Heroic; Impressively Great (Nitrath's Hatching)

[Ember]

K'dem chuckled a little at Rosanna's answer. "Fair enough," he commented, also handing Taarith another chunk of meat. He watched over her with a startling gentleness considering he had just Impressed. She was an interesting creature for sure and K'dem couldn't put a finger on her yet, other than the fact that she seemed very mature. Or were all baby dragons like that? Hmm, no. The other hatchlings were the epitome of childness. Two of them even seemed to have been competing against each other.

Taarith was interested in her siblings too, more specifically the painfully sad bronze brother. What you say is true, Istarith. I believe he will find the one meant for him soon. We siblings are not of the faint heart to give up. The green believe in her siblings, at the very least. She chewed her food thoughtfully as she watched her bronze brother before all attention focused in on her mother's bonded and the large man she had leapt on. Well, almost all attention. She sensed a distinct apathy over the situation from her own bonded.

"Dragonriders, they do like their drama," K'dem said aloud, scorn sneaking into his tone. "Seriously, is that attack worthy stuff right there? Whatever, I'm out of here. Taarith?" Why are we leaving? "Because these people are too much and I'm tired of this. You'll see all your siblings later anyway, and I can carry along your meat or whatever." K'dem sensed more hesitancy from the green - she was rather moved by the displays at the hatching, though she was tiring quickly. "Please." Very well. Istarith, Adanth, K'dem and I are retiring elsewhere if you wish to join us.

"Hey, ladies, if you want to join us you're welcome. This is just too ridiculous and it's not like I don't know my way to the weyrling barracks," K'dem said to Raylanne and Rosanna, giving them a bloody-handed salute before grabbing a bucket full of meat and starting to lead Taarith out of the hatching grounds.

[Aftershock]

Cairenn smiled at Olivia's words, saying, "I only needed to be knocked on my butt once to learn to keep an eye out, thank you very much." She watched as the Halfling Blue finally got to it's feet and began to approach the Candidates, followed by the Wolven Green, ready to move if necessary. Suddenly, the Halfling Blue seemed to make it's choice... a boy who had been injured, along with... was that a canine? What was that poor creature doing on the hot Sands?

Then, Cairenn's attention was brought closer to home as she caught sight of the Wolven Green approaching herself and Olivia. She was about to congratulate her fellow Candidate as the golden-green dipped her head towards Olivia, then paused with her mouth open as she heard words in her head, and felt the bond of Impression filling her mind. It was like with Fun, but stronger, the Wolven Green's mind merging with her own as she told Cairenn, "Cairenn? Mine? I'm your Nildath. Would you tell the other one I'm sorry? I wish I could impress to both of you..."

Mouthing silent words for a moment, like a fish gasping out of the water, Cairenn finally got her mental feet under her and said, "Olivia, she's mine. Her name is Nildath." She was so excited she could barely stand still, and then she suddenly remembered Nildath's words, and her voice turned dour as she said, "Nildath says she is sorry, and she wishes she could Impress to both of us... I'm sorry, too, Olivia" Nildath, for her part, turned again towards Olivia, rubbing against the other girl's leg with a expression of abject apology on her face, then turned towards Cairenn once more and said to her, "Cairennmine, I am really hungry. If you don't mind, may we move to the tables with my brothers and sisters where the meat is?"

Cairenn slowly stroked her hand across her new bonded's head, marveling at her color, and the smoothness of her skin, and then said, "Sorry, Olivia, Nildath is really hungry. I'll see you after the hatching, though... maybe we can be roommates when you Impress your dragon." She tried to instill confidence in Olivia's Impression in her voice as she spoke, then smiled and turned to head towards the table with Nildath trailing, stopping momentarily to wave up at her cheering aunt.

---

Samael nodded as Ruliana listed each dragon and where it bonded... this hatching seemed to be going pretty standard so far, beyond the babies knocking people over sometimes. Then, suddenly, Freyr sent him the image of Cainith jumping the barrier and being on the Sands, and before he knew it, the image changed to Caden on Cainith's back, with a knife to his throat.

