[ORP] Fright Night - Spooky Clutch Hatching Feast - Open

[Masterharper]

Zheria & gold Eveleth
The dark haired woman had watched the Hatching from the tiers relatively quietly. The clutch had been large and healthy, but uncontrolled, and wild. While their spirit might serve Western Weyr well, it also could be detrimental. If they weren't broken in and molded early, any defiant behavior could prove o be disastrous. But that was neither here nor there. It was Western's problem -- and she could at least be proud in how Uridith handled herself. She had been protective of her eggs, and her children; she had kicked them out of the Touching, but had not lost herself. From what she heard about Vimiath... Well. Perhaps the queen was simply falling into early senility. Rumor also had it her rider was losing it, too.

Mmph.

She made no movement when the bronzes attacked, nor did she show much emotion when one of the Candidates was killed. A tragedy, really, for he might have proven to be something great later... but nothing Zheria hadn't witnessed. Unimpressed dragonets were always chaotic and potentially aggressive. Given all she'd heard from Gr'del about the Touching, compounded with Talela's health, and the poor health of Vimiath -- she was surprised it hadn't been worse.

No, Zheria was not affected by the Hatching. It was dramatic, yes, and many Candidates had been poorly trained... but every Hatching was its own event. Even Eveleth had clutched particularly aggressive broods from time-to-time. The shock and distress over what was relatively tame surprised her...but, once again, she kept her comments to herself. She was more interested in seeing who of High Reaches Impressed. Though the two Weyr's did have their difference, every dragon on Pern was needed, and all bonds were sacred. She would not begrudge the lost Candidates, especially as, for better or worse, they might host Western Candidates next time. Oh, certain Western got the better deal -- why wouldn't they want High Reaches trained men and women here? But there were some of Western blood that looked capable, hardy, and intelligent.

When the Hatching finished, she lingered in the tiers with Ink. There was no rush, really, as the Feast would not happen immediately. Furthermore, she had things to discuss with Ink -- this was not purely a social call. There was work to be done, and though Zheria would play the game as she knew how to do, Ink would get up-to-date on any relavent news. A crowded feast with lots of alcohol meant loose tongues would wag... and there were some plants to check up on.

By the time Zheria made her way to the Feast, it was already well begun. She strode in with her usual confident, sultry gait, moving among the crowds as a feline might a herd of prey. While it would be good manners to congratulate Talela, the queen rider was hardly a blip on her radar. Not only did she doubt that the woman might make an entrance, but she was not immediately useful to her. Eveleth would sen along greetings, for now. The goldrider also knew she might greet Hestina, and offer thanks for the invitation. Mmm. As she did not immediately spot the greenrider, she waved that off to happen later. All in due time. Food was skipped in favor of a glass of red wine, and her eyes moved over the crowd.

Who among them interested her most at this moment? Which pawn might she approach first?

Zheria's open to being approached by anyone, if you dare. She doesn't bite--oh okay, she actually does.  

[demon_pachabel]

Martirae

So many mopey faces. Her attention drifted out after several who left the tent to make their way down to the beach and the bonfire beyond. She wouldn't begrudge them their feelings. Though as much as she knew Henwas, she would have likely started a fight if she had stated her firm opinion on the matter; he had died better than he had lived and would be honored to be remembered in that way. For that night, she'd keep it to herself. There were better things to see.

Like the young hatchlings that now wandered through the tables and people with their chosen. The brown that had chosen Lennik - L'nik now, she had heard - suited the boy well yet she chose not to make herself known to the young one yet. What camaraderie they had shared was now over. She had seen him through to where he was now - what he had always wanted to be. Not that he was the only one on the sands that she was aware of even now, but there was something briefly sentimental about having shared the sands with him since the beginning. She didn't linger after it any further than the moment she allowed it to fully sink in. He would move on to what he wanted so badly. Perhaps that was the difference.

The difference allowed her to take in the real spectacle of the Feast. After so many of them, Martirae had learned which faces were familiar staples and which ones were new - or perhaps foreign. A few here or there were new candidates, crushed after their first failure (which she had been once. They would either get over themselves or sulk and grate on her nerves), and others were the unfamiliar but not entirely unknown faces of High Reaches. They were a very unique breed. Martirae would not fault the Weyr of her birth for being the specimen it was - a Weyr of hard work. But there was a charm to a Weyr that had it's roles and made sure those within it rose to meted potential and order. She had no preference for which was better.

