When Atlas Shrugs (Mandyr Hatching)

[neeuqtar]

S'vil kept making soothing sounds as Dementia let the eggs slide down into the sling he'd made of his shirt. He was used to dealing with frightened and hurt animals as a beasthealer, and being bonded with Adaityth had taught him how to not only move with calm, but to exude emotion empathetically, at least along their bond. He tried to emanate peace and calm in the madness of this cavern, tried to give the babies the welcome they deserved as their eggs clacked against each other, spilling out golden bronze and silver green.

Whether or not it actually worked, the duo seemed oblivious to the chaos around them, cleaning the mess off their eggs off each other with gentle care while the pale Dementia and her mate looked on. S'vil tried very hard to focus on the life in his hands and not the crushed and forlorn bodies beneath his feet, but the sorrow was hard to ignore. Adaityth helped, sending her love through him. Within moments, the green had unfurled from the bronze and taken to the air, wending her way to another.

And then, the sharp feel of claws on his hand, and the sudden warmth of a tongue licking water from his thumb. Do not sad be. Flames snuffed are rekindled. Another time. came the words into his mind, as the strange sensation of another soul touching his settled into his bones. S'vil folded up his shirt and slung it over his left arm, lifting the bronze up to settle him in the crook of his arm with a piece of wet and reconstituted jerky, which the salamandyr ate with surprising grace.

Dmitri's muttered apology came as a surprise to the weyrling. The young man had done nothing wrong, as far as S'vil was concerned, and it was clear that the gold salamandyr needed comfort with her children lying dead. S'vil crouched next to Dmitri as the other man started scooping up the crushed bodies of the two salamandyrs and the ruins of their eggs, and lay his hand on Dmitri's shoulder.

"I know a place you can bury them," S'vil offered hesitantly. He didn't know Dmitri, but he felt terrible for him and wanted to do something helpful. Death of a creature was always hard, and through Dementia, Dmitri was their mother. How much must it hurt to lose your children? "If you want someone to be there with you, I mean."

((He's going to name him Oracle <3))

[Lotty]

Logic was really in operation for the moment. Mi'rah learned that he had to shut his brain off in order to function around Tenlie which frankly was something he needed to learn how to do for a long time. Reverting to something close to instinct, he peacefully watched the end of the hatching and in specific Er'ani running off with his own green mandyr, all the while leaning into the greenrider on his arm ever so slightly. In an absent minded manner he found his hand even fiddling with the fabric of her sleeve that was in easy reach, and before he could even be jolted aware of the action he felt his mandyr coil her tail against the back of his neck, Wheeery chase for gimpy. How ruddeeeee.

"Hmmm?" The nearly unintelligible comment was clear enough for the bronzerider, having known for long the tricky way the green coded her words, and with a glance over his shoulder he saw M'gnum wave at him. The man having been for all intents and purposes, forgotten, Mi'rah couldn't help but feel his brows knitting together as he tried figuring out exactly why the other man thought it appropriate to send him hobbling across the sands all over again. After all, he was ditched before, from a purely strategic standpoint the wingleader would call this an obvious trap. Unfortunately this logic probably did not translate over to social situations, and in his conversational naivete couldn't help but abide by the welcome, whispering again to the greenrider, "Appears that I'm... w-wanted now."

Between thoughts Kierjaarth was trying to convince him otherwise, No! Don't go mine, if he is like Higginth you will be caught in a stupid pit. Stop being so rude. You did get yourself into this mess.

Turning his attention back on Higginth long enough to notice the glint of orange and red in the dragon's eyes, the elder of the two had his suspicions well confirmed. He'd like to see how exactly this dragon who took so much credence in the opinions of the sometimes aloof and moody golds would be when His was running around the weyr tossing his clothes off and yearning for carnal pleasure. Higginth could figure that one out on his own though, it wasn't his place to ruin the fun little surprise now was it? No, instead Kier cocked his head and approached with a different question. How did they get on the subject of queens after all? Was someone just a little... preoccupied? Whatever do golds have to do with such a thing as the little wormy things runs? Concerned about a certain queen? Is all that glitters on your mind? His tail flicked against the stone behind him as he thought.

