Aria and Hal's Clutch

PernMUSH - Wednesday, April 17, 2002, 7:35 PM
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Carianna comes out of the Infirmary, shutting the stone door behind her.
Carianna has arrived.

Carianna steps out of the infirmary and sighs in relief. "I though this day would never end."

Baleera takes a seat at one of the tables by the hearth where Aria's clutch is located and takes her dinner, her hair wet from a recent swim.

Baleera noddles. "I'm finally free of my Craft matters which needed attending to, and I can't wait for the chance to get to meet the Candidates I'm supposed to be caring for.

Carianna stops in her tracks then asks softly hoping she isn't in trouble, "Would you like me to gather them Ma'am?"

Baleera laughs. "Oh, no need to. I'm sure the white knots on your shoulders will help me figure out who's who. I'm just enjoying a bit of dinner."

Carianna glances to her shoulders then blushes wishing she had wore her knot today. "Yes ma'am."

Jonas comes up the steps from the Inner Caverns.
Jonas has arrived.

Jonas arrives to take care of his evening chores. Getting the dishes ready for dinner is /far/ better than having to wash them. He waves to all in the cavern, "Evening, every one. How are you all today?"

Zephyr comes up the steps from the Inner Caverns.
Zephyr has arrived.

Xiang comes up the steps from the Inner Caverns.
Xiang has arrived.

Baleera nods at the traffic and finishes eating her food. "I suppose tomorrow will be very busy, too. Ahh, here are more of the Candidates now."

Redus drifts into the cavern, a piece of straw dangling from his mouth as his feets carry him toward the nearest klah pot and mug.

Carianna heads towards the serving table to pour out a glass of wine then remembers and sets the skin down in exchange for the tea pot.

Jonas grins at Zephyr's mention of a chore race. "I take you plan on competing, Zephyr?"

Jonas eyes the wineskin wistfully and sighs.

Xiang trails in, hovering idly round the edges of the gathering of people. Her chore is done until after dinner. Lucky Xiang.

Zephyr nods pertly with a smile to Jonas. "I am. I'm in training with my food prep chore. I'm practicing to be the fastest tuber peeler. What about you, do you think you'll be competing?" She does notice a strange pot with chalk writing on it, and looks over at it curiously.

Redus pours some klah and stands near the hearth where he got it from to take that first sip and look around.

Aria opens one sleepy eye from her post near the earthenware pot and blinks the sleep away from her golden form. She cranes her thin neck over the clutch and tilts her head to one side, listening to something that only her tiny firelizard hearing can detect.

"Aye, I was thinking about it," Jonas admits. "I think I favor the glow toss, myself." He notes Zephyr's glance and informs her, "That is Aria's clutch. I don't know when it's due to Hatch, though."

Carianna catches the voices behind her and turns asking lightly, "Chore competition?"

Baleera looks over at Aria. "Whats the matter, darling? Something of interest with your eggs?" She looks over at the pot and smiles. "I swear, I didnt know I could be so motherly until Aria clutched. Did I mention that she clutched in the hearth in one of the cotholds we were visiting for my soil studies? I had to keep the eggs in the ashes while we moved."

Zephyr purses her lips with a little smile to Jonas, "I /can/ read you know. It says 'Aria's Clutch' right there." She grins shaking her head a little and looks from Jonas to Cari. "Yeah, theres going to be a chore competition this sevenday, I think."

Jonas nods. "There is a chore competition in a few days here in the living cavern. It's supposed to be open invitation to everyone, not just the Candidates." He smiles at Cari, "Interested in competing with us?" Turning his attention to Baleera, Jonas grins and says, "I didn't think a queen would be willing to get dirty in ashes."

Carianna ohs softly as she nods in reply to Jonas and listens to Baleera. "That's interesting." She chooses to say feeling it covers both topics.

The warmth of the earthernware pot by the hearth under the watchful care of its dam has come to fruition. The undisturbed clutch of firelizard eggs lying on the nest of soft ashes remains undisturbed no longer. There, one of the eggs by the edge, has given a small jerk as the tiny life within begins its first struggle to emerge from the egg that has contained it.

Watery Muck Egg quivers more visibly now, starting to rock and work its way apart from the other eggs slightly.

Jonas starts at the movement in the pot. "Did anyone else see that?"

Aria sits upright, looking intensely as her eggs begin to move. She perches on the side of the pot and spreads out her wings, hissing at any hands which come too close, and peering down at her first clutch. Her eyes are whirling blue and she begins to produce a warm thrum in the back of her throat.

Zephyr blinks at Jonas, having missed the movement. "See what?"

Baleera sets down the cup of juice she was about to sip from and stands up, all in one motion. "Theyre hatching! Quick, someone fetch bowls of meat from the kitchen. You there!" she points at a drudge cleaning the floor on the side, "Go and get towels. Yes, towels. Clean towels. Ohhh, my baby! Im so excited. Move that table aside from hearth. Weve got a firelizard hatching going on here."

The drudge looks up at Baleera without understand for a moment until one of the serving women smiles at the anxious winecrafter and takes the drudge in hand to go and get the towels asked for.

Xiang quietly drifts round tables, absently straightening up bits and pieces and arranging the salt/sweetner/pepper containers in nice, neat order. Neat freak.

Hearth Captive Egg answers the rocking of the first egg to move with a sort of tapping sound as this eggs denizen is trying to find a way out as well.

"I saw it." Cari cries out as she moves a few steps closer to get a better view. "Anyone have some raw wherry strips? I think these guys are about to make and appearance."

Glowing Embers Egg gives a little hop, answering the thrumming call of its mother to emerge out into life. If only this shell were not so thick, nor the membrane inside so strong!

Jonas nods at the pot, not wanting to upset the queen, "In there. I thought I saw an egg move!" At Baleera's commands, Jonas jumps again. "I knew it! What can we do?"

Waxy Bootblack Egg throws off a bit of ashes as it begins to roll from side to side, working to escape.

Vine Wrapped Jungle Egg gives a quiver, then stops. Then quivers again, moving slightly. And then stops.

The serving woman appears from the kitchens with an armload of towels for herself and leading two drudges with platters piled with meat and wherry scraps. She calmly places the towels on a nearby table and instructs the drudges to put the platters down where they will be most convenient when the firelizards hatch.

Zephyr bounces backwards as Baleera becomes excited. She gets so caught up in the orders called to the drudges, she almost misses seeing more movement. She does catch it this time, "Oh! They are moving! Wow, look at them go!"

Baleera nods and smiles, moving over toward the edge of the hearth. "Oh, my! This is more exciting than when I got Aria!"

Hearth Captive Egg starts tapping loudly now, beginning to rock from side to side in the process. There is a sense of urgency from the noise and the motion, as this hatchling wants out NOW.

Glowing Woodgrained Egg begins to shudder as the hatchling inside answers the call of its mother to awaken out to life.

Jonas is practically dancing back and forth, trying to see the eggs as they rock in their ash-filled nest. "This /is/ exciting!" he says, agreeing with Baleera.

Carianna giggles softly as she watches the eggs with building excitement. "Look at them go..." She murmurs softly.

Reyat comes up the steps from the Inner Caverns.
Reyat has arrived.

Waxy Bootblack Egg continues to roll until it comes near the side of the earthenware pot. It stops for a moment, perhaps surprised with the sense of motion from the inside of the egg.

Reyat enters yawning. Well in fact he seems to distort his jaw the way he opens it. He blinks twice and asks softly. "What's going on in here?"

Icy Snowdrift Egg gets knocked by the Waxy Bootblack Egg as it rolls away from the others, and suddenly this egg springs to life, hopping and quivering with the sound of scrabbling from within.

"This is as exciting as the last Hatching I watched at Igen!" Jonas declares. He points excitedly at the pot, "They're hatching, Rey!"

Raeche comes up the steps from the Inner Caverns.
Raeche has arrived.

Baleera looks over all of the eggs and sighs. "Ohh, theyre all starting to hatch! Look at how fast everything seems to be happening. I still wonder who the sire was, but youre not telling me, are you my golden pretty?"

Zephyr peers from behind Jonas' shoulder and steps beside him to get a better look at the eggs. "They look like they're going to pop right out of there!" Her eyebrows raise and her lips form a smile as she watches the curious event. She dosn't spare a glance to her friend and simply calls, "Hey Rey, come check this out!"

Reyat oohs at Jonas's comment then comes closer. "Now?"

Scaly Silver Egg begins to shake slightly, making tiny wiggle marks within the ashes where it has rested.

Raeche steps in from the inner caverns, fingers messing with her damp hair. Freshly scrubbed, she must have been in the hot springs.

Watery Muck Egg stops and quivers for a moment, then starts to make tiny hops as the firelizard begins pounding up against the egg from the inside.

Carianna walks down the eastern stairs to the Inner Caverns.
Carianna has left.

