Reaching for the Sun [Touching/Open]Freshwater

[Trith]

It was a full sevenday after the clutch arrived that Trith in her motherly wisdom, decided that they were in the perfect condition for a Touching. The clutch hadn’t been shifted much since they’d arrived, and the eight eggs were still as pristine and lovely as before. The sun rode high in the sky, and the collapsible ceiling was completely drawn down to take advantage of the warmth in all its glory. The gold herself was lounging in perfect contentment on her couch, belly to the sky. If anything, it showed how much trust she placed in the males around her to protect her and the clutch in this moment of relaxation.

Almost like a giant bronze shadow, Gareth stood watchfully to the side as was his place, notably on the jungle side of the hatching bowl to provide a veritable wall of anger should something attempt harm from that direction. His feelings towards the eggs weren’t as fatherly as Trith’s were motherly, but he would protect -any- eggs, much less those designated as the future hope of his Weyr. Arranged around him were several other dragons of various colors, some standing in protection, others simply enjoying the proximity to younglings.

Rousing herself from her sunbath, Trith yawned a great draconic yawn, her tongue lashing out over her teeth as her eyes whirled contentment. It was time, yes. The candidates should get a chance to meet the clutch now. Pushing into a standing position, the great gold unfurled her wings in a lazy, warmed stretch before letting her mind touch each mind in the Weyr so that she wouldn’t miss any of the lovely Candidates.

Come my young candidates. Come to the Touching of my clutch, and send them your hopes. That would bring them, and if not, perhaps they weren’t fit for candidacy after all. She hoped each one remembered the courtesy due a gold from their lessons, though truth be told, she wouldn’t be too harsh if not. Maybe a fearsome show of teeth, or a light slap of her tail to remind them. Nodding at her own wisdom, the gold let a stretch run down her serpentine neck in a wave of motion that had one or two of her vertebra popping. It’s time already? I’ll come up to watch. Samhara’s voice was light in her head, a bright spark of color that showed Hers was happy enough. A nice change of pace, that. It was about time Hers decided that the clutch was alright and to stop worrying. You know I never stop worrying, you finicky thing. Her bonded reply, catching the stray though. Trith snorted in amusement, then turned her eyes expectantly around for her Candidates.

Samhara, straightening her latest batch of paperwork -there seemed to be a never-ending amount that she was the unfortunate recipient of- and reached backwards over her head to stretch out her own back. She could afford to watch the Touching, and she did enjoy it almost as much as the hatching. Something about it always brought back her memories of how happy she’d been to impress Trith. The gold sent her an affectionate wave that said the feeling was mutual, and the goldrider exited her suite of rooms to begin the upwards climb to the hatching bowl.

[Thorney]

Kheron strode quickly from the weyrhall after his lunch, his long legs eating up the distance with his usual lengthy gait. Yumi cheeped happily from her perch on his shoulder, always content to just spend time with Hers. The small, dusky green was very full and very pleased, looking about lazily as the candidate moved. She was a stout little thing for her color, built more muscular and sturdy than her sleeker sisters. Of course, the flit was also extremely protective of Hers, not afraid of anything in the least. Just last night the brave green had told off another flit, a bronze to be exact, when Kher had strayed too close to a girl. The bronze flit, one called Tydus, had hissed at Hers, and Yumi wasted no time in getting right in his face to tell him off. No one hissed at Hers! Not even a bigwing.

As those thoughts ran back through the ex-beastcrafter’s head, his flit tilted her head to stare at him with happily whirling eyes, trilling in pleasure. She remembered the bronze thing he called Tydus, and she had rightly put him in his place. Yumi had also told off the girl he looked to, a twoleg Hers remembered as Rael. Nestling in against Kheron’s neck, the green flit began to doze slightly, too full and too satisfied to do much else. Chuckling, the candidate was careful to move steadily so he would not jostle his sweet pet. Yumi might get on everyone else’s nerves, but she was his and he loved her.

Just as the pair were about to enter the barracks, the call came from Cerulean’s queen, her beautiful voice flowing through his mind in the most amazing way. Straightening, Kheron’s amber eyes widened, excitement causing his heart to thud. He and Yumi, who had woken at the call from Trith, stared at each other for a moment before leaping into action. The green darted into the air, ready to zip to the hatching sands with Hers. The ex-beastcrafter, however, paused, looking down at his attire. These were the clothes he had been doing chores in, and they…well, they had seen better days. Dashing inside, the tall boy jerked his shirt over his head as he ran, tossing it down on his bed before picking out a nice blue tunic that was far cleaner and more appropriate. Sure, Kher knew this wasn’t exactly a formal event, but shards, he wanted to look decent for the gold and her rider. It only seemed polite.

