[Hatching] Proof of a Hero

[thefaeriesfyre]

Rin of Bronze Markeeth (just stretching some rusty muscles)

Rin hadn't always liked going to hatchings. After her own Impression, it seemed pointless to watch the new groups of dragon hopefuls succeed or fail according to the whims of the dragons themselves. (And if her heart had ached, just a little, at not seeing her twin on the sands, that was her own problem. Zab hadn't done as well at the fledgling weyr as she had, and he was doing much better back at Igen.) Candidates would become riders and join the wings and squads, or they would age out. Watching the whole spectacle wouldn't change that process.

But that was then.

Now, though, Rin had been a part of Mazurka long enough to see new riders join from these very sands. She'd seen enough in the wilds of the still mostly unexplored continent to appreciate that life still went on. Today's weyrlings could be tomorrow's squadmates, and while Rin wasn't actively looking for assets to the squad, she did make note of those she thought would be unpleasant to work with. (That wouldn't change whether or not they ended up in Mazurka. Not only was she not in leadership - much to her relief and Markeeth's resigned dismay - but Mazurka was the exploration squad. They weren't big on personality, which suited Rin just fine. She wanted to see the world more than she wanted to interact with people.)

Weyrlinghood would sort out a good chunk of those who needed to grow up, and the discipline was good for straightening out problems. Rider and dragon did not need to be harmonious, but it was always better to have a partnership than to be at odds with each other.

The sands were filled with chaos - this was a bitey bunch, it seemed - but the weyrling and candidate masters seemed to have things well in hand. The healers were prepared this clutch. While some of those events looked concerning - was that blue charging people? - Rin was comfortable to sit back and watch - until that hatched.

What on Faranth's-?!

[nineofswords]

H'tep of Croppa Zyadreth - Phelps, Impression, fellow hatchlings

When the Lord of Fallen Snows hatched and approached them both delicately, Hamun had raised an eyebrow. The calm of this one was particularly noteworthy, and he wouldn't mind that in a blue, especially one that knew his own worth...but no, the rainbows were for Phelps, not him. "Well, at least yours does not lack for a backbone, even if they are not the fighter you wanted," Hamun said, clapping the bluerider on the back before settling in to watch the eggs once more.

And what emerged next all but took his breath away.

The Venom Queen was stunning beautiful, with a hide in colors no one had ever seen on a dragon before. That was memorable. That would make him famous.

As the hatchling charged towards Malady and Joffrey, he couldn't help rushing towards them with a furious "NO!" One of them? The boy who'd pissed himself and the boy who'd thought he could take on a giant tunnelsnake alone and told Hamun to go back to the stands? No, absolutely not, no one but Hamun could be allowed to ride a beast like that.

He charged towards the chaos that was ensuing, all but determined to pull the dragonet off those two candidates and force her to look at him, but she was already turning away and leaping towards the next nearest candidate. Which happened to be Hamun himself. Which was exactly what he needed.

He grabbed the dragonet's head, using his own large size to his advantage, holding her head in place as he met her eyes and forced her back to the ground. Unhand me! Hamun! I said let me go! she bellowed at him.

"No," he said, voice low and authoritative. "Not until you choose me. None but me will have you, and we will chisel our names into Semaca's history."

She stopped her struggling at those words, and the colors of the rainbow began to swirl in her eyes. Know this, human, she hissed at him. I am the one who chooses. I, and I alone. I do this because it is my choice, not because you have commanded it, and because you understand what is at stake, what is most important. But never forget your place again, or not even the bond that ties my life to yours will be enough to save you from my wrath.

Hamun - no, H'tep - let out a breath as he felt her presence seeping slowly into his mind and soul, creeping and cold and inevitable as venom. He closed his eyes and lowered his head. "Forgive me," he whispered softly to her. "But I couldn't risk you going to anyone else but me." He released her head, and she got to her feet with a haughty shake.

You are forgiven, she told him. It was an understandable fear, to miss out on the glory of my constant presence. You did well, H'tep, to prove your worth to me, and to recognize that there were better ways to do so. Now, I require sustenance. You will feed me.

He inclined his head in acknowledgement of her order. "My queen," he said, not quite joking, but also not entirely serious with the title. She made a noise of displeasure, but turned towards where the scent of meat was coming from, allowing H'tep to walk in step with her, escort, guard, and attendant all in one. H'tep was content to be all of those things if he must, but he also knew that a partnership would push them both to greater heights than alone. He was finally a rider, and his name would be remembered alongside Zyadreth's.

