Hatching of the Sticky Sweets Wher Clutch

[adair]

How lovely all the little ones where! Blues and Greens, a strong proud Bronze and of course the Beautiful Queen. Torra sighed as she watched all the wonderful babies, silently noting each one and the differences between them, trying to catologue their reactions to their bonded and such. It was interesting to see how they were all vastly unique and different from each other... In fact, they reminded her very much like children, only increasing in her own mind her thoughts that these creatures were more intelligent than most people let on... Though she did not know much about Whers, she had often heard that they were slow, ugly creatures with low brain functioning... Torra disagreed on each of those scores... Sure these babies weren't the prettiest things, but she had definetly seen uglier humans, and they seemed to be able to move pretty quickly then they wanted to, and their intelligence, while not up to par of that of a human, or a dragon, was still rather remarkeable in her eyes.

After a few moments of simply staring at the tiny ones she began humming under her breath, encouraging them to come out and greet those who wished to meet them. After all, who didn't want to break out of their shell to the faces of those who were doing nothing else than attending their full attention to their birth? Of all creatures, only dragons were able to say such after all. And Torra decided right then and there that no matter what happened today, whether she Impressed or not, she would stay and try to Impress the next time there were some whers. Who, after seeing them, could do different?

[Administrator]

The old queen let out a soft croon at her Impressed children. As of now, there were only two eggs left, with none of them out as of yet. One looked like a brown was within, which was good. She hadn't had any bronzes yet, and she wanted many fine sons. The bronze she had seemed lovely, but she wanted more. A desperate wish, perhaps, but her daughter, her prize, was obviously her favored one. She had waited turns for a perfect little daughter. She had only had a couple in her lifetime, making little Neisk all the more precious. Letting out a pleased grunt, she rested her head on her cot, closing her eyes ever so slightly. She was quite tired. However, she needed to stay awake just long enough to see her final two children Impress. She knew that if she closed her eyes, they would never again open.

The Jawbreaker Egg continued to roll about eagerly, trying to get out as soon as it could to look at all the people. A couple more shakes and a twist, and... crack! The final parts of the egg split open, revealing a perfect, sturdy brown lad rolling around the shards. It took him a moment to realize that he was free; he continued to flop around as if thinking he was still in the process of hatching. When he realized that the air on him was chilling his egg fluid on his hide, he cheeped in incredulity. Looking around wildly, he let out a proud trumpet, darting directly into the crowd. He weeded through the throng curiously, accidentally bumping into Torra, then Swithin. He didn't even pause to apologize, too excited to find his bonded to do so. However, when he came to Zyoshvor, he paused, turning to look at him in awe. Could... could it be?! He sniffed, then squealed. It was! It was! Biting firmly onto his leg, he let out a muffled croon. He was Zyoshsk, and his bonded had been found!

The final egg, the Mint Egg did not move. A moment passed, then another. Many people began to wonder if it was dead. Some of them made a move as if to leave the room, but then, as if realizing they were getting impatient, the egg gave a desperate wiggle, trying to get them to stay. It was just having a little bit of trouble. Spurred on by the first motion, it rocked again. A tiny crack ran along the shell. Yet it was getting weaker by the minute...

[adair]

Torra winced a bit before chuckling under her breath. The little brown one had been in such a hurry to find his, bumping into her hard enough to perhaps leave a bruise, but she could not fault him. She had been hit harder by some of the children, and her own family members had been the worst and she could not even count the number of bruises from flying elbows, or scrapes from long-nailed fingers she had gotten in her time. So she could understand at least. Though maybe he could have gone a bit slower, it didn't seem like the final egg, the Mint Egg was going to hatch anytime soon and steal the one that had been His. But then Torra frowned... She knew she had seen the egg twitch only seconds before, but it seemed oddly still for the little one inside, especially compared to its brothers and sisters that had rocked so strongly. Staring at it hard, she unconsciouscly took a few steps towards it, gaze darting to the somnolent queen, then back to the egg.

