Fort Weyr - Hatching Sands and Galleries
The hatching cavern at Fort Weyr is a sight to behold, carved into the highest part of the mountain. The main entrance way is large enough to allow dragons to fly in and deposit passengers, without causing much of a stir to the folks walking around on the ground. To the right as people enter is a grand design describing the rotation of the Red Star, etched on the wall. The entrance to the sands themselves lies slightly off to the northeast, while directly east is the entrance to the galleries.
The galleries are carved right out of the rock face, the rows and rows of benches rising high up into the air on a slight slant. Stone and wood benches that used to be known for offering little in the way of comfort, are now padded with cushions in Fort Weyr's colors. Placed along the railing at regular intervals are antique looking baskets filled with cheery fabric flowers. The curving walls sport tapestries in warm vibrant colors that seem to add a dash of color to the otherwise dreary stone. Where the galleries curve slightly at the ends, affording those attending hatchings or clutchings a decent view of the sands, shaded laterns offer warm lighting along the rows of benches.


A clutching they will go. Fiery gold Kayeth shuffles onto the sands with a fretting Nyalle in tow, the Senior Weyrwoman dressed in a typical heavy winter gown with her white cloak pulled on over her shoulders, her hood up. Glancing at the galleries and then at the exit, she smiles adoringly at her lifemate as Kayeth begins to sniff her way through the sands, pawing this way and that.

Kimmila tromps her way up into the galleries, shaking snow off her boots and her jacket as she squints down at the sands. Finding a seat, the bluerider flops into it and looks around to see if there's anyone from the caverns yet offering warm beverages.

Whether called or just by his keen intuition, Velokraeth will arrive on the sands not long after Kayeth has shuffled her way in. The pale and ugly bronze will warble sweetly to the fiery gold but linger along the edges until she permits him to come any closer. He may be stunted and fugly, but he isn't stupid. Th'ero will arrive as well, pausing by the entrance to brush the snow from his jacket before stepping onto the hot sands and briskly to where Nyalle is standing and fretting. "Her timing couldn't be any better." he murmurs softly.

Nyalle turns her head as Th'ero approaches, lifting her skirts to curtsey. "Weyrleader." Then her brows furrow. "Is that…sarcasm?" Or is he serious about her queen's timing? Kayeth warbles sweetly back to Velokraeth, mentally tugging (ordering) him to join her on the sands and help her make a little nest for their upcoming clutch. There, and there, and there. No, not there. THERE. Snort. Men.

Abigail has wandered out to the galleries with a lot of the others to watch the clutching. The brownrider sends a quick glance over the area, wandering on over to where Kimmila happens to be and takes over a seat next to her. "Hey Kimmila." Speaking of warm drinks? Why she just happens to have a skin full of hot klah that she grabbed on her way up. It is giving a slight shake and wink to the bluerider while she leans back to watch curiously from her seat.

Inri looks tired as she steps into the galleries, bag slung over her shoulder and fastened around her leg (her bag, which she's had since the day she was knotted junior weyrwoman, is a special one) and being handled with more care than she usually handles it. Something valuable in it? Most certainly, though it's impossible to tell what from the outside. She joins Abigail and Kimmila without a word, just a yawn.

Warm beverages might be served later but the sands are plenty hot enough and the Galleries comfortable… and about to be a whole lot more crowded. With additional guests because of the Weyr Games, there will be more than enough to witness (and bet) on Kayeth's latest clutch. Following in Kimmila's wake is a child close to six Turns of age and the moment the bluerider flops down, he's scrambling to sit beside her… which is more like kneeling on the bench and using her as support as he leans forwards. "Any eggs yet? How are we supposed to see from here!" Kyzen asks in that overly eager tone of voice as he literally bounces in place. Lovely. Who's been feeding him sweets again?

Tramping back into the Weyr from a little excursion outside the walls, Brennan is quick to note the shapes of many people moving through the veil of thick snow, all seeming to have a singular destination somewhere at the Northern end of Bowl. After watching for a moment, he takes up the same steps as the others. When he realizes they're all heading for the Hatching Cavern, his steps falter slightly. Another crowd to deal with. He knows what's happening; there've been murmurs about it since he arrived, more or less…but he's never been around for a clutching in all his wanderings. In the end curiosity wins, and he steps inside, following the stream of bodies up into the galleries and stopping beside a wall to prop his bow and remove his jacket. The heat in here is certainly welcome after all his traipsing about.

