Too Hot to Touch (TOUCHING)

[Spirithawk]

Christae stood at her giant Queen's side. Her body was tense with excitement and nerves. She was looking forward to this day, it was one step closer to the hatching, but she also knew that her great golden beast was temperamental about her eggs.

Kaith had lost some weight as she tended to her eggs, but that didn't diminish her bulk that much. Her mate brought her food but sometimes she forgot to eat, so engrossed was she at keeping this precious clutch safe and properly tended to.

Kaith had consented to allow the Candidates a chance to touch her eggs. After this day, the Candidates would be around the eggs daily, not touching, but at least there, to get used to the eggs and the Queen. The Queen had deemed her eggs hard enough to touch that day. They would be hatching sooner than she would have liked, but once they were hatched and Impressed, she could let their human partners guard them. She would miss caring for them herself, but she was mother to the entire weyr.

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

Rhia clanged the bell. She had let her Candidates sleep later this morning. Every day they had run, and after they got used to one set of laps, she'd add another one. Each Candidate had participated in lessons that taught them about what was coming. There would be more intense lessons when they Impressed. Today would be the next step in their instruction. They would begin to be acclimated to the eggs and the Queen that they would face on Hatching Day.

She hadn't told her students about what they would be doing today. She had just received word early that morning from Christae that the touching could be any day now but the dragon Queen had seemed reluctant to deem them hard enough to touch. Rhia grinned. She knew how protective the giant Queen was over her eggs, and she couldn't blame the dragon.

She stood there, waiting for her Candidates to arrive so she could tell them the good news. Some of them probably didn't like her right now, and they probably wouldn't like her during Weyrling lessons, but that was none of her concern. As long as they learned what needed to be learned, she didn't care if they hated her. She hoped that would change once they became riders and could see the benefits of her training, but that could wait.

[Kino]

Despite not usually hearing the bell in the first few days of candidate lessons, Naret had become accustomed to waking up at the sound of the clanging bell. Ikarit, usually curled up against Naret's side on top of the boy's covers, had become accustomed to ignoring the bell.

After a quick yawn-and-stretch routine, Naret had pulled his long frame out of his bed and gotten dressed quickly in a trouser-shirt combination. He pulled his shoes on, ran a comb quickly through his hair, gave the feline now sprawled across his bed a few moments of massage-and-attention, and then headed out of the temporary barracks to where he and the rest of the candidates were meant to meet their candidate master.

He had noticed that the day was a bit further along than it usually was when they'd been called, but the former runner didn't give it much thought. When he arrived to where Rhia was, Naret smiled in greeting and nodded his head forward in a short but respective bow; it was his own silent version of a reporting-for-duty commentary.

[Marnark’tranarprol]

Naturally, when a body was awakened every day at the same time over and over for a few weeks, said body got to where that was the time the internal clock said to get up. So even though the bell hadn't sounded to get them up, Orena was awake at the usual time. However, since she wasn't summoned out of her cozy furs, she just kinda laid there. One arm thrown up with her head resting on it, hand back under the opposite shoulder. One knee was kicked up, and the other leg was stuck straight up in the air as Orena thoughtfully contemplated the shape it had taken. It looked weird to her.

After all that grueling running, her lung power had definitely improved. And her legs had changed shape. She mildly wondered how come her calf moved so much up and down her leg so much, and how in the world the supposedly all-meat muscle had developed a corner on the lower inside edge. How weird. That was all she could think. Weird. She had corners, now.

It was nice, to get to just lay around in her bed, in her skivvies. Take it easy. Rest days were fun - she didn't know if today was a rest day or not, but she sure hoped so.

But, alas, there was that bell a-tolling. Heaving a sigh of busted bubble-dreams, she rolled out of her furs to slide into some clothes. Feeling rested and fresh, she decided to reflect that, with a baggy pale shirt that was formed up to her with a tightly-laced rich blue vest that really flattered what figure she had. She selected a brown skirt to wear with it that was mid-calf length, hiding her corners. Stooping, she slipped into her shoes. Rhia wanted her to wear shoes, so she would wear shoes.

Bouncing twice, she wriggled her toes to settle her shoes in place, before twirling and hurrying down the hall at a brisk pace that had her un-tamed black curls flying around her. With a loud chirp, Nemisis flew after her, also somewhat changed in shape, as she had taken to flying after Orena on all those awful runs.

