[Hatching] Wounds Healing

[S'yal]

... Aliens. The dragons are weird because of aliens.

Zalmask didn't even answer Z's new theory. She just sent him an image of her eating his wineskin, and Z decided to keep his theories to himself after that.

Really, Zalmask was so mean.

~

Eeeeee, Snowth they're so cute and innocent and the white is so little and the purples are little and they're so cute!

Then a yellow attacked someone and things were less cute and F'ox was sad.

[puppetmaster]

Even as the Pink found his among the guards, the few remaining eggs were struggling to hatch. It had been long since the humming began. Too long. The last few eggs might even be accused of laziness. Or perhaps, they only wanted to make an entrance.

Whatever the case, the Shape and Shadow Egg showed little enough eagerness to crack. It was rocking, yes, but in a lazy, distracted way. It might hatch in its own time, or it might fall still and prove the second dud of the clutch. But no. Even as it seemed to be losing any interest whatsoever in this whole 'hatching' nonsense, the Elegant Lattice Egg knocked against it hard, leaving both shells cracked to fragments and two hatchlings were left blinking in the mornings light.

The Dark's Fall Hatchling sat in the remains of the Shape and Shadow Egg. At first, it appeared yet a third new color, a black. But no. He opened his wings to dry them and the wingsails, lighter in color, showed him to be only a very dark blue. He was an oversized, awkward thing, as big as the yellow sister at his side.

Beside him, the Postergirl Hatchling lifted her head to the sky and let out a trill that could only be called musical. Where her clutchmate was awkward, she was pure, playful grace. He remained slumped, she jumped lightly to her feet and began frisking straight toward the candidates. Let Dark's Fall sulk.

She was going to have a good time!

[puppetmaster]

The Poster Girl Hatchling might have been examining the remaining candidates. Or she might have been dancing. It was rather hard to tell. She sashayed along the line of people, wings up and open, head raised high. Every few feet, she stopped to allow herself another one of her charming little trills. Oh, life outside the egg was so much better than being locked up and kept in the darkness! She was never going back in again.

Beside the Dark's Fall Hatchling the last of the living eggs, the Dizzying Patterns Egg was hatching. The dragon inside seemed to have been chipping away at the shell with very little motion for most the hatching, for it fell away all at once, a shower of small square bits of shell surrounded the newly hatched pink. The Lost Paradise Hatchling stepped carefully away from his pile of shells, and, with a movement that might almost be called prissy, minced his way over to his brother, nudging the Dark's Fall Hatchling into standing.

The pair started toward the candidates, the Dark's Fall Hatchling faltering every few steps and needing a new nudge from his pink brother.

But, before either could quite reach the line, the yellow had stopped dancing along the line and begun dancing in place. Rearing up onto her back legs, she planted her feet firmly on one particular prisoner's chest.

Corvis! Corvis isn't the day lovely? Your Chereth thinks so. And it's been so dreadful boring until I found you. Lets get some food and start a party, yes? Yes. C'mon!

Name: Chereth

Art Type Art Nouveau

Hex Code: FFCC00

Appearance

Even when it comes to mere looks, there's something about Chereth that says 'playful'. She's a bit on the round side, no hard angles or scrawny bits to be seen. She's of average size for her color, otherwise. A bit heavier than most, yes, but no longer. In the air, she's all about stamina, not trick flying or speed.

Her hide is amber, with swirls of paler yellow. (Leaving this bit vague until Noz decides how to art her).

Personality:

There are those (especially among her clutchmates) that might accuses Chereth of being frivolous. And while the accusation isn't entirely unfair, it also grows out of a lack of understanding. Yes, it's true, Chereth is often lighthearted and likes to have fun. But it's not that she doesn't know that the world she lives in is a dangerous one. No, Chereth acts the way she does because the world she lives in is a dangerous one. If she doesn't bring a levity to the world, who will? Gravitath? That was a joke. What, not a single laugh? No worries, she'll just try again.