He nodded when Ruliana told him the story behind what the images represented, and the hand on her leg squeezed tighter in worry, a knot in his throat as he worried this might be another incident like his sister's hatching... though the man wasn't a Candidate, and the Jr. Weyrwoman wasn't a Wastelander.

Freyr, for his part, felt the distress in His, and chirruped to excuse himself from the company of Pettahth and Feyrianth to take wing and head back over to Samael, landing on his shoulder and rubbing a paw over His' cheek soothingly as Heimdall felt the tension as well and stood up, watching the Sands and Stands for any dangers to his master.

---

Cainith was almost back to the Stands, thinking he was home free from his ill-planned invasion of the Sands, when suddenly there was a weight on his back and a knife at his throat, and a gold dragon booming her voice into his mind. Stopping his movement and putting his hands up to show he was unarmed, he stood for a moment as the instructions from Nitrath came across, Caden's weight on his back mostly negligible to someone of his strength.

The knife itself, though obviously dangerous, did not concern Cainith too much... there had been plenty of occasions throughout his somewhat violent past where a man who had felt shamed from being defeated hand-to-hand by Cainith, either during a wrestling match or when he had beaten someone out of anger or as an exchange of favors with someone else, had come to attempt to restore their dignity at the point of a blade. Some, he had taught that he was still stronger than them, and a small knife didn't let them get past his massive reach, while others had left scars on his body. Either way, he knew he could easily grab Caden's weapon hand and pull it away from his throat, then take the young woman apart, as while she was stronger than she looked, she was nowhere near his 7'2", nearly 500 lb. level of physical power, but he also knew that such a move would be foolhardy in this situation.

He heard the words of Corvin, though he couldn't turn his head to look at the man without possibly slicing his own throat, but it was Ivy's words that hit him hardest. Turning his head slightly, the knife drawing another trickle of blood from his throat as he moved, he growled to Caden where she hung on his back, "No. I will let you slit my throat before I let Ivy leave these Sands without even a chance of Impressing a dragon. Do what you will to me, I don't care, but I will not let my mistake rob my love of her chance at a dragon... she's been left on the Sands too many times, and I will do whatever is necessary to give her the biggest chance possible to finally get the dragon she deserves." With that, he stopped speaking, feeling more wet dribbles down his chest as his speaking caused the closely-held blade to further dig into the flesh of his throat, the collar of his shirt becoming saturated with his lifeblood.

[Tashe]

Someone jumped the stands and then all sorts of trouble broke loose. Beware a trained fighter who is upset, for Caden moved faster than E'rro, then again he was on the opposite side of the sands. Isma. Holding up a hand to still the Legatus members in attendance, he listened to Nitrath's request. Quickly he flashed a series of hand signals to K'sel telling him to get himself onto the railing near Cainith and wait. The Brownrider didn't want to disobey the Gold, but now that the Queenrider was involved, it was their duty to do something.

Nitrath, Legatus wishes to interceed to help with the prevention of violence. Mine offers his riders to escort the Wherhandler off of the Sands. His Whermaster is being contacted.

Jogging quickly over to Erilena and the injured boy, he squated down by his uninjured side (ignoring the dog but keeping his side towards it) and looked at the bandaging. "Hey congradulations on the impression, I'm E'rro." He said to the boy and his Dragon. "Eri go ahead and leave the sands. I'll get him to the infirmary, not really time for getting the stretcher I'd say." He looked back to the boy. "I'm going to carry you out. My assistants are waiting outside with a stretcher. Don't worry, we'll get food so you can feed your new mind mate there. Now, if you'll put your arm around my neck and hold that bandage with the other..." Didn't wait more than a few seconds before slipping an arm around the boys back and under his knees, lifting him up. "Hup." As he paced out to the entrance and the awaiting stretcher, Ismaroth remained in contact with Petta and Kyr.

Once K'nale was settled, jogged across the walkway in the stands to join K'sel, making eye contact with A'emi who was nearby. Leaning against the railing he eyed the situation. "Wherhandler, you are not allowed on the sands. Candidates will not leave the sands until the end of the hatching, and your presence does nothing either way for her chances to Impress. In fact, your actions have placed you in a serious amount of trouble." He glanced at Caden. "Weyrwoman, I do not believe this man is here to harm the eggs. By your leave, Legatus will escort him from the hatching arena and hand him over to Councilman Eikane to deal with."

