The Hatching Game

Blue Jennath impresses to R'dus.

Jenna - Wednesday, April 24, 2002, 7:32 AM
------------------------------------------

Fort Weyr Living Cavern(#199RJa$)
Approaching half the size of the Hatching Grounds, this cavern echoes with voices during the day, and the soft patter of feet during the night. Dozens of tables are spaced throughout, each with open space around to provide small amounts of privacy for the discussions carried on at each. The night hearth, with a cluster of pots of stew and klah, is situated near the large entrance to the Bowl. Several other hearths are spaced around the huge chamber, lending light and some heat to the room.

Broad marble steps to the southwest lead up to the impressive Fort Weyr kitchen. At the moment however those broad steps are marred with soot, as are the walls and the ceiling of the living cavern all around and above the impressive kitchen entrance. Many items of severely damaged kitchen equipment are placed in slowly growing piles near the entrance as clean up crews continue work after the kitchen fire. Two burly men stand near the kitchen entrance, preventing the mere curious from having access to the damaged area. No cooking can be done in the kitchens at this time and to make up for it most of the hearths in the living cavern have been pressed into use as cooking places. The cavern sees even more bustle than usual as bakers take over most of the walkways near the walls for the business of providing food for the Weyr. Residents enter and leave in an almost constant stream near mealtimes, back and forth from the large cooking pit set up near the lake. Only half the tables are in the living cavern, room is needed for both the cooking work and the clean up operation. The other half of the living cavern's tables are out in the bowl.

To the east, a short flight of stairs leads to the hallway to the inner caverns. A stout door to the north has a healer's emblem on it, marking the Infirmary. To the south is a wide tunnel, leading out of the Weyr, and a wide opening to the west leads to the Weyr bowl.
Contents:
Earthenware Pot
Meg and Peg
Fort Weyr Firelizard Perch

Sefaniah comes in from the bowl.
Sefaniah has arrived.

Your location's current time: 7:33 on day 16, month 1, Turn 40, of the Tenth Pass. It is a winter morning.

Jenna is seated at a table, a mug of warm cider before her. And strangely enough, she seems to be eyeing the klah pots. She looks just awful, with dark bags under her eyes deep enough to pack a whole weyr into.

Sefaniah hurries out of the kitchens - no surprise there - a pot clutched in one hand - surprise. He's got that scurrying, hurried air of someone attempting to avoid notice, not realizing that he might as well be carrying neon and fireworks.

Jenna is noticing just about everything, with that cranky expression of one who'd really like to sleep, but can't. She asks suspiciously, "I thought you didn't like kitchen duty, Sef."

That pulls Sefaniah up with a furtive glance around. No one else seems to have spotted him yet (they all have better things to do), so he scuttles over to join Jenna, slipping into a chair and depositing the pot on the table in front of him. Close to, it's half-full of dirt and ashes, and has a musty spicy smell to it.

"Don't," Sef whispers hoarsely, eyes flickering hither and yon. "I heard a couple of riders saying something, and I wanna see if it's true!"

Jenna peers suspiciously at Sefaniah and asks a trifle loudly, "See if what's true?"

Sefaniah shushes frantically, and flaps his hand a her. "SHHHH!" Hunch those shoulders, and immediately you're invisible. No, really. "I heard a couple of brownriders say that if you..." He bites off the last word, withdrawing to stare at her suspiciously. "But you know that already, don't you? That's why you're up so early!"

Jenna scowls faintly, "It's not why I'm up early, and know *what*? I swear, you're more mind addled than usual today, Sef." Ooooh, grumpy much? "I didn't sleep a wink - I'm betting Rey got me back for our little prank the other day. But what *are* you talking about?"

Sefaniah pulls the pot into his arms and cradles it, still eyeing the other Candidate. "/Sure/. Then why didn't he do anything to me? You know, don't you? Well, you won't stop me - or anyone else who asks." Yeah!

Sefaniah eyes the much older girl skeptically. "Promise you won't tell?"

Jenna rolls her eyes ceilingwards in an effort to keep her temper, which is curiously short this morning. "Promise."

Seemingly reassured, Sef leans forward, over the pot, and hisses at her. "I heard them say that if you get dirt from near the 'grounds, mix it with ashes from the kitchens and some egg shells, then make it into a mud and let it dry on your face, you'll Impress!""

Seemingly reassured, Sef leans forward, over the pot, and hisses at her. "heard them say... you get... near the 'grounds,... ashes from the kitchens and some... into... let... on... Impress...!"

Jenna looks at Sefaniah for a moment with a complete lack of comprehension. Then her lips purse and she asks only, "Who told you that?"

"They didn't tell me!" Sefaniah snickers, grinning proudly as he sinks back into his chair. "I told you, I overheard it! They didn't want anyone to know." Green eyes flick over to Baleera's abandoned egg pot as he continues, "They were saying they ought to clean that up before any of the Candidates heard."

