Welcome to Gaia! ::

The crimson jerked at that, Ofelia's voice carrying loud and clear to her ears and the little dragonet stumbled forward haphazardly, searching for that sound.

Who would demand that!? Who...?

Oh! There! The crimson stopped so suddenly she tumbled over into the sand. But the moment between face in air and face in dirt had been enough for her to spot and connect with Hers.


She didn't rise from her place, however, covered in sand and exhausted from her stumbling pursuit of stubborn tanners. Instead, she simply stared at the Stands with her neck arched proudly and concentrated on breathing, she was very hungry...

Abigail was, well, pleased. The hatching had mostly been a success and was so full of twists and drama she highly doubted the Harpers would really need to exaggerate any of it. That, and she couldn't help but feel a sense of pride in the dragonets that had survived, all of which doing what they chose to do. There were constraints here, based on old predjudice.

With a smirk and a playful heft of the shovel, Abigail turned her gaze to the Benden riders, a silent 'see what my Weyr is capable of' in that knowing, proud look. She was Weyrwoman of Trine and this Hatching had been a success.

"Now that the eggs have all hatched and those that could find Theirs have, I declare this Hatching over! The Hatching feast will be held in the evening tomorrow." She called, addressing the crowds, "Riders are all welcome."

With a satisfied nod it seemed it was over. Only one green had been lost from both clutches. The Weyrwoman made it official. Great. Now what was he suppose to do? S'kor looks around and goes to follow some of the other new riders who looked like they knew where they were going.

Optheli squees as the last crimson picks the girl she was standing next to for a short time in the stands. Hurray for her!

Tereth couldn't help but let out a pleased and triumphant bugle when he saw exactly whom the young crimson had impressed to. She has Impressed! Ofelia will be staying! The brown was very pleased by this turn of events.

S'ren was rather shocked by this turn of event, but after a moment he couldn't help a small wry smile. Naturally. Only for her would yelling at a dragon help it to Impress her. As the Tanner accidentally went toppling down into the Sands, the brownrider was faintly amused to notice the parallel between her and her dragon's positions. And the fact that she was now a red-headed crimsonrider. Somehow I feel that this batch of dragons and riders are going to lead to some very... interesting times around here.

Tereth rumbled in amusement, breaking the connection with Tor before looking down upon his rider fondly. That is an understatement, Mine. I really do look forward to that dragon choir though.

S'ren simply laughed. Of course you do. He expected nothing less of his music-loving brown.

V’al shoveled meat at the blue until Lerath stopped suddenly to looked to his bonded’s leg. You’re hurt.

“It’s shallow. I don’t even feel it,” he reassured and rubbed at Lerath’s eye ridge. The egg-goop was drying and flaking off, but he didn’t mind the gross bits getting under his nails and on his skin. He was already a mess. Filthy with sweat and ash from his kitchen duty, he now had stand sticking to his legs and blood coating his hands from feeding Lerath. Even if the cut on his leg hadn’t split and bloodied his Candidate robe, he was pretty sure hiss tench alone would have rendered it unsalvageable. He glanced over the sands as the last Impression happened and sighed, shoving himself to his feet. Lerath made a sloppy show of standing – wings flailing and slapping the sands. V’al bent to pull him up by the chest, wearily laughing as more sand went flying into his hair and clothes. Shards, he was filthy. He was going to leave a trail of filth through the weyr

Lerath hissed worriedly until he found his feet and spread his wings from his sides. They wobbled awfully, but satisfied with the tedious balance, he tilted his head at V’al. Where are we going?
“To move my things into a new room. You’ll need more space.”
Where were you before?
“You’ll see. Now be careful,” he said, staying by Lerath’s head while they started moving so he could avoid the jerking, quivering wings. “If you fall while asking a question, I won’t answer until after I get cleaned up.”
The pair started away from the stands, indifferent to the people in the stands rising and mingling, suddenly loud now that the spectacle was over.
In the halls, Lerath kept asking questions.
He tripped.
V’al caught his head to prevent real injury, but he kept his word.

And that was that. R’vik stood up from his seat, moving stiffly away from his fellow riders before stopping to stretch, arms raised and back arched to work the muscles stiff from inactivity. He couldn’t hide the grin on his face – it was a Hatching after all. Benden or Trine, it didn’t matter. New dragons had fought against the odds, emerging into the bright new day.

There were, what, four Atypes? He wanted to get a closer look at them himself (well maybe not that feisty little silver), or if not the Hatchlings, then at a willing dragon. But... He sighed. The chances of that happening were unlikely, moreso given the recent events.

I wonder if that little one that went Between found...? R’vik wondered, shaking his head to clear it. He didn’t have time to wonder. Perhaps later tonight before sleep, yes, but for now... He took a deep breath, quickening his steps to leave the Hatching area. He didn’t want to be around the crowds or the curious (sometimes hostile) stares of the Trine inhabitants.

Besides, he had a promise to keep.

Xalth was waiting for him at the Benden buildings. It took you long enough, Mine.

Oh? You mean that shadow that was over the entire time wasn’t you?

The blue dragon huffed, studying R’vik with a whirling blue eye. Perhaps it was, Mine. If you looked up... R’vik laughed, lightly punching the blue dragon in the shoulder. Wait – was that a flicker of yellow in his eyes...? R’vik shook his head, looking again. No, his eyes were whirling with green now.

The youngest Benden dragonrider began walking towards the lake’s side alongside his dragon, fully intending to spend as much time away from the crowds as possible. At least until he began splashing his dragon. Then they might attract some attention, if only due to Xalth acting like a dolphin and dunking His underwater several times. But it would be so worth it.

"She's lovely, F'ren." He acknowledged, patting Linnaeth as the brown chewed his way through his own bowl in determined fashion, as though he were trying to make sure no one had the slightest opportunity to take it away from him. The little brown leaned slightly closer at the pat, reaching a wing out and likewise laying visible claim to 'his'. Stubborn little thing, though he still made small, happy musical noises as he ate.
"Things should definitely be interesting, there were some pretty impressive dragons in the clutches, and a Crimson in each clutch too!"