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 Posted: Fri Jul 24, 2009 3:22 am
S'kagi sighed as he found himself someplace to sit down, watching the feast, and the feasters, mill around. Many looked uncertain, as though they weren't quite sure if they had a right to be celebrating, and he could understand that sentiment. Two dragons had died, one in the shell and one on the sands, and it was hard to get past that.
He wasn't sure if he was glad for, or irritated at, those who seemed to have shrugged it off for the tables of food and drink, or if it was in fact, fair, to be irritated at them.
Perhaps their memory is shorter than a dragons. Coriath joked, faintly, though there was fairly little humor in it. ...We should be thankful that as many were born strong and whole as there were. He added, as much reminder to himself as S'kagi.
Oh I agree, I just...I'm not sure we're out of trouble yet for the day. It would be hard to top what had happened for trouble, but...
Just because Z'nal had managed to prevent blood shed -so far-... he was only one man, and it was a large crowd. Better, it was a large crowd with alcohol involved.
Faranth knew THAT was tempting. He let out a profound sigh and glanced over at the contents of the table, flicking his eyes over the various refreshments with a grimace.
You don't drink. Coriath pointed out, voice now a little pricklish that his rider be considering something he would regret profoundly.
I know I don't. I mean I won't. I'm just... this should have been avoidable.
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Posted: Fri Jul 24, 2009 6:08 am
It was hard to find merriment, and as such he had only murmured brief congratulations to the new riders before slipping away from them. Last thing he wanted to do was bring them down on their own hatching feast just because he couldn't forget that blue, and that motionless egg. It shouldn't have happened, that stupid selfish little girl had killed two dragons in her attempts to give herself an edge over the other candidates. Not feeling in the mood for wine, C'mor found himself a cup of fruit juice and scanned for a place to sit.
A patch of stillness in the whirl of movement caught his eye, and he identified the man as wingleader S'kagi. He'd never spoken to the man before, but considering he an Naedreth might soon find themselves on his wing, perhaps it was time he introduced himself. Back in the weyrling dorms, Naedreth agreed; it would be good to know a man who might end up being their leader for a while. Not for too long, it would not take him and His long to achieve a command of their own, because they were great, and because they would work for it.
Nodding to his dragon's feelings on the matter, though not necessarily agreeing with him about timescale, C'mor negotiated the crowds until he stood before the tall rider. "Wingleader S'kagi," he gave the elder man a slight bow, but failed to find a smile. "C'mor of bronze Naedreth... Would you mind if I joined you for a while?" Usually he didn't mind crowds, noisy or otherwise, but tonight it was oppressive, and he wanted to keep out of it. If S'kagi would rather he moved on, fair enough, but he did want to get to know something of his character other than rumor, and he wanted to keep out of the milling crowds too.
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Posted: Fri Jul 24, 2009 7:32 am
S'kagi blinked, glancing up at C'mor, shaking off his internal reverie long enough to at least register the company.
"I've no objection." He nodded faintly toward open space on the bench with a faint shrug. "My apologies if I'm not particularly social at the moment. Strongly built boy, C'mor, though he could think of at least one other rider who was at least as squarely built, though that one rode a blue. The boy was still a Weyrling to his memory, though this particular hatching would have made a significant impact on anyone, no mater their age.
"How are you fairing?" He asked. "Low spirits for a feast, but small wonder. I suppose we should be grateful that as many impressed safely as they did." He sounded as much like he was trying to convince himself of this fact as anyone else.
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Posted: Fri Jul 24, 2009 7:54 am
C'mor sat down, sipping at his fruit juice and thinking of not very much. "Thanks," he said belatedly, "finding a quiet spot has been hard... I suppose we should be glad. The whole clutch could have been damaged." It was small comfort, and how did they know that the survivors were going to grown up healthy in any case? He knew of now time that soft eggs had been violated before, anything was possible.
