[Anakumath's Hatching] From a Little Spark May Burst a Flame

[houllow]

Even if Haveli wanted to talk with the others who gathered around, it was clear she wasn't going to be able to. Sathanaseth needed oiled and needed his space - two things that were not mutually exclusive. The brown was warily looking over towards the others of his clutch with a red eye, making sure that any of them that dared to make contact with him got a nice flash of teeth. He was far too tired to deal with them and their.....theirness.

Thankfully Haveli seemed to understand and kept to oiling him down, taking extra care to cover him from head to toe and back. The painful itching he had felt was ebbing alongside his irritation, and the brown slumped a bit against his rider as the exhaustion began to set in.

"Just a little bit more, my love." Haveli rubbed his eye ridge and Sathanaseth rumbled, pleased. He would fall asleep to the feeling of being oiled, and Haveli would find herself at peace.  

[Prism Shine]

Is'k of Brown Kuyizeth - Impression Post

Ah, the signs of the impending end of a hatching. Empty shells, most of the babies gone with their newly made riders. The remaining hatchlings dwindled down; five, four, three. The little green who had sat so primly for most of the hatching went to find Hers, which only left the last one. The show-y little brown that had paraded around the candidates. A handsome little guy who certainly knew it. But when he found His, he could stretch his legs, wait for the hatching feast to begin. Lady, who had sat neatly on his shoulder for most of the hatching, leapt off and flew.

Except, oh. Wings mantled, head whipping this way and that. Would he be able to find his rider?

None of this will do. With so many riders in his life, hearing dragons talk was nothing new to him. Iskernyk didn't think twice, chuckling as a dramatic wing touched his forehead, swooning. Oh be still Isk's drama-loving heart, he adored him. There are just so many faces and so many sweet ones but none of them are right.

There he went, past the candidages, but it isn't until that small pair of facets are scanning the crowd that Iskernyk's throat caught with potential. He suddenly recalls that conversation, on another continent, in another hatching grounds. Sometimes, sometimes dragons turned to the sands when they couldn't find someone good on the sands.

He had spent so long around dragons, never to be searched. Never to have been deemed able to join as a candidate. He was reluctant to ever put roots down, to start something solid, permanent, tangible besides his possessions to his name and his firelizards.

Iskernykmine! The harper jolted, staring almost wide-eyed at the hatchling. Any other time his name was said in such grand presence, demanding attention, he would have glanced about -- but no, not when the voice said his name. The little brown that was demanding his presence, his audience. This is not a one man show, though I am the star of it. Come down here this instant and share the spotlight with your Kuyizeth please, let's show my siblings what a real pair is!

Iskernyk is barely able to stagger out of his seat, company forgotten as he's sliding out of the seating and into the stairs -- his gaze focused solely on the brown; Kuyizeth, his Kuyizeth. He's barely made it down the first few steps before he's got that same intense focus right back. Wings spread wide, bugling so loud it echoed in the man's chest in the most perfect note Isk had only ever hoped to catch on any instrument. Facets of purple and red bled and overlapped; love and irritation seeping together. How dare he be up here, when His Kuyizeth needed him, down there. The world was melting away from him, footing surprisingly sure as suddenly stone gave away to sand, and he was on bended knee for the regal brown. His wings still mantled and spread wide, an impressive show of beauty and perfection incarnate.

Of course I am, sweetheart. I am beauty alive, after all; and you are Mine. The possessive note, one he would have shied away from, had Iskernyk sinking further into the blistering sands. His fingers traced the outlines of Kuyizeth's facemask, down the sprinkling of beauty marks down his cheeks, across the bridge of his nose. Yet Iskernyk could only stare into the swirling depths as red and purple drained into such colors, the likes of a rainbow he had never seen. Utterly stunning, captivating.

Had there ever been such perfection in his life before?

