But in retrospect...

[antinanco]

(( It's fine! ^^ Besides, I'm sure Laef wouldn't mind giving Saeo a snuggle anyway. ))

"BHAHAHA!" Ieoha burst when face with the idea of being a rider. She threw her head back in laughter, nearly snapping her frail neck, and clutched Danar's shoulder for stability. After a quick outburst, she breathed enthusastically, "No, dearie, nonono. I'm not a rider. But it's sweet that you think I might be."Her hand reached out to ruffle the female's hair affectionately and her eyes danced with both amusement and memories.

"Once I stood, and let me tell you, it's horrible! I'd never do it again. Definitely not at my age, either." Ieoha grinned despite her grim foreshadowing. "The heat is unbearable at first and only gets worse the longer you Stand. You'd better hope for a swift Impression, for the heat will be the least of your worries as the fear and panic that you might not Impress grinds into your stomach with each abandoned egg shard. The Gold looms over you every moment, holding you life just an inch away from her pure power and jagged teeth, always blaming you for every child that never experiences life, or worse. Some even between with an pitiful wail that you'll never forget..."

Ieoha attempted to shrug nonchalantly, but she had such a smug air about her that the action was nothing more than a thin veil. Inhaling deeply, she gathered more of a serious air. "If you do Impress, it is worth it. Every last second." She stared each Candidate in the eye sternly, trying to judge how she had effected them.

"And this is all just the condensed version!" She leaned in close to Saeo and Danar with another mischievous smile, but the same serious eyes. "I'm sure you'd love to hear the whole thing..." This would be her only warning, and lest things were adverted now she would certainly launch into a winding tale about her first and only Hatching.

[/font]

[Rei]

((Fail post ))

Danar’s eyes widened as Ieoha burst into laughter. The woman looked like she might shake apart lucky for Danar she managed to keep herself together by digging her claw of a hand into his shoulder. When she released him he rubbed the spot self consciously. Wow was she bony. He listened attentively to her recollection of her time on the sands. The way the Cloar described it was nothing compared to the way Ieoha was rambling on about. I supposed when you raise infants for a living you get pretty good at being a storyteller the candidate thought wryly.

He had to smile at the old woman’s enthusiasm. It was a good story but did he really want more? He thought not. The burly lad had only come to take a look at the quickly developing eggs before departing. Saeo had quickly stopped that plan and now it looked like he was going to be stuck here longer. Danar looked about the grounds feigning interest as his mind tried out various excuses and discarded them just as quickly. Shards.

[nightingale]

Unlike her stoic companion, Saeo found herself completely rapt with Ieoha's depiction of the hatching she had attended. She had heard horror stories from those who had witnessed hatchings in the past, but the old crechewoman had managed to spin their random facts and figures into a tale that had the girl's hands cold and her face pale.

She had read about a hatchling green who had betweened while copying reccords one morning. The thought of such a beautiful little creature simply vanishing into thin air had been heartbeeaking, but now she could almost hear the green's pitiful, lonely keen drifting across the sands.

She wanted to hear more -quite desperately in fact- but the disinterest in Danar's expression was enough to make her decide against asking the crechewoman to continue. She couldn't help but be a little annoyed with him though -sharding weyrbred. How could any candidate not be eggar to hear stories and advice from someone who was so much more experianced than them?

"Actually, I'm curious about something else..."

She said, then searched her brain for a simple, stright-forward question that couldn't be drawn out into the wee hours of the morning.

"When we touch the dragon eggs...do they...do they do anything? I mean, is there a point to it -other than to show our respect to the clutchmother that is?"

[antinanco]

"'Course, girl!" Ieoha snorted, ignoring Danar's indifference. He had to learn the truth some time, just like all Weyrbred. "They can't hear anything through those thickening shells! You need to touch them so the literally feel you, both physically and mentally. Touch them too hard and you'll damage the dragon and get kicked out of Candidacy. Touch them too lightly and they won't feel you and you won't connect with them. The trick is to stroke them in circles, like this - " She made a gentle circular motion that contrasted against her claw of a hand. " - So you don't put too much pressure in one spot but the dragon still realizes you're there."

