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Falawny held his breath as the blue looked toward the girls. Was he...? Ah, nope. The boys fell under the blue's gaze. He took the chance to study the dragon in turn. The blue wasn't driven like the green who clearly had known who her rider was. Either the blue hasn't chosen yet, maybe he was the picky short, or he was going to give everyone another good look over before choosing. He stood calmly, just watching. Occasionally his eyes would dart to the current youth's face under the dragon's gaze. What were they feeling?
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Emkin noted how calm and serious this dragon appeared to be compared to that last green. No tumbling here. He was clearly doing a thorough job of examining everyone over there. She hoped he would find what he was looking for.

The blue was coming towards them! Rufet held his breath as the blue dragonet walked towards the boys at a leisurely pace, his eyes wide. It wasn’t the same wild charge that the green dragonet performed earlier: this was slower, unhurried. His breath slipped from him, releasing as he belatedly remembered to breathe in and out, in and out. Passing out now would be one of the worst things that had ever happened to him in the history of, well, ever!

Rufet clutched his own hands, trying to remember if it was allowed or not to touch the dragonets if they got close enough. It wasn’t the same as moving, right? Uncertain, Rufet decided against it as tempting as it would be. Okay. Maybe just once, if a dragonet came close enough...

Nyosh shifted to the edge of her seat. Watching the greens was amusing. Perhaps not that first, (or was she the second?), one as she pushed through the candidates. Eventually one and then the other found their riders. All was well in the world of hatchlings. There seemed to be a solemn blue remaining on the sand and she watched as candidates took note of his presence.

Zhac glanced up as his friend arrived and grinned faintly. As foul as Lukask usually treated him, he’d been somewhat jealous of the bronze’s ability to settle after the death of the weyrwoman. He’d wondered if his own wher would pick up the attitude with interaction, but the gold had been too finicky to socialize that much. “No,” he answered, glancing back across the sands as Lukah sat beside him. “Nothing yet.” And probably nothing else would be discovered. The investigation had revealed appallingly little. Like his friend, Zhac rather questioned the legitimacy of the dagger wrapped in Malvren colors, though he was leery about questioning the absence of the Ancientcrafter on the regards of murder. He rubbed at his forehead, forestalling that well-traveled line of thought while he eyed a green toddling across the sands. “There’s just a lot of talk among our group. I’m considering seeing if some of the handlers that are off duty want to settle down and talk after the hatching feast. There’s so much chatter going on during shifts I think it’s becoming a distraction for everyone.” As concerned as he was over the loss of the weyrwoman and the direction the weyr was going to take now, he didn’t care for the idea of letting the regular work slip during this time – or for overanxious handlers to lose control of their whers for that matter.

Canoake smiled at T'go as he startled and offered a seat. He wasn't by far lacking in looks but she had forgotten about the stutter. No matter, a woman always had a trick or two up the sleeve. "Thank you. I was afraid I would be left to watch the hatching by myself. Tonite is not a good night in some sense," she sighed. This part would be forced slightly. "We have lost a good queen and will do do again."

Just then the greens made their moves. Followed by a handsome looking blue. "I almost miss standing there and having that first moment together. Tell me, how are Stoloth and you doing?"

Calm Stoloth for now and let the little ones have their moment. Tell me how you ate faring. The green moved closer to her former clutchmate and potential admirer.
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Lyssa held her breathe as both greens entered the realm of the girls to search for their lifemates. One so serious and to the point. The other so silly and giggly it reminded her of that girl... Wait! Lyssa watched as the serious green went to a girl she didn't know and the silly one was to Priss. Amazing. Well, at least she had told the girl right. Only the dragon knew who it would Impress. She made a mental note to congratulate them later as the blue who had hatched Impressed to Falawny a boy she knew through her brother. Now if only it would be her turn!