[Kandarra]

Jerodyn woke promptly at the sound of the bell, light sleeper that she was, and went through the now-routine process of getting herself ready for the day. She dressed quickly, with her back to the others, pulled on her boots, and settled everything. The only task she took her time with was brushing her hair. Even when they were running, she left it down. Her parents had often scolded her for this, saying it was unwise with the Southern heat, but she felt it was too restricting to tie it back; it didn't feel right. So she left it down, and the light brown, straight mass fell freely to her shoulder blades.

With everything ready, she headed towards where Rhia would be waiting. She managed to catch up with Orena, having to jog a bit, and squeezed her shoulder in greeting. "Morning," she said simply.

[Spirithawk]

Rhia greeted the Candidates who arrived with a smile. Mneith launched himself from his ledge and glided down to meet her in the courtyard before the Candidate Barracks in the Weyr Bowl. The barracks were still in a state of construction but hopefully it would be done soon. The Lower Caverns were cramped enough without having Weyrlings in one section and Candidates in another. She also wanted her classroom back.

Mneith poised his head over hers and blew out gently. She could smell the slightest whiff of firestone on his breath. His eyes whirled with blue and green contentment but she could feel the excitement building in the great beast. He was looking forward to watching the Candidates touch the eggs.

"I guess your classmates don't want to touch the eggs." She said nonchalantly. None of them knew what was going on yet and most were probably wondering why they had been allowed to sleep late. Kaith had been given food hunted by one of the other dragons so that she would be in a better mood and the Queen had been given time to eat. She had allowed drudges to cart away the bloodied sand so it would not scare the Candidates. Rhia hadn't really cared about that detail. The lads and lasses would be carving their own meat when their dragons hatched anyway. They might as well get used to the fact that their soul mates were carnivores.

The stocky brownrider stepped to the bell again and began ringing it forcefully.

[Minajerie]

Mistress was a soft wakeful force, tarrying away at her chosen's long hair and nudging the still sleeping woman's cheek. Eventually, she awoke with the help of a rather loud bell. A second bell, said her subconscious.

A second bell?! Arcosia's eyes popped open to spy a worried looking Midnight flitter. Her little Mistress, doing her best to wake up her lady. She gave a soft smile to the flitter as well as an affectionate pat and pet.

She stretched. She was in the makeshift Candidates barracks... and had not slept that well. In fact, the past couple of days sleep had been elusive. She had stopped spending the night in G'hans weyr, and found that she missed the man's company brutally. But obviously he didn't feel the same way. In fact, the whole reason she was being stubborn and staying away was he practically goaded Akki into trying to seduce him. Obviously, having Andilay in his bed was far from enough woman flesh for him. And, though it was not something that she liked to admit. Andilay did not share. She hated sharing. And by sharing, she meant sharing men.

So it was with slow, jerky movements that she got dressed and ran a brush through her hair. Her energy on the low end of the spectrum. But she would run. It would kick up her endorphins and wake her up for a time. But for now, she moved as one moves when they have not had much sleep for the past few nights. But with great determination... and absentmindedness.

Mistress flew behind her chosen, worried colors swirling through her eyes.

She hastily stepped out into the bright haze of the bowl, blinking she looked around herself, as if in a slight daze. The free movement of her hair reminded her that she had forgotten to braid it. A fact that didn't seem so important as reporting in to Master Rhia, and apologizing for her Tardiness.

She forced herself to pick up the pace and get to the Master, and tried hard to focus her rebelling eyes past the harsh morning light and onto the woman. "Forgiveness... Master Rhia, for my tardiness. Andilay... Andilay reporting in."

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

SHARDS!!! She was late!!! Her body was used to getting up at a certain time now, sure. But when that time had past she had fallen into a restless sleep. Waking up, falling back asleep, waking up, falling back asleep. The last time, she had fallen so hard, that she barely even remembered the bell that had sounded for the first time somewhere in the distance. Now, with the second bell, her consiousness was brought to the forefront in a rush of 'OHMYGOSHI'MSHARDINLATE!!!'

She hastily threw on clothes that would be good to run in, absently noticing that she wasn't the only one to oversleep, and feeling slightly better for it. But no less rushed. She hopped into her tough running sandles and was off. She might as well get a early start, and so jogged hurriedly down the halls... toward the bowl and then into it. The late morning sun a bright contrast to the sky, making her squint to see the gathering candidates.

