Everybody's gone surfing, surfin' USA (California Hatching)

[TawnyAngel]

Now that more greens who hadn't taken firestone were maturing D'lana was starting to get used to hearing that distinctive hum on a more regular basis - starting to. A part of her still felt jarred by it, and by how small the resulting clutches were, but on the while she was just sharded grateful that they were getting clutches at all.

And of course, the hum had not come out of the blue; D'lana had spent the last several days ready for this moment, clothes and hairpins laid out ready to go. Her signature simple white gowns made changing a work of moments, and it only took her a couple of minutes - with the aid of a friend - to brush her long hair out and pin it into a braided half-bun. While this preparation did mean that she wasn't one of the very first to arrive she was still in good time as Liarth swooped into the hatching cavern and set her down before retreating up to a prime perch.

As the dragons' welcome echoed through the chamber D'lana moved to take her seat beside W'dol and flashed him a small smile as she smoothed out her skirt. "Another fine looking clutch, I wonder what we'll see this time?" Seistreth was unusual looking to say the least and D'lana had to wonder if her strangeness would carry forward to her offspring - the thickening of her skin didn't seem to cause the green any problems so from a practical standpoint it probably didn't matter one way or another but she knew that if the hatchlings were as odd as their dam there would be Talk. There was a lot of Talk these days, but she was damned if she could pin down its source.  

[Wylde Roses]

Hatchings were always exciting things in Rian's memory, and ever since the plague they'd grown only more important in her mind. No matter how small the clutch, every dragon mattered, every pair of wings they could get into the sky could mean life or death for everyone. Four more dragons was four more dragons, and so she felt the weight of the day as heavily as any of her other candidates as she was rushed out onto the sands, hair a bit in disarray since she never could quite tame it, fighting back the urge to bounce in place.


These occasions called for calm and patience, a mind that was ready to receive a potential dragon partner and not upset or startle the dangerous but fragile hatchlings, and yet--- and yet, she couldn't help the thrill of excitement that ran through her, eager and expectant. Of course she hoped to Impress; what child raised in the Weyr wouldn't? But she had time yet, and was all in all more excited to see the babies than hoping specifically for herself. They were so pretty, each and every one of them, she was sure even without having seen them.

Ceremony was ceremony, of course, and she followed everything almost on instinct, mind not on her own body and what it was doing so much as it was locked on the four shells on the sands, at any moment ready to emerge and find theirs. Four more dragons for the weyr! She couldn't wait to find out what they were like once they were out and about in the world.  

[Earisa]

Some were morning people, Layhan was one of them. When you grow up around the mines not everyone slept through the night, it took time to dig ore from solid rock and why waste time when the sun did not shine underground. The Weyr woke up far earlier then when he was on surface duty, many dragons off running messages, people and important deliveries on the far east where Dawn had been hours ago. If the Riders were up the kitchens had to be awake before them, and that meant chores needing to be done. This morning the boy had helped with breakfast, though it was more running back and forth from the storerooms fetching sacks and barrels of this or that so the cooks could do their job.

The Candidate finally had a bowl put in his hands and pushed off to go eat, eyes closed as he chewed. He didn't really think anything of a strange noise that rumbled up under the chatter of voices and clatter of plates and mugs until people started shouting and running. Layhan's eyes shot open, slow to pick up what the fuss was until someone told him to go get his robe. The eggs were hatching!

No time to waste undressing he just threw the white cloth over top as he ran. Layhan wished he could saw he was the first of them to arrive but he was so out of breath he couldn't complain, plodding over to where the other Candidates were starting to cluster. The eggs were already cracking so they were encouraged to just get out there and be ready. Of course Seistreth was already there, remembering the egg touching fondly gave the green dragon a big wave though he was sure she wouldn't notice him.  

[The_Muffin_Puppy]

S'lvar of Blue Recareth

He hoped this would be a nice hatching. They needed it. Recareth insisted that he wasn't upset, but S'lvar knew the loss of his siblings weighed heavily on the blue. He always took so much responsibility. As though there was some way he could have stopped the sickness claiming his siblings. Recareth was always intent on protecting them. He dedicated so much time just to keeping an eye on them, making sure they were safe. Even the troublemakers he insisted on making sure they weren't in danger.