As they approached the buckets, Zyadreth began to growl in displeasure. As one of the last three to hatch, there buckets had already been picked over, and the best cuts were surely gone by now. That would not do. In her ever-growing hunger, her temper was flaring hard and fast, and H'tep sensed a readiness to take a chunk out of the next creature to approach her.

Zyadreth, I will select only the best cuts for you, H'tep assured her silently. I am more than happy to let you prove your worth on the battlefield, but let us wait to draw blood until you have eaten and gained your full strength.

Irritation flared through her. Don't be vexing, H'tep, she snarled, though H'tep wasn't quite sure what she meant by that. He wasn't certain she knew either, only that she was annoyed and hungry and wanted to lash out. She contented herself with bodychecking the nearest dragonet roughly and snapping at them Move. Now.

H'tep, knowing she was not going to move from the spot until her order was obeyed, quickly retrieved a bucket full of meat and brought it back to her, offering them to her to eat. She snarled at him, not wanting to lower herself to eating before her order was acknowledged, but the hunger clawing at her stomach was relentless, and she couldn't help but begin to devower the meat H'tep offered her, insisting with a wordless order that he feed her by hand. He had no qualms about doing so, following the order readily enough.

[MothyCake]

Candidate Licoriss - Adella (mentions of Joffery, Malady and Xena)

Licoriss stared in absolute horror as the dragon that hatched from the Venom Queen egg literally bit off part of a candidate's finger. Even if it was Joffery, he felt no one deserved that. He looked terrified and soon, he yelped as he saw Adella jump towards him, "W-wait, Adella, I'm not that strong!"

Hence why he was soon tackled to the ground by Adella. He groaned, slowly looking up from the sands up at her.

"P.. please get off of me. You're crushing me.." That was not him implying she was overweight, of course.

Just that he was extremely thin and not strong AT all.

[Fel]

Candidate Malady Tag: Joffrey

TW: Violence, blood

Malady recoiled slightly as some weird mutant... thing hatched. What an awful color. What even was that supposed to be? Obviously there was something wrong with all of these dragons.

There was something wrong with them and still none so far had found him worth notice save for one, and he'd trampled him. On purpose.

"Ugh, maybe that's the one for you," he told Joffrey with a sneer. Sure enough, the bizarre dragon suddenly launched itself in their direction. For a brief moment, he wished it was coming for him. A friend at long last... It tore at Joffrey's hand before whirling on him. His own dragon after a—

A loud shriek escaped him as she bit down on his arm. Hard. But that wasn't the worst; that was when she suddenly shook her head, and it felt like she was trying to tear his elbow out of place. He shrieked again as he felt... something start to give way, and then she finally let go before she could finish the job of disarming him.

He sank to his knees, cradling his bleeding arm, shaking with panicky sobs. It hurt. It hurt so much. What if she'd ruined his arm forever? Oh Faranth, he was crying. In front of everyone. The realization could only make matters worse.

[FirebrandPhlox]

Phelps of Blue Velfryth - Hamun, Impression

Phelps watched carefully as more eggs hatched and the gangly dragonets paired off with their riders. With each egg he frowned deeper and deeper, beginning to worry he wouldn't actually find his partner this hatching. Hope could the eggs overlook him like this? How was he less worthy than Petraxen or Kirin? He was a man who actually knew the value of labor, not some bratty child who had never known a day's work.

"These dragons have terrible taste," Phelps complained loudly to Hamun. "I don'tthink any of these whelps will actually be able to handle their partners. Maybe the dragons are too scared of having someone who can actually stand up to them. It's easier to bully a weak-willed child than a man, after all."

He was so focused on his bellyaching that he barely even registered that the Lord of Fallen Snows was hatching. The egg had given him a distinct reaction, instead of the general irritation and anger of its siblings. From it emerged a blue, elegant and graceful as her egg's namesake. This is was a dragon that knew what she wanted, making a fairly direct path to him.

Is it you, well and truly?

"If you'relooking for a man who's actually qualified to be a rider, then yes." Phelps replied, arms crossed over his chest.

Good. Velfryth communicated as her eyes swirled rainbows. I need one that can speciation my worth.

Phelps grinned smugly as the dragon's self mingled with his own. Velfryth was self-assured, knew who she was. She was grace. She was beauty. She was perfection. She was Phelps' ticket out of further latrine duty.

He returned Hamun's pat with an appreciative nod. He hoped one of the remaining eggswas for him, at least tokeep him company while dealing with the children. He placeda hands on Velfryth's back, guiding her over to the barrels of meat.