Xiang joins the crowd in peering at the egg pot but evidently decides not to stay and try for one. Uh uh. One of the little stomachs is enough and she extracts herself unobtrusively and vanishes.

Reyat comes a little closer. Right behind Zephyr to be precise. He waves at Raeche before staring at the eggs.

Glowing Embers Egg stops and starts its struggles to escape in fits and starts. It quivers and rocks, and then is still. And then quivers again.

K'prin has arrived.

"Aren't we supposed to have some meat?" Rey asks aloud.

K'prin comes in with a set of dispatches under his arm and looks about. "Something happening?" he asks casually.

Jonas moves a little to the side to allow the new arrivals to see the event unfold. "How long will it take them to break shell?" he asks to nobody in particular. Jonas points to a table where towels and meat have been placed, in reply to Reyat's question.

Baleera points to the bowls and platters of meat that have already been brought. She nods to the newcomer and says "My baby's clutch is hatching!"

Reyat perks as a rider enters and gives him a polite nods. "A firelizard hatching, Sir." He said that as if he was aware of the fact from the beginning.

Hearth Captive Egg taps with greater and greater intensity until it finally causes stress fractures to web across its surface, allowing the blue hatchling inside to break free!

Hints of mischief glint within this whirling firelizard's eyes, even now. Blue shades of light and dark mix together over his hide and mingle with barely visible streaks of coffee tan and muted waves of amber along his wingsails. Large for a blue, he has a formiddable build, deep call and a handsome physique. Something about him gives one the feeling that he holds all the cards and knows the answers to even the most cunning obstacles at hand. He is quite fond of good red meat and will snag a bite for himself whenever he has the opportunity.
(Inspiration: Solant. By Zephyr)

Reyat looks at the table, quickly goes and grabs some meat. "Oh! A blue?"

Vine Wrapped Jungle Egg gives a mighty heave and manages to upend itself in the ashes, balanced on its edge.

Aria reaches down and gently nudges the upended egg back onto its side, then chirps a greeting at the blue hatchling who has just emerged.

Zephyr turns around and looks like she is going to bubble over with joy as she notices an Igen rider. "Starsm--Fort's Duties!" she calls to him and mutters to herself, "..gotta stop saying that." She whirls around just in time to see a blue firelizard hatch. "Oh! Oh!"

"Ooh, look at him!" Jonas fumbles blindly for some meat, "Do we just offer it to him, or let him choose like a dragon?"

Raeche waves at Reyat. "A whole new batch of chess piece thieves," she says, mournfully.

K'prin laughs. "Well, it certainly looks like there are enough eggs to go around. Anyone mind if I step in and have a go? I've only got one little one, and he'd be happy to have a friend his size. Brown dragons being hard for the firelizards to see well from up close, and all that."

"Wiggle your meat in front of him." Rey answers Jonas. "Zak attracted one like that as he told me."

Ambivalent Gray Egg begins to rock for the first time now, responding to the flurry of activity around it.

Baleera claps her hands together. "Oh, isn't he a darling little blue! I wonder what omens that portends for the clutch... or is that just a dragonrider superstition?"

Watery Muck Egg is pounding from within with such force that it gives a jump and shatters, sprinkling egg shards all over the brown hatchling within.

At first glance this tiny fella might be mistaken for a blue, he's that small. But he's built solidly, with tan upper coloration over top of a crackled darker mocha brown where his joints are, this tiny brown firelizard looks like he's been well exposed to wind and sun. The illusion continues on down as his underbelly is a light beige in stark contrast to the golden-brown and mocha coloration on top. Almost like this is the patch of him where the sun hasn't had chance to hit, and the line separating the two sides is abrupt. Although tiny, his wings are powerful and his haunches are well developed with muscular solidity. This doughty little brown hatchling may not be the largest of his chromatic brethren, but he certainly looks strong.
(Taskmaster: Jacob, of SeaCraft Hall -- Desc by K'prin)

Zephyr picks up a thin strip of meat and listens to Rey's instructions, following them. "Like this?" she asks, jiggling it around.

Granulated Klah Brown Egg rocks back and forth almost tenatively, as though testing to see if it can indeed move.

Scaly Silver Egg is making wider and wider wiggle marks in the ashes as it continues its struggles to break free.

Redus wasn't standing all this time sipping his klah. While everyone else was drawn to the area around Baleera he ambled over slowly to see what was up. Looking into the midst of the group, he sees what the attraction is and grins.

Michevious Junior Blue Hatchling blinks with confusion and rights itself, crooning with wonder at the golden giant firelizard perched at the edge of the pot. The croon quickly becomes a creel as the first sensation the blue now feels is HUNGER. It turns to find food.

Reyat smiles and doesn't say a word. He slowly sits down and crosses his legs. With one extended hand he begins to wiggle a piece of meat.

Jonas wiggles the strip of red meat, just as Reyat desribed. Seeing the new brown hatch, he desides to offer the meat to the clutch in general.

Slithering Darkness Egg shakes a bit, looking like its trying to remove the shards that the recently hatched brown has sprayed all over the clutch. After a moment of repose the shaking starts again. This firelizard isnt much longer for its shell.

Doughty Brown Hatchling gives a shake to scatter the shards on it, and looks about. The gold thing is blocking the exit to the one side, so he turns and clambers over a couple of other eggs in an attempt to get out of these ashes and find food.

Baleera smiles and nods to K'prin. "You may certainly stay, sir. I don't need all these little ones myself. It may end up two or three a person if more don't show up."

Sooty Black Egg is nudged as the Doughty Brown hatchling clambers over it, and it responds by starting to rock back and forth.

Baleera waves to the people gathered. "Come on then, they're starting to come out of the shell. Let's feed these little mites and get some Impressions happening. I love Aria but if you think I want to raise an entire clutch of hers myself youd best think again. There's joy waiting for you in the ashes, luvs. Best be finding the pearls you can."

Reyat continues to smile wide, mind focusing on warm and peaceful thoughts. He looks at all the little hatchlings alternatively and wiggles his meat from time to time.

K'prin laughs again. "I think that Blue first means that the blueriders have won the most money on the betting pool, but I'm not sure what it says about firelizards. Ooooh, that's a nice brown. Thank you, Master."

Zephyr waggles her meat around, looking between Rey, Jonas and the newly hatching firelizards. She muses quietly, "I've never seen a hatching before. Of any kind!"

"Mmmph," Raeche sniffs. She eyes the little hatchlings, stepping past to pour herself a drink.

Icy Snowdrift Egg continues to scrabble from within, the sound of talons coming sharp on the curved inside of the egg itself. Here and there across the shell it looks like the talons might be raking furrows as stress lines start to appear.

Jonas sets his strip of meat to swaying like a pendulum. "Does it help to make it look like its alive, or just catch the hatchlings attention?"

Vine Wrapped Jungle Egg gives a mighty lurch again, tipping up on its end once more but with such force that it topples forward as an egg and lands on the rim of the pot with a loud CRACK. This is enough, for the green hatchling srambles out of the egg shards even as it splits further apart.

There is a feline grace that hangs upon this green's every move. Not that she tends to move all that much on her own, unless she so desires, of course. This little lady is quite content to sit in a warm spot and thrum in her throat for hours, nuzzling and headbutting those who earn her favor by providing that warmth and comfort. Her features are rather rounded with a so rt of voluptuous bit of excess around the midsection and throat. Her coloration is light green for the middle of her underbelly and a gradation to light green for her talons and hands. Her wings are patterns of dark on darker green which is echoed on her shoulders and sides, fading to the lighter tones of almost mint-green. After watching her for a moment, you might be tempted to consider her lazy, but after studying her further the laziness resolves into an economy of exertion.
(Inspiration: Baleera's cat, Buddha.)

Smeary-Sparkly Egg begins to shake as the hatchling inside tries to force its way out.

Waxy Bootblack Egg is suddenly fractured by crack lines from all over the egg, but it looks as though the hatchling has dug its way out of the bottom of the egg, and this little brown is now pushing himself up out of the soft ashes that it dug through underneath.

If Pern had chocolate, this hatchling would make a delightful treat. The sweet cordial heart of this brown is enrobed in a velvety milk chocolate hide. He may look sophisticatedly decadent - even distinguished, with that bit of grayish bloom hiding right there on his temples - but he's really quite melting, with chirps and warbles emitted in smooth, dark tones. His snout looks as though it was dipped in rich hot fudge, which then swirls and drizzles and dollops over his lighter neck, wingsails, and back. This one is decidedly large and imposing, even for a brown, but he packs a sweetness that is almost addictive.
(Inspiration: Weyrleader Pining. By Ember.)

Reyat smiles at Jonas. "I don't know Jonas. I think everything that could attract their attention is good." He winks at Zephyr. "First hatching for me too, Zeph."

