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The dragons of Trine simply did not know the right ordering of things. S'raid stared at the new Crimson and her rider, and shook his head. That was... beyond ridiculous. How did they expect to have successful Flights with a male rider for a clutching dragon? ... And yet, there was the possibility that she would not be a clutching dragon. If she was instead a fighting dragon, perhaps it would still be right and proper. He watched the pair, thinking this through very swiftly, convincing himself that that was surely the young Crimson's intent. He had heard that there were those among the Crimson dragons who fought Thread instead of attempting to breed. Perhaps this would be one such beast.

Primath's rider watches you, S'raid, Galvanth said disapprovingly, sending a displeased rumble at the Green dragon. He was all too aware of how mischievous the female could be. His great wedge-shaped head swung round to regard her, and the faintest flicker of long-suffering amusement showed itself in his eyes. Primath, what is this nonsense that you perpetuate? he teased, comfortable enough with his fellow Wingriders that he did not feel the need to take that tone with her. But then they had spent quite a bit of time together, and the Bronze always felt the need to be smooth with his fellow dragons when he could be.

It is well, Xalth, he reassured the Blue, not aware of the cause of his discomfort, but aware of it. He was not especially pleased by the turn of events, as he did not at all approve of the Atypical dragonets, but he would tolerate this because his rider wanted to watch. Primath's smugness irritated him, but he was in the habit of jollying her up when he could-- and besides, S'raid did not approve of him alienating his fellow Benden dragons. The Bronzerider had made no similar comment regarding the Trine dragons, however.

It would seem that they did smack the eggs with a shovel. There was nothing scientific about their method, nothing that he might have expected. But this was the sort of strange ritual that he had been looking for, and the Crimson had displayed irregular behavior in selecting her rider. Steepling his fingers, he watched the Hatching Sands with intent, an eyebrow raised as he observed the pair. Would there be more such pairings? What would be next? A girl paired to a dragon that was supposedly the equal of a Bronze?

So...what was going to happen now? Most of the energy from the Crimson's hatching was dying down now as the small green pattered around, or at least it was still moving around as far as Ofelia could see. She was alternating between sitting and standing to try and get a better view of what all was happening, her lips set in a frown and her brow scrunched as she tried to figure out just what would go on now.

If memory served this green was from that dead dragon's clutch, right? Did that mean there was a chance that something was seriously wrong with it? Physically or mentally, Ofelia meant, but otherwise there could be things wrong with it in other ways.

Would the rest of the eggs fall into that same boat? The Weyrwoman had been heading off to them with shovels after all, ready to smack their shells in that same way that had left Ofelia's stomach in a knot. Part of her wondered if all Weyrs cracked eggs like that, though from the gossip and complaints of the Candidates she'd spoken with apparently only Trine and this place called Malvren did. Benden, she'd been told fervidly, left them to die.

Watching how weak the Crimson was, how it had been so hard for it to find its own, she could understand why.

The girl's curiousity peaked instantly when the dirty blue dismissed the boys and turned his attention to the girls. His flailing walk was nothing short of comical and she couldn't help but giggle again as he made his way through the girls, clearly searching for His. She almost missed the brown slink off while watching the blue, but her attention was jerked back to the brown and the gold when the queen called again. Clearly someone wanted centre stage! Not that she blamed her. If Kiipa had been a gold dragon she would have wanted everyone's attention on her.

Only once the gold started to move did the girl realize the blue had chosen and she cast a glance over her shoulder to look at the lucky candidate. A female bluerider! And she was going to have some trouble with that one, that was for sure. Kiipa idly wondered how many times the little blue would have to be bathed before he decided he was clean enough. She didn't have much time to think on it as the gold was coming to make her choice, scrutinizing each girl. Kiipa subconsciously tried to stand taller but the move appeared to be in vain. The little queen was off towards... the Stands? Oh shards. Apparently the girl she'd Impressed to had something to prove to one of the watching riders and Kiipa couldn't help but grin. It wasn't her, but at least somebody's dream had come true.

A green and a blue came next, the green heading off towards the boys with a definite purpose. So much for that one too. Before she could so much as hope for the blue he had already passed through her to find His. Two female blueriders! At least this one seemed much happier. She grinned as he tackled his chosen girl before turning her attention back to the clutch. A green! And another green! Surely one of them would come to the girls' side this time?

Kiipa's throat clenched when one of the greens started to panic, fearing the worst as she covered her mouth with her hands. "No don't go Between, don't go Between!" But it was no use. The green was gone. The girl made a hiccupping noise and fiercely tried to wipe the tears from her face. Tears wouldn't bring the dragon back, but it didn't change the fact that is just wasn't fair. She almost didn't notice the second green making her way towards the girls and jumped when she was touched. Was she... being consoled? Kiipa swallowed and tried her best to smile as the green passed by. A good girl. She hoped Hers was here somewhere too.

