Eleven Minutes to Midnight (Dementia's Hatching)

[Rei]

Unfortunately for Elysia, distractions seemed to love her. The amount of broadcasting going around the room, coupled with Yoalla’s new ummm legless flitter had sufficiently distracted her from Dmitri. Dark eyes scanning the clutch she paused. Oh dear did that bronze not have legs as well? Poor thing how would it get around? Probably in a move similar to Yoalla’s new green. Poor things. Flitter, mandyr unions clearly produced some bizarre offspring. Tapping her foot she ignored the bluehandler for the moment in favor of eyeing the clutch.

That didn’t last long however and she was turning to say something else when someone hobbling around caught her eye. Ah her bronze riding pet. What had possessed him to come down to this little batch of chaos? She temporarily considered making her way over to him. Instead she raised her hand and waved a little greeting before turning back to Dmitri.

~~~

Tynaris started as the woman tapped him. He hadn’t seen her before. Blinking slowly he worked out what she had said and smiled. “Sure. I’ll help you out.” He drawled slowly before moving towards the shelf. Not surprisingly quite a few people moved out of his way. Upon reaching it he let his eyes roam over the nest that was now very close. Interesting bunch for sure.

Reaching up onto the occupied shelf he deftly closed his hand around the blue flit the girl had wanted him to fetch. Why she couldn’t have just called her pet down he hadn’t a clue but he was okay with helping her. “Easy little guy. Just taking you back to your person.”

~~~

Darmori watched as the little spat fizzled out and the babies all began to choose who they wanted. That was much better. Yes go find their people that was the way things where supposed to go. Bouncing on the balls of his feet and ducking to get a better he probably looked quite silly. But he was back against a wall and it was harder to see from his position. Looked like two blues and a bronze left. Where all the eggs already hatched? He didn’t know. Oh so exciting!

[mierce]

Evrgarde had just about reached a meditative state despite the ruckus around her when a whirl of emotions knifed through her thoughts. She immediately sat upright from her reclined position, eyes flying open in alarm. “What--” the world fell abruptly from her lips as something small landed atop of her head.

LovelyMine,

The voice though soft rang loudly in the bluerider’s head. At first she wondered whether a dragon was somehow mistakenly broadcasting to too wide a channel -- denial, of course, as there was no doubting the feeling of bonding with another creature -- but all was cleared up with the subsequent somewhat grammatically questionable phrases.

“Aw, hell-no.”

With little regard to the hatching’s audience that was still milling about Evrgarde stood up, exposing herself to all around, and snatched snatched the thin salamandyr from her head. The scrawny tiny lizard was barely the length of her handspan. Good, the bluerider thought as she readied to crush the green mandyr between just two fingers and yet…

Evrgarde met the salamandyr’s somewhat pleading eyes and found herself unable to make the move. A part of her felt inclined to be angry at this, but she also found it difficult to summon up any actual anger. How… peculiar.

LovelyMine, can go? the salamandyr inquired, her voice a tad uneasy. She skittered in between her human’s loosely parted fingers a few times before scampering along Evrgarde’s arm to snuggle against the side of her neck. Mine unhappy? Greenling sorry.

Evrgarde closed her eyes and exhaled softly, trying to make sense of the situation. Strangely enough, Iorath had no teasing words or comments to sling towards her. As if her seeming acceptance of a new pet was not perplexing enough, her dragon’s silence on the matter only made things worse. “No,” she muttered beneath her breath. She opened her eyes again and repeated louder, “No.” The blonde stepped out of the pool and began drying off and dressing. The green salamandyr, to her credit, quickly hopped down onto the ground to wait patiently for her rider to be ready.

Once properly dressed (albeit still damp), Evrgarde found the lizard scurrying up her pants leg to come to rest on top of her head again. Go now yes? Hungry.

“… Okay.” This was all too much.