Redus finds a seat where he can watch the little lizards appear, smiling and nodding to Candidates, Riders and Masters alike. One last sip of his klah and he places the mug on the table behind him and quietly says, "Could you slide the tray of meat this way a little? I'll help since there's so many."

K'prin picks up a piece of meat and begins to offer it in the semicircle of people surrounding the hearth. "C'mere, little fellas. Have a nice piece of meat."

Jonas nods to Reyat. In an attempt to keep himself calm, Jonas begins humming softly. Is that the Firelizard Song?

Slithering Darkness Egg manages to start causing cracks to appear at the narrower side of the egg, working with fury as the goal of hatching is so close.

Sooty Black Egg seems to be making excellent progress on its own, rocking and shuddering and working its way with a fury of activity across the soft ashes.

Voluptuous Felinity Green Hatchling stops backing up and looks about herself. She gives an experimental flap of her wings and takes a good look over the parts of her little body that she can see by craning her sinuous neck. Once her grooming is in place, she takes note of the scent of food coming from somewhere beyond the pot. Gingerly, she begins to saunter her way around the other eggs, off in search of food, looking mightily pleased with herself for managing to hatch.

Raeche pulls out a chair near the hatching, sipping at her mug and eyeing the creeling little firelizards.

Reyat's mouth opens wide at the sight of the newest brown. "Ooh..."

What's That Green Thing Egg gives a lurch as the newly hatched green saunters by. Now this hatchling is beginning its struggle for emergence.

Zephyr dangles her meat in a circular motion and watches the hatchlings with bright eyes, "I'd get dizzy if I were them." she says mildly. Then with a smile she says in a quiet voice, "Here little ones. Got some tasty food for you."

Icy Snowdrift Egg shreds as the talons which have been working from the inside finally gain purchase on the outside. The shell dissolves in the flurry of claws and haunches as the blue firelizard on the inside destroys the last remnants of the shell and gazes up at Aria from where he lays within the egg, on his back.

Don't let the smaller size of this blue mislead you, he's more than capable of keeping his own up in a scumble. Relatively broad shoulders and haunches so powerful that you wonder he doesn't simply hop from perch to perch give this blue firelizard quite the character. Stout neck and rounded headknob, his very approach towards life is to tackle things first and -then- work out the details when it all goes wrong. Waves of irridescent blue march across his wingsails and taper into dusty midnight shades along his sides and tail. His head is crowned by starburst patterns of aqua that linger for a bit on their way down his neck and dust his wingsails amid the wave patterns.
(Inspiration: Dad.-- Desc by J'radin.)

Nibblicious Weyrleader Brown Hatchling blinks in confusion, his head poking out from underneath the ruins of his shell. The soft and warm ashes are playfully scattered over him, but the thrumming noise and the sounds and colors which await him are infinitely more attractive. Most of all, this brown firelizard feels the urge to move off in search of food. He shoulders aside the last of his own egg and stumbles over another egg in his clumsy attempt to find footholds in the ashes.

Glowing Woodgrained Egg wobbles undecisively for a moment and then produces a sharp pecking sound, followed by spasmodic periods of rocking back and forth. The grainy aspect of this eggs pattern is beginning to be replaces by tiny fissures that mar the surface.

Ambivalent Gray Egg gets knocked to the side as the Nibblicious brown hatchling trips over top of it. This produces a shocked pause in the attempts to hatch, followed by a frenzy of rocking and scrabbling that borders on panic-driven.

Aria cranes her neck down into the midst of her hatchling clutch for the second time, and now nuzzles the blue hatchling still on his back in the half of the shredded shell. She gently nudges him, urging him to get up on his feet.

Tiny Bruiser Blue Hatchling croons piteously as the gold forces him to move and give up the comfort of his egg with a view. He flops over onto his feet and shakes himself off, almost resentful of being forced to move. The wafting odors of meat and food reach him, however, and he gives a little grunt and then hops over the rim of the pot.

K'prin shakes his head. "This is going so fast my head is spinning. C'mere, little guys. Or girl."

Reyat rocks a little as he wiggles the meat he has in his right extended hand. "Poor thing!"

What's That Green Thing Egg makes serious headway in its journey toward new life. It wobbles and rocks back and forth as the hatchling inside begins to work intensely to emerge into life.

Smeary-Sparkly Egg knocks back and forth with a vengeance, beginning to rock it up against the side of the earthenware pot near where Aria watches her brood. The rocking up against the ceramic pot will surely yield results soon.

"All at once," Raeche pouts. "Will the dragons hatch this fast? It will be so hard to see who came from what."

Doughty Brown Hatchling arrives at the edge of the hearth and looks about the crowded scene before it. The confusion and noise are intimidating to it for a little bit, so the Doughty Brown just stops to let everything sort itself out. The hunger in his belly, however, keeps urging him to move, but the confusion is making him stop. After a moment, he tilts back his head and begins to creel piteously at the injustice of this large new world.

Jonas, still wiggling his meat, shifts a little to his left so he may see around those kneeling around the pot.

Tiny Bruiser Blue Hatchling stops his trajectory as he hears the whining cries of the Doughty Brown and waddles over toward his clutchmate. His wings, still sticky from the shell, are half unfolding and begin to get in the way, making him wobble. This Tiny Bruiser Blue is still unsure of himself walking, and after a couple of steps farther he trips and falls, awkwardly trying to flap his wings in an attempt to regain his balance, but doing little more than producing a scurrying flapstorm and adding to the noise on the edge of the hearth.

Sefaniah comes up the steps from the Inner Caverns.
Sefaniah has arrived.

Reyat casts a look over his shoulder at Raeche, smiling. "Come and join us, you'll have a better view."

One of the kitchen girls, Redus can't remember he name for anything, passes a few strips of meat to the former stablehand and he thanks her with a smile. Leaning forward in his seat, he offers a morsel to the nearest hatchling, wiggling it back and forth between his ankles.

Raeche sighs, moving up off her chair and heading over toward Reyat. "Noisy."

Zephyr shakes her meat around in different ways, for variety's sake. She glances aside just in time to notice Sefaniah arrive, "Hey Sef!" she waves with her free hand. "Look at these pretty little hatchlings!"

Granulated Klah Brown Egg has discovered that not only can it move, it can move quickly. The egg begins to rock back and forth with an intense speed, almost an epileptic sort of seizure of sheer nervous jitters and energy.

Michevious Junior Blue Hatchling clambers up to the edge of the earthenware pot and tries to find the source of that delicious smell. His attention gets split between the waggling offers of food and the sudden space that is opening up beneath him between the rim of the pot and the hearth on which it rests. He gives a shriek of fright as he tips forward, and flaps his wings to gain balance. The motion confuses him, though, and the sudden erruption of flapping from his other blue brethren offbalances him. This Mischevious Junior Blue ends up tripping off of the pot while flapping, resulting in his flying a few paces out into the crowd, bewildered at his new surroundings and just how in fact he got there. He begins to creel with hunger and fear.

Scaly Silver Egg finally cracks into thirds, shards falling off of this brilliant blue hatchling.

So blue that the lightest shades of the sky compete with this firelizard hatchling, the underside of the wings are so light as to almost read white. Against the darker brethren this blue firelizard definitely stands out as the lightest of his color category that will be seen in some time, though the sky-blue colors darken slightly across the wings and from the middle of the back down to the tip of his tail. There is a rather beautiful pattern of mottles that concentrates around his shoulders, giving a very brilliant looking garland effect at the point where his neck and shoulders meet. Although small, the unusual coloration and stature give the impression of largeness to this blue, though without losing any of the maneuverability and grace that the smaller chromatics usually possess.
(Inspiration: Rhi. By Kprin.)

Slithering Darkness Egg bursts open at the narrow end, and the green hatchling inside worms her way out of the egg, stopping for a moment to extract herself, but then looking about at the wonder of the space beyond.

This green firelizard is loud. There is no other word for it but loud. Brilliant swirls of almost pearlescent glowing green cascade in waves all up and down her body in a pleasant regularity which is pleasing to the eyes and lends a deceptively calm exterior. However, once she opens her tiny mouth there is nothing but a clamor going to come out of it. Her whole form is beautiful, but it will be a difficult time keeping this green from rousing the whole hold, hall, or weyr when she sets her mind to announcing her displeasure.
(Inspiration: Baleera.)

Still humming, Jonas is stricken by the Doughty Brown's pitiful creeling. He offers his piece of meat to the poor thing in an attempt to make it feel better.

Reyat smiles at Raeche again. "Here take a piece." He tells her as he extends. "And don't pout like that. It'll scare them away." He winks.

Nibblicious Weyrleader Brown Hatchling makes it over the edge of the pot without major incident, and takes a moment to reorient himself. This Nibblicious Brown hatchling quickly assesses the situation. The strange noises and colors are also the source of

Sefaniah trots up the steps, glancing behind him and miraculously not tripping on anything. "What? They're Hatching?!" he wonders, frantically looking around and about as he gallops over toward the others. "I thought the dragons were supposed to hum!"

