[Hatching] Proof of a Hero

[Ezra]

Raha of Blue Exarchth - B'ram

Raha nodded and then chuckled when the other man laughed. " You have to be some kind of tough to survive the heat and bugs here alone, never mind the intense heat, the spotties and Faranth knows what else that lurks out there." He added with a grin. " Hah, and here I thought that expression was something only my mother used. Small world eh" He said, the grin growing. " Honestly, I would not be surprised if that were true. At least we can say our weyr does not lack for dragon variety." Raha concluded, looking towards his crystalline hued blue, who himself, was kind of an oddball.

[nineofswords]

B'ram of Blue Sininulth - Raha

B'ram laughed once again. [b]"Yeah, today is a perfect example of how you need to be especially resilient to handle being down here," he agreed, gesturing at the blazing sunlight coming in and the steaming hot sands.

B'ram's eyes lit up in delight when Raha said his mother used that phrase too. "Small world indeed! My family were farmers from Igen. Where were you from originally, if you don't mind my asking?" he asked.

"Speaking of unique," he added, pointing towards the blue that had hatched. "Those horns almost look like a goat kid's, don't you think? Almost cute for such a fearsome beast!"

[Fel]

Candidate Malady Tag: Joffrey

Malady was going to say more about Joffrey's incompetence, but a blue was suddenly tackling him, head—with little horn nubs?!—driving straight into his thigh. The bruising force was enough to knock him over backwards, and he wound up flat on his back as the hatchling... stomped on him. Stomped!

Malady reached up, ready to wrestle with this interloper when he suddenly ran off. "Get back here and fight like a man!" he called vainly at the blue's retreating back.

He glared at Joffrey, who seemed to think that being tackled and failing to control one's bodily functions were the same thing. "You screamed," he said as he pushed himself to his feet. He was going to be bruised from that. "At least I'm not a coward."

[Mal]

Weyrling P'ite of Brown Zweihath- Open

Polites watched the first hatchings, wincing at the aggression showing in the youngling. He'd bet marks that multiple of these would need to be taken to hand. He didn't know how of course. But he was determined that his dragon would not be a menace. He hoped at least.

A astonishing Brown hatched and Polites eyes locked on him. His coloring was amazing and it was curious how he walked on two legs. He winced again as two candidates got mauled before he found himself on the ground. He struggled to catch his breath, crying out as he was stepped on. "Excuse me...I'm...down here." he managed to gasp out as the brown's hind claw pressed down on him. His breath was stolen for a whole different reason when the brown's eyes whirling rainbows and he felt the bond between them form.

You're soft

"Y-yeah... we humans tend to be..." he said breathily. "Do you mind...?"

The brown, Zweihath, growled again before lifting his foot. Fine. You can't feed me from down there after all.

Polites grinned and got back to his feet, relatively unscathed, other than his pride. He faced his brown and opened his arms before moving into a hug.

Despite his unnatural stance and hatchlings lack of grace, he dodged his new rider, snorting at him. No. None of that. Just food he said, adding a hiss of displeasure. He turned suddenly, nearly knocking Polites off his feet again and stalked off.

Unperturbed, Polites quickly followed, ready to feed his new dragon. "Hey, Zweihath. I'm gonna go by P'ite i think. What do you think?"

Polites...P'ite. I don't really care.

"I'm P'ite then." he says with a firm nod before focusing on getting Zweihath fed. He was focused on his dragon and ended up completely ignoring the rest of the Hatching.

[Ezra]

Raha of Blue Exarchth - B'ram

" Oh absolutely!" Raha replied and looked at the sands. " Oh wow.. I am also from Igen! My adopted mother and I moved here as she was getting older and wanted to retire somewhere warm and sunny. As far as my mother by the blood, I never met her, all I ever heard was she was a green rider and had no interest in being a part of my life, which is her choice and never really bothering me." He shared then nodded at the comment regarding the blue. " Yeah no kidding. I wonder if the horns will grow with them or stay that way. Its an interesting feature to be sure." He added, glad if he would never be on the receiving end of those horns, they looked sharp.

