Two Clutches in One Day [07.04.183] Open!

[Melomar]

Heimalth was exhausted but radiant. She had spent the afternoon laying her brightly-colored eggs. She felt exceedingly proud and satisfied that she had brought three new lives into the world. Soon they would respond to outside stimuli, shivering and kicking their way toward their new bonds. Any of her daughters could be the third generation of fertile greens. But enough with sleepy wanderings, she needed rest. She curled up tightly around her eggs, letting the sand and her body keep them comfortably warm. Sleep sweet, my little ones.

Nearby, her rider had kept a vigil against the day. In truth he felt more like an expectant relative than someone who could or even needed to protect them. Now that she had completed her most important task, he shook that feeling aside and approached her. He gazed into her slowly swirling blue and green eyes. "I am so proud for you. I can't begin to express how I feel..." For one who studied the mind and how to heal it, he was surprisingly beyond words. But perhaps it was not surprising. Wiping a tear from the corner of his eye, he curled up against her shoulder and sighed.

But I know just how you feel, she replied with a dragon's chuckle that ended in a yawn.  

[Thaliawen]

Three eggs were nestled close together, a protective green tail wound loosely around them. Oximath could feel pride streaming up and out of her rider’s mind, or was that her own? Her eyes hadn’t left them since she’d laid them. They were beautiful.

It felt like so long since she’d rested. She was so tired. Your thoughts are loud today, Mine, she said, sleepily. She hadn’t yet allowed him to approach. He was a safe ten feet away.

“I’ve never felt so happy. Look at you! You’re a mother!” Viri enthused. He’d have to tell Maddy. He’d have to show Maddy. He’d—

Go fetch your mate and see if he calms you. I am tired...  

[Melomar]

M'deck was at his desk as usual, trying to study. Field trauma was not the most fascinating topic during an egg laying event and one's own dragon was giving a running commentary. But he tried. Verath, would it be possible for you not to do that?

I can't help it. This is a very important day! Will I lay eggs one day, too? Isn't that exciting?

It is, but I have to study to stay on top of my craft. I will lose my edge if I do not.

The young green huffed. Oximath and Heimalth were laying and Maddy was being absolutely boring. Shouldn't you support your mate? You should be there with him.

M'deck looked up from his desk to gaze upon his dragon. He had not thought of things that way. Surely Viri would want to spend this time with his dragon. He did not want to be under foot. On the other hand, M'nick would absolutely want his brother there. I suppose you're right...

Of course I am. Trust me on this.

M'deck rose and made himself presentable. "Please inform Heimalth and Oximath that I will be coming to visit."

I'll be happy to! the Green replied smugly. And then the word was sent. M'nick and C'vi would soon have another pair of shoulders around.  

[Thaliawen]

Oximath’s eyes whirled a happy blue and green at the news. Mine, your mate is on his way. Verath said. Thank you, Verath! she added, in after thought. M’deck was always so polite, and her rider cared so much for him. Oximath had softened towards him.

I hope yours can calm Mine down. He is very happy, as am I... but mine does not stay still and I worry. If yours can, he and Mine can see the eggs.

“Maddy’s coming?” Viri beamed. “He’s going to be thrilled!”  

[TawnyAngel]

News like a new clutch, like two new clutches, travelled fast and V' and Lithustoth were not slow to react to it. Once she had the impression that all was calm the gravid green roused her rider from a scroll she'd been scowling over and together the pair glided groundward. Lithustoth alighted near the entrance to the hatching cavern and padded forward to peer inside, letting out an unusually tender warble as she approached.

Hello my hatchlings, may I come in and visit with you? V' is with me as well if that's alright. Family relations were not things that sat naturally at the forefront of a dragon's mind to say the least but the circumstances around her clutching led Lithustoth to being intensely aware of her daughters and of her ties to the eggs they themselves had now borne.  

[Melomar]

Modified log from October 16th, 6pm PST

~*~

Oximath liked M'deck. He was so polite and calming to her rider.

Verath did not like how well she seemed to favor him. Why not favor her own rider instead? Well, he's Mine.

Oximath replied simply, Yes, but he's Mine's. You share him with Him.

Verath's reply came with a short delay, as if she was processing Oximath's truth with her own. But not with you.

Why? Why wouldn't she share?

Because he is not yours. Verath replied stubbornly. She did not care if her logic was circular. M'deck was hers and no one else's. He could have C'vi, but C'vi couldn't even have M'deck. Only Verath.

Oximath replied, unphased by the other green's short temper. He likes me, though.

I don't know about that. Have you asked him?