What's That Green Thing Egg cracks open suddenly and a green hatchling rolls out into the ashes.

Dark forest green bathes this tiny lady in rich color, covering every square inch of her hide. The verdant carpet is lush and inviting, marred only by lighter hints of absinthe touching her neckridges. Her frame is on the stocky side, though perfectly proportioned, with all the right things in all the right places. Wingsails are razor thin and as oddly dark as the rest of her, while spars and fingerstays have that same gleam of pale green along the edges of bone. Her tail is thin but elegant, a bit of a contrast to her blocky body, and in constant motion. Limbs are thick and wrapped in dark splendor down to their talons, which look wickedly sharp and strong. (Inspiration: My grandparent's cleaning lady. She was always cheerful, even under the worst of circumstances, dealing with two Alzheimer patients. And she never failed to check the fridge to make sure nothing in there was spoiled. -- By Jenna)

Astin comes out of the Infirmary, shutting the stone door behind him. Astin has arrived.

Raeche eyes the meat in Reyat's hand. "Assuming I want a chess thief of my very own!"

Reyat nudges Raeche softly. "Look how this green lovely is!"

Sooty Black Egg reaches a point where its wiggle across the ashes in the earthenware pot have brought it into the middle of a pile of other eggshards. The motion that this rocking egg continues to make quickly makes it bury in among them, so that its anyones guess how long the blue hatchling which emerges from the pile of shards has actually been free from the egg and waiting to climb out of the shells.

This little fellow is rail thin, and seems to take after his sire, for he looks completely out of proportion. Wings are overlarge and as for that tail! His coloring, however, more than makes up for any awkwardness he exhibits. Rich sapphire streams in rivulets over powder blue, wrapping from headknobs down his neck and around shoulders to curl under where wings furl. His little face is a trifle squashed looking, and a darker hint of indigo traces across his muzzle, just above his mouth in a kind of mustache. The pale powdered snow of his hide darkens to azure down the length of his limbs and overlong tail, turning a deep midnight at the very tip of the fork. Wings are almost odd in their lack of markings, the spars and sails all in a more watery sapphire share than the trickles marking him elsewhere and entirely unremarkable.
(Inspiration: Dr. Chimney. We had doves that nested atop our chimney. It was missing a cap, and they'd constantly fall in, and we'd have to get the frightened things out. Doves breed like rabbits, and every time Dr. Chimney would go up there to cap the chimney, the nest would have babies. He wouldn't move them, until he finally managed to catch the nest when it was empty. No more birds have fallen down since. -- By Jenna)

Redus looks over to see who just dragged a chair closer and smiles at Raeche before checking his offering to the newborns, still no takers. Chuckling at Raeche's words he says, "You could teach it to guard your pieces."

Scintillating Garlanded Blue Hatchling awakens to the new sense of openness and colors with a profound curiousity. The smells of food assault his little headknob but there is an attitude of hesitancy before this blue decides to waddle away from the eggs and onto the hearth proper where it takes a moment to stretch out to his full span and flap once or twice to air things out a bit.

Zephyr waggles her meat around and is overwhelmed by the flurry of eggs shaking, firelizards hatching and meat wiggling. She looks from one firelizard hatchling to the next, "Here little firelizards, I'm sure you're hungry."

Tiny Bruiser Blue Hatchling sees the wiggling meat before it and makes his way over to it, snagging it from Jonas' hands with alacrity. Tiny Bruiser Blue Hatchling stumbles towards Jonas.

Jonas cuts his humming short. "Faranth! I can feel his hunger!" He reaches for more meat to feed the creeling hatchling.

Raeche eyes Redus sidelong. "Guard my chess game? That is an idea..." She touches two fingers to her chin, shrugging a shoulder. "Very well." Placing her mug down on a nearby table, she whisks a small bowl of meat from it and lowers herself to crouch.

Between smiles and meat wiggling, Reyat catches the blue stumbling towards Jonas and cheers a little. "Well done Jonas!"

Doughty Brown Hatchling sees the food that it wants and nearly leaps to cross the distance between itself and Reyat.
Doughty Brown Hatchling stumbles towards Reyat.

Zephyr says "Oh! Jonas! You got the blue!" she looks extatic and almost claps her hands together but remembers that shes holding meat. Remembering herself, she holds out the meat again but still says excitedly, "He's adorible! -Ooh! Rey! You got a brown! This is so great!"

Reyat welcomes the hopping little brown with a soft "Hey there!" And feeds him right after.

Nibblicious Weyrleader Brown Hatchling doesn't want to be left alone, so he turns toward the nearest person offering him food... well, almost the nearest. That one. There.

Redus grins as he continues to sweep the air lightly with a meat-bit close to floor. Noticing some of the lizards are choosing he smiles at Jonas and Reyat and nods, "Good for you guys."
Nibblicious Weyrleader Brown Hatchling stumbles towards Redus.

Jonas smiles his thanks to Reyat and Zephyr, a look of wonder on his face. "Welcome to Fort, little one," he says to the young blue. He feeds more meat into the hungry maw.

Tranquil Mossy Green Hatchling takes her time in getting herself to the edge of the pot. She stops and creels back at Aria, who warbles a response and goes on surveying her brood. The green hops down unsteadily from the pot to the hearth and lands with a grunt, but then calmly walks over toward the corner of the hearth where she starts sniffing the air to try and find the source of the food.

"Good for you too." Reyat quickly replies to Redus, grinning and still feeding his brown new friend.

Raeche dips her fingers into the meat, grimacing. "Ewww...." She picks up a glistening piece, which slips from her grasp and onto the floor.

Screechy Green Hatchling gives a screech that splits the air with imperative. FOOD NOW! For all that this firelizard is a tiny thing and green to boot, she acts with an imperious bearing that rivals her clutch mothers, or would if her hunger were not so pressing. One of the eggs nearby that has not moved yet gets a reproachful -swat- with her tail. She spies another green moving off toward the corner of the hearth and screeches at her as a possibile rival, but then gets distracted as she sees food presented to her nearby.

Zephyr squiggles her meat around and leans over just a bit to make little kissing sounds to the hatchlings. "Come on littles... theres still food out here for you. -oh! Yay Redus!"

Sefaniah peers over Zephyr's shoulder, his eyes widening. "Oh, /that/ sort of Hatching! Look, firelizards! Say, lookit that green, she's pretty, isn't she?" He slips into an open seat, eyes dancing over the faces of the crowd gathered, and flicking over the rocking eggs and hatchlings. "This is exciting."

"Hey!" Redus almost says aloud as his offering is snatched by the Nibblicious Weyrleader Brown Hatchling. "Oh! Hiya, fella." he whispers as he stoops a little lower scooping the brown lizard up.

Michevious Junior Blue Hatchling stumbles off to the side and lands on a dragonrider's boot. It looks up, sees the meat, and grabs it!

"Congratulations on your brown," Jonas offers as he continues feeding his own 'lizard. "He's a beauty."

Raeche eyes the bloody bit on the floor, nose wrinkling with distaste. She dips her fingers into the bowl again, lifting out another hunk of meat and holding it gingerly, nose still wrinkled.
Michevious Junior Blue Hatchling stumbles towards K'prin.

K'prin laughs and scoops up the tiny blue. "Well, well. Looks like Ripple's gonna have a playfriend." He begins to shove food into its mouth with practiced ease, keeping his fingers from getting nipped.

Reyat's little brown almost climbs his neck to nibble the meat Reyat keeps in his hand for he's staring at the other hatchlings. "Oh, sorry sweetie."

Voluptuous Felinity Green Hatchling wanders over toward the edge of the pot finally and stretches. Another green, a Screechy Green gets in her way and elicits a response of hissing and spitting from this hatchling, before she turns her tail and jumps down to go and see what all the commotion is about. Perhaps shell find food before that green noisebucket posturing on the rim of the pot does. This green finds a place just beyond the edge of the hearth and sets herself down to croon suggestively at the large things, flicking her tail and fluttering her wings ever so slightly.

Concerned Compassionate Blue Hatchling plods almost happily away from the pile of shells, clambering over the Roiling Murkiness Egg, which still hasnt moved yet. This Concerned Blue hatchling stops for a moment and scratches lightly at the surface of the egg, head cocked for a moment, but then moving on and hopping off of the edge of the pot to land just behind a voluptuous green hatchling. For a long moment, this Concerned Blue stops to take note of the twitching and lashing tail of the green, wondering briefly if this is the thing that smells like food or not.

Mirrari comes up the steps from the Inner Caverns.
Mirrari has arrived.