With a huff, she reached the group and said a tad breathily, "Blissy is here, Candidate Master."

[Kino]

At this point in training, Naret had been living at the Weyr just long enough for the shock at being searched to have worn off and let the excitement of being a candidate through (that also probably had something to do with how much more easily he'd been waking up at the sound of the bell), so when Rhia off-handedly mentioned that the tardy candidates didn't want to see the eggs, Naret's eyes flashed wide for a moment, and a smile spread promptly across his face. He'd seen the eggs in passing as he'd walked by the hatching sands and stolen a look inside at the humongous gold and her clutch, and he'd been wondering day after day when it would be that they'd finally be able to step inside and see the eggs up close. Apparently, that day had finally come. He actually found himself wishing that they hadn't been given extra time to sleep in; but he supposed there was probably some good reason for that beyond their candidate master just being kind.

[catilena1890]

~~~~~~~~~~~~(D)~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Having rushed out of his bed, Daelan looked as though he`d wrestled with a large feline as he ran to the sands, awkwardly dressed in his candidate attire. He rushed into the room panting slightly as he looked around.

"A thousand apologies, Master Rhia, Daelan is here now." He said, looking behind him as Catilena burst in behind him.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~(C)~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Not far behind Daelan, Catilena rushed in as well, looking very tired and out of breath. Sure, she has been running laps and waking early everyday, but that does not necissarily mean she is used to such a regimen. She gasped heavily as she struggled to make words.

"*gasp* And I....Catilena, am... here, Master." She said in between breaths. One would think she was being overly dramatic about the whole thing, had they not realized that she ran at full speed from the makeshift barracks and did not stop until she got to the sands. She swallowed a few times as she relaxed a little and slowly started standing up straighter.

[Marnark’tranarprol]

Orena looked at Jerodyn when she felt the contact, and grinned at the other girl. "Goodmorning!" She greeted, happily, before she came to a stop before where Rhia was waiting for them, outside. She flashed a grin at her friend again, before looking to the Candidate Master again, attentive and spry. A mention of getting to see the eggs was interesting, but Orena didn't quite realize what that implied, either. After all, she'd seen the eggs already. When they were laid, she'd even been on the sands. Not that she realized how different that was, either.

But at least they weren't going to go running again today! She was happy to hear that, for sure. Bouncing on her toes a bit, she settled back to her heals and leaned toward Jerodyn. "The eggs, I wonder if they changed any since we saw them last?" she mused.

[seneth]

Another day and another early rise, found Bicran at the Runner stalls. With the runner still skittish, and his young canine still as curious as ever, he’d had an…interesting morning. Well, exhausting was more like it, but he’d never admit that. So as scruffy as ever, leaving a content runner and a sleeping canine behind, he’d returned to his sleeping quarters. The lack of the usual bell, earning him a welcome sleep in.
With fleeting dreams of bells, and missing the hatching because he’d over slept. He waved away the buzzing that was the first toll. With eyes still closed, he scrunched his face into a pained grimace as he turned away from it. There was no way that was the candidate bell…it…just…couldn’t be. So with long sigh, he drifted back to sleep. Unaware of the other Candidates moving around him.

Suddenly at the louder toll, blue eyes snapped open and he rolled groggily out of bed. “Eh?” He grunted rubbing bleary eyes, yanking on his working boots on slow step at a time. At least he was still dressed, he thought numbly. His hand idly scratching the golden stubble on his chin. Stopping in mid scratch he blinked before cursing under his breath, it was the bell that’d woken him…wasn’t it? With a low growl he yanked off his work jacket and shirt, before pulling on a clean ochre tunic. His legs carrying him easily out of the lower caverns in the direction of the Weyr Bowl. Pausing only to brush off the worst of the dust off his long shorts, he spotted the group and headed quickly over.

“Sorry I’m late…” Bicran murmured ruffling his short blonde hair. “Candidate Bicran reporting...”

[mc16neo]

Kegin woke early and wanted to get there as soon as he could. He wasn't sure what to expect. All he knew was that it was early and that he really hoped they were not going to be doing any more running.As he came up he stood before the Candidate Master, "My apologies for my lateness. It won't happen again." he said.

Kegin looked at the others to see what might be going on today. He of course thought more drills. But if he was wrong there would be no way he would complain. He wanted to talk to someone and see. He wanted to just ask Rhia but it wasn't like he could just say, "What are we doing today?" could he? Well he didn't think so so he didn't do it.