Ravyal does not have any warm beverages. In fact, it's probably a good thing that he /doesn't/. The awkward, hurried tromping through the snow would have likely just seen it spilled all over his clothes anyway. He pushes down the little hood attached to his cloak once he manages to get into cover, shaking powder..or possibly slush..from it. And then from inside the collar because of /course/ it got blown in there. He tugs at his gloves a bit though as he makes his way up, pausing with one hanging out from between his teeth as he takes a look down at the sands. Oh right. Sitting. The Weaver is quick to start moving again though, hurrying to plunk himself down.

Skyler is awestruck as he follows Journeyman Harmond up to the galleries. In fact his eyes are still so wide, it's amazing that they don't pop ot of his head. Harmond smiles down at the little lad and laughs "Go on there, have a good time, I'll find you later. There's someone here I want to catch up on some news with. Find some lads your age and have a little fun for once." Skyler nods and stares at the stands. Lads his age? Umm.. He looks around and just looks sort of lost and instead of finding some other lads, he looks for a little spot he could just sort of slide into. The large jacket he's in does help him to snug in down in with himself. He looks around though, all those people. So many people. "Wow" he murmurs quietly.

Th'ero half bows to Nyalle when she curtseys, trying not to look too disgruntled for the formality. He blinks, "Sarcasm? No, not at all! The timing is good. Most of the events for today have wrapped up and with that storm coming…" Most folks won't be travelling. Velokraeth lumbers and waddles forwards on his stunted limbs, likely looking all the more disfigured compared to Kayeth. He'll dig when she tells him to dig and whuffle his apologies and do his best not to irk the gold before the eggs are even clutched.

Several still mostly bundled up apprentices from the nearby Healer Hall rush towards the galleries just ahead of Kera, all whispering excitedly to each other. "Shhh. Keep it down or I'll have to take you back to the Hall." The greenhealer mocks scolds the little trio with a grin before they quiet down and find seats. With her lizard 'escorts' Kera cradles the youngest on her arm through the crowd while her brown finds a lofty perch somewhere above the chaos. Respectful nods and friendly greetings are murmured til she plops her jacket on a seat and drops onto it, her gaze goes towards the sands below.

Kimmila glances up as others arrive, waving before she loops her arms around Kyzen and gives him a little sideways hug. "Dad will probably let you go get closer later," she murmurs. Ahh, the perks of being Kyzen. "Hey Abigail, Inri." And anyone else who looks her way.

Nyalle blushes a bit, clearing her throat at her confusion. "Ah. Well. Then, yes, it is excellent timing," she murmurs, turning to watch Kayeth paw at the sands once more. The fiery hued gold turns, and then stretches out her muzzle to gently run it against Vekolraeth's neck, fondness visible for her mate. Then she turns once more, and settles before laying her first egg.

Neutral is all the Rage! Egg
From the sands, Color? Who needs color? Not this egg. On the larger side, the base curves out in a wide arc and up to a rounded tip. That's not its greatest attribute though! Its smooth shell is a uniform shade of pale tawny brown… or it would be, if it wasn't mottled from bottom to top. Richer hues of brown gather at the wide base and gradually splatter and span out over the sides of the egg, leaving barely any part of it untouched. Nothing is uniform or the same, the pattern seeming to have no rhyme or reason. However, it does a splendid job of making neutral browns look quite fetching!

Skyler watches the healer apprentices rushing in and just goggles at them and then his attention is drawn to the dragons on the sands. He blinks as he stares at the bronze "Weird." he murmurs and then looks around quickly to see if anyone had heard him, half-ducking a little as well in anticipation. But then there's something on the sands. "Oh!"

Jacket shucked in favor of the woven dark blue sweater worn beneath, Brennan slings his bow across his back again and turns…only to find the galleries a startling amount fuller than when he first came in. No surprise, really, but it's still not something he's used to. Climbing the stairs all the way to the top teir, he leans up into the southernmost corner, opting to prop up the wall instead of wading into the midst of the onlookers. Blue gaze flicks out and down to the Sands…and there's suddenly an egg there. He peers at it intently, fascinated by the size - if nothing else.