Chereth may be surrounded by the hide-bound and the duty obsessed, but it doesn't get her down. She can smile until it hurts, metaphorically speaking. Her approach to even the darkest of subjects is one of pragmatic optimism. Sure, things suck. So, best deal with it, so that everyone can unwind, maybe have a nice beach party. Obsessing never helped anyone. And yes, sometimes she jokes about subjects that hurt, but sometimes making jokes about painful things is the best way to cope. If Chereth's sense of humor is dark, it's a result of her environment. She'd joke about nicer things if there was only anything nicer to joke about. As it is, well, she's just got to make due with the material at hand.

As the self appointed life of the party, Chereth is a hard dragon to shake. She will make friends with every last one of her clutchmates (including those clutchers from another mother, they hatched on the same sands, that's enough for her) and she doesn't really care what they might have to say about it. It's very hard to discourage Chereth. Insults roll right off her back and she's more than happy to return them with a playful nudge. Aggression is treated as an invitation to wrestle. No matter how deep into their shell a dragon might burrow, Chereth is the dragon who'll burrow deeper. She often seems to show a perverse fondness for those who claim to like her least.

Chereth really does smile until it hurts and keep on smiling. And that means that sometimes, beneath the laughter and friendly teasing, Chereth hurts. It's just hard to see. She's not dumb, she's not blind, she just knows that the world needs someone willing to sparkle no matter how dark it gets. She may act naive at times but she's one dragon who knows what she's doing. When the hurt gets to be too much, Chereth's rider will be the one to hear all the bitter, petty things she'd never share with anyone else. Oh, she'll keep sparkling but she might be making some cynical asides even as she does it.

Why Me?

Come, now. If a girl wants to have a bit of fun, how could she pass Corvis by? Sure, he's a bit easily distracted but in Chereth's mind, that just means that they can try lots of new things instead of only one or two. His eagerness to please appeals to her, as she's a people pleaser in her own way. But unlike Corvis, who often has trouble remembering that people are people, Chereth is always concerned about others and their feelings. She'll help remind him that he's not the only one who's real, and together they just might keep the class's spirit up

---

The Dark's Fall Hatchling meanwhile, had put up with quite enough of being herded. As the Lost Paradise Hatchling went to nudge him yet again, he turned and snapped, then bolted, leaving the entire line of candidates behind him along with one very puzzled looking pink. He flopped, instead, in front of Tekaine, with a heaved sigh of dragon shaped frustration.

What does he know about where I should be looking for mine? I found you didn't I? And you weren't with them. Come, Tekaine, take me somewhere. I'm tired of this place.

Name: Gravitath

Art Type Mobile

Hex Code: 000022

Appearance:

Gravitath is a monster of a blue at hatching, but will grow to only be of moderate size. On the ground, he's an awkward creature, a stumbling mass of too long limbs and an unusually short stump of a tail. In the sky, however, he's pure grace, his huge wings making him both an acrobat and a excellent distant flyer. Just don't expect him to manage anything nearly so pretty on the ground.

His hide is nearly dark enough to make one mistake him for yet another new color, a black. Even when the sun is on him, he's a creature of pure shadow. Only his wingsails give him a way. They're much lighter, a flashy sapphire. He'd disappear against a night sky, were it not for those wings.

Personality:

It's a rare soul who has the strength to approach the world unveiled. Truth is such a heavy burden, the world as it is much darker than the world as one might wish it to be. And that burden, the burden of honesty, of reality, is the weight that rests squarely between Gravitath's wingsails. It isn't one he bears with grace. Worry and guilt are constant companions and Gravitath will often feel as if the walls are closing in. What will happen to the irregulars? What if there is something wrong with him? What of his outlaw brethren? They didn't choose to be stolen! Yet they are a threat and if they commit crimes with theirs, aren't they equally culpable? Question upon question and no clear answer to any.

Gravitath isn't particularly skilled at dealing with such concerns. He thinks about these things, but that doesn't mean he wants to. Stress saps him, leaving him lethargic and fitful when he's stuck on the ground. The sky, however, is another matter entirely. As soon as Gravitath can fly, he'll have found his true place. In the air, he can focus solely on the feeling of the air while the world below is reduced to no more than color, blue, green, and gray; it becomes beauty in the abstract, asking no questions, demanding no loyalties. Seeking such simplicity, Gravitath will always want to be in the air, flying as high as possible. At times when he's most stressed, his rider will have a hard time keeping him in formation.