Jenna mmms noncommitally and puts her own bit of advice in. "Well, you missed a part of it. It only works if you do it doing your chores. Doing it at night? Not so much."

Sefaniah only fffts, though a faint light of worry begins to rise in his eyes, the dimmer switch of confusion turned by the gentlest of hands. "They didn't say anything about that... Anyway, they'd know, wouldn't they? I think it was G'stig, and maybe Valry."

Jenna shrugs. "Well, imagine if word got out? There's more of us than eggs and that'd be a fine kettle of fish, wouldn't it? Just if anyone asks why you're doing it, say it's for a blemish or something," she advises. Then, looking up with a yawn, she nods politely to the new arrival.
a tall, slim man with long dark hair down to his shoulders. He has blue/grey eyes which seem to have a slightly sad look to them, even when he smiles his broad smile. He has a scruffy beard which suggests a lack of shaving rather than a deliberate growing and you guess he must be in his mid to late twenties. You can't help noticing that as he wanders around he is looking a little disorientated or lost...

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

Sefaniah freezes in his chair as a small group of candidates traipses through the cavern, then slips to his feet once they're past. "I knew I could trust you," he beams. "I'm gonna go get the eggshells now, and then probably go to the hotsprings to make the mud. You wanna do it, too?" he offers generously, spoiling the effect by adding, "Your eyes'd blend right in."

Raeche sashays into the living caverns, yawning expansively and stretching her arms over her head.

Jenna shakes her head at Sefaniah, "If we both did it at the same time, it'd look suspicious." Then, a bit louder she offers, "Morning, Raeche," through another yawn.

Sefaniah says "I'm sure you'd think of something," before he hurries over to the empty firelizard pot, and begins rooting around in the sand. Raeche is given a brief nod as he leaves, and a briefer, "'lo."

"Morning, Jenna," Raeche greets, moving over to the hideous, hideous klah pitcher. She grabs a mug and pours herself some, eyeing Sefaniah with a sweet smile. "Good morning. Any more tunnelsnake man sightings?"

Jenna makes a rather rude sort of sound at Raeche's question. "That old auntie's tale? No one took it seriously, did they?"

Sefaniah is out of earshot, thankfully, and is, for whatever reason, taking fragments of firelizard shell out of the pot and depositing them in his own kettle. Candidates.

Raeche looks to Jenna, nodding. "Mmmn-hmmn. Sefaniah over there came tearing in here not so long ago, shrieking about how the tunnelsnake man got Ember."

Jenna snickers softly, glancing over at the younger candidate. "Figures." She lowers her voice, stifling another yawn. "He overheard a couple of riders saying that if you took sand from the grounds and mixed it with firelizard egg shells and wore it on your face, you'd definately impress." She smirks, "I added in that he has to do it during his chores or it won't work."

Sefaniah pages to Jenna and Raeche: Go ahead and pose around me for a bit - I'll just be over her guaranteeing I Impress. ;)

Raeche shakes her head. "That's idiocy. So if I did that, I'd Impress? Mmmmph. He's so gullible. Do gullible people generally become dragonriders? This could affect my bets."

Jenna shushes Raeche, "I want to see if he'll actually do it." She shrugs, "I dunno. I've known quite a few gullible dragonriders. Impressing doesn't make you perfect, you know. They're people too - good and bad and everywhere in between. How goes the betting?"

"Not as well as I'd thought," Raeche murmurs, with a bit of a sulk. "Apparently, people have problems with betting on Hatchings."

Sefaniah, having 'rescued' the proper number of egg shards, now hand-mixes them into his kettle of whatever. Probably not fish, though you can't be sure.

Jenna's brow furrows. "How's that, Raeche? I usually put a mark or two down."

Raeche sniffs at Jenna, murmuring, "Well, there haven't been as many bets as I've expected. Surely, there's some reason for it, mmm?"

Jenna yawns and murmurs through it, "Sorry. Didn't sleep - Well, I'm sure it'll pick up just before the hatching. As a matter of fact, put me down for... lessee. I'll wager a half mark on there being twelve greens."

Leah comes in from the bowl.
Leah has arrived.

Raeche inclines her head to Jenna. "Alright, then. You're not allowed to bet, by the way - but I'll keep it under the table."

Ember comes in from the bowl.
Ember has arrived.

Leah looks about at the Candidates, smiling as she asks, "Well, who would like to join me in the barracks?

Leah says "We're going to do some practicing for the Hatching."

Ember jumps up and down a bit. Some bizarre Reachian warming ritual, no doubt.

Jenna wrinkles her nose at Raeche and confides, "I did the last couple of times. I just don't bet on any one person. That'd be awful-" She breaks off and nods to Leah, rising slowly. "I'll catch you later, Raeche? And don't worry, I'm good for it."

Sefaniah stands up and attempts to hide a sizeable kettle under his shirt. "Um... yes, ma'am!" He shoots Jenna a triumphant look: Hah! before trotting toward the stairs.