The blue perched up with the other dragons, dwarfed by the adults that surrounded him. S'lvar looked up at the blue as his keen eyes stared down at the clutch. Would Recareth worry less as he got older? Would he worry more? Perhaps when they were grown he wouldn't fret over his siblings so much. Although S'lvar had a suspicion he would just fret over another group. His wing perhaps. Not everyone seemed to mind his concern, but some really seemed to get miffed by his watching and checking up. S'lvar didn't know what to do about it though.

Turning his gaze to the eggs he tried to give them the focus they deserved. None of the dragons clutched in Fort in the past two turns had gotten the sickness. They were all thought to be immune. It was only Recareth's clutch that was uncertain. S'lvar hoped it stayed that way. That all the clutches from here on were immune. The more immune dragons the better.

Sh'shi of Brown Fiskenerath

Retirement was an odd thing to get used to. Fiskenerath seemed to be settling just fine. Less excuses for people to make him wake up or move for them. Plus now he could sun in the good spots instead of guarding the weyrling barracks all the time. Sh'shi however found herself often restless. She still woke at dawn, prepared for the day, ate breakfast, and then... Well that was just it. Then what? What did she do now? For a while reading had occupied her, but after about a week that was frustrating. There weren't enough people in the Weyr for her to spread her time around enough to not be with some far too much. No, Sh'shi wasn't much enjoying this retirement thing at all.

Which meant when the humming started the older woman was more than happy to be distracted. Fiskenerath couldn't be stirred. He'd seen enough hatchings, thank you, and as he was no longer Weyrlingmaster he would enjoy not forcing himself into the crowded cavern. So it was alone that Sh'shi made her way to the cavern. The seat she found was good enough. It was a step down from the Weyrlingmaster's place on the sands in terms of view, but the older rider was respected enough that nobody was going to force her into an awful seat.

It was bizarre watching things unfold as they were now. She had seen the last gold clutch, and then the surprise gold clutch after that. This would be the sixth green clutch on Fort's sands. Five if you wanted to count her sisters' as a single clutch. Lithustoth had done well with her daughters it seemed. More of her daughters had clutched than Malsalth's had so far. Sh'shi wondered if perhaps not all Malsalth's daughter were fertile, and perhaps Lithustoth was so her daughters were. Perhaps it was like green firelizards and they had just gotten lucky with their clutches. It was a mystery that would unfold over time. Sh'shi just hoped it unfolded fast enough for her to see the results.

Mecesa

With everything that had happened the last few months the Weyr could use some cheer. When the humming began the children in the creche naturally got excited. It didn't seem to matter how many clutches there were, or what happened, they always got excited when eggs were hatching. Honestly Mecesa couldn't blame them. Baby dragons were really cute.

Shepherding the children along with other creche workers, Mecesa managed to get them all settled in to watch. They didn't get the best seats, they were just normal weyrfolk after all, but it was a good enough view for the children and that was all that mattered as far as she was concerned. The clutch seemed lively and it didn't feel like it would be long at all before the first one hatched. Mecesa wondered what would hatch first. Usually she bet her marks on greens. They were the most common so the odds dictated it would be a green. Still with all these unusual clutches it was hard to tell these days. Clutches without blues. Hatchlings with peculiar features. It didn't seem to do them any harm though. Seistreth was arguably one of the most peculiar, and it hadn't stopped her bearing a clutch of her own.  

[Wylde Roses]

The first egg broke apart, revealing a lovely little green who had her mother's queer hide and a lot of energy to boot. A good way to begin a hatching, Rian thought --- a bright and happy dragonet meant things were starting off smoothly, at least, and--- and she was such a dear oh look at her prance about, bugling while all eyes were on her as the first out. Hopefully she would find hers just as easily as she had hatched!

Until she did, Rian would endeavor to keep one eye on her and one eye on the other eggs, especially the one that had just cracked. It seemed like the little green's siblings weren't going to let her be the only one out and about for long, and that meant more adorable babies to see! Dangers aside, she didn't think she was ever going to stop loving Hatchings and seeing all the little ones find Theirs. It was just... too wonderful.  