Yumi made excited circles over his head as he tugged the new shirt over his body, tucking the bottom in as he jogged back outside. Kheron then broke out into a ground-eating lope, his long legs and excellent physical condition making quick work of the stairs. His green flit followed in the air, trilling the whole time. Approaching the Sands, his amber eyes quickly took in the mighty bronze standing guard over the eggs, and beautiful Trith, lounging happily and as gorgeous and breath-taking as ever. Gazing upward, the candidate called Yumi to him, impressing the need for good behavior on the flit. Cheeping in acceptance, the dusky green complied, sitting obediently on the shoulder of Hers. Approaching the golden pair, Kheron was as easy as ever. Patient and calm, the candidate had learned these two qualities well after working with runners and herdbeasts for turns. Stopping what he considered to be a respectful distance away, the tall boy bowed.

“Good day, Weyrwoman, good day queen Trith. I hope you both fare well.” Kheron’s voice was smooth and calm, a soothing sound to easily-spooked beasts. Although soft and peaceful, it carried well, and would undoubtedly stay that way for life. It was bred too deeply into him now to change it.

[Kristin]

Kivin and Toll had been enjoying a moment of relaxation by dozing in the candidate barracks together, Kivin lying on his back and Toll sleeping comfortably on his chest. When the call from the queen came, boy and firelizard immediately jumped out of bed. It wouldn't do to be late to the event the candidate had looked forward too since the eggs arrived a sevenday ago. Kivin hurriedly tried to smooth his clothes that were a bit rumpled, but didn't succeed. His condition wasn't too bad and he really didn't have time to change and Toll was making him deaf with his impatient cries.

Kivin ran as fast as his feet would take him to the sands but slowed down to a more respectable pace when he was almost there. Kivin wasn't entirely sure what was proper etiquette when attending a touching but he imagined it was important to be respectful to Trith. Being on the queen's bad side would surely close many doors such as impressing a dragon. He tried to convey to his brown firelizard the importance of behaving on the sands but there was no need as Toll seemed to realize that by himself and was, as he was often, on Kivin's shoulder and for the occasion Toll was still but alert.

As the candidate approached the Weyrwoman and her gold he felt very anxious. He dreaded having to speak up and endure their scrutiny and a small part of him wanted to run away and hide from the formidable gold dragon. Kivin squared his shoulders determined. This was something that had to be done and the smart part of his brain knew that they would never harm him unless he did something very wrong like breaking an egg or something. As he had no intention of harming the eggs, he thought he was safe. Relief washed over Kivin when he saw that a fellow candidate, Kheron, had already arrived and was greeting Trith and Samhara. He looked confident and he seemed to know what he was doing. Kivin decided the safest course of action would be to mimic Kheron.

He stood near Kheron and also bowed, looking into the eyes of Trith. He was once again struck by the majestic gold and her eyes were really beautiful. As he straightened up, his eyes never left the gold dragon and he smiled slightly before clearing his throat. "Good day Trith." His voice was respectful and to Kivin's pleasure was strong enough to be heard. "And to you also Weyrwoman." Kivin took his eyes momentarily of Trith to bow again, this time to Samhara, before fixing his eyes back on the queen. "Can I have permission to touch the eggs?" Kivin bit his lip, maybe he had stepped over the line here. He wasn't sure wether he asked to quickly or not but he simply couldn't contain himself.

[Kaemi]

Lialla yawned as she arranged her things in the trunk. It had very limited clothing, very limited everything that she may need. She hadn't had much time to pack yesterday, after all, with the blue just toting her back to the Weyr. But this would tide her over until she Stood, at which point she would decide whether or not she would stay at Cerulean. More likely than not, Lia would go back to the Star CraftHall, and maybe if she became interested in Standing, she would do so at Honshu. That was, after all, much more logical then traveling to another Weyr to Stand at someone else's clutch. Her friends would probably mock her for her quick decision.

Deciding she would deal with all of that when she returned home, Lialla folded the last of her tunics and lay them in a neat pile in her trunk. Along with everything else yesterday, her packing had also been hasty, and messy. A little knit developed between her brows as she smoothed out a wrinkle in a pantleg, but it immediately disappeared when she shrugged, closed the trunk, and then patted it. She was done with that for the day, now onto the concept of 'food'. Just... where were the Kitchens? Having barely gotten to the Barracks, and that was with spoken directions, she knew she was lost in this new place.

