A Little Hatching Before the Big Hatching

Writers: Devin, Estelle
Date Posted: 18th June 2026

Characters: Gilbek, Tr'vel
Description: Gil's firelizard egg hatches . . . on the same day as Panitath's clutch!
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 4, day 25 of Turn 13

Tr'vel

The weyrfolk of Dolphin Cove were ready for action the instant the dragons began to hum, following what was by now a well-practiced routine. The cooks tied on their aprons and heated up the stoves or dusted their hands with flour, while their assistants hurried to the storerooms to fetch herbs and spices, butter and milk from the cool cavern, and heaped baskets of vegetables and fruit. A trusted group chopped meat for the hatchlings under the careful scrutiny of a dragonrider, while a journeyman supervised the selection of wines and the polishing of glasses to a shine. Even the laundry staff were on hand to help the frantic few who couldn't find their hatching finery or who'd found a last-minute hole or stain.

Anyone who didn't have a job was drafted in to mop the floors and lay the dining tables in preparation for the feast. Only those who would be Standing were spared, and they darted off to change into their robes.

With the first guests beginning to arrive, Gil and the other workers were released to get ready for the celebration. He hurried back to Tr'vel's weyr, which was quiet and empty - he guessed his weyrmate must be with his Wing - for a quick wash and change of clothes. The distant thrumming of dragon voices reminded him not to linger, but he thought there was just time to check on his egg before heading to the Stands.

The faint pop of a small creature coming out of /between/ startled him. A brown firelizard, eyes whirling rapidly, flitted past him over to the hearth, joining a pair of greens and a blue. Gil thought they might be Eboroth's little friends from the lake, but if the blue wasn't here, then why... Looking closer, he saw that their throats were vibrating. It was hard to hear over the deeper note of the Weyr's dragons, but if he listened carefully, he could tell. They were humming.

And then...the egg pot rocked.

Gil's heart jolted in sheer panic. **It's hatching!** And he didn't have even a scrap of food. How long did he have? Should he get the egg out of its pot first, or sprint for the kitchens?

**Pot first.** Even if he didn't get back in time with food, he couldn't risk the hatchling getting trapped. Better not Impress than that. Hands shaking, he poured out the sand and laid the egg down gently. The shell felt hot and brittle to the touch, and for a moment he hesitated, unwilling to leave it alone like this. Then it shivered again, he scrambled to his feet, pulse racing, turned - and nearly ran straight into Tr'vel.

"It's hatching!" he gasped.

"Of course they're . . ." Then Tr'vel realized what Gil must be talking about. "The firelizard? Now?!?"

"I came back and they were here," Gil pointed to the firelizards perched over the hearth, their glowing eyes intent on the egg, "and then I saw it move, so I took it out of the pot, but I don't have anything to feed it..." He, who'd remained calm in the face of threats from the Weyrleader to murderous holders, was now helpless at the thought of losing Tr'vel's gift.

"Stay here. I'll get some meat." Tr'vel turned and rushed toward the kitchens, hoping his rank would earn him a bit of preferential treatment from the busy staff.

**The firelizard is hatching,** he told Eboroth.

The blue was briefly torn, not wanting to miss the Hatching, but he was more eager to see his new little friend come into the world. And it would be a little while yet before the dragonets started breaking their shells, so there might be enough time for both.

Eboroth landed on the ledge and stuck his head into the weyr, scolding the firelizards for not fetching him for this important event.

Gil knelt down by the egg resting on its little pile of sand by the hearth. His heart contracted every time it trembled and juddered, and he tried to calculate where Tr'vel was, silently pleading with him to hurry. The deep, distant humming of dragons vibrated and throbbed all around him, and the firelizards' eyes whirled faster. Surely it couldn't be long... His eyes widened as he saw a faint, jagged line appear down the smooth curve of the shell. **No - wait just a little longer!**

}:Hurry!:{ Eboroth urged his rider.

A moment later, Tr'vel burst through the door. "I'm here!" He rushed over to Gil and shoved a bowl of tiny meat scraps at him. "Remember. . . think . . . happy, welcoming . . . thoughts," he said as he tried to get his breath back.

Gil's thoughts couldn't have been more anxious and stressed if he'd tried, but luckily he hardly had time to worry. The egg rocked violently and with an audible snap, the crack in the shell split open, tumbling out a dark tangle of wings and tail and claws and damp glittering hide. The hatchling stretched, shook himself, and opened glowing eyes, green whirling with hungry red. He raised his head, as if he was scenting the air, and let out a plaintive creel.