Just as she was starting to wonder if she had made up the previous movement, Torra saw it rock again and instantly she began crooning louder, almost like a dragon herself in that respect as she urged the little one on. Already a crack had been made in the shell, but it seemed almost like the wher inside was giving up instead of fighting more. Surely with that breath of fresh air it would be wanting to fight for its life... But what if it couldn't? Gnawing on her lower lip, Torra finally shook her head. She could not just stand here and do nothing. Even if the wher inside did not Impress her, she knew she couldn't just let it die like this, leaving someone else unbonded. With a low hiss to herself, she stepped forward and bowed to the Queen "I am sorry for intruding, ma'em." Torra told her politely before kneeling before the egg, running her finger over the crack lightly before digging her finger into it carefully, cracking it a bit more. Only time would tell if the Queen would choose to attack her or another wher candidate yank her off, but she was not about to let this baby die without a chance at life.

[Kisha-Ra]

Redaro winced, he was happy for Zyoshvor’s Impression to the brown wher but he could definitely sympathise with the other boy’s pain, being bitten by a wher, even a hatchling, was probably not fun, even without teeth.

Redaro glanced at the last unmoving egg, was it dead? He knew that sometimes whers and flitters laid eggs that never hatched but the pale wrinkled egg felt living, or was that only wishful thinking? Yet the old queen still lived, if the egg was dead then the gold surely would be too. Redaro gave the egg another look, willing it to move. It did! Just a bit and a tiny crack appeared in the shell. Come on little one! Redaro thought at the egg as he sometimes thought at his flitters. You can do it, break your shell, for you mother if not for us.

As if sensing how important it was to Redaro that this egg hatch Jinka, Insi, and Telba set up the loudest hum they could manage and Jinka, who believed that all eggs were truly hers, risked the wrath of the old queen to glide down and attack the eggshell with her talons as if a little firelizard could help the wherling escape its prison.

[neeuqtar]

Varrana didn't take her hand from the old gold wher's head, gently caressing her eye-ridges as she watched the Hatching proceed. It was calming for the woman, and suddenly she thought that perhaps she should try and get one of those flitters everyone seemed enamored of. Perhaps having such a pet to mother would... would make her feel less bereft. Childless. She shoved the dark thoughts away. The queen didn't seem sad, despite her slow slip into darkness, rather focusing on the here-and-now: her golden daughter, her bronze son, the rest who had Impressed already. The tiniest of smiles slipped onto the woman's face as the brown Impressed, though she winced at the bite. So strange, how whers wanted to taste the blood of the one that they had Bonded to.

The plight of the Mint Egg wasn't missed by the glasscrafter. She almost moved forward to crack the egg--but no. She couldn't. Could she? The woman looked toward the old queen nervously, hating that she should stand there and do nothing for a young thing trapped. It broke her heart... Can I? she pleaded with her eyes, glancing from the gold to the egg and back. Must it die? She would stay either way, but the impending death of the wherling cut through the wall she had built around her heart. A tear slipped down one cheek. To lose mother, self, child... and now to watch another lose her child... it was too much to bear.

Torra stepped over to the egg, and Varrana felt a flash of jealousy. That she should try, without asking! But the swift heat was gone just as quickly, leaving her empty. Well, why shouldn't she? Wouldn't it save the wherling either way? Turning her head so that she would not have to watch, Varrana rubbed the dying wher's head gently, to soothe herself rather than the queen (who seemed not to be in need of soothing at all). "It will be okay," she murmured to herself, voice wavering. It had to be okay.

[Administrator]

The queen wher lifted her head sharply to see what was wrong with her hatchling, tiring herself rapidly in the process. She crooned sadly in a last-ditch effort to encourage the little one out, letting herself be comforted by Varrana's hand. How she wished she were younger! However, she sensed the woman's emotions. She nudged her affectionately, as if she would treat one of her own hatchlings this way. Even if she opened the shell for the hatchling, it would be obvious that it wouldn't be as healthy. There were reasons some eggs were duds; unhealthy whers would only make the blood worsen amongst their species. If they couldn't survive long enough to break their egg, then it was only natural that they wouldn't succeed fully in life. This would be a kind death. Though it hurt her, yes, to see one of her children dying, she had to let nature take its course. Interfering would be babying the wher, and it would undoubtedly be sickly the rest of its life if the shell were to crack by force.