Stifling another yawn, the candidate stood and tried to figure out where they would be. Worst came to worst, and she would just ask. After all, Lialla was wearing clothing better than usual; she actually looked as though she could be a normal person, today, in a deep red tunic and black pants. The only real problem would be her communication skills. Rukbat was set almost directly above them in the sky; Lia wasn't used to spending so many candlemarks awake in the light, and she didn't like it. Her sleep schedules were a little odd, compared to the majority of the population, but she was an apprentice astronomer. Usually, she'd be waking up around now, maybe a few candlemarks earlier or later, given the day. But she had woken up at dawn this morning, and her body was protesting.

So her communication skills probably weren't at their best, and she'd rather not have to deal with the first people she met at Cerulean Weyr making fun of her because she used ridiculous sesquipedalians. Lialla decided she would try and find a map- that she could do. Then, Records Room. Which would be...

Come my young candidates. Come to the Touching of my clutch, and send them your hopes.

The voice sounded in her mind, startling her. But it changed her course entirely, as Lialla surmised that it was the gold who was looking over the clutch she was Searched to Stand for. She had read of Touchings, and statistics showed that people who attended were often more likely to Impress than the candidates who didn't attend. Hanging back a little bit, she let the candidates who were also leaving the barracks to rush towards the Sands lead the way. It wouldn't be very good if she got lost on her way to the Hatching Grounds, after all.

So she simply followed the others, and they led her straight to where she was supposed to be. Ignoring the rumbling of her stomach, Lialla nodded towards the impressive looking bronze who was, seemingly, guarding the eggs, and then approached the queen and the Weyrwoman. After the others, who had arrived before her, said their bits, she also stepped up. “Greetings Gold Trith, Weyrwoman,” she said with a bow. She had read that it was proper to do so, after all. “May I have permission to Touch the eggs today?”

[Thorney]

She was almost at the beach.

Almost all the way to the sharding beach when the majestic gold gave her warm call. The queen's charming voice was a welcome and beautiful sound in the candidate's mind, and for a moment all the girl did was savor the resonance of so wonderful a being speaking to her. However, reality had quickly set in, and Raelwyn realized just how far away she was from the Sands, especially compared to the other candidates. "Oh, Faranth!" Why in the name of the first EGG had she picked now of all times to head down to the waters to practice her flute? Picking up her skirts in one hand, and holding her flute firmly in the other, the Harper girl raced towards the stairs, her heart thumping violently in her chest.

An egg Touching! Raelwyn loved this part about being a candidate. Even if she didn't Impress, she still had the opportunity to know the small dragonets in a way not many people did. It was a beautiful thing. Grinning as she practically dashed headlong back up the steps, she could hear Tydus chittering excitedly as he swooped over her head, just as eager to see Trith and the eggs as His. The candidate had planned on practicing a new song she had written, a lovely melody that blossomed in her head when she first saw Trith and the clutch seven days ago, and decided a quiet place would be most welcome to her creativity. However, this was a far, far more wonderful thing to spend her time doing.

Topping the stairs, the girl could see that several of the other candidates had already arrived, including the boy she had run into in the hall. Tydus, upon recognizing the little green flit, swelled with indignation, and almost started to screech at her. However, Raelwyn knew her bronze far too well, and before he could even get out the first peep, she narrowed her emerald gaze on him and gave a sharp mental warning. Properly remorseful, Ty perched on her shoulder and curled his tail through her hair, giving a soft chirp. The harper smiled at her beloved pet, and stroked his back affectionately as she approaching the growing group on the Sands. She could see the magnificent bronze at the edge of the Sands, and thought she had never seen a more handsome pair of dragons than he and Trith.

Smoothing her skirt and hair, wanting to look decent for the golden one and Hers, Raelwyn stopped and bowed deeply to the glorious queen and rider. "A fair day to you, lovely Trith, and to you, good Weyrwoman. My duty to you both." The candidate said, her voice warm and sincere. That Harper blue ran through Rael's blood, and her tongue was trained just as much as her hands in the craft. "May I have the honor of approaching the eggs?"