The fact that two (or at least one) youngsters were actually listening to her made Ieoha beam. Usually anyone under thirty turns didn't bother with her or was put off, excluding those in the creche. But they just looked to her as a source of food and shelter. With a toothy grin she continued, "Depending on how empathetic the egg is, you may or may not get mental feedback. Just keep trying until you find one that does. And if you can't, don't worry, there's aways another clutch." A sly look crept onto her face. "Unless you're the mischevious kind like me."

"And obviously you always need to show respect to Aslath, otherwise you'll find yourself without a head," Ieoha tapped her head and sighed, closing her eyes as she suddenly felt the heat of the midday sun. Laef blinked awake and the woman realized that she had forgotten to keep petting her fire-lizard as she had gotten more involved in her own story telling. Chuckling, the auntie returned to stoking her pastel skin and looked out onto the Sands. "Any eggs you two favor yet? It might be a good idea to see what you want to go to before the Touching and save precious time."

[/font]

[Rei]

Danar was drawn back into the conversation by Saeo’s Question. It was a good one to. He had seen hatchings from the stands but never attended a clutching. Perhaps the old woman could help him out a bit. The lad listened with rapt attention to the old woman’s advice. Could it be true? Did moving your hand in a circular motion really help? Well it would do no harm to try it out. The candidate flashed a smile at the woman. Old people did have their uses it seemed.

At her question about the eggs the lad straightened up. “Myself I am looking to touch the brown egg with the red splotch, the funny looking white egg with the face, and the Queen egg. The rest are too small to contain what I am looking for. I am going to impress a bronze.” He said the last line with as much conviction as he could muster and his eyes flashed in excitement. Ha let anyone tell him otherwise! The bronze in this clutch would be his he just knew it.
When Danar turned toward Saeo this time his smile was genuine. “What are you hoping to impress?”

[nightingale]

Saeo couldn't quite bring herself to scowl as she realized that Danar was smiling at her. What a bloody idiot -he absolutely couldn't realize how pigheaded he came across as. Well, she supposed she could forgive him his ignorance if he could forgive her bitterness. He didn't seem to mean any harm.

"Colours aren't important."

She decicively, giving her head a little shake. She put her hands on her knees, feeling the cool leather crinkle around them. She wouldn't be able to wear gloves for the touching, she suddenly realized. Well, if that was the case she certainly hoped nobody -the dragons especially- would be offended by the sorry state of her hands.

"I'm going to impress my dragon, no matter if she's green, gold or purple...I just hope she's out there..."

She chanced a quick look over at Aslath and her brood. Ever since the clutching, Saeo's nights had been filled with nightmares of being left standing alone on the hatching sands. The thought terrified her...she didn't know what she would do if Raylin and Cloar and the others impressed without her...

"I hope you get your bronze."

Saeo murmured, watching the red spotted egg with quiet grey eyes. Where dragon wishes were concerned, she couldn't bring herself to be unkind or spiteful. Besides that, if there was a bronze in this clutch, he would choose his rider on his own and quite without her input.

[antinanco]

It didn’t surprise Ieoha that Danar was going for bronze. He was the personification of bronzer-wanna-be. The only problem with those of his type is that they usually got what they wanted. But the gold egg…? One brow picked in an amused bemusement and she turned to face the boy as she teased, “Are you trying to Impress a gold? I didn’t realize you were the feminine type…”

Another burst of laughter was gagged before it could leave her throat, producing an odd, snorting sound. She shook her head at herself. If she didn’t watch herself, she would become like that Wilding Candidate!

