Hatching of Clutch #2
The atmosphere at Jerdan Weyr was just plain busy. Despite the senior queen's suspicions that the eggs would hatch today, there was still a lot to prepare for the crowd of people that were begiinning to descend on the weyr like wild wherries after newly hatched fire-lizards. Luckily, the tithe came in yesterday, and bronzerider D'nerek's family sent in a fresh catch of fish. Gold Raenith and Bronze Ferth were together on the hatching sands. Earlier that morning, Raenith carefully rolled each egg to its final position, keeping the queen egg close to her. In all, there were 15 eggs and 17 candidates to present. Carah and M'lek took their seats as they watched the fantastic aerial feat the dragon's performed to bring everyone to the hatching sands. It was amazing they never collided. The stone walls echoed the crescendo in the dragon hum, indicating the immenent event. The 17 young candidates forming a loose ring around Raenith's display cautiously stepped forward a few steps in response. The girls were Anishe, Selara, Ara, Mechelle, Sandry, Vyneera, and Katrina. The boys were Talyon, Kirren, Katan, Jaram, Rycon, Dylan, Zeran, Symon, Ulatan, and Jewen. One egg in particular, almost as large as the queen egg, rocked uncontrollably. With a loud pop, the shell was split neatly in two revealing a proud bronze. Carefully he stepped forward surveying the 10 boys. Within seconds he made his choice. Running forward, he was met by Talyon who stepped forward to reach him. Impression was made and Talyon announce, "His name is Gomath!" By now most of the eggs were rocking almost as hard. The next two to hatch were a delicate green, and and sturdy brown. The green paced back and forth in front of the girls while the brown stumbled towards Ulatan and Dylan. He stopped for a moment to look into their faces before nudging Ulatan's legs with his head. Grinning broadly and turning to lead the brown off the grounds, Ulatan spoke, "Suscoth, dinner's this way." The green still debated her choice until Selara stepped forward taking the green's head in her hands and looking deeply into her eyes. "Sardith stop dancing about. I'll get you something to eat." The next three to hatch, a blue, a green, and a bronze, created quite a stir. First the blue popped his head out of his shell. Then the green hatched from behind him. She stumbled into him releasing him from the rest of his shell as they tumbled in a wet heap. When they finally untangled themselves and became aware of the candidates in front of them, they began moving towards their choices. While they were down, the bronze had hatched and was on his way over to Katan and Jaram. The blue beat the bronze, pouncing on his choice. "Geruth!" Katan told the eager blue as he grinned ear to ear, " there is nothing I can do for you while you're on top of me!" The bronze didn't even notice the blue. Even though Katan and Jaram were standing next to each other, he only had eyes for the tall Jaram. Kneeling to greet the agile creature, the crowd heard Jaram announce the bronze's name, "Sparnth!" While the blue and bronze were making their choices, the green was still trying to make her way over to the girls. By now, she was covered in sand, hungry, and very distressed. Full of coompassion, Sandry and Mechelle ran to help her to her feet. With a girl on each side, they were able get her to stand. As Sandry was heard to say, "You're all right now, Clianth - we'll get you cleaned up." Mechelle returned to the circle of girl candidates. The next two eggs revealed another brown and a bronze. Together they walked towards the remaining boys, flapping their wings once or twice to dry them. The brown Impressed first, surprizing the healer with his choice. "He say's his name is Damanth!" Dylan all but shouted. The bronze headed for one of the youngest boys with a blue fire-lizard on his shoulder. As Impression was made, Rycon introduced the new bronze to his fire-lizard, "Tork, this is Jayboth." The new riders had all but led their new dragons from the grounds and there were a few moments before the next life revealed itself. Alone, the golden egg rocked before the hatchling broke forth. When she did, it was a perfect entrance. Just like the first egg, the queen egg split down the middle. Delicately, she stepped from between the two halves all the time holding her head high as if she owned the place. "We'll have to watch that one," M'lek whispered in Carah's ear, "she enjoyed that entrance way too much." The audience held their breath while she made her decision, slowly moving towards the candidates. Vyneera, Ara, Anishe, Mechelle, and Katrina didn't dare move. Impatiently they awaited her choice, each hoping it would be her. Without a falter, the new queen stopped in front of the girl with her arm in a sling. With her good arm, she reached out to caress the head of the golden beauty. "The queen's name is Velath!" Mechelle's triumphant shout relieved the apprehension. It was as if no dragon dared spoil the new queen's entrance for it was not till Mechelle began to lead her away that the next egg hatched. Still watching the new queen, Symon didn't see the little blue approach. Luckily, Kirren tapped him on the shoulder in time to avoid being pounced upon. "Elluth, what took you so long?" Symon said as he led him towards the food. Only five eggs remained, all rocking in various degrees of agitation. The smallest one hatched first. What came out wasn't blue, and it wasn't green. Carah stared for a moment, not quite believing what she saw. It was white! Glancing up at her queen, Raenith, Carah saw the smug grin of a proud mother. Tumbling out of the shell, the white searched the remaining 7 candidates for a chosen life-mate. No one knew whether it would prefer the boys or the girls since this was the first white to hatch at Jerdan Weyr. Then the choice became clear as it headed towards the girls. Passing by Katrina and Anishe, it crooned it's head up to gaze into the eyes of the golden red-head. Surprized beyond words, Vyneera knelt beside the fragile body. Tears of joy streamed down her face as she made the announcement, "She say's her name is Larnith!" As if on cue, the last four eggs hatched simultaneously. Two more greens, a blue, and a brown searched the desprate faces of the remaining 6 adolescents. The first green, after searching among the boys, moved back to the three girls. Ara's face lit up as the green chose her. "Kranth, you silly, what were you doing looking at the boys?" The blue was quick and scrambled to beat the brown. Not aware of his own speed, he ran right into his chosen partner. "Watch out Nexath, you almost knocked me over," Kirren laughed. The brown was right behind the blue, but luckily stopped in time. His choice was between Zeran and Jewen. While the brown slowly decided, the green, one of the more graceful, made her decision. "Perlith? You want me to be your rider?" Anishe asked in unbelief. The last hatchling was taking his time. Jewen's two fire-lizards must have intimidated him, because he moved towards Zeran. Unsure for a moment, he looked back at Jewen before making the final decision. Now confident, he made the final step. "Randoth, wait till you meet Zerlyn!" the beaming Zeran told him. As the last rider led his new brown from the sands, M'lek moved quickly to escort the remaining candidates.
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