Gloves? Off. Cloak? Well, Ravyal fights with that a bit, working it off before folding it in his lap with the gloves. The heat of the sands certainly makes all those extra layers fairly useless. There's a quick glance around though, as if worried someone might have /seen/ that awkward struggle, but he hunches forward again to watch an egg get plopped right out, brows lifting slowly.

Kyzen looks a bit disappointed when he's told "later" and not "sure, right now!". He'll hug Kimmila back and then squirm in her grip when more and more people arrive and, being six Turns old, has to brightly greet as many of them as he possibly can. A lot of "Hello!" and "Hey! Hi!" Are spoken, followed by waving as he wriggles and just does not. sit. still. Well, he does for a whole half a second when the first egg is laid and he's again using his mother as a leaning post to try and crane his head for a better view.

Abigail tilts her head as she looks out towards the sands once the clutching seems to be really underway. Her pale gaze turns to look over whom all has showed up for it, perhaps looking for someone, perhaps not. There is a slight moment before she shakes her head and looks back to the sands. Her arms folding in front of her while she slips quiet. She sends a glance over to Kyzen and looks a touch amused. "Hello Kyzen."

"Hm," is Inri's take on that egg. It's kind of boring, but also kind of fascinating. How confusing. "Well, that's one. Anyone know what the running bet on number actually is?" she asks either a) the air, or b) Kimmila and Abigail, as it's unclear. Kyzen gets a big smile and a little wave.

Kimmila reaches out absently to curl her fingers into the back of Kyzen's tunic, grabbing a fistful of fabric to steady the toddler. "Do you know everyone here?" she asks him, teasingly. Because…he just might. Glancing at Inri, the bluerider shrugs. "Six? Dunno, she doesn't look that big…"

Th'ero just smiles in a patient (and somewhat tense) manner when Nyalle blushes but he stands close and supportively by her side. He'll watch as the first egg is laid, his shoulders dropping in relief. So far, so good? Velokraeth will nuzzle Kayeth fondly in return and then wait, lending his support if needed and when the first egg is laid and settled, he will waddle forwards to carefully shift some sand around it per Kayeth's instructions if she doesn't burry the egg herself.

Therynn could never shake the buzz of a clutching after her last experience, it's like the whole Weyr is at attention and energy overflows like lava. Entering with a few other spectators, it's plain to see she's just come from the forest, a few leaves and twigs smattered through messy hair. Huffing it up the stairs, back of hand brushes against small scratches adorning cheek and forehead to remove any dried crimson remnants of adventures. She files in and looks for familiar faces, spotting Kimmila and company "Hello there Kimmila.. Abigail.." she bows to them both including the mini-me. Finding a spot somewhere near Brennan, jacket is removed and she lets out a shy, lash batting "..and hello.." eyes widen as they settle on the first egg.

Kayeth is happy to let Velokraeth tend the egg, as she's already shuffling onwards to find a spot for the next, minding her steps and her tail, cautious not to hit anything. Nyalle squeaks softly, both hands covering her mouth when the first egg is laid, and then…she reaches out and grips Th'ero's arm and bounces up onto the balls of her feet. "Look! It's so perfect!" she gushes. "Oh, Kayeth, my love…"

Abigail shrugs as she hears Inri. "I have to admit I don't often get into the betting of things like that." For whatever reason really. There is a pause at her name and she looks curiously to Therynn as she watches the other. "Hello Therynn." She does indeed remember names, the ones guard has a rather good memory for certain things. She sends a glance back to the sands as the first egg is settled there.

Kera shifts a bit to get comfortable and gets her young lizard settled on her lap, the tiny queen only a few months old and observing everything with a gentle hum crooning from her throat. A young toddler's voice catches her attention, and she chuckles after watching him and the rider he's with. Then back to peering below. The queen, bronze, and their riders..oh, now now a rather bland looking egg. She won't say that outloud though. A quick glance towards the seats the younger healer apprentices are, yep still three of them over there.