However, someone did not know this. Trumpeting weakly in alarm as a girl rushed the shell, breaking it, she was overcome with anger and grief. The Mint Egg, by force, broke open when Torra pulled it apart. The queen's predication held true. What came out of this egg looked like a skeleton. His blue hide was extraordinarily pale, almost a shade of white. It looked like it was simply leather covering up a toy doll. The blue looked up, his red eyes whirling with hurt pride. He was almost out! He didn't need help! He was perfectly capable of fighting his own battles! He snarled at Torra, slowly trying to stand before falling to his side. He was simply too weak to do so. Giving a mournful call, he tried again, baring his baby teeth at Torra to make sure she backed away. She hurt his pride. He didn't want her.

Wobbling unsteadily on his bony legs, his over-sized head slowly rocking to and fro as he tried to see who it was he did want. Not a girl. Girls were stupid. Girls tried to open the shells of hatching whers. Treating them like babies. Well, he sure wasn't a baby! He was as strong as a bronze dragon! Or so he liked to think. In actuality, he probably wouldn't be able to hold his body weight up for much longer. He felt this, which only made him more and more determined to get to his bonded. The blue crooned softly, weakly. This was exhausting him. Such a hard start to life. Pausing in front of Swithin, his legs finally gave out, and he collapsed in front of him. Crooning pleadingly to Swithin, his large eyes looked up lovingly, vivid on his pale head. Could Swithin help his little Swisk?

The queen let out a tired grunt, falling back onto the cot. She was so tired. Shifting over slightly, she crooned to Varrana, letting her climb in next to her if she wanted. She was angry with the girl that opened Swisk's egg. He was unhealthy... but no matter. What was done was done. She licked Varrana's hand with her rough tongue. Such a sweet girl. A sad one. Forcing herself to remain in the living night a little longer, at least for the girl, she flicked her tail tiredly, trying to remind herself not to sleep until she felt that she was sure that she would last through a whole day's sleep. At least her hatchlings were safe.

[neeuqtar]

A glimpse of the skeletal blue wher was enough to make Varrana sick. Better if he had died... or fought free himself. She ground her teeth together, unhappy at the girl's interference with the wher, despite what she herself had longed to do. The Impression went unnoticed, as the glasscrafter supported the queen when she fell back to her cot. "Shh, it's alright," she murmured to the queen, too quietly to be heard by any besides the gold herself.

Like a little girl, Varrana crawled up next to the wher, for both their comfort, leaning against the tired creature's side and stroking her neck tenderly. The gold's greatest time of triumph, her golden daughter healthy, her bronze son arrogant and proud. All the eggs Hatched, though one shouldn't have... but he had, and Impressed. The trial, the terror and wonder was over, and Varrana felt drained and tired. With a sigh, she lay her head against the old queen's shoulder, not caring what anyone thought about her. After all, what did she have left to be embarrassed about?

You have bet against Bitran odds and won, she sighed mentally to the queen, not knowing if she heard or understood. Would that I could be you... "I'll stay until it is time for you to go," she whispered against the gold's loose skin, eyes closing with tiredness. How odd, that she should be so exhausted from something that wasn't her ordeal at all... She felt like she could sleep for ages. But then again, she hadn't slept a night through since... since... Shaking thoughts away from such a dark time, Varrana opened her eyes, peering over the gold's neck at the new wherlings. Oddly enough, she didn't feel jealous, only... empty. But she had been empty a long time, hadn't she?

[kysseh]

Swithin's first instinct was a warning of danger as he saw the other candidate move forward toward the egg without permission. He knew if the queen wher could have interfered she would have, but by the look of the poor old thing, she was in no condition to be chasing anyone away from her eggs. In a moment later, his shock and sense of danger faded into a bit of jealousy. The girl was getting involved without permission and would likely Impress as a result of her lack of manners. He frowned, the expression marring his normally neutral face. How was that right? If the mother wher thought her offspring needed help, she would have encouraged it. As he heard the weak trumpet of alarm, he knew she hadn't wanted the girl to get involved.