Screechy Green Hatchling squawks a bit when the voluptuous green hisses at her, and screeches right back. She spies the food and figures moving out there, but this little green decides that the food is going to come to her. She plunks down her hindquarters and folds in her wings, and begins to creel in the most annoyingly high-pitched tone that is possible to come out of a firelizards throat. The overtones produce the sensation of drawing fingernails across a slate board or drawing a metal fork out between your clamped front teeth. This green wants food, and shes NOT going to move and shes NOT going to stop screeching until she gets it!

Jonas is still feeding his little blue when Mirrari arrives. "Hurry Mirr, they're hatching!"

"Here, greenies," Raeche coos. "You'll match my dress." A pause, and a wince at the screechy one.

Redus reaches for more meat once the little lizard is settled in the crook of an arm. "Yup. You're hungry. I know." he mutters offering the next piece. He looks over to watch where the remaining hatchlings are going and grins, stroking the top of his brown's head with a fingertip while it eats.

Reyat smiles at Raeche. "Aren't they lovely and all?"

Mirrari sees that, and her eyes widen. She pads over to Jonas, "Heyla Jonas, that's a nice blue you have there." she says with a smile.

Voluptuous Felinity Green Hatchling spies just the large one that she wants and rubs her headknob up against the leg of the human pet to get it to lower the food. For whatever reason, she's after the meat that Zephyr is holding.

Raeche glances sidelong at Reyat, movement making her arm shift, which actually wriggles the bit of meat. "Mmmn. They're pretty. Some more so than others."

Voluptuous Felinity Green Hatchling stumbles towards Zephyr.

The screechy green hatchling elicits a grimace from Jonas. He smiles up at Mirrari, "Isn't he gorgeous?" He pauses in his feeding to scratch the blue's eyeridge.

Scintillating Garlanded Blue Hatchling gives a little hop down off of the pot and, as soon as the Screechy Green starts her wailing, this blue hatchling begins to half trot and half glide away from her. Food is no longer the main concern of his, but getting away from THAT GREEN definitely is. He runs headlong into the crowd of people and bumps up against someones leg.

Reyat winks at Raeche then his smile grows wide as he looks at Zephyr and her green. "Woo! Zeph!"

Scintillating Garlanded Blue Hatchling stumbles towards Raeche.

Zephyr spins and twirls the meat in her fingers. "Here sweeties." she calls in a kind voice to the little hatchlings. Just then, her meat is caught by a voluptuous green. "Oh! Hi beautiful! You picked me!" she looks extatic and beams a smile as she lets the little green climb into her hands.

Jonas can't handle the screeching from the new green, so he offers a piece to her in an attempt to silent her.

Screechy Green Hatchling grabs the meat and is silenced. The surprise on her face gives way to a kind of ecstasy as she looks at Jonas.

Raeche glances down at the scintillating blue firelizard that's just bumped her leg, blinking twice. "Oh, wherryhead," she says, moving a hand out to give him a nudge, meat shivering between her fingers. The blue snaps it up, and she blinks twice. "Oh!"

Screechy Green Hatchling stumbles towards Jonas.

Redus eyes are drawn away from his new friend at the sound of scretching. "She sounds kinda familiar." he says as he eyes the green hatchling. When she goes to Jonas he chuckles. "Good luck with her."

Zephyr bounces while holding the feline like little green hatchling of hers. "Jonas! You've got another." she beams a smile.

Tranquil Mossy Green Hatchling doesnt seem to mind the noise, calm and peaceful over here in the corner as it is. One of those large things with food has attracted her attention though, and her hunger drives her forward. The normally Tranquil Green hatchling becomes quite relentless in the pursuit of food from that nice large thing over there.

Concerned Compassionate Blue Hatchling realizes as his clutchsister is taken away from the hearth that the wiggly green thing attached to her is definitely not food. He doesnt seem terribly upset by this fact, but instead continues headlong into the large ones where the food smells and motions come from.

"It seems that you have a talent." Reyat says to Jonas as another firelizard hops in his lap. He grins and lifts his thumb up and winks.

Mirrari chuckles and shakes her head, "Jonas.. good luck!" she murmers and turns to look out over the hatching eggs, "My, but some of these are cute."

Raeche's eyes widen, and she hastily grabs another chunk of meat, pushing it toward the Garlanded blue. "Eat, you poor - pretty little - oh, eat."

Jonas sighs in relief and offers more meat to the screechy one. "Shells she was loud!" he says, his tone filled with new found love. He steps away from the pot to get out of everyones way. Jonas winks at Rey, "I have a way with the ladies."

Reyat winks again at Jonas. "Don't go to far away, I may ask you some help." He chuckles.

Zephyr flashes a smile over at Jonas after his last comment, and very gently pets her now dozing new born green.

"She's lovely, Zephyr," Sef assures, eyes still wide as he watches the other Candidates lure newborns with various bits of meat. "Is she your first?"

Jonas grabs a handful of meat from the bowls and moves toward one of the empy tables. He takes a seat and proceeds to feed both hatchlings. He seems as frantic to feed them as they are to eat.

Tranquil Mossy Green Hatchling makes her way toward something that looks vaguely Redus-shaped and creels at his feet, begging for food in a quiet way.

Astin goes into the Infirmary, closing the door behind him.
Astin has left.

Tranquil Mossy Green Hatchling stumbles towards Redus.

Zephyr looks up at Sef from her little green and nods, her eyes filled with a genuine affection for the little thing. "Yes, my first. -Oh, congrats again Redus!"

Baleera smiles as she watches. "It's so beautiful. Looks like most of them are already Impressed, and so quickly, too. Still, several of the eggs are still rocking. Except that one over there... the one that looks like boiling liquid somehow. You don't suppose that... well, I'd hate to say it, but I wonder if Aria laid a dud?"

Raeche carefully scoops her blue up, with bowl, and moves a little off to the side. She doesn't make it to a chair - she just sits on the floor, skirts in disarry, blue settled on her lap and being fed carefully. She seems a little stunned.

Redus snickers as the brown on his arm has already dozed off, leaving him hold a piece of meat. Leaning forward again, he offers that morsel to, "Ha! Where'd she come from?" he asks with a chuckle as Tranquil Mossy Green Hatchling immediately takes the bait.

Reyat watches all his fellow candidates impressing with a bright smile on his face. Idly stroking his brown's belly he bends a little to look again at the hacthlings.

Jonas pauses in his feeding to update himself on the proceedings. "One hasn't hatched yet?" he calls from his table, a hint of concern in his voice. He is quickly distracted as the little green begins screeching at him for more food. "Sorry, dearest. I wasn't neglecting you!"

Concerned Compassionate Blue Hatchling seems to find his way over to one of the female big things. Something draws him to her, perhaps it's the food that Mirrarri is holding?

Mirrari catches Baleera's comment and winks, "Nay, it's just waiting for the right time. Mayhaps it needs to age a bit more, like a good wine?"

Zephyr gets a small handfull of meat for her little green, in case shes still hungry when she wakes up from her feline-nap. She still has meat near her to spare and looks into the ashen pot to see who is still hungry. "Anyone coming out of there?"

Reyat follows Zephyr's look and shrugs. "I don't know. It's maybe a lazy one inside?" He smiles.

Jonas calls to Mirrari while still handing out bits of meat, "Hey Mirr! You'd better watch out. That little blue has got that look in his eyes!"

"There's a boy," Raeche croons at her firelizard, watching him bolt the latest piece of meat more slowly. Whirling eyes drop to a more contented blue, and the firelizard hunkers down in the recordkeeper's lap for a satiated snooze.

Reyat grins as he catches Jonas's voice. He stifles a chuckle. He mutters to Jonas, "... this... of your talent... ladies?... mean did... to... Mirrari?"

Redus repositions himself so he can rest Tranquil Mossy Green Hatchling in his lap to feed and croon and stuff. Everybody's comfy.

Mirrari had been fingering a scrap of meat. At the sound of Jonas' voice she spies that blue hatchling, "Oh, hello there.." she says with a smile at the blue.

Concerned Compassionate Blue Hatchling stumbles towards Mirrari.

There is a lull in the hatching as the first wave of hatchlings leave the pot. Baleera leans forward and carefully cleans away some of the shells that are piled up and watches as the eggs continue to rock and shake. Suddenly, there is a splitting sound once again, and the first egg of the next round hatches.

Glowing Woodgrained Egg shudders and creaks, giving off a cracking sound that is followed by a rapid split of shards as the egg splits open to reveal a fiery gold firelizard hatchling.

