'The World of Pern(tm)' and 'The Dragonriders of Pern(r)' are copyright to Anne McCaffrey (c) l967, 2000. This is a recorded online session, by permission of the author but generated on PernWorld MUSH for the benefit of people unable to attend.

Fort Weyr - 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.

Zuhth is curled in the very center of the sands. At least her body is curled, wings are half unfurled as she groans lightly. The galleries are mostly empty yet, something she seems to prefer though her gaze looks back toward the cavern's entrance. Her rider appears, sensing her dragons thoughts, hovering at the edge of the sands while the queen resists. Silly dragons, and although her rider is now present she continues to look, as if there is another, or others she seeks the company of.

Kimmila walks up into the galleries, accompanying her mother, Elara. While the retired weyrwoman is dressed in a nice skirt and blouse, her daughter has taken the less formal - but still nice! - route. It's only polite to show off the clothes you purchased in Fort, at Fort, right? So Kimmila is sporting an Aniki outfit - a short sleeved red tunic and dark black pants, pinstriped with grey. The tunic drapes to a v neck, which is a perfect display for the feline talon necklace she wears. Over that she has a simple black collared jacket, her hands stuffed into the pockets. "I know, Mother, but-" the bluerider begins, only to be cut off by a soft tisk from Elara. "No buts, dear," the woman says, finding them seats near the front and setting down cushions for both of them before they sit. "That's just the way of things." Kimm sighs, but sits without complaint.

It's not long before another pair arrives, one to the ledges above and one on the ground below. Velokraeth has settled on one of the ledges, swivelling his oversized head to croon apologetically to Zuhth for his slight lateness in arriving, but the pale bronze's tone soon becomes encouraging. Th'ero arrives by the entrance, lingering on the edges of the sands, brown eyed gaze settling on the gold, before shifting over to Neyuni, as if for silent confirmation.

Forewarned by her firelizards, Idralia has had a chance to change out of her workclothes and into a respectable gray pencil skirt and cream blouse. The techie arrives just behind Elara and Kimmila and decides to follow them toward the front ranks of the galleries. "Hello," she says softly to the mother-daughter pair, claiming a seat just behind them sans cushion. "Elara, would you care to hazard an educated guess on the size of the clutch to be laid?" she inquires respectfully.

Since it has certainly become public knowledge what's going on at the Hatching Sands, there's a certain huntress making her way in with her arms folded across her chest and her head tilted slightly as if in a constant state of consideration. Grey eyes scan the galleries, searching for a certain someone that should be relatively easy to spot. "He ain't here." Deitra grumbles under her breath before heaving a heavy sigh and moving to take a seat somewhere where they will have a relatively good view of the activities. One seat is claimed before her legs lift and quickly occupy the spot beside her, ignoring anyone who would try and take it from her.

Neyuni looks up as the pale bronze glides in. She sighs mostly to herself and looks, anticipating Th'ero's arrival. "It does seem to be about time. Ugh, why do these sands have to be so hot." it's a complaint without much complaining, though she hovers at the edge of said sands for a bit with you, Zuhth to restless and grumpy to yet approach. The dragon uncurls, one can hardly lay eggs all scrunched up in a ball after all, hissing at her own mate above. Keeping his distance!? as if she's going to rend him now… her eyes pick up speed though her head drops back to the sands, scratching at them with sharp talons. The most delicate and gentle of maneuvers to dig the perfect nest in the perfect spot. It's not long after the first egg arrives and her mood shifts. Excitement, joy, now she can be approached.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Twenty Sides of Fate Egg ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Oddly enough, this squat egg almost seems icosagonal rather than round at first glance. Soft gray shadows and planes crisscross over what would normally be an unremarkable white background, creating the illusion of twenty flat sides rather than the usual smooth roundness. In a fit of even more geometric strangeness, each of the multitude of sides has the appearance of a perfectly equilateral triangle, every one fitting perfectly against its neighbor. Each open triangular expanse is filled with a random collection of squiggles, tracings or faint lines in soft shades of blue, green or black - each one different and each one just off enough to be illegible. Some look like numbers, some look like pictures and some look like symbols though all of them will remind different people of different things. It's almost a pity the blocky egg can't be rolled around to view the sides hidden underneath the sand creeping up its shell, as they're sure to be just as compelling.
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Elara looks over her shoulder to smile warmly at Idralia, and then she's tapping her chin as she stares thoughtfully down at the Sands. "Well, Zhuth is a descendant of Wiyaneth, and Velokraeth is a good, strong bronze, so my guess would be an even eight, for this clutch." "Can I put marks on nine?" Kimmila asks, digging into her pouch and giving Idralia a wink, despite her mother's tsking for the bet.