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Sinic woke early and quickly made his way to the other candidates. He was a bit nervous because he didn't know anyone. He was still pretty new. Sinic knew that the best way to meet people was to stay calm. He knew that people also wanted to just meet others and make friends. His face was in it's usual scowl. Not because he was angry or anything but because that was just how it was.

He was looking at everyone and at everything. He wouldn't miss anything about this. He was nervous about dealing with the others but he wasn't afraid. Sinic took a breath and calmed down. He felt a rather dark calm come over him. He just felt like nothing was wrong. He waited for the Candidate Master to tell them what they were going to do.

[Akki]

Once again Faine was up before the bell had rung. She took advantage of being able to sleep in for a bit but she had other things she had to do.

Which was why she was in the kitchens, secretly putting back the forks she had accidentally taken the day before. Her kleptomania ways were tiring; she hated waking up in the morning and putting on some clothes only to find kitchenware and other knick knacks tumble out of the fabric. It was why her morning rituals normally included the kitchens where she could put everything back. She supposed she could explain the situation to the cooks and drudges so they wouldn’t hate her for taking their stuff but at the same time she just couldn’t bring herself to do it. It would be admitting that she was a freak and she didn’t want to admit to that.

When the bell sound reached her ears, Faine quickly ditched the forks on a table and grinned as she more or less bolted out of the kitchens. She knew what was going on today, or at least she could assume, she had been through it before. She knew the time between the first lesson and the touching thanks to being a candidate previously and it seemed to fit for current time. The idea of touching the eggs was definitely not any less exciting than the first time she went through it. She reached the meeting area outside of the barracks and walked up to Rhia, giving the woman a salute. “Hello Master Rhia.”

She settled beside Bicran and glanced down at her hand. An “Oh” was breathed out, filled with surprise and disappointment as she noticed that her hand was now clutching a spoon.

[Spirithawk]

OOC Does no one read my posts? Rhia is OUTSIDE near the CANDIDATE BARRACKS. She has NOT told any but those who are early that the touching is today. Christae is on the sands with her dragon but the candidates haven't gone in there yet. They will be briefed by Rhia before. They are a couple hours later than they would be for the lesson right now.

[Foxfrost]

If it were not for the concoction Rhia and the healers had carefully prepared for him, Iechi would have been burnt to the very core by this time. His pale complexion remained hardly untouched by the sun, if only because he applied the somewhat fragrant smelling stuff to his skin, and was not too lax about it. As it was, there was the barest hint of color to him now. And he could walk at a half walk, half jog, twice around the weyrbowl. The first few days, he had thought he would rather die. He had loathed Rhia the first week, because even though he was certain he would faint from the heat, she had forced him to at least maintain that fast walk. Now, looking back on it, he begrudgingly admitted that if she hadn't, he might have had to go back home. Even if he was still unsure he even wanted to be here, in this sharding heat infested South.

He had been so exhausted, that he had welcomed the oversleeping without even realizing it had taken place. When he heard the summons, he blinked his ice blue eyes sleepily, for a moment still in that lingering wakefulness that was half dream and half reality. In this half sentient state some semblance of his mind formed the cohesion to allow him the realization that he was late. For something. Only when he shook off the remaining, lingering dream state did he realize for what. With this realization he sat up quickly, throwing aside the bedsheets and hurrying to throw on trousers and a light fabric shirt he had made for himself. It seemed to breathe, letting in air and letting out body heat, so wonderfully made just so. It was far better than any piece of clothing he had seen, suited for someone who could not take the clinging fabrics or those that did not breathe in such a manner.

He had thought he was late, and yet there was Rhia, outside the barracks. She did not look as though she were reprimanding him, or anyone. Had she let them sleep in, then? If she had, he definitely done him a favor. He needed that sleep, and he had to wonder why she looked as though there were some bit of suspense she was holding over him. What was going on? Usually they were up early to run and train. Not so now. Did she have something else in mind, perhaps?

He was not the last to arrive but neither the first. The others looked as though they knew nothing of what was going on, either. Well, that suited him just fine. He didn't think he'd missed any notifications. He did not like being left out of the loop, either. He folded his pale arms over his chest, and awaited the news of what they would be doing, what was up. Whatever it was, he anticipated it being something she thought they would either enjoy...or she had let them sleep in because it was something more daunting they'd be doing today.