While not anti-social, Gravitath sometimes struggles to relate to his peers. His dark moods are hard to cast off, he's not particularly good at small talk and he's worse at talking about things that actually matter. If he gives his doubts and confusions voice, he believes they'll gain more substance and power. His rider will know the thoughts that haunt him, but it will take a lot of closeness before he shares beyond that. Dragons like Obeth, who can see the world in simple terms, tend to irritate and even anger Gravitath. He's not the sort to pick fights, but any being who dares to lecture him on duty can expect a less than cordial response.

At times, Gravitath seems to see his rider as another distraction. While he will share his concerns with them, it doesn't mean he wants to. He'd rather have an adventure, share something beautiful, or anything else that might keep his mind occupied. For this reason, his efforts in lessons can be a bit uneven. Anything that requires a lot of focus, he'll throw himself into. But those lessons that are merely rote drill will leave him restless, ready to go off on his own and back into the air. As for flights, Gravitath will participate in as many as he can get away with. Win or lose, they're a great way not to think.

Why Me?

Whatever else he may be, Tekaine is a man who enjoys, or at least wishes to enjoy life. Gravitath also seeks to enjoy life, he's just not very good at it. In Tekaine, he hopes to find a rider who can both understand his darker side and also pull him up out of those haunted moments. In turn, Gravitath can serve to help Tekaine avoid the call of peer pressure and shiny things without ever judging him. Gravitath never judges, he simply asks questions.

[giftwrapped]

Yep, Kas had figured that would happen. The dragon, as he made abundantly evident with his body language, thought he was a butt. And that was for the best, as Kas watched the creature wander off and once again turned his attention to the jungle. He was left all nice and alone in his headache, staring out over the ground, taking an occasional swig of water and waiting for the end. The noise of a squabble distracted him, but by the time he had turned around and gotten a good look at what was going on, the brown was already getting up off the yellow and they were both moving again. Kas watched right up until those two dragons stopped at the woman the pink had gone to. Kas quirked an eyebrow. That was a lot of dragons.

But then he shrugged. That many dragons over there meant fewer dragons over by Kas, and more chance to wallow in his world of quiet, alcohol-induced misery. So absorbed was he in feeling exhausted and wanting the Hatching to end so he could go back to his cot and pass out until his shift, he didn't hear the soft shuffling sounds of a dragon creeping up behind him. He heard nothing until a sudden voice exploded in his head.

Kaskirk!

Kas jumped to begin with, but the dragonet suddenly pouncing into him from behind destroyed any tenuous balance he might have held onto, sending the guard sprawling facefirst right into the Sands. He managed to throw his hands out to catch himself before he faceplanted and gave himself a truly nasty sandburn. A lesser man would have hollered in the indignity. Instead, Kas simply groaned at the fact that his waterskin had fallen just out of arm's reach and was draining slowly into the Sands. "What the shards?" he snapped, rolling over to face his attacker.

You haven't earned the right to be disrespectful. Your Cordyth will help with that.

"........................why are you pink, Cordyth?"

Why are you asking stupid questions?

For a moment, rider and dragon stared at each other. And then Kas reached out and grabbed the little pink, hauling him into a rough hug from where he lay flat on his back on the Sands. Cordyth rumbled in amusement, briefly curling up on Kas's chest and nuzzling through his hair in a gesture of affection that was echoed in his mental state. Kaskirk smiled in spite of himself. Eventually, though, he sat up, displacing the dragonet and slowly getting to his feet. Sadly, he eyed the empty waterskin, then scooped it up and looked sheepishly over at Cordyth.

"I was kind of an ass earlier."

Yep.

"....yeah."

There was an awkward pause as the pink eyed him. Then Cordyth snorted in something that might have been amusement and nudged Kas's thigh gently. I'm hungry.

"Oh...okay. Right. Let's...