"Uh huh! I know everyone!" Kyzen boasts proudly, chest puffed out with a six Turn old's pride as he beams at Kimmila. "I know her and her!" Point to Inri and Abgail, both who are waved to again vigorously. "Hiii Inri and Abbey!" Ranks? Pfft. Blinking, he tilts his head and then peers down at the sands. "I dunno. Kayeth looks fat to me? Maybe she'll have LOTS of eggs… like… like twenty! Or forty!" Did he just learn that number? Probably.

Skyler fidgets a little in his seat and as the heat starts to seep in, he finally removes the heavy jacket. He peers towards the egg. Perfect? He tilts his head a little as a thoughtful look crosses his face. "So that's how they're to look then?" Hmm. Then his pondering is interuppted by some boasting and then he blinks. "Fat?" he blinks again as his jaw drops a little. He'd never call a gold dragon fat, and the fact that someone does and the world doesn't fall in around them just amazes him.

Inri can't help but smile a little bit when Nyalle appears to get aflutter over the first one. Just how much more excited will the young Weyrwoman get? Kouzevelth is keeping her physical distance, but she's got some sort of mental eye on the proceedings and herself seems satisfied. And it isn't like Inri is going to insist on some sort of title from Kyzen. One, he's a friend's son, and two, he's six. "Hi Kyzen," she says again, grinning, and then bites her lip a little. "Goodness, forty? I sure hope mine never lays forty."

Velokraeth will follow Kayeth like a drifting shadow, rumbling his quiet encouragement to the gold. Th'ero will startle when Nyalle squeaks and grips his arm, but for the Weyrleader's credit, he doesn't scold her. Instead, he just peers at her sidelong and then chuckles. "Are you going to say that for every egg, Weyrwoman?" he drawls teasingly.

Nyalle blushes a bit, but she also looks up at Th'ero and beams, her face alight with happiness. "Probably," she admits after a moment's thought, and then she giggles. And gasps as Kayeth settles to lay her second egg, earning another delighted squeak from Nyalle.

Organic Ink Spill Egg
Blue bases are in this clutch, or at least they are if you ask this egg and one of its more decorative siblings. This one is both larger and paler than the other, though; its blue is a washed-out icy shade and sizewise it sits quite firmly in the middle of the possible range. If one were to pick an "average sized" dragon egg, this would be it — and were it left to that, a medium sized pale blue, it would be perfectly lovely just as it is. And yet nature wasn't done: as if it were the canvas of a frenzied, angry painter, black dashes, dots, swipes and blobs dance across its surface. Only the rounded top of the egg is safe, as the rest is covered in swirling ribbons of spattered blackness.

Kimmila chuckles, keeping her grip on her son's tunic. "Forty? Shards," she mutters, smirking at Inri. "What, you wouldn't enjoy that long of a clutching? That'd take…a day at least…" Looking around, she finds Skyler and winks at him for his surprised sound.

Therynn smiles warmly at Abigail, with news to report, but considerations that this is not an ideal time to share it. Leaning slightly the Wingleader's direction she'll say "Always good t' see you m'lady" before chuckling at the tiny in Kimm's lap "And hello to you mister.. you're a great welcoming committee." As for the egg estimate, Rynn is at a loss though, grimacing a bit as Kyzen calls Kayeth fat. "She's just pleasantly round with wonderful eggs little one.." A chuckle towards Skyler and she comments "They're all different.. though forty seems a stretch for count"

Oh, Ravyal heard that 'fat' remark too, and he looks over a bit-wide eyed. And then? Well it just can't be helped. The weaver laughs, covering his mouth in every attempt to hide it. It /is/ true that egg heavy golds are fairly…hefty after all. Really, he'll just have to try and giggle quietly until he can regain a straight face.

Brennan's silent reply to Therynn is a wink paired with the slightest smile, though he doesn't budge from his corner. The little boy near Kimmila - whom he hadn't spotted in passing due to the press of people on the way up - gets an amused look before the hunter's eyes return to the Sands and the first huge egg that's sitting there. Without looking away, he finally ventures a step down, drawing a little more even with Rynn and a little closer to faces - unmasked ones, this time - he recognizes from the other evening. "How many of these've ya been too?" he questions - one assumes Rynn, but it's hard to say when he's not looking at anyone in particular, instead focusing on the new black-spattered blue egg with interest.