-----

I think we should help mother out. "No. You are not going anywhere near that mess. Let the Riders handle it. You are about one sixtyith the size of your Mother, she does not need help." The Blue twitched his tail as he accepted more meat. Fine. But one day I will be stronger. Raylanne sighed and glanced at K'dem. "Well, we now are Riders too... are we not supposed to wait for the Weyrling ... master..." She watched as the young man started to walk away. Let us go. They do not need us here. "I guess we could wait in the Weyrling common rooms..." She glanced at Rosanna. "Well I suppose I will go as well, since Adanth wants to."

The little Blue cast his mind out to his brothers and sisters in the immediate area. We will be going to the place we will be living, join us if you wish. Have your humans bring meat. Standing up, he trotted along side His as she also moved to avoid the small pocket of chaos.

[Sheari]

“Of…Feyrianth?” Kelinale asked Erilena. “Not cold,” he answered. How could he? How could anyone possibly feel cold on the burning Sands? He hissed when she pressed the pad to his hips, but put his hand on it to hold it there. He was about to tell her that he was fine with Standing the rest of the hatching when the patchwork bronze sniffed him, Alcherion, and then a young, male, concerned voice with a blue face was asking him a question. Cleric grumbled at the tiny bared teeth and wigged away. She felt an impulse to go to the edge of the arena, and it tore her. The result was the dog moving halfway to wards the tables with a confused and worried expression.

Hey, K'nale. What are you doing on the ground there? I'm pretty sure my mama doesn't want anyone on the Sands but us. She's gonna be mad, not that I care much. How come you're leaking?[/I] K’nale. The name felt almost natural, as though he’d been born with it. The large blue wings that seemed oversized for a baby dragon then half covered him and Erilena. “Why were you tangled?” Kelinale asked the blue. Why, its part of the adventure, of course! Why not?” [/I] It made the new dragonrider, new bluerider, smile. Have the fixer take care of your hole and then take your Kormath over to the food, ok? We'd better get out of here as soon as possible.[/I] Rainbow eyes of love and affection tinged yellow with concern whirled. With the blue’s wings in the way, Kelinale - K’nale - missed the actions of Cainith and Caden, and Kormath’s urging seemed appropriate, with Nitrath bespeaking everyone, telling non-candidates to clear out.

E’rro of…I can not help you, Mine. He is a brown rider, though.[/I] It seemed natural that a dragon would know what another rider rode in colour. They were, after all, the ones who chose their riders. “Thanks,” K’nale said, following E’rro’s orders. It was embarrassing, to say the least. He was being carried off the Sands, and being taken to the Infirmary. He would have to ask Ilaxnos, I’nos, of my brown clutchbrother Tirenth, [/I] Kormath corrected. Yes, he would have to ask I’nos about the rest of the clutch. Particularly if Alcherion Impressed, and to what colour. Allied rivals, seemed the appropriate term. “Cleric,” he called, as he was settled on the stretcher. Morrigan had chosen to now ride on Kormath, approving highly of the blue, as dragon, canine, and fire lizard alike followed K’nale from the hatching grounds. Kormath felt a sort of perverse pride at being the first of his siblings to truly leave the hatching grounds. The first to truly start his new adventure!

~*~

Weith watched with a sire’s pride as the first of his bronze sons broke shell. The elder decided that all of the boys he investigated were acceptable, but was confused when he seemed to not find the one he was looking for. He watched him cry, sitting in the nest, before he reached out and touched his infant mind. Why do you keen so, bronze-ling? Is your selection unsatisfactory?[/I] Dragons who’s intended’s were absent, often betweened. It would be a tragedy for any baby to be lost simply because Theirs wasn’t there.

And then someone jumped the wall.

R’men couldn’t grab Caden in time and all he could do was uselessly yell after her. Being so wrapped up in trying to keep the goldrider calm, he had missed the events leading up to her trying to kill a wherhandler. At the same time, he didn’t doubt he wouldn’t have done the same thing to Cainith. Jumping the wall suddenly onto the hatching Sands and heading towards a baby dragon…something too similar had happened too recently. He nearly went out to the woman himself, but he would let Weith deal with this, as the bronze moved closer to Nitrath and the eggs protectively. Snaking his head as close to the clutch as he could without hindering the Impressions of his progeny.

