Useth's Marked Clutch Viewing [open]

[Missing]

"Useth really now, no one is going to hurt your eggs. We just want to see them!"

The young Weyrwoman's voice was more exasperated than Nadhari had ever heard it before. She must have been arguing with Useth long before we got here.

Rina seemed to be 'listening' to her dragon for a bit before she spoke again, more quietly this time, "No I already told them this isn't an egg touching, but quite a lot of people have come to see the eggs and they know they're too soft still to touch. No one's going to let anything happen to them." The woman was in the habit of talking out loud to her dragon when others were around. She'd once explained that it felt rude not to, like talking behind someone's back. Nadhari didn't pretend to get it but she wasn't about to tell her sister how to talk to her dragon.

Slowly, cautiously, Useth drew back the wing that she'd had protectively covering her eggs. Nadhari had seen the clutch before, but most here for the 'official' viewing hadn't due to the previous quarantine. The eggs looked much the same as the last time she'd seen them. Although it looked like a few had fallen over here and there it didn't appear to have affected them too much.

From her shoulder Lumina gazed at the eggs, sending questioning images to Nadhari's mind about what was inside. Nadhari smiled, "Dragons... twenty baby dragons..."

---

The Protector and the Small
(Protector, Moon, and Swirled Eggs)

This huge tan egg is marred by a dark brown blotch near its base and stands imposingly at the front of the clutch. This is one of the largest eggs in the clutch, and seems even larger due to it's proximity to the two smallest eggs of the clutch. The Protector Egg is the fourth largest egg in the clutch. Nestled behind the Protector are two smaller eggs, the Moon and Swirled Eggs.

The Moon Egg is the second smallest egg of the clutch and can only barely be seen peeking out from behind the Protector. If one were to skirt the edge of the hatching grounds to see it better they could squint and make out a dark... possibly blue mark on the tiny egg's almost pinkish hued shell.

The smallest egg of the clutch has been aptly named the Swirled Egg for the dark green swirls that spiral across it's cream colored shell. From the front of the grounds you can't even see this egg behind the Protector. Only by skirting around for a better view can one even see this egg and most who come in don't seem to be taking the time.

The Flash of Lightning

(Cracked Egg)

This egg stands not far from the Protector and it's charges, a little further back and to the right. It has been named the Cracked Egg due to the lightning like cracks that cover it's surface in a dark burnished gold color. While this is one of the larger eggs of the clutch it seems to be taller rather than just big... a rather strange thing since it's still standing straight upright.

The Sulky Child
(Shrouded Egg)

The Shrouded Egg sits far back from the Cracked Egg to the far right of the rest of the clutch. Its deep, dark purple mark is turned towards it's siblings, almost as if it's sulking. It is of only a slightly smaller than average size, well-formed, and slightly pointed at the top.

The Watchful Eye
(The Watcher)

It's not hard to guess where the Watcher got its name. On the top of the egg, almost seeming to observe its clutch mates from the very center of the sands, is a greyish gold smudge with a black diamond mark in the center. The peculiar location of this egg's mark makes what would normally be an ordinary smudge look just like an eye. This egg is the third largest in the clutch, just after the Queen and Lady.

The Fighters and the Silent Audience
(Claw, Cross, and Smudge Eggs)

This cream colored egg gets its name from the dark purple slashes that mark it's shell like the claws of some unseen attacker. The Claw Egg leans against the Cross Egg, though only slightly. It almost looks as if it is being attacked, while it stands its ground. This egg is almost exactly on par with the Light and Dark Eggs for size, though its thinner shape sets it firmly on the smaller side.

Hashes the color of clotting blood darken the otherwise pale pinkish shell of the Cross Egg. The way it leans against its sibling makes it look as if its bearing down upon it in attack. While the two eggs are of a similar height, this egg is more filled out in width, making it slightly bigger than the average.