Skyler eyes widen even more at the wink and he just sorta sits back a little. Oh well. Hmm. Oh look! Another egg. Deliberatly he turns his attention to the newest and egg and there's a soft sigh "So different." he remarks and leans forward a little. He hmms again and then looks back and forth between the two eggs. "Really different."

The face Inri makes is certainly expressive, and it's certainly expressing a negative, though putting other words to it is difficult. "No, I somehow really don't think I would. She wouldn't let me sleep throughout the entire thing, even though it's enough like giving birth that I would hope she would." This is Kouzevelth we're talking about, though, and she can't leave a single egg unwatched. Which means she won't sleep unless someone else is watching them. "I'm sensing a spotty theme here."

Th'ero's chuckles become soft laughter then as he shakes his head. He'll just have to grit his teeth and deal with the Weyrwoman's delight. Could be worse, right? "Two so far. Interesting… patterns." Though it's never quite all he focuses on. The Weyrleader is more concerned that they look healthy and… viable. Go figure. Velokraeth will again approach Kayeth to nuzzle her first before taking over and promptly burying most of the second egg in sand.

Kyzen blinks up at Therynn, not at all nervous by the unfamiliar hunter. He only knits his brows as he clearly mulls over what she said, puzzled. Isn't that the same thing as fat? Oblivious is he too to the reaction his blunt comment has caused. He's equally as puzzled as to why forty seems such a Big Thing and his blue eyes dart from Kimmila, to Inri and to anyone else in the crowd at random. "What's so bad about forty? Used to BE like that! We learned that in history…" he boasts proudly. "BIG clutches! Lots and lots of eggs." Good thing Kimmila has a hold of his tunic though, because he's just a wriggling, squirming bundle of energy right now and it wouldn't be past the child to go and try to get to the railings to peer at the sands.

Kayeth croons happily, nuzzling Velokraeth before she moves forward to lay two more eggs in quick succession, leaving her rider squealing in delight and gripping Th'ero's arm all the more.

Wrapped in Tranquility Egg
Nestled safely in the warm sands this egg has a calming aura of safety around it. Wispy brown branches gently cradle the hardening shell to protect the fragile creature within. Flowers bloom within the secure branches with hints of darker greens, blues and reds teasing the mind's eyes to make it hard to see the full image imprinted upon the mottled shell. Lighter, more cheerful bursts of colors take over one complete side as a combustion of colors assault your eyes. Within the the trees one can almost see a tiny blur of a creature zipping within the safety of the branches, teasing you and daring you to find it.

Doorways to Spirit Realms Egg
A small and rounded egg, it bares little to its shell to otherwise make it stand out. It is wider at the base and gradually tapers to a blunted edge, giving it a more squat like shape overall. For color, it seems to lack in it, unless one is close enough to see the hidden details. To some, the shell make it look nothing more than an off-white hue, not quite pale cream or even grey. A change of light or angle, however, and suddenly the egg seems to carry a ghostly shade of blue or greenish-blue. Just a hint of it, but enough to be caught and noticed by sharper and keener eyes. Within those ghostly hues, fainter shapes take hold, never quite in full detail, more a play of smoke and mirrors that further trick the eyes into seeing what they wish to see.

Kimmila knows this about her son, and she's briefly wondering if it's worth it to send someone to fetch his harness… But it's probably not that big of a deal. She frowns a bit when Nyalle fairly clings to Th'ero's arm, shaking her head a bit. "Do you like working with her?" she murmurs aside to Inri.

Therynn senses Brennan moving closer, eyes glued to the sands as an inky egg arrives. "Second one ever." She leans back tilting head his direction to ask "You ever been?" Sure she grew up 'in' a Weyr, but that doesn't mean automatic attendance to things of this nature. She does think these two are interesting commenting to Skyler with a nod "Different indeed.." asking Inri about thematics "Spotty eh?" though she doesn't really know the rider. Rynn can't help but chuckle softly, head wobbling by the sweet youth of Kyzen as he blinks her direction. "Forty is a lot now days since there's no thr.." Then comes another, and another egg, all she can do is stare.

Skyler doesn't even really notice the squealing of the Weyrwoman, he does have sisters after all. It's the eggs that have his attention. "So varied." he murmurs, then he's looking back and forth between the latest egg and the second on. There's a thoughtful look on his face and then he gives himself a little bit of a shake. "Yeah, right." he murmurs quietly.