It is much too hot. We are going to someplace cooler, yes?

"Nope!" Phelps replied. "We're getting you fed. We have to stay here until the rest hatch. You're starving, I can feel it, and I'm not letting you go hungry because you can't stand a bit of sun."

I am a dragon of Pern! Surely they can allowmy first meal to be somewhere that isn't insufferably hot!

"The food is here and you're going to eat it here!" Phelps shot back, his volume rising.

No! I refuse to be on these sands any longer! She insisted, already turning to exit.

"Oh no you don't!" Phleps shouted, throwing his arms around the dragon's neck. "On my pride as a cook, you're not going hungry!"

Velfryth's claws scampered against the sands for a moment, trying to claw her way out of the hatching grounds and to somewhere cooler, but Phelps heaved and worth great effort, began dragging the blue towards the barrels of meat.

[Ezra]

Francel of Brown Vettith - Wr'ion

Francel had been sitting in the stands, having arrived slightly late due to trying to help someone in the kitchen with a quick inventory issue. He had come in after a few eggs had hatched and was rather shocked at the carnage and honestly glad he was not still standing down there.. he and Eli honestly. Vettith had settled down alongside the other dragons, being as calm as he could be though he was filled with excitement, then worry, then excitement and then back again.

Francel felt his dragon's conflicting emotions and cleared his own mind to be calm and soothing, satisfied when his dragon felt less at odds. Naturally of course, when Venom Queen hatched, it all went out the window. With a audible gasp and an expression of worry, he resisted the urge to shout for healers to check on those wounded candidates. Surely they knew best and it was not his place to tell them otherwise. Turning to the person next to him, he spoke. " That dragon there.. is certainly angry.. but there is a beauty to their hide, don't you think?" He said, trying to think about anything but the blood on the sand.

[nineofswords]

Tychon of Green Ezanath - A'tu

Tychon laughed. "Oh I don't know, I enjoyed how tight-knit we were. Constantly tripping over hot, bored guys with nothing better to do than spend some quality time with me? There are worse situations to find yourself in." Tychon very definitely had firm priorities, even now after he'd graduated from both candidacy and weyrlinghood.

"Well, if we can find a few more dragons to take me up on it, I'll get something organized for the next hatching," Tychon said with a chuckle. "It's hardly betting if it's just one dragon. There's no one to compete against, after all." Plus, if it was just one better and the bookie, the bookie couldn't really make any money. Those were just individual bets, and he'd end up having to find the shells for the payout if he lost. The point of this was to get other dragons to do the work for him, after all.

"Aw, but other people's misery is so funny," Tychon said with a snicker. He gave A'tu a wink. He heaved a sigh. "But you're right, it's funnier when the kid isn't that badly hurt."

"Flattering my dragon will get you everywhere," Tychon said with a smirk, giving A'tu a playful nudge. He was delighted when A'tu seemed to be taking the proximity well. He was a fairly attractive man after all, and it wasn't like either of them were Weyrlings anymore...

He chuckled. "No, ours wasn't nearly this violent, which I remember thinking was boring. This one is much more entertaining, and will give the little candidates a taste of what real work is like." He nodded at the comment about how good the dragons would look in the skies. "Oh that they will. More tropical little birds to add to our pretty menagerie." He barked out a laugh as the brown declared himself king. "Well that one's got balls, at least! I like him."

[Jabberwoky]

The Thunder Prince rattled like a storm, starting to shake and roll around on the sands. It pushed and bounced, rocked and rolled, before finally a striking dragonet burst forwards from the shell. She shook the goop from her before throwing her head back and making a noise that was probably supposed to be a howl.



A green!

Her hide was a dark, shadowy green, broken by lightning-jagged markings of a brighter, more electric hue. Her wingsails and toes were the same color, so vivid it seems it should almost glow.

She bounded to the candidates, ignoring almost all of them. She already had someone in mind, she knew who she was going to! She launched herself on strong legs, tackling Francesca to the ground, rolling and tumbling over her before bouncing up and shoving her snout into the young lady's face.

Francesca! Get up! Get up get up get up get up! She demanded, flapping her wings.

Cradled in Nebulaeth's forepaws, the Queen of Ruin sat unmoving.

---

Currently hatching: Queen of Ruin... maybe
Eggs Hatched: 11/12

[toby-du-coeur]

K'rin & Lantrath - H'tep and Zyadreth

Oh, forsk. Hamun (H'tep) had impressed after all - and what was that dragon? Large, bossy even to her rider, and coloured vividly like the poisonous reptiles K'rin had been warned about.