[Jabberwoky]

Compared to its siblings, the Lord of Fallen Snows broke smoothly and almost casually. There was no want for violence, only a show. Pale wings emerged, then a lean, narrow body.



A blue!

A quite dainty blue. Most of his hide was the pale blue of an icy winter Semaca will never see, while his wings were a rich, royal blue. That same royal blue forms intricate markings along his spine, from his nose to partway down her tail, that might resemble scales or feathers, depending on who is attempting to best describe them.

He strode on narrow limbs to the candidates, finding his way right to his person - Phelps.

Is it you, well and truly? Oh. Not him. Her.

The Venom Queen started to shake next.

---

Currently hatching: Venom Queen
Eggs Hatched: 9/12

[nineofswords]

B'ram of Blue Sininulth - Raha

"Igen too, huh? Maybe it's just an Igen mother expression then! Even if she's not from there originally, I think we can count it." B'ram nodded when Raha told him more about his family. "Well, sounds like you had a wonderful parent to look after you, even if she wasn't the one who gave birth to you. That's a wonderful thing to have," he said. "My family were pretty average farming folk, with a bunch of siblings, nothing you wouldn't have heard before." He gave a shrug. He still sent letters home, still kept in touch and tried to keep up with what was happening, but he'd been a dragonrider so long now, and been at Semaca for a good portion of it, that they felt more like old friends at this point than blood family.

"I suppose we'll just have to wait and see!" B'ram said of the blue's horns. "It's not very often that dragons with horns hatch, so I couldn't say for sure if they'll grow or stay like that. Hopefuly they don't grow too large, though. Some creatures have very impressive horns, and I would hate for them to be obtrusive for him and his rider."

He smiled at the next blue to hatch. "Well, at least there's a few in this clutch who have no desire to go on a rampage. I'm all for the enthusiasm, but we can't have an entire Weyr full of dragons who come out swinging. Can you imagine the chaos that would cause?"

[Calingaladha]

Candidate Joffrey - Malady

Joffrey frowned as Malady got up. Why couldn't that blue have done just a little more damage. "I did not scream! That was...the wind. Just a big gust of it." He couldn't have it known that he screeched like that. Better to just deny it altogether.

"You're the coward! Cowards fall over!" He retorted, perfectly logically. "See, all the dragons hate you! But the best bronze will love me at first sight. And it'll knock you back over because you're nothing more than a stepping stone in the sand. Maybe one day you can be my mounting block, if you're lucky."

[Wolfkitt]

A'tu of Brown Edoraeth - Tag: Tychon

A'tu gave a bit of a sideways grin as he listened to Tychon speak of the ins and outs of gambling. Honestly A'tu hadn't really gotten good at that. Sleight of hand and deception was more his thing, but gambling? He made his own luck, though if he figured out how to rig gambling that might be worth it. A light chuckle lifted at the notion of starting a fight over a wrongly called bet. He nodded able to picture that happening, but he wouldn't shrink away from the idea. Fights were part of life after all, just had to make sure you came out on top.

Gaze shifted from the sands on up to his own dragon. Sure he had missed the excitement of the sands, the anticipation, but he wouldn't trade his best friend for that experience again. He noted the nostalgic look in Tychon's eye and felt it himself, sure enough. "Don't know that I miss being packed in as tight as we were, but hey... It had it's good times" He grinned fondly at a certain theft that had made quite the stir in the Candidate barracks.

Laughing out loud again at the idea of a dragon bookie. "Think Edoraeth might would take you up on that! He'd definitely lay down wagers if he could! That's a good idea though. Funny to imagine them spending their spare time up and down the shores looking for pretty rocks and shells to put forward. I like it."