[Mello]

It wasn’t exactly late, but it had been a long day for Ranen. He had made sure to get his chores done as soon as possible in the morning so that he would have the afternoon to explore a bit more and possibly meet some more people. It sometimes felt as though he hadn’t been at Cerulean Weyr long, and in some ways he really hadn’t, but every day that passed was another opportunity. It was fit in or be left out, and Ranen was determined to fit in. So with that goal in mind he had put everything he had into his chores, and gotten everything done fairly quickly.

After a quick stop for some food, he headed back to the barracks to change before he began exploring. But just as he was heading out the door, he heard a voice in his head- Trith, calling the candidates to come for the Touching.

It wasn’t like Ranen had never been to a Touching before; in fact, he tried to forget how many times he had stood there, hopefully imagining that the dragon hidden inside the leathery shell might chose him. But no matter how many time he had gone through it, it still a thrill through him, a strange feeling of hope and excitement mixed with fear that was matched only by the thrill of the actual Hatching. And so, after taking a moment to compose himself, he headed off towards the Hatching Sands.

Entering, he saw that several other candidates were already there. He made his way to stand with the group, stopping a respectful distance from the great Queen and her eggs. He remembered the first time he had stood there, nearly shaking with uncertainty and fear and stammering out his respects. If nothing else, he thought with just a hint of cynicism, at least I’ve learned to be more comfortable in these situations. He tried to push away those old memories. This was his new chance, and Ranen was determined to make the most out of his opportunity, which began with not dwelling on the past. He bowed carefully. “Good day to you, Trith, and to you, Weyrwoman,” he said as he straightened once more. “Might I have your permission to approach your eggs?”

[Trith]

Each lovely Candidate that entered the hatching bowl filled Trith with more delight. Each one showed the proper respect, bowing to her and asking permission straight away. What a promising bunch! Filled with pride at her Candidates, Trith returned a short nod of her head to each bow, acknowledging their presence and their requests. She began looking expectantly around for the remaining handful who had yet to show.

Samhara, perched to the side of her gold, also gave her own acknowledgments to the candidates who greeted her, noting which Candidates came first and the varying degrees of confidence each had as they approached. They were coming along nicely it seemed. Hopefully, the others would show up at least late. Trith wouldn’t be too happy if any of the candidates they had currently didn’t attend. As of now though, she was fairly content and eased back just a bit on her haunches to watch the proceedings with a careful eye, still glancing here and there for new faces.

Very well met my younglings. You each have my permission to touch the clutch, and I wish you luck. Be warned though, your lives depend on each of these eggs remaining unharmed. Touch them as if handling your own hearts. Trith’s lips lifted enough to accentuate her words with a warning snarl, the first sign of aggression from the usually gentle gold. She remained alert though as she gently ruffled her wings and again nodded to the candidates, her tail tip lightly tapping against the ground. You all may proceed.[/i]

[Kaemi]

There were still only five of them, only five candidates here at the Touching, Lialla noted as she took a quick glance around. She hadn't noticed many in the barracks, but to be fair, she hadn't done much looking around since she arrived yesterday. For the sake of the eight eggs on the Sands, the girl hoped that more candidates arrived before Hatching time. Elsewise chances were that more than three dragonets wouldn't Impress, which was... fairly depressing, to be completely honest. Having grown up in the Weyr, she knew what it was to a child when a dragon went between, and she was pretty sure that it would be worse if you were older and actually understood what was going on.

Flicking her eyes back to the Queen and her Weyrwoman, she watched as both of them acknowledged and greeted the incoming candidates, including herself. That was... odd, wasn't it? From all Lialla had heard, weren't golds and their riders supposed to be supremely touchy this close to the Hatching? She thought that that was the case, but here, it was probably different since Trith wasn't the actual clutchmother. Or maybe the gold wasn't as fierce as most others. Come to think of it, it was probably one compounded on the other.

Very well met my younglings. You each have my permission to touch the clutch, and I wish you luck. Be warned though, your lives depend on each of these eggs remaining unharmed. Touch them as if handling your own hearts. You all may proceed.

After Trith's words, and a nod of her golden head, Lialla bowed again. “Thank you, Gold Trith, Weyrwoman,” she said, before turning and walking towards the eggs. She had to rub her hands on her slacks as she walked forward, her nerves and excitement showing through a little bit. Focusing and ignoring her emotions, the candidate paused for a moment before approaching the eggs. The first one she came to was Axelrodi Egg. It was tiny, compared to its clutchsiblings, but that probably meant that it held a green... which was what Lia was aiming for, anyways.

