Interrupting a Lesson

[Spirithawk]

Rhia smiled and called out congratulations to all the newly impressed. When the newest male greenrider asked for her help she gestured to a drudge. "Feed her piece by piece. Don't let her gorge otherwise you'll have to deal with it when she gets sick. What is her name?"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The sapphire blue cocked his head from side to side, reviewing the last remaining Candidates on the sands. He started to move forward but then decided against it, sitting on his haunches, watching the Candidates carefully.

His bronzen brother was a bit more forceful as he sent sand flying in his dash to reach his chosen. Perilth hungers. His voice was deep, demanding and very forceful. Feed me S'yer.

OOC: FF4500

[Akki]

K’ael looked rather visibly relaxed as Tanwen gave him permission to stick around. “Thank you. I’m afraid my knowledge about dragons is more about their anatomy then Impressing them.” He admitted with a smile. The girl looked around seventeen, maybe eighteen Turns and K’ael felt a bit awkward talking to her so freely. When he conversed with people this age it was because they had injured themselves but now he was a Weyrling among them. He might as well try to get as comfortable as possible. He fed the last scrap of meat to Osaith and then watched with slight amusement as the green’s head bobbled. It continued to bobble until she flopped onto the ground, curled up and closed her eyes. Like Tanwen’s green, she had fallen asleep right after eating.

“Her name is Osaith.” It was an odd feeling, introducing what would grow to be the second half of you. “And I’m K’ael. I’m a Journeyman Healer from Caspian Hold actually. Yourself? And your green of course.” He asked with genuine curiosity. The girl seemed quite nice despite the fact that he was a stranger. Oh and how he felt like a stranger. At Caspian Hold he knew practically everyone and now he was at a new residence where he was the new guy all over again.

----

Faine also cheered loudly when V’ael Impressed the beautiful olive green. She didn’t know the boy all that well to be honest but thoroughly enjoyed her conversation with him at the Lake. She made a quick note to formally congratulate him as soon as she could. Plus she wanted to meet the green. And all the other dragons too, of course.

She practically jumped when Relina approached her, not expecting the girl to come back onto the sands. Faine was a rather twitchy girl on Hatching days especially when she had already been bowled over once. Faine flashed the girl a large grin, “Nope! Not yet at least.” She actually didn’t feel disappointed at the fact that she was still dragon-less. If she Impressed she would obviously be ecstatic. But Faine had a back up plan for if she didn’t. She’d stay at Dark Moon and hopefully stand again – but if she ended up not Impressing at all she hoped to stay as a cook. She had her future planned for whatever situation she found herself in. “The brown and I were just having a staring match. I lost though.” She laughed. Optimism was her forte.

She grabbed onto Relina’s arm slightly. “Look! The bronze Impressed!” She cried out with joy. She wretched her eyes away from the bronze and the sapphire blue and turned her attention back to Relina. “Will you please introduce me to your green?” Faine breathed, excitement obvious in her voice.

[Torva Anian]

Kallan gave a little jump when he finally got to see an egg hatch. Ooo, what a pretty little blue. He was still waiting for his winged tunnel snake though. He'd be the awesome-est drago-errr tunnel snake rider of Pern then. The first and only, but the best. It'd be hard to make a harness for it, but he'd accomplish it. Or not, that'd be a little tough. Kallan tapped his lower lip, herm, maybe he should just aim for a dragon. Harness designing wasn't his strong suit.

He glanced up to see sand flying as a bronze ran past to another male. He clapped enthusiastically for the guy, not at all noticing the dwindling number of eggs. If he was a little less vapid Kallan might have worried about arriving so late or so few eggs left. Or maybe that he was aging older and on his second turn Standing, but as it was he was very excited to watch all the dragon toddle along.

Kallan glanced upwards, having hardly noticed the crowd until now. Even so late, there were still some pouring in adragonback. This hatching had taken everyone rather off guard. He was still upset, no one had thought to wake him before now, then again he'd not have thought to wake anyone if they told him eggs were hatching.

[panther]

Garisath?
Yes Ez’ki?
The healer wants me to tend to my cuts, I’m not too fussed though, just don’t concern yourself if I wince or swear or something ok? The brown laughed, a peculiar noise in comparison to that he had heard from larger dragons once upon a time
I’ll not worry, but I’m still hungry,[/color] Ez smirked, cut a few pieces of meat smaller, so as the dragon had no physical way to choke on them as he scoffed them down. Ez took a quick glance about him. There was no sign of Salina, is brows knitted, and he looked over at the stands. She stil stood. His heart jumped for her. Making him nervous for her. He had never imagined she might not impress… Shards. Shed be heart broken.

