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Veyes tried to keep himself still as he stood there because he was becoming rather distressed by the blue's cries and that feeling of helplessness. He wanted more than anything to do more than just stand in the spot he was in. Even his imagination which could come up with many ways to help him out couldn't find an answer for this problem in the real world. There wasn't enough time. He wanted to be angrier at the girl that had caused this mess....Shards! What if the blue was looking for that GIRL! OH NO! It couldn't be that...could it???

He glanced around trying to figure out if he could see that candidate anywhere on the sands. It was entirely possible that the dragon was impressed to her. Although in his heart he hoped with all hope it wasn't that girl.

The careening was terrible. It sounded as a child might, one who had lost something dear to them. He felt a horrible pang of worry for the pale, rather small blue. If he were to skip between... Tideal tried to remain composed, and was too involved but to barely notice Rumir shirking back towards him. Tideal couldn't much care at the moment, that blue's screech seemed to rip the world asunder. He turned and looked at the crowd near him, wondering where the brown had gone. The poor thing must be scared out of his wits at his brother's explosive entry and following vocals.

The former glass-smith shivered a little, but stood firm, much to prideful to shake visibly. As events unfolded Tideal listened to the crowd grumble rather than the cry of the dragonet, fixed on not flinching.

All eyes on the chaotic blue, the Thoroughbred dragon went generally unnoticed. The darker brown was more or less alright with this, it allowed him to pace through all the boys with little distraction. Of course, he was startled by the occasional boy who hadn't been paying attention and started at him, first. All he did was jump to the side and hurry on his way, however, and no one really paid him much thought.

Meanwhile, the light blue dragon whipped around, tearing back out of the females and raced towards the boys. His wings were half-spread and he seemed rather startled when he tried to shoot between a pair of boys, only to get caught and knocked to his knees. The Andalusian screamed again and scrambled to his feet, trying to get away from the boys as fast as he could. He pushed forward and continued to plow through the crowd.

Mine, the brown said, eyeing his clutch brother nearby. Your Matsukazeth thinks it's time to go. We have things you need to accomplish and-

The brown was cut off by a horrible shriek. The half-crazed blue had whirled about again, knocking into a few more legs as he plowed back out, wings flailing. It almost looked like he was trying to leap into the air, one bounce, two bounces and he-

The blue was gone.

ANONTMINE! HELP! Matsukzeth cried, jumping forward. Completely stunned by the sudden loss of his brother, the brown had no idea what to do.

Raedue's eyes were wide with shock. THe blue had.... Oh no. Oh please no..... The terrified little blue hadn't... had he.... He looked in shock at Zafir. "You don't think he..... he went between, did he.... Oh how horrible......"

"No!" Firyal heard herself gasp. She hadn't even been aware of her lungs drawing breath or her mouth forming the word. She wasn't even sure she'd said it aloud. The exclamation just hung in her mind and in the air and she couldn't be sure which was real. The second time she said it her voice broke and tears pricked the backs of her eyes. "No."

-----

E'rik had been watching with concern as the blue plowed through the ranks of Candidates, concerned that Firyal would fall victim to another of Cheoth's offspring, but what happened in the end was so much worse. He could hear Daramulath's concerned babbling in the back of his mind growing worse to the point of near-incoherence, culminating at the fatal climax in an uncharacteristic roar of misery and horror which seemed to mingle with the doomed blue's shriek.

Ollen followed the blue as he fled screaming towards the males and hoped that he would chose His their and be soother. Her heartsank when she saw that he was there one moment and then gone the very next. He went between? His was not on the sands and he was so small in such a large egg. She shook her head in disbelief..there were so many candidates he could have chosen from there must be over seventy candidates. She would have to ask the Dragonhealer when he had time why he thought a dragon would wink out between, was it only because Theirs was not on the sand.

Ollen wobbled on her feet, this was all too much she was exhausted and now tragedy had taken hold on the sands. She spaced her legs apart to keep standing, like one would on a wobbling ship and gritted her teeth. She was not one to cry but water ebbed at the edges of her eyes. She hoped that sharrit dimglow candidate was punished for this, at least in some way...the maulings and a death of a dragon could not go unpunished could they?

Ollen jumped at Rinfala's shout and stared at the newly impressed weyrwoman.

A sob jerked its way from Vera's lips, and she covered her mouth, tears streaming down her cheeks. She covered her mouth with both hands, eyes wide with disbelief. Oh. Oh no! No. She was unable to focus on the little Brown, conscious only of the fact that one of the babies had winked between. Oh Faranth! A low whimper was muffled by her hands, and suddenly she was grateful of Marko and Xeran on either side of her... and she turned to press her face against Xeran's chest, tear blinded, and despairing over that tiny loss of life. There would be a song for the little beast, the poor little beast. But for now, she could do nothing more than cling to the man she had come to think of as a second father, and smother her sobs against his tunic.

--

"Faranth!" S'van stared at the place that the baby Blue had been, and... and it broke his heart, it just... broke his heart. From the ledge, he could hear the hair raising keen of Galliath, who knew that the young one was no more. Somewhere, a little Green flit keened, and creeled, inconsolable over the loss of so young a dragonet, the bond between herself and her owner taunt with emotional distress. "Oh no." He tried, tried so hard to be happy for Anont, and by extension for E'si... but could not, not now. Later. Later, when there was wine, and food... and... just... later. Galliath keened, grieving the dragonet, raising his head to utter tribute.