A'tu didn't shy away even as Tychon's arm was placed around his slender shoulders and that smile didn't stay away from his lips long. "Now Tychon, we shouldn't delight in the misery of others." He chided in a playful tone. "But he is fine, so it can be funny."

But his was not to be the only issue during this Hatching. He shook his head a little at Tychon's words. "Few greens would give Ezanath a run. She's a gorgeous lady of a dragon. And only got more beautiful as she grew." He grinned a little having no doubt that the lovely little Green would find his words from Tychon's mind.

Not finding his proximity in the least bit troubling, A'tu shifted a tad so that the closer draw was into a more comfortable almost reclining position. Perfectly happy to be right where he was, he continued to jovially enjoy the spectacle. So far so good, no one was missing a leg, or an arm, not even a finger. Alright so A'tu's tolerance for violence might be a bit higher than some, but hey some Hatchings were more volatile than others right? Even so, as he watched stunning dragon after stunning dragon hatch, he began to get a big concerned with all the biting and slamming. "Little more than a feather! Faranth's sake, these Candidates are being put through the gauntlet for their chance. Putting in the work, the lot of them. Do you remember any of the clutches you stood for being this violent though? These young ones are full of fire.
I like them. And look at the patterns on them! They'll be a sight in the skies."

And prides of their Weyr! Came the familiar bugle in his mind. Shards did he have to speak so loud? A'tu visibly winced knowing that was one thing he'd never get fully used to. Nor did he think he'd find another dragon as loud... Wait... No there was one. A slight wrinkling of his nose was given as the baby broadcasted something about being their King... "Right... Keep walking Hatchling..." He grinned a bit though, nodding in approval at this, just the right chaos, being brought into the world. But there was balance there too, the lovely dainty little blue proving that not all of them had to bite.

[Fel]

Candidate Malady Tag: Joffrey

"The wind," Malady said flatly, crossing his arms again with one eyebrow raised. "On a calm, hot, still day." He wasn't going to let this juvenile rile him up. No matter how insulting it got. No matter how hard he hit the nail on the head about dragons all hating him.

"I will be no such thing for you. I'll be a rider while you wind up cooking my meals. They don't let cowards fight Thread. Or spotties."

[emil]

Candidate Levysc becomes L'ysc of Blue Saturnath - openish but you know how it usually goes.

CW: tiny bite marks/blood mention.

And so very much like its name, the Roar of Rage screamed forth, tasting air. Its hibernal sibling shook sympathetically, perhaps roused by the shockwave of that momentous birth. Levysc couldn't look away. She giggled as the brawny Blue ran full-tilt at Malady, rolling the rakish boy over with all the power of a mature bull. The silvery dragonet moved with such superlative strength, so self-assured! Her heart cried out at the thought of this Blue Impressing someone else. Going away, to be apart from her. Oh please, why not be mine -- she dared to think, loudly, in his direction?

The Blue dragon responded, and like a thunderbolt fell upon the lone Candidate. He easily knocked her flat on her back, roaring in her ears as he thrashed his slick-covered wings. "This is MY person! No one else may touch her! She is MINE!"

So much for defending herself. His claws dug into her ribcage, gripping her tightly like prey as his bleary eyes flowed with strange and wonderful colors that Levysc could never recall witnessing on her parents' dragons.

"L'ysc," he snarled, hot breath displacing her wild bangs, and her world shattered apart so casually as crushed vowels left his lips all too early in a syllabary sense -- her face was fine, but in a strange twist the dragon mauled her name, instead. The worst part was, she liked it and couldn't see calling herself anything else! That was her name, now. She'd been warned, of course, that Impression would be like this. Raised by two riders, a childhood spent beside dragons and within the heart of Igen. But nothing could prepare her for the sights and sounds of it, like the string of a harp plucked in sweet repetition.

