their two helpers, who had not Impressed, left them standing alone with their dragonets. He looked down at Aramath, too filled up with love and joy to feel guilty, or to understand what they must have been feeling. This had been his first hatch, and here he was, staring into the eyes of his dragon. There was nothing that could bring him down in this moment.

At the girl’s thanks he nodded, his stance sort of closing in a little with shyness. She was the same height as him, he was noticing now that they stood facing each other, her green eyes level with his hazels. “We’re dragonriders, now. We have to stick together.” Alongside him, Aramath’s eyes whirled a bright green as he enveloped his little green sister with his warm, approving thoughts. And then they whirled yellow as the blue remembered how hungry he was. He leaned on Silviu’s leg and let out a pathetic little moan. My Silviu, we must feed. Suwayeth and I are starving!

Silviu would have laughed, if he couldn’t feel Aramath’s hunger himself… it was so intense! They hustled over to the feeding table with the girls, taking up the first open space they could find.

Mewsings of An Angel

 

[Mewsings of An Angel]

Kieza and Green Suwayeth

Kieza smiled as the boy wandered to the table accompanied by his hungry blue. It was strange, the events of the night, the bloodshed, the sadness. It was feeling further and further away, and yet, it was still now. Suwayeth crooned and hooked a talon into Kieza's torn and bloodied robe. Kiezamine, you should sit and rest, my beloved. You are hurt too. Let us go rest together. Kieza looked down and was met with the purple gaze that enveloped her with true devotion and love. "Yes, we will rest soon. There is still the Feast though." A sudden wave of dismay washed over her at this. They - particularly her beautiful dragonet - would have eyes on them. She questioned if they would fault her for not sending the dragonet away for killing that boy. Suwayeth made a sad noise, her eyes washing grey, and Kieza couldn't help keaning down to snuggle the hatchling closely to her. "Ignore me, my love. I worry too much." She comforted the dragonet, snuggling her until her eyes swirled blue.

Kieza finally turned toward Silviu and tapping him slightly on the shoulder, she smiled oncemore at him. "Suwayeth and I are going to go clean up before the Feast. We'll... see you there. Okay?" She said, glad that the boy, Silviu, did not give her or her dragonet dark looks. Aramath, my brother... we will see you there. Suwayeth crooned for a moment, and lightly rubbed her cheek against Aramath's gently. With that, the pair quietly and quickly made their way from the sands, ready for a moment of peace together.

Teiha

 

[Hattaki]

So lost was she in her own thoughts, so distracted by the extra mind that seemed to be already wrapped around hers that Amra fully missed the presence of the man that appeared beside her and it was the nudge of her lovely new dragon that brought her attention to him when she trilled happily to her sister. Shock value being what it was, the young woman looked straight up into the hazel eyes with her own heavy gray ones and the recognition that fell over her was instant. Surely she hadn't missed him Impress, her mind had been mulling over all the Candidates who had managed to, over the body of the one who hadn't been able to walk from the Sands himself and would never set foot on them again. Somehow in the midst of all that she had missed Vennodren, as she marked it one of the oldest, now former, Candidates that had been standing out there amidst a pack of teenagers.

"I wouldn't mind even if you didn't ask." Her deep voice stated smoothly, inwardly and even a little outwardly brightening to see that he was sitting among the many new Weyrlings with his own hatchling of all things. "My name is Amra and this is Seirath, it's a pleasure to meet you, though we've passed during classes before." Of course she knew who he was, he'd been here much longer than she herself but she wasn't about to broadcast that to him and give away her deeper thoughts and intents.

Beautiful sister of mine! Why would you eat the skulls of such beasts when all the delicious parts are around the stomach?

Seirath wound herself around her lovely sister and she completely believed her beautiful and wonderful, though of course not as fine as she herself. Though at the loud snapping of a skull crunching between her sister's teeth, the little green found herself taken quite aback and sniffed delicately at the parts she herself had left intact. Perhaps...?

Would you like those parts that remain from mine dear sister?

Curling her tail around the bucket she'd been eating from, the little dragon pulled it towards her and looked inside at the skulls and boney bits that remained. It confused her that her sister liked these things, but she would not be the one to tell her so and instead offered it up with swirling blue eyes.

SilverLutz

 

[SilverLutz]

"Amra and Seirath...a pleasure to meet you both. Well. 'Meet'," Venn said with a weak laugh as the other Weyrling was right. They had classes together and had been living in the same area for quite some time together. It was strange how life could go on without ever really meeting anyone even if you saw them constantly. He'd be seeing a lot more of Amra now that they had Impressed from the same clutch.

"Vennodren and Nzambith," he added, nodding down at the little green who had paused in chewing on the head of the preybeast to lean against her sister. Although her stomach rumbled she was quite delighted to be so warmly accepted, the attention more satisfying than food at the moment.

The stomach? Really? she echoed, her eyes turning down to the belly of the beast. It certainly did look more meaty. The offerings in the bucket that Seirath pulled forward made her stomach growl again and she prodded her nose among the bones and skulls. She found one that fit easily in her mouth and pulled it out, biting down slowly but firmly. The skull finally cracked as she set it on the ground and she nosed the broken bone away, revealing what she had smelled.

But this part smells so divine, she trilled before feasting on the brains within.

Venn had been watching the exchange and felt his stomach turn at the sight before him. Although Nzambith hadn't shown any signs of aggression or violence, there was something about his One breaking open the skull of another creature and eating its brains that was quite disturbing after everything that had happened the past few weeks. From one Candidate almost being killed during the Touching to the events out on the Sands hours before...it was unsettling to be sure. Hopefully he'd get used to it.

"Your Seirath is quite beautiful," he said, trying to distract himself by picking up the conversation again. He glanced at Amra with a little smile as he placed a hand on Nzambith's side just to let her know she wasn't forgotten. The little green didn't seem terribly upset, too focused on her treat to care.

Hattaki

 

[Hattaki]

The cracking sounds and the sight of a dragon devouring the brains of a former beast was a little much for her stomach after the way the Hatching had ended with so much blood and death. Amra was not at all afraid to admit that her stomach had flipped over inside her torso and her eyes actually widened a bit to take in the sight with a kind of horror.

Thank goodness her own little green had no such appetites.

"I must say, it appears that you'll have your hands quite full with her." Amra suppressed a shudder and turned her attention back to Vennodren, "I hope to see the pair of you at the feast, it's the first time we'll both be going with our partners after all. The lack of alcohol might be unfortunate but I'm sure there are things that will keep us all interested at this one!"

It would appear so, though I'm uncertain that they're safe to eat, lovely. They don't smell quite as tasty as the rest... and such a sad color to them.

Confused by her sister's need to find the brains inside the skulls, Seirath offered a sniff up in the direction of said organs and found the scent quite repulsive herself. Luckily she had been offered many tender strips of meat from the stomach of whichever beast had been slaughtered for her pleasure this night and she saw no need to eat it's brains as well. To each their own though. If it made her lovely sister happy then she would gladly continue to offer them up to her.

SilverLutz

To be continued! XD