K'rin had held his own just fine at the mining hold, against reproving adults and kids who thought they were all that just because they had two doting parents. Semaca would be no different - and now he had a dragon to defend him, loyal to the bone and literally eating out of his hand.

Lantrath paused in his ravenous feeding to raise his slender head toward the new dragonpair. I say, let's not get on Zyadreth's bad side. She was dashed fierce even in the shell. Worst of us all, maybe.

Listen here, first impressions matter. He laughed a bit at his pun. We need to stand up for ourselves. You're a dragon, she's a dragon, I'm a pirate, he's a pirate. Same-same. But how could anyone resist those whirling eyes? Well maybe we can declare peace for now. As long as they leave us alone. He reached for another bloody strip of herdbeast.

And then, of course, the venom-green dragonet shoved Lantrath rudely aside.

Pardon me, sis. Lantrath was already retreating from the bucket - which had the best of the remaining scraps. No hard feelings, what?

And K'rin had just been mocking Joffrey for having a bark worse than his bite.

"YES hard feelings. Control your dragon, Faranth. That's your big brother, dimglow!" he added to the spiteful creature.

You couldn't give bullies an inch. K'rin made sure to sneak another handful of meat, lightning-fast, before he followed Lantrath away. He'd rather be with Renkestuous or L'ysc anyway.

[Ezra]

TW: Darker musings about Queen of Ruin egg

Candidate Adella - Licoriss

Adella flushed slightly. " I am so sorry, I didn't hurt you did I?" She asked, feeling like a fool for the sudden reaction. She had been handling herself so well thus far before then too! She quickly scrambled off her fellow candidate and offered a hand to help him up. Her attention turned to the the Thunder Prince as it hatched and thankfully impressed to a candidate without carnage.. thank Faranth. But the last one.. Queen of Ruin... was not moving. She felt tears welling in her eyes, her heart going out to the damaged egg. Closing her eyes, she focused her thoughts and let out a silent prayer for the baby within.

" Come on little one, fight, come forth, there is someone out here that needs you, that will love you. You are so brave... so brave." She prayed and two tears traced their way down her cheeks.


-----------

Candidate Anphiel - Hatching Chaos

The Venom Queen's rampage was horrifying but given it did not happen to her, she was resisting the urge to laugh. Joffrey, the little forsker got exactly what he had coming. Malady, she was indifferent about but was not surprised when after going for him, the dragon then impressed on Hamun. Good.. let him deal with that freak of nature, she was above such a defective dragon and hoped he got many bites over the course of his weyrlinghood. This clutch was disappointing and she spared a brief glance towards the broken egg not moving. Was it being dramatic or was it... naw, it had to be viable or else why would Nebulath be so protective of it? But it was not allowed to be touched so even if it hatched.. would it even know what it wanted? Regardless, she didn't care who got that, as long as it was not her. She was ready to be off these damn hot sands and getting a nice cool glass of water.

[nineofswords]

H'tep of Croppa Zyadreth - K'rin/Lantrath

Zyadreth didn't even acknowledge that the blue had addressed her, simply moved forward towards the bucket he'd been at and waited for her rider to begin feeding her by hand. She certainly wasn't going to lower herself by eating out of a bucket like some kind of animal.

H'tep raised an eyebrow at K'rin. "I am controlling her," he pointed out. "Her first impulse was to maul your bond. Be grateful I was able to talk her out of it."

Big brother? Zyadreth hissed at the human who'd dared speak to her. Would you like to see the true meaning of the word 'big', human? She rose up on her hind legs splaying out her wings, taking up as much space as she possibly could. Your Landrath knows his place, knows better than to dare to speak to me in such a tone. Landrath was wise to apologize to me, and for that wisdom I give you one chance to walk away before I showing you the true meaning of power, you worm.

H'tep just offered K'rin a smirk. "As I said. But by all means, antagonize her further if you think she's just bluster." He didn't care one way or another what K'rin did. Zyadreth was his dragon now, and no one could take her from him, after all, no matter what she did. He felt invincible.

[MothyCake]

TW: Darker musings about Queen of Ruin egg

Candidate Licoriss - Adella

He let out a exhale as soon as Adella got off, grabbing onto her hand and slowly standing up. His legs were shaking, still in shock after what he had just seen before Adella had jumped onto him. Slowly, his eyes moved to the last egg. He knew this was the last chance to impress at this clutch, but his heart felt heavy.