I wish you would not kill the fool wherhandler, Nitrath’s Caden. He is far enough away from the hatchlings now, that killing him would be excessive. I will not stop you, however, if you hold him captive until the hatching is over.[/I] Like most dragons, Weith did not like killing humans if it could be avoided. He could gut the enemy without thought, but on a hatching Sands, it was unnecessary. Blood and ichor. There was too much of it already, and it usually meant death. Things should not die where others are born. It simply wasn’t right.

[archenstone]

Alcherion stood still as the Republic Egg bronze approached him not once, but twice. This is it, this is my destiny. But the little dragon did not look up at him with rainbow eyes and instead watched quietly as the bronze walked around the sands before sitting down and keening. Why hadn't the little dragon chosen him? He had been so focused on the bronze that he had missed the blue impressing to Kelinale. The gold's voice finally broke through his thoughts and made him aware of what was going on. He turned, and surveyed the situation with Caden and Cainith with a grim expression. Hadn't there been enough drama and bloodshed? He simply wanted the hatching to continue, though he was beginning to have doubts about his own self worth, even thinking that perhaps somehow the little dragons knew how awful he had been when he first came here. He glanced back towards the bronze then to Ivy. The expression on her face made him ache in sympathy.

He walked over to where Ivy stood talking to Caden and felt a great desire to see her impress. Not just because she was a pretty woman but also because something about her seemed real and emotional and pure. "I'm sure she'll release him. You should stay here and Impress. You deserve this chance." He said quietly. Unlike myself. "Can you come down please? The whole Weyr is worried for you and the blood you are about to spill. If you kill him, a whole new generation of Weyrlings will have their Impression tainted by bloodshed."He spoke calmly and hoped that by reminding her of the Weyr and of the effect her actions would hold over the Weyrling's day would help her come to a decision to let the man go. He glanced at Cainith and the blood draining from his neck and had to admire the man's ability to stand there and defend Ivy when his own life was in danger.

~~~~~~~~
Grigore watched as the bright green/yellow dragon impressed to one of the girls and a bronze looked for his. The hatching seemed to be going smoothly regardless of the strange actions of a tall man on the sands. He smiled as he noticed a blue impressing as well until the Goldrider darted from where she was standing to leap on the back of the giant man. Grigore was shocked and mode his way down to the barrier for a closer look. He felt like he should do something as faces turned scared towards the pair. The Gold's voice boomed in his head and he flinched, bumping into someone who in turn shoved him back roughly. He stumbled and hit the barrier, trying to grasp it as his body pitched forward. Fingers scrapped against stone as his body twisted. If only he could get a grip! He felt someone try to grab his clothes but the cloth slipped through the persons fingers and Grigore fell with a yelp.

His back hit the sand with his legs and head following. Light flashed behind his eyes momentarily but as they blinked his vision began to clear. He felt dizzy and lighthead. Why was his back so hot? He groaned trying to shift so he could get up when he realized where he was. By the Golden Egg no. He was on the sands with a half crazed goldrider and a Gold Dragon ordering everyone out. He tried to stand but a wave of dizzyness overwhelmed him, driving him do his knees once more. What was he going to do? He tried looking for the nearest exit so he could crawl his way out if needed.

[Rei]

He wasn’t sure what to do. One second Caden was next to him and the next she was off and leaping on Cainith’s back like some demented monkey. Well damn. With so many people already yelling and confusing her Er’ani at least realized that further words would not help out in this case one bit. Instead the albinorider turned imploringly to Nitrath as the gold bespoke everyone. Problem was Nitrath sounded angry and Er’ani wasn’t sure what telling healers to get off the sands when people were bleeding would accomplish. In fact it looked like that was unsettling people as well. What a huge mess. This fiasco wasn’t exactly endearing Caden to the rest of the weyr either. If anything his friend and classmate was just coming off as a bit crazy and the nervous milling of the crowd made that more then clear.

For once in his life Er’ani really wished that someone calm and commanding was there to take things into their own hands. A glance was given to Millieth, but the Sr. gold seemed to be remaining silent herself. Running a hand through his dark hair the albinorider gave a deep sigh and touched Lketh’s mind. I’ll just stay here and wait for Caden I guess? Is there anything you can do to help?