She ran just her fingertips over the side of the egg, its shiny blue, or maybe green?, surface brought a smile to her lips. It was the quite the pretty egg, and it probably held a pretty little dragonet inside. Lialla had completed some research when she was debating whether or not to Stand for a clutch a turn or two ago at Honshu; although studies weren't entirely conclusive, there was minimal evidence that the dragons inside the eggs could hear, much as a unconscious person could. So she sat on her knees, ignoring the warmth that was quickly becoming uncomfortable. As Lialla wasn't planning on staying in this position for long, she didn't worry about it. “I hope you find Yours on the day of the Hatching,” she quietly murmured. “In fact, I would solicit you to mate your mind with someone. It certainly doesn't have to be me, but...”

Standing, Lialla trailed her fingertips over the egg yet again, and finished her sentence. “...please.” And then she moved on to the next egg.

[Thorney]

Raelwyn smiled as she stepped away from the gold, watching one other candidate arrive after her. Trith had not allowed anyone to touch the eggs yet, so at least she and the other boy were not late. The harper idly stroked her flit while waiting for the great queen’s permission to approach the clutch, just staring at the lovely dragon all the while. She and her bronze were such a striking pair, surpassing all the dragons she had seen in her many turns at Fort. They had big dragons up North, sure, but they weren’t this big. Tydus was crouched down on her shoulder, pressed as close to her neck as possible and not uttering a single peep. The little bronze was usually quite loud and bossy, but being this close to Trith and Gareth had even him intimidated.

Idly, the candidate realized she still had her flute in one hand, and inwardly groaned. She had no pockets, and the flute’s case was back in the barracks. Green eyes flicking down to the instrument, her prized possession, Raelwyn briefly considered what to do. She didn’t even think about leaving to put it away, which was not even an option, for she wanted to visit the eggs far more than she cared about the flute. Scowling lightly, the harper was surprised when her bronze gave a soft cheep, raising his head to look at her with whirling eyes. He had picked up on her slight agitation. ‘Of course, you deadglow.’ Rael mentally berated herself, wondering why she didn’t consider her flit before. Holding up her flute, she impressed upon Tydus the importance of his next mission, and the little bronze crooned quietly for a moment before jumping up and grabbing the instrument with both feet. He flew straight to her room instead of betweening, as His had told him to do, and sat the shiny thing on her sleeping place. There! That would please his girl.

Sucking in a breath as Trith bespoke her again, Raelwyn savored hearing the queen’s voice as she had before. She had been around dragons for plenty of turns, but she would never get tired of hearing their lovely voices. Especially one as lovely as the gold. “You have my deepest gratitude, exquisite queen, good Weyrwoman.” The candidate said, bowing one more time before approaching the clutch. Each egg was beautiful in it’s own right, and the harper approached them reverently. She paused beside the Corydora Egg, unable to resist it’s magnetic pull, and sat her hand gently on the smooth surface. It was not the most attractive egg, but it’s presence was open and welcoming, and Rael felt herself smile softly.