Ez’ki nodded to the Healer, “Aye, He’s settled now Master healer.” Ez hadn’t met the man before, apparently by the grape vine, he’d been a new arrival, slightly before the clutch had hatched. “I’m sorry to be a trouble to you, but one of the little one just burst out from his shell, the shards caught me before I realised,” His words were spoken softly.

What a foolish hatchling, I have right to bite his tail in penance. Ez smirked, he’d purposefully left ambiguity in the words he spoke to the healer, seen as his brown was oblivious to what had happened, he wouldn’t enlighten him, and cast guilt upon him.

“They are only minor though, I’m sure they’d heal if they were left be, I think I just made this one,” He pointed to his cheek, “Look worse than it is, I bleed a lot apparently.” He smirked, his cheek stung a little, but it was only a small nagging pain, easy to ignore. The new Brown Weyrling rolled up his sleeves a little more than they had been, and slid his bangles off of each wrist, making tinkling noises as he gathered them together in one hand and left himself open for the healer.


.:.:.:.Kalyr

Kalyr stood behind the wealth of candidates, impressions followed by impressions, he watched in awe as each of the former holder folk, or weyrfolk, transcended their ranks and became a dragonman. He smiled, and cheered and clapped along with the rest of the crowd, slightly louder for one candidate, Zigana – the awkward one he had met in the lower caverns. She had impressed blue!

What luck! A fine impression, and a perfectly peculiar blue too! He hoped that this might ease her awkwardness around people. He smiled softly, his attentions soon turned back to the sands, a spate of impressions meant that several new weyrlings left the sands! And, as he looked back, the Bronzen one Impressed! He grinned, cheered louder. It was good to see a bronze amongst the hatchlings, he looked strong. A fine bronze – but then, Kalyr had naught to compare it to, he’d never seen a bronze hatchling before, and he wouldn’t be able to tell you if he was stronger or weaker than a green who hatched beside him.

A few eggs remained unbroken, he prayed that their journey between hadn’t caused the creatures to die or likewise. That would be a pity. Currently, unimpressed and hatched, only one dragon stood, a wondrously beautiful blue, the brightest tone he had ever seen, vivid and strong. He grinned – a little like a fool – and watched for his impression, though, all the time he watched the eggs for signs of splitting an cracking, hoping to see what they had inside them.

[Spirithawk]

The next one to hatch was another brown. This lad stormed out of his egg, not sending shards flying like Ez'ki's brown but forcefully enough that he tripped and cut a flip, landing in the sand, looking dazed for a few moments before his mission returned to his mind. Even as a hatchling, this boy was built, his muscles rippling as he walked. When he grew larger, those muscles would be more pronounced. He would be a good-sized brown, though perhaps a little heavy on his hind quarters than might be expected.

His hide is dark, unerringly so, a dark, deep cold brown that one would imagine would be warm, yet his is not. He carries himself with a sullen grace, one that would insinuate he knows more, and is better than others, despite the fact that he earnestly believes the first part, the second part is only thought about certain members of the Weyr. his size can compete with that of the smallest bronze in the Weyr and is only slightly smaller than Mneith, though at first glance, you couldn't tell.

He snorted some sand out of his nose and shook his wedge-shaped head, the sand sticking to his wet hide irritating him. He stood, his powerful haunches nearly overcorrecting and sending him sprawling again. He would be graceful when he was older, but for now, he needed to grow into his frame.

[catilena1890]

Relina smirked at the antics of the girl. She was filled with so much energy, Relina didn't know if she would be able to keep up her, but she would try. She looked to where the girl was pointing and saw the Impression of the bronze. "Yes, Impression is wonderful isn't it?" She said, marvelling at her dragons brother. She gasped lightly when Faine grabbed her arm and almost pushed her away *for she has received too many unpleasent touches to like being touched now* until the girls request erased her discomfort. For the first time, she gave a warm smile to the girl and put her hand on her dragon. "Of course." She replied. She looked to her dragon. Could you speak to her on your own? she mentally asked her dragon, for she did not know much about what a dragon can do and can't do.