This egg had been bitten by a tunnelsnake and he was worried about what would happen to the dragonet inside. He looked towards Adella, his eyes growing wide as he saw her crying. He moved closer, putting his arm around her.

"Hey.. the dragonet will be okay, I promise.."

That's what he told himself, anyway.

---

Wr'ion of Blue Sameth - Francel

Wr'ion was surprised when the other spoke to him, turning to Francel. Honestly, he had been more concerned about Anduin instead of actually paying attention to others in the stands. He smiled a bit, Sameth now hiding behind him due to the violence he had seen.

"Yes. Even if there are violence on the sands, the weyrling class looks like they will be able to anticipate whatever challenges approach them." Sameth gave a bit of a whine, nestling close to behind Wr'ion's back. The weyrling moved to touch Sameth's back, hoping this would help calm him down.

[Tortellini]

There was one egg left. The one Nebulaeth had failed. Queen of Ruin. A more fitting title for Nebulaeth herself, perhaps.

You didn't fail, Liyanel replied immediately, as ae always did. Ae had thought and said that countless times over the past sevendays, but it didn't seem to help.

Nebulaeth found it easy to ignore her rider as she looked down at her last child. The bandage on its shell stood out harshly against the delicate flower marking. And worst of all, the egg was. Not. Moving.

With utmost care, the gold bent her snout to the surface of the egg, brushing it ever so slightly.

Live. Half command - not a queen's powerful Command, but a mother's - and half plea. Please. Hatch. Live. Bond.

[Arcane]

Fr'es of Green Stygiath- Open

This was not the hatching Francesca had expected thought, as she watched the green charging right for her. She had seen maulings before, when Daphne, Eloise and Benedict stood. But not to this extent- when it seemed a roll of weighted dice whether the new dragon would shed blood.

Perhaps this endeavor had been a mistake.

When the clutch ended, she would have to politely inquire if all Semacan hatchings were this...explosive. If so, perhaps she would be wise to seek a different path to an independent life.

Semacan candidates were a different breed than their northern counterparts.

Even the most bloodthirsty of dragons had a candidate so eager as to all but physically forcing the bond. Francesca did not have the sort of mettle.

She turned and tried to run from the coming violence, but not fast enough. The unexpected collusion sent her rolling across the ground, hatchling claws prickling her skin, as hot sand poured down her hatching robe and boots.

And then the green's face was stuck right in front of hers, wings flapping, a childish demand that could have easily come from her baby sister Hyacinth spoken in a voice so powerful it struck Francesca like a bolt of lightning and all but made her thoughts ache as it echoed through her mind.

She blinked in confusion, struggling to remember her own name as the green looked at her, with eyes full of rainbows, momentarily struck dumb.

You need to get up! the voice demanded again, I'm hungry. And bored. We're going to miss all the excitement, if you don't get up. They've probably already eaten all the best meat and scared off all the interesting prey.

"They hatched first," Francesca managed to stammer a few insipid words.

The green rolled her eyes, Obviously. Which is why we've got a lot of catching up to do. Which we can't do until you get up.

"I'm Fran...Francesca...Fr'es?" Francesca tried rapidly, trying to find something the green liked, "Stygiath?"

I know, Stygiath said dryly, as she attempt to physically nudge Fr'es back to her feet (despite being barely the size of a hunting canine).

Fr'es tried to regain her balance, as she finally rose from the sands, dusting herself off as best she could, as she reached for the green to carry to her to the meat bowls.

"Are you really mine?"

I certainly hope so. Because I'm not going to let you be anyone else's.

[Jabberwoky]

One nudge. One small nudge, and a plea from its dam. The egg was still. And still. Then it wobbled. Once. Then twice. Slowly it moved more. The parchment bandage was pushed at, tearing away from the shell as it finally broke. Pieces were shoved away, and soon a pale hatchling managed to stumble out.



A garnet.

A garnet!

The egg hatched!

Her hide was a pale, delicate purple, with vivid red markings blooming across her wings like an exotic flower. She crawled over Nebulaeth's foreleg, landing softly on the sands and weaving her way among broken shells towards the candidates. She was quick, not particularly wanting to be on the sands and it showed. She flared her wings, hissing at the candidates as she wove around them, eyes whirling anxiously as she made her way to Adella.

Let's leave. Now. Leaving. Now. She said quickly, shifting her weight nervously as her eyes whirled in nervous rainbows.

And that was that. The clutch that started with a disaster was all free, with a fine number of new Weyrlings to Semacan ranks.