The pale dragon simply brushed a calm and soothing feeling over his bonded’s mind and then spoke. I can do nothing that my golden sister cannot. Hopefully she is able to calm her rider's unstable attitude before something happens that everyone will regret. You’re telling me. Er’ani’s dark eyes flicked over to Caden with a worried expression. He wanted nothing more then to be able to help her but for once in his life he realized that if he tried all he would do was make things worse. He'd just wait here and hopefully be one stable thing that she could return to.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Erilena was truly grateful for K’sel’s presence and when he knelt by her she flashed him a quick, if nervous, smile. “Just watch for any approaching babies and warn me if you see them.” She commented lightly before turning her attention solely to the bleeding Kelinale again.

Out of the corner of her eye she saw K’sel move and though the greenrider wanted to take a quick look she trusted K’sel enough to watch her back. When the baby bronze approached she paid him little attention. She didn’t want to startle the baby and if he was meant for this boy then it was best she not make any sudden movements that might be misunderstood for her harming his new rider. However the bronze soon moved on and in his place waddled up a little blue who spread his wings as if to hide their little grouping behind them. The whirling rainbow of the blue hatchling's eyes said it all and Erilena smiled warmly at Kelinale before speaking. “Congratulations.”

The healer started to go back to work on the boy when the gold’s voice entered her mind. The woman gave a murderous glance in Nitrath’s direction, seeing as how the blue hatchling’s wings were in the way. What? Leave the sands? And just what let her charge bleed out on them? A dragon may have to listen to a gold’s command but such words held no power whatsoever on a human and Erilena quickly decided that she was not leaving. “Fuck that. I am not leaving someone bleeding out on the sands because she can’t keep control of her clearly unstable rider. K’sel don’t move.” The blonde snapped in an irritated tone before her attention went back to her charge. “Just a minute and we’ll see if we can‘t get you…” Erilena began before the familiar figure of E’rro finally arrived and she fell silent so that he could speak.

For a moment slight defiance flashed in the woman’s gaze before she bit her tongue and just nodded to the brownrider. He was council and infirmary head besides, thus her superior. Even if Erilena did not like leaving her charge she understood E'rro's request. “Understood.” She murmured and once she was sure that E’rro had the boy the greenrider rose from the sands. Hastily wiping the excess blood from her hands with a clean rag she then grabbed her healer's bag and trotted quickly for the side of the area throwing K’sel a ‘good luck’ look as she went.

Obviously something needed to be done about Caden. Hopefully someone could talk some sense into her before someone really got hurt. Quite disgruntled Erilena swung herself up over the side of the barrier and back into the stands her eyes flicking to the milling candidates left on them before going back to watching K’sel. He better not get hurt. Or Erilena was going to be holding one hell of a grudge.

~~~~

Feyrianth pressed herself a little tighter to Pettahth her eyes whirling in the same anxious and slightly distressed yellow shade as her brown companion’s. She was worried about hers of course because Erilena was being stubborn but mostly she was worried for them all. Blood should never be shed on hatching sands. Not like that. No the four winged green did not really remember the culling, but it had been a traumatic enough event for them all that she could not help but feel some stir of unease over the whole current situation.

Nitrath’s words did little to soothe the female and her humming fell to silence as she returned the brown's tail squeeze and her wings trembled slightly. Feyrianth breathed a small sigh of relief when hers finally reached safety but she would not relax totally until Pettahth’s was also safe and the last of the little ones had finally impressed. How had such a happy thing suddenly turned so nerve-wracking?

[Ruby]

Nitrath huffed. She wasn't irritated (she wasn't really capable of irritation), but the situation was getting out of control fast, and the Gold felt the need to step in. Please everyone, stay calm. It is still a hatching, and babies should be greeted with joy and applause, should they not? Healers treating patients may move their patients off the sands, or continue treating in place, if necessary,[/i] she offered soothingly to Erilena and E'rro. As usual, I respect your right to immunity. However, I will not be told to fuck off, thank you. Feyrianth? I have no ill feelings toward you or your rider, but I would be very grateful if she would refrain from using that word in the presence of my children in the future. Would you make sure she understands?[/i] Every word the gold spoke was carefully considered and even more carefully inflected; she was good at dealing with delicate situations, and this was certainly that. Nothing should cause more upset, as each word - even the harsher ones - was clearly offered kindly, and with good intentions.