I could talk to anyone I wished, but I choose not to speak to anyone but you and my fellow dragons. We only speak to others if it is absolutely needed. You tell her everything I say to her. Besides, from the memories of what the little one shows me from you, this will be good for you. You need to learn to communicate with others without having poison in your words.[/color] She stated haughtily while moving her head to look at Faine.

A pretty girl she is though. She shall be the first I talk to, but again, only if I want to.[/color] Relina chuckled at her dragons words before turning her face back to Faine. "Her name is Soranith, and she really likes you, she thinks you are pretty." She told the girl with a brow raised.

[Spirithawk]

The sapphire blue dragon walked calmly up to Kallan. You're late K'lan. Though the words could have been accusatory, his tone was not. My name is Illoth and I hunger. Please feed me.

He gently butted his head knobs against his rider's leg. I itch too. There was a mild complaint in his voice but he was trying not to sound demanding. He wanted his rider to want to tend to him, not be forced to do so.

[Spirithawk]

Yet another blue tumbled out onto the sands as his egg cracked around him. This dragon was a clear, aqua blue. His wings were lighter and his feet were darker, much like the way the depths of the ocean shift from lighter to darker shades of blue. He would be a large blue, certainly larger than some of his brethren but definitely not abnormally large.

[Marnark’tranarprol]

Ragule nodded. "Facial wounds and head injuries usually do bleed a lot more than one might expect. What's your name, son?" he agreed, using his red-wort soaked cloth to wash the lad's face clean of blood. Then he took a little more care in cleaning the cut on his face. His fingers worked swiftly and gently, inducing little pain in the few instances that he did. Once Ragule was sure the wound was clean and no longer bleeding, he applied a very small amount of numbweed to it. "There, that one's all fixed up, now let's see the arm."

"Egg shards can be astoundingly sharp. But no hatchling really has any control over what his shell does ... at the time, thier sole focus is in getting out of it." Ragule commented, calmly, as he similarly washed the mild cuts on Ez'ki's arm. It didn't take much to wipe away the blood and ensure there was no sand or egg goo in the cuts. Again, he applied a little bit of numbweed, smoothing the salve on with a finger. There was not enough there to really be noticible to anyone who wasn't inspecting the wounds, but it was enough to take the sting out of the cuts.

Torc hummed happily, scratching away on the hatchling's head as if tireless.

"There you go ... just don't scratch them, or they might scar slightly. Normally I wouldn't bother with messing with it much, but seeing as you just impressed ... be sure to keep them doctored with just a little numbweed. Your dragon feels everything you do, and at this age, the last thing he needs is to be feeling those. Understood?" Ragule asked, simply, before digging out a small jar of the salve and putting it into his hands. "There you go. Should be more than enough. Don't try to 'suck it up' and 'be a man' about it, either ... this is your dragon you're doing it for, not you." Ragule advised, well aware that some lads prefered to tough it out than admit they felt a thing.

[Dragon]

Dicar watched in silence as each candidate impressed. He noted none in particular, for he was too focused on himself. By now the candidate was starting to wonder if he'd ever impress here. It was already enough that he was late, now it appeared he may be left standing. It would certainly wound his pride, but there was so much more to Dicar than pride. There seemed to be something else. Something else that was kept behind closed doors.

Dicar was always like that, a loner. He let no one in and tried his best to keep everyone else away. He had to wonder if that may be his downfall to impressing a dragon. But he was searched, so there had to be something there. Dicar decided not to dwell on it and continued to watch the hatching silently.

(OOC: I want to give a special thanks to Akki who saved my skin and put a post in there for me when I wasn't able. Yes, I am in your debt.)

[Minajerie]

Perilth hungers. Feed me S'yer.

Sleyer had a moment of confusion and possibly disbelief. Firstly, all of a sudden this voice was in his head- very odd that. And secondly... the voice was talking to... S'yer? Wait... (internal wheels turning) Wasn't that kinda like... his name?

...I thought you would be quicker on the uptake than this mine. I hunger, feed your Perilth!

S'yer's eyes bugged out a little. He... he had impressed? To the liquid metal bronze?! His mouth twitched with a smile that wasn't suppressed, but unsure of how to come out. S'yer didn't smile much- a problem of the serious. He had a feeling that this particular fact may change... perhaps for the better.