Randall comes in from the bowl.
Randall has arrived.

Leah turns to Raeche, "Will you join us? I think you might have some fun with this little exercise." She winks at the Records Keeper.

Raeche's head bobs in Jenna's direction. "Of course. Later, yes." She has a sip from her mug, eyeing the Weyrwoman for a bit and stepping back.

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

Raeche blinks several times, lowering her mug. "Me? Join...?" She seems surprised. "All... alright."

Ember gets her teeth to stop chattering, blinking after Sefaniah. Then she registers what the Weyrwoman said, and hurries on after him, a quick glance confirming that Randall is still following after her.

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

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

Leah gestures to everyone, "Well, let's go. Into the Barracks so we don't disturb those having their meal." She heds into the Inner Caverns.
Leah walks down the eastern stairs to the Inner Caverns.

Raeche sets her mug down, still blinking a few times as she follows.

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

You brush aside the curtain and enter the Candidates' Barracks.
Candidates Barracks(#10244RAJ$)
This large low-ceilinged cavern provides temporary housing for the Weyr's Candidates. Various tapestries hang from the walls, lending an air of color and cheefulness to the dark grey walls. Neat rows of cots fill the back of the cavern, a small press at the foot of each. Numerous shelves dot the walls of the cavern. Littered with various containers and odd items, they seem to lend themselves more to firelizard perches than anything else. A few tables with chairs have been placed towards the front of the cavern, providing a place to visit or do handicrafts.
Contents:
Redus
Raeche
Leah
Randall
Ember
Sefaniah
Carianna
Jonas
Fort Weyr Firelizard Perch

Jonas jumps at the sound of the weyrwoman's voice and whacks his head on the frame of one of the cots. He stands up and rubs the back of his head. "What can we do for you, ma'am?"

Sefaniah says "Well... I..." He spreads his hands and shrugs, looking sheepish. "Sorry, ma'am. But are they?"

Zalkin enters from the Inner Caverns, letting the curtain fall shut behind him.
Zalkin has arrived.

Raeche puts a hand on her hip, arching a brow at Sefaniah. "Would I be here if they were?"

Leah looks about at the Candidates, laughing at their reactions to her, "Really, now, calm down, calm down. I used to live in here, you know. And it was Norri and I who supervised the cleaning of this room before you ever even knew there were Eggs at Fort Weyr." She winks at them all, walking down the aisle between the cots and turning when she reaches the Candidate Coordinator's desk, where she leans with her rump against it, "How is everyone today? Enjoying your stay? Hear any bronzes rumbling?"

Jenna follows Raeche and the others in, still yawning her head off. She heads towards her cot, flops down, and promptly encounters a lump with a muttered oath. She brightens, however, seeing Zak, and gestures for him to come over.

Randall speaks up, "It's cold, and there are more live tunnelsnakes than dead ones."

Redus just sits on the edge of his cot listening with a bit of a grin on his face.

Carianna lets a smile curve her lips as sh hears Leah's last question then nods lightly. "Always Ma'am."

Sefaniah scowls at Raeche and sticks his tongue out at her. So mature. With any luck, Leah won't notice. Maybe. "Fine, thank you... no? Should they be? Rumbling?"

Zalkin discreetly slips in, looking around for somebody, and sneaks his way toward Jenna as she gestures, without bumping into anything for once.

Leah scoots back so she's sitting on the desk now. She grins at Carianna, "I do, too. I it comes from living in the Weyr with a bronze who snores." A nod is given to Randall, "Indeed, it's cold and the tunnelsnakes seem to come out to find food. You'd think they'd sleep through the winter, wouldn't you? I believe Jorenan's cooking has brought them out in force." To Sefaniah, she nods, "Well, humming. Not rumbling. But that's what I'm here to talk to you about."

In the depths of the nice cosy bed, Jonas has disconnected.

Jenna keeps her attention on Leah, though leans to murmur something to Zalkin.

Redus' head comes up to listen more closely to the Weyrwoman.

Randall is mollified, if just a little coy. "I see." he responds, then goes to sit on his cot and listen up.

Sefaniah, with a glance behind him, sits down on his cot. "What did you want to talk to us about, ma'am?"

Zalkin is intently listening to Leah, sitting just beside Jenna and leaning toward her to whisper back, still watching the weyrwoman.

Leah crosses her ankles, feet swinging beneath her as she sits on the desk, "Does anyone know what to expect at a Hatching? For example, how can you tell when the eggs are rocking on the Sands if you're doing your chores or taking a bath? Anyone?" She looks from face to face expectantly.

Carianna ohs softly to herself as she raises her hand, thinking she may actually know the answer to that question.

N'sales enters from the Inner Caverns, letting the curtain fall shut behind him.
N'sales has arrived.

Raeche leans against one of the walls, crossing her arms over her stomach, expression a mix between interest and curiosity.

