Egg Touching: Soft Words (2/2)

Writers: AL, Duskdog, Francesca, Halyonix, Heather, Iluva, Sia, Yvonne
Date Posted: 19th June 2025

Characters: J'nic, Thiseta, W'yel, N'mar, Sareya, Riali, T'erin, K'lin, D'narion, Veldhan
Description: The Candidates touch Imbeth’s eggs.
Location: Barrier Lake Weyr
Date: month 8, day 4 of Turn 12

J'nic

N'mar

Sareya

T'erin

Neymar strode slowly but with sure-footed confidence across the Sands, admiring the way the light played across the many shells. Months between clutches felt more like Turns, and despite the new Weyrwoman’s assurance, he wasn't entirely sure he believed that Imbeth was giving her approval. Riyanth’s posture had telegraphed a magnificent pride, if he remembered correctly; Imbeth’s was giving feral wet feline ready to pounce and shred, so he made sure to give a very polite bow before he even thought about getting close to one of her eggs.

There. That was a nice large egg, his big hand fanning out with gentleness more befitting a newborn baby than a dragonet protected by a shell.

Not to be outdone, since this wasn’t her first Hatching, Sareya followed. She had grown up around a gold dragon -- Piketh -- so she knew how to act. Or, at least, she projected the aura of someone who did as she bowed formally and placed both hands on one of the eggs. “Hello, little one,” she said aloud. Some people preferred to talk in their heads to the eggs but Sareya was clear with her intentions. Maybe it would help some of the more nervous people too.

Riali was uncomfortably warm and hungry as they entered the cavern. The eggs looked huge, but were prettier than she thought they’d be, with some light colored swirls and splotches. The big gold did not look like she was very happy to have visitors, so Riali decided to keep her distance. They said dragons didn’t eat people, but she didn’t want to risk it.

Following Sareya’s lead, Riali approached a small egg with some green and brown coloring. “Hi,” she said softly, touching it. It felt silly to talk to a big egg, but if it helped her Impress, she’d do it. “I hope you’re a pretty green.” Then, she moved to another egg.

Veldhan, with his thick crop of dark curls, waited for some of the others to go first. Normally something of a class clown, once he felt familiar with everyone, he was quiet. Observing. Getting an idea for the situation. One of his friends elbowed him playfully as he walked forward. Veldhan grinned broadly back but didn’t move. Not yet.

One by one, the candidates approached the eggs, each reaching out and touching. Some did so gingerly, as if afraid they might crack the shell. Others with more confidence and boldness. All did so with almost tangible eagerness. Kedolin did none of those things.

Slowly, he stepped forward. The heat of the cavern stifled him, and sweat beaded upon his skin, coalesced into larger drops, then trickled down the side of his face and down his neck. As he approached, Kedolin felt no trepidation, but an uncertainty settled within his chest. Should he touch one? He turned toward the gold, whose draconic expression told him she was not particularly pleased.

He didn’t touch. Supposedly, they had permission, and the gold looked on as each candidate did caress the shells of her eggs, but it did not settle well with Kedolin that they all did so if the gold wasn’t particularly pleased with the idea. So he refrained. Instead, Kedolin circled through the sands. Every time he came to an egg, he paused and studied it carefully. He noticed their surfaces, the way the light gleamed off of them, and wondered what beauty they held, for each one did truly contain a treasure. Then, he moved on, pausing at the next, and affording it the same admiration.

Donnarion dipped into a flashy bow towards Imbeth and her rider. He could feel the gold's grumpiness radiating off her, and he'd rather not get on her bad side so quickly. He looked around at all the eggs, sifting through the mental noise of the Weyr to try and 'listen' in on the eggs.

Feelings, maybe. A presence, perhaps. Not enough to know for sure that it was any one of the eggs, the echo of the other dragons around, or his own imagination. He was suddenly very aware that he was standing in the middle of the sands by himself and high tailed it after Kedolin, catching up quickly and nudging him with an elbow. "You're supposed to touch them, brother." He said, and brushed his hand against a mottled shell for emphasis.

Temrin knew he was supposed to be focusing on the eggs, but he found himself glancing frequently at the Weyrwoman instead. He hadn’t officially met Thiseta yet. She was the entire reason his father had stayed at the Weyr rather than returning home to the Healer Hall. Surely there must be something special about her, right?