Quietly sitting behind the combatants is the egg known as the Smudge Egg, so named for the dark brown smudge on the rather dumpy looking tan shell. It isn't too far from the other two and almost seems to be watching their fight to make sure thing don't get out of hand... Or maybe its simply curious, who knows?

The Light and its Shadow
(Light and Dark Eggs)

The Light Egg is probably the most unusual of the clutch. While it is decidedly average in size (in fact exactly the same size as the Dark Egg) its shell is oddly shaped, bumps and bulges sticking out where they shouldn't. Many think this is due to the fact that it seems to have been lain sideways rather falling or tipping of its own accord, but just as many think it's just something wrong with the egg itself. The strangest thing about the Light Egg though is the fact that this egg bears a pale mark rather than a dark one. A pale pinkish sunburst adorns what looks like it would have been the top.

Just behind the the Light Egg is the Dark Egg. The Dark Egg and its companion are exactly the same size though the Dark Egg seems to be perfectly shaped where the other is lumpy and weird. Both eggs seem to be exactly in the middle as far as size is concerned with the clutch. This dark, soot colored egg looks as if someone stuck the bottom of it in ink just before setting it on the sands.

The Queen and her Companion
(Queen and Fallen Eggs)

The Queen Egg sits the closest to Useth's head, near enough where the mother can get her claws on it if need be. Its shell is a pale golden color and only seems slightly larger than the Silver Egg. Dark black, pearl-like spots mark the shell of the young Queen, looking very much like a necklace draped over the golden beauty.

Not far from the Queen Egg, in fact nearly touching, lays the Fallen Egg. This tan egg seems to have fallen over quite on purpose, almost as if the egg didn't think it was close enough to its golden sister. This egg is the fifth largest in the clutch, though its size comes from it's length more than it's girth. A dark red slash extends upwards from the side nearest the sands.

The Lady and her Attendants
(Silver, Leaf, Ring, Arrow, and Feather Eggs)

The Silver Egg sits surrounded by four smaller eggs, almost like they are waiting on her. The silver sheen of this egg's shell, and its size (nearly as big as the Queen Egg) clearly mark it as a Grey egg. A black crescent marks the base of the Silver Egg, partially buried by sand.

In front and to the left of the Silver Egg sits the Leaf Egg, so named for the dark green leaf shape on its lightly tanned shell. It is on the smaller side compared to the average for the clutch.

The Ring Egg wears it's maroon mark like an off-center circlet. It almost looks like someone tried to use it in a ring toss game while Useth wasn't looking.

Largest of the four attendants by far (though still smaller than average in comparison to the rest of the clutch) is the Arrow Egg. There was some debate as to what to call this silvery grey egg that almost seems to be trying to copy its silver lady. The black mark on its shell doesn't QUITE look like an arrow, but it was what stuck in the absence of a better suited name.

Last, and smallest of the attendants is the Feather Egg. This egg is slightly misshapen, but the navy blue feather smudge on its pale shell still makes it look rather pretty.

The Acid Splashed One
(Stained Egg)

Despite the black inky stain splashed across the top of this egg, most people find the Stained Egg one of the more beautiful in the clutch. This egg is well shaped and, while larger, not squat or fat like some of the other large eggs. It sits between the Lady and the Shrouded Eggs, if slightly back from the rest of the group.

The Forgotten
(Split Egg)

This egg has been placed behind everyone, even Useth herself. Its hard to see much in regards to the Split Egg unless one gets a look at it when Useth moves her tail out from in front of it. The pale grey shell of this egg is split diagonally by the dark, nearly black mark. Only the keenest eye would be able to tell from a distance that this egg's mark is actually a very dark purple.


((Open for posting. Please keep in mind this is a viewing, not an egg touching. Anyone who happens to step on the sands will be warned off by Useth. Anyone who is actually foolish enough to touch the eggs at this point would be very lucky to ever be allowed in the Weyr again.