Jenna must be tired, to be talking in 'class' like she is. She completely misses the question, a bit of a wry grin on her lips as she murmurs something back to the lad.

Redus gets a knowing expression on his face, but he looks around to the others to see who's going to answer.

N'sales wanders absently in and stands back against one of the outer walls near the door.

Sefaniah pipes up, not waiting to be called on, "Well, the dragons hum, don't they? That's what they say, anyway. Do they hum tunes?"

Leah smiles across the room at N'sales as he enters, still sitting on the desk. She turns to Sefaniah and nods, "They do hum. No, not tunes, though wouldn't that be excellent? I will have to discuss training the dragons to sing with Master Rodric." She points to the most unlikely subject, "Zalkin, you've lived here through a Hatching. Do you remember what the dragons humming sounded like?"

N'sales gives a brief smile to Leah sitting on the desk. He scans the room quickly noting the candidates. He sets his hands to his hips and listens to the answers.

Zalkin blinks and swiftly straightens, blushing slightly as he was whispering back to Jenna again. He scratches his head and tries a mall smile. "Well, yes Ma'am, I do remember, but I'm not sure I can do it with my own voice... T'was funny, feeling vibrations and such..." he awkwardly explains.

Jenna freezes and darts a guilty look to the front of the room as Zak is singled out. Whoops. She does nod as the boy speaks, rubbing at the bags under her eyes.

Leah nods at that, grinning, "Right, vibrations. It's mainly the bronzes who make the sound, though all the dragons eventually join in." She gestures to the walls around, "The whole Weyr seems to vibrate, and I'm sure you can imagine how the deep humming of five hundred or so dragons could make the walls shake, right?" Turning to Sefaniah, she says, "That is how you know when it's time for you to get your robes on. Has everyone been making their Candidate robes?"

Sefaniah ahs, understanding lighting his eyes. "Working on it, ma'am. I just have to finish hemming."

Jenna's tone is bemused. "Sacrificed blood to it, yes ma'am." She adds in an undertone to Zak, "I *still* can't stitch on cloth."

Redus nods at all the questions and answers as he sits quietly on his cot, occasionally chuckling.

Carianna catches her bottom lip between her teeth and quickly turns away as she murmurs, "Can't we use our old robes if we have them? Least that way we're guarantied to still have em on at the end of the hatching."

Leah grins, nodding her approval at the response, "Well then." She looks about, "There are some things we expect from you and some thing you should expect when the time comes for the Hatching." She glances at Jenna and chuckles, "First, if you hear the humming start, and you'll know it when you hear it, then you need to come back in here post-haste and get into your Candidate robe. A number of us will come in here to help you out onto the Sands. It'll be cold crossing the bowl, but we'll make sure that you're only out there a very short while. You'll go onto the Sands in a line, bow to Jinieth and Aisheth, then form a semi-circle around the eggs. I want you to wear your sandals onto the Sands so your feet don't get burned."

Ember nods along with the others, tho the presence of all the Candidates huddled together for the discussion finally works up enough heat that she can remove her cloak.

Zalkin winks at Jenna and nudges her gently, muttering something grinningly about help.

Leah nods to Carianna, "Sure, you can use your old robes."

Jenna beams down at Zak, though holds her comment to him as Leah starts her instructions.

At the mention of sandals, Redus lays over on his cot and draws a duffle from underneath, rifling through it. "Shells!" he whispers. "I *knew* I forgot something."

Sefaniah yelps, "We have to wear robes crossing the bowl? But it's /winter/!"

Leah says "The first thing to remember on the Sands is safety. This is for both you and the Hatchlings. Dragons, as you all know, have very, very sharp claws and teeth. The Hatchlings will be desperate to find their lifemates. They will be hungry. And they will go through /anyone/ standing in the way of their Impression." She winks at Sefaniah and Redus, "We"

Leah says "We've got extra sandals."

Carianna sighs in relief as she turns back around to listen carefully.

Redus looks surprised at the Weyrwoman's assurance regarding extra sandals. He shakes his head as he sits back up. "I gotta whisper more when I whisper." he says to a nearby Candidate from Half Circle Sea Hold.

Leah says seriously, "In the past, and at every Weyr, there has been a Candidate who has been hurt on the Sands. Some were mauled, some were scarred for life, some lost use of a limb or an eye, and there have even been some killed. So today we're going to pretend we're on the Sands and learn what not to do."

Leah turns to Raeche and smiles at her, "Ever been to a Hatching, Raeche?"

Sefaniah says to no one in particular, "The Weyrleader told me that Aisheth ripped a boy open from belly to thigh."

Raeche shakes her head as she replies. "Mmmn. I'm afraid not, Weyrwoman."

N'sales grins at Leah as he remembers his first hatching and all the stories told him before hand.

Leah hms at that and nods, "Well then, you can help me observe. Come sit with me here?" She turns to the Candidates, "So, who wants to be a dragon today? We'll start with a single dragon so people can get an idea of what the Hatchlings do on the Sands, then we'll throw in a few more to simulate the chaos that happens during a Hatching."