What High Reaches did have better at the very least was the woman who demanded attention with the eyes of all suitors, but demands they would not touch. Even across the ocean, Martirae knew who it was her attentions lingered on, if only by reputation. Words did her injustice. Zheria, the Weyrwoman of High Reaches.

Oh, there were no words or small talk she was prepared with for such a woman, but that didn't slow Marty's step as she began her approach. Perhaps by the time she had actually made it to the woman, she'd have come up with something to say that wasn't simply; 'How do I learn your power?' Which was still a very real contender for a conversation starter.

Masterharper

Marty is comin' at Zheria. Hi. She's ready.

 

[ShinosBee]

Amna & Zunulth

It had been a long day! A planed social moment with A'myl and Vee had become little more than joined, stunned horror at the raw aggression playing out on the sands. They both had seen their share of bad hatchings, but...a boy had died. Still, it felt wrong not to keep living life in the process of so much suffering and death, and so on some mutual silent level they'd decided to save it for the feast. Because in the end, life did go on. There was no real use in moping and mourning. A respectful sendoff was in order, and then...the feast!

Amna wasted no time plating herself up a small mountain of meats and breads and thick creamy soups. She'd pay for it later, but hey, who cared? She sure didn't (thought Zunulth had a grumble or two to add.) I refuse to be the go-between if you're trapped in the bathroom all night. I want to see Vee, so I'll just leave you there to mope. The white was small enough to mingle in the throng, but had chosen to linger at the edges. Dragonets underfoot would be enough to mind without a full grown white wandering about. Amna hadn't minded. Vee could be spotted a mile away. And she was gonna keep an eye out for either of the precious whites that had been shelled in this clutch. They were rare enough things, that was for sure.

teiha

mx cherie

 

[Meepfur]

Rio

The little white was no more pleased to see him now than she had been before, and the same hurt he'd felt then tried to rise back to the surface, but for Isilje's sake, he pushed it down and refused to let his smile falter for more than half a moment.  Respectful of the hatchling's clear signals, he inclined his head and took a step back.  "You've nothing to apologize for," he assured the new Weyrling. "You have a dragon now, and nothing is more important than her needs."

His heart warmed to know that Isilje, at least, was glad for his company, and his smile brightened until it reached his eyes again. "That's one of the reasons I wanted to find you; I haven't been here overly long myself, just since a few sevendays before the Flight, but if you ever need anything, anything at all, I'll help however I can."

"And I promise, Brancath," he added, going down on bended knee and placing his hand over his heart, "That I would never knowingly hurt you or Yours.  I swear it on my life."

-_Wish of Tevarae_-

 

[Teiha]

A’myl and Viyanakerth

Yes, the day had been long, indeed. What Vee started as a joyful, somewhat humorous relay of the hatching’s events back to High Reaches turned into quiet, almost guilty reports of violence. Some of their own Candidates had been among those torn up by wayward dragonets. He had reluctantly reported the death of Henwas, but only to prevent rumors that the tragedy had befallen a High Reaches youth. He would have preferred to spare everyone the shock for as long as possible.

Though they didn’t know the young man, the slender white and his rider had first gone down to the beach to pay their respects to the lost. Henwas had a twin, something that Viyanakerth intimately understood. He and Zunulth had been irrevocably linked, even inside their shared egg. He knew full well that it would be a long, hard recovery for Huarwar, and that nothing he could do would even register as comforting to the man tonight, but the white let his warm thoughts of peace and understanding wash over him anyway. Even the tiniest drops of water would eventually fill a bucket.

A’myl and his dragon were solemn when they entered the brightly-lit feasting area, until Vee saw his brother’s white hide standing out like a sore thumb along the sidelines. He abandoned his rider to snake along through the crowd as quickly as possible, his exceedingly petite size and grace allowing him to do so with no more than a rustling of ladies’ skirts as he blew past. A’myl, on the other hand, was left to wander around the area, watching for Amna and hoping Farinalgo didn’t show up to bother them with his oh-so-witty banter. Sigh.