"It's..." he began again after a moment, trying to work out what he was trying to say. "I've seen dragons die before, and it's been awful but... this is different. The way that blue went and... and it's so different when you're bonded to a dragon. They feel it so much. I wish the first death Naedreth experienced could at least have been a natural one. We're alright though, under the circumstances. It'll hurt less in time, and life goes on." Not for that blue or for the silent egg though, and what punishment had Kyllae suffered? Hardly any at all, so far as he could gather.
"And yourself?" he asked, pushing away thoughts of that girl. "I can't imagine it gets much, if any, easier no matter how many times you experience it. Dragons make life so... intense. Most of the time it's wonderful but at times like this..." he trailed off again, shrugging helplessly.
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Posted: Fri Jul 24, 2009 8:47 am
"I know it's happened in the past, dragons not finding their partner." He admitted. "I just didn't think I'd see it. Especially not now when we've got so damn many candidates." He laughed a little at this, with a faintly bitter edge. He himself wasn't Weyrborn, though living in a weyr at all you were forced to accept the risk that death could happen, on the sands, in the air, in training... and almost inevitably in thread fall, when it happened. Being a Wingleader, you also had to accept the potential that deaths could happen on your watch, but he still couldn't escape the screams of the blue, as though it had been rendered blind to whatever it was that they used to find their own. Maybe it had.
"They do." He agreed thoughtfully. "But I can't think of one of us who's impressed who would change that. Even after a hatching like this one."
Perhaps even because of it. It outlined the lives of the dragons that had made it that much more sharply, since they seemed to be healthy and whole, if some were as dangerously tempered as their mother.
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Posted: Fri Jul 24, 2009 8:51 am
Dragging himself to the Hatching Feast after the drawn-out Hatching and then seeing Kyllae safely into Haanyath's care was more draining than E'rik wanted to consider, but he had to go. He felt like he should be there, doing whatever he could to diffuse the inevitable problems that would arise when people got angry and drunk. Also he wanted to congratulate M'al on Impressing his blue. It really was about time some dragon found the ex-Harper. Now, if only Firyal could be similarly lucky that would sort everything out. He hadn't decided yet if Kyllae should Impress or not, though he would probably relent after a time.
It was the first time he had ever attended a Hatching Feast, having missed out on his own to spend the time getting to know Daramulath better. His family had not been flown in to watch, after all, and he hadn't seen the point in going to a feast where he knew practically no one since he was still very new to the Weyr at the time. He had been lucky, he now realized, to have Impressed at his first Hatching. Stepping into the cavernous hall where the Feast was held E'rik was not particulalry surprised to find the place incredibly full of people, despite the wretched hour.
The direction he was coming from was fortuitious as he entered very near to where M'al was conversing with J'riar. A part of him wished he could have brought Dara with him to introduce to M'al's blue, but that would have been a mistake. Daramulath was far too large to accompany him inside the Weyr, and he was usually grateful for that. There was no reason for him to recant on that position right now. An opportunity would eventually arise. They usually did. In the meantime, he could at least offer his congratulations to the pair, who seemed to be well-engaged as it was. The polite thing would be to wait. E'rik was a bit too tired to be polite.
"M'al," he called as he made his way to the diminutive Weyrling. He was guessing at the honorific, but there wasn't much to be done with a name three letters long in terms of shortening.
Once he was close enough that shouting would have been unnecessary E'rik hung back somewhat, his manners reasserting themselves so that M'al could choose to acknowledge him or not. It had been some time since they'd last spoken. Sometimes it seemed the only thing they had in common anymore was a past. He hoped that would change now that they both had dragons and common interests once more. He still credited M'al with part of the good fortune of his Impression, after all.
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Posted: Fri Jul 24, 2009 9:38 am
Raedue smiled at all the people he saw who still managed to get their happy back. As well they should. He looked around, trying to find his friend who ahd impressed. Where was M'rik and his dragon? He looked around some more and noticed that he had managed to loose Zafir in the crowds. Oh well. He would show up again sooner or later. Every time he looked after a flash of blue it wasn't his friend. He shrugged, and continued making his way through the crowd, Hoping that he would be able to find M'rik and congratulate him on his newest friend, and possibly say hello to his dragon as well.