Redus looks at Carianna and mouths, "G'rad." when the talk turns to how one can be injured.

Jenna asks cheerfully, if tiredly, "I'll be a dragon. Do I get to maul someone, Weyrwoman? - I think if I just stood being a candidate, I'd fall asleep standing up."

Raeche glances about, then tips her chin up and saunters over to sit beside the Weyrwoman, smoothing her skirts.

Carianna winces as she catches Redus' comment then ohs and raises her hand again. "I first was at 6 turns old." Then she laughs and adds, A red one at that."

Zalkin stifles a chuckles as he looks Jenna up and down. Suitable dragon, frightening enough, yeah she'll do.

Leah smiles encouragingly at Raeche, then turns to Jenna and nods, "Alright then. Jenna, why don't you come over here. For now, you are not Jenna, but a hungry blue Hatchling. Stand there in the center of the room. Everyone else, circle up around her in a large circle."

Sefaniah hesitantly gets to his feet again, with a quick peek under his cot, and trails into the irregular circle. "Should we try and touch her - him - when he comes our way?"

Jenna pats Zak as she gets up, wrinkling her nose at the chuckle and crosses to the center of the room. For effect, she assumes what she hopes is a threatening crouch. All legs and arms, it actually looks rather comical.

Carianna shakes her head quickly in reply to Sefaniah. "Oh no, never try to touch them, you could loose a hand that way." She glances over to Leah and asks, "Right Ma'am?"

Redus stands, nudging the Half Circle Sea Hold Candidate ahead of him, before stepping over to join the circle. With a chuckle he says, "That dragon looks hungry...Look how skinny he is."

Zalkin looks around, not sure about what to do, but he doesn't move annd lets the candidates stand in semi circle, sort of remaining hidden behind.

Raeche touches two fingers to her lips, snickering.

Leah nods to Carianna, "Exactly! And if a dragon is charging your way and not slowing down, what do you do?"

Sefaniah frowns uncertainly at the hungry blue Jenna, and takes a step back, away from her terrifying visage. "Turn and run?"

Jenna sticks out her tongue at Redus, and then remembers herself and hisses instead. She takes Leah up on the suggestion and starts galumphing towards Carianna noting, "Just imagine the red spinning eyes - Oooh! I'm hungry! And confused! And, uh, I have really sharp claws!" She makes a clawing motion for effect.

Zalkin mutters to himself with a smile. "Dodge..."

That's it. The giggles start. Raeche covers her mouth with her hand.

Ember lets some of the other Candidates step ahead of her, finally squeezing into the circle between two younger girls.

N'sales watches with bemused enjoyment at the exercise and Jena's antics.

Leah gestures for Zalkin to join her and Raeche on the table, patting the empty spot on her other side. She says to Sefaniah, "Do you think it's safe to turn your back on a Hatchling?"

N'sales pipes up? "Should we find out?"

Leah calls out, "Keep going, Jennath, you're hungry and there's a ton of Candidates to choose from! Where's your lifemate?" She grins at N'sales, shrugging, "Sure! Carianna, want to turn your back on that hungry little blue there?"

Carianna starts to giggle too as she shifts her weight on the balls of her feet, weaving from one foot to the other she is now prepared to move quickly should blue Jenna head her way.
She quickly turns presenting her back to Jennath.

N'sales closes his eyes not wanting to see what happens next.

Zalkin peers and slowly stands up, quickly and unobtrusively trotting around the candidates and to the table he leans against, watching Jenna with obvious amusement.

Sefaniah whispers to one of the Candidates beside him, "I don't mind blues, but I don't think I'd want /that/ one!"

Redus grins at the flickering tongued, hissing hatchling and then at the others who seem to know getting out of the way is a good idea. When Cari is asked to turn her back on Jennath he chuckles. "I've always liked that view, personally." He checks his feets to make sure they're noth stuck in the 'sand'.

Jenna skids up short, very nearly bowling over Carianna and making a big fuss over trying to stop. In fact, she does such a 'wonderful' job at acting it, she actually does lose her balance and end on her rear with a jaw-rattling thump. "Owww! - I heard that, Sef!" And she's up, rubbing her tailbone and making a show of insepcting people as she moves around the circle.

Leah grins at Jenna, shaking her head and covering her mouth to hide her laughter. She says to Sefaniah, "If you turn your back on a Hatchling, you're likely to get run into with claws and teeth. Get out of the way, but never let them out of your sight. If you get out of the way and they /follow/, then stop and see if they're looking for you as their lifemate."

N'sales chuckles and grins at Carianna and Jenna, "Now that was comical."

Carianna giggles a bit more as she watches over her shoulder then snickers and makes a grab at her arm, "Oh.. I've been gouged.." she twirls then gracefully falls onto a nearby cot smiling. "Never turn your back on a baby hatchling, especially a male one." She winks at Jenna.