Running her hand down the side, her gentle fingers tracing along the silvery lines, the candidate kneeled, uncaring if her skit was dirtied. “Hello, lovey.” The harper whispered softly, emerald gaze fixed on the glistening egg. She spent a few moments murmuring gentle encouragement and compliments to the Corydora, her hands soothingly travelling over the shell, then stood, stepping softly to the next egg. The silvery-green Puntius Egg was the next she touched, marveling at the stripes that adorned the shell’s surface. Gentle and deft, Raelwyn’s hands glided along the shimmering egg lightly, a comforting touch.

~~~~~

Kheron had never experienced something like this in his entire life. There had been times he was happy and sad, times he had been excited and apprehensive, and even times he was afraid on the extremely rare occasion. At least when he was younger, anyway. However, nothing had ever affected him in the quite the same way he was feeling at this moment. There was a myriad of emotions, ranging from awe to exhilaration. The ex-beastcrafter had experienced joy when he first learned how to ride a runner, and pleasure when galloping through the wild, and bonding with Yumi was an thrilling experience, but even that could not compare to what coursed through him right now.

Calm on the outside, inwardly raging with a thousand emotions, Kheron waited patiently, having learned that virtue many turns ago from Conner. His amber gaze slid from the gorgeous queen to the majestic bronze, his practiced eyes travelling over their conformations. Though candidate he may now be, he would never quite lose that trained instinct to look over every beastie with his knowing stare. Trith and Gareth were in their prime; beautiful, proud, and strong. Smiling slightly, the wrangler could only begin to imagine what it was like to have such a magnificent creature for your partner in life, the bond between rider and dragon stout and loving. Shuffling closer, his quiet little flit watched the proceedings around her with interest, but was calm as usual. For a green, Yumi was certainly tamer than her sisters.

As he received the queen’s permission to approach the eggs, Kher bowed, honored to hear Trith speak to him again. “Thank you.” He said simply, his words deep and sincere. He may not have been the most eloquent one there, but no one could doubt the candidate’s genuine respect for the gold and her Weyrwoman. Carefully, he turned and walked over to the clutch, overwhelmed and awed. His amber eyes swept over the colorful shells assembled, and he walked around the precious eggs, stopping beside the Splendens Egg. The beastcrafter in him was intrigued to see the Splendens leaning against another of it’s clutchmates, and he wondered at it. Kheron lowered himself to the Sands, one knee resting on the ground as he carefully reached out and touched the shell.

His hands had always been large, but they were deft and their touch sure, a skill earned through turns of working with beasts and training with the bow. Kheron placed his palm against the bright shell, marveling at the blues, purples and reds that danced across the egg in a riot of color. The candidate leaned in close, resting his hand on the Splendens. He didn’t feel the need to speak, only to impress his emotions upon the egg and the dragonet inside, giving it all the joy and encouragement he felt right now. Kher had never felt more alive than at this moment.

[Mello]

Ranen was relieved to see that all the candidates who had arrived before him had evidently remembered to show respect to the great Queen and to the Weyrwoman. Not that is was necessarily easy to forget, at least in his mind, with the protective force looming over the eggs, but he had seen candidates forget before, and generally it was not a happy time for anyone. He wanted this chance more than anything he had wanted since… well, since the last Hatching he had attended, and he didn’t want to let anyone interfere with it. When Trith gave her permission, he bowed once more. “Thank you,” he said, simply but hopefully with at least a little of the emotion he was feeling behind it.

Then he stepped carefully towards the eggs, trying to take them all in. He had seen bigger clutches, but this one seemed just as perfect as they always did. Eggs with bright, loud colors mixed with eggs with a more subtle color in a kind of balance. There was such a beauty about the eggs- the hopes of the candidates and even of the future of the Weyr contained in such fragile looking shells. It could take your breath away, if you stopped to think about it.

After he felt like he had seen a little of all of them, Ranen came closer, ready to finally touch them. He first came to the Colisa Egg, simply admiring it’s subtle beauty for a moment before carefully laying his hand against the shell. It was warm, and Ranen marveled at that unique feeling that dragon eggs always seemed to have, so different from anything else he had ever felt. Red and yellow swirled under his hand, and he smiled softly as the warmth from the egg suddenly seemed visual, as though the warm colors were a reflection of the heat of the egg.

Moving away after a few minutes in case others wanted to approach the egg, he moved towards a completely different egg, covered in splashes of all different colors in an eye-catching display. Ranen guessed that whoever the little dragon inside the Poecildae Egg would have their hands full, if the occupant was at all as showy as their shell. But, despite its brilliant appearance, it had the same warmth as its fellow clutchmates, and once more Ranen smiled. His hand against the shell felt warm, but it was more than that- he felt warm inside too. Being around the eggs always seemed to have that kind of effect on him.

[Rouxy]

He was late, he was late, he was late. Nearly skidding down the hallway he’d taken so sharp a turn at, Zanalorin sped along on sandaled feet, dripping water from his cut-off pants and salt-tinged shirt. The call from the gold had come out just as he was exiting the water from a good swim with the local dolphin pod, an activity he had come to enjoy again amongst the friendly southern dolphins. Each one was an awful hurting reminder, but the sting was fading, like a wound after it had already been dunked in salt a few times. It was with an excited heart that he made for his room at breakneck speeds, nearly breaking his neck in the process to try and get dried and changed in record time.

He -was- excited. It surprised him, but after seeing the clutch so pristinely on the sands, and the gallant way the riders from Southern had flown it in, well, one would be crazy to not admire them at least a little. What would his brother say if he knew? Thankfully, he didn’t, or Zan would likely never hear the end of it. Still dripping salt water from his hair, he threw on dry clothes, leaving his wet ones on the floor -someone would probably be angry about that later- and dashing for the hatching sands he’d already passed once to get to the candidate quarters. The queen stood like a golden beacon, and the candidate skimmed to a respectful stop before entering the sands at a much more sedate pace. Shards, the others were already among the eggs! Trying to not show his chagrin and instead putting on a charming smile, he sketched a deep bow to the Gold and the Weyrwoman.

“Ma’am, Queen, I hope you are both well. I apologize for being late, and I hope that I may still be permitted to touch your magnificent clutch.” He paused mid-bow, holding it until he got an answer one way or another. He noticed with a tiny half-grin that his hair was still occasionally dripping, and his shirt would be soaked again before he was through here, for certain.

[Trith]

Trith kept her careful gaze pointedly on each Candidate in turn as they moved to touch the clutch, being certain for herself that they remained respectful of both her and the fragile nature of the little ones they were touching. So far, everyone seemed to have the proper attitude, and she allowed a brief but excited and somewhat nervous shake go through both of her wings before she tucked them back close to her body.