This firelizard queen is a burnished gold color so deep that it glints with a reddish glow that interacts with the metallic gold to give the illusion of copper. Elegant, graceful lines flow from the top of her headknob on down to strong slope of her shoulders where the waves of copper fall into silken folds of color that spread out and along her wings, covering spars and sails alike with an intense reddish-golden hue that is stronger on the leading edge of her full-bodied wings and tapering to golden straw by the lower edge of her wings. The copper satin continues to drape over her back and ridges, but the reddish tint of her golden beauty dapples at her haunches to a very pale, straw gold. The sudden loss of the reddish glint makes her hindquarters appear to pick up a greenish cast, giving the illusion of encroaching verdigris upon the brilliant burnt copper on the top of her body. All of this is offset by the most dazzlingly brilliant burst of white-hot molten gold just over her heart, spreading across her deep chest and voluptuous belly and fading gently to match the coloration along her top and sides. With lovely vibrant jeweltone eyes, this little gold hatchling definitely gets noticed.
(Inspiration: Captain Audrin of SeaCraft -- by K'prin)

Baleera draws in her breath. "Aria! You were flown by a bronze after all. What a -lovely- little queen firelizard."

The air seems to quiver as the new gold hatchling takes her first few breaths outside of her egg. Almost immediately, though, three of the other eggs knock together violently and end up splitting themselves open.

Glowing Embers Egg knocks together with two other eggs and dumps a bronze firelizard out into the ashes.

The coloration of this bronze hatchling is muted in matte charcoal and flashes of almost white. There is a definite impression from him that he has had a bucket of soot upended over the top of his fine little headknob, and that the coloration has stained him. However, the bronze that comes from his underbelly is decidedly deep and pure, with a glint of pure bronze in the classical metallic coloration. The features of this little bronze firelizard are refined as well, pure breeding and perfect physique are to be found here. Every move is deliberate, though with an air of being put off or inconvenienced, so regal is his bearing. The Sooty Pride Bronze Hatchling has all of the grace, strength, and poise of a miniature weyrleader, although with his coloration it is remniscent of a weyrleader who has just undergone a serious prank and had a bucket of ashed upended over his head.
(Inspiration: P'ter)

Smeary-Sparkly Egg knocks together with two other eggs and dumps a bronze firelizard out into the ashes.

This otherwise-handsome bronze firelizard hatchling sports very odd coloration. Beginning at the talons and working its way up this firelizard looks as though the bronze coloration was literally splattered onto him. There is no rhyme or reason to where the splotches of glinting metallic coloration shows through with blazing appearance. Just random sized splotches and splatters of brilliant bronze across a brownish hide that looks as though it has been dusted with sparkles.
(Inspiration: How I looked when I was done cleaning up the paint -- Desc by Baleera)

Granulated Klah Brown Egg knocks together with two other eggs and dumps a brown firelizard out into the ashes.

The hide that covers this brown hatchling seems uneven - almost wavey at first glance. On closer inspection this effect is shown to be the combination of the deep umber basecolour which looks to have been lined with lighter strokes of colour, as if someone has streaked him with a stain. His eye ridges also feature this paler hue, adding to this effect as they stand out even more prominently. His wings - flecked with an even paler tone, appear to have tiny sections that have been missed with the stain altogether, but these are only visable when the light catches them just so. While not the largest of browns, he is certainly not small either. A good balance of body and wing - perfectly proportioned. He usually holds himself slightly at a distance, not aloof, but not overtly friendly either, prefering time to adjust to people and situations.
(Inspiration: Caralonn the SeaCrafter, Desc by Rhi)

Reyat's chuckles fades out as he catches sight of the tiny queen. "Wow! The lady finally comes out!"

Raeche looks up from scritching her blue, blinking. "I thought they were all - oh - she's very pretty."

Zephyr looks from the pot to Reyat with suspision. She quirks a single brow and smiles mischeviously. She sighs happily, but is surprised by the sudden hatching of a little queen. "Oh shells! Literally!" she exclaims as eggs begin to burst open again. "They're hatching again!"

Redus looks toward the pot just as the gold lizard makes her appearance. "Well, there!" he says as he watches her for a moment. "She's pretty."

Mirrari cuddles her new blue and feeds him. She looks up to see the gold hatchling emerge, "What a darling!" her finger gets nipped and she returns to feeding the blue, keeping an eye out for the gold, just in case.

Jonas looks up to see the new arrival! "She's gorgeous! Congratulations, Baleera. You're a queen mother!"

K'prin gives a laugh. "Oh my! And here I thought this was going to be all chromatic. Well well. The lady arrives late to her own hatching, I see." He transfers his other blue lizard to his other arm and reaches for some more of the meat. "I could use a gold. Well, not really, but everyone likes to say that, no?"

Baleera gives out a hearty laugh. "Three at once! And the tiny gold."

Sefaniah bends over to reach for a handful of meat, taking it from a bowl someone's left on the floor. "Euch." He misses the gold's entrance until he straightens again, blinking astonishment at the sudden trio of lizards. "Well. There's a lot of them, aren't there?" He offers out his handful of meat, bloody fingers uncurling from his presentation.

Smiling and totally hypnotized, Reyat reaches out for another piece of meat. He giggles at the rider's comment. "So you could be a queen father one day too?"

Raeche gets a calculating look in her eye, toying with a scrap of meat in one hand and trying to carefully adjust the sleeping blue with the other as she eyes the gold.

Zephyr looks over at the rider with a smile and she too picks a nice juicy peice of meat up and holds it out, wriggling it for the hungry little hatchlings. "Wow she is beautiful! And they are so handsome!"

Jonas gets up to get a better look at the gold. The young brown is already asleep on his right forearm, but the loud green is laying on his shoulder and still complaining.

Coppery Golden Hatchling glances over sharply as the three eggs crack each other open, and croons up to Aria as the two bronzes and a brown are dumped out. The pose that the Coppery Golden Hatchling adopts on the ashes of her clutch bed is almost comical, as though she is asking her golden mother if she must put up with other firelizards like her clutch brothers. After a moment the Coppery Golden hatchling moves over to stand next to her mother on the rim of the bowl, ignoring her hunger momentarily and surveying the rest of the world before venturing out into it.

Spattered Bronze Hatchling untangles himself from the other two firelizards that hatched at the same time and shakes free the rest of the shards and ashes that have gotten on him. He looks only briefly at the tiny Coppery Golden hatchling and the clutch dam before scrabbling to get out of the bowl and out where the food is.

Raeche tucks the blue into the crook of her arm, lips pursed together as she continues to consider the gold. She edges back toward the bowl.

Stained Brown Hatchling shakes off the last of his confusion as he sees his clutchbrother making off toward the food. Immediately this Stained Brown hatchling makes an attempt to beat out the Spattered Bronze hatchling to the edge of the pot and to get to the food first. As he tears off, the Stained Brown hatchling sprays a load of ashes all over the other Bronze which hatched at the same time, burying him in the dust.

Reyat focuses his mind again, one arm wrapped and rocking gently his little brown. "Welcome to the world." He softly says to the newest hacthlings.

Sooty Pride Bronze Hatchling ducks as the spray of ashes flies over him and shakes his way out of the mess that the Stained Brown hatchling left behind, giving a snort of contempt and a whining creel of indignation. He sits for a moment looking very much like his pride has been hurt beyond repair, but then ambles up over the pot to the hearth in search of food, hunger in this instant beating out his injured vanity.

Mirrari looks up periodically to watch the new hatchlings, as her new blue friend starts to get sleepy, his belly bulging. She still has a few scraps in her fingers. "Well there's no hurt in trying, right?" she asks with a wink.

Raeche strokes the little blue in her arms, forehead wrinkling. "Is it hard to care for them?"

Jonas shoves another piece of meat into his greens screecy mouth. Grabbing more meat, he says with a grin, "I don't mean to seem greedy, but I'd kick myself if I didn't try for a gold." With that, he offers meat to the young queen.

Ambivalent Gray Egg gives one final thumping go at breaking free and the tiny shell practically explodes off of him, releasing a blue hatchling out into the ashes.

Not too big, not too small, this handsome blue is just right - or would be if he could just convince himself of that fact. He has a gawky air about him, limbs alternately seeming too large and then too small for his compact body. Dark navy hide is his trademark, a blue to rival a midnight winter sky wrapping him in evening shadows. Glittery bits of sapphire starlight outline his neck ridges and wingspars, crowning him against the velvety gloom. His wings are a softer hue of river shallows, the trailing edges seemingly tipped in saffron. The dark stain washes his sides, trailing down to a softer whorl of baby blue highlighting his tailtip.
(Inspiration: L'nan reluctantly kvetching at Jenna and giving her extra chores for her refusal to grind klah. By Jenna.)

Zephyr wiggles the meat in her outstretched hand just enough to get the juicy piece of flesh dripping. "Oh, and another blue. Well, whichever of you is hungry, I've got some food for you. And a little green sibling of yours." she smiles from them to Jonas, "Who knows, you might break a record."

Spattered Bronze Hatchling makes it over the edge of the pot still ahead of the Stained Brown who is following him. He hisses out a challenge as he scrambles and rushes headlong toward the onlookers, but with his head craned over his shoulder to watch his pursuit, not where he is going.