The egg touching won't be held until we have more Candidates, but I will hopefully get up some sort of guessing thread before that.))

[danaphantom]

This is not a touching. This is NOT a touching.

Shells and shards, Taralo wanted to punch whatever wherrybrain came up with the prank that caused the candidate masters to repeat that phrase over and over as the candidates were led onto the sands. Honestly, the hold brats were probably too scared to get near a protective Queen and the weyr brats knew better. Even a simple girl like Taralo knew that the eggs hadn't been around long enough to be hard.

Ugh. She scuffed her boot on the stone floor as they began to enter the cavern proper, already annoyed and the impromptu lesson/viewing had only just begun. Still, once Useth moved out of the way, Taralo was certainly less aggravated when the eggs came into sight. So the rumors were true, they were practically painted with strange markings. In her mind, eggs were eggs, but that didn't mean she couldn't appreciate the colors.

Heaving a small sigh, Taralo leaned against the wall of the cavern, watching silently as candidates and weyrfolk alike hemmed and hawed at the eggs, coming up with crazy theories as to what it might be. They were healthy eggs, did it really matter?

[frozenaugust]

Ranlyn and Lisal had just arrived, being the last in the group since Lisal was moving slowly with her ankle being still handled delicately. Arriving just as the uncertain queen moved her wing aside to expose the oddly marked eggs, Ranlyn used his shoulder to nudge a path through the candidates and to the front of the row, stepping aside to allow his sister stand in front of him so she could see. "Would you look at them? Looks like a harper got his hands on them and decided to paint them." He commented.

"Perhaps. Seems like the queen's fidgety about something though. And from what the candidate master's have been repeating, I'd say someone spread rumors about a touching." The girl responded and turned an accusing eye on her brother.

"Oh come on, I'm not the only person who pulls pranks like that. I'm smarter than that too, Useth would chomp my head off I'm sure if I'd pulled a stunt like that." Ranlyn protested, genuinely hurt by the ill-treatment from his sister. The girl rolled her eyes but shrugged in her version of an apology and turned her attention back out towards the eggs. Ranlyn did as well, and in time to catch the twitch of a tail from Useth that exposed the last of the eggs.

"I wonder why she's hiding that one egg there." He heard Lisal ask aloud as she shifted to rest her weight on her good ankle.

[Mys]

Taking his time to work his way through the folk that had already gathered, Deleb soon found the perfect spot from which he could have an unobstructed view of the clutch and the golden Useth. Having never had the privilege to see a clutch before the journeyman healer began to immediately analyze how the eggs looked in comparison to things he had heard of or read. It was hard to ignore the whispers surrounding him, and the brown-eyed candidate soon took notice of the odd markings on the shells. It was truly a pity that this was only a viewing, but Deleb was no fool and was content to enjoy the viewing. After all, it would only be a matter of the time before the clutch would harden so that he and the other candidates could participate in a touching. Until then, he would just have to exercise patience.

Curiosity caused the dual candidate’s eyes to widen as he just barely recognized his fellow candidates. Being new to the Weyr the healer felt somewhat behind as far as his general knowledge of the protocol for these events, but he knew he would feel much more secure if he went to stand closer to the other candidates. Making his way over the proper young man made sure to offer bows to those he recognized of being of a higher rank than himself. Finally the tan-skinned twenty-one turn old had reached his fellow candidates, offering a small bow he then quickly straightened.

“Aren’t they just marvelous?” the candidate said with a smile at Lisal and Ranlyn.

His smile only widened as he cast his gaze back over to the clutch for a moment. Once his attention was brought back to his fellow candidates, he realized it would be proper to introduce himself.

“My apologies, I’ve only just arrived a short time ago. I am Deleb, journeyman healer and candidate. It certainly is a great pleasure to meet you both more formally.”