Lukah nodded in agreement. As he spoke his voice gradually took on a more hushed tone. He didn't want to cause a stir. "I've been hearing a lot of chatter, too. It would be good for all of us to get together and talk about what we've seen. We should also consider how best to protect our new Queen. Whoever is behind this, I'm not sure if they intend to cripple Benden's leadership or destroy it entirely. You know more about weyrs than I do. What do you think?"

While Zhac lived in weyrs and had lived in Benden for sometime, Lukah was usually only a guest. It had been many turns since he stayed in one place for so long and the politics of the different weyrs were still a bit difficult for him to understand. He had always been more interested in individual stories.

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"I-I'm sure you w-would not be left alone for long," T'go murmured reverently. He could not imagine someone like Canoake sitting alone during the hatching. She was too beautiful for that. He fidgeted, wringing his hands. Though he did not know what to say to her, for he was so unworthy of her attention, with everything going on in the weyr he found that speaking to Canoake, while still terrifying, was not the greatest of his worries. "Yes. This is a s-sad night. St-Stoloth is, um, he is v-very upset but in a few weeks I think he will c-calm down. Are you alright?" He seemed genuinely concerned. In his imagination everyone was just as distraught as him and doing their best to appear strong, just like him. He worried what Canoake would think of him when Yirath went Between. He just knew he would cry.

Stoloth rumbled and looked toward the Sands. He had missed most of the hatching and found it difficult to stay interested. Under normal circumstances he would have paid close attention to all the dragonets and new weyrlings. The Queen's imminent death overshadowed his usual curiosity. "I do not like change..."

Tittering back and forth on the heated sands Persephone cradled herself with her arms in anticipation as she watched as an egg cracked open and a long green snout poked out from the broken shell. Oh it was a green! A pretty, pretty green. The first in the clutch! Bringing her hands up to her lips the short haired brunette shoved the tips of her stained fingers into her mouth, delight nearly glowing in her hues that mirrored the colour of the newborns hide. Wiggling it’s body the little green broke off into a run and headed directly towards the boys!

For a brief moment Persephone felt her brow wrinkle with the faintest twinge of jealousy, would any girls Impress this hatching? Just as that thought rang through her mind a second egg all but exploded revealing yet another green. Even from her spot on the sands the little vintner could see the determination that was set in her bejeweled eyes as she cast a stare directly towards the girls.

That was more like it, hooray!

Off coloured purple digits toyed with her bottom lip and darted into her mouth as the two greens seemed to have their own set of goals, one stalking towards the female candidate the other charging playfully towards the lads experimenting with her first few steps and exploring exactly what her body was capable of. Excitement bubbled up in her stomach as the second green that hatched made her way closer, confidence in each of her steps. It was then the first green turned her attentions towards her sister then at the female candidate line, trotting up she too began to search the ranks for hers. A snarl erupted from the determined dragonet and instantly Persephone moved with the flanks of girls to get out of her way, she had heard stories about hatchlings hurting candidates in their rush to Impress. And Impressed that green did! Staring with her beautiful eyes directly at--- someone else.

Fingers pulled away from her mouth leaving a thin string of glistening wetness hanging on her thin digit and bottom lip, a large gregarious smile claimed her expression, it was the girl that had taken the time to console her at the start of the hatching. The skinny figured brunette couldn’t be happier for the newly bonded pair, though deep down just the faintest icy flare of jealously still jabbed at her insides, so faint it was barely noticeable. Yanking her stare away from the two Persephone set to glance back towards the other, more lively green. At that moment the female dragonet dashed into the rows of girls and wormed herself through small clusters of bodies that couldn’t move fast enough to escape her folly, her sudden search. Persephone herself found a building sense of nervousness as the green drew nearer and nearer.

Poke!

A gorgeous green snout nudged into her flat stomach and a soft almost breathy content sigh escaped from her long, slender throat. At the action the brunette fell backwards and stared up at the winged beast, confusion lacing her sharp angular face.