Only you, My dear. Maybe if you looked in a mirror. Kuyizeth fanned his wings out once more, stretching them as wide as he could with all his strength, before tucking them back in. But you're where you belong, and that is all that matters, correct? A wash of pleased happiness skittered through their new bond, as the rainbows receeded into deep violets and soft blues. But now, if you don't mind?

"Ah, yes, food." A hunger that was not his own gnawing at his belly, to eat and nap. A delightfully odd sensation.

So delightfully smart, too. Kuyizeth crooned as Iskernyk -- properly Is'k, now, and wasn't that something? -- scratched at his eye ridges.

Is'k stood up slowly, his eyes never straying far from the deep rich tones of Kuyizeth. Dusting sand from his outfit, he beamed; a radiant smile made all the more deep from the echo of his dragon. HIS dragon. Food was in order, as was getting used to his new Home.  

[Princess_Feylin]

Ara of Gold Damahath

As Ara watched, the other candidates Impress, she felt a soft, almost apologetic mental touch and then the remaining gold, she who had once walked past Ara in her sister's wake, stood before the candidate, her foreclaws resting on the girl's shoulders and her face so close Ara could smell the oddness of her baby dragon breath.

Dearest of all girls, please don't think for a moment that you weren't worth waiting for. I hope that I have been the same, AraMine.

Ara blinked, her arms automatically coming up to stabilize the golden hatchling. Was it possible that the voice she heard in her mind belonged to the breathtaking dragon whose weight she partially supported? Surely not. Except...it was impossible not to feel her awareness expand to encompass the mind of another being. This incredible being. And, of course, there was what came next, which removed all possible doubt:

Ara, your Damahath has searched all of the Sands for you, but you were here all along.

"Damahath!" Ara exclaimed aloud, kissing the hatchling's golden snout. In her mind she added, I never thought you would look at me twice, let alone look for me. I'm just a drudge.

You are not just anything. You never have been, Damahath insisted, booping Ara back before dropping back to the sands, thoughtful about not placing too great a strain on her new bondmate's physical balance when the previous moments had put her off-balance emotionally. She pressed against Ara, receiving and offering solace through physical contact.

"My heart," Ara whispered. Now that her face was no longer full of rainbow dragon eyes, she was aware that many, many people were watching her. With only one other dragon left to Impress on the Sands, it was unlikely that the choice of a twin gold would not hold an audience's attention. "Everyone is looking at us."

We don't have to stay on the Sands, Damahath reminded Ara. I believe there's food. And injured comrades to be seen to. We could do both.

The dragon's words reminded Ara of the duties the candidatemaster had drilled into his charges about what to do should you be fortunate enough to Impress. Feeding the dragon and strengthening the bond was the most important thing. Ara did not want to fail in a single one of her duties to Damahath. This gold was suddenly the most precious being in Ara's world, and she couldn't bear the thought of doing any less than the best by her.

"Food for you first," she said in a resolute tone that surprised her. Firmness had never been her forte.

That would be fine. And then we shall see to our wounded.

Walking off the Sands, knowing that dozens of people and more were likely watching her, made Ara tremendously self-conscious, but Damahath's touch at her thigh gave her the composure to finish the task begun when she stepped onto the Sands. Ara paused to bow again to Damahath's parents on the way out while Damahath left her briefly to rub her head affectionately against both of her parents, and then insisted on pausing to watch her brown brother Impress. Ara wouldn't remember the Impression, even though it was a rarer Stands Impression. She kept glancing over at the perfect golden dragon who had changed her life forever, indelibly proving to the world that Ara was, indeed, someone of worth.  

[Shaddaling]

Whren

She had impressed. Jemi was his closest friend, a sister of sort and she had gone beyond him into something greater and he was still here. It didn't hurt as much as he thought it would, more of an overwhelming sense of relief that she was safe.

She had a place now, secure and a purpose and at the very least he had one less worry. She would do well here. He was still floundering trying to figure out if he was good enough and he knew he shouldn't take it personally, but a purpose of remaining in wait time after time was hard.