Caden was not nearly so tactful. Everyone yelling at her was ignored (was that one person yelling from the stands? What did he think that was going to accomplish?), but her eyes narrowed at the redheaded one. "Quiet. 's his fault, not yours. Not having Nitrath's babies die cause you're being an idiot, so back off 'n pay attention to the eggs." Because yes, that's exactly what Ivy wanted to hear, Caden was sure.

As for Cainith: if he wasn't dead already, he wasn't likely to be dead unless something changed. Caden basically just looked confused at everyone's screaming, glancing down at her knife hand as if it had suddenly grown scales. "If he's not dead yet, I didn't kill him, did I?" she asked, mostly rhetorically. "Shut up. You too," she added in Cainith's ear. The last thing she wanted to hear was him saying... well anything. She heard Nitrath's reply to Ismaroth and Weith echoing in her head, and it was more than distracting enough without him prattling on, too. An escort would be much appreciated. I doubt Caden will like it, but I will convince her. You'll need more than Legatus, though; she does not trust you yet. Take Lketh's, and Weith's. And... I want a full council, not just Eikane. Wherhandlers're known for being good to their own. Or at least a Rider and a Handler. I'd be happy to sit. You aren't council, my love. Ismaroth? Mine requests that at least two council members attend to this matter, but I will leave that to the discretion of the council as the Handler does not appear to be an immediate threat. You have our leave to go. Caden?[/i] Once Legatus - and Er'ani and R'men - moved into place around the Wherhandler, Caden finally let go, sliding off Cainith's back and cleaning her blade on her pants as if nothing in the world was wrong.

Meanwhile, hatchlings were busy being hatchlings. Surging to his feet in one (mostly) fluid motion, the skinny, purple-blue Witch Hatchling fanned smallish wings to keep his balance, then tottered towards Alcherion and Ivy. Not quite right about your destiny, my sun and stars,[/i] he purred to Alcherion. Dipping a gracious head towards the red-haired female (apparently heedless of all the ugliness going on behind him), he turned rainbow eyes on the man, cutting carefully between him and the mountain with his clinger. Let us go, A'herion. The great ones are not interested in you and your Tulkath; they are too busy arguing over the one kissed by fire.[/i] The blue spared an appreciative glance for Ivy, but quickly started moving A'herion away. Tulkath didn't even want to be near whatever was going on with Caden and Cainith, and he didn't want His near it either.

The Republic Bronze was still keening, but Weith's voice cut the noise off. I can't... he's not...[/i] the little Bronze sniffed, eyes searching the sands, then the stands. I can't reach him![/i] Getting to his feet, he stumbled towards the crowd, flapping his wings as if he could already fly. When he reached the base of the raised Stands, he reared up on his hind legs, claws scrabbling on the stone. C'vin! C'vin, whyyyy aren't you coming to your Ohtarth? I can see you up there, pleeeease![/i] Turning back to Weith, he asked his sire, Can you bring him to me?[/i] totally unaware that Weith had bigger fish to fry.

The rest of the eggs stayed stubbornly still. It seemed Nitrath had thrown more than a few duds in her first clutch.

[Ruby]

Witch Blue
Bonded To: A'herion
Name: Tulkath
Color: Blue (7775d5), Markings (879ae1)

Appearance:
Compared to some of his large or muscularly-endowed siblings, Tulkath appears practically frail. Each limb is attenuated, delicately tapered without even the slightest hint of visible muscle, long and lean and lacking basically anything that might give him the build of a typical blue dragon. Believe it or not, he's bigger than average for his color - the biggest of his blue siblings, at least at hatching - but he looks somehow long, but petite. If he stretches wrong, ribs show beneath his hide (no matter what he eats), and unless he poses himself carefully, it will quickly become clear that his joints are all bony, too. He just looks like a bag of bones unless he's paying attention to his angles and such. Luckily, he always pays attention to his angles, and somehow manages to look healthy and slim instead of skinny, unless he's in a dark mood and stops eating or caring.