Verdann gave him a hearty pat on the back as he congratulated him. S'yer's face decided to form a half smile, an action that made his face now look wistfully playful. He even had a happy twinkle in his eye.

S'yer kneeled in the sand and lightly caressed his new dragons jaw. I'm very sorry, Perilth. I think I was in... denial? Or perhaps I thought I was hearing things, after all, you are very special, and I did not even imagine you would choose me.

Yes. Special. Me. Can we go feed me now? It is hard to think with this hunger. Perilth started to walk off towards where the food was, then turned back to his mine. Well? Come on. I can't very well get the food myself... I don't have thumbs.

Was that... humor? S'yer smiled, he had a pushy, prideful dragon with a sense of humor. Apparently, his life was about to get much more entertaining. S'yer trotted to catch up with Perilth. "Okay, okay. Food it is. After all, one cannot think on an empty stomach."

Hear hear. Now feed me. The small bronze sat with regal posture and fixed S'yer with his hungry gaze.

S'yer chuckled. And grasped a bowl of meat from a drudge. "...Thanks." He took out his belt knife and cut some of the bigger pieces in half, having a feeling that his dragon was going to consume as much as he could as fast as he could.

Try to eat at a normal pace. If you scarf down your food, you may choke. S'yer bent down and deposited the bowl in front of his bronze, then watched the dragon attack it.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Verdann knew when they were searched, that it was mainly Sleyer that had caught her attention so. And the green had been right, Sleyer had impressed a bronze. A BRONZE!! Verdann could barely contain himself. It was such an exciting thing for his friend!!

"Congrats, bro! You got yourself one shell of a fine dragon!" Verdann couldn't help but give his friend a few good thumps on the back, even though he knew Sleyer... S'yer now, didn't really like physical contact. But his friend didn't do anything... or he did. He smiled... kinda. Verdann was a little stunned by the look on his friends face- a look he had never seen before. Did a dragon really change a person that much?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Andilay smiled as she watched the bronze and blue impress. She hid a smile and low laugh at the surprised expression of the new bronze weyrling. He seemed to have a very good friend beside him, one that was enthusiastically happy for him. It made her feel a little bad for her reaction towards Rayn's impression. She would have to apologize later.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Rayn kneeled down to give Llanwreth his second bowl of meat. She shook her head in disbelief. He was such a mannerly dragon. Even though he was starving, he was only taking what he could chew thoroughly and swallow.

Rayn contemplated her dragon with a slight shake of her head. "Um... Master Rhia? Is it a brown to be restrained while eating? Did Mneith have impeccable manners when he was hatched... or is this just a Llanreth thing?"

[panther]

Ez went to nod in agreement to the facial wounds bleeding more, he winced as he managed to move into Ragule’s clutch, he rolled his eyes, “Sorry, I’m not thinking, and as for my name? Well, I guess it’s Ez’ki now, but Ez’ll do.” Pain flared again, His eyes watered too, whatever it was it was pungent enough to cause such a reaction. Also, whatever Ragule was doing it was stinging. Ez presented both forearms, bangles still in hand.

“Aye, I don’t blame them, after spending so much time in a single place, I think I’d try and escape in such a drastic fashion too.” Ez listened well, “I’ll try not to Master healer, but I can’t avoid what I do in my sleep, but if I can stop Garisath from hurting, I shall.” He laughed hesitantly at what Ragule mentioned as Ez took the Salve from the man, “Don’t you worry, the only reason there was no fuss made, was because I was surrounded by eggs, all of whom were hatching. And all of whom were hungry.” Ez’ki smirked. Eying his new dragon. How strange that it was this little one with the stripe under his eye, who’d given Ez a mark to match. Well, though Ez’s was only temporary. Hopefully.

[Xennai]

Salina could feel panic beginning to claw at her throat, despite her best efforts to send it away, to abolish it, to keep it tamped down and at bay. More and more eggs were hatching, their residents spilled out to the hot sands, revealing colors and oddities and similiarities amongst them all. As a result, more and more people were Impressing to these new hatchlings and leading their new lifemates off, to a destiny she couldn't imagine, their new lives begun in the moment that eyes and minds connected.

But she was left...Alone...On the Sands.