There's a late arrival coming to the galleries with hurried footsteps and wet hair. "Sharding kids and their sharding paint!" Hopping up and down on one foot, Miki finally makes her way to where the rest are seated while attempting to pull her boots on. "Never, never again!" Boot finally on, Miki nods to those she's familiar with and nods to the huntress. "What'd I miss?"

Idralia chuckles at Kimmila's question, shaking her head. "I'm no bookie. I'd be happy to swear to the bet for you if someone else is, though. Hmmm, her last was what, fourteen, with R'oc's Nasheth? I'm going to guess twelve or more," she offers. As the first egg is laid she leans forward, eyeing it curiously. "I wonder if the shell is going to keep that shape or if it will smooth out as it hardens," she comments. Miki's arrival elicits a wince of sympathy at the mention of paint. "First egg is down. Elara is guessing eight total, her lovely companion," as she hasn't met Kimmila before, "is willing to bet on nine, and I'm guessing twelve, though not betting."

Th'ero offers Neyuni a slightly strained smile, as he takes a few tentative steps onto the sands. "So it does." The Weyrleader agrees in a low tone, eventually coming to stand near to her, though his attention is drawn briefly to Zuhth as the first egg is laid. Velokraeth is indeed keeping his distance for the time being, sticking to the ledge until the time is right. With the gold now approachable though, the young bronze carefully glides down to the sands though still gives Zuhth all the space she'd need (or want).

Deitra looks towards Miki as she approaches, considering the chair that she's guarding and then the greenrider. She relents after a moment and gestures for the other woman to sit. "Not much. There's an egg." A grin plays at the huntress' lips before she's peering out at Zuhth's first egg, nose wrinkling a bit. "Seems a bit… Square. Ain't squared eggs a bad thing?" The woman rolls her shoulders, "ain't normal, at least. Better'n bein' all the same." Leaning in a little more, she considers before again leaning back and closing her eyes. "Eleven."

Kimmila lifts her chin in greeting to Miki and then laughs, "Kimmila, Elara's blueriding and wayward daughter from Western," she says, offering her left hand to Idralia to shake as she drops the mark back into her pouch and tugs it closed with her right. The mention of R'oc has the bluerider snorting, which earns a warning look from her mother. "Difficult to tell," Elara says, studying the egg. "We'll just have to wait and see, I suppose, though I'd guess it'll smooth as she turns it and tends it."

"Just one? Not bad then!" Miki flops down into the seat Deitra offers while shooting the girl a knowing look though not saying anything further. Once properly seated she straightens out her clothes. "Maybe its a good type of square. Presents come in square boxes right?….Oh shards, the littles' way of thinking is getting to me." She shakes her head a bit before looking over to Kimm and Elara and shooting a wink to the blue rider. "Nice clothes you got there!"

