Hatch Or Die [Outlaw Flower and Art Clutches]

[Cansi]

Too small? Tith snorted. Try efficient. She preened humorously, making Hers snork in a desperate attempt not to laugh. Had she projected that thought to Astor? Perhaps not.

"I hope she'll be easy to hide. As long as she doesn't get very large, I won't be worried. But if she does..." Alezri shook his head, stringy-sweaty blond hair swaying against his cheeks with the motion. "We might just end up striking out on our own. Because by then she'd be flying. I guess." When did dragons learn to fly, anyway? He'd have to make a point of asking someone knowledgeable.

Now that her greeting had been suitably returned, Tith purled cheerfully enough and bumped Hers on the leg. You're very pretty, the diminutive purple informed the tortie, and right on the heels of that, bespoke her pet human.She's hungry. Just dump it.

"I will!" Alezri grumbled, in no way in response to what Astor had said next. He coughed, face reddening further than what the situation dictated. It was hot in here. Why were they still here? Oh. He unloaded the meat with a splat, making Tith squawk indignantly as she dodged away from the mess. Sorry! Hers said contritely. A bit less than half a fat wherry might not go far, but with the fish, might take the main edge off Brigith's hatchling-hunger.

The pair turned their attention politely away to watch the rest of the eggs hatching, and when the last little gray had blinked off, it was down to (nonexistent) formalities. A surprisingly good number of the eggs had resulted in living hatchlings, even if they weren't all well. Hopefully it was a good sign for the outlaws, because aside from the dragons, it seemed that hope and madness were all that they had to cling to.

[S'yal]

She hadn't betweened.

A wash of relief flooded over Iris, especially as the mindnumbing terror faded. Something like happiness wriggled its way into Iris's mind, her face yet again fading into the emotionless mask yet again. She staggered to her feet, shivering and rubbing her shoulders.

"If you hurt her, i'll... do something." Iris informed Astor, her voice lacking the whirlwind of emotions she'd had earlier. She'd promised to protect, and the tortie not being her dragon meant little. The tortie had never been meant for her, and Iris did not want that dragon. She just wanted it to live. Live and be happy. "She isn't to ever be unhappy."

But then another dragon had hatched, and this one didn't bring fear. Iris breathed a sigh of relief, rubbing her arms to try and banish the shivering. She was growing tired, and all the emotions of the day had taxed her fragile mind. She needed to sleep, big things would happen tomorrow and she had a rider and his dragon to care for. Astor would fail so badly in taking care of her if Iris didn't help, after all.

Iris. Sadness is a waste of time. They took from you. Took and took. But I am here now. We are together. We will make them pay. And we will build something better. We can. Wait, wait? There was a body rubbing against her legs and a voice in her mind and so many emotions that Iris wasn't sure what to do with them. First, food. Then, there is much that needs doing.

Iris was happy. She was not whole and healed, she never would be, but she was happy and she was loved. She was needed. She was so very, very happy. But she did not show her happiness. That happiness belonged to Gintineth, not to the outlaws.

Our outlaws, our Weyr. It is not us or them, it is we. Gintineth corrected, his voice gentle as he rubbed his muzzle against her bloody hand. I am very hungry. I will need my strength, there is much to be done. We must prepare. The rainbows were beginning to fade, replaced by green mixed with orange. Iris nodded, opening her satchel and unwrapping the meat inside. It was already sliced, and she fed it to the grey with trembling hands.

"Us, yes..." Iris nodded, lovestruck by the grey before her. He loved her, loved her! "We have much to do." The outlaws could not live like this. How would they get revenge? They could not live in the dirt like pigs.

Iris had brought more meat then most of her fellows, and two turkey sized wherries were enough to feed one small gray. Gintineth, sated, turned to observe his siblings. They won't take from you anymore, love. Gintineth promised, his eyes flashing red.

Iris laughed, a dazed smile on her face as she stroked the gray hide. He was beautiful, perfect. She was going to get revenge, glorious revenge.

There is so much to do. Gintineth commented, his tail curling over his paws. We will need a leader, my love.

We can watch. Iris whispered to Gintineth, the smile stretching on her face. It looked unnatural, frightening on Iris. She was not a woman meant to smile. There was much she needed to tell him. He would need all of her knowledge.

[Inkwell]

"Striking out on your own would probably be a bad idea," Astor said matter-of-factly. "One boy on a half-grown dragon wouldn't stand a chance against the watch. Thanks for the meat, though." Never mind that he had his own secret dreams of singlehandedly taking on a squad of watch riders... his dragon was going to get much larger than the snooty little purple, he was sure, and thus his fantasy was a bit more likely to happen. Besides, Brigith was his, which meant that in due time, she'd be able to do anything she set her tortie mind to.

Brigith only had time for a quick 'As are you, sister.' before there was meat in front of her and instinct won out over being nice to her smaller clutchsib. She cast a quick look at Astor, as though asking permission to eat, and when he didn't immediately say not to she started -- carefully, never taking too large a bite, and trying to minimize mess. Her snout was going to be caked in blood and gore no matter how careful she was, though, and she quietly despaired... but Hers would clean her off again and pick all the gross meaty stuff from under her claws. She couldn't be anything less than perfect for him, she knew, but the need to eat was overriding her need to always present a flawless face. Understandable, really, considering how long she'd been cooped up in that egg.

"Does she look unhappy to you?" Astor asked Iris, indicating the young dragonet, eating so carefully but still as quickly as she could. "Be--" No. Mindspeak. Right. Be careful. Don't choke.

I won't, Astorlove. I am being very careful, see? I am just so hungry...

I know, I can feel it. It's weird. Am I always going to feel everything you feel?

Of course you are. You are mine and I am yours and we will never be apart, ever, no matter how much space may separate us. You will always feel what I feel and I will always feel what you feel and that will always be love, mine. I love you.

That earned her a gentle scratch above one mottled eyeridge, which she leaned into enthusiastically. Of course she wasn't unhappy. She loved Hers and he loved her back and for the moment, they were safe and together. That was all that mattered.