The cheerful brown helped lighten the mood a little and she wiped the remaining tears off her face with the sleeve of her candidate robe. Another green was making her way towards the Stands and oh... wait, didn't she know that girl? That was the trader! Kiipa waved brightly to Optheli, wanting to cheer her on but knowing she'd probably get in trouble for it. Another blue had hatched by the time she turned her head back to the clutch and it was making its way pointedly towards the brown. Another for the boys. The brown picked quickly when the blue got close to a boy he clearly wanted and then... did the blue just take a swipe at someone? Kiipa stood on tip-toe trying to get a better look at the scene. A mauling? No? He'd Impressed to that boy?!

Somebody was definitely in for some trouble.

The Weyrwoman's movement caught her attention as did the arrival of the shovel. It was time to hatch the unhatched! Or so it seemed, anyways. But wait! More were hatching? Kiipa made a surprised noise when a brown broke free and then a bronze followed suit, clearly knowing who he was looking for. The girl didn't have time to marvel at their Impressions. Abigail was ordering them to reform the ranks and Kiipa was not going to be standing in the back. She hurried to take her place among the remaining girls, straightening her robe in the process.

Before the shovel could fall on the first egg a green hatched and made her way towards the girls. Kiipa's eyes moved between the green and the egg that Abigail was hatching. Oh! A crimson! But why wasn't he heading for the... She wanted a boy? Aw shards and shells! The girl couldn't help but make a face. Today was clearly not a good day to be a girl.

The hatching went on and on and on. Somewhere in the course of events, Viskal had been scratched on his thigh despite his wariness about renegade dragons. That hostile little green had been too quick, but he’d been quick enough to avoid being badly mauled. The cut hurt little enough to ignore as the hatching continued. His breath finally slowed and though he didn’t look cool and relaxed on the hot sands, he no longer seemed on the edge of fainting in the heat. His expression slowly began to absorb the duress his body was relieved of as the young dragons found their places. Eventually there was only one egg left. As the boy’s line straightened out for Abigail to do her duty, his mind went back to the green that had gone between. When Viskal had first arrived at the weyr he’d asked the rider S’ren if young dragonets really did go between. Now he kept looking back to the empty spot and wondering why it had happened.

He turned his focus back on the remaining egg and watched it thoughtfully as the emerging crimson approached the line of boys and made her choice. He hadn’t Impressed yet. There was a line of other Candidates though, so he wasn’t alone in this. Of course, there was still the other clutch, but the worry that he would leave the Sands alone was beginning to creep in upon him. He was prepared for that at least. As long as another dragon didn’t sentence itself between he could handle loneliness. It was a familiar companion at least.

---

There were two things K’la didn’t care for in this hatching, no matter how reminisce she had been about the little queen hatching.

The first was the queen’s new chosen. K’la raised her nose as the girl came over and made a…. a display of herself. The green rider diverted her eyes, looking more embarrassed than she truly was to cover the surge of indignation she felt. Finally the little wench of a queen rider ceased and K’la huffed crossly and shook her head and primped herself into comfort once more. Even as lovely as she was, it made her look something like a wherry fussily preening itself.

The second was the crimson. Some other dragons had already Impressed outside their own genders, but that wasn’t unheard of with greens and the occasional blue. There had been a few blues Impressing to girls in this hatching, but it wasn’t as inappropriate as seeing the crimson toddling determinedly towards the boy’s line. Plus, after being so rudely whacked out of the shell with a shovel? It was an uncomfortable thing to watch, and she frowned slightly as the crimson nudged her way up to a boy.

Uh oh. Yellow eyes were not a good sign. Kiipa's finger clenched in the white fabric of her robes, watching as the dragon sat down. "Don't go Between. Don't go Between. Don't go Between," she whispered, almost like a mantra. Having her mother disappear had been bad enough. If her clutch didn't make it....

But the green seemed to have regained some strength and was already moving towards the boys. She couldn't ignore the slight twinge of jealousy that the girls were being overlooked again, but anything was better than going Between. If she could find Hers over there then all would be well.

Devlin had nearly forgotten about the rest of the hatching as he fed bit after bit of meat to Plexith - which was turning out to be harder then he expected, while his siblings gulped down anything theirs seemed to give them, his little bronze had already turned up his nose at several pieces."Is there none better?" the little dragon asked in a perplexed sounding voice as he regarded yet another piece of meat. "You must eat Plexith..and there's only so much to choose from..." He urged the little beast even as he turned back to find a better bit to offer.

His attention however was drawn back to the hatching momentarily as the shovel rang out against the shell and the little crimson emerged and then the green seemed to be having trouble making up her mind. He hoped she would find her's shortly...another little dragon going between would lend a rather sad tone to this whole affair.

F'ren was reeling from the hatchlings death, he didn't see the next impressions, as he'd buried his head in Toulonth's neck.

F'renMine, i know you are hurting but she could not have lived without Hers. she accomained this with a vocal croon, her eyes slightly tinged with grey, Mine i am hungry, let us eat please and talk the new dragons and riders? then you can oil me later and we can relax

F'ren couldn't resist the pull and pain of his dragon i'm sorry Toulonth love but .... well Dragons shouldn't needlessly die he replied to her, caressing her eye ridges and reaching for another bowlful of meat "Here Toulonth love, but chew wont you?" he said out loud, still unseeing of the new partners, he kept his eyes on his own dragon.