Zuhth turns her back on the galleries, fussing over the first egg for quite a long time. Talons delicately pushing the grains of sand up around the strange gray geometry which plays upon the eggs surface. A rumble turns to a softer croon as Veokraeth descends. She starts to reach out to him and then arches up in another contraction. It passes with no immediate second egg, though again her talons stroke the sands making a large nest not far from the first, barely in time as she groans again two eggs coming quickly before she collpases next to them, stretching her neck out towards her pale bronze mate. That's enough right? Her belly clearly still buldges. Neyuni observes "We're fine here for a bit I think, she'll be shufflign about finding just the right spot. Your bronze seems rather.. timid." her tone, clearly teasing.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Megalithic Longstone Egg ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Apparently hewn from granite, this oddly elongated egg sits as the impostor amongst the clutch, the immovable mixed in with the fragile. Faint whorls of ancient writings sketch over the surface, their meanings unknown and unreadable, while lichen's rusty reds and greens cling to the lower extremities and try to claw their way skywards. A suggestion of wings, while appropriate, seem out of place near the tip of the shell, the pure obsidian of their outline fracturing and creeping down the shell in an illusionary series of dusty cracks that threaten to split it almost perfectly in two.
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Idralia shakes the offered hand and returns the introduction. "Idralia, journeywoman Tech posted here. Nice to meet you." With Deitra adding her guess the techie decides a record is in order and she fishes her ever-present notepad and pencil from her beltpouch. A few moments later she has a list of guesses written down, with names beside them. "Why would square eggs be a bad thing?" she asks curiously, glancing from the hunter toward Elara. The comment about clothes draws her eyes to Kimmila's garb but she doesn't recognize Aniki's work, having seen only a few pieces thus far. "Do you have a guess on the clutch size, Miki?" she asks before the next egg draws her focus to the sands. Two down, ??? to go.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Beyond the Great Desert Egg ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
From a distance this egg seems small and insignificant, the pale beige of the shell dotted here and there with patches of rough looking white that match the sands around it. Up close it proves something more of an enigma, as the sandy patches reveal themselves as not having been collected when it was laid, but part of the shell itself and absolutely smooth to the touch. These sandy trails swirl over the shell, picking out a vague wavering outline of the soaring spires and towering minarets of a great city. Opulent palaces with many windows are sketched there, while a faint flash of green near the base suggests a lush garden, and buried almost completely in the actual sands that surround it is a hint of blue winding halfway around the egg like a river.
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Kimmila straightens and grins crookedly at Miki, adjusting the collar of her tunic and then toying with the feline talon. "Thanks. Your brother did a wonderful job, once I specified that it was to be simple." She smooths a hand down the fitted tunic, and shrugs a little bit, acting like she doesn't care how she looks. And yet, she sits straight and proud in the outfit just the same. "You should see the dress," she adds, just a touch of color rising in her cheeks. "Well met, Idralia." Elara has lapsed into silence, watching the clutching with an almost sad attention.

"Timid?" Th'ero echoes back with a hint of amusement to Neyuni's teasing remark as he relaxes a fraction, enough that he can at least manage a smile that isn't quite so forced. If anyone is timid or on edge, it's the Weyrleader, not the bronze. "Hardly. He's just being…polite?" he explains, chuckling dryly. As two more eggs are laid, the Weyrleader falls silent, arms folding loosely over his chest and brows knitting together in a thoughtful frown. Velokraeth watches curiously from his new vantage point, oddly shaped head tilting a little to the side. When Zuhth stretches towards him, the bronze waddles forwards to meet her, jaw dropping down a little in a mockery of a grin, just as the chuffing noises could be considered laughter. No, not enough yet. Just a little more. And with that, the young bronze croons encouragingly again.

Miki tilts her head, "Hmmm, no idea! She looks like shes still got quite a few to go though. I never was good at betting." The green rider shakes her head a bit before beaming over a Kimmila. "Thanks! He's got his good points. I really will have to see that dress sometime! Maybe there'll be some event or something you can wear it to."

"Hn." Deitra replies softly towards Miki before actually peering at the greenrider beside her. "Yer spendin' too much time with kids." But her smile is playful, "ain't a bad thing, though." Kimmila draws her attention for the comment of clothing, brows lifting in a questioning manner, considering the clothing but not offering any more than silence as grey eyes drift past and look towards the Sands again to consider the arriving eggs. "Square ain't easy ta distribute the heat or somethin', just seen some eggs that weren't all round that didn't hatch b'fore. Ain't a dragonhealer, so it might not matter for dragons." The huntress waves a hand, dismissing that topic and gesturing towards the other eggs now in the sand.

Neyuni hmms thoughtfully as Zuhth gives a heavy sigh. Although three is a nice number, she could hardly luck out with so little effort. She looks over the sands, so large an expanse and so few spots that she seems to feel worthy. Heavy her body up she moves digging at several spots before settling on the next on to receive an egg. So precious a result of so wild and long a flight it appears plenty more lay ahead. Neyuni moves a little closer to the Weyrleader, perhaps catching some of her own mates feelings for the support the other offers. "So very polite. I haven't known Zuhth to shoo out her suitor. Though he'll have work ahead of him to keep her fed. Such a broody queen, she doesn't like to leave her eggs for even a second. At least, do you think he'll oblige her such effort?" she turns blue eyes upon Th'ero intensely.