[Missing]

Nadhari stood steadfast by her sister who seemed consumed with keeping her dragon calm. So Nadhari seemed intent on keeping anyone and everyone who approached the Weyrwoman away with a shake of her head. She accepted praises for her sister's dragon, promising to pass them on just as soon as things died down some.

---

Milling about with the rest of the visitors were some riders from Western Weyr, identified as such by their shoulder knots. Two such were standing next to each other at the base of the stands. One was a woman of light brown hair and amber eyes, her shoulder knots ranking her as both a rider and a journeywoman healer. The young man, though it would take more than a passing glance to identify him as such, bore rider knots as well and was listening patiently to the healer woman's chatter.

"This is amazing! We're witnessing history here Midnael!"

"Aren't we always... technically?"

She waved that off, "But this is the first clutch ever like this. Medically, it's a miracle that they're alive. Who knows what that crazed girl infected poor Useth with. I DO hope that the eggs are okay... Kumath says that Useth would know best though. I wonder what the markings mean... They're all so different! Maybe there will be new Dragon colors inside... At least there are no buried eggs in this clutch like how Norpoth was..." she stopped mid-chatter to glance at Midnael, "Hey, where's Fin?"

Midnael looked at her, making sure she was really done for the moment before answering, "Finiky is out on the beach with Norpoth and your Kumath. I think they're swimming."

"Not Kumath if he can help it, he's probably lazing about on the beach! Norpoth does like to swim though doesn't he? It's a good thing Fin is with him, when I didn't see her on your shoulder I thought she was checking on the eggs. For a green she certainly is a mother hen about things! Do you think we'll be allowed to attend the Hatching?! I would very much like to catalog it for the Weyr's records... and for my own studies. This has the potential to be very important and I wouldn't want our healer's records to be devoid of any useful information..."

Midnael was looking at one of the Crescent riders seated in the stands next to a young woman who was sketching the eggs onto some sheets of paper, "Hey... Pala.... Isn't that E'rra?"

The healer girl, apparently called Pala, turned to look, "Oh... yes..."

((Leaving these two open in case anyone wants to jump in and talk to them, if not they'll probably stay silent the rest of this thread))

---

"Well, you're certainly the unhappy little Candidate aren't you?"

The voice cut through the crowd as a small dark haired girl wearing Western rider knots walked over to lean against the wall to the right of Taralo. A blue firelizard curled about her shoulders, tail flicking in obvious aggravation. The girl reached up to scratch at one of his eye ridges and he seemed to settle a bit. The rider nodded by way of greeting, "What's eating you? You make Jolly look... well... Jolly by comparison."

The blue flitter on her shoulder nipped at her ear for her words, "Ow! You little brat! You can't get mad at me for the truth!"

---

Extra characters in this scene:

[Chris]

Garrett slowly walked onto the Hatching Ground, still a little unsure of the layout of the Weyr. He was also still unsure of Rina's thoughts of him being here.

HE wasn't sure about his thoughts of being here. But regardless of that, he's been drilled in Weyr etiquette by Talaria and those were lessons he would never forget.

Looking around at the people on the Sands he spotted some familiar faces. Midnael, Pala and C'yan had come to see the peculiar eggs that Useth had lain. He felt a surge of homesickness? No, that wasn't it. Happiness. Yes, that was it. Happiness to see some familiar faces, not that E'rra's face wasn't familiar and a very happy sight to him.

He wandered over to them, looking at the eggs as he passed by some of them. His steps faltered a bit as his eyes cast over the stands and saw E'rra talking to... he couldn't remember her name. He had to remember these things, it was his job to know everybody's names. He frowned, but kept on walking to the Western riders.

"Can I not escape my sordid past?" he asked them as soon as he was withing comfortable speaking distance, before grinning and quickly closing the gap between them to chat.

-----------------

D'rew was sitting in the stands, watching the people walking about, standing in groups and chatting - all checking out the eggs on the sands. His interest was purely to see how many Weyrlings he would have to train and he was impressed with Useth's clutch.