~~~~~~

Yorisa had been dreaming. The kind where you felt you were actually there, and that somehow, dreams and reality ceased to have a line between the worlds. She dreamed of dragons, and through them, she had wings to fly through the skies of Pern. She couldn't be sure, in that realistic yet hazy dream, whether it was blue or green, or perhaps brown or gold, whom she rode on. She did not care, either. She was flying, and the feeling was one of pure elation and joy. Then, she was awoken, and the dream faded away to nothing but shattered memories that had never been real to begin with. With a sigh, she stretched and got out of her bed, feeling as though something were amiss. Looking around, she saw the looks of confusion on the faces of the other female candidates, and realized: they were not up at their usual hour. Rhia had not awoken them for their morning run.

Concern was her first reaction. Was Rhia ill, or had she overslept? It could happen, as the Candidate Master was a busy individual with responsibilities that surpassed her own, and that of her fellow candidates. Still, she was not much of the kind of person to speculate, or assume. Instead, as quickly as she could manage, she found her way into her training clothing, pulled a brush through her hair and tied it back into a runner tail. Whatever the case, it would not do to assume there would be no training, or be no run. She would be prepared in either event. Then, the word 'event' stuck in her mind. What if they were to do something different today? Only, what? She felt excitement send up a flurry of butterflies in her stomach, and jogged to outside the barracks, where she saw Rhia waiting. She had that look, that said something was up. Yori's excitement only intensified at this, and she glanced at the others to see if they, too, suspected something.

She noted the pale boy from the North, looking as though he were a little better than he had been. Well, that was good. He had grumbled, and sulked, yet he had improved. And looked like he could have used the few hours extra sleep, too! She smiled inwardly, but outwardly her attention was on their Candidate Master, eager to hear what was up. She was used to being up a few hours earlier, even before training. The extra sleep had been nice, to say the least! She was sure others thought so, too. Question was, why had they been allowed it, and what was up?

[Drgnwlf71]

Kalaht had been up already. He felt the excitement in the air. He wondered what the Candidate Master wanted. He had heard the bell ring and headed towards the Hatching Sands. Once there, he marched right up to the CM and said in his most professional voice he could...

"Candidate Kalaht, reporting for duty CM Rhia." Kalaht snapped to attention and gave her the respect she demanded. After a grin and a respectful nod, he got in line with rest.

He felt this was going to be one heck of a hatching. He shocked himself by going up to the Candidate Master and saying something. He stood at attention and had a straight face. He was serious about being a dragonrider. He should in his studies and the physical work. He loved the physical training.

Kalaht was one tough boy. His endurance was incredible and stamina? well, needed improvement but I'm sure all the rough edges would be polished, impenetrable stone. Not perfect but one that will last. He was real excited too. There was excited chatter among the others but he just stood quietly and one of the biggest grin you ever did see.

[Bluesilk]

Somewhere in the distance, she heard a bell. Elanee rolled over in her sleep with a groan, throwing one arm over her eyes. Why was there always so much noise? She hadn't even been here a moon and still sleep was elusive. Of course that was in good part due to what she'd decided was a clearly sadistic streak in the Candidate Master. Who woke people up to run at such uncivilized hours anyway? What had she been dreaming about? Oh shard it, she couldn't remember now. Elanee pulled the fur up to her chin and growled about the noisy bell in the distance. Bong... bong... that sharding... oh!

Elanee sat bolt upright in bed, her sleepy mind catching up. The Candidate Master! She ran a hand through spiky black hair and flipped her legs over the side of the bed. Lanky teenage legs did not quite manage to get themselves untangled from the sleeping furs and Elanee went in a headlong dive away from the cot. Swearing in all manners that should not be known by any young lady. Elanee rubbed her nose, swears degrading into quiet grumbling as she pulled on clothes that could by some be considered decent.

A moment later the small Candidate was bounding out the doorway and outside. Still rubbing her nose she came to a skidding halt in front of the Candidate Master and that loathed bell. She smiled lopsidedly and shrugged. "G'mornin." By the number of other Candidates here already she was clearly rather late. Ah well, better late than never.