A strange music wove through her spirit, threading like weeds in her tousled hair. The little bits and stray bobs that she always picked up, when. When she crossed the fields. When she swam the seas. Scaled the tallest trees -- and talonlike grasped the sheerest cliffs!
I searched so long for you! COME TO ME! The dragonet howled, scraping at the bark. I am your Saturnath, the one who would thresh all obstacles with these mighty horns like scythe-bearing Holders at harvest!
She wasn't sure what that was supposed to mean, teasing him even now. Hovering barely within reach. What horns, she played at? They are so small!
I'll show you, he asserted, belligerent mindvoice clashing like cymbals. I'll show EVERYONE. And all the jungle, the Weyr, anything she desired, would be hers. He played out the ritual with so much fear yet certainty, claws digging into L'ysc's flesh. Primrose called from someplace far, far away; a distant siren, drawn spiritually near as three became one. He became sharp-edged, and the chewy, saccharine pith of that mind -- so much like a citrus-fruit unpeeled -- tore happily, finally, for him.

"...you're seriously heavy!" L'ysc griped as she came to her senses, shoving frantically as she scrambled out from beneath Saturnath's canine-sized frame. He simply snorted in response, volume shaking his entire frame and the ground beneath her feet. He was much louder than she had thought possible for such a comparatively small creature.

She followed in K'rin's faded footsteps now, too ecstatically occupied with her rowdy Blue to note much of the madness around her; for she had become the greatest chaos within. Blueriders, both -- a future of speedy, resilient glory awaited! Everyone knew Blues were the strongest fliers, after all. They were the best at, well, everything! And Saturnath was a fighter.

Though, at the moment -- neither would be doing any fighting, unless it involved the nearest meat-bucket. Oh, Saturnath was starving. They tumbled together like stones in a vat, nauseated and pulped with wet, residual dirt. A rapid refinement, at the cost of great discomfort. But still -- she was one of them, now. No longer left behind, the birth of true adventure finally at hand. That forsked jungle... she'd map out the whole thing! But first, food. They practically dragged each other off the nesting grounds, and he shoved his head into one of the buckets before she could really stop him. But they'd both be forsked if she let him have too much, and so kept a close watch on the amount.

Despite his outsized anger, he was really quite cute in his own way. She reached to scratch those curious head-spikes as he fed -- but he turned, quicker than a mad canine, and grasped her hand in his jaws with immense frustration! He bit down a little too hard. L'ysc winced as she struggled to free herself from his preternatural grip. "Hey, Saturnath. What is your problem!" She bickered, her voice a panicked shout. "...I am FINISHED. It is TOO BRIGHT and VERY NOISY in here! You are yelling SO LOUD right now." He barked right in her ear, releasing her with a punctuated lick. The superficial bite marks, bleeding minimally, honestly hurt less than the ringing. Geez... this was going to be a lot of work!

Still, the weyrling had to admit... she never thought this stubborn Blue would turn his head to look for her. Who cared what was in those other eggs, now. The Fallen Snow finally pipped, and a second Blue made their way delicately down to Phelps. Yes, indeed -- these other dragonets would just have to find different and less-amazing riders, because L'ysc belonged to wild Saturnath!

[Fel]

Rysn Tag: H'let

"Oh, no. I prefer to avoid high-risk investments. Gambling is by definition a risky investment." And immoral, but Rysn preferred to avoid stating as much. Her peers tended to disagree with the notion, and she didn't care to rock the boat on that matter so to speak. "Besides, I don't get to the Weyr all that often, and going to see a bunch of eggs isn't particularly high on my list of priorities most trips. Logistical difficulties, you know." Though if she could sell things based on the eggs, she may have to change that. It wasn't something she'd considered, but if they were of enough interest for people to bet on them...

"What difference does touching them make?" she asked, feigning interest. She didn't really care, but this was seemed to think it was important. Probably because he was a rider. They all placed outsized importance on that sort of thing. But if they were to be her market, she had to at least try to understand.

