| Aalimeth's wings
stretched over her ten eggs, her head heavy as she had become quite
sleep-deprived. Rukren stood guard beside his mate, eyes flickering. The
golden firelizard Kia, belonging to Rimaea, was nestled into the sand
below Aalimeth's wings. Only she slept, and Aalimeth rumbled in disgust.
I wish she'd
at least stay awake, to keep me company. But I'm keeping you company, said Rukren sleepily. Besides, the eggs have hardened. They should hatch soon. As soon as they hatch, I'm out of here. Aalimeth looked under her right wing, then her left, in hopes to see her eggs hatching, or even rocking. The dawn was beginning to rise, and in the glow of dawn, Rukren caught a movement out of the corner of his eye. Love, I saw something move... look under your left wing again. Rukren sidled up to his mate, peering beneath the soft bronze wingsail. Go to sleep, Kia, Aalimeth said sleepily. It's not Kia, look! It's one of the eggs! Before Aalimeth could answer, Rukren let out a bugle that shattered the silence of Darkling Dawn. Aalimeth stood and saw that five of the ten eggs were rocking, and she found that six candidates rushed into the Sands, forming a loose semicircle around the ten eggs. Each of them would Impress, and Aalimeth knew that the remaining four hatchlings would decide what to do later. The first egg cracked just as Rimaea raced into the Sands, and rushed to her female bronze's side. Kia flew up onto her shoulder, chirping. When the eggshell shattered, a green lay there on the Sands. To the surprise of the candidates, the green shot up from the sand and leaped onto Valerian, knocking him over. Oh, V'ler, did I hurt you? I am sorry! V'ler smiled up at the male green dragon. "It's okay, Kyren. But it would help if you got off of my stomach." A murmur raced through the Sands. Male green, and with a name unique to every dragon? That was a mixture of Aalimeth and Rukren for you. An ear-splitting crack was heard, drawing the attention of the candidates to it. Three dragons had hatched simultaneously, bringing into the world a bronze, a green and a blue. The blue found herself staring into the eyes of the green. Shall we go to Shivran Aerd, my bond Meyaa? The voice of the blue was feminine, another cross-gender. And the green's name, Meyaa, was again unique. Of course, Dalyenth. I think our brother should come with us as well. The bronze hatchling looked up at his father and said, I'm Luukren, and I shall follow my sisters to Shivran Aerd. The aqua father of the clutch beamed, as his son shared part of his name with him. No one had seen the dragon hatch until he walked over to Hazan, and sat at his feet. So, H'zan, I think you suit me - tell them my name. Shocked at his Impression, but not speechless, the new rider said: "You're Soronath." The blue purred. Soronath is hungry, and H'zan will feed me - right? At this his rider laughed, and led him off of the Sands. One egg began to crack, and the candidates were taken into the excitement again. A soft cream hide split the shell, and soon the small cream had hatched. The dragonet stood and took a few steps forward, flicking her eyes over the candidates. Suddenly she lost her balance and fell; and to her help came Erika. "It's all right, Lopelleth," she said to the small female cream. Of course Erika, replied the cream as her eyes met her rider's. You found me, after all. A handsome brown dragon hatched, followed by a beautiful red one. They went their separate ways after one glance at each other. Wolfio, I want you to be my rider. "Well met, Variojunoth," nodded Wolfio. And I want you. I am Seehriaa. The red dragonet, obviously female, had chosen Rayvin. Rayvin knelt beside her red and stroked her head. "And you are hungry, I assume." You're good, said Seehriaa, eyes whirling with a mixture of blue and green. The last two eggs shuddered, and Mitsuki remained there beside them. Which would be hers? She could only think of what her dragon would be... So the smaller egg hatched, and out stepped a purple dragonet. At that moment, Mitsuki knew her dragon: "Cokayaa." That is me, replied the purple dragonet as Mitsuki led her to be fed. Aalimeth's last hatchling made it clear that he would not bond. Mother? I shall go to the Moire Protectorate. There is not a bond for me here. Go there, my son Hynenth... And with that, the Hatching had ended - only glimmering eggshells remained on Darkling Dawn's soft sand. "It went well, Love," Rimaea said to her bronze. I never thought I'd miss my children, Aalimeth said as she stared out into the empty Sands. I'm sorry you have to leave, beloved, Rukren added to his mate. Rukren, maybe we'll see each other again. You never know. And it was a good clutch, my mate. And then the light of day broke the horizon, rising above them as a disc of pure golden light. |
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