Th'ero is going to be deaf by the end of this, isn't he? At least in one ear. The Weyrleader will patiently deal, having very little in the way of other options and he's not about to just… stalk of the sands. "Four now and all look healthy to me." he murmurs in his usual (and sedate!) low voice. Velokraeth rumbles approvingly as he comes to bury the latest eggs and then waddle forwards to join Kayeth with a bit of smugness about him.

"Well… Forty is such a large number. Maybe a bit 'to' big to handle out on the sands ye know?" Abigail says softly to Kyzen as the question on big clutches continues. That would be a sight… Forty eggs! Bits of other conversations are picked up as she watches the clutching once other eggs are settled into the sands.

Nyalle looks startled then, up at the Weyrleader. "Why wouldn't they be healthy? Is there something wrong with Velokraeth? Does he have…" she drops her voice so only he can here, "problems?" She knows he's ugly but he's also been Weyrleader for a long time, and all of Fort's young dragons look fine..? Kayeth ignores her rider's concerns with a snort, twining necks with Velokraeth before she shuffles over to lay another.

All Aglow Green Egg
Whoever said solid-colored eggs can't be just as incredible as their more multicolored, patterned counterparts was clearly wrong. This egg is apple-green and nothing else, but its sheer vibrance makes up for any other lack of variance. Light does not merely touch this egg but dance across it, shining in such a fashion that the wrong angle could burn the eyes. At least it's not very big, so as not to be constantly causing Kayeth visual strain.

"Yep, it did used to be. And goldriders were a lot more tired." Considering how drained Inri looks now, she doesn't want to think about it. "And hatchings were a lot more terrifying, from what I know, what with forty eggs hatching at the same time." Small wince. "It does look as if the spotty theme is — mostly — continuing. That one's more … swirly? Blotchy?" Oh. And then the green one is laid and Inri's theory is completely destroyed. "… Never mind."

Why is Hazelon here? That's probably something someone will have to ask when there are fewer people around. But here's he is. He slides as quietly and silently as he possibly can and slips around the back- hopefully without being noticed. Into one of those high up seats he curls himself, watching. Three, almost four years now he's been at the weyr, and he's never actually seen the eggs being laid. How weird is that?

"Well, she's already had…" Kyzen begins to protest in good humour as he quickly counts the eggs — on his fingers. Hey, he's only six? Six-ish. "foouu—-FIVE!" Whoops! Kayeth snuck in another one there while he was figuring out math. He'll finally settle in Kimmila's lap for a moment, peering sideways to Inri as the goldrider elaborates and then to Abigail. "So… forty eggs wouldn't be fun?" Shucks! As for that latest egg? Kyzen begins to giggle. "It looks like a huge glow!" At least he didn't say 'fat' again.

Two more in quick succession, and Brennan is officially fascinated by this whole business. "Never," is his short reply to Therynn as he narrows his eyes to examine the newest arrivals. "Bit more to that one than white, eh?" he notes, lifting a finger to point at the second one laid. The various comments about the number 'forty' has him eying Kayeth, and he snorts lightly. "Wouldn't put that many past her," he almost mutters. It's quite possibly the hunter is still a bit awed by the sheer size of dragons, in spite of having been around them for a bit now. Then there's that bright green egg, immediately drawing his eye and causing a good blink. "Didn' know they could be so different."

Velokraeth lifts his huge, oversized head with his misshapen eye ridges that make his features all the… less appealing. Hey! He heard that! He'll lavish a bit more attention on Kayeth and then leave her to her clutching as he tends to the eggs. Th'ero coughs and clears his throat as he shakes his head, grimacing as he looks from his bronze to the concerned Weyrwoman. "Not at all! Velokraeth's always sired healthy clutches. Eggs and hatchlings both." WIth only one unfortunate blue taking on the bronze's…eh…"good" looks? Cough. "Shells! That one is…" Green. Hello, topic change?

Nyalle looks relieved. "Okay, good," she murmurs. "The eggs look…ow." That's for the green one. "Cover it," she whispers, and that's for Velokraeth. Kayeth snorts, and then lays another three before she pauses for a rest. Not done yet, though.

