Hidden Surprise {Open}

[Rowana]

Farryl rolled off Peppeth's and flopped with her back to a tree. She leaned back with a sigh, staring at the sky through the jungle's canopy. Everyone had been so happy after Hepaticath's clutch hatched. How could it have turned so sad so quickly? She hadn't even known T'rid or Corinth that well, but they had been Raylin and Ebolath's weyrmates. Hobbs crooned in her ear as she let the tears come. Shard it! She hated crying where people could see her. That was why she had flown out here where she could spend some time alone.

Peppeth curled up next to her, laying a stripped head in her lap. Are you alright, Farryl-mine? she asked, hesitantly. Farryl rubbed her gently behind the ear nubs. "I will be. Sorry for worrying you." Peppeth squirmed slightly in pleasure. As long as you...oh! She raised her head to look at something smooth and round under her tail.

"What is it?" Farryl jumped up, instantly on guard. Felines were know to attack even dragons when they were annoyed. Peppeth's tail curled around a small egg nestled in the moss. An egg! She cried with delight, sorrow forgotten for the moment. What do you think it will hatch?

Farryl looked around in case the mother was nearby and angry, but the jungle was silent. Shrugging, she picked up the egg and rolled in in her hands. It was white and markless, making it impossible to tell what it was. "Could be anything," she mused. "We should probably leave it be." Can we keep it? Peppeth begged. Please? Farryl rolled her eyes, but smiled. "Fine," she agreed. "But if it's a tunnelsnake, it's going straight back into the jungle."

[rii]

The heat of the jungle comforted the smith, who spent enough time in the forge to feel most content when a thin sheen of sweat coated his skin and his body ached to take a cooling dip in the river. The familiarity of the pressing warmth encompassed him much like a hug, putting his troubled mine at ease. A dark, unsettling mood had set over the Weyr upon the death of the bronzepair--and sadly Rulven did not know the significance of the event. Still being relatively new to the Weyr, and holdbred at that, he did not share their same grief--he didn't know the pair, and he did not have a dragon of his own to question.

During his walk, to clear his mind, Rulven paused as he heard.. crying. Being the protective brother to five sisters that he was, Rulven naturally shifted his walk to take him toward the sound. His heavy steps announced his arrival, just at the point of the greenpair discovering the egg. He stood just watching them, suddenly feeling awkward but unable to hide (being his size and build made the feat impossible), Rulven shifted his weight between his two feet.

"Hey--" He attempted a friendly smile, a bit nervous of the dragon (despite her small size). "--I erm, heard you.. from, uh, over there.. " He pointed a thumb over his shoulder, feeling more ridiculous by the second, but his smile growing wider in his embarrassment. "Did you find something.. ?"

[Rowana]

Farryl started, hand going to her belt knife the moment she heard movement coming her way. She frowned at the boy for a moment, then relaxed. It was only one of the candidates. She couldn't recall his name, but she recognized him as not an enemy. Peppeth twisted her head around to look at Rulven curiously, egg momentarily forgotten. Farryl smiled tiredly, a little embarrassed at being found. "Hi there," she held up the egg. "Something is right." The egg's contents were a complete mystery.

Introduce me! Peppeth bounced slightly in place. She love meeting new people, but that didn't mean she liked talking to them right away. "Oh," Farryl looked a little sheepish. "I'm Farryl, and this is Peppeth and Hobbs." Her fire lizard chirped a greeting. "You're a candidate, right?" Pausing for answer, Farryl frowned down at the egg. It was warm and starting to rock in her hand. It couldn't be hatching already, could it?

[rii]

"I'm Rulven." How plain and uninteresting he must sounded. "Journeyman smith and Candidate." A little better.

His expression brightened considerably as he shifted his hazel eyes to the bouncing dragon. He nodded a greeting to the green. "Nice to be able to put a name to the face. I've seen you fly, you're a lovely green, Peppeth." The smith meant it--his sisters had beaten the politeness into him. Always compliment a girl; even if she was a dragon. Keeping his smile broad, Rulven nodded to Hobbs--who knows, he may have fed the fire lizard at one point in time. Most flits seemed to love him.. and the food he gave them.

Inching closer, Rulven eyed the egg rocking in Farryl's hands. Strange, did eggs normally do that? He had not a clue. He tried to reflect on a his candidate lessons, but nothing came forth in his mind to explain anything about the mysterious egg. Conversation and manners forget, Rulven's attention focused solely on the dancing egg.

"Is it.. hatching?"

[Rowana]

Peppeth positively glowed with delight and purred happily at Rulven. It wasn't often she got such compliments and from someone she had just met too. Automatically the candidate was added to Peppeth's growing list of favorite people. Just about everyone made it to this list, however, since Peppeth had a hard time not loving almost everyone she met unless they hurt Farryl in some way. Hobbs was equally friendly, trilling melodically. It was good to have someone take Farryl's mind away from her sadness. He hated it when she was sad.