[Earisa]

Inolyn of Green Jenth

Many people still tried to make a big deal out of hatchings, once Inolyn had done so too. That was when there was maybe only a single clutch a year with twenty or so eggs on the sands, made it feel a bit more of a spectacle. What was this one, the fourth... fifth this year? It was getting a little exhausting to the mature greenrider, and seeing the sands so bare was... strange.

It was still a special day for the candidates, and she wanted to cheer them on! Entering the hatching grounds to find a seat she found she was later then she wished, one little green already dancing around the Sands. At least she hadn't missed the important part! Every rider remembered fondly that special first moment with their dragon, and seeing the lucky newcomers make that bond was still no less exciting then the last. Her gold firelizard, Vess, was still vibrating with humming excitement on her shoulder. All these eggs might be making her broody enough to rise herself soon.



Layhan

So it was the smallest egg first! Layhan was almost sad to see a green break out of it's shell, he had hoped a little that just maybe it would be a blue. The boy had become a little attached to that egg after the touching, but that did not mean he had any claim over it or the hatchling it had contained. Now he was just excited to see where the first of the clutch was going, and who would she choose. She was doing a good job at keeping attention away from Eclectic who seemed ready to reveal next.  

[Earisa]

Turns out today was full of interesting turns! Stately looked... well, black! Layhan was having a hard time telling if the sheen was metallic or the sheen of light on the wet hatchling. What ever he was he didn't look like he was in a rush to find his partner, making it easier to turn his attention to Fabulous cracking open. Now that was a bronze for sure! Glad he didn't bet any mark on guessing, he would have put in down on it hatching a blue or green. The white markings were causing a bit of a stir, most likely because he had not seen any other dragon have them. Was it rare or new? Shards if he knew.

It was hard to just stand there. He wanted to wave, shout, something! Anything that might draw the attention of the hatchlings. Layhan knew he wasn't supposed to, it was a little frowned upon but it didn't seem to have any impact on who they impressed anyway. And made you look like an idiot.  

[Wylde Roses]

Two more eggs in the small clutch hatched, almost at the same time, and Rian found herself holding back a small gasp. Two bronzes, almost at the same time? And both of them had the unusual appearances that had been growing more common of late --- the first, his mother's hide just like his sister, and the second... that was white on those wings! Still, strange though they looked (and beautiful, honestly, because there was something striking about Stately's dark hide and simply eye-catching about Fabulous), they both seemed healthy, which was the most important thing of all.

"Three little lovelies," she murmured to herself, and fidgeted slightly with her robe. Patience, patience, none of the three had Impressed yet and the fourth hadn't yet broken shell. She needed to wait and hold her excitement until their found Theirs, whoever they may be. (Maybe her? Maybe someone else? They were perfect, beautiful babies regardless of who they Impressed. That was all that really mattered, in the end.)  

[Earisa]

Layhan couldn't stand seeing Nerdy start to panic, it would break his heart if she couldn't Impress and lost her. He looked at his fellow candidates but she had already looked at all of them, hers wasn't among them. Think! Glancing around for help, the boy realised something the little green must not have.

Kneeling down on the burning Sands besides her, he tilted her head and pointed to the people crowded in the stands. "Over there! There are lots of people, have you looked at them yet?" Layhan gave her an encouraging push, he would go with her if he must. The black- bronze was busy thumping on his unhatched sibling, there was some time he could afford to be distracted.  

[Wylde Roses]

Rian squeaked as Nerdy made her way to her and a nearby candidate, clearly growing distressed at not having found Hers yet. "Oh, it's alright, don't be scared. Yours is here, I promise," she said, trying to keep her footing as the little green wove around her legs before keening at someone else. "The stands are a good idea, if you don't see Yours yet! I'm sure there's someone here for you!"

She almost missed the pretty bronze with white on his wings finding His, and didn't register who he had impressed to, but she was glad he found them nonetheless. Now this poor little green needed to find hers before she could get truly upset. The darker bronze seemed alright for now, trying as he was to get the last egg to hatch. But this little green was beginning to get anxious, and that just wouldn't do. There wasn't much she could do for her, but a little encouragement never hurt, right?