A deep periwinkle hide, shading more towards purple than true blue, helps somewhat. It seems to fuzz out the shadows that would highlight his boniness with a soft, almost imperceptible glow, as if he were really a green permanently getting ready to rise. His skin is shiny, almost plasticy, with an odd sort of firmness to it. This firmness will make him not quite comfortable to ride, but once his rider gets used to it it shouldn't be a problem. The near purple shade is solid (as in not mottled or variegated), but slashed all over with blueish stripes that look almost like healing wounds, where the green flesh beneath shows through a thin layer of purple. These slashes cluster more thickly at his extremities, thinning out across his core, and are completely absent on his wing membranes.

Speaking of his wings; they're small for his frame, and just as frail-looking as the rest of him. Each finger-bone looks like the slightest pressure would break it, but they are stronger than they appear. While his membranes aren't quite thin enough to tear, it will take a lot of work for Tulkath to fly without them feeling sore or strained. Endurance will never be his strength, and he will have to pick one or the other when it comes to speed and agility. He's surprisingly resilient, however; he heals quickly, physically as well as mentally, and tends to stay healthy when others around him are ill. He might never be able to fly all of threadfall, but if he flies the beginning and breaks for the middle, he'll be as energetic as a fresh dragon for the end.

Personality:
Tulkath has a strong attraction to anything fantastical - he spends much of his time imagining, composing stories, songs, and poetry to recite to anyone who will listen. He is blessed with a 'physical' voice that sounds good to humans, too, and he can often be found working out a melody on his own, or preferably with His or another dragon or human for accompaniment. He especially adores music, and any creature that will share a song with him will earn a place in his heart. Tulkath also likes giving those special friends of his fanciful nicknames - he'll always call his rider 'my sun and stars', for instance. Humans and dragons are the most likely candidates for nicknames, but whers, firelizards, and even the occasional salamandyr might qualify if they are particularly good, or nice, or an especially talented or enthusiastic singer (Tulkath is certainly of the opinion that everyone CAN sing if they just try hard enough).

Overall, Tulkath himself is a very sweet and kind dragon, and he appreciates those that are like him. He can't quite wrap his mind around people that aren't sweet and kind, though, and he tends to simply ignore those that don't square with his limited view of what a dragon should be. This blue sort of lives in a fantasy world where everything is good and wonderful and everyone is beautiful all the time, and he gets easily frustrated and confused when things don't go the way he wants or expects them to. This can be a liability, especially in situations where different ethical and moral codes conflict, like war or flight. Who is he, after all, to decide who is right when both sides have committed grievous crimes in pursuit of their goals? Or when there are so many other equally worthy suitors? (It's a good thing Tulkath isn't a green, he might never make a choice).

Underneath his general niceness and pleasant sociability, though, Tulkath always seems a touch sad. As much as he outwardly ignores it when the world doesn't match up with his hopes and dreams, inwardly it's another notch off his perfect world. Those special friends of his that prove to be reliably in line with his view of what is 'good' over a long period of time will earn a special sort of loyalty from this blue: the kind where he will literally sacrifice everything he has for their sake. He's also occasionally prone to dramatic gestures, especially where these friends are concerned; if one of them shatters his idealized view of them, he's likely threaten something drastic, up to and surpassing going between with His and never coming back. Whether he actually attempts to go through with his threats depends on exactly how distraught he is by their betrayal, but His had better learn how to talk this Blue out of his dark moods fast. Luckily for everyone, it's not very hard; as much as Tulkath always seems a bit down, he greatly prefers being in a good mood to being in a bad one.