[Requiem]

His head was really starting to hurt. It was way too - bright out - for him to be dealing with angry, proud, loving mother emotions swimming through his mind like a battleship. Fortunately right now she was waffling between mildly irritated and proud, so he wasn't on the verge of bitching at anyone. Dmisk had casually risen to his feet, and now slowly but stubbornly put his body between his handler and Elysia. Dmitri leaned against him thankfully, accepting the offer of a rarely open mind from his wher and allowing Dmisk to wrap him in his cool calm. Dementia's quickly shifting emotions faded to a more manageable level. And, unfortunately for the two women, that left Dmitri free to be more - himself. "Fraid that's the risk you run when you decide to use a hatching as an excuse to come pick at me," he commented mercilessly to Yoalla, a small smirk on his face as he offered her some of the meat he'd brought. "Sure you don't want some too, Elysia? I'd bet marks you leave with a little screamer, as well."

The Poetic Justice Bronze hissed louder at the Something Wicked Blue, while the salamandyr strutted from his safe position behind his dam. Too 'fraid? Can't move? Scairdy legless - Whatever more he might have said, however, was cut off as Dementia's tail met his snout sharply. He jumped back with a startled squeak. Find Yours, no more talk, the gold told her son. Ugly not worthy. That did it. The bronze snarled his anger, flying in a wild twirl toward the two salamandyrs. He'd show them. Only the Forge Egg chose that exact moment to split, rolling forward and into the male's path. A green head poked out from beneath the upper half of the shell, hissing at the male who'd taken a tumble into the towels after knocking her for a spin. The mean ugly.

His mother seemed to have everything under control, the Behind Glass Walls Blue decided. The perfectly formed salamandyr - frill and all - watched the crazy mess with his siblings for another moment, noting that he didn't really fit in with any of them. All angry and fighting with each other...well, he was going to find His because he was hungry. The blue left without a further word, slinking over the ground until he found the mind he'd sensed earlier, curling up on the foot contentedly. He brushed Tobby's mind with his. Not like clutchbrothers, he told His quietly, with just the smallest note of anxiety. His would want him, wouldn't he, even though he was strange and didn't look right with this frilly thing he had? Will love? Love Mine...

A second salamandyr was also moving through the crowd, having skirted the writhing bronze firelizard, narrowly avoiding the jaws that snapped for her tempramentally. Her eyes slitted as she filed him away on her list of those to punish. Nasty ugly. Now just to find someone who could help her exact her...ah, yes. A two-in-one package deal. Perfect. Best, she agreed, her mindvoice a sultry purr as she addressed Doppleganger and Mi'rah both. Mine now.

Deciding he'd had quite enough, the bronze finally righted himself, just in time for the Madness Descends Egg to rock violently, a gold leg punching through the shell and clipping his snout.


Something Wicked Egg :: Blue Salamandyr :: Taunting Poetic Justice Bronze
Another Violent End Egg :: Green Salamandyr :: Impressed to Evrgarde
Chaos Egg :: Brown Salamandyr :: Impressed to Iskierka :: Rhino
Forge Egg :: Green Salamandyr :: Impressed to Mi'rah
Madness Descends Egg :: Gold Salamandyr :: Hatching
Behind Glass Walls Egg :: Blue Salamandyr :: Impressed to Tobby
No Time Egg :: Green Firelizard :: Impressed to Yoalla
Serve Man Egg :: Green Firelizard :: Impressed to C'oar
Poetic Justice Egg :: Bronze Firelizard :: Writhing
Trail of Tears Egg :: Brown Firelizard :: Impressed to Sari
Critical Mass Egg :: Blue Firelizard :: Impressed to Farryl :: Isshun

[Requiem]

Behind Glass Walls Blue

Name:
Impressed to: Tobby
Species: Salamandyr
Color: Blue 006666
Age: Hatchling

Trapped within a crystalline world of thought
Not a fool unaware, of what must be sought
All his hopes and his dreams they are frozen in time

Appearance: The blue is unique out of all his clutch siblings in that his appearance is distinctly...normal. Average in size, perfectly proportioned with sleek muscular toning that causes his hide to ripple appealingly while in motion, his frill is very much intact and all his limbs are of the normal length. He might even be called a handsome creature, as his coloring is an even teal, the color of the sea when the sun reflects off the shallower waters. His tail is, perhaps, just the barest touch longer than it needs to be, but it doesn't look out of place, being rather whiplike and decidedly strong.

An array of subtler markings brush across his hide randomly in such a way as to suggest at a pattern that isn't really there. Swirling eddies of spots and lines that are just one or two shades darker or lighter than his base color serve to create the impression that he really is part of the ocean, the waves rippling almost serenely on a calm day. To further emphasize that, his back displays a splash of white spots, almost like a frothing down the entire length of his spine. The membranes of his wings and frill are a soft, sky blue, and what looks like eyes are painted on his frills in brilliant white.