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Posted: Fri Jul 24, 2009 11:44 am
Hanyousblood Even she had made a particular note of the size difference between them, vaguely wondering just how exceedingly tall he was to nearly match her when he sat. She herself was even on the taller side for a female ('woman' would never fit her as a title), and... oh, none of that was even relevant. He'd turned to her now, and was speaking, awkwardly, as the young brown beside him chirped in affection.
So strange to think that that was his dragon: his... whatever the name was. She couldn't say; they hadn't been introduced. None the less, it was second nature to give the noble little creature a respectful nod.
"Well... that's... good to hear." Her words were slow, and just as awkward, and after a few seconds, she broke her gaze away from him. She was no fool, after all; it was plain to see that he didn't really fancy chatter, and she wasn't very good at it, either. "I'll not keep you, but... yes. Congratulations. Both of you."
Both? ... Well, of course the dragonet was worth congratulating too, since he was as much a 'person' as the next one.
Beyond that, though, her ability to carry conversation unaided had more or less been exhausted, and she thought it best to turn for taking her leave. The festivities? She had no reason to stay for them beyond what she'd just done. He really could only just stare at her for a moment, uncomfortable with the situation as a whole. He hadn't forgotten her temporary... position as one of his roommates, nor how aggressive he'd been with her only to realize she was, indeed, a woman. Though he'd grown in a world that forced him to be hard and threatening just to get some peace to himself. So why was he feeling guilty now? You were not nice to her. Ormeteth reasoned thoughtfully, tilting his head at the girl who seemed almost as closed off as His! Saying sorry won't hurt."His name's Ormeteth." G'ran interjected gruffly. He had nothing to apologize for--but he would take up the role of conversation-starter for as long as he was able. "You aren't... hurt?" He'd seen the way the Queen had lunged at her, but had been too distracted by his own injuries to really focus on what else was going on. And then Ormeteth had spilled out of his shell, and then the little blue had gone Between and just... He blinked slightly as the dragon's pale snout nosed at his side gently, bringing him out of his thoughts. Canthry would be watched through narrowed eyes, awkwardly, but attentively. Or maybe that was threateningly.
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Posted: Fri Jul 24, 2009 11:54 am
FerretPrince
Since a man could only stand so much whining, M’al was already starting to shuffle closer to the Weyrbowl. It was a nice night and he, for once, didn’t want to be in a crowd, mostly because he was tired and still wearing the sharding robe. Unfortunately, one person stood between him and his ultimate goal. “J’riar! It’s good to see you again… yeah, it’s still M’al. It’s hard to shorten a name that’s already only three letters long. His name’s Redhath, by the way, but I like to think of him as Sharding Gorgeous.”
At the compliments, Redhath pulled himself up primly, looking as lovely as he could. He still wanted to go out, because people were staring at him… he also didn’t like this person who had just touched His. And without permission too! The Blue snorted before looking up at the Green, looking decidedly imperious. I am Redhath and I want to go out! I would have found mine no matter what. Even if he was hiding in the back, he announced simply.
“Quiet, Red. This is a friend and you will behave around him and his dragon,” M’al said, giving Redhath an affectionate scratch. “Ehh… yeah… I haven’t really thought about how Aeron would handle this,” he admitted sheepishly. All was quiet for a few moments before he added, “You know, at the mention of his name, I fully expected him to go like… dive-bomb happy on us allgh!”