Farryl looked up again with a smile. "Nice to meet you," she said, somewhat distracted by the rocking egg in her hand. She hadn't really expected it to hatch so soon! A crackling sound accompanied several cracks and a small hole in the shell. A single tiny claw poked free, waving in the air like a defiant flag. "I think that's a yes," Farryl replied, half surprised and half excited. This was no tunnelsnake, it looked like it might be a fire lizard! If only she had thought to bring some food with her.

The creature in the egg didn't waste anymore time. With a pop, the egg shattered and a large, shiny creature flaps its fan like wings boldly. At first, Farryl thought he was a fire lizard, he certainly had big enough wings. Then she saw the frill rise up arrogantly from his neck. Her eyes widened. A salamandyr in the jungle? Who would have thought? This was soon the least of her worries as the newly hatched bronze glared at Rulven before turning his back on the boy and clinging tightly to her arm.

My girl! he declared sharply, having no reservations about speaking to everyone present. Not yours! He snuggled Farryl, sending a wave of hunger and emotion her way. Hobbs leaned down, watching the newcomer curiously. Peppeth was even more thrilled. A new friend! I told you we should keep it! Her tone seemed to imply that obviously the salamandyr was her doing, not random chance.

[rii]

With rapt interest Rulven watched the egg crack, then quickly burst apart to reveal the fire-lizard--er Salamandyr. Rulven's brow scruntched as he tried to decide what was the draconic creature. Upon being glared at, and listening to the mandyr's words, Rulven merely smiled--not one to be put off by rudeness. Politely he held up his hands, palms forward to show he was not a threat.

"I'm not going to take her from you," He assured, the smile still strong and hazel eyes drifting between Farryl and the lizard. "You've made a wonderful choice, she seems like a very sweet young lady." Never call a female a girl, they usual got indignant about it. Why? Rulven didn't have a clue, he just obeyed by the laws he had learned.

The tall smith bit down on his lower lip, "Uhm.. I know this is a dumb questions--and please don't be offended." The last part he directed at the Salamandyr. "But I'm not.. really familiar with everything associated with a Weyr. Is that a fire lizard.. or uhm, a Salamandyr?"

[Rowana]

Farryl smiled gratefully at Rulven. She was glad he wasn't taking the little creature's near insult to heart. Having been around Saeo's, Freckle, quite a lot, she knew first hand how rude Salamandyrs could be. She had never actually intended to get one, preferring fire lizards. But that didn't change the fact that this little, or rather large, bronze had landed in her life, almost literally.

"He's a salamandyr," she confirmed with a nod. "Hobbs is a fire lizard," she pointed at the blue on her shoulder as she explained. "They don't talk in words. But salamandyrs talk a lot." At least all the ones she knew did. It seemed a fair assessment. She took a moment to look her new charge over, noting his rather large wings and handsome camouflage colors. He was certainly bronze though, not brown. The metallic shine was proof enough. "I'm going to call you Zellos," she told him pointedly. "It's the best name I can think of right now, so I hope you like it."

The salamandyr cocked his head and considered, trying out the words in his mind. Zellos is best. he decided, in a tone that said what every she came up with was obviously perfect. She was His after all, and His could do no wrong. Zellos like name. Farryl raised an eyebrow. The little creature learned fast. Zellos mean while was crawling up her arm and searching her pockets. He was ignoring Rulven now. The human boy was neither a threat, nor intelligent enough to warrant attention. Something far more pressing was on his mind.

Farryl glanced up at Rulven apologetically. "I think I should head back and get him some food," she told him. "Before he eats my fingers." She looked him over critically for a moment. "I think Peppeth can carry us both. I can fly you back if you like?" He had obviously managed to get his own well enough, but it would be rude not to offer. Besides he was nice, and she was starting to like him. Oh yes! I can carry him! Peppeth piped up, suddenly coming out of her fascination with the new member of their odd family. I can fly fast! Even with two! I'm sure you can, Farryl agreed. Let's just try not to make him sick on the way over, alright?

[rii]

Rulven was beginning to think that all Salamandyr's were rude. He hadn't met a single nice one. It effectively discouraged him from ever impressing to one (regardless that he was not allowed because of candidacy) because he'd probably spend every day apologizing for it's rude behavior. No, he would be happy with a fire-lizard, they seemed a lot more pleasant.

"Erk," The smith slightly paled at the offer. One large hand scratched at the back of his neck while the other lifted level with his chest, palm out in faux-surrender. He had never been on a dragon before, and the thought of his feet leaving the ground made him nervous. Fire and earth he was, which brought forth the question why he even chose to become a candidate. "Are you sure?"

A worried glance shifted between Farryl and Peppeth. He didn't even know the first things about how to even get on a dragon let alone ride. "I'll be fine here, really. I was just taking a walk to clear my head. It's nice and hot, kind of reminds me of the forge. And it's uhm, comforting. And I don't want to be a trouble. I've never rode on a dragon before and I'm sure you are in a rush to get back and feed him. No need to waste time trying to make me do things correctly---"

He flustered as he babbled on and on.