Personality: This blue is as serene as his coloring suggests. Not given to emotional outbursts or petty insults, he takes a very rational approach to life. The male finds fighting and squabbling distasteful, a waste of energy and time, and often acts as a mediator in any fight he stumbles upon. His demeanor is both unassuming and confident at once, such that when he speaks, most will stop to listen, regardless of species. Exceedingly eloquent, rational to a fault, he'll find a compromise for most any problem then continue going about his business - which most often is watching the world go by and ferreting out its many secrets.

For the truth of the matter is that this blue is something of a recluse. Although, upon discovering the world of salamandyrs and firelizards outside his clutchsiblings is a much different place, the damage was already done; he was hatched into the world believing he didn't fit in anywhere. His role is merely as an observer, a detached party. As such, he doesn't feel comfortable associating with salamandyrs or firelizards - or anyone but His, truly - and should he ever develop an interest in a female it's unlikely he'd chase her unless strongly encouraged by His. The world is a fascinating place but it is, ultimately, not for him, and his resigned melancholy is something most anyone could pick up on.

---

Forge Green

Name:
Impressed to: Mi'rah
Species: Salamandyr
Color: Green 003300
Age: Hatchling

It's not gonna change my mind
I'm the liar
You're never gonna change my world
You're all liars

Appearance: Easily the smallest of Dementia's first clutch, this green would be very easy to overlook as some sort of bug. The fact that her eyes are ridiculously large for her head and that her wings are completely transparent doesn't help that at all. She shares the same odd lack of frill that her other salamandyr brothers and sisters lack, but, unlike most of them, the spines that remain in their place are still entirely functional. They open, close, and lie back just as any other salamandyr's would. In fact, the green is entirely unaware that she doesn't have a frill, and as such attempts to 'display' her anger or to get attention without one, which can be interesting to watch.

A deep, jade green, this little one doesn't so much glitter as gleam like a polished gem. Or perhaps like she has an insect's reflective carapace. Lighter green dashes in jagged lines down the length of her body with varying thickness, a sickly neon yellow-green that, yes, glows in the dark. Some might describe it as lightning flashing behind clouds of smog, giving it the faint green sheen, in the darkest hours of the night. Her wings, despite the illusion of invisibility, are actually highly functional, and she's even capable of more than a sustained glide, though she tires quickly.

Personality: This green is ridiculously intelligent. Unfortunately, it's a trait that's unlikely to be noticed by many, as she doesn't deign to speak to anyone or any creature that she doesn't deem worthy, and if they can't understand her in the one or two words she gifts them with, that's their own problem. Clearly they weren't as intelligent as she initially thought. (Which is, of course, a result of their being tricksy and not in any way a lapse of judgment, because she is too perfect to make a mistake.)

The little salamandyr's goals in life are fairly simple. She wishes to go through with as little inconvenience to herself as possible, and as such collects 'slaves' that will do everything for her. Beyond that, anything that might result in a little (hopefully fatal) accident for one of the firelizards she is firmly in favor of. The green spends most of her time being waited on by whichever unfortunates she's ensnared and plotting these lovely murderous plots - in which Hers proves most useful, being one of the few who almost always undertands the green's meaning and is easiest to manipulate. Fortunately, because this salamandyr tends to be so cryptic, most firelizards are safe from her devilish schemes. Most.

[Rei]

Elysia tore her eyes off the clutch to fix them on the large wher that arrived. Dmitri’s bonded no doubt. “Oh aren’t you a big strong boy.” She cooed to him before turning back to Demi. She snorted dryly. “I doubt any of the little screamers will be interested doll. I already have one pet.” She did to, even if he was currently napping in her nice cool weyr. Adjusting her towel she stole a look at the clutch and raised an eyebrow. Not many terrors left and plenty of people to choose from. It was very likely that none would find her suitable. Turning back to the boy she smiled. “So no thanks. Keep your meat.”