He was starting to feel worn.  

[Spockat]

The dragons still walking around and roaming in parties had his attention cast here and there -- the remaining queen with the blue at her side, and the remaining bronze. But nuzzled at his siblings before striding away with purpose. Breath caught as the gleaming baby dragon made a beeline for… him?

Cast your gaze away from my sisters, for while they deserve much praise and adoration, I would much rather you admire me instead. I can introduce you properly to my fine clutchmates back at the Tables, where they are already waiting. Come now, Rahmsii--our destiny awaits.

Those little facets whirled up at him, a confidant rainbow tinged with such adoration for His at the corners. A sheer delight that radiated through that newly made bond, and his hands danced out that excitement as he knelt down to better look at his Lareseth. His Lareseth, as he traced the trail of spots down his neck. Rahmsii leaned forward, pressing his head against the little bronze’s, and was rewarded with a gentle croon. “Me? You want me?”

Quite certainly. You are mine, and I am yours. He chirped. Every drop of that rainbow drained, until the warmth and love only remained. Oh, there was hunger, a need to eat and visit amongst his siblings, but for a few moments, it could wait. You have.. family here?

And for the briefest moment, his mind goes to his Father, before throwing the mental image of him away. That wasn’t thoughts for a young baby dragon and a newly made bond, no. No, no doubt he was referring to his brother, and as Rahmsii -- Ra’msi -- scooped up Lareseth into his chest. He was a broader sort, and soon enough would never get the chance to again. He’d glanced a chance at his brother -- only to find him gone.

Is that him there?

At the nudge, he looks lower, lower, lower, until he finds the man, knelt in front of the showful brown -- and his smile split wide in pride over his brother. Their brothers, for Lareseth was brimming with equal pride in his family choosing one so dear to His. Family was important, and the riders his siblings had chosen were just as important. But this one, this.. Iskernyk, was doubly so. Perhaps they would catch up, and proper introductions be made.

As Ra’msi turned, he glanced up into the stands for a familiar green and her rider -- and couldn’t help the smile and wave to Tuela. Lareseth’s inquisitive note had him nodding. “A dear friend.” Who was still recovering from threadscore. Lareseth’s opinion bubbled quietly, but that would be for Ra’msi to have a Talk about later.

First it would be feeding, oiling; and then could come the introductions Lareseth sought out.  

[Samuel Carlin]

Rosannah and Blue Erisath

Rosannah had filed into the Stands with a good portion of the Weyr's population when the humming began. She was in a bright, good-humored mood and eager to see all the new little dragons find their matches today. Shge'd met a couple of the Candidates during their chore rotations and seen more at a distance, but she had no particular favorites. She hadn't even made a bet, this go round. She was just here to enjoy. And get off her feet.

The eggs began to crack, the dragons began to appear, and Rosannah leaned forward, shifting quite literally to the edge of her seat. It became clear quickly, that this was not going to be the sort of Hatching you simply sat back and enjoyed. There was drama and emotions and far too much happening on the Sands down there to just sit!

More than once, she'd had to remind herself to close her gaping mouth after dragons charged at the Candidates, snarled and hissed at their clutchmates and -- oh no! -- attacked one another. Eyes wide, she watched as the little blue and green fought over, what? Whether the blue would attack a boy who was walking away, who had turned his attention to a bronze instead? That poor boy must have hidden a wherry biscuit in his shorts, the way the dragons were after him!

And then? And then! Oh then!

Rosannah! It's-- I'm Erisath, hello--

Right in the middle of a fight, that sweet voice filled her mind, blocking out everything,everything else! It was a voice she'd never heard before, and yet she knew it immediately, like it'd always been there at the back of her mind. All of a sudden, her heart was racing, trying to keep up with the tripping double beat of a dragon's hearts, and her breath caught as she struggled with the balance between dragonet and herself.