Leah hms, watching the Candidates as they continue the game. She says absently to Zalkin, "Something's missing. Hm. What is it?" Getting thoughtful for a moment, she finally comes up with, "Oh, I know! Heat!" She calls out to the Candidates, "It's hot on those sands! Your feet are burning a bit! You're sweating! Your friends are sweating!"

Zalkin scratches his head and then his chin and idly turns to Leah. "Sweat after they crossed th'Bowl in winter? They'll all catch a cold," he casually remarks. Jenna gets a wry grin at that.

"Definately hot." Redus remarks. "So you're going to wanna keep your feet moving..which helps if you've gotta get out of the way." He demonstrates with his knees slightly bent as he shifts from one foot to the other. "This way you can move to one side or the other. Running away would take too much effort."

Sefaniah blinks at Leah, then Jenna, then with an 'oh' begins shuffling his feet. Oooh, the heat. It's so.. hot. At least for a moment, until he leans into the circle to peer after the blue hatchling again. "Is it true that bronzes maul more people than any other color?"

Jenna passes Sefaniah and makes a show of pinching her nose and waving a hand in front of her face. "And stinky! No Jennath for you!" She turns rather imperiously and smacks him lightly with her 'tail' - her runner belt, taken off to dangle behind her, just for the occasion. In a snit she walks across and right into Redus, ooofing slightly and very nearly bouncing off. Then she looks up with this heartsick expression on her face, eyes wide, and gives a passible imitation of a croooooon.

Leah claps, "Ah! And Impression is made! Congratulations R'dus and blue Jennath!" She grins, "Now, I want two more volunteers to be dragons. Who's next?"

Raeche raises her hands to applaud lightly.

Carianna stands to join the group again and shakes her head in reply to Sefaniah once again. "I saw a gold almost kill a girl at Ista once, but if memory serves, every hatchling is a danger until they find tier lifemate." Then she cheers for Redus as the first impression is made. "Course I still think you would suit a green better."

Redus was watching Jennath as he spoke, as she moves his way he prepares to get to his left and does, but he bumps him anyway, knocking him back a step. Suddenly he understands -- gotta be that look and teh crooning -- and his arms swing out to wrap the 'dragon' up. "Oh!" he grins, "Jennath! His name is Jennath!"

"Euyrgh," is Sef's comment on the 'happy occasion'. "Jennath's a girl!"

Zalkin mutters to Leah, "If you... lil'... I can... do..."

Jenna starts giggling. Hard to maintain the bovine-eyes when you're giggling. "Hey, watch it, bub! Not like our hands are tied together or anything. This time at least!" She gives him a brief hug back and then starts to disentangle, still grinning. Well, at least she's awake now.

Leah points to Redus, "See what he did there? Calling out his dragon's name? That's the way to show us that the Impression has indeed been made. The dragon will only tell his name to his new lifemate. If that person is you, then you need to call out your dragon's name so that the rest of us know you're both safe. Ah! A volunteer!" She grins at Zalkin, "Go right on, little green Zalkinth." She winks at him.

Ember blinks a moment and turns to ask the blonde girl on her right. "Has anyone ever just invented a name, then? I guess that would not work, tho...if the hatchling kept right on going." Her lower lip is chewed on thoughtfullly, before flashing a quick encouraging smile to Zak.

Redus laughs as he's hugged back then draws away. "So, ya hungry?" he asks Jenna before looking around to see who else is gonna be a hatchling.

Carianna also volunteers to be a dragon as she smiles over at Zalkin and begins that side to side motion again and not taking her eyes off the newly hatched green.

Leah says "Anyone else? We need one more."

Zalkin slightly reddens for a brief moment and then stretches himself and takes a few steps forward, assuming the same pose as Jenna not long ago, crouching slightly -- and pushing back his hair to have a good look at the candidates. He's apparently enjoying himself but he straightens. "You said two," he points out to Leah, and looking around for a 'hatchmate' then he crouches again and imitates a croon... A bit high pitched maybe.

N'sales walks over to where Leah is sitting and rests, leaning on the desk beside her.

Raeche glances at N'sales as she approaches; she's seated on the desk on the other side of Leah.

Leah pats N'sales on the hand and grins at him as he joins her and Raeche, then looks about at the Candidates, "No one?"

Sefaniah frowns thoughtfully at 'Jennath', then hastily looks back to the 'eggs' as Zalkin croons. "How many eggs Hatch at once? If there's thirty three out there all at once, how are you supposed to watch out for them?"

Raeche gestures. "Carianna said she would be one."

N'sales looks over at the candidates and grins, "Better volunteer as you really don't want me to be a hatchling." He grins back at Leah and chuckles.

Leah shakes her head, "They don't all Hatch at once, just over about a twenty minute period. You don't need to watch them all, just the ones that come near you. Oh! Carianna, excellent. What color would you like to be?"