Beauty in Simple Patterns Egg
A creamy base coat curves, soft and smooth around this small egg. Perfectly shaped and petite, the egg is layered with splotches and splatters in all shades of brown. Looking like a wide brush was fleetingly kissed against the shell, each spot or speckle is unique and unlike any others that caress the egg's surface.

Eternal Blue Egg
This tiny egg is blue. It's really hard to describe it more than that. It's small, round, and a rather uniform shade of blue. The color blue of the shell is a lovely one though. It's like the blue of a sky on a summer's day, as the sun has begun to sink towards the horizon and you look straight up. That rich, deep sky blue that you can truly imagine having the whole of the universe just behind it, if only the blue would shift aside for but a moment.

Watered Down Tea Egg
The egg before you seems rather simple at first, and many could perhaps overlook it at first glance thinking it was just something left upon the sands. Its shell is a faint tea color as if someone had been using the same tea bag over and over. There is a splatter of color across one side though, like black paint dripped around the egg itself. One side has small lines that curl and slide across the round side of the egg with some of the lines curling upon themselves. Across one side there are small dots that make up a slight pattern that is very similar looking to a small bird in flight, if you squint. Its size seems normal, leaving one unable to tell whom lies within waiting to be free from its home.

Therynn raises a brow at the arrival of the green egg "Wouldya look at that.." she squints in attempt of viewing any variance in shade, to which there is none. Rynn couldn't even fathom so many eggs and hatchlings at one time! She tries not to think about it. A glance towards Inri's never mind and Rynn is caught shrugging. "Quite a sight eh.." she whispers to the fellow hunter, nodding about them being so different as bits and pieces of circulating conversation ring in her ears, eyes wide as they watch the beginning of life unfolding on the sands, three more beauties to follow.

Velokraeth: he's super funny-looking, but he's had tons of clutches all come out great and he's caught three senior queens. He definitely deserves some respect, funny looks and all. Inri's actually always thought his appearance kind of charming. "I think I like the solid ones, actually," she muses, looking between painful-eyesore-bright-green and sunny-sky-blue. "That's eight, right?"

Hazelon watches those eggs appear, each one an oval in colors he's never seen before. That blue. Almost like the sky, but not quite. Something about it catches his attention and he just watches that tiny thing sitting there on the sands.

Skyler stares a moment at that green egg and then gives himself a little shake "Bright. Very bright." he tilts his head and his gaze shifts over to the blue eggs, and then there's a shift to look at the brown eggs. And then the one that seems colorless. "Some are easier on the eyes than others, arn't they?"

Velokraeth obediently buries that green one with a little more sand than necessary, though he leaves some of it visible at least. No entirely buried eggs! Rumbling again to Kayeth, he will wait until the next three are laid and settled before building up the sand around them and gently bumping his blunted muzzle to the fiery gold's shoulder while the queen rests. How many more to go?

Kayeth rumbles softly to the bronze, arching her neck in a silent request for some attention - he knows where, and he knows what. All the bronzes do, who have paid her any attention. Then she lifts herself to her feet to dig one more little depression in the sand, before she proudly lays her last egg. Tada!

Copycat Egg
It's an egg. What else do you want? It's blue like some of the others and it's copied the neutral brown speckling some of the others have too. Copycat, copycat! How unoriginal!

Kera catches little snippets of the whispered conversations going on as voices drift through the gallery. Little grins creep over her features every so often, mainly due to the toddler's enthusiasm of the new eggs and what he learned in harper lessons. More eggs settle below, to be mostly buried by the unique looking bronze. These eggs are more eye catching than the first. In between the egg arrivals, Kera among the gallery, mainly keeping track of the apprentices she brought from the Hall, and waving to a few people she recognizes among the crowd.

Brennan's reply the Therynn is, again, quiet - a nod with quick glance at the huntress before he's looking over the next three eggs. They're either splotchy or solid, it seems…and there's just no accounting for the variations, in the hunter's mind. Then there's another, seeming to echo others in its makeup, and he takes a good moment to look that one over as well, crouching down silently on the step to survey the mosaic of eggs lying amidst the plain brown Sands as a whole.