He likes Mine. That was enough, wasn't it? If he liked the rider it should stand to reason that he would like the dragon.

Then he likes yours. Not you.

Oximath was getting nowhere with Verath. So she decided to switch tactics. Maddy, come see my eggs.

M'deck knew better than to play this game. It felt all wrong. He chose not to choose a side. I will not get involved. Instead of heading to the Sands as originally planned, he headed down to the kitchens for a snack instead. He filled a platter full of meat rolls and bubbly pies for the two expectant riders. M'nick would have been too nervous to eat on his own, his brother knew. Viri would probably be hungry as well.

Oximath, meanwhile, huffed at the Sands. Verath's mental presence was smug. Heimalth, the other green on the Sands, dozed fitfully.

When he was finished in the dining hall, M'deck carried the tray to the Sands, where he met C'vi at the entrance. This seemed strange to him, but he would soon find out the reason for Viri's separation from his dragon.

C'vi took a bubbly pie and ate it. Words could not express how much he loved M'deck right now. How did he know? He offered a pie to his mate.

"Thank you." He was kissed Viri on the cheek. It was a chaste kiss, they had behaved themselves so far, promising one another to do nothing more before Verath's maiden flight.

"You looked like you could use it," C'vi grinned.

After a moment, they had finished their pies. They were small and easy to handle. M'deck considered whether to wake his brother or let him be for now. Offhandedly, he mentioned their dragons' little ... conversation. "Your dragon and mine are having a strange argument and sought to include me. I thought food would be a better idea."

"Oh," C'vi muttered in a low voice. He cleared his throat and spoke louder. "Oxi wants Verath to share you because she likes you." He chuckled. "I thought it was funny."

Ever the character whose sense of humor or lack thereof was nearly impossible to identify, M'deck replied, "Maybe they can fight over you, then."

"Verath likes me?" Humor was not detected.

Verath refused to answer the question, to C'vi or her rider.

M'deck's pause was equally long. Finally, he admitted, "I don't know."

Verath did not want to confuse her rider, she decided. He is Mine's, so I will put up with him.

M'deck did not lose a beat. "To an extent."

"Then they won't fight," C'vi concluded.

"That much is a relief." He could not concentrate while his dragon argued with Oximath. It was like a continuous buzzing in the back of his mind. It's volume seemed to rise and fall at times, but it was difficult to concentrate on anything, let alone the studies he so tried to keep up with.

"Oxi says she'll let Verath meet her eggs."

M'deck stared at C'vi in surprise. "That is good."

"But," C'vi continued with a pout, "she will not let me too close." And there was the answer to why C'vi had been waiting at the entrance.

"Why not? She is your dragon."

"She says I am too clumsy."

Maddy nearly choked on another pie. "I... see." He glanced back to Oximath, who was eyeing them warily.

Verath, by that time had gotten comfortable in her couch and slept.

"I'm not that clumsy," C'vi insisted.

It mattered little whether he was or not, if the clutch mother would refuse to see them. So he considered the situation carefully. Finally, he offered, "Maybe if Heimalth will let you see her eggs then Oximath will see that you are not clumsy."

Oximath glanced quickly over at the pale dragoness. Say 'no.'

Heimalth was a dragon that was difficult to read in the best of circumstances. In some ways she was a lot like M'deck, her rider's brother. She used the time to consider the options, and favored one that would conclude this silly argument sooner than later. Okay. But just for a short time. She sighed, I am still tired.

C'vi made his way over to Heimalth's eggs under the watchful eye of their mother. She was not distrustful so much as weary, and wary for more conflict. "Hi, eggs." The eggs did not respond, it was too early, but he had all the love he had to give to them. He beamed up at Heimalth.

Meanwhile, M'deck made his way over to M'nick and offered him a bubbly pie. His brother gave him the biggest, most grateful smile he had ever seen.

Okay, good, it's time to go. Heimalth fluttered a wing. She really had had enough of all this silliness. She wrapped her eggs up with her tail and snuggled up with them.

C'vi stepped away and looked across the sand to his own dragon. "Oxi can I visit yours now?" he asked with a hopeful smile.

Half glaring at C'vi, she bespoke M'deck instead. Mine’s mine, come calm mine if he gets too excited.

Maddy glared with indignation at Oximath. "I am not a pacifier."

No, but you are good at distracting mine because he loves you.

Maddy looked to Viri. "Are you calm enough to visit with her eggs?"

"I think so."

C'vi was met with an intense stare. "Be certain."

"I’m certain."

M'deck looked to Oximath. "So he should be fine with them."

Oximath insisted, I want you to meet them, Mine’s.

