Clutch 37--Belinda and Nearrod

  It was a typical morning. Belindath opened her eyes just shortly after the sun became a topaz line on the horizon and stretched. But, rather than turn around, cuddle back into Nearrod's side, something told her to turn around.

The purple turned and lazily stared down at the various lumps where her eggs were buried. Belindath turned and nudged Nearrod with one lavender wing.

Just a few feet from her foreleg, one of the mounds of sand had begun to rock.

The Candidates were quickly assembled, and Phoebe shifted in excitement next to her bond. Nighrr was next to her, with Nearrod, who was beaming proudly as one of the eggs showed a definite crack.

Most of Phoebe's attention was on Rahim, though, and she smiled brightly at him, where he sat in the lower tiers. She felt like she'd truly shared the flight with him and had the best of both worlds: the lust with Nighrr, the intimacy with Rahim.

The redrider smiled back, a little nervously to show their affection so openly. Especially with her brother sitting next to him, who he was sure had begun to suspect something.

But, all tension was put aside as the first egg cracked, and a green snout poked out.

Phoebe, there's a horse on my Sands....

Phoebe looked up and narrowed her eyes as the horse stepped back nervously as the egg finally shattered - throwing shells everywhere. Indeed there was...

Maybe she's a Bonder? Be civil, Belindath.

Are you hungry?

Very, Belindath said, her tone a little malicious at the thought of a horse being accepted as a bonder for her children.

Nearrod, thinking Amy to be a normal horse and thinking that it would be a gentlemanly thing to do, rose to his feet and stalked towards the animal. Amy whickered at him, and wisely backed up.

Stop it! a little voice popped into Nearrod's head, and he felt something hit his leg. The purple dragon looked down to see a tiny green hatchling staring back up at him, coated with sand in her effort to intervene.

I can't bond her if you eat her, the hatchling whined.

With a glance towards Belindath, Nearrod backed away and let their hatchling bond.

Her name is Hippolytoth, Belindath said, suddenly too proud of her first hatchling's bonding to care that she'd bonded a horse.

Two eggs hatched at once: one cream with gray tips along his snout, legs, and body, one green with gold tips similar to her brothers.

From the moment he broke shell, the cream had eyes only for the green dragonet. But, she gave him one passing glance and headed towards the bonders, with the cream following hurriedly in tow. The gold-marked green stopped at the feet of yet another dragon: Ten'si, stared at him for a moment, and then sat down.

The cream behind her sighed, and his wings slumped.

I'm Samkalyrth. She's Verhateth. I wanted to bond her, but she wants to bond you, so I guess we're one, big happy famiily now, huh?

Hello, Ten'si.

In the time taken for the quasi-double bonding, a blue hatchling had made his way out of his shell and to the feet of a certain lion-shifter, Leo.

Omoth, his father said, proudly.

A little red-pointed purple pushed her way out of her shell snout first, and then spilled uncerimoniously onto the Sands.

In the meanwhile, Jade had been watching her like a hawk, and when she finally cried for help, it was him who came to her side.

Kieroth, Belindath said, watching as the eggs continued to split. Hours went by as hatchling by hatchling passed up the bonders and accumulated under Belindath's wings: a dark purple they named Karinearith, a little blue male named Osperyth. Dark green Berinroth covered most of the front row in egg goo with a quick shake of her wings before joining her brother, Nearyoth, beside their mother.

The remaining bonders left the Sands with a distinct look of disappointment as the sponsors moved in. Belindath met them by folding her wings down over her hatchlings and growling low in her throat.

Rahel sighed and looked at Nearrod in a silent plea for help.

The grey-marked purple nudged his mate gently. Her head whipped towards him, and she fixed him with a glare that could burn a hole through rock.

You can't take them all home, love, he said gently.

She sighed, and looked up at the sponsors, her expression still irritated.

After Belindath stared long and hard down at her hatchlings, Rahel opened her mouth to speak, and the purple dragon quickly cut her off.

I'll pick, she said, turning her gaze from the Weyrwoman to her hatchlings. The mood apparent in her eyes quickly swung from aggravated to sad as she assigned the first hatchling.

Purple Karinearith will go to Draco's Inferno. Osperyth can go with you, she said, looking at the sponsor, to Mindspace, and Green Berinroth can go to Starburst. Blue Nearyoth is staying with me.

The purple dragon lifted her wings grudgingly, allowing her children to depart for her chosen sponsors. She watched the remaining sponsors eyeing her son, and lowered the wing covering him slightly, glaring like she dared anyone to challenge her decision.

"It's been fun," she said, offering Nighrr a hug.

You aren't going to leave the hatchling, to train? Nearrod asked, cocking his head at the pair.

He will have a good, Alskyrian upbringing, Belindath promised him for her rider.
You flew me well, she nuzzled him, come visit us anytime.

"Come on, Belindath, let's get our things," Phoebe said, turning from the Sands.

And thus was the outcome of Belindath's first clutch.