"It's very nice to meet you, H'let." Rysn was rather relieved that the dragon wasn't about to start talking to her. Dragons were all so haughty. "And oh, simple curiosity. It's not always easy to get here at a good time to see the eggs hatch. I'm glad to have finally managed it." She smiled brightly. She was glad... just not for the reasons she suspected most people here were.

[nineofswords]

H'let of Green Euraroth - Rsyn

H'let raised his eyebrows a little in surprise. She didn't like high risk investments? Maybe she wasn't a pirate then. A more honest merchant? But then why settle in Lominsa, a known hub of piracy and immorality?

You could simply ask instead of trying to pull her apart like a puzzle, Euraroth pointed out.

Where's the fun in that? he shot back.

"I'm not much of a gambler either," he admitted. "Feels like bad luck, almost. Like you want things to go wrong at a hatching. I also just don't like the idea of being disappointed when a dragon turns out to be a blue instead of a brown. Doesn't sit right. Both are just fine, no need to be upset at one over the other." He nodded in sympathy. "Getting from the Hold to the Weyr is difficult at the best of times," he agreed.

"All dragons are telepathic, so they can reach out mentally to people around them," he explained. "The young ones aren't as good at it, and the shell makes it difficult for them to reach out very far to anyone who isn't also a dragon. But when people make physical contact with the shells, it makes it slightly easier for the dragon inside to get a sense of the person. So the touching gives the dragons a chance to see their options for a partner before the hatching, which means they don't have to spend as long deciding once they hatch. And they can hone in on the person they want more easily, as well, so they're not floundering through the crowd where they might risk hurting someone." He might not be a harper any longer, but H'let still liked teaching. Maybe he should consider suggesting an outreach program to the Hold, see if he couldn't help educate people on these things more, especially if Lominsa was going to be a larger part of the pool their candidates came from.

"I'm glad you were able to make it as well!" H'let said, smiling. "Curiosity is an excellent reason to see a hatching, and this one isn't at an odd time, so I think everyone's a little relieved about that."

[Jabberwoky]

TW: Mauling, loss of a finger

With a fury of a storm, the Venom Queen burst open in a whirl of eggshells and goop. There was something very wrong right away. The color, the power, the whirling anger in their eyes. Something very wrong had come to Semaca's sands.



What in the world--

Their hide was the pale green of a northern spring's first growth. Their stomach is white and their nose spines were a rich, plum-purple. They had purple and red scale-like markings running along their spine. Their wing swere purple- marked with a striking, vivid pattern in black and orange.

And they were coming towards the candidates at a breakneck pace.

They immediately had a target. They leaped at Joffrey, strong jaws snapping down on his hand and tearing and ripping, pulling away part of one of his fingers before they attacked Malady, biting down on his arm and shaking their head like a feline with a mouse. They flung blood across the sands as they raced on. They jumped at Hamun, snapping at him only to shriek as he grabbed them, wrestling the large hatchling to the ground.

Unhand me! Hamun! I said let me go! They -- she -- demanded, flailing her tail and wings.

What in the world WAS this dragon??

Almost unnoticed, the Thunder Prince started to wobble.

---

Currently hatching: Thunder Prince Egg
Eggs hatched: 10/12

[Ezra]

Candidate Adella - Xena, Licoriss ; Reaction to Venom Queen

Adella took the supplies she was offered and helped Xena's injury the best her non healer skill knew how, at least able to administer enough aid that the wound was cleaned and tied the bandage around it. It would do for now till she could have a healer look at it. After than, she helped her fellow candidate to her feet and smiled. But that smile faded when Venom Queen hatched and tore into Joffrey and then Malady. What in the forsk WAS that dragon? Terror filled her eyes and a silent scream formed from her mouth and without thinking, she lept towards Licoriss like a frightened kitten. She was fighting a very real flight or fight instinct right now and it said RUN. She didn't., more like she was frozen like a beast in a bright flash of light.