She would have felt a bit better had Ez been there, waiting as well. Waiting for what may, or may not, have been the inevitable. Then, they could send each other thoughts and words in the meeting of eyes, in glances and twitches of the face. She desperately wanted to see him, to get whatever solace and compassion she could from him. The fact that she wanted him, wanted his companionship, was a frightening thought to dwell on as well because she'd never been like that, never really relied on anyone and now she realized that she did, and she might never be able to see him, to be equal companions with him again, was almost as daunting as the thought of not Impressing.

Thoughts whirled back to that, to the idea that she might never Impress, and she felt sick, felt her stomach clenching and bile rising. She'd never really considered the idea. Oh, as a passing thought perhaps or when playing a game of What If... But she'd never, actually, in fully conscious thought and realization, accepted the reality that the dream she'd clung to since practically infancy might not come to fruition.

Though the Sands were hot, nearly unbearably so, Salina felt herself breaking out in a cold sweat, dewing her face, wetting her nape and making clothes cling to her back. Breath was shallow, near panting, and her eyes were wide and dark in an already pale face that had gone even whiter. She looked as if she'd seen her worst nightmare realized.

Because, really, she had.

[Spirithawk]

The last brown on the stands started along the line of Candidates looking for his chosen. There weren't many left on the sands now but he wasn't concerned. His chosen was there. The brown seemed almost annoyed that he had to cross the sands to find his chosen as he walked along, trying to shake the sand from his body. He tripped and fell again, letting out a bellow. When he lifted his head again, he saw that his aqua blue brother was walking near his chosen. He let out another bellow, this one of rage.

He knocked down the female Candidate that now stood between him and his rider. The young woman he knocked down was Andilay and his claws cut deeply into her left arm after it tore open her shirt. The scratches on her ribs were mild but the cuts on her arm would need stitches. There were two sets of scratches, one from his forelegs, the other from his hind legs. The other set had landed on her clothes and lightened the force of the cuts. He didn't care about the girl he mauled, only that he didn't want his brother to get his rider. He bore down on the blue, rage and hunger whirling in his eyes.

The aqua blue squealed as his brother's sharp teeth latched onto his flank and tried to back away from the brown. The action made the brown's teeth tear even more of the tender hide and green ichor gushed from the wound. He frantically scrambled backwards, backing into Salina and knocking her over. The brown started to go after the blue again but Kaith's loud bellowed command stopped him.

Find your chosen!

D'car! Your Tetroth is here. Feed me.

The little blue cried piteously, sitting on Salina's legs and dripping ichor on her and the sand.

V'dann. Even the blue's mind voice was filled with pain. Please help you Funornth. I hurt.

OOC: Tetroth = 663300
Funornth = 00FFFF

[Spirithawk]

The dragon's hum of welcome faded, signaling that the Hatching was over. There were two eggs left on the sands but they showed no sign of life. They would discreetly be taken *between* after the riders made sure there were no living dragonets trapped inside. The riders could only surmise that it was either the cold of the transfer or the eggs were dead even before they were transferred. The larger clutches were more likely to have dead eggs within them.

13 of the 15 eggs had hatched and found their bondeds on the sands this day. There were injuries, more so than usual, but none of the dragonets had died after hatching or gone *between* because their chosens were not there for them.

Christae ran, calling for Rhia because the blue's injury was pretty bad. She called to Ragule because Andilay was dripping blood on the sands just as the blue was dripping ichor into the sands as well. The Queenrider and her wing would have to help clean the sands so that it would be ready for the next hatching. The cavern was due for fresh sand anyway after the flooding. The cavern had a musty smell to it.

[Dragon]

Dicar watched on as the brown went on it's rampage. Dicar would be wide eyed with concern and even worry, but he didn't show it. He wasn't going to break that icey look on his face, not even in the face of danger, or what he considered danger. This brown had mauled a female candidate, leaving wounds and her shirt practically trashed. Dicar did his best not to stare, but he was going to eye that brown.

The brown that was now attacking a blue dragonet. If this didn't end soon, a person or a dragon could very well die today. Dicar didn't want that at all, but he knew there was nothing he could do besides staying aware and trying to get out of the way if necessary. But as the brown was going to go after the blue again, he stopped.

Dicar had to wonder what in the world could have possibly stopped him. But the candidate didn't have long to wonder because that brown was speaking to him! D'car! Your Tetroth is here. Feed me. Dicar looked directly at the brown approaching him. Did you not hear me? Your Tetroth is hungry. The candidate said nothing, but simply nodded. He made his way off the sands, giving one final glance at the carnage his dragon had left in the wake of his impression. Yes, that's right. HIS dragon. HIS impression.