Seeing as you're Mine and I'm Yours and all, I'd--really like to ask you a favor! Can you tell her to drop it? I just wanted to teach him a lesson. And then I was going to find you, but now she's gotten in the WAY and I'm-- Ughhh, I'm so sick of this already!

Rosannah laughed suddenly, for every good reason but not explanation to those who sat nearby. She could feel Erisath's frustration and, of course, his waning anger, but more, she could feel his need. She could feel it echoing in her, too, rising so quickly that she nearly toppled over the bench -- and the people who sat in front of her -- as she shot to her feet. She didn't see the shoulders she grabbed onto for balance, didn't register anything they said, any protest they made at being suddenly accosted.

Iiiii don't have to forgive her, do I? When you get down here. Because--you're going to come here, I hope.

She laughed again, tears streaked with tears she didn't care about or didn't feel. They were unimportant, the least of her concerns as she moved without really seeing where she was going, focused on nothing but the blue dragonet reaching out to her. Those in the know shifted their feet out of her way and help to guide her to the end of the row, so she could stumble down the steps to the Sands herself. "No," she said out loud as she went, beaming ear to ear. "No, you don't have to apologize. I'm coming, sweet boy. I'm coming. I'll be right there."

And she was. She jogged the last few steps to the little blue and went to her knees on the sand once she'd reached his side, wrapping her arms around the still-sticky dragonet and pressing her face against his neck. "I'm here," she announced unnecessarily. "I'm here, Erisath, I'll always be here."  

[dawns_aura]

Lelte and Green Camaeleth

Casting the sting in her heart deep, deep down, to be tended to later if need be, she held her head up and moved with purpose. So what if she was found wanting yet again. She had been Searched, so she was found worthy. She did have a right to be here. And if not this clutch, well, she was still young enough, there was time. Surely one day she would find the one soul that matched her. The one who was meant to be hers. And truthfully, she shouldn’t feel so dejected. There were still babies on the Sands, and until the last baby Impressed, there was still a chance.


With the one blue finally seeming ready to Impress, the tussle between him and the little green that had caused her such distress seemed to be over. With no casualties, and the little one a bit worse for the wear, but not in any danger. Her heart ached for the brave baby. But still, training and experience held her in check. It wasn’t her place to interfere. But then the little green began to move in her direction. She didn’t dare to hope... there were other candidates nearby after all, but the actions still brought her to a stop where she was.


If anyone were to ask her what happened next, Lelte would not be able to describe or put it into words. She now understood why, when she asked T’ry about what he felt and experienced when he and Cordeth found one another, he was unable to speak. Words really weren’t enough. The world itself just stopped and time stood still, but at the same time everything happened all at once. But all she knew was that her entire world now belonged to the most perfect, precious being on Pern.


The little green was so gentle, but concerned, even as the ichor still flowed sluggishly down her shoulder, as she looked Lelte over. The outpouring of absolute faith and love and care washed over the young woman first. Wrapping tenderly around her in a layer of warmth and devotion. It was in that moment, even before the green spoke, that she knew. This dragonet belonged with her, but, even more importantly, she belonged to Her. It’s alright my Love, I’m fine. I was never so much as touched. But look at you!


She dropped to her knees on the Sand to be closer to the green, wrapping her arms around her, mindful of the wounds, but disregarding the ichor that now stained her robes.

My dearest Lelte. If you were to ask me if I had ever seen anybody or anything as amazing as you, I would have to say no - and that is why it is only you that your Camaeleth needs.



Lelte laughed a little as she held Camaelth closer. I think right now you could probably use a trip to get those wounds taken care of, some food, and a nice oiling, in that order.



Knowing that she had finally found Hers, that everyone was safe, that she could trust Hers to do what was needful, the aches and fatigue from her injuries made themselves abundantly clear. But she didn’t have to deal with it on her own. Hers would always be there for her.

Just as you will be for me, My Love. Now let’s go get you fixed up, shall we?