As Saeo began to speak, the grandmother relaxed. The notion that today’s youth weren’t so picky comforted Ieoha. As Danar had said before, they didn’t need the entire Girl’s Barracks up in arms over the Queen Egg. Even though she was so accepting, all her examples of colors had been female, Ieoha noted curiously.

“And what about a blue? Or a brown? Girls have been know to Impress those,” she stated seriously, again changing moods. Yes, Ieoha ran through them faster than a newborn Hatchling inhaled strips of meat! But it came naturally to her now, after so many years of having to keep up with little children’s temper tantrums, overprotective mothers, grouchy crècheworkers and riotous broods. Perhaps at one time she had had a more settled personality, but now she was content to harness her energy to whatever the situation needed.

[/font]

[Rei]

Danar listened to Saeo as she commented on the fact that colors didn’t matter. He resisted the urge to snort. How did colors not matter? Certain colors gave you a better chance of certain positions and he was set on being Weyrleader one day. Only a bronze dragon who managed to fly the senior queen got that position. Maybe color didn’t matter to her but it sure did to him.

He followed Saeo’s gaze to the large brown egg, the one he fancied contained his bronze. The burly lad’s eyes widened as Saeo made the comment about his bronze. The candidate gave the girl a wide smile. “I wish you the best of luck to. I am sure you’ll do great just don’t get too nervous.” He gave the advice politely and without any sign of malice. Sure they had gotten off on the wrong foot but she seemed like a nice girl even if she was a bit emotional.

Danar laughed with Ieoha. “Nah I don’t fancy myself gold rider material. I just heard that bronzes sometimes masquerade as Queen eggs. So I just thought I might as well cover all my bases. If it is a queen then I doubt she would mind another admirer anyway.” His eyes sparkled and his voice was light and happy. No queens loved attention from everyone the little one was sure not to mind. He then turned to Saeo, interested to see what her response to the older woman would be.

[nightingale]

Saeo tried not to laugh at Ieoha's tasteless and rather stupid joke about Danar's sexuality, but couldn't quite keep a small snort of laughter from sneaking around the hand she pressed to her mouth. Well, at least he was good natured about it. She regained her composure as she realized that the crechewoman had begun speaking to her again.

"A blue or brown? Well yes, of course...so long as they're mine."

She offered them both an awkward shrug. The thought of a blue or brown impressing to her had never really crossed her mind, but obviously she'd adore whatever dragon decided to look her way. With that thought, a sly smile crept across her face and she cast a quick glance in Danar's direction.

"Why, maybe I'll even impress bronze, fly Weyrwoman Shmee and become the new Weyrleader! You never know in this day and age."

She stiffled another giggle, raising a hand to her mouth in a rather feminine hand gesture. Impressing a bronze was fanicful even by her standards, but then, why waste fantasies on the probably?

[antinanco]

Ieoha patted Danar on the shoulder affectionately. Having a good sense of humor would come in handy for the boy. He wasn’t too bright, after all. “Well, I hope you get your gold, love,” she said merrily, “You deserve nothing less.” And by gold she meant bronze, but the boy had proven that he could withstand her cruel sense of humor so she wasn’t going to stop dishing it out. Not until she found where his limit stood.

In response to Saeo’s acceptance, Ieoha nodded her head in what she hoped to be a thoughtful manner. Really, she was just bored, but then the next few sentences out of the girl’s mouth created another burst of laughter. “Not before I do, darling!” she cried hysterically and pointed a finger skyward dramatically, “Me and my Bronzeth will whoop your butt in a Flight any day! And as Weyrleader, I will decree that everyone in the Weyr must pet Laef at least once a day!”

Now the auntie held the green flitter aloft. She hung limply, appendages and head swinging slightly in some nearly non-existent breeze. As always, Laef was contently asleep and oblivious to the world around her.