M'deck was naturally curious about the eggs. Perhaps he would get a better look at them than he had Heimalth's. "Okay, I will come with him." he relented.  

[The_Muffin_Puppy]

TawnyAngel

The hatching grounds were still a painful place to be. In truth she avoided hatchings completely and with the frequency they were now occurring this didn't really seem to be a problem. Still Kesarin felt it was her duty to be present in at least some capacity. The Weyr let her live here, where she wasn't really contributing anything to anyone, the least she could do was show her face once in a while instead of hiding in her quarters grieving all the time. It clearly wasn't a self-loving day for Kesarin on this particular day.

Reaching the entrance to the sands, Kesarin saw a familiar green waiting in the entrance. It made sense, but it still felt strange. Looking from Lithustoth, then to her daughters, and then to the eggs on the sands Kesarin felt a bizarre discomfort. Three generations already. Malsalth had almost been gone two turns and there were already three generations. It was strange only because it would have been longer than this if Malsalth had born a gold for even her maiden flight to occur, yet her daughters had risen numerous times.

"It's strange, isn't it?" Kesarin said gently, looking up at V'. The greenrider had been here since the beginning and was arguably the closest to understanding her feelings. Her green had yet to graduate and was already a grandmother.  

[TawnyAngel]

The_Muffin_Puppy

"Hu?" V' looked down from her perch to see somebody unexpected, somebody she'd not seen since.... When had she last seen the former Weyrwoman? She was pretty sure she hadn't spoken to her since Lith'd had her first flight and shards didn't that feel like a lifetime ago?

After a moment's pause V's thoughts caught up with themselves and she grunted agreement as she slid to the ground to join Kesarin. "Feels like life's sped up since I Impressed, definitely since she rose for the first time," she said with a jerk of her head to the waiting green. "We've not even graduated yet but her daughters in there have eggs, she's got more on the way, and we've had a whole new form of leadership dropped on us out of the blue." There was an obvious edge to V's voice on that last point but she wasn't going to get into it right now; instead she looked back towards the entrance to the hatching sands and crossed her arms over her chest. "Heard some people muttering about Oxi clutching, her being weird and all, but I for one am sharding relieved to see that being able to clutch carries on through the bloodline." So far Lith and Starleth were the only greens from Malsalth's clutch - her first and last, it felt so unfair but that was life - to have clutches of their own. Were the others late bloomers or did it not happen for all greens? Nobody on Pern had an answer to that, not yet.  

[The_Muffin_Puppy]

TawnyAngel

"It's a lot to take in." Especially for the Weyrlings with everything else they normally had to go through thrown in on top. Kesarin thought about it sometimes. How there were so many dragons now that had likely no knowledge of Malsalth. None of the dragons would remember her in their own memories, and there were bound to be those that had impressed in the past turn who had never even seen her. It seemed so long ago, and yet also like it had only just happened. It seemed as though the world was forgetting her too fast. Maybe that was what all loss felt like.

Kesarin frowned and looked at V', then back to the dragon. Her situation meant she was often out of the loop when it came to gossip. And she doubted there was anyone in the Weyr stupid enough to try badmouthing Malsalth's descendants in front of her. Even if she didn't actually have the ability to do anything about it. "If they're healthy people have no right to complain..." Kesarin's eyes left the peculiarly coloured green and turned back to V'. "Sounds like just another way for them to insist on keeping things the same." So what if dragons were coming out looking different now? The alternative wasn't an option.  

[TawnyAngel]

The_Muffin_Puppy

It was a lot to take in, just three-ish turns ago she'd been ambushing traders and thieving from Holds to make her living; now she was a dragonrider, doing her bit to save the north and all that. Well, Lith was doing her bit, she was just along for the ride... For now, she had thoughts about more than that and sure she was working on getting to the top of her class - near as she could - but she'd have to graduate before she could really get stuck into anything. Would D'io turn out to be an ally? She hoped so, he was a good sort to have on your side.

"Right?" V' agreed with a scowl and a little shake of her head. "But some people are just obsessed with appearances right? Nothing'll satisfy them expect a gold, I think for a gold they might forgive a few little..." she groped for a word and ended up with; "Quirks? I guess." If there was a gold any time soon of course there'd be trouble along with it, some people would want to put her in charge and the Weyrleaders wouldn't like that at all by the sounds of it. Could that sort of unrest work in her favour?... Another thing to think about later. "Be interesting to see if Oximath's hatchlings do turn out like her though, I think she's lovely." V' wasn't usually one to admit squishy feelings like that but this was one of her dragon's hatchlings, she was allowed to be at least a little bit soft for her and her siblings.