To Yoalla she offered a quiet comforting look. Poor darling. Just what she looked like she needed, another mouth to feed. Baron was really all Elysia wanted. Surely the little creatures would sense that? She pitied Yoalla, she really did.

~~~

Tynaris flinched as the blue flit set to chewing on his hand like a canine chews on a bone. He bit his lip against the small pricks of pain and struggled to keep hold as the little blue contortionist did his level best to escape. Sadly he was triumphant. The girls dismay was noted with a small smile. “It’s ok. Guess he is just the stubborn sort.” The candidate replied as he cradled his hand. Idly he watched as the blue climbed toward the ceiling. Very stubborn. “It’s ok really.” He reiterated again a touch embarrassed over her concern. At least she was nice. “Looks like you have a pretty stubborn fellow. What did you say his name was again?”

~~~

Darmori watched as the creatures continued to scamper and writhe and find those they would call theirs. Frowning he watched creature after creature pick everyone but him. Even the bronzerider who had just entered got one. How fair was that? To be honest it was kind of depressing but the candidate tried to remain chipper. At least they where all impressing well and no one seemed to have been hurt. That was the most important thing obviously. Besides he technically shouldn’t be here anyway. He was fairly sure there was something in the rules that stated candidates where not allowed to impress mandyrs.

[marge]

Tobby smiled, "I've heard some rather interesting stories about salamandyrs." He giggled softly, his eyes still on the Hatching. So he was worried about the little hatchlings, so what? They were all so tiny and... The boy continued to chew on his lip. It looked like the mother of the Clutch was manging to keep things under control, though. He smiled as she slapped the maw of the little brown before he could pick on the tiny blue just beginning to break free of his egg. There were so many hatchlings in this Clutch with loud personalities. Tobby was almost ready to retreat from the baths and try again later with a calmer Clutch, but he forced himself to stay.

He really did want one of the little creatures. Evil or not. The brown from before had disappeared to Impress, Tobby noted, his eyes on the few remaining hatchlings. Poor bronze, getting picked on by his sibling... He did seem to be rather moody. The blue 'mandyr was just silly, Tobby thought. Didn't he know that his momma wouldn't always be there as a barrier?

Then there was a weight on his foot. The candidate looked down, startled, but a grin had soon appeared. He crouched down and gently scooped the little blue up. "Of course I'll love you." Tobby giggled. Like the 'mandyr should even have to ask. He managed to tear his eyes away from the little creature for a moment to flash an excited smile up at G'tor before his attention was once more on the little blue. Good love. Hungry now. Hungry LoveMineLove. The small blue crooned softly as he climbed up Tobby's arm and onto the boy's shoulder. He rubbed against Tobby's neck like a feline before he lay down, partly curling his tail around his bonded's neck.

"We'll find you some food then." Tobby murmured, totally distracted from what ever else was happening in the baths. His eyes scanned the room for some meat, but his mind was completely on the little creature on his shoulder.

[Ruby]

Tenlie smiled at Tynaris. She'd learned long ago that smiling helped you get anything you wanted, although it wasn't a theory she employed often. She was just happy to have his help, and wanted him to know. So, she smiled.

Big Brother, on the other hand, was NOT having it. The blue didn't make a sound, but he flailed and bit for all he was worth. Luckily he was little and weak for a flit, focusing more on his agility than biting power, so all Tynaris would get was vicious little pin pricks that wouldn't draw blood. Either way, though, Big Brother made it very clear that he would not be leaving the shelf any time soon. He wiggled free after only momentsof struggle, flowing out of the Candidate's hand to flee across the shelf and climb into the corner where the wall met the ceiling, clinging there like a secret agent. There was NO WAY he would leave something so dramatic. Every single one of these hatchlings had something wrong with them, mentally. He was certain.

Tenlie leaped forward, then put her hands over her mouth when she realized there was nothing she could do. "Oh, I'm so sorry! Big Brother, that's very bad! No biting, get down here right now!" He simply blinked at Tynaris, then blinked at her. No. She pressed her lips together, truly upset now. "I will not have a poorly behaved creature," she muttered, reinforcing it with a mental shove. "Look, I do be so sorry," she addressed Tynaris. "Looks like he does no want to leave. Do no worry about it, I will get him down later. Thanks for trying, anyway," she added, still looking up at her truant lizard.