Idralia raises a brow as the third egg settles into place, commenting, "That one is almost hard to distinguish from the sands." Kimmila's identification of the maker of her clothes draws her gaze back to the outfit and she examines them. "Maybe one of these days I'll commission something from Aniki. I'm almost afraid of the consultation, though. He doesn't seem to care for my clothing preferences," she says ruefully. "He did do well by Carlyn…." She trails off, listening to the others. Deitra's explanation leads to a nod from the techie but no further comment as she continues to listen as she watches the gold lay the fourth egg.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Soul in Bloom Egg ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This mid-sized egg seems quite normal with few irregularities in shape. Its wide base is dipped in the purest of blood-reds that, when viewed from a closer distance, is found to be a sea of tiny raised bumps, each bump marring the surface with its oblong shape, all amassing to create a bed of flower petals. Streams of jet black interrupt the peace however, rising up from the petals and branching as they climbs. Webs of thick, silver veins crawl across each branch, ever river bursting into a mass of delicate red flowers. Tiny splotches of red litter the rest of the surface, almost as if a wind were carrying the flowers on a journey, a few falling to join their comrades, the others sweeping across the surface in thick flurries. Between the reds, glimpses of dark blue shapes present themselves, flat topped trapezoids whose sides sweep down before curling up. Each rests on a square of pure white, their forms coming together elegantly to form a simple building. Dozens of these structures are spaced seemingly at random, but come together in a village of sorts. Yet there is a blur of colors that stands out among the rest. Discarding the blues and whites, reddish-purple stains soar up majestically, supporting an emerald green trapezoid much like the blue ones only far larger. Tendrils of orange gracefully curl themselves around the building, crawling across the surface in an almost possessive manner. One half of the structure is charred black under the attention of the flames, but the other seems to thrive, its colors shining bright as the orange glow of flames bathe the air.
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Kimmila rubs her left hand against her thigh, while her right crosses over her abdomen and rests there. "It'd be nice if there was," she says to Miki, with a little smile. "Maybe your brother could plan something, for here. Some…fashion show party or something." Her focus shifts to the Sands below for a moment, and then green eyes move to look to Idralia, and she laughs. "He's rather over the top, yes, but I was pretty clear - and firm - in what I wanted. Other than calling me by everything /but/ my name, it went well."

Velokraeth follows in his own awkward, waddling, gait after Zuhth as she moves to find a suitable spot for the next egg, keeping closer now though never under foot. His croons have turned to almost constant low rumblings now, as if the pale bronze were keeping a constant stream of mental encouragements with her and probably a few sweet little compliments to keep him in her good graces should, for any reason, her mood change. Th'ero is too caught up in watching both Velokraeth and Zuhth to notice Neyuni shifting closer to him. It's only when she speaks and his gaze pulls away does he blink a little in surprise, but he doesn't move away. "He would, if that's what she desires." The Weyrleader assures with a slight nod of his head and crooked smile. "So consider it done."

Miki grins over at Deitra, "Can't ever kick the habit of being a nanny. It's like in my blood or something." Se then shrugs at Idralia, "He doesn't care for /anyone's/ clothing preferences. Not even mine. Tried to replace my entire closet the other day." That didn't go over well. Bright blue eyes then wander over to Kimmila and the rider grins, "That'd be pretty fun! Can only imagine how crazy he'd go with that. He did something similar for his Journeyman project."

Neyuni looks enough relieved by that, her gaze going back to the dragons. Zuhth noses at a few more spots. To hot…? To cold…? Ah, and there is one just right! Her body tenses, eyes closing as she lets the waves of encouragment help her push, straining with the next. it slides out easily and she fusses, tuckign it in to the heated grounds with great care so that the view is blocked from most for several minutes. Then she moves to another spot and repeats the performance… six…? there six eggs, how's that? Her great bulk settles to the grounds, sides heavying now as the effort starts to show, the toll in drooping wings and a dragging tail. From the sides her riders ahs, "There we go. Not quite yet but starting to tire. She'll need the encouragement most now." she knows her cue, tugging at Th'ero's elbow as she steps further into the grounds heading towards the two dragons.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Endless Eternity Egg ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Time stretches across the gentle arc of the eggs shell. A pallid light washes out any vibrancy from the hues which paint its surface. The top third of the shell is that strange pale light dotted with bright red spots that move in a line from the apex down one side in uneven intervals, as if ones concentration has been pushed to near a breaking point. The lower the spot goes toward the horizon the more blurred and unstable it becomes. It pushes the boundary toward the hues which paint the middle third. A savannah of dried grasses stretches endlessly over soft rolling hills. Nestled within the hills one finds the most distinctive feature upon the shell, a sandy brown splotch. It might be a building, or perhaps it's just an odd kind of tree. Darker umber laces an irregular oval next to the brown splotch, and visible for those with the sharpest eyesight a pale brown shadow within them. It is a form that wavers like a desert mirage. Here and gone again in the blink of an eye, one may even doubt its existence. Further down the hues fade into utter darkness. It is unlike the soothing night, for it is an empty void of nothing which consumes the rest of the shell in an eerie relentless cloak. Unyielding of its secrets it ends in the darkness of oblivion.
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Kimmila smiles, "Tell him to get on it, then," she says to Miki, winking at the greenrider. "So we can all show off our best and listen to him tell us how it's all wrong and doesn't flatter his image enough." She's teasing, yes, but it doesn't have a malicious edge to it.