BastetAmun

Won’t help much right now, but Vee offers his condolences. heart

ShinosBee

Amna, wave when you see this message! A'myl is short and can't see you over such an averagely-tall crowd!

 

[ShinosBee]

D'mar & Strigonth

With every unwanted, unwarranted words from Shahera's overly-painted mouth, D'mar could feel something—something rigid and twisted and ugly—flaring to broiling life in his core. Strigonth's gentle creeling pleas to his rider to calm became a low hiss, the surprising storm of animosity taking the young dragon off guard. His eyes swam red, whirling faster, faster. D'mar was in pain. He was exhausted, and with no relief in sight, Marinel looking hurt both physically and emotionally, the distress radiating from his otherwise calm blue...He'd had enough. She might be technically right about what had happened and her choices, but he didn't care. He was done with Shahera. She'd already turned to go, but his words chased after her, snapping out like a whip meant to slice down to the bone.

"At least I still sharding care for him. Sorry, Shahera, but some of us just aren't cold enough to shrug off the loss of our family, again. I might coddle him, might do all I can to remove strife from his life, might ask my friends to help make sure he's fine when I can't...but don't worry. That won't be your problem anymore. That's what you'd prefer, after all, hmm? Just to stand by and watch." A gate had slammed shut behind his mismatched eyes as they bore into her back. Always behind his jabs and scathing barbs there'd been...something. Mutual respect, perhaps, or almost-affection. Now they were only cold.

With a pained grunt he couldn't suppress, he lurched upright. Strigonth shifted to wedge himself between the two weyrlings, eyes flashing a brief pale yellow at Therianth—this was none of her fault—before melting back to furious reddish-gray. A soothing hand (that had a bit too much weight behind it to be meant only as a comfort to the dragonet—moving still hurt) dropped to the blue's head, and with a last low rumbling noise, the hatchling's eyes finally began to brighten and creep back towards orange. "Marinel," His twin was almost an afterthought, he was still so livid, though he could feel his fire dimming, as well as a damning blossom of wet warmth beneath the bandages beneath his shirt and vest...shards! Nothing was going well! He needed to get away from here, from her, he could feel his already tenuous grasp on his cracked mask of composure slipping. And shard it all but he refused to risk Strigonth...more than he already had. "Let's go. I need more klah."

And then, much lower, under his breath and quiet enough to have been probably meant only for himself, "...And she isn't my friend."

thaliawen

faesinger

 

[faesinger]

Everyone at Feast

Shahera be yelling. Everyone can likely hear.

Shahera’s control snapped. She whirled around and her eyes narrowed. “You have no right to sit there and judge this mess. You weren’t there. Not really. You didn’t have to stand there as your friend was nearly killed next to you knowing that if you did anything you would make it worse. You didn’t have to choose between letting someone be mauled and potentially causing their dragon to go between. You didn’t have to watch as one person after another was injured, to hear the screams and sobs. You didn’t have to make the choice between action and inaction knowing you might be able to save them, just maybe, or your actions could get someone killed.” Shahera could feel the anger rise with each word and her voice rose with it. There was pain in there along with the fury that practically dripped from every word. As she paused for breath before preparing to continue her rant she became aware of the growling and an anger that wasn’t hers she was feeling.

Therianth was poised for attack, eyes a vibrant red. How dare this person accuse hers so. How dare this person insinuate such things. How dare he hurt her Shahera. In the spirit of her small white brother, how dare. Therianth took a menacing step towards D’mar. She would make him rue the day that…

NO. Shareha’s control came flooding back to her and her hand shot out to grab one of Therianth’s headknobs, who paused but did not relax. Shahera would not let this happen. She would not let actions that they might regret happen again today. She wanted to cry, to rage, to scream. Right there, right now. But she could not. For the sake of Therianth she could not. For the sake of D’mar and Strigonth she could not. And, as much as it pained her to admit, for the sake of her already battered pride she would not.