Jenna chuckles. "Starved! - Though, Leah, should we sit out, or stay in the circle for another round?" She grins at Zak and says, "I wouldn't mind having a go at that green." She looks at Sefaniah, nodding at Leah's comment, "It's utter chaos. You have to look everywhere at once. And I usually miss half the impressions in the confusion."

Raeche's lips purse together. "But if it's confusing, how will I see what hatches from what? For the bets? Perhaps I had best recruit some other watchers."

Leah says to Jenna and Redus, "I'd say you're both Candidates again. Join the circle." She hms at Raeche, eyebrows going up, "Oh, you just have to work with someone else and watch very carefully, I suppose."

Carianna's eyes light up as she steps over to Zalkin then crouches down into position. "Bronze ma'am." she answers lightly then turns her head towards the males candidates. Slowly she makes her way over spreading her wings to keep her balance and sniffs as if looking for something or someone.

Zalkin sticks his tongue out at Jenna. "You didn't use t'say that when I wasn't a hatchling!" Then he reaches the circle and nearly bumps into a candidate as he was looking elsewhere. "Oops... er, no, *croooooooon*!" He starts sniffing the standing candidates, thoroughly.

Redus ohs and chuckles back at Jenna. "Starved? You poor thing..." Looking about then, he waits to see exactly who else is a hatchling and who's left Standing.

Redus shuffles back to the circle. "Oh, wow..I might get two."

Leah grins at Carianna and Zalkin, "Go ahead, dragons! All claws, teeth, hunger, and confusion!"

Sefaniah shuffles a bit backwards, making the circle even more ragged. "A green, and a bronze..." He watches that 'bronze' more than the green - warily, not with anticipation.

Jenna chuckles at Zak, and comes to take her place next to Redus saying, "I won't insist you shove raw meat down my throat though." She bounces in place, trying to ease the 'heat' on her feet. Which are bare. Oh well, no need for *that* much realism.

Carianna's head lifts as if she's caught hold of a scent she likes and she turns then charges towards Jenna with a smile as she sniffs again then changes her mind and heads towards Sefaniah.

Zalkin keeps sniffing, walking along the circle, and gently claws at a Candidate now and then, without any warning -- well, -he- can't hurt them after all. He nearly bumps into Carianna as well as he was heading toward Sef, and lets out a very funny bugle -- Zalkin trying to bugle -is- something funny, honest.

Raeche coos, "Oooh, mauling!"

Redus eyes the two 'dragons' as he rocks side to side, his boots hardly making a sound on the stone floor. "How 'bout a bubbly pie?" he whispers to Jenna as he looks at the bronze' dragonet and chuckles. "He's kinda pretty cute for a bronze, huh? Oops! Look out Jenna, he's comin' at ya! Never mind, he turned. Where's that green?"

Sefaniah backpedals hastily, hands out in front of him to ward off Carianna's charge. "Oh no you don't! You're not mauling me!"

Jenna eeks and ducks behind Redus as Carianna charges. "Hey! I'm not a boy!" Then she snickers at Zak bugling and says in an undertone to Redus, "Well, one bubbly couldn't hurt, I suppose."

Leah calls out, "Good job, Sefaniah, step out of the way. Give 'm plenty of room!" She laughs at Jenna, Redus, and Carianna.

"To the side, Sefaniah." A shout comes from the opposite side of the circle.

Redus laughs as Jenna seems to have disappeared. "How you gonna see 'em comin' back there?" he asks. "And what're you gonna do if I move outa the way? Hmm.."

Carianna turns her head from side to side as she warbles loudly then continues on her search with her arms now behind her swaying like a tail. She'll find a lifemate sooner or later as she heads back over towards Leah and N'sales.

Sefaniah skitters out of the way of the bronze, a look of relief on his face as the dangerous thing leaves him be.

Zalkin follows the backing Sefaniah, slowly, and stops right in front of him, looking up and down.

N'sales watches the hatchlings and the candidates amusedly, shakinghis head from time to time, a smile playing off his lips.

Zalkin makes a face, shakes his head and looks for a lifemate elsewhere, trying a lot of funny sounds, probably meaning to croon, warble, hoot and such. Then he stops again right in front of Ember, but this time he doesn't move away, staring in the young woman's face. "Want this one!"

Leah laughs at Carianna's antics as she moves over towards them. Hearing Zalkin, she cheers, "Excellent! Carianna and green Zalkinth!"

Leah ahems, "Ember and green Zalkinth!"

Carianna sniffs at the weyrwoman and the weyrsecond then croons loudly as she noses Raeche's leg then looks up at her with beseeching eyes and smiles. Seems she's found the one she's been looking for.

Raeche blinks at Carianna. "Mmn? Aren't you a bronze? Hey!"

Leah grins and nods, "And Raeche Impressed bronze Cariannath!

Raeche's lower lip slides out. "I'm a girl!"