Does your head always feel like tunnelsnakes are nesting in it? Kas could feel the dragon rifling through his recent memories, searching for the source of the throbbing pain. He stood up and took the pink gently by one headknob, turning his head toward the tables where L'vey and the other weyrlings (including Lostris! Look, Lostris! Kas has a dragon now!) waited.

"No. I'll explain later. I need to shorten my name now, don't I?"

Yes.

"K'irk?"

Sounds fine to me.

[puppetmaster]

He was the last dragon on the sands. But the Lost Paradise Hatchling didn't seem particularly distressed by this turn of events. He'd known, hadn't he? None of the others could be counted on to see that everything was done properly. But look, his clutchmate had run off and away from the line to impress.

And this was exactly his point!

Stuff and nonsense.

For his part the Lost Paradise Hatchling walked along the small line of remaining candidates, looking each up and down with open scrutiny. Certainly, his would be here. He had no doubt about that. It was only a matter of finding them. He resettled his wings carefully, made a noise in the back of his throat that sounded very much like a sigh, and finally reached the end of the line.

Oh, he'd seen his alright. It was only that he knew it was his duty to look everyone over. That done, he backtracked, settling himself carefully down before Kaydian.

I am sorry for making you wait through the whole of it, Kaydian. It was how it had to be done. I am your Empirith. Now, come. I wish you to meet your classmates and I am hungry. I only like meat the size of your palm or smaller. Remember that. We will not be having me choke.

Name: Empirth

Art Type Ottoman Mosaic

Hex Code: FF9999

Appearance:

Empirith is quite small for a pink, putting him about on par with a small brown. In appearance, the word 'tidy' seems to suit. He's extremely proportionate all limbs and wings in order, with nothing too short or too long. He's got a slightly square face and a generally angular look, though not so angular as to look awkward. In the air, he's a perfect average, not spectacular at anything, but with no failings, either.

His hide is a soft, dusky pink. The color is quite soothing, giving one a sense of gentleness and ease that aren't entirely off base. Yet, if the color is lovely, it doesn't hide the fact that Empirith is quite plain. His hide uniform, that same soft color from nose to tail. There's no fancy markings, no odd color variation. Just dusky, comfortably pink.

Personality:

A place for everything and everything in its place. When it comes to how things should be, how things must be, it's best to just let Empirith have his way. He will, regardless. This pink is a dragon of rules, of order, of 'this is how we do things because this is how things are done'. Arguing with him on such subjects is about as productive as running repeatedly into a brick wall. He won't debate. He won't consider. He certainly won't justify himself. He'll just wait. He knows that when push comes to shove, he's heavy.

Yet, if Empirith is bound by particular and specific rules (oil tail to nose, straps on from the left, never wear blue in the winter) those peculiarities do little to lessen his charm, or, for that matter, his obvious brilliance. Because Empirith is a very smart dragon. Perhaps the most banal manifestation of his skills is his excellent mind is his memory for names and faces. He knows every dragon, their rider and often their pets. Oh, and he's likely to greet just about every familiar face. Hello Faeth, how is L'vey? And Kin, is she well? Fussy, yes, but Empirith believes in being a gentleman, it's one of those rules he follows. More unusually, Empirith has a fantastic mind for numbers. He can generally count large groups at a glance, judge great distances within a few feet, and by the time he's grown he'll have worked out algebra and use it regularly in his problem solving.

Empirith is social by nature. While other dragons, with their messy habits and inattention to the rules might get under his hide, he still desires the company. His mind is at its best when its engaged in conversation and among his peers, Uyoth stands to become a particular friend. He leans more toward science than philosophy, but he enjoys the company of anyone who can make him think. In conversation, he's always polite, even prim. He's not one to lose his temper, if a conversation gets heated, he's much more likely to shut down until everyone's ready to be calm again.

Empirith's quick, orderly mind allows him to excel in lessons. He's particularly excellent in formation, his memory for details allowing him to remember both his place and everyone elses. As such, he stands to be an asset to any squad he joins. He'd even do well leading one, though his sense of order requires a certain amount of deference to those dragons larger than himself. A squad-second might be a more ideal position for such a dragon. While he isn't exactly ambitious, Empirith does believe there's a right way to do things, and if that means he has to see to the

Why Me?