Reserving a rare glare for the girl who had stuck her nose--or in this case hand--where it did not belong, his big-brother instinct kicked in as soon as he saw the skeletally thin wher that flopped out of the egg. There was something not right about it; he was not a beastmaster and could tell that. Maybe that was why the queen wher hadn't wanted intervention, if she had known the wher would not survive long. His glare melted, and he struggled to not display the sympathy he felt for the creature, who could barely carry its own weight it seemed. Anger had turned to sympathy, which turned to shock as the little wher dropped down in front of him, and then he found himself staring to a pair of adoring eyes, asking for help.

Swisk. Just like that, and he knew, and he smiled. The smile wasn't anywhere close to splitting his face in half, but he didn't care a great deal about how happy others thought he was. His first interest was the little blue skeleton near his feet, and he knelt down in front of the wher, taking the small knife from his boot to put a knick in his arm for the wher to blood from. He had enough left functioning in his brain to remember that he must do that, despite the overwhelming shock and happiness... as well as a significant amount of concern. His little Swisk was small... and hungry, as was evidenced by the less-than-gentle, if still a tad weak, manner in which the blue attached himself to his arm to blood. He needed to find him food very soon, but for a brief moment, that could wait. As he gently removed his arm from Swisk's mouth, he stroked the little wher. Swisk, clumsily licking the last bits of blood from his mouth, tolerated the affection for now, though it was clear he wanted food, and he wanted it immediately.

[midnight]

Zyoshvor's eyes widened as the newly hatched brown barged through the candidates, knocking into two of them. He started backing away as the brown headed towards him, not wanting to be run into. It didn't look like the brown was about to stop, though. "Oooh, no!" He was already panicking when the young wher clamped onto his leg.

"Aaah!" A jolt of pain shot up his leg, and he stumbled and fell to the floor. At first, he thought for sure he was being attacked and he was going to die, but then a funny sort of emotion crept into his mind. It was like love, but stronger. And then the name occurred to him--Zyoshvsk.

"Zyoshvsk?" He repeated, stunned. The wher let out another croon, then released his leg. Zy wasn't even as grossed out by the blood as he usually would have been, all of his attention focused on his new lifemate. Smiling, he reached out and scratched Zyoshvsk's eye ridges. It then occurred to him how hungry he was. "I guess we should get you some food, huh?"

Zyoshvsk chirped in agreement, and Zyoshvor painfully got to his feet. First food, then a trip to the infirmary. Keeping one hand on his bleeding leg and the other on his wher's neck, he proudly limped off of the battlefie--the barracks.

[Kisha-Ra]

Redaro looked at the odd wher hatchling in shock. Was it a new kind of wher or just a malformed one? No just a malformed wherling, one that looked like any other wherling would if it lacked the characteristic heavy muscle of the species. For all his lack of strength the young wher, which Redaro now recognised as pale blue in the glow light, swung his seemingly massive head around to hiss at the girl who broke his shell like a child with wounded pride.

Even though the weak wasted little blue would be a lot of work to look after at the beginning Redaro couldn’t help a pang of disappointment, and jealousy yes, when the hatchling chose someone else. Instantly his firelizards, having done their duty in welcoming the new whers into the world, were all over him. With Insi popping between to come out just above his head, Telba carefully grooming his hair out of its tail, and Jinka wining around his neck and crooning at him Redaro thought perhaps it was just as well he hadn’t bonded to one of the wherlings.

‘Aw come on, get off.’ Redaro muttered at the fussing greens as he slipped away from the hatchlings and their bonded. What would he do now, move on? He should perhaps but he didn’t really want to, even though he’d only been here a short time Redaro felt more at home at Selenitas Weyr than Camp Arrion. Perhaps he could stay here, he could hunt for the pot, or try and trap felines for their hides, or just cook and clean and wait for the next wher hatching.