Fort Weyr - Hatching Sands
The sands. The most prominant and possibly most important area for a weyr, this section of Fort is no exception to the rule. Completely enclosed from the outside elements by a high rounded ceiling, the golden white sand glitters under the streams of sunlight that manage to make their way in from the upper openings. Ledges abound in the upper areas of the dome, perfect for riders and their dragons to watch the action happening on the ground. At the back of the sands there appears to be a raised section of sand, built over generations by the golds who have laid clutches here, a couch of sorts for basking on while protecting their eggs. Slightly to one side of that, a small nook has been carved for the weyrwoman to take respite from the heat of the cavern.
What's the point of having the big flashy knot if you don't use it when you're feeling a little lazy. Despite the summons supposedly having come from the Weyrlingmaster, it's not from Melze's lips that the message is delivered but from a flurry of younger members of the weyr each eager to gain some small privilidge that has ben promised. The message was simple — 'candidates to the sands', and it's once they get there that Melze finally puts in an appearance, valiantly trying to block the way onto the sands but lacking the extendable arms and legs that might make that action possible.
Where the Weyrlingmaster goes, the AWLM follows….just for the today at least. Miki slips into line beside Melze and grins broadly. "Need another in your human barricade? Small but fierce, that's they key right?" A few more candidates straggle in behind Miki and she jerks her head at them, ushering them forward. "C'mon. We don't bite….usually."
Deitra is one of those stragglers, feet dragging along the ground until finally she perks up after a moment and lifts her gaze to look to Miki before slowly shifting to settle upon Melze. A salute is given, rather messily, but it is given all the same. Shuffling into a spot among the others, she does not even attempt to sneak past Melze or Miki.
Jaylen had been summoned, fresh from fishing duty. She even still smells like the bait, ew gross! The scarred Istan remains as a straggler behind the other more hurried candidates. This is her first time on the sands, and there's a really big gold and bronze guarding the clutch that might eat her if she made the wrong move, so she's trying to step gingerly and quietly out onto the sands, hiding behind a taller lad.
A rather tired and frazzled looking Chrystyne shows up on the sands, Marissa though hasn't arrived yet. Chrys nods to the riders quietly as well as the other candidates. Chores being interrupted for the mean time in the stores and a basket which is set aside before getting on the sands themselves with what looks like a newly-hatched bronze firelizard.
Melze grins at Miki and, though quietly, lets out a little "Raar." that's followed by the briefest of chuckles. Taking a deep breath she turns on the candidates, nodding in Deitra's direction in response to the salute, and then speaking the rules. It's fairly obvious this is her first time doing this as well. "Okay, sand etiquette. No running, no jumping, no playing, no shouting, no pushing, no shoving, no trying to move anything, no bothering the parents, no breathing… well okay you can breathe but do it quietly." There's a pause that follows, long enough for a grin to break out on her face. "Just use the brains you were born with and try to not do anything dumb. Spread out, say hi to an egg. If you need us we'll be right here." A quick glance to Miki seeks agreement at least, or perhaps even reassurance.
Miki giggles at the small raar coming from the weyrlingmaster before quieting down to listen to her speech. She nods along to the words, a giggle stifled behind her hand at the question of breathing. "What she said! And keep an eye on that bronze flit of yours. Make sure he doesn't get into any trouble." With nothing else to add, the AWLM steps off to the side, sending a reassuring smile to a few of the more nervous folks.
Deitra's hands go firmly behind her back at the nod given to her from Melze before she's peeking towards the other candidates and offering a wide grin towards a few of them before quickly turning attention forward once more. The rules are met with a nod, except for the part about breathing — this earns a stifled chuckle. She doesn't move right away, however, waiting for the okay before she even moves an inch.
Jaylen peeks into a breast pocket where her own little baby bronze sleeps quietly, having filled up on some of the bait during the fishing trip. She remains hidden behind the taller boy, but she does peek around him a little at the eggs…and their parents. Rules are listened to and converted to memory for future use as well. She won't move, however, until the okay is given and her human shield moves.
Chrystyne looks to Miki as she replies. "I'm just hoping he stays asleep, I fed him as much as he could eat… please please let him just sleep." She looks around the eggs on the sands. She nods in acknowledgement of the rules as she starts slowly towards the eggs. Oh the decisions, all the eggs look interesting. Though one catches her eye first and that is the On The Wings of Dreams Egg. She heads towards it with a smile.
Melze makes shooing motions to the candidates, then moves to lean against one of the walls to observe from a safe distance.
When the shooing motion is given, Deitra takes off from her position rooted in the ground. Without hesitation, she moves towards the Twenty Sides of Fate Egg. Her hand reaches out, curious and now hesitant before fingers are gently placed upon the shell.