Stained Brown Hatchling gives a creel of hunger even as he shrieks his dismay that the Spattered Bronze hatchling is still in the lead. This brown doesnt know where hes being led, only that he needs to get there first, and even though his bronze clutchmate is bigger than he is already, hes just the same as any old bronze and this Stained Brown is going to prove that he can be beaten. Besides, theres food at stake! If he could only move a little faster...

Jonas chuckles at the spattered bronze's antics, "That one has a bit of competitive streak."

Raeche looks around, lips parted, then looks to the remaining firelizards. She looks over the queen again, to be sure, but the blue and bronzes are also given appreciative looks.

Reyat lightly chuckles at the two clucthsibs racing. "Hey...There'll be enough for you two guys."

Coppery Golden Hatchling seems almost annoyed by the antics of her clutchmates and steps off to the side of the pot, wandering toward the back of the hearth instead of out to where the people are. She shrieks in hunger and outrage as Aria moves a wing to block the path of her little Coppery Golden daughter. After a moment, though, the tiny queen firelizard hatchling turns about and heads toward the crowd.

Raeche toys with a piece of meat between her fingers, seeming undecided.

Sefaniah giggles at the bronze and brown, his eyes drifting past them to the just-hatched blue. "He's a handsome fellow, isn't he?" He absently rubs his nose with the knuckle of one index finger, smearing a smudge of blood there.

Sooty Pride Bronze Hatchling gives a pitiful, almost half-hopeful croon as it seems that even Aria has forsaken him for the attention paid to the Golden hatchling. This Proud Bronze seems slightly miffed, but he moves off on his own, almost sulking but pushed forward for the hunger. He jumps down away from the others and begins to waddle forward. There, out in the crowd, is a human pet for him, and its holding something that looks like food.

Mirrari chuckles and grins at Jonas, "Me neither.." she nods and watches the race between the men and tsks, "Oh dear.. they've deffinately got personalities to them." she says with a laugh.

Sooty Pride Bronze Hatchling looks up at Zephyr with pained eyes. You aren't going to make him beg for this, are you? Of all the indignities.... he creels.
Sooty Pride Bronze Hatchling stumbles towards Zephyr.

Jonas laughs at Zephyr, "He's practically begging you for meat!"

K'prin smiles at the tiny bronze and watches the racing firelizards with interest, attention torn between them and the gold.

"What a good macth." Reyat exclaims, smiling and almost bouncing.

Zephyr nods to Mirrari and adds with a smile, "They sure do." She suddenly notices the proud little bronze staring at her. "Oh! Here! You wanted this! I'm so sorry, this is all so overwhelming!" she giggles and feeds the hungry boy. "There you are!"

Reluctantly Heroic Blue Hatchling stands up and look about. Apparently, hes being left alone for the moment. The bronzes and the gold are out of the pot, and theres just this Heroic little Blue and some shells left. And this strange colored egg that doesnt seem to be moving at all. The blue gives a little croon of hunger and decides to follow the lead of the others and quit this earthenware pot. He hops down off of the rim and leaves the strange colored egg behind.

Jonas grins. "My marks are on the brown. They tend to be a bit more tenacious, in my opinion. Wouldn't you say K'prin?"

Raeche murmurs, "Perhaps a tiny horde to protect the chess pieces." She looks toward the hatchling firelizards, waving her chunk of meat more invitingly.

Zephyr looks overjoyed and beams smiles to everyone around the pot. Looking back down into her lap, she watches the proud bronze bump into her feline like green, waking her up. They both begin to creel again and Zeph quickly quiets them down with more juicy meat strips.

Spattered Bronze Hatchling and Stained Brown Hatchling are still running amok across the floor in a race without goal or purpose. Unfortunately, the sense of balance and timing hasnt begun to develop well enough in either of them yet, so the only creatures really surprised when the Spattered Bronze hatchling trips over his own feet and ends up rolling in a ball with the Stained Brown hatchling are the two firelizard hatchlings themselves. They both end up in a heap on the ground, tangled together and creeling with hunger and upset.

From the inner cavern a short-haired brunette calls, "Redus? Uncle Hastu says he's ready to retire now. He asked for you to help."

Raeche laughs at the bronzes, managing to comment, "Men!"

Spattered Bronze Hatchling shakes himself free and looks up to see Jonas holding some meat high above him.

A certain green hatchling screeches loudly in Jonas' ear. "He turns his to look at the little thing. "I know you aren't hungry any more, so why are you yelling at me?"

Reyat's narrows as he hear Raeche's comment. "Humpf. Girls." He replies quickly with a wink.

Spattered Bronze Hatchling stumbles towards Jonas.

Mirrari chuckles and shakes her head as the pair ball up, "Shells but they're cute." she says with a grin. She watches the brown find Jonas, "Jonas, pay attention.." she says with a laugh

Raeche tosses her head, remarking, "You don't see the gold getting all tangled up, now do you?"

Zephyr looks over at Raeche with a light smile and nods in agreement. She looks at Rey with a light giggle and says, "'ts right and don't forget it."

Sefaniah can't help but chuckle at the squabbling firelizards; he tosses a gobbet of meat towards the suddenly-lonely brown. "I know how you feel - try it with girls sometime!"

Redus rolls his eyes, but only for a moment, as he looks to the girl calling him back to work. "I'm comin'." he says, gentling catching his green hatchling in the palm of his hand and rising from his seat. "Excuse me, please?" he mutters mostly for the MasterVintner's benefit as he heads for the caverns.

Stained Brown Hatchling stands up and wobbles toward Mirrari, looking up at her in confusion. Does she have food?!?

Jonas looks down at the little bronze who is staring at the queens offering. Smiling, he offers it to the bronze instad, "Seeing as her highness doesn't want it, the meats all yours." Jonas gathers up the new bronze and backs away from the pot for sure this time.

Baleera nods to Redus. "Of course."

Redus walks down the eastern stairs to the Inner Caverns.
Redus has left.

Zephyr says "Oh wow, Jonas! That competitive bronze has got you!" she giggles. "And such a trio you have!"

Raeche strokes her blue with one hand, the other waving another piece of meat. Perhaps a little too enthusiastically - thwip. It flies a few inches away from her hand. "Oops." Raeche reaches for another offering.

Jonas grins as he takes a seat away from the action. "I have a feeling that I'll be questioning my wisdom later on."

Mirrari does indeed have food in her hands, and noticing the brown wobble over, she offers it up, "Here, try this.." she says with a smile.

Reyat can't help but smiles at everyone. "Shards. It happens so fast. Hey Jonas!"

Stained Brown Hatchling stumbles towards Mirrari.

Coppery Golden Hatchling makes it to the edge of the hearth and stops for a moment to express her hunger in a creel, then her anger at being hungry, and finally her hunger once more. She looks about, almost knowing what she wants. Such a fiery spirit belongs to just the right kind of person, not just one with food. She seems to sense what shes looking for somewhere and moves off to find it.

Zephyr pets her little 'lizards lovingly and filled with inspiration, holds out some meat to the little heroic blue, "Are you hungry pretty boy?"

Jonas looks up from his new fair, "You called, Reyat?"

Coppery Golden Hatchling stumbles towards Raeche.

Reyat shakes his head. "Oh, no, sorry, Jonas. Hey Raeche!" All right he can shouts.

Aria gives a sad little chirp and slowly stops thrumming, the noise in her throat fading into silence. She steps down off of the rim of the pot and into the discarded shells to nudge the quiet, still egg in the pot once more with her head. Finally, she gives up and withdraws from the clutching pot to fly up to Baleeras shoulder again.

Zephyr sees the gold hatchling go towards Raeche and her brows raise. She smiles dispite their previous differences and offers congrats. "Shes lovely!"

Raeche croons to the gold, "I knew you were a real lady." She laughs delightedly, feeding the gold another piece of meat.

Baleera sighs and pets Aria fondly. "You did so very well, darling. That last egg... well, don't worry. We'll ask the Weyrwoman what it is she wishes us to do with it. Perhaps one of the dragonriders will dispose of it *between* for us, to give it a decent burial.

Zephyr positively beams at her new companions but looks sadly at the last little egg. "Poor thing.." is all that she can say.

Mirrari starts again at the feeding, this time it's the little brown that nips at her fingertips, "Congrats Raeche!" she says with a grin, "Aye aye, I'm feeding I'm feeding.."

K'prin chuckles. "I suppose it's all for the best. Thanks for this... I'll... uh, well, I'll oil him and... a name. What kind of name should I give you....

Raeche smiles over at Zephyr and Mirrari in turn. "Thank you," she says, quickly distracted again by the gold's insistant nip for another bit of meat.

Sefaniah nudges Zephyr, his eyes on Raeche and her new 'lizards. He mutters, "Figures ...snotty ... her. ...to like!"