The ‘gh’ had been added onto the end when W’in bumped into him. Redhath didn’t like that either, his eyes swirling red and orange rapidly. He hissed at the other boy and flared his wings, trying to make himself look bigger.J'riar would crack a wide grin at that, clearly unaware that he was fouling up Redhath and M'al's plan, even as he folded his arms. "I'll buy that, both your name and his! Shards, you all right though? Saw that brown took you out, and..." His face fell a little, more concerned now as he peered at the other. Well, he was still standing, that had to be a good thing! I do not doubt that, and I am sorry if I implied as much... It is very nice to meet you, Redhath. Ianquith said quietly and would drop her gaze, not going to draw anymore attention to herself unless it was needed. He would, of course, jump as M'al was shoved--almost like he'd expected Aeron himself to swoop down on them and savage the pair of them. Of course, he'd stare bewilderedly at Redhath's reaction, clucking his tongue and putting a hand on Ianquith, who'd started to pull back some. She'd had enough maulings today! But someone caught his eye, and her turned his head to spot Inaari standing with the others, grinning widely even as he waved. "Inaari!" Shards, look at her with that dark, darling little green! He could hardly believe it.
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Posted: Fri Jul 24, 2009 12:09 pm
... Even if she couldn't hear him, that dragonet certainly seemed a great deal more pleasant than his rider, tilting his head and chirping and doing so much that seemed like good-natured appeasement. She hadn't even been expected to have his name given to her, but... huh, apparently now she'd be lucky enough to hear it, halting any thought of retreat for just another minute or two to avoid being rude and turning back around.
"... Oh... Oremeteth." She even repeated it, quietly, to herself as though testing the syllables. "That's a nice name-- ..."
But what else was this now? Was she losing her sanity without realizing it, or had he just asked if she was unhurt?
"And I'm fine," she added, almost mechanically, without a flinch. It wasn't untrue, really; she'd managed to avoid a total mauling, and the scrapes and bruises from all the chaos were too minor to bother over. "... Thank you." Then, another little pause followed-- an awkward one. "Your legs are alright?..."
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Posted: Fri Jul 24, 2009 12:27 pm
Ailurath made the mental equivalent of a shrug: she wasn't touchy or competitive by nature, so having a yelling fight didn't make much sense to her. But she had just enough sense not to pursue that particular subject, at least not with a queen! Younger and smaller than her or not.
Jessmet raised an inquisitive brow. "'Your girl'?" she repeated. "Which girl?" She had, of course, heard that someone had messed with the eggs, but was never told just who it was. And while she certainly recognized many of the Weyr's occupants by face, many of them did not match up with names. She had incorrectly supposed that the dimwitted candidate who had touched that poor dead egg was the culprit; although why he would be allowed to Stand was beyond her. Glancing back and forth, Jessmet kept a comforting hand on Ailurath's shoulder. It seemed it would impossible to avoid discussing what had happened to the clutch.
The moment of tension was broken with the arrival of Inaari and Eponath.
"Inaari!" Jessmet exclaimed, giving the younger girl a quick hug. "We were just wondering where you'd got to. You look lovely, by the way." The slender greenrider looked Inaari up and down, noting the fine craftsmanship that had gone into the dress. Jessmet hadn't bothered to dress up-- it was late when the call had come and she looked rather the worse for wear and general emotional upheaval.
Finally, another green! Ailurath needn't be so on edge with her. Hello Eponath, I am Ailurath! she trilled. Mine is Jessmet. She is nice and clever; you will like her. Who wouldn't??
Finding herself caught up in her bonded's excitement, Jessmet grinned broadly. "It's lovely to meet you," she said, offering her free hand to pat the little green's earknobs. Inaari and Eponath were a welcome distraction but she filed away O'asis' "girl" as something to inquire about later. Although it was sure to come up again.
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Posted: Fri Jul 24, 2009 1:52 pm
Ugh... O'asis hadn't come here expecting to get Thread-eaten for the company he kept. But now that Rinfala had brought it up, Jessmet was obviously curious - and now Inaari was there too, and anything he said, she'd be sure to have an opinion on. He began to feel like he needed to extricate himself from the conversation, maybe physically separate himself from the girls - but how could he walk off, when Inaari had just arrived?