There could never be anyone but Kaydian. There's the obvious of course, both Kaydian and Empirith are obsessed with rules. Yet, where Kaydian allows his obsession to drive him to anxiety, Empirith is capable of using his rules to create order, without allowing them to order him. He'll create structure that will allow Kaydian a feeling of safety, without adding to the boy's anxieties. He'll also gently, patiently, but unavoidably draw Kaydian out and forward, leading him to new friendships and new experiences. Yes, he, like Kaydian is a creature of structure. But Empirith is also a dragon of the world, and he'll bring that world to his rider.

[maggie]

Kaydian blinked as there was suddenly a stern, commanding voice in his mind. He could vaguely hear Log trilling in triumph as a warm feeling washed over him. He reached out tentatively, placing a hand on Empirith's nose, his eyes opening with wonder as he sidled close to the little dragon. The little dragon who would protect him from the other, evil dragons. And who he would protect, if any of the guards tried to hurt. He had heard rumours, of guards wanting to cripple the atyp dragonets and he knew he could never let that happen to the beautiful, organised pink. Something clicked into place and he could feel that already the world had a bit more sstructure, a bit more order. It wasn't perfect, he would still feel the fear, sometimes, but now he had someone to help him put order in his chaotic thoughts.

"The size of my palm," he said with a small nod. "Ok. I will remember that, I promise." He led Empirith over to the food, cutting up the meat methodically and giving it to the little dragonet. Log came to perch on his shoulder, examining the new arrival critically. Empirith nodded.

It is good that you chose a suitable companion, Kaydian. He does not accept others too easily, not overly greedy and is properly vigilant.[/color] Log made a rare sound of approval at the pink, preening Kaydian's short hair proudly. He would go back to being disappointed soon, but today was a big day.

Kaydian continued feeding the little pink, looking around discreetly at his new classmates. He beamed when he saw Corvis and his little yellow. Empirith looked up, then over at his sister. He bobbed his head in a proper greeting before returning to his food. "We should go say something to your mama before we go sleep," Kaydian murmured.

Empirith paused, eying him, then nodded. That would be proper,[/color] he agreed.

[Cansi]

The soft sound of something plopping down in the sand in front of him made Tekaine open his eyes blearily. What? He had actually zoned out, perhaps in worse condition than he'd told himself. His eyes focused on the creature in front of him. A dragon. His mind couldn't wrap around it. A dragon. In front of him. Sighing. Not just any dragon; a lanky midnight blue with wings of an appropriate size for a larger hatchling.

What does he know about where I should be looking for mine? I found you didn't I? And you weren't with them. Come, Tekaine, take me somewhere. I'm tired of this place.

Well, about half of that went over the healer-prisoner's head, but inside his head, something poignant was happening. His vision cleared somewhat as that warm something wrapped around his mind, sinking into every crevice until he was positively permeated with Gravitath. He knew the name without being told; he could feel it as surely as he knew his own. The petite man's mouth was hanging open, slack and rapidly drying out, as he stared down at the blue.

Tekaine? The blue curled his head around, eyes half-lidded as the last of the Impression-rainbows skittered across them. Do you need help?

Finally the young man found a voice. "Gravitath," he murmured, inexpressibly happy. "You're all that I needed." And it seemed- for now anyway- that such was the case. The prisoner-weyrling stood carefully, making noises about getting the blue fed. "Then we can go elsewhere. I promise." A reminder of food definitely got the big hatchling up in a hurry. As the pair moved across the sand, going slowly for both their sakes, Tekaine marveled endlessly at how much more himself he felt now. He'd thought it would have been more like a stranger occupying half his mind. Instead, it felt as much like the blue was an extension of himself, reflected and just a little skewed by the surface displaying that facet. The same- but different enough to put him on his heels.

He thought he knew now why dragonriders had such a hard time describing the feeling, at any rate. It defied accurate description, and it was beautiful.