She turned towards the new sound of, yes, one of her missing candidates! He was late, but still respectful as she watched him cross the sands towards her and the clutch with a curious eye and slightly raised wings. Samhara nodded her head to the boy, waiting to see if Trith would allow him to touch the eggs, late as he was.

It was, of course, completely up to the gold, but the Weyrwoman’s preference was to kick out latecomers. If they didn’t have the decency to show up on time… You forget Mine, the announcement wasn’t planned as it usually would be. They had no forewarning. You’re too lenient. I want them all, hatchlings and candidates both, to have every chance they can of finding their bonded. Samhara grudgingly agreed with that sentiment, and lightly folded her arms as Trith bristled at the newcomer, a show of teeth in warning. Approach, but treat them with care. The gold raised herself over the clutch, using her advantage of height to watch those who strayed too long at one egg. The more touched the better, and she gave the tip of her tail a small snap at a few who lingered near only a single egg.

The Axelrodi Egg beamed a welcoming feeling to its toucher, the splashes of emotion as riotous as its shell as it suddenly switched to curiosity then distrust and back to happiness. From the Corydora Egg, a gentle feeling of happiness exuded as a calming wave, grateful for the company and a little sadder when its toucher left. From the Puntius Egg, a slight feeling of unease filtered through, which then changed to outright rejection at the newcomer. A similar feeling welled up from the shy-seeming Splendens Egg almost immediately upon contact as it too sought to drive away its toucher. Assertive and dominant, the Colisa Egg seemed to measure its toucher, momentarily at ease as it actively began searching for a compatible soul. It seemed disappointed when its toucher moved away, however the Poecildae Egg attempted to impress a direct -need- for its new toucher to remain with it.

[Kaemi]

Lialla, moving away from the Axelrodi Egg, rubbed her hand a little as she approached the Frenatum Egg. She hadn't been prepared for the assault of emotions, and while she was confused at what the egg had been trying to convey (was that even possible? She supposed it was, considering dragons were telepathic creatures, but the candidate hadn't expected them to be so aware while still in the shell), she was more than a little delighted to move onto the next egg. With the idea, of course, that now she would know what to expect, and wouldn't be so surprised.

Crouching this time, instead of kneeling, Lia lay her hand on the Frenatum Egg. It was larger than the Axelrodi had been, and it was much, much less likely that she would Impress any dragonet that broke free of this shell... but she liked it. It was a lovely gray color, and then red breaks in the even coloring that gave it the look of life. Tracing her fingers gently along the charcoal, she smoothly kept from touching the flashes of red that glinted along the egg, even as she whispered, “If forced to hypothesize, I'd say you were a brown. Traditionally, I'm well aware that browns Impress boys.” She looked up from the egg, her hand pausing in its movement along the charcoal surface.

After taking in the scene of the other candidates, even the boy that was bowing to the Queen as she murmured to the egg, Lialla looked back down at the egg. “There are four good, Searched boys here. I implore you to please look at them, and see your other half.” Maybe it was foolish to talk to the eggs like this, and ask them to Impress, but it was nice to think that it could help. “Please?” Her hand continued to unconsciously trace along the gray parts of the Frenatum Egg, and then it brushed over one of the crimson sections. It made a small smile play at her lips, for no apparent reason, as she began to rise from her crouch.

[Kristin]

Kivin was relieved when his greeting, and everyone‘s, seemed to please the goldpair. He bowed again in thanks before he went close to the eggs. They all fascinated him and he wandered around, observing each egg closely before going to the next. He found the difference in the color of the eggs interesting and wondered if the outward appearance had something to do with the color of the dragons inside.

All around him, other candidates where touching the eggs, sometimes talking to them also. He looked around him, trying to decide which egg to go to. One egg, the Xiphophorus Egg, caught his eye. It wasn’t as flashy as the other eggs and Kivin had seen no one approach it. It was really big and would probably hatch a bronze or a brown. The egg leaned against the smaller Splendens Egg, and he wondered what that meant. Could the dragons in the eggs bond before hatching? He sat down beside the egg, ignoring the heat, and put both his hands on the egg. It felt warm under his fingers and Kivin caressed the egg lightly, his fingers stroking the mostly yellow shell. He traced the orange spots with a smile and then closed his eyes, just letting himself feel the moment.

After a while the hot sands were getting unbearable and Kivin decided to get to know the Splendens Egg. This time he kneeled in the sands, his bottom not ready for more sitting. This egg was much more colorful than its neighbor and Kivin spent a long moment just observing the egg. This egg was medium-sized and maybe held a big green or a blue. As Kivin wanted a blue, he really wanted to get acquainted with this egg, although he didn’t know if it mattered in a Hatching whether he had touched the egg before or not. He put one hand on the egg, not stroking it but just connecting with the egg.

[Thorney]

Kheron barely touched the shell of the Splendens Egg, his hand light and gentle as he tried to convey his emotions to the sleeping dragonet within. However, it was only a moment before the egg exuded a wave of refusal at him, the overpowering emotion racing through his fingers and hands to tingle throughout his entire body. Amber eyes widening, the boy pulled his hand away, relieved when the strange feeling ebbed into a faint pulse instead of the raging torrent it had been before. Fall, fog, and fire! The ex-beastcrafter had not been expecting that, having never imagined that an egg could send such strong sensations through him.

Sitting back a bit away from the egg, the candidate regarded the brightly-colored shell before him, contemplating what had just happened. In his turns of beastcrafting, Kheron had met runners that would only bear one rider, and would not tolerate any other taking their reins. They would react violently to anyone but the rider they had chosen, and would go to any lengths to unseat the stranger on their backs. Since runners were only animals, though intelligent animals, then doubtlessly a dragon's preference be for their rider would be all that much stronger. It only made sense to Kher that their emotions would be that intense.

Straightening as another candidate approached the Splendens egg, Kheron stepped away to allow the boy to pass, his eyes falling on the more mutely-colored egg at the Splendens' side. The Xiphophorus Egg was the largest in the clutch, and the ex-beastcrafter was certain a bronze or brown would hatch from it. Kneeling once more, Kher allowed his amber gaze to roam over the shell before him, the solid color and rather impressive size setting it apart from the others. Far more cautious this time, yet not timid in the least, Kheron leaned forward and placed his hand on the Xiphophorus Egg, this time stealing himself for the onslaught he might receive. The candidate was as immovable as ever, knowing that he would find his partner, no matter how many eggs and hatchings he had to go through.