Republic Bronze
Bonded To: C'vin
Name: Ohtarth
Color: Bronze (868600), Markings (625e00)/(815200)

Appearance: Although Ohtarth is actually an average sized bronze, he will look distinctly small compared to some of his clutch siblings, and to his mother. He's thin and wiry; actually, as a hatchling he will be pretty wimpy, with a sort of soft, feminine form that would be more at home on a skinny Green than a Bronze. If Ohtarth puts in the work (not unlikely given his personality), he'll end up with the sort of ropy muscle that doesn't quite look like it should be there, but he will always look skinny and a touch awkward until he learns to own it. Somewhat undersized wings help his agility but cut his stamina, leaving him more suited to chasing small golds and large greens; dragons like Millieth and Nitrath are likely to be beyond his grasp, or at least very challenging catches with short falls (and correspondingly small clutches). Tail, legs, and neck are all normal lengths, but lacking the kind of muscle some of his other siblings have, giving them an attenuated appearance despite their normalcy.

There is something about Ohtarth's shape that would make even the most manly of Bronzes watch him with interest if he were somehow tinted green. While his frame is certainly not pretty, there a gentle rounding of his chest, a surprising elegance to the curve of his neck and the shape of his head, that is undeniably feminine and oddly alluring. Even his claws, while deadly sharp, are a sort of pearlescent white. His ridges are smooth and understated, his eyes round and larger than normal, giving him a touch of innocence. As a young dragon, his gait - both on land and in the air - is bound to be a bit funny, stumbling, and strange, but if Ohtarth learns to own his hints of femininity, that will smooth out, giving way to a sort of slinkiness that will allow him to move near silently. This would be an asset in battle, but that, too, will take maturity to realize - Ohtarth would rather bull in head-on, not really something he's built for.

While his base coat is definitely bronze, Ohtarth's hide looks like it couldn't quite decide what shade of bronze it wanted to be. The most traditional of bronzes is patched in with a much browner tone, lacking almost all shine, and a very shiny greeny-bronze that is almost olive. The three colors are almost equal in distribution; certainly no one would be able to point one out as the dominant shade. Although the splotches are very uneven, they are unified in their distinct differences from each other - no fading from one to the other, here. The lines between color are as distinct as they can be on a dragon's hide. The overall effect makes for surprisingly effective camouflage, especially in the kind of jungly forests that surround the Weyr.

Personality: Ohtarth is a straightforward, enthusiastic dragon, easy to work with and friendly to all. He utterly lacks the arrogance of your average bronze... within his Weyr, at least. All the Selenitas dragons are his friends and comrades, and even the ones he doesn't get along with will be treated with a grudging acceptance and enough respect to get through working together. 'Other' dragons should be careful, though. He blatantly discriminates against dragons not born at Selenitas, no matter how long they have been at the Weyr. Of course, he won't know unless they or their Rider mentions it (although pale-hided dragons will be treated with suspicion until their lineage is established), and he's excellent at giving people and dragons the benefit of the doubt. Still, best not to mention your place of birth around Ohtarth. Just say how much you love Selenitas.

Oddly enough, he also seems to show a preference for males above females. He doesn't have a problem with the ladies, so to speak, but he'd rather talk about fighting and battle strategies than butterflies and flowers, which is what he assumes all females spend their time talking about (generalizations are kind of his thing). Wrestling and aerial maneuvers will be his pastimes of choice, and he's always afraid he'll hurt the smaller, more delicate Greens, or put the Golds at risk - all the more reason to spend time with the males. He'll even go so far as to cuddle up with blues, browns, and even other bronzes if they'll let him. He does chase, of course; biology won't let him ignore the Queens, and occasionally he'll go after a Green, too, although his motivation is more likely a good workout than Catching. Still, he'll give it his best shot, if and when he does decide to go up.

Despite his foibles, Ohtarth is a genuinely optimistic and hardworking dragon, the kind that believes you can achieve anything if you just spend enough time and energy trying. He has a touch of innocence about him; he will always be slightly childlike, especially when the goals he sets for himself are idealistic and unachievable. He's always working on something, and if he's not, he's working on finding something to work on. It isn't easy to distract him once he's set a goal for himself, but if someone manages it, it is far more likely that the old thing will go undone than that Ohtarth will ever return to it. He's not really a multi-tasker. He is passionate, though; his moods come and go like flash floods, but when they go, they're gone. Truly able to be angry one second, then let it go and return to task at hand, Ohtarth might be a good leader if he ever stops trying to direct his Wing to destroy the Red Star or raze Fort to the ground.