[Lotty]

That voice was enough to nearly knock the cane out from under Mi'rah; he visibly wavered and fought to keep himself upright. It was not from shock per se, but because the sultry purr was too familiar as coming from someone else he knew, but when he looked up to match it with the face, she was not talking to him. She was still occupied with the wherhandler and though she did wave at him - cue his obligatory need to politely wave back - her lips weren't moving, and she hadn't learned human to human telepathy last he checked. If she had...well then someone needed to pray for his soul because he would be so screwed.

No. It was coming from one of the...Babies! Doppelganger was obviously the most excited little brown salamandyr in the room. He was reared up on his hind legs crooning at the little green, very approving of her choice of mindmate. This one had picked correctly! She was no dummy! Best yes! Pick good! Little did she know that he was intending to add her to his pile of pretty things. Little did he know that she was going to make him into a brown slave. Surely there were other females in this weyr that were going to be very upset about this entire arrangement, but that could be ironed out when they got to it.

The green bounced up Mi'rah's pant leg so that she could but in and roost in that spot between the brown and the rider's neck. Perfect. She made her to tangle Doppelganger with her tail as she nudged against the man's skin, Best slaveones. The term only made Doppel perk up. Was not his favorite eggmine a slaveone for the big shiny gold? Now he was finally one too!? OH SO COOL! Rahrahmine, find Goodfixer and eggymine love pleaseeeee~ Fix quick, quick, show new greenlove! He had to find his brother right away.

Mi'rah wasn't nearly as thrilled. He knew better than to be upset, because he knew the risks when he came in...though he supposed that having one salamandyr already would have cut his chances. Apparently he was wrong. Now, not only was he obligated to that incredibly unsavory and taboo act of having Doppel chase every single green mandyr who ran (no offense to F'lix, he had no qualms with the man) but now he had a green who would run every...however often they ran. Well...that was just the type of things that happened to him on a regular basis. He could never catch a break. Never.

"We'll go get you some food then won't we? I suppose that won't be too far of a walk right?" Yes, he came to grips with this by labeling this as a blessing. He did need the green to give him reason to move around. He did need to fill in the gaps when his sweet little darter died in the heat only a couple of days ago. It was all meant to happen certainly. Without so much as a wave goodbye to the greenrider he spotted earlier, he stuck his walking stick out in front of him and hobbled off to the exit, once again looking out for slick spots.

[Kisha-Ra]

Yoalla glared at Dmitri and leaned down unwind her unwelcome new friend from her ankle. ‘I didn’t come here just to annoy you.’ She objected as the firelizard coiled around her wrist instead, still making sweet yet demanding little chirps. ‘The Devil called me. Lao wanted to come too, they’re so proud of their babies, just not enough to actually want one. Or at least not this one, Lao was hoping for the little bronze I think, and Devil obviously wanted a salamandyr. She doesn’t rate firelizards at all.’

She gave Elysia a crooked look as she accepted meat from Dmitri and began poking it into the bottomless pit that was a firelizard hatchling’s stomach. ‘I wouldn’t bet on that. I thought I was safe with two firelizards and a mandyr and look what I’ve got, a firelizard with ‘mandyr legs. I hope this strange threesome is not a permanent arrangement, I don’t think Lao and Devil are good parent material.’ Definitely not parent material Yoalla decided looking at the creature coiled around her arm.

[raii]

The little creature flew at her from no where, fastening itself across her shoulders. He creeled at her, hungry and anxious, he didn't want to be here. Sari softly rubbed his head, trying to calm the little creature. He was an interesting color, a light, almost pinkish brown. He seemed regal, even in his panic. His hind legs, tail tip, and his nose had a darker brown shade, and his wings had soft, faint, pink membranes.
He was unique in every way, and though others might not have agreed, she thought the creature was beautiful. She hummed softly, and he stopped creeling for a moment. "Hush, little one." She admired his dusky pink color, a color different than any other she had seen before. "I'll call you Dusk," she said, "That's half of your color." He chirped happilly, and she scratched his neck fondly.
She turned to Farryl, who seemed to have Impressed her own little blue-purple creature. "Congratulations," Sari said cheerfully, stroking her little Dusk happilly.

[Requiem]

Dementia stepped aside as the Poetic Bronze's flailings put her directly in the line of fire...and the Something Wicked Blue ended up getting knocked aside by the hissing firelizard. He flared his wings, hissing and darting into the crowd of peoples. What was wrong with all these snaky things, trying to eat him?! But as he calmed down some, the anxiety didn't fade from his eyes. Why did none of these feel right? Where was His?