Deitra laughs and shakes her head, "ain't a bad thing. Makes you interestin'." She insists again, grinning wider, "we're needin' another war. We still gotta find a way ta get Th'ero ta learn 'bout snowball fights." She leaves it at that, however, keeping her other comments to herself and grinning even wider.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Pillage Then Burn Egg ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Deep mahogany tones envelope all but the top quarter or so of this shell. Deep cherries and walnuts cut through it in swirling woodgrain designs running swirling, imperceptible shadows over the egg. On one side of the egg is cut a rough shape of diamonds, a larger one atop a smaller just barely standing out from the tone wood behind. They two flow seamlessly one into the other into a single indescribable shape with a single red oval on each side that seems to pulse and glow like evil red eyes in the night. Opposite that, the wood rises up in a thin arc that curls back upon itself in a gentle spiral. If ever an egg had a clear front and back, it's this one. Along each side runs a line of lighter, pine-toned discs, each with a smaller silver circle in the exact center and a ring of silver along the edge. Each pair (one on each side) bears an identical symbol of stark straight lines, meaningless, though, to the Pernese eye. From the center, a single thin line of mahogany rises up to the very tip-top of the egg. Before it billows a sheet of pure white, accented only occasionally by shadows. Behind it is nothing but the clear blue of the sky.
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"I've tried being firm with him and explain why I prefer simple clothes, but all I get are disparaging comments about my wardrobe choices," Idralia says, faking a mournful expression at this idea. Miki's words draw a smile from her as she shakes her head. "Somehow, I am not surprised. He does seem to the type to feel his ideas must be the only way to go." There's a pause in her speech as she listens some more, then, "Wait, what's this about snowball fights and Th'ero?" Further eggs are only partially noticed as the conversations is much more interesting.

Miki giggles, "Oh, you've got a good grasph on his personality, don't you? Though I'm sure he'll be singing praises for everyone. Everyone wearing his clothes that is." There's a grin towards Deitra and the green rider gives her a playful bump. "What? I wouldn't be interesting if I hadn't been a nanny? Way to hurt my feelings, yeah? But yea, seriously! That's my next goal, drag the Weyrleader into a snowball fight." There's a glance over towards the techcrafter and Miki raises and eyebrow. "I don't think it's so much that you want simple. He seems to think that you don't particularly care about your image. But whatever, he has his way of thinking. Good luck trying to get on his good side though! I got him mad a couple of days ago and between him and Sohnyu I was grounded."

Kimmila perks up a little at Deitra's words, leaning over to look at the young woman. "What's this about Th'ero and snowball fights?" she asks, echoing Idralia's question. Then she grins, the look a little wicked. "Can I get in on this? Seriously, I'd drop everything to come here and be in on a snowball fight like that."

Velokraeth lingers for a moment as Zuhth moves off to find a second spot for the sixth egg, blunted muzzle coming down low to investigate the newest one even though most of it is tucked away under sand. The bronze gives a satisfied, if not smug, little snort and ruffle of his wings and then he's off to waddle after the tiring gold, all encouragement and sweet, soothing words and presence. "We're up to six now, isn't it?" Th'ero asks from his vantage point on the sidelines, frowning thoughtfully again. The tug to his elbow brings him back though and with a slightly puzzled look, he's following Neyuni, though at a touch slower pace.