"Later," he answered Jessmet instead, smiling broadly with his eyes locked on Inaari. As much as he could, he'd at least try to focus the conversation. And if that didn't work, then shards, he wasn't going to play a willing catalyst for bad feelings. Certainly not during a celebration!
So he was quite happy to cheer for Inaari instead, admiringly taking in the shape of her new dress. "Shards, that fabric looks even prettier on you than I thought it would!" he went out of her way to flatter her with an obvious up-and-down. "Let no one ever doubt your taste. Nor," he changed his orientation and smiled at Eponath, "yours either! Congratulations to you both!"
Uktenath was less outgoing than His when it came to greeting the new dragon. She wasn't a gold, after all, and while that did not mean that she was without value, it did mean that Uktenath had not had a chance to see it yet. He addressed the draconic newcomer with only a brief nod and a quick appraisal, and then fell into silence to observe.
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Posted: Fri Jul 24, 2009 2:06 pm
"Good," Rinfala said firmly, tone sharp as she held O'asis' gaze. "Nothing can repay a dragon's keen, but that's a start." That was the most she would bend on the matter, with Arioth's piercing keens still fresh in her mind. It dampened the joy of the new bond, and seemed to cast a silent shadow over the entire celebration. "I know I won't be able to forget it."
Fighting sudden tears, she turned and filled a plate with some of the food so carefully prepared for the Feast. A chunk of wine-marinated herdbeast made its way onto her plate, as well as one of the porcine chops that were a rare delicacy on most of Pern, let alone an island Weyr like Ista. Some assorted legumes went on the side, and after choosing a furred greenfruit slush to drink Rinfala made her way back to sit near O'asis, Jessmet, and...hey, another new Weyrling pair. Distracted, she gave a slight smile and waved to the younger girl. "Congratulations on...Eponath? She's cute." She wasn't Arioth, but nobody was. Arioth was a creature unto herself.
Arioth was silent as she turned Uktenath's words over in her mind, carefully inspecting them for flaws. I should not let him do anything he wants, she said finally. If I do he will do more and more and it will get worse. Glaring across the hall at Varth, she hissed softly. Even now he disrespects me!
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Posted: Fri Jul 24, 2009 2:36 pm
G'ran only offered a curt nod at that, unconsciously softening some when the conversation fell to the little brown. This was something he could talk about without stumbling over his words. Not too much, anyway. Besides, Ormeteth was all too willing to sit and let them awkwardly try to talk to one another--he was patient! This was very good for His.
He only watched her for a moment at her dull response, though was glad she wasn't going to get weepy or mope; he'd been mauled too, and as far as he was concerned, one could just suck it up. 'Course, if she looked more like a proper young woman, he'd undoubtedly feel differently, but...
"Fine." Came the stiff shrug, and a rueful glance settled on the limbs in question. "Can walk." And that was all he cared about.
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Posted: Fri Jul 24, 2009 4:12 pm
F’sey was giving off serious Leave Me Alone and Let Me Brood Or Else I’ll Rip Your Spine Out and Use it as a Spoon vibes right now. Not that C’ren was being much better, actually. The betweening of the hatchling had shaken Ceylith rather badly and, as the saying went, what affects the dragon affects the rider. If that wasn’t enough, Pyrite and Vox had been unsettled by the dragonet’s death, the gold especially. Both firelizards winked by C’ren and settled on their human’s shoulders. Pyrite churred quietly and shivered, while Vox just wobbled.
“Hey, ‘Sey,” C’ren said once he was close enough that he wouldn’t have to shout over other people. It was always a bit… awkward being in public like this. By now, most people were pretty sharding aware that the Weyrlingmaster had a weyrmate----or they might as well be weyrmates anyway----but… fardles. C’ren was a man who would feel awkward giving F’sey so much as a hug in public. “Don’t forget to eat something yourself. And shut up, Pyrite…”
By now, the gold firelizard had given up churring and was starting to shriek. “Shreeeeeeeee!!”
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