His heart lurched as his shoulder nearly bumped into an egg. Gulping at the close call, he reached out a tentative hand and placed it on the shell instead. Even though he’d come to the Weyr to be closer to his father, the idea of a dragon wasn’t _completely_ unappealing….

Wayell hesitated, and then he hesitated some more. He _wanted_ to touch, and it seemed like he was supposed to, but it also seemed like such a daring and taboo thing to do. People don’t just… get to go touch dragon eggs, while their enormous golden mother watches.

And yet here they were. Doing exactly that. _Almost_ everyone was doing exactly that, so clearly it was not only okay, it was expected. This might be a once in a lifetime thing. They might decide, somewhere along the way, that he wouldn’t be allowed anymore. He should take the chance. He should grab it in both hands.

Slowly, remembering the Weyrlingmaster’s words, he made his way in amongst the eggs. As soon as he reached one that nobody else seemed to be lingering around just now (would he get in trouble for “stealing” someone’s egg?), he tentatively placed a hand on the warm surface. It didn’t jump or squirm under his touch (he couldn’t fathom why he thought it would), it just sat there, but something about it felt nice. _Connected_. Not necessarily to the baby dragon inside, but… to the Weyr as a whole, to the idea of dragons and humans bonding together.

Emboldened, Wayell stroked the egg once, and said “Hello” softly, then moved on to another. He probably wasn’t supposed to pick favorites. It seemed so presumptuous. And he didn’t want any of the young dragons to feel slighted or left out -- if indeed they could hear -- so he carefully made his way through the clutch, touching each egg that he passed, and saying a little “hello” to each one.

He didn’t know what else to say.

“Hey Veldhan, quit being shy!” one of his friends finally teased him. Grinning, Veldhan stepped forward to the nearest egg, just to show that he wasn’t scared, but he only let his fingers brush against the hardening shell. He always felt awkward touching the eggs, like he was intruding on their development. But for some people, he knew, it was a great experience. Made them really feel like Candidates for something amazing.

Imbeth relaxed a little as time went on, but eventually she huffed and rattled her wings. }:I want them to go,:{ she told her rider.

Thiseta looked over her shoulder at the Candidates. **Just a little longer, Imbeth. See how good they are? They will make good partners for your dragonets, I promise.**

Imbeth eyed the group critically. }:Maybe,:{ she grudgingly admitted, }:But I am also tired and want to sleep, and I cannot sleep if I have to watch them.:{

Even as his brother eagerly touched the eggs, Kedolin still did not follow suit. As he came back around where he started, he froze, hearing the words of the gold in his mind. Turning toward her, he studied the large, beautiful creature.

**What about if you sleep and I watch them?**

Imbeth turned her critical eyes on her rider. }:You are far too tiny and will probably forget. I want them to go. Tell them to go, or I will.:{

Without a word to his brother or anyone else, Kedolin turned and aimed for the edge of the sands. Perhaps they would have another opportunity, though he wasn’t sure he would touch the eggs if the gold did not wish it. Regardless, she obviously wanted them to leave, and he would do so. Just as he stopped at the corner where the stands began and circled the cavern, he saw the thoughtful expression of the goldrider change.

Donnarion choked back a laugh at Kedolin's expense as he watched the man high-tail it out and away from the queen. "Don't mind him." He whispered to the egg nearest. "He'd make a very good partner, despite himself."

Thiseta debated arguing with her queen a little longer, but decided against it. She turned to J’nic with an apologetic smile. “That’s all for today. Imbeth is ready to have the Hatching Caverns to herself again.”

“Ok, everyone. Time to go.” J’nic ushered the Candidates out of the hatching cavern and mentally heaved a sigh of relief. They had all made it through his first egg touching as Weyrlingmaster. “I’ll see you back in the classroom after lunch.”

As everyone else filed out, Kedolin waited, intending to take up the rear. Just as the last person left, he paused upon the threshold of the exitway. For a second, it looked as if he might say something. His expression shifted, his eyes took on a faraway look, his fingers twitched, but ultimately, nothing passed his lips. Instead, he bowed, first to the dragon, then to the woman, before turning upon his heel and leaving them both in peace.

Last updated on the June 22nd 2025

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Egg Touching: Soft Words (2/2)