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Bonded at Tripaldi Weyr
It was while the gents were celebrating their weyrlinghood when the next clutch was hard on the sands at Tripaldi. It was a green's clutch, and apparently no one bothered to tell the rider or the dragon what the process was when eggs began to crack.
Late, in fact late enough that one of the eggs was already mostly hatched, the candidates were dragged in to the hatching sands, and quickly became energized. Natti and the others stood around on the warm sands, she wasn't sure but she thought she might be the only one who'd stood before and not bonded.
The egg which was hatching spilled out a green of typical coloration at long last, who sat among the shards and cried. The mother of the clutch remained in front of her eggs so the poor little thing couldn't see anyone! At last, Natti stepped up to try and comfort the hatchling.
No one else would. And she wasn't getting any indications that it was wrong for her to do so, either. The green saw Natti approach, and instead of flinching or snapping at her, the green gave off a little chirp of delight, and indicated with rapidly changing eye color that she clearly approved.
"Come on, Milath, "I know you were worried, but I'm here now. Let's get you something to eat." With that said, the little hatchling stood up and shook off the sand from her rear and tail, as they strutted to the kitchens.
Her brothers hadn't really roused by the time the hatching was over, and Natti was able to surprise everyone in the den by showing off little Milath. The green scrabbled around until she found a warm spot next to the brown dragon on his huge couch, she was utterly dwarfed by him.
What is this?
It is a little green, bespoke bronze Nralith.
I like her. She is cute.
"I'm so glad you think so," Natti beamed, "Her name is Milath..."
"Congratulations, sister," Tanner and Tand both cheered and laughed for their sister.
Because you big lump, Kirth told him, you're not quite old enough. Look at those other bronzes!
I AM looking at them! They are NOTHING!
Nralith flapped his wings wide, and shouldered his way off to the edge of the ledge, sprang into the air and down to the feeding pens. There was a beautiful golden queen rising. Obviously.
Natti snickered, and whispered to Milath, "she's not nearly as pretty as you'll be when you're grown, my little dear!" And the green tittered a dragon-giggle.
Kirth sighed. He had always been the more sensible of the clutch-siblings, and now into their adulthood it was no different. Nralith pretty much continued to be a Bronze Pain in the Butt to his bonded Tand. Tanner was smug, since Kirth had in fact done all the right things to be put in a wing-second spot, while Nralith was a bit too argumentitave to be allowed that sort of responsibility among the fighting wings.
Yet. But there he was, down in the feeding pens, right there among the older, more secure bronzes. When the queen rose into the air, Tanner and Tand watched from their ledge, both knowing what the results of this flight were going to be.
It would help if you believed in me a little more! Thought the bronze, harshly.
It would help YOU if you'd LISTEN to me once in a while! Tand thought back, rolling his eyes.
There would be other flights. Just not this one. Natti continued to chuckle to herself and swept up after her green.
"I know you will, now, let's prove it!" Natti said, and snugged her legs together, gripping her green's neck. The riding straps be damned, she knew that the only way to properly get up there was to--
"WHAT are you doing without your riding gear? Natti! Milath! Front and center!" The weyrling master bellowed.
We're in trouble? I thought we were going to fly!
K'naret and his bronze stomped around near Natti and her green. "Sir? I thought--"
"Riding leathers are not to be forgotten, especially at this stage of your dragon's development. Is that clear?"
"She only wants to feel my presence, not some hard cold leathers." Natti said. The weyrling master growled.
"You'll get the leathers, put them on her, fly today, and then start cleaning the fire-heights. And you'll enjoy doing every minute of it..." K'naret said, and there was no arguing with him about it.
I am not a girl, I am a dragon! I am a full grown dragon. I am sorry that I am not a gold, Natti. But I think I will rise anyway. Do you think it is all right if I do that?
"You know it!" Natti laughed. Her brothers would have to be kept away from the green, they were close but the siblings weren't "that" close! Though their dragons could breed perfectly well, being from different clutches and all. Since the last time, more than half a year before, neither brown nor bronze had been involved in a flight. Natti wondered why, but then... They were off back to the Kshau Protectorate now that their dragons were all adults. She looked around one last time, and then told Milath, "you know, if you want to fly here, we can do that. We can always come back for a flight."
I might like that!