K'prin gives a salute to the caverns and begs off. "I've got to get back to Igen. I'll go get some warm leather bag with lining to bring this one home in. Igen's duties to all. And best of luck to her candidates on the sands for the upcoming hatching. May you all find your lifemates there."

Reyat slowly stands up, trying not to wake his little brown. "Clear Skies, Sir." He calls after K'prin. "And thanks!"

Zephyr smiles at Sef with a glimmer of something in her eyes. She mutters to Sefaniah, "... takes all..."

Raeche coaxes the gold into her lap, unmindful of the little splatters of blood and juice that have gotten on her usually pristine dress. She's smiling smugly at the gold, with glances at the blue to make sure he's slumbering alright.

K'prin heads out the cavernous entrance to the bowl. K'prin has left.

Zephyr smiles brightly at K'prin and echoes after Rey, "Thank you! Clear skies!"

Sefaniah chimes in with a, "Thank you sir!" leaning in to Zephyr to roll his eyes. "Two of 'em look to you? What are you going to do with them?"

Zephyr blinks at Sefaniah as if she hadn't thought of that aspect. "Yes.. umm.. I'm going to learn how to take care of them I guess. Just feed them, and make sure that they are okay and everything right? How hard could it be?" Ah, the voice of inexperience.

Reyat continues to grin stupidly as he heads out to the inner cavern. "Need some oil for this one. Be back later, guys." He perks and recovers some manners as he bows and says to Master Baleera. "And thank you, Master."

Reyat walks down the eastern stairs to the Inner Caverns. Reyat has left.

Zephyr mutters to Sefaniah, "Not... out... chores..."

Carianna comes up the steps from the Inner Caverns.
Carianna has arrived.

Reluctantly Heroic Blue Hatchling stumbles towards Carianna.

Sefaniah sniggers at Zephyr and opens his blood-and-meat bedecked hand to her. "They want any more of this? Guess I wasn't doing something right. I don't think any of 'em even so much as looked at me."

Raeche brushes her fingertips against the gold's belly, murmuring, "How does she fit so much in?"

Baleera sighs and continues stroking Aria. "Well, I think that was plenty of excitement for one night, don't you?"

Leah comes in from the bowl.
Leah has arrived.

Baleera looks up and waves as the Weyrwoman enters. "Greeting, Weyrwoman. I have a question for you, if you don't mind. Aria's clutch hatched tonight. All but one. Perhaps you could take the egg and give it to a watchrider to drop off during a hop between? It seems such a shame to leave a dud egg to rot on some midden heap somewhere." She strokes her gold firelizard.

Zephyr smiles at Baleera and says, "Thank you ma'am, for everything." she beams and motions to her little hatchlings. The little green has curled up for another nap, and the bronze is eagerly sniffing at Sef's hand. "Oh, yeah Sef, I think hes still hungry. And maybe you'll meet your perfect firelizards at another hatching."

Jonas shakes his head at his fortunes. He notices the Weyrwoman's entrance and immediately stands, causing three hatchlings to flap their wings and cling to his clothes. "Evening Weyrwoman."

Carianna steps into the living cavern then gasps as a lizard comes straight for her. "Well hello there. Are you hungry little one? She bends down and scoops up the blue hatchling then heads towards the raw meat dish.

Zephyr notices Jonas noticing the Weyrwoman and smiles also saying, "Good evening Weyrwoman."

Leah comes into the Living Cavern all bundled up from the chill of the weather outside. She hms at Baleera as she passes, "A firelizard egg? Of course, we'll make sure it gets properly *between*." She smiles kindly to the Vintner, "Sad when they don't hatch, isn't it?" She peers into the pot to see the bad egg.

You say "You're most welcome, Zephyr. Jonas. Everyone."

Raeche scritches the gold in her lap gently as it curls up with her blue, using the smaller firelizard as a pillow. The blue cracks an eye open, croons, and then shuts it again. Too tired to protest, or not annoyed to have a gold babe on him - or both.

Mirrari looks from the floor, hesitant to disturb the hatchlings in her lap, "Greetings ma'am." she says with a salute.

"Shells, lizard shells, Oh Ma'am..." Cari starts to ask of Baleera missing Leah's entrance in her excitement. "Can we please help ourselves to the egg shells?"

Leah looks at Baleera, reaching for the egg, "Mind if I go ahead and take it?" She returns her gaze to the pot and wraps her small hands around the egg carefully, "I do think that some eggs are meant to hatch and others are waiting for the future, now is not their time."

Baleera nods. "Of course."

Roiling Murkiness Egg gives the slightest sensation of motion within in Leah's hand. Was that imagined?

"Ma'am," nods Sefaniah, ooching out of her way as Leah takes the unhatched egg. "Do you.. do you know why some eggs don't Hatch? There's always some, aren't there?"

Zephyr brightens as Cari asks about the shells, "Oh yes! Shells for the hunt!" She peers around the pot looking at the shards.

Leah freezes as she's raising the egg out of the pot, eyes widening ever so slightly. She stays poised that way as if waiting for something to happen as she responds to Sefaniah, "I'm not sure. I suppose it's like any creature, hm? Even humans give birth to stillborn babies sometimes. Every once in a while, it's just not the right time to be born, I think."

Roiling Murkiness Egg definitely lurches this time, wobbling slightly.

Roiling Murkiness Egg hatches in an explosion of egg shards, dumping a bronze hatchling out into Leah's hand.

This little fellow is rather large right off of the bat. His head is a bit too big given the length and sinuous nature of his neck, which makes him look overbalanced. Bright patterns of bronzeness are muted under a webbing of darker shadows that play across his entire upper body, and his wings seem to flap with a laziness which can only be described as lethargic. In fact, all of his reactions seem to be just a bit behind the instant in which they happen. Perhaps this is something that this bronze firelizard will outgrow, but at this time theres a distinct feeling of placidity and lethargy which are captured in his coloration, body structure, and early mannerisms.
(Inspiration: Boiling Numbweed. By Jradin.)

Jonas was just about to take his seat again when he notices the egg explode in Leah's hands. "Oh! It's hatching after all! Quick, get the Weyrwoman some meat!"

Baleera gives a start and jumps up from her chair, unsettling Aria. "Oh good gracious me!"

Raeche looks up once her hatchlings are both snoozing, blinking. "Oh!" she exclaims, stupidly, as the egg bursts open. Carefully, she leans over and shoves the bowl with the rest of her meat scraps toward Leah - a feeble effort.

Aria chirples angrily at her pet and lashes her tail about Baleera's neck tightly in an effort to steady herself on her perch.

Zephyr looks up at Leah holding the egg that was still until now. Then seeing it hatch right in the Weyrwoman's hand gives her a start. "Oh! It is alive!" she exclaims happily with a bounce that disturbs her own hatchlings.

Carianna gasps as she watches the egg come to life in Leah's hand. "You have a special touch Ma'am." She murmurs softly before starting her search for the perfect bit of egg shard and cradling the tiny blue in her arm.

Sefaniah's got a handful of meat - sheer coincedence! He immediately offers it up to Leah - or to the tiny bronze. Whoever's hungrier, really.

Leah nearly drops the wet Hatchling in shock, "Baleera! I thought you said this was a bad egg!" She scowls sharply at the firelizard, "Dear me, N'sales will not be happy with this at all. Shells." She looks at Sefaniah with something akin to a glare and resignedly takes the meat, feeding it to the bronze with the expert hand of someone who has done this before and often.

You say "Aria, let me... go. Aggh. There, there. Well, my my my."

Placid Bronze Hatchling looks up with a goofy sort of vacant expression and leans closer to Leah, creeling with hunger and accepting the meat with a sort of... relaxed expression.
Placid Bronze Hatchling stumbles towards Leah.

"I wonder if he's a little... simple," Raeche murmurs, eyeing the bronze hatchling.

Baleera frowns and disentangles her queen. "Well." She peers closer. "He looks a little lopsided. Oh, not that he's any less handsome."

Leah sighs at the Hatchling once again, but smiles slightly, taking another piece of meat from the Candidate and feeding it to the bronze, "I think someone dropped his egg in the fellis jar, now didn't they?" She chuckles a bit.

Zephyr smiles at the Weyrwoman and her new bronze and seems satisfied that all of the little hatchlings are alive and well.

Raeche snickers faintly, one arm curling protectively around her firelizards.

Leah rises with the meat in one hand and the little bronze cradled in the other, "C'mon, Dimglow, let's get you settled. Elisel is going to love you." She winks at Baleera, "You owe me a bottle of Benden Red for this one." She heads out.

Leah heads out the cavernous entrance to the bowl.
Leah has left.

Raeche carefully nudges the hatchlings into her arms, wincing as small claws prick and catch at the folds of her dress. She's got them adjusted soon enough, and carefully stands.

Baleera coaxes Aria to relax and helps put the living caverns back in order again. "And with this, my pretty, we are going to bed. Tomorrow is a long day."
Baleera nods and exits.