Dicar could actually claim that he was happy, genuinely happy. He wasn't pleased at what the dragonet had done by any means, but Dicar was now D'car of brown Tetroth. There could be nothing greater than that. In this moment he indulged in one thought and spoke it to himself. Sister, I will make you proud of me. With that final thought, D'car had left the sands.

[Xennai]

Panic, as well as nausea, set in. Stomach clenched and she almost gagged from the overwhelming urge that all was not going according to the plan, that everything was very wrong indeed. Salina swallowed back the bile that had clogged her throat, gray eyes closing as she fought for control. She was not going to retch here, in front of the people gathered for the Hatching. She wouldn’t. And she would not cry. She would not.

But it was nearing the end and she knew there was no Queen Egg. They would have known. There would have been gossip. That last-ditch hope reserved for a female was not there and she felt an overwhelming, crushing blow against her chest, against her heart.

A blue and a brown. A blue and a brown were left and she was praying, praying with all of her might and strength and self that one of those might be hers, that one of those might be her bonded, her chosen, and that she would not be left here, devastated and alone amongst the ashes of her dreams.

Salina watched numbly as the brown bellowed after his brother, lunging. She watched as the rich color of blood stained the sands beneath their feet as a girl was mauled. She watched as the brown lunged after the blue to sink his teeth into his clutchmate’s hide. She realized, dimly, that she was panicking, that her mind had disconnected from her body in shock.

That’s what this was. This was shock. Terrible, horrible shock.

Then she was falling, falling, falling, time seeming to have stopped, to have turned into a gel, into something thick that seemed to slow her descent until she hit the burning sands, breath leaving her body, making eyes smart from the pain. Something heavy had knocked her over. What had knocked her over?

Salina couldn’t see. Something heavy and blue was blocking her vision. It mingled with green and she felt warmth, a different kind from the sands, something hot and sticky. Blood. She twisted feebly, half-hearted in her search. She saw the green and realized it wasn’t blood, but the dragon equivalent—ichor. Whatever small burst of interest that had risen faded and her head thumped back against the sands. So it was a dragon blocking her vision, a dragon that was sitting on her. And one that wasn’t her own.

Eyes closed, the reverberating under her head stilling. She had to swallow, hard, to stem the tears that threatened to rise. She was Salina. She didn’t cry. She wouldn’t cry. She wouldn’t. She swore it. She just laid there, wondering if this would be her fate from now on—a someone who thought they actually were someone but they weren’t. Not really. They were just someone with a dream that hadn’t been achieved and the tower of cards they’d built and lived in had fallen down over their head, feeling more like a ton of bricks than cards.

And with that, she realized it was over. The Hatching was over. She was being sat on by a dragon that wasn’t hers and she hadn’t Impressed. Ez had Impressed. That was good. That was very good. She was so glad Ez had Impressed. She thought he would have but to a brown! Faranth, it was both good and bad. She’d be interested to see what happened with him. She’d have to ask him his brown’s name after the Hatching, during the Feast, and then she’d introduce her bonded and…

And that wasn’t going to happen. Plans were unraveled, everything was demolished. And so she surrendered herself to it, to the hopeless, abject misery of it. To being sat on by a dragon. And not Impressing. And not being with her friend, her best friend. But she didn’t cry. She’d told herself she wouldn’t. Thankfully, the desolation of it went beyond even tears.

[Minajerie]

It was like watching something terrible in slow motion. Rayn had just looked up, to see how Andilay was doing, when she saw the brown hatchling plow her over, and trample her like so much unwanted garbage. Rayn's look of pure happiness instantly transformed into that of anguished disbelief.

"ANDILAAAY!!!" Rayn's voice seemed to echo, it was a heart wrenching sound.

But still, there was an anchor that held her there; instead of rushing to her sword sisters side. Llanwreth had not yet eaten his fill, in fact, he was still on the beginnings of his second bowl.

The brown looked up at her. Do not look at me so. I feel your pain, for it is mine as well. Go. I shall get by till you return... I have much left in my bowl, and am starting to feel a little full anyways.