"Is she done?" Kyzen asks out loud and to no one in particular, his blue eyes wide and his grin still well in place. He wriggles out of Kimmila's lap to sit beside her again, but they all know how long that'll last. "I think she's done. Definately not forty. Only…" Cue the fingers again. "Nine. Why nine? Nine is a silly number." First he calls Kayeth fat and then says nine is a silly number? Someone better be sure he doesn't get within Nyalle's hearing range… even if he's just a kid.

Kimmila sighs, ruffling Kyzen's hair. "Why is nine silly? I think nine is a good number. Not too big, and not too little. You're proud of Velokraeth, aren't you?"

Abigail hums osftly while counting over the eggs that she saw and curiously watches as another is settled into the sands. "Nothing's wrong with Nine really. Good number." She said with a soft tone to Kyzen.

Velokraeth does know where and know what and promptly goes about preening Kayeth's neck ridges like the good (smart) bronze he is. He'll back away when the fiery gold lays the final egg and he will bury it safely within the sand. This is the last then? Excellent! Cue a bit of waddling strutting from the ugly bronze sire as he joins Kayeth wherever the gold chooses to settle (if she doesn't chase him off, that is).

Kayeth stretches out around the small clutch of nine, her muzzle at one end and her tail curling around the other end. Rumbling softly to Velokraeth, she welcomes him to come lay with her, snuggle and preen her. Fawn over her and give her all the attention, and watch the clutch while she rests. Nyalle finally lets go of Th'ero's arm too, with a little blush. "A good clutch," she says softly, proud.

It's really too bad that the eggs get burried. Hazelon's gaze is captivated as he sits curled in his shadowed corner. That hint of green would be cool to see more off.

"Maybe because it only leaves one finger out?" Inri guesses, also trying not to giggle at the last egg — there's something about it looking like all the others at once that is either charming or funny. Or, more likely, it's both. "Though I think it's a good solid number for group of weyrlings."

"Except you'll never have perfect pairs…" comes the sullen voice of one of the AWLMs. Mutter. /Always/ a group of three. Why is there always a group of three?

Therynn smirks at Skyler's comment and says softly "That's one way t'put it.." gaze wandering from small subtle eggs to the more.. vibrant ones. An upper lips raise and she comments to no one in particular "N'that one's just like that one.." a total of nine unique sand lumps as counted by Kyzen, with no opinion on the number, just a nod to Brennan as she watches the proud bronze strut towards the gleaming queen. "Wow.." she says in awe, this time being even more amazing than the last. "If you'll excuse me.. fresh air is a must.." Rynn stands and makes her way for the exit as if the heat had suddenly become unbearable.

Kyzen is out voted again! "Yeah I'm proud of him!" Duh, Kimmila? He'll go as far as nudging his mother playfully in the shoulder before scrambling off the bench and tugging at her impatiently. What was that about the number nine? "Because it isn't ten? Ten seems better!" Even numbers! "Can I go to the feast?" he pleads with Kimmila and… might try the doe eyed look on a few others too. PLEASE? "I'll be good! I promise." No he won't.

Kimmila stands, scooping Kyzen up into her arms. "Come on, let's go get food and see Daddy," she murmurs to the toddler, kissing his cheek in a brief display of affection.

Brennan is, perhaps, a bit disappointed to hear that that was the final egg - not because of the number, but because it's over. Dare he say he'd been enjoying himself? Eyes follow Therynn as she leaves; he gets why she'd need to, after all this. In fact, he'll probably do the same himself, rising from his crouch as people start slipping by and reaching back to retrieve his bow and jacket from the corner. The word "feast" is in the the air, and he's certainly not going to say no to some food right now. But first, the fresh air. And possibly changing into something a little less…woodsy.

Hazelon is going to remain right here curled in his seat until someone tells him that he has to leave. Feast? Maybe later. He still has missed enough meals that turning down food isn't in the works.

Th'ero will only offer Nyalle is arm again, even though the Weyrwoman has let it go. "Healthy and strong," he adds with a small but proud smile of his own. "Come. I'll escort you to the living caverns. The kitchens have likely prepared the feast by now. Best if we get there before the galleries clear out." Otherwise they'll never make it inside.

Nyalle smiles up at Th'ero, nodding as she slips her arm through his. "Thank you," she says quietly, letting him lead her out.