Jaylen looks over the eggs, it's different when they're close up. While her attention is on looking over the eggs, her human shield wanders off to start touching an egg, leaving her out in the open. Eep? She shuffles closer to the clutch uncertainly, reaching for the nearest one.
Deitra's lips twitch, a mixture of a smile and irritation playing there before relaxing. Grey eyes close and she relaxes entirely, taking in the scenery of what the mind inside the egg has to offer. After a moment her nose wrinkles, brows drawing into a frown before again relaxing as emotions and feelings are taken for a ride.
Chrystyne lets her fingers softly drift across the surface of the egg in front of her smiling at the mind touch she receives from the hatchling within. She giggles a bit softly amused and says softly. "Playful 'eh? I like that."
Jaylen almost withdraws that hand from the egg as she feels..something, but that hand is flattened against the egg instead. A breath is taken, and held, as her mind is buffeted by emotion, from uncertainty to fear to longing, all these flood through her, showing in hints on her face. For the moment, the scarred girl is lost in her own thoughts.
Deitra gives a soft snort of amusement as a smile finally settles upon her lips and she relaxes again, content to let things go as they will. In fact, curiosity returns as her head tilts just so as if examining something that is really in front of her. Fingers twitch, and there's another sound of laughter and her head shakes as she continues to linger there.
Chrystyne grins as she strokes the egg one last time whispering softly. "Well I should go and not hog you to myself, others want to get to know you as well too." She waits for a response letting her hand come only in contact by her fingertips before she leaves.
Deitra's soft sounds of laughter before grow louder, but certainly restrained out of respect towards the others on the sands, as she remains aware of her fingers still upon the shell of the egg as they continue to twitch. A shake of her head, trying to remove herself before finally shifting to stand and drawing her hand away. Grey eyes are open suddenly and she considers her fingertips, flexing her hand before closing it again and considering the next egg. Slowly, she makes her way over towards the Pillage Then Burn Egg. Once near, fingers are gently pressed to the surface before her whole hand comes into contact.
Jaylen shivers involuntarily and almost pulls away from the egg, but something draws her back in. She glances around as if looking to see if anyone is nearby, then she leans close to the egg. "Trapped…I..I kinda know how y'feel, but I dunno why." Then, as if she realizes she's talking to an egg as if it were some person, she blushes under her tanned skin.
Deitra coughs softly, nose wrinkling just a bit and one hand lifts to rub at her nose which gives a her a slight jolt. Briefly, her hand is torn away from the egg, considering it and then slowly placing it upon the shell once more. Eyes close, brows drawn into into a slow frown as concern quickly becomes etched upon her brows.
Chrystyne walks around quietly looking at the eggs before she stops at the Hidden With the Aurora Egg and sets her hand down gentley on its surface.
Jaylen winces and staggers backwards a bit, her hand slipping from the shell of the egg. She frowns and rubs her head, standing a few feet from that desert egg. She seems stunned for a moment, then finally she regains her composure, glancing around looking almost embarrassed.
Deitra seems unable to help the squeak that slips out, so soft and tiny one may question if it even came from the former hunter. The hand that covers her lips may be an indication that it was, as it remains there to stifle any other noises. Her expression twists from shock, to brief amusement into disappointment and concern as brows are drawn down even more than before.
Deitra wrinkles her nose, "ain't seein' how that's yer treasure." The candidate grumbles out under her breath, slowly pulling her hand back away from the egg. Hands briefly rub against her pants,fingers slightly curling into the fabric and gripping tightly as she remains near the egg for a moment as she considers where to move next. When the decision is made, she makes her way carefully over, not reaching out until safely in place. With a moment's hesitation, she reaches out towards the Endless Eternity Egg and gingerly presses her fingertips to the shell.
Jaylen moves towards another egg, this time it's the one she has admired from the galleries many a time. She reaches a hand towards the On the wings of dreams egg curiously.
Jaylen blinks, looking this way and that as if tracing some sort of imaginary pattern of movement. A slight smile starts to play across her lips and she presses her hand, palm down, against the egg. She wants more, her curousity being piqued by something or other running through her.
Deitra draws in a shaky breath, suddenly tense and then slowly releasing another breath that is just as shaky as the first. Her limbs shake with no regard to her demands of them, eyes closed tight and brows are drawn into a frown. Another breath is drawn, slow with attempts at control in the nature of it until she finally begins to relax. Breathing remains controlled however, and she lingers there with her hand coming to fully rest upon the shell.
Jaylen lets her eyes clse lightly as she feels the egg's presence. She lets herself, if just for an instant, be free. "So you like to play, hmm?" She giggles quietly, tracing little designs over the shell of her current egg lightly with her fingertips.
