Welcome to Gaia! ::

Another green erupted from her egg in a burst of energy, creeling, then tripping over her own feet, hurried to the side of Lireal. You hurt!
The little green nearly knocked L'real off her feet as it inspected her in its own clumsy fashion. The girl's heart filled with love for this exquisite dragon, and everyone else faded. L'real's strength fled as relief swept through her and she began to laugh so hard she collapsed right there on the sand next to the exquisite creature beside her. "Not any more little one."

She sat there a moment, absorbing, or trying desperately to, what had just happened. The little dragon sat patiently until her rider calmed, but she was young. And hungry! Finally she nudged the girl. Mine, is there food near? This woke the new weyrling from her stunned admiration of Noth and she stood in time to see Narin, no, N'rin impress a beautiful bronze. L'real smiled and her new partner helped her balance, though neither was exactly steady. "Of course, my beauty. Let's go stuff you as full as you'll get!"

She turned to walk off the sands, but turned back and bowed to the great golden queen and her rider. Then she headed off towards N'rin. "Meet Noth, N'rin. We're off to go find some food for her." She smiled at him with new confidence in her postion here. "Want to join us, bronze rider?"

Rhiannon's heart slowly sank deeper and deeper into the bottomless pit of nothingness of her stomach, which was now as cold as between, despite the humidity and heat from the Sands below her feet. Hatching wasn't entirely over, was it? No, it couldn't be. There had to be a little dragon out there, waiting for her, right? Maybe if she stayed her just a little longer...maybe...maybe...

....maybe a little dragonet would come for her....



((OOC: Away from computers for an eternity, and look what happens! XD Major oopsie...))

With a crackling burst, several greens at once appeared, followed by another brown and a blue. The greens' eggs had all been close together and Ray struggled to figure out how many there were, since after coing out of their eggs they all clambered into each other. They seemed to be tangled up. Screeches and hisses filled the air for a moment as they sorted themselves out. They were on the verge of solving their disorganization when the brown, following the call in his mind, stumbled into the group, starting the fight all over again.

Ray winced, glad that their claws, at least, were egg-soft. Several of the cries she'd heard were of pain, but from the pitch of their calls, the injuries were minor.

The blue managed to avoid the conflict entirely, reaching his chosen person quickly. Mine! he exclaimed to Minora. It was easy to find you, but hard to get out of the egg!

Finally the bickering dragonets separated, each standing, wobbly, a few steps away from each other. The brown was marked, several oozing green scratches visible in his hide. The greens, she couldn't tell at this distance, their blood matching their skins, but one of them limped slightly as she began to move toward the group.

Her sisters moved close behind her, but careful not to collide. The brown took a different vector, ambling slowly toward one Candidate who stood alone, ignoring the proceedings. He stopped, a short distance away from her, and looked at her for a long moment.

Neola didn't want him. And she was sad. Concerned, he called out to her, but reared back at the turmoil in her mind. She really didn't want him! Still, unable to just leave, he backed up a few steps, nearly tripping over his tail, and sent a folorn thought to her. I'm sorry that you hurt. I hope you get better soon. I go now, to find mine.

Trembling at his daring message to her, the brown scampered away as quickly as his clumsy feet could carry him, running headlong into another Candidate.

The one he'd been seeking, Daniel. Eyes brightening with happiness, he looked up at his person. My sister scratched me, and it hurts! But not like her hurt. He nodded toward Neola. Can I have some food?

The greens stopped in a cluster near several girls. Their heads turned to eachother as they conferred with each other, then split, each going toward a different person. The first reached Reina with a triumphant squeal. Hello! She stepped on my tail, it hurts! She nodded toward one of the other greens.

That other green glared back at her sister, then turned to Kaivani But that was only after she bumped into me!

A third reached Rhiannon, I don't care about scratches, I want food, she told her newly-found rider.

A fourth and fifth stopped near Kraye and Lilliana. They stopped, then switched sides, Hello! said the fifth to Kraye. I hurt my foot!

Mine mine mine! and thus the fourth claimed Lilliana.

There were only a few eggs left intact, wobbling in their spots. Ray tried counting, them, but kept getting distracted. Six? Maybe seven.

It's not like I meant to! the first green retorted, ruffling her wings and hissing at her sister. It's not my fault that my egg broke behind me and made me fall! Turning back to Reina, she nudged the stunned girl's knee. Why is she being so mean to me? Please make her stop!

It took a moment before Reina could shed her parallysis. Then she slowly sank to her knees, where she was reduced to staring into the green's glowing multifaceted eyes. "What... What's your name?" she somehow managed to ask.

I am Zyrith, and my tail still hurts! the green said, looking up at her chosen.

"Zyrith..." she whispered, trying out the name. Suddenly, she shook her head to clear her thoughts. Her dragon needed her! "Here, let me see your tail," she said, and obediantly the green turned and showed her the appendage. "I think you'll be okay, though there are a few scratches that I want to have looked at. First though, you'll probably need something to eat."

Eat? Zyrith brighened up at that. When?

"C'mon, we'll get you something now," Reina said and led her new friend outside, where she instantly noticed how much cooler it was underfoot. Pulling off to one side, she snagged a bowl of meat and began to feed the green. "Hey, slow down! No need to take my fingers off!" she said in surprise as Zyrith practically inhaled the first pieces. "Slow down, and try to chew your food first."

Freya turned and saw her friend with a wistful look on her face. She followed her gaze out to the Sands and sighed over the sight of Natelin and Neola still standing. She hoped their band wouldn't be divided so soon.

She came over and smiled. "Already worrying, Alira? Whoops, I mean...well, did you contract your name?" Sulaith, though more and more sleepy, came over to peer shyly at her clutchsister.

Freya laughed. "Don't worry, we're all in plenty need of a mother. Hmm...I don't think I'm going to shorten the name," she said with a shrug. "Sounds too funny." She smiled at Xanth. "Pleasure to meet you! This is Sulaith," she said, gesturing to the other green.

"Do you think maybe we should head to the Barracks? They look a little sleepy..."

Having made short work of his first meal, Cerinth burped and rumbled contentedly. "Better?" H'nar asked, grinning and rubbing a headknob. Much, came the reply, accompanied by a growing feeling of tiredness. Looking up from the blue, he tried to figure out where the Weyrling Barracks were located.

"Good, because you were coming any way," L'real managed as she held out a hand to help N'rin up. She tried not to be too dazzled by his grin. It helped when Noth spoke up. I am not small! You're just too big! The little green snorted at the much larger bronze, then promptly got tangled on her own tail and nearly fell over. L'real had to swallow a laugh hard, but stepped in to play peacemaker. "I think Ardeth is the perfect size for a bronze. Just as you're a beautiful, nimble little green."

Just then her stomache spoke up, responding to Noth's hunger pangs. Her dragon's jewel like eyes began to whirl even faster (if that were at all possible) and L'real smiled down at her. "Let's go then, or they might run out of meat,"she teased. Mine! Noth nudged her pitifully. She laughed, heading off the sands to where she'd seen the drudges hauling bowls of meat earlier with her new bond mate and a new pair of friends.