[Spirithawk]

Rhia waited a while longer, greeting each Candidate that came up. "Well, your peers who are late will just have to come find us and get instructions. Today, Kaith has given us permission to enter her Hatching Ground and touch the eggs." She paused to let that sink in and to let any chatter die down.

"Before you touch the eggs, you need to know what to expect. The sands are hot. If you don't have adequate footware, your feet may burn. If you're wearing the shoes you would use to run, you should be fine."

Again she paused to make sure her pupils were listening, hoping that they understood the importance and gravity of what they were about to do. "Kaith is a very protective dragon. She will not hesitate to protect her eggs from any harm, real or imagined."

"If you have belt knives or weapons of any kind, leave them outside the grounds. You will approach the Queen one by one and bow low to her. You will greet her and her rider respectfully and thank her for the opportunity to stand for her eggs and the privilege of touching them."

"Once the Queen has given permission, you may touch the eggs. Do not lick them, kick them, push them, or do anything but put your hands on them. You can press your ears against them to hear them but nothing crazy. If I see you doing anything that is questionable, I will remove you, hopefully before the queen notices and decides to take a chunk out of you." She didn't tell them that the Queen would likely just roar and carry them out. Dragons didn't hurt humans unless they were provoked, but a brooding queen was unpredictable.

"Now, form a single file line. Those of you who arrived first get the first chance at touching the eggs." Rhia led them into the cavern and sent the first one out to touch the eggs.

OOC: Have at it guys.

[Kandarra]

At Rhia's announcement, Jerodyn's heart started beating a bit faster. She wasn't afraid of the dragons, or Kaith, really, but this made everything she'd been preparing for true. All the classes, the training-- that was all well and good, but until this point Jeri hadn't really felt that she might one day be a dragonrider. But now, they were going to touch the eggs, and that was real, tangible.

She stepped after Rhia first, and despite her efforts to seem composed, she couldn't help breathing a little faster and alternately clenching and unclenching her fists in excitement. They reached the Hatching Sands, and suddenly she realized it was time, and she was first, and everyone was waiting for her to go.

Recalling The Candidatemaster's instructions, she walked slowly up to Kaith and bowed. Calling upon every experience being respectful to her elders, she said, "Golden Kaith, it is an honor to be considered for your beautiful eggs. I would very much like the chance to touch them, but only with your permission."

[Drgnwlf71]

Kalaht waited, stiff with fear and excitement. He waited he turn. He could hear his own heartbeat. This is it! Wow! A chance to touch the eggs! He couldn't wait to touch the eggs. He had to remain calm for the Queen's sake. He wanted to burst forth, now but that would only worsen things he would imagine. His excitement was like a little child at Turn's End.

Kalaht was very excited. He had butterflies in his stomach. His hands started to sweat. His blood ran hot and his heart was in his throat. He was a little nervous. What if he said that wrong thing? What if he didn't Impress? What would he do? He closed his eyes and took a deep breath to calm himself. Everything was going to alright. Everything was going to be just fine. He will Impress. If he doesn't then, he will wait for the next hatching.

His heart beat slowed, as did his shortness of breath. His hands weren't as sweaty anymore. His heart wasn't in his throat anymore. Now, is no time for negativity. Think positive thoughts. He sighed. Yes, think positive thoughts and everything will be just fine. Mustn't upset the Queen or her eggs. Faranth forbid the worst might happen to the eggs!

[Marnark’tranarprol]

Orena's eyes got big, her mouth shrinking to a very small spot on her face. Touch the eggs?! Really?! As in ... touch them?! WOW! She'd had no idea! Seeing them, sure, she'd done that. But getting to touch them? She tried really hard to resist bouncing in place while she waited for her turn to go inside. She watched as Jerodyn went, admiring her friend's courage. Grinning like a fool, she did her level best to only soberly walk across the sands, rather than bounce the whole way.

"Marvelous Queen Kaith!" She began, before completely losing what it was she'd thought up to say. " - " She opened and closed her mouth a few times, trying to find her words again. But they were gone. So much excitement! She couldn't have talked at all, even had she known the words to say, her throat was pulled so tight. Finally, she managed a strangled sounding, high-pitched, excited squeak that actually said a whole lot about how she felt about the whole thing. Suddenly embarrassed, she clapped both hands over her mouth as her cheeks burned a hot red color.