'Your Pyrth has found you and will never leave you Persimine but Yours is hungry!'

Green eyes stared up into the swirling blue and green mirth that boldly peered down into her, the sensation, the link that suddenly fell upon the once vintner brought the girl to tears, yet again for the millionth time that day. These were however tears of joy, it had to be a mistake. It had to be! Pyrth was everything she was not, there was so much confidence and self-assurance bursting at every seam that held the hatchling together, reaching up with trembling hands Persephone pressed her sand covered palms fully against the green’s beautiful snout.

'Persimine, it is no mistake. I am Yours and you are mine however I will not carry you off of the Sands. You have two legs, you must use them to feed Yours. I grow so hungry.'

Snapping to her feet the girl found herself wrapping her arms around the green’s neck and hugging her with every fiber of her being, tears smearing against her still every so slightly damp hide. “Alright! I am sorry, I am so very sorry! Let’s go get you fed!” The apology rushed from her mouth like second nature and in retort Pyrth nudged the petite brunette with the side of her jaw affectionately as she scrambled to lead her towards the bowls of meat that the drudges had near by.

'You do not have to be sorry, mine. Never be sorry for something so small. You didn’t do anything wrong. But yes, let us get fed and see my brothers and sisters.' For a moment the green simply gave a content hum as she lead Hers off of the sands and towards the heaping bowls of flesh that called to her like delicious meaty sirens beaconing to be devoured, however as they neared the table she nudged her slender body against that of her equally slender rider comfortingly. ' I can feel what you feel Persimine and you don’t need to use your voice to tell me what is on your mind. We share our thoughts now, there is no need to ever feel ashamed of who you are. You are mine, and you are very loved just the way you are. Now fed me, please. I hunger so. Then we shall get you fed, you are so precious Persimine. Your Pyrth will make sure you see that.'

Grinning brightly the now greenrider placed her small childlike hand upon her lifemate’s wing, the moment they reached the table her purplish hands dug into the cutlets of meat and she set to feeding hers, a happiness danced in her eyes as she offered piece after piece to the hungry dragonet.

‘Eat nice and slow Pyrth, I don’t need you to go and choke on me or take off some of my fingers. My beautiful, gorgeous girl.’ Persephone mental stated towards the hatchling, snorting in reply the girl felt her mind fill with amusement at the attempt at a joke, nuzzling her snout into the now emptied hand Pyrth nibbled on the dainty digits teasingly.

'Oh Persimine, I would never eat your fingers. How would you be able to oil my hide later if I did that. Silly girl.'

At that Persephone could help but laugh and nuzzle against the green affectionately and lift another morsel of meat for her to take.

“I don’t know. It doesn’t make a lot of sense. Things were getting pretty bad between us and Malvren and Trine before, but the mystweed has obviously been working – I mean, look at that gold egg.” He nodded at the impossibly huge shell. He couldn’t help but think that such a huge queen would be a drain on the weyr’s resources, but if her rider was no fool and directed her Flights well, the enormous clutches would make up for the manpower needed to fight thread. “Small clutches were part of the reason there’s been so much tension with the new weyrs. With thread coming, these large clutches should have waylaid the fighting between the riders even further. We have the largest supply of the weed, but Malvren hasn’t exactly been shorted, and with the Ancientcrafter gone along with the formula there’s no need to go around murdering weyrwomen out of jealousy.” He sighed through his teeth, and voice became doubtful at his own suggestion. “I don’t know. Maybe Malvren stole the Ancientcrafter to get that formula out of him, and Trine could have acted independently to kill the weyrwoman in revenge for us killing their crimsonrider. I mean, that was a while ago, but the clutch she laid before dying would have just reached maturity a little while back and they might have more reason for trying something like this.” He shook his head unhappily and eyed the orange-eyed queen twitching protectively over her brood. “It still doesn't really figure.”

((*EDIT: PLOT ERROR, CUZ I AM SMARTZ))