Deitra doesn't seem at all inclined to answer when Idra asks of the snowball fights, merely grinning wider and wider until the greerider bumps into her. As if a bubble has burst, the huntress laughs. "Nah. 'm not sayin' that, 'm sayin' yer /more/ interestin' for it. If you were the type ta hate games and stuff, it wouldn't be as fun." For the talk of being grounded, brows lift. "was it for when we got drunk?" Kimmila is then leaning over and drawing the huntress' attention and the grin from earlier returns. "I like you. 'm tryin' ta plan a surprise snowball fight ta spring on Th'ero. Ain't got a way to lure him inta it, is the main thing. Got an army ready, between me and Miki. Think you could be the one ta lure him?"

Idralia shakes her head slightly at Miki's reponse, explaining, "I care about my appearance. It's not like I wear crappy clothes. I just wear /practical/ clothes when I'm working, since they might very well get ruined. If I have time to change into something nicer when I go to meals, or for things like this," and she waves in a circle to indicate the clutching, "then I will, but most clothes that are fashionable just don't suit my work. And he either doesn't understand or cannot accept that." As the talk of snowball fights continues she says, "I will hope the weather turns back toward snow, then, and not rain or ice. I'd be interested in seeing this snowball assault." She doesn't offer to participate, though.

Zuhth doesn't seem as fussy with this next spot, more in a hurry if nothign for the urge strikes sudden and hard. Lay. Egg. Now! She groans, talons biting deep into the warm sands as she struggles to push the egg out. This one not so easy as the rest have been and she labors hard, alternately hissing and groaning before finally the egg emerges. The queen almost wimpers, exhaustion shuddering her frame but she doesn't quite settle yet. She leans heavily into the comfort of her rider who has made her way over nad now presses against the queens shoulder, murmuring soothing things. The comfort of the pale bronze, her rider and… an eye casts to the dawdling weyrleader as if to say, git your butt over here. Queen in labor… comfort .now.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Hidden Within the Aurora Egg ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Blues as dark as the deepest of night sky stain the tapered tip of this elongated, medium sized egg's shell, peppered with pinpoints of white like a vast array of stars. One circular splotch of white, large and bright, much like a moon, hangs to one side and seems to lend some ethereal highlights to the rest of the smooth shell's unique coloration. The peacefulness of the night sky is broken by the eruption of color across it, ghostly tendrils of electric blue and greens, brightest at where they cross paths and along the base of the weaving, broken line that flickers across, around and out of sight. Below it, a horizon of whites rises up, sharp and jagged, reflecting pale blue and grey like the frigid peaks of ice and snow in some barren mountainous artic world. Hints of the same electric blues and greens join the icy whites, giving more illusion to the play of light reflecting off of snow in the deep of night. Down below and almost hidden, a darker splotch can be seen, so tiny in comparison. It takes on a near human silhouette, of some small child-like form in heavy winter gear, glancing upwards in awe and apprehension to the play and dance of light above where the blues and greens reach a near blinding hue, as they almost seem to touch the icy path ahead. And if one looks carefully, following the same path that that child-like silhouette points to, one may see the hint of something more among the chaos and ethereal wisps of blue and green. The way one finger of pale light curves and how another tendril bends, one could almost say it looks like the details of buildings, of a city nestled and hidden away and not meant to be seen, a gateway to a parallel world not meant to be opened, but be careful not to blink for just as one may seem to grasp it, the details melt away and one can be left to only be staring at nothing more than a pretty dance of lights in a cold, unforgiving arctic night's sky.
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Kimmila's grin is positively wicked, now, at Deitra's suggestion. "Oh," she says smoothly, "I can lure him alright. Don't you worry about that. Just tell me where and when, and I'll make sure he's there." She glances down towards the Sands, even, looking /quite/ amused at the whole prospect.

Miki grins rather evily and leans in a bit, though still keeping an eye on the Sands. "Mhm. Our poor Weyrleader has never been in a snowball fight. Figure it's only right to enlighten him on the type of entertainment we ones living in the snowy regions have, yeah?" At the mention of getting drunk, the green rider can only groan. "Aniki had to come get me. He was /not/ happy. Not at all. That'd be why I haven't been around lately." Once again, there's a glance towards Idra and Miki just shrugs. "You can always be fashionable while you work, as he says. His clothes for Lyn did it. That sorta talk is what's got you on his bad side."

Deitra's grin mimics Kimmila's and she's nodding. "I'll write and let you know." She promises before attention again returns to the Sands, that grin still settled in place. A brief flicker of attention towards Miki and she nods, "you were pretty drunk. 'm sorry ta hear you got grounded, though."