Come, daughter love, come, Dementia crooned to the Madness Descends Gold, encouraging her as a rather large leg was followed by an equally large rump. With one last substantial shudder, the egg dissolved like glass, large wings lifted to protect her from the shards. Dementia simply stared, eyes slowly filling with red. No. He hadn't! Bad enough that the uglies had been laid in her clutch, but he'd laid a queen ugly here as well?! The dam of the clutch launched herself at the sire. The Devil was a good slave, yes, but she must punish him herself for this insult! Lay clutch. Stupid Devil slave lay his eggs in Dementia's clutch. Dementia think, bad, punish, but forgive. Stupid slave no know better. But lay fat gold ugly? Who think are? How dare you?! she shrieked, attempting to scratch his eyes from his face (and fortunately for him so angry she missed entirely).

A soft voice echoed her mother's as the decidedly gold creature lowered her wings, waddling out of the remnants of her eggs awkwardly. She was no firelizard, despite her size - much too small to be a firelizard queen, even if she was huge for a salamandyr. Where fat flyer? she questioned, mildly perturbed to hatch with another queen but willing to overlook it, since you couldn't choose when you were hatch- Suddenly it dawned on her that there was no other gold here but her. Watching the fight, a low creel sounded in her throat. But...but why? Why would her mother hate her so, and call her a fat flyer? Please, no fight, hurt flyer, she begged her mother, hoping that maybe Dementia would notice her daughter then and claim her. But the older gold merely hissed at her. Shut up, ugly. The gold hung her head, looking out on the gathered people sadly and finding no mind to accept her. But why should they, when her own mother rejected her?

He needed out of this cesspool of unworthyness. Now where was His? Flinging himself into the air, the Poetic Justice Bronze coiled, shimmering like a colorful ribbon as he zipped just above the majority of those gathered. No. No. Wrong. Dreadfully wrong. As if. One after another he found wanting until...oh there he was. Perfection. Crooning to himself, he lighted gracefully on Todmund's shoulder, coiling his body around the boy's neck to keep himself from slipping off. Sharp teeth nipped the jaw of His to capture his attention. Why was he paying attention to the bonebag when he'd just been claimed by his perfect mindmate? Just a momentary bit of insanity, surely. The Poetic Bronze could find him a much better queen than that one, he was sure.

Dmitri's smirk broadened. "Yoalla's right, the little green menace brings her total to four...but if you're feeling so confident...I'm willing to make the bet a little more interesting if it means once you Impress you won't bug me anymore." His eyes narrowed into a calculating gleam, fingers twitching at the sudden desire to whirl on Yoalla and deck her in the face. He resisted, barely...glancing sidelong at the clutch. "There's only two left but I'd still bet one is for you." Only when he was certain he wouldn't bite her head off did he venture a grin at Yoalla. "Ah, my bad. How arrogant of me. Of course one of your main purposes wasn't to make me squirm."

Something Wicked Egg :: Blue Salamandyr :: Wandering the crowd
Another Violent End Egg :: Green Salamandyr :: Impressed to Evrgarde
Chaos Egg :: Brown Salamandyr :: Impressed to Iskierka :: Rhino
Forge Egg :: Green Salamandyr :: Impressed to Mi'rah
Madness Descends Egg :: Gold Salamandyr :: Sulking
Behind Glass Walls Egg :: Blue Salamandyr :: Impressed to Tobby :: Melly
No Time Egg :: Green Firelizard :: Impressed to Yoalla
Serve Man Egg :: Green Firelizard :: Impressed to C'oar
Poetic Justice Egg :: Bronze Firelizard :: Impressed to Todmund
Trail of Tears Egg :: Brown Firelizard :: Impressed to Sari
Critical Mass Egg :: Blue Firelizard :: Impressed to Farryl :: Isshun

[Requiem]

Poetic Justice Bronze

Name:
Impressed to: Todmund
Species: Firelizard
Color: Bronze 999966
Age: Hatchling

Mother Goose was never here
Father Christmas was a drunk
Easter Bunny well done tasted good