Chrystyne looks at the egg as she blinks. Interesting and puzzling one that is inside the egg. She looks oddly confused by the images she likely has received from it and slowly pulls her hand slowly back across the egg.
Jaylen finds herself yawning as she draws her hand away from the egg to cover said yawn. The Istan takes a few steps backwards, looking over the clutch, perhaps trying to decide which one to approach next.
Deitra twitches, brows drawn into a frown of obvious disappointment and confusion though her eyes are still tightly closed. Her head tilts, turning just so as if considering the scenery of the Hatching Sands, then turning to consider the other way as well. She does not turn to look behind her, however, as she's suddenly tense again and unmoving as shock becomes evident in the features of her face which betray her emotions so easily. Her head tilts downwards, relaxed and at ease, curious to see more of what the egg has to offer.
Chrystyne hears a chirp from near the basket and sighs as she watches the small bronze tumble out. "Oh shards. He's awake, may I be excused?" She asks nervously between looking at the egg she is near and the hatchling.
Jaylen rolls her neck a little as she's bombarded by the presence within this particular egg. But she doesn't withdraw just yet, she wants to experience more as she strokes fingers over the little petals of flowers on the egg. Her eyes seem to even squint as some invisible bombardment appears, and then it's withdrawing and the girl's fingers pause in their stroking.
Melze's gaze follows Chrystyne's, and no sooner is the request made than she is nodding and waving her off the sands. "Go take care of him, there'll be other touchings." For all her words are directed at the candidate, her attention drifts off towards the clutch parents for signs of annoyance. Thankfully there is none… at the moment.
Chrystyne nods at the weyrlingmaster as she replies heading towards the basket. "Thank you, I appreciate it." She puts the hatchling back in the basket and heads out to take care of it before it can cause trouble.
Jaylen removes her hand from the egg with a gasp, perhaps there's something there that the scarred girl doesn't want to be discovered by the contents of the egg. Pain and disappointment and sadness all cross over her face as she ventures towards the egg once again, more hesitant and uncertain than before as now the hand with the branding on its wrist is placed against the shell with a quiver of lips.
Deitra lingers there with her head tilted downwards, eyes closed and fingers stroking along the egg. A smile plays on her lips that slowly grows into a grin until she finally retreats, but lingering near by without seeking the other eggs for a moment that seems like forever. Finally, she turns to consider the next egg to touch and moves gingerly among the others until she reaches the Beyond the Great Desert Egg. Fingers reach out and gingerly press to the surface.
Jaylen staggers backwards again, releasing her hand from the shell of the soul in bloom egg. She swipes at her eyes which have become slick with tears. Quickly she slips away, she's headed off the sands, that egg has apparently stirred something in the scarred girl, and now, without even saying anything to the weyrlingmasters, she's running away from the sands.
"Shards, we've got a bunch of criers this round, huh?" There's a slightly amused smile before Miki tilts her head a bit, a frown slowly appearing. "Apparently one of the candidates on nanny duty is having issues. I'll see you later Melze." The green rider raises a hand in a slight wave before wandering off, grumbling quietly under her breathe.
Deitra furrows her brows slightly, nose wrinkling and the candidate shifts to brush some stray hairs from her face as if that would help. With a soft sigh, she murmurs, "what're you wantin'?"
Melze nods to Miki, "No problem, I don't think we'll be here too much longer anyway." Though the clutchparents are not making any openly annoyed movements, time is always to be watched. To the candidates she calls, "Get ready to head off soon. Don't want to overstay our welcomes."
Deitra is a mixture of emotions again, her expression going through them all before settling on something that borders confusion and discomfort. Another sigh and a slight nod of her head, as if understanding what is being offered to her. And then, finally, a smile that plays at a sense of familiarity. Then, Melze's voice breaks through and grey eyes turn in that direction, nodding once and shifting to prepare to leave. Fingers linger, just a touch, waiting for just a little more.
Deitra remains at the egg, fingers lingering and almost entirely entranced as again her face begins to betray the feeling of so many emotions and displaying them all quite clearly. With a shake of her head, she finally draws back. A quick nod of thanks along with a bow that is followed by a salute, the candidate carefully makes her way from the Sands, not daring to look back.
Whether the timing comes from watching, knowing, or a simple message from dragon to dragon, it's at this point Melze decides to call a halt. "I think that's enough for now. Everyone head back out to the bowl. Slowly! The no running rule's still in place you know." A quietly whispered comment from a candidate receives a nod, "Go grab yourselves an early lunch, then head back to chores this afternoon."
'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.