Time For A Hatching

Writers: AL
Date Posted: 16th October 2013

Characters: Meledei
Description: Elleth's clutch hatches.
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 3, day 12 of Turn 7

One eye opened and whirled a brilliant sapphire. The gold lifted her
head, then a nostril flared. A sound, extremely faint, but very much
real greeted her in the early morning haze. She waited and there it was
again. Another pause was followed by a third sounding and it was then
that the gold started the traditional humming as she broadcast the news
to her rider and then her mate.

Of course, such news travels quickly through the Weyr. Before people
could tumble out of their beds, the first of the dragons who were not
slotted to act as couriers to those from holds took perches within the
hatching cavern. Various firelizards joined them, and between those
gathered, they lifted their voices in a draconian choir. High and low
and everywhere between, the harmony was joined by newer voices as more
arrived and finally the first trickle of people began to wander in just
before the rush of candidates.

The group bedeck in white halted as they arrived at the edge of the
sands, then gingerly picked their way forward to take up their places.
Elleth watched each and every one of them, but her eye settled upon a
young man in particular. A delicate snort escaped, but she made no
comment to her rider.

Not everyone had arrived, but the dragonets still held captive within
their prisons did not care. The first one began to rock in eagerness to
be rid of his confines. The blue spilled from the egg as the shell
almost shattered and he had to shake his head to clear it before he set
his gaze upon those gathered and waiting. The dragonet rose, stumbled,
then picked himself up and hobbled over to his chosen on legs that were
still getting used to being outstretched. A cry of delight sprang from
the boy's mouth who announced his name, then escorted his new lifemate
off the sands.

Elleth shifted a little deeper in her sandy nest and waited patiently
while the next egg hatched and the green chose a tall, red-headed
female. Another hatched. Then another, and another. The eggs that had
given her so much trouble to birth brought forth large, healthy
children. Maybe it wasn't the number the Weyr expected, but surely no
one could deny the quality of the children that had been brought into
the word.

The brown was the last to hatch and the longest to decide, but decided
he did eventually. After the darkness that was the final dragnet left
the sands, all that remained were the shattered shells of the eggs she
had so jealously guarded over the course of the last few sevendays.
Elleth nudged one broken piece, then let out a soft sound that was akin
to a sigh. She nuzzled her rider who paused to pat her dragon before
Meledei turned to join T'nom and the two made their way to the feast
together. The petite gold lay her head upon her foreclaws and eyed the
collection of shell remains. She was free to leave the Sands now that
her children were finally out and able to fend for themselves, but she
couldn't help but want to linger. It was her second hatching, though
the only memory she had of the first was from what she could glean from
her rider. Still, she was proud of her little ones. They would do
well, even if the silly humans thought the clutch too small. She knew
better. Quality was far more important than quality, and she and
Taldeth had produced quality dragonets. And in the end, that was what
mattered most.

The warmth of the sands engaged the hint of laziness in her personality
and she allowed drowsiness to settle around her. While the humans
feasted and enjoyed the party, she lounged in the warmth of the sands a
little longer to dream.

Last updated on the April 22nd 2015

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Time For A Hatching