"Oh - wait! Here..." Gil hastily grabbed a handful of scraps from the bowl and held one out to the little creature, who sniffed at it curiously. "It's all right. You can eat this. It's good - " Before he could get out another word, tiny jaws snapped, the meat vanished and the firelizard hopped a step towards him, creeling again. "Right. More. Don't worry, there's plenty." His eyes were locked onto the firelizard's as he focused on handing it pieces of meat, which were snatched eagerly from his fingers.

So deep was his concentration that it was only when the hatchling's appetite slowed that he became aware of strange new sensations, a flood of emotions that were and weren't his. The last pangs of hunger giving way to sated contentment, drowsiness... Very gently, he reached down and scooped the little firelizard into the palm of his hand and lightly stroked his head with a finger, and felt warmth and trust and love echoed back to him.

"Tr'vel," he whispered, awed. "I can feel him!"

"You've Impressed him." Tr'vel's voice was full of pride and wonder. Impressing a firelizard was easy and commonplace in tropical Weyr like Dolphin Cove, but watching it happen up close like this, to his clearly awe-struck weyrmate, it felt like a precious thing. Moving slowly so he didn't startle the little creature, Tr'vel wrapped arm around Gil. "A bronze. He's beautiful."

"He's so tiny!" Newly hatched, the firelizard was much smaller even than the two greens who'd come to welcome him. His delicate tail coiled around him like a metallic bracelet, his belly bulged with food, and as they watched he gave a wide yawn, closed his eyes and laid his head down on his forelegs with a satisfied sigh. Only then did Gil turn his head to look up at Tr'vel, and his whole gaze was alight with love. "He's perfect. If this is even a fraction of what you feel when you Impress...it must be beyond marvelous."

"It's the most wonderful thing in the world. There's nothing else like it," Tr'vel said. "But from what I've heard, you now have some small measure of understanding what it's like."

Eboroth, meanwhile, was trying to squeeze his way into the weyr. }:I want to see the baby!:{

Tr'vel snorted a laugh. "Baby Blue wants to meet your Baby Bronze."

"Oh - wait, I'll bring him to you." Gil scrambled to his feet with great care, cupping his hands around the drowsy hatchling, and crossed the weyr to stand by the blue dragon's head. The other firelizards followed, flitting over to perch on Eboroth's head and neck ridges. "Eboroth, meet... I haven't even thought what we're going to call him. I guess he can be Baby Bronze until we come up with something?"

Eboroth's single eye whirled with delight as he leaned closer to the tiny hatchling. }:He's so small! And so cute!:{

"As long as Baby Bronze is just a nickname." Tr'vel chuckled. "Oh! The Hatching! Do we have time?" he asked his dragon out loud for Tr'vel's benefit.

}:The shells are not cracking yet. But soon.:{

"We can get there if we hurry. But if you think the noise will be too much for him, we can stay here."

"You and Eboroth should go, at least." Amid the excitement, Gil had completely forgotten about the other Hatching, but he knew how important it was to dragonriders to come together and witness the arrival of new young dragons into the world. It was a hot, loud and celebratory event, and he'd no idea how the hatchling would react - if he didn't sleep through it all. "We could rig up a sling to carry him... What do you think, Eboroth?"

}:He feels very tired, but he might want to watch. It will be faster if I carry you. I will carry the baby very carefully.:{ The blue shifted, eager to join his fellow dragons, his throat vibrating with the welcoming hum.

Tr'vel smiled as he relayed the blue's words.

"All right, let's go and see your cousins hatch, shall we?" Gil snatched up one of Tr'vel's old shirts and knotted it into a makeshift sling for the firelizard to rest in, so both of his hands were free to climb up to Eboroth's back. The little bronze head peered out, sleepy but curious about the world outside the weyr, and the place they were headed to. "I can't wait to see what your Wing thinks of him."

"He's going to be very spoiled." Tr'vel settled behind Gil so they wouldn't accidentally squish the little hatchling between them and wrapped an arm securely around his weyrmate. Seeing how gentle and loving Gil was with the firelizard made Tr'vel think he'd be a good father . . . but that was a thought for another day.

}:Do not worry, little one, you're safe with me,:{ Eboroth told the bronze as he leapt carefully to glide down to the Hatching Cavern.

Gil sensed a thrill of excitement as Eboroth's wings carried them down to the Weyrbowl that wasn't entirely his, and he marveled once again at his new-made bond with the hatchling, how strange and yet entirely natural it seemed to share his impressions of the world around him. He couldn't wait to explore that connection with Tr'vel and Eboroth - but first, they had a Hatching to get to.

Last updated on the July 8th 2026

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A Little Hatching Before the Big Hatching