It was in that instant that Shahera realized there was no one, no one, in the world that she could cry with. That she had built a world around her that she could never be vulnerable in. For the first time in her life she didn’t know how to cope. Not even the deaths of her beloved parents had affected her so much. Her hand dropped. “I’m sorry.” The words were barely audible. The regret, the sadness, and the mental agony, she was in had now replace the anger to drip from her words. Whether she was talking to D’mar about Marinel or to herself about everything else even she didn’t know. What had she done? “Mistakes were made today by many, including you. Do not forget that. But you are the lucky one. Your brother is alive, you aren’t the one down on that beach watching the fire burn, you aren’t the one the fire is burning for, you have a match in Strigonth there, and you Don’t have the questions about if you could have changed the outcome running through your mind. Be thankful for what is, not angry for what could have been.”

Wrapping what dignity she could around herself she place a hand on Therianth again and walked away. Head held high she began to leave the Feast before the tears started. She would not let her own actions break her. For the sake of Therianth, she would survive intact and whole. She headed for the edge of the Feast to go find a place she could let it all out. Alone.

A small nudge, not one large enough to push her out of step, brushed against her arm. A fierce love enveloped her like a cloak. Never alone. Never again.

ShinosBee

thaliawen

 

[Masterharper]

Elysia & gold Sheyoth
It had been an emotional and stressful Hatching. Between the stress of Vimiath and Talela's health, there were babies that were particularly aggressive, and many Candidates and Weyrlings would be sporting scars and trauma from this event. Worse, one of the Candidates had been mortally wounded near the end. After the Hatching, the woman went out to spend some time with Sheyoth -- to center herself, to focus. This was supposed to be a celebration of new life, and she intended to keep face. High Reaches was present, after all, and the Weyrwoman Second wasn't going to let their Weyr be judged or put down.

Her first order of business had been to pay her respects at the bonfire. Henwas had a reputation of being a bully, but that did not mean he had deserved to die. While she did not know the young man personally, he had still been part of Western Weyr, and his death was tragic. Though she had no words, as she passed Huarwar, she did reach out to lightly place a hand upon his shoulder. No doubt the Council would want to discuss the day's events. Hatchings were always wild, of course, and none ever the same. No one knew what might happen, and every Candidate knew the risk . . .but it didn't make it any easier to witness.

Once she'd taken herself from the fire, the woman straightened her shoulders, and kept her head high. She spotted the High Reaches Weyrwoman moving among the crowd -- but this was not her Feast. No, this was Western's celebration, and Elysia planned on congratulating the newly Hatched pairs, and offering words of encouragement to those who might need it.

She would make her rounds first.

Glancing around, she spotted Dezerac and the Vedmath. She approached the pair first, seeing as they were not otherwise preoccupied. She recognized the man as the first one attacked by Suwayeth, and his bronze the dragonet who had tried so desperately to stop her. Both had sustained injuries, and the fact they were in attendance at all was admirable. She didn't recognize the man -- possibly one of High Reaches then -- but it didn't matter where he hailed from originally: he was a Western rider now.

"Congratulations on your Impression, rider, and welcome to the rank," she greeted with a smile. They both were battered and banged up, but they were standing and made an appearance. How admirable. "I'm heartened to see both of you standing, after everything." It had been hard to know the extent of the injuries from the tiers, but the fact that both rider and dragon were upright was a good sign. She was thankful that the first sevenday or two was more about strengthening the bond between rider and dragon and weyrlings than the more physically demanding aspects of dragonriding. Some of them would take some time to fully recover.

Meepfur

 

[Revel1984]

Serfie had overheard the conversation.... argument between D'mar and Shahera, she frowned but didn't really intervene, what could she have done? ... nothing. However when the voices got louder, and D'mar yelled at Shahera, and Shahera yelled back and it looked like the fresh hatched dragons looked to be at odds, or rather, Shahera's green looking like she was going to go for D'mar, Serfie couldn't sit by. She swallowed the last bite of her food, put her plate down and moved to do something about it ... though by that time Shahera was moving away from D'mar, so she followed.