Rayn could not help but burst into tears. She hugged her dragon's meaty maw in thankful gratitude, and scrambled away- her feet finding it hard to find good purchase on the sands.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"ANDILAAAY!!!"

"Ohh... what hit me?" Andilay was sprawled out on the sands, the heat uncomfortable- and even scalding on the parts of her skin where the clothing had shifted exposing it. Her eyes focused after a second on the hatching ground's ceiling. Why was she looking up? Last thing she remembered was... an angry brown. It was kinda close to her.. then WHAM!! Hmmm... so that's what happened.

She moaned a little as she shifted and brought her arm up to shield her eyes- unaware that it had been hurt. "OW!! By the first EGG!" She bit off further insults as her blood dripped onto the sands. She had sat up in her outburst, her first instinct to protect her wounded arm and reach for a weapon... a weapon of course, that wasn't there, or needed. In retrospect, she supposed it was a good thing she did not strap on her old friend today. It may have proven to be more harmful than good. She would have fallen on it and perhaps hurt herself worse than a little whiplash and deep scratches.

She heard the sound of sand scuffling and Rayn's harsh breathing before she actually noticed her. Andilay placed a hand over her wound, trying to press even pressure to help with the bleeding. She would normally try to make a make-shift bandage... but leather was hard to tear.

When Rayn drew near, Andilay flashed her a smile. "Since when do you call me by my full name? Ever since I first met you, you have always called me Andy." She blinked when her friend collapsed, her shoulders wracked with sobs. "Hey... Hey! I'm still here. Still breathing. I may not be fine, but I'll take this any day over being worse."

Her friend couldn't help herself, and chuckled while crying.

"Darn you and your wise cracking ways! Can't you see you had me worried to death?!

---

Admin's Note:[/hr]"

Andilay smiled. "Not to death. After all, your still here, and you have a dragon to take care of. You wouldn't want to make your new brown depressed with all these silly thoughts. I'm fine. Well, I'm bleeding, but otherwise fine." Andilay flashed a confident smile, and Rayn gave a surrendering huff- knowing her Andy was fine and cracking jokes made her feel better.

"You know, your shirt is now practically indecent."

Andilay looked down. "I'm not showing anything important, am I? Don't want to look everyone in the eye later and say, 'Yes, this face goes with the pair of knockers you were ogling on the sands.' That might be a tad embarrassing."

Rayn laughed whole heartedly. "O-only a tad?" The woman shook her head. "Don't worry, it's just the amount of skin showing that's indecent. Though, uh, don't go pulling at your shirt or something may rip- and cause a certain area to become exposed."

Andilay chuckled. "I shall remember that then."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

V'dann. Please help your Funornth. I hurt. The pain in this impression statement was evident, and disabling.

However, there was but a moment of surprised stillness, then V'dann was moving. He accepted his new name without thought and strode quickly with the severity of his purpose.

I'm here, Funornth. With great tenderness, he caressed his aqua blue. I'm afraid I must ask you to do something that might hurt, Funornth. Vaguely, he could hear a name being shouted, a name that was familiar to him... but it wasn't important at the moment. Funornth was important... and the poor girl he was sitting on.

What is it mine? Do I not hurt enough already?

V'dann's eyebrows shot up with a look of great sadness. I am sorry. I do not wish to inflict more harm to you, my beloved Funornth, but you are possibly crushing a young woman's legs- and I need you to move off of them. Do you wish to put others through pain?

The blue whimpered. I... do not.

V'dann glanced into his blue's eyes, worried at how the blue was doing. Do you need any help?

I can do it. Stand back. The large blue carefully hefted his hindquarters off of Salina, his eyes whirling with the pain it caused him, as well as the worry. Please inform her that I am sorry mine. I did not mean to inflict pain upon her. I just... wasn't paying attention. The blue whimpered and placed his head into his bonded's chest.

"Shhh. It'll be alright Funornth." V'dann's eyes closed as he comforted his dragon. Then opened again as he remembered to relay his message. "Um... miss? Funornth is very sorry for sitting on you. I hope you can forgive him... he was, uh, preoccupied."