[/font]

[Rei]

“Yes she and I will produce very many wonderful clutches.” Danar chuckled lightly before giving the old woman a light friendly nudge. Old people weren’t so bad at least not this one. The candidate turned to face Saeo as she made her declaration. A hearty laugh escaped his throat and he had to stop to catch his breath before speaking. “You would have to be one tough cookie to withstand Shmee. She has chased off quite a few Weyrleaders already. I bet T’rid won’t last very long.” He nodded as if agreeing with his own statement.

When Ieoha made her statement Danar stood up and in all seriousness looked at the little flitter. “That is quite a good rule. However would poor Laef even be awake enough to enjoy the attention?” The candidate reached up and gently took the flitter in his hand. “You sure she isn’t dead?” He asked as he let her dangle half off his hand. “For Faranth’s sake I have never seen anyone sleep like that.”

[nightingale]

"Obviously you have no teenaged brothers."

Saeo grinned, resting her chin on an open palm as she watched Laef sleep on, completely unaware that she had become the topic of their converstation.

"A properly lazy creature like that can stay asleep under any cirsumstaces fate decideds to trow at them. It's a tallent really -you ought to respect it."

The girl cast a casual glance skyward, noting with vague surprise that the golden afternoon she'd entered the hatching ground during was slowly giving way to an orange-red sunset. It was getting late.

"Perhaps we should be getting back to the Weyr."

She suggested, turning her attention toward Ieoha.

"It's almost suppertime. Someone is sure to be missing us soon."

[antinanco]

Ieoha grinned towards Danar, afraid if she nudged him then her boney elbow might bruise him or worse, impale him. “D’you think you’d do any better?” It was a theoretical question, of course. She already knew what the answer was going to be: of course he could! He would be the best Weyrleader ever. Every bronzer-hopeful was like this, either full of themselves, delusional, or both. But then again, most men were that way. At least at his age the quality was still endearing.

As Danar took Laef out of her hands, Ieoha was tempted to snatch her back. She was hers, shardit! And still growing too, though not nearly as fast as most other flitters did. But the auntie had had years of practice in restraint, and she bit back from being one of those over-protective mothers. “She certainly is special…” Ieoha looked at the limp Laef with a mix of affection and annoyance, then laughed. “It’s a talent until you want her to do something!”

As Saeo spoke, the auntie nodded in agreement. Despite the fact that Laef was hardly growing, her appetite spoke otherwise. “Ah, you see, the grand thing about age is that nobody expects you anywhere ever,” she rebutted as she plucked her green from Danar’s hands, “But that doesn’t mean I don’t like to catch people off-guard every once in a while!” Her eyes sparkled mischievously and she jumped up with a sudden burst of vigor from her seat. “C’mon, let’s go get some supper. I’m rowing the way home!”

[/font]

[Rei]

Danar rolled his eyes at the old woman’s question. “You bet I’m going to do great granny and when I become Weyrleader I’ll give you a raise.” He winked at her. “You deserve it for dealing with those weyrbrats all day. I should know I used to be one.” The candidate allowed Ieoha to take Laef from him; it was her pet after all. When Saeo remarked about getting back he nodded but otherwise stayed silent.

As the candidate got up and brushed off his pants he looked back at the two women. “Nah granny, don’t sweat it I’ll row back. Wouldn’t want you to break and arm or bust some ribs.” He teased playfully and started down the stands before she could hit him. After all he might need the head start.

[nightingale]

A pleasant but tired smile tugged at the edges of Saeo's mouth. She knew that she needed to be getting back before someone started looking for her...still, she couldn't help but feel that something was ending tonight, and she was loath to leave without properly memorizing the colour of the sky and the smell of the wind.

She sighed.

"You're both delusional."

Came the girls' chirping response to the question of who would be rowing their boat back to the main hall. She rose from her seat with a quick stretch and trotted her way off of the bleachers and toward the river.

"I shall be rowing us back tonight, and anyone who attempts to stop me will be pushed overboard! So are the captain's oders!"

--THREAD CLOSED--