What was she doing? she didn't make people feel better, Serfie didn't care about anyone ... right? ... yet here she was, feet going faster to catch up with her almost-friend "Shahera....." she called, putting a hand on the other girl's shoulder.

faesinger

 

[demon_pachabel]

L'nik and Brown Hessianth

Despite Hessianth trying to snag whatever food caught his fancy off the edge of the table, L'nik had done well to keep the brown from a second meal too soon. I'll let you have some when it won't make both of us sick for you to eat it. Do you want to be off to a slow start because of a sour stomach? should have been enough to deter the brown. But he was determined to have what he wanted and if he had to tough it out through a sick belly, he'd do that too. L'nik found a middle ground in sharing the taste of the food he was eating with his newly bonded and Hessianth held onto every thought sent to him attentively. A few things he even recoiled from. That's not what food is supposed to taste like! Then aren't you glad you aren't getting sick over it? Hessianth considered this, then seemed to settle that for the time being, L'nik's way of doing things was...satisfactory.

What was less than satisfactory was the shouting that came from another Weyrling, causing both boy and dragon to whip around to look and see what was happening. Therianth and Strigonth's are fighting. Hessianth stated simply as he already started to make his way after his sister and her rider. L'nik hesitantly followed after. She may want to be alone. As if Therianth would allow her to be alone. he countered and though he didn't immediately move to invade the young woman's space, the brown did reach out towards the green.

Therianth. If yours is in need of new company, I offer up mine.

Faesinger

 

[stella cinere]

Other than the bruise on his cheek and a few scrapes from falling and the new found claws of the lovely Dokkaeth A’te was pretty much intact to attend the feast. Of course there was a smidge of disappointment on his face when Liat mentioned something about no mischief as Dokkaeth giggled to them both. Since when had that ever stopped the younger man from doing something that he wanted? Now that he had a permanent partner in crime there was little chance that the two of them wouldn’t possibly do something that weren’t supposed to, at least something in the realms of not getting into too much trouble right away. They didn’t want to be forever confined doing too much work after the first day of meeting one another, they still had to plan what sort of pranks they would pull on the rest of the new candidates.

For now A’te and Dokkaeth would try to have as much fun as they could as both pairs of blue eyes sparkled looking out into the hall where the feast had already started in full swing. The young man had decided to wear something different, a sheer layered purple dress that went to his knees with long sleeves that gave an impression of poofing at his shoulders despite his thin frame. His legs and feet were bare, really if A’te had the choice he would always go barefoot but being a rider now he wouldn’t really get that choice for much longer.

Food and then play yes? Dokkaeth turned to look at him the blue eyes bright as her lower half wiggled with excitement.

“Of course.”  

[Meepfur]

Dezerac and Vedmath

Will you eat, Mine? Vedmath inquired with concern, sniffing in the direction of the food tables. He could feel a touch of hunger there, underneath everything else, but it seemed to be just as well-controlled as everything His felt.

In due time, his bonded answered, resting a hand on his head.  However hungry he was or wasn't, he did need to eat.  It would help the healing along, and get him started on recovering from the blood loss, but he would give himself a few minutes to take everything in first.  There was a whole Weyr full of people to get to know, including his fellow Weyrlings, though the mere thought of it made him feel tired, impatient.  It had been a long day, and socializing wasn't something he was looking forward to at the end of it, but it needed to be done.  After everything, and considering that he had come on exchange from High Reaches, they needed to be seen.  It could give the wrong impression, if he were to hole up with his bronze and eschew company.

So he had a smile for the Elysia when she approached, and a bow.  And if it was shallow or stiff, well, a dragon had tried to eviscerate him earlier in the evening, so surely she would understand.  Vedmath watched him intently, and then carefully mimicked the gesture. "Thank you, Weyrwoman Second." He was glad for the knots that told him her rank and therefore who she was.  Most of the faces here were completely unfamiliar. Unaware how much information yet circulated about who had Impressed to whom and from where, and doubting that many could so quickly keep the names of twenty-five new pairs straight, he offered, "Dezerac of Vedmath, formerly of High Reaches, and honored to say it."

And he was.  His Candidate training had been impeccable, but he had no deep loyalty to where he'd been Searched; it had been a Western dragon who wanted him, and that made him a Western man. As for his name, he had yet to fully make up his mind, so in the meantime...it was what it was. "It's been a long day, but not so long that we couldn't find our feet for for an hour or two.  It would have been a shame to miss the Feast, when so many have put so much time and effort into the preparations."

Masterharper