N'sales grins and cheers for Ember and Zalkinth then laughs as Cariannith comes over and chooses Raeche and shake his head. "Now that is a departure from the norm!"

Jenna grins and steps round to Redus again, "You're good to hide behind though! Wooohoo! Way to go, Ember! And Raeche! Oh, now that's funny." She grins at the former Bitran, "Look at it this way, you're unique?"

Redus starts to laugh. "Oh! Congrats, Raeche!" Then he peers, funny-like. "You hidin' something under that skirt we don't know about?"

Leah laughs and looks about at the Candidates, "So, are you understanding what you need to do on the Sands?"

"You can check, if you..." Raeche trails off, glancing from Redus to the Weyrwoman beside her. "...want Cariannath to, um, sit on you."

Carianna falls back laughing as she hears the interaction. "Oh lifemate, may I?"

Ember giggles and squats down to give Zak a hug about the neck, ruffling his hair, "Rey will surely be pleased to see I Impressed you! A Zalkinth of my very own!" She quickly smiles to Leah, asking hopefully, "Take Zak with us for good luck?"

Randall has connected.

"Who am I to deny my loving lifemate anything?" Raeche croons, waving Cariannath toward Redus.

Zalkin deeply blushes at Ember's comment but he stands beside her, still grinning slightly and idly reaching up to rearrange his hair.

Jenna snorks a laugh at Carianna's words, and ends up coughing and declaring though her amusement, "Hey! That's my R'dus!" She clears her throat and asks, "No jewelry on the sands, right Weyrwoman? Does that mean I have to leave this behind?" She sticks her thumbs under the blue dragon stone pendant she wears.

Leah laughs! She shakes her head, still grinning at Ember, "Zalkin will have an excellent view from the galleries, I assure you."

Redus snickers and actually says nothing -- too many answers, too many ears. "I'll sick Jennath on 'im." is all he finally does say.

Leah says to the group, "No jewelry, no firelizards, no pouches, nothing. Nothing but you, a robe, and some sandals. Period."

Ember rerearranges his hair more to her liking, even giving him a little wink as she whispers, "I did try. Next hatching, it will be your turn. Just wait and see." At Leah's next comment she eyes the thin band on one finger, touching it lightly. "Yes, ma'am."

Carianna takes a seat on the floor near Raeche's feet and chuckles as she listens to the rest of the instructions then looks up at Raeche and comments, "Guess this is a good example of how you really can't predict what will happen when the eggs hatch huh?"

Raeche's lips purse as she peers down at Carianna. "I don't like the sound of that for the betting pools."

Ember overhears that exchange between Cari and Raeche and she gives the latter a steely look, tho a grin is tugging at the corner of her lips.

N'sales pats Leahs on the shoulder and motions his head towards the door. "Got to run." He whispers and nods to the candidates.

Jenna looks vaguely disappointed at Leah's statement but nods. "Oh! After the hatching, if we don't impress, can we still stay the night in here? Or should we go to the resident's dorms?"

Leah nods to N'sales, "Alright. I'll see you after your duties." She smiles at him, then turns back to the Candidates, "If you don't Impress, you can stay on the Sands as P'ter and I will want to tak to you. You'll be welcome to stay at Fort as a resident and can move into the dorms."

N'sales brushes aside the curtain and heads back to the Inner Caverns.
N'sales has left.

Redus stands back as he listens to the others and bites off a hangnail.

Zalkin scratches the nape of his neck, listening to Leah and casting a few glances at Jenna, along with a few winks.

Leah scoots off the table and smiles at everyone, "So, we're all set then. Do you all understand what's going to happen?"

Raeche smirks cheerfully at Ember, tilting her chin up and winking.

Jenna grins at Zak and then nods to Leah. "I'll forget once we actually get on the sands, but I always do." Her tone is bemused.

Randall nods his head, but still looks either lost or overwhelmed.

Carianna smiles at Raeche as she gets to her feet then nods lightly. "I think so Ma'am." Her thoughts go back to the hatchlings shes witnessed over the turns then nods in agreeance with Jenna.

Leah smiles at Raeche and Zalkin, "Alright, what say we leave these Candidates to their robe-making and their chores and we'll go on about our own duties, hm?"

"Certainly," Raeche says, sliding off the desk with a swish of skirts and inclining her head to Leah.

Zalkin bows very low with a loud "Yes Ma'am!" at Leah's remark, and he scurries out of the barracks after a last wink at Ember and Jenna.

Redus nods to the Weyrwoman's question and grins. "Have a good day, ma'am." he says before she goes.

Raeche wriggles her fingers at the Candidates as she heads for the exit.

Leah grins at the Candidates, "Well, on with your duties. If you have any questions, be sure to come find me." She follows Raeche and Zalkin out.

Zalkin brushes aside the curtain and heads back to the Inner Caverns.
Zalkin has left.

Leah brushes aside the curtain and heads back to the Inner Caverns.
Leah has left.