[panther]

Ez turned as he heard a girls screams, calling the name of another candidate, but the one his eyes immediately focused on was Salina. His heart slowed for a moment, he felt pale, Shards no…. Not only was she left unimpressed, but she was hurt too,
Garisth, come with me, or stay here, but don’t go near that brown. Thoughts were fluttering into his head from what the dragons spoke off, the images that were passed through dragon mind, and then from Garisath into his own mind. The hatchling creeled, and Ez petted Garisath, before turning to an all out sprint towards the sands, He vaulted over some of the seats, just trying to get himself there faster, and he was there soon enough.

“Sassie, Salina! Shard it are you ok?” He smoothed back her hair, “Salina.” Garisath looked over the body of the girl, Ez picked her up, cradling her a little, “Shhh Sassie, C’mon. You’ll be fine,” He smiled warmly to her, “There’ll be another hatching, C’mon, you’ll still celebrate with me at the feast, and you never know, it could all be for luck.” He smiled gently, trying to stir her from her own mindful thoughts. Garisath creeled. Concern showing, though he didn’t know the girl, and despite the fact the female was stealing the attention of his bond, the level of concern coming from Ez was infectious to the dragonling.

“Even Garisath’s concerned, Sassie… honestly, c’mon, you’ll be fine.” He cooed softly, trying to stir her.

thank you.
for what mine?
For breaking your feed. For being patient.
I do itch though, and I still want more food… but she’s important to you, but not like I am. I now that. Ez didn’t reply, Salina was important to him, as a friend, and it was totally platonic between them. So very different to what had been established with himself and Garisath. Yet he cared for her deeply, and wouldn’t see her hurt.
We’ll see to those in a minute. She’ll be good soon, perhaps you wouldn’t mind her keeping us company for a while?
Not too long though… You’re mine and she won’t contest that.[/color Ez smirked.
I’m sure she wont.

[Spirithawk]

Christae glanced at the brownrider at her side. "We've got two bad injuries." Her grey-eyed friend returned a grim nod. Rhia had her kit with her and there was a Master Healer to tend to the woman but the blue's flank would need both Rhia and Chrisate because the muscle had been torn.

When she saw the blue move to get off the Candidate she let out a sharp hiss, running the rest of the way to the scene. "Don't move him!' She cried, but it was too late. He could have torn even more muscles than were torn by the rampaging dragonet."

"Shells and shards I almost wish we could put the Candidates in a protected place and let them come down to meet their dragons after but it just doesn't work that way." She spoke softly, more for herself than Rhia and the children.

"Boy, what are your names?"

~~~~~~

Rhia glanced at the Candidate that the blue had landed on. "Salina, are you ok?" She remembered the girl's name from the others calling out to her and from her list. She made sure the girl was ok, already her friends were looking after her. She might have a small bruise or two but otherwise she looked fine.

"Ez'ki, get her off the sands. Go back to your brown..." She paused for a second as Mneith supplied the name. "Garisath needs you. Dragonets can't control how much they eat on their own on Hatching day and we need to get the blue away from the sands to the infirmary."

Rhia and Christae worked with a team of drudges to form a stretcher. The blue was carefully lifted onto it and brought away from the sand that would cause infection. The wound was oozing too much ichor to bring him all the way to the infirmary.

"This will hurt more. Christae, you'll have to get Kaith to help." Almost as an afterthought she turned to where the newly Impressed were feeding their dragons. "K'ael! You will need to help Master Healer Ragule!" She shouted.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Weyrwoman nodded and sent the message to her Queen. Kaith exerted her command on the little blue, as much as she dared put on a hatchling to get him to stay still. In his pain, he might be inclined to try to bite or thrash and the pair needed him to stay still.

Rhia cleaned the wound out with redwort after she washed her hands. Christae threaded a needlethorn after dipping it and the thread in redwort. "Numbweed. Put a lot of it. We'll just deal with it as we sew it." She saw Rhia's answering nod and leaned in closer to look at the wound.

"It's bad bluerider but he will be fine as long as we can knit the muscle back together. If this would have happened when he was older, we might have a problem. He'll limp for a while but as long as we keep numbweed on it, he should be fine and it will heal as long as we don't let it get infected. He'll have a scar but that's nothing compared to having a permanent limp." She waited for Rhia to slather the numbweed on the wound.

"There you go lad, that should feel better. This will feel a bit strange now, so prepare your dragon." Rhia held the wound shut while Christae stitched it closed. Christae was careful to stitch it evenly so that the muscle would knit back properly. "Done." She said after some tense, silent minutes working.

OOC: ((Pan *gives her the green light*))