~~~~~~~

Soft smile spreading into an expression of pure bliss, Raelwyn felt her whole body warm at the calm happiness the Corydora Egg expressed when her hands met the shell. It was a welcoming egg, and the girl basked in the affectionate emotions that flowed through her body. She always loved the Touchings for this precise reason. Though there were times the eggs completely rejected her, the times like this were worth it. It was such a beautiful feeling, the sensations so intense and lovely that Rael felt almost empty after it was over.

Knowing that other candidates had to touch the Corydora as well, the harper reluctantly whispered one final goodbye to the sweet egg before moving on. However, the Puntius Egg emanated immediate and utter rejection, and she recoiled as if burned. The silvery-shelled egg was obviously very adverse to her presence, and Raelwyn smiled softly at the Puntius as she stood. "As you wish, little one." She said gently, and stepped to another of it's clutchmates.

Making her way to another, the harper kneeled in the sand beside the lovely Colisa Egg. The dual-toned shell wasn't as flashy as some of the other eggs, but it was beautiful all the same. Briefly wondering if she would receive a warm welcome as she did with the Corydora, or a cold shoulder like the Puntius, Raelwyn laid a soft hand on the red and yellow shell. Her gentle hand ghosted along the surface, tracing some of the patches that marked the Colisa. Smiling, the candidate leaned close to the egg, her green gaze intent. "And you, dear one? How are you this eve?"