And my dearest bronze brother didn't you know? His eyes squinted close with delight as his muzzle tilted ever so slightly into the air, Rocinante is no phantom, I have been addressing you. No better name... mine tells me that Yours is the noblest of knights.... and you his steed? I shouldn't expect you to understand however... He deflected the last bit of the bronze's comment however by simply ignoring it. The concept that his wondrous Rah had been sending some kind of confederate messages was simply unheard of, and downright offensive.

By the time Mi'rah had made his way back over to M'gnum with Tenlie in tow, most of the group gathered around the man seemed to be intent on bailing out of the weyrbowl, just as he should have minutes before. Nonetheless, the bronzerider made his awkward greetings despite his inner panic at having to address multiple people at once, starting with the councilwoman, "Greetings Darya, Ffff...." well the bluerider had dashed off quickly enough and the bronzerider assumed Sel'n, his watcher, would be soon to follow, so to them he switched to a farewell wave, before turning back to M'gnum and laying on his etiquette as he knew best considering their miscommunications, "Hello, M'gnum... it seems t-that you've acquired a new friend." Those greens certainly had a thing for picking out those that rode bronzes. Cosmic justice probably, "Uhm... I h-had just w.....wanted to apologize, pre-emptively on the behalf of my dragon..." he gestured vaguely behind himself up at the chatting beasts, "he is rather... saucy some days... I hope it doesn't reflect on me..... N-nor on Tenlie here," he had tried to segueway his apology into an introduction, as cumbersome as such a transition may be, "she is an innocent bystander, and not an instrument in my social.... gaffs...... I promise."

[Zephyr]

As per usual, Au’st was conveniently oblivious. There were times when the boy could be aware of several things at once, but that was a rare occurrence, and only when he really needed to be; like when Sydney was involved. At the moment though, all of the weyrling’s concern was being funneled towards Oth…wanting to make sure that his dragon would be okay. The dragon wasn’t all that affected by his twin’s trauma, but Au’st wasn’t aware of that. All he knew was that Oth spent most of his time cuddled around Uth’s form. If there was anything other than the normal sibling comforting there, he wouldn’t know it…Gus didn’t know a lot of things.

Suddenly, there was a flash in his head, almost like something had gone off in his skull. The weyrling stopped dead in his tracks, rocking forward as he almost crashed to the ground. The surge of bond wasn’t as strong as Oth’s had been, but with the salamandyr’s tactics, it shocked him even more. Helloooo Heartlove, The green purred into his mind, and the dumbstruck weyrling blinked slowly, turning his head uncomfortably to gaze at the tiny presence on his shoulder. “ Wha?” Very eloquent, Gus. The salamandyr seemed offended by his response and he blinked quickly, wondering what to do or say. “ Er…I mean…you snuck up on me very well.” That seemed to placate his new charge, and she nuzzled his neck.

Suddenly, the salamandyr stretched out her little toes, opening her maw wide in a yawn. Must eat now. Hurry love. Then I explore. She said with a purr, brushing her head against the boy’s chin affectionately, spurring the weyrling towards his room with the excitement that seeped into him with the word explore. Ugh. He had a green salamandyr and S’rring had a bronze. This would not go well. NO! The green wailed, the idea of anything chasing her offended her to the very core. If anything, she would be the one chasing, and only to protect the virtues of the poor, virgin greens! Gus blinked slowly, not fully understand the scope of this. “ Whatever. I’m going to name you Amelia though.” He said, pulling the first female name off the top of his head.

Wait. Was that what he was going to name one of his kids if he ever had kids? Hm. Well…she would just have to settle for being named after a salamandyr.