Appearance: There are three things that people are likely to notice instantly about this bronze. First, of course, is that he is most definitely a bronze. The metallic sheen gives that away quite nicely, even if he takes after his other firelizard siblings by being rather dull in coloring. Secondly, this male has absolutely no legs whatsoever. They're not just short. There are no nubs where his legs should be. He simply...doesn't have them. Nevertheless, he is quite adept at scrunching his body and inching over the ground that way, managing to move at a surprisingly swift pace. The third thing people are likely to notice? He is, by far, one of the tiniest bronzes to hatch. Yes, there are in fact even some large blues who manage to outstrip him. If he wasn't so shiny, no doubt people would believe him a large, legless green.

The male actually has a very nice figure once you get past his oddities. Long, lean muscles, ribbonlike such that the lack of limbs looks almost right with him, and swirls of gold and darker orange/bronze coiling liberally over his hide make him fairly pretty to look at. This is especially true when he flies, for he tends to twist and twirl much like the ribbon he resembles, and his wing membranes are a pure, unadulterated gold that flash and glimmer with each ray of the sun that catches them.

Personality: Can anyone say overcompensating? I know you can. This bronze is extremely territorial. He claims all firelizard females as his (whether they want him to or not), banishes all males from the vicinity, and guards what he considers to be his territory - the places His most often frequents - from salamandyrs and other unsavories seriously. Not only does he chase away other males with aggressive shrieks and talons, but he also chases away anyone who His doesn't seem to like. (Or, conversely, anyone that he doesn't feel are good enough for His.) No one, of course, is as good as His, so he has to lower his standards some, but he refuses to let any but the best near his Bonded.

Futhermore, he has decided that His requires a queen, and actively attempts to procure the best of the human females for His. How does he do so? Why, by smacking right into them, of course, then doing the poor wounded firelizard act to open their hearts. Of course, he almost invariably finds that this girl is not worthy of being the life partner His needs, and proceeds to seriously attempt to permanently scar their ugly lying faces. His can do no wrong. Almost. Except going to a firelizard or salamandyr hatching. He clearly is enough for His, and why should he want any more? After seriously attempting to kill whatever new creature His might pick up, he's likely to sulk for days on end afterward. Unless, of course, he sires the clutch, in which case one of his babies is permitted to bond to His...maybe.

[midnight]

What had she been doing lately? She couldn't really remember anymore. She been in a haze really, since everything had happened. Figuring out more about herself, had been her forefront though. She went to her lessons with the MindHealer, and she avoided seeing just about anyone that could confuse her. She did what she could to make herself better. Without the MindHealer's ok, she couldn't be a candidate. She wanted that more then anything, so she got her priorities straight.

How she ended up at the hatching, she wasn't quite sure. She had never really felt the need for another pet. Gojii was a sweety, most of the time. Sure she was a pain in the butt with her vanishing, but when she was there... Well it helped the girl.

The woman wasn't quite SURE how she ended up at the hatching. She had just gotten back from training, and a drudge told her something was happening. It wasn't a dragon hatching, but the drudge had still shoved food at her and pushed her on her way. So somehow she ended up at a hatching. It looked like a Salamandyr and a Firelizard joint hatching. Interesting.

She stood off to the back of the group, watching the babies. Concerned for a few of them, from the actions of the mother. Were all mandyrs like that? And shards, it was getting so hot lately. Was that good for the babies?

[Rei]

The shrieking momentarily distracted Elysia from Dmitri and Yoalla but not for long. With a final gaze over the remaining babies she smiled a decidedly wicked smile. Mi’rah had already hobbled off so she didn’t need to play as nice as she had been anymore.

Taking a step forward she actually purred, the noise loud enough to be heard plainly. “I’ll tell you what darling. If you win I’ll leave you alone. No more teasing, no more attempts to embarrass you. However….” She circled around the blue wher then to run her hands over the boy’s shoulders. “If I win you have to spend one whole night with me. No excuses, no running.” Idly she allowed her hands to flit down his chest before pushing against it to make him step back a few paces. “Are you game?” Of course he would be. It didn’t matter though because not one of those little things would want her. Dmitri was screwed. Just to make sure of it she sent a silent command to Baron.