Th'ero is dawdling alright, but the looks he gets and the snort to follow from Velokraeth speeds up his movement in the end, despite the awkwardness that is written in the Weyrleader's expression and posture. He'll still hesitate in the end, though he does his best to be somewhat encouraging at least for the laboring gold. Velokraeth makes up for his rider's shortcomings though, doubling his comforting presence and gently urging the tiring gold onwards. Can't be much more now!

Idralia replies to Miki, "Carlyn is built a bit differently than I am, and fashions that work on her don't work on me. Those jumpers would make me look plump, which is certainly not fashionable. And what I wear isn't bad by any stretch. It just isn't the absolute height of fashion. I can live with that, so long as I don't look bad in them." And she doesn't look bad in her work clothes - her pants are always well tailored and her blouses flatter her figure. They are simple, functional items, which suit her build. "Why were you drunk, if you don't mind me asking?"

Kimmila nods, "Good," she says. "I'm Kimmila, by the way," she adds, offering her left hand once again for a shake." She glances down at the Sands with a little frown. "That's kind of odd behavior, isn't it?" Elara shrugs. "Each queen does it their own way, dear."

Miki giggles, "It was fun though, you gotta admit it. And I got my dancing so it's alright. I don't get to let loose like that too often. Less so since Ani came to the Weyr." Tilting her head, Miki listens to Idralia's comment on clothes and simply shrugs. "Not what Aniki thinks. But hes the tailor not me. I don't really care." And then she sorta eyes Idralia more. "I was drunk because….I drank too much alcohol? Bunch of us were hanging out in the Tavern. Fun times! You should let loose like that once in a while!" But of course, the sight on the Sands isn't anything she's going to miss. "She looks tired, hopefully there aren't too many more…."

Neyuni is tied up in the comforting of her dragon to notice Th'ero. Zuhth however is taking note of all and seems to find the expression of encouragement enough for the moment. With a fond wuffle to her rider she pulls away as her sides again ripple. Neyuni finds Th'ero then, reaching for his hand in her own excitement. "I think this will be the last. I'll check after but the way she's acting…" she trails off, watching the last labor of love in the emergence of an eighth egg. It seems Yuni is in tune with her mate, the queen settling heavily to the sands once the last is tucked away. Head thuds and eyes close and soon she's breathing deep, dreamy sighs. The only warning to any not invited upon these grounds who might dare consider her eggs, the occasional twitch of her tail which has gently curled about the clutch area.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ On the Wings of Dreams Egg ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A lush, tropical paradise seems to have been imposed upon the shell of this rather squat egg - cliffs of brown and red and tan stretching upwards from a base of jungle green, reaching into the clear, blue sky that caps this ovoid. There is the impression of a waterfall spilling forth over the rocky crag, whites and blues falling downwards, speckles of spray spreading outwards as it drops. And yet, despite the remote scene that seems to be depicted, a yellow blotch sits near the top of the falls, an oddly defined polygon that seems out of place, while fingerprint sized spots of pink and orange and yellow seem to float away from it through the blue sky.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Kimmila glances sidelong at her mother with a long, even look. Elara just smiles, looking as smug as such a sweet woman could look as she stands, brushing her hands against her skirts. "Why would you look at that. Eight. If you'll excuse me," she says, before the retired goldrider steps out. Kimmila rolls her eyes with a sigh. "Of /course/ she'd be right," she mutters under her breath.

Idralia shrugs at Miki, choosing to drop the subject and turning her attention back to the sands to watch the last egg be laid. "I can't imagine how hard that must be, laying all those eggs. I've heard how intense childbirth is, and doing that over and over in such a short time must be… well, intense. And clearly it is exhausting," she observes. "Is that the last? Well, it looks like you were spot on, Elara. I'm glad I wasn't betting on my tweleve or more, or I would have lost it."

Th'ero is also caught up in the moment, distracted as Zuhth moves off again to lay the eight and apparently final egg. So when Neyuni's hand finds his, he starts a little, though the gesture is completed with a gentle squeeze before the Weyrleader gently pulls his hand away. "Eight is a good, even number." he states in a low, almost quiet tone, mouth curving up at the corners in another slight smile. Th'ero does eventually relax though and not long after it seems that Zuhth is settling down to rest, shoulders dropping a little as some the tension and awkwardness eases off. Velokraeth looks just as pleased and as smug as a dragon could be, giving Zuhth an almost fond look before he's off to find his own spot to settle down nearby, to watch over both clutch and gold for now.