The brown firelizard popped out from between to circle the clutch and chirp to the remaining babies. With a croon he banked around Dmitri’s head before alighting on Elysia’s shoulder. Smiling slyly she ran her hands down her gorgeous Baron. “Thank you darling. What a good boy you are.” She cooed stroking his mind with loving thoughts for a job well done. With a happy chirp he curled his tail around her throat and blinked at the amount of people in the room. They looked like they would make an awesome obstacle course. Unfortunately though his wanted him to remain here. Maybe after his job was done he could go play?

~~~

Tynaris just nodded at Tenlie again but his attention wasn’t really on her. It was on the blue and gold that had yet to pick who they would bond to. Somehow he had missed quite a bit of the clutch hatching. Darn. He scrunched up his face. That was what he got for taking his eyes off of hatching eggs. He remembered the one time they had found a clutch at the pier at Southern and all the fisherman had decided to try and impress. You blinked and it seemed to be over.

Only that clutch had been small, only four eggs. This one was considerable larger but it had gone just as fast. Ah well if he didn’t impress it wouldn’t be so bad. There would be other clutches. If he did it gave Emoyan something to bitch about though. That was worth it. Come on little babies pick him, pick him. Because making your teacher angry was just fun. Well sometimes anyway. Especially if you teacher was a tyrant who made you run after he fed you.

~~~

Darmori watched the little legless bronze fly off to attach itself to a candidate he barely knew. He did know that the boy slept a few bunks down however. Good for him! Even if the bronze reminded him of some kind of inchworm he was still kind of cool looking. The blonde watched the rest of the babies and he frowned a bit at how positively sad the little golden, mandyr?, flitter? looked. Poor thing, did the mother have to be so mean? I mean even if she was a flitter? Or whatever, wasn’t she still it’s baby? It shouldn’t be so mean. I mean the gold mandyr had laid it.

The candidate didn’t know parents could be that mean. Then again he never had parents, so really he wasn’t an expert or anything. Still his heart went out to the poor little gold. It was okay though because whoever she chose would love her. Right?

[Ruby]

"Big Brother," Tenlie sighed. "I did train at the Smith Hall, and there did be a master there who always knew everyone's business. We all did call him Big Brother, and since this little guy is about as paranoid as my Master, I thought the name fitting," she added. "And I guess this qualifies as something he wants to stick his nose into, stubborn wretch that he do be." She stretched up futilely again, finger tips only reaching air. "I do be Tenlie, by the way," she offered, stretching one more time before hopping down off the shelf and realizing that Tynaris had already gone back to the hatching. Probably she'd been talking to herself for the last few minutes, but she didn't mind. There was a gold hatched now, and no one had been mauled yet, so she might as well watch the end.


Todmund had managed to close his mouth, and was frantically trying to split his attention between Elysia and catching up with which creature had hatched out of what color egg (he was convinced there was a correlation). He was just marking the Gold's hatching when something nipped his jaw. Todmund slapped a hand to the bite, pulling it away and expecting blood. But no, no blood, the Bronze would never hurt his perfect one, he simply wanted attention. And food, he was hungry too. Wrapping a little bit tighter around Todmund's neck, the bronze eyed his mother and father in turn, ignoring the failed Queen trying to find Hers.

And Todmund appeared to be missing a jaw again. Reaching a finger up under the Bronze's tiny, legless body, he loosened the creature, causing him to coil around Todmund's wrist instead. He really was tiny, but Todmund didn't care. He was perfect, and beautiful, and shiny! The candidate tucked his tablet and stylus safely away, then held the Bronze up to the light, examining him. Suddenly, though, Todmund realized he was hungry, and oddly, that he really wanted raw meat. Not totally understanding the ettiquette here, he simply grabbed some from a bowl nearby, ignoring the carrier.

As he started feeding his little inchworm, Todmund realized he needed a name. The Bronze reinforced this, sending Todmund images of himself as an enormous dragon (legless still), rearing up in the Bathing Rooms like the majestic being he was. Right? Todmund thought back, pulling names from the first histories he'd learned. "How does Carenath sound, little one? After Faranth's mate?" Yes, of course that would be Todmund's way, naming his tiny worm after a dragon hatched 3,000 years earlier, whose name most people had forgotten. Of course. Carenath approved of his name with an authoritative chirp, and Todmund smiled. He had a creature! One step closer to becoming a hero.