Hatching of the Little Ones ((Panna))

[FireThorne]

Raelwyn sat in the common room with Panthea, lounging on a few furs and stretching her arms languidly. It had been a rough day, but nothing was better at the end of one than relaxing your body and kicking back with some friends. She nibbled contentedly on a piece of redfruit as they chatted, having brought a few meatrolls and fruits for them to share from the kitchens. The candidate grinned wickedly as she took another bite, winking at her fellow Fort-born as she did. “You should have met the greenrider that came up during chores today. We were washing clothes when the Weyrharper himself came by to pick up some mending from the headwoman. Now, Faranth be a green before I’m lying to you, Panna. The man was bare-chested and barefoot. He only wore a pair of breeches, and thin ones at that!” The girl giggled to herself and shook her head, a mischievous glint in her eyes. “I thought Toya was gonna die.” She had a good laugh at the man’s expense, but she abruptly closed her mouth and frowned lightly.

“Did you hear that?” She asked, straining her ears for the sound once more. For a few moments, there was nothing, but it suddenly repeated itself, and a grin stretched across her features. Raelwyn swiftly pushed herself to her feet and took off, sprinting to the end of the room and picking up the jar I’slen had given her. Her smile widened as she held it. “Panna! My egg!” The girl said excitedly, pushing aside some of the sand to watch small cracks threading like spiderwebs across the surface. The Weyrling Master had approached her the other day after her chores were done and she was eating her dinner in the weyrhall. He had taken her aside, and the candidate had first thought she was in trouble. However, when the bronzerider presented her with one of Feya’s eggs, just like he had promised her the first time they met, an incredible warmth had spread through her. He had remembered.... That, just as much as the gift, meant much to the girl. It was also a rather large egg he had given her, though it would not a golden egg it was sure to be more than a blue.

“Oh, I’slen said I would need to feed the firelizard when it hatched.” Rael said quickly, darting back to the furs though sure to be extremely careful with the jar she held. She looked up as Panna reappeared with her jar as well, and the candidate grinned. “Is yours hatching now, too?” The girl asked, then handed the other girl two meatrolls. “The Weyrling Master said I would need to feed it when it hatched....you already have Fellis, so maybe you could show me what to do?” She was obviously excited, for this was the first pet she had ever owned. Raelwyn had not expected I’slen to make such a kind offer when she had cooed over Feya, but the bronzer’s generosity was displayed in the egg before her. He had given her a firelizard, something she had always wanted. The girl vowed to search him out and thank him again once the egg hatched and she knew what her new little pet was. He had told her the eggs were close to hatching...and shells, the man was right.

[brimstone81]

Panthea was very content with her evening off with her new friend, Rael. Fellis had taken to appear more often when Rael and Toya was around. Fellis usually hung around the kitchens if Panna was there, or a constant companion when Panthea was alone. Fellis was not the most social firelizard, or should I say, Fellis didn't care for crowds. The kitchens were acceptable because the little gold could hide up high away from the rough hands of children and away from the cooks' swats. Panthea had given up her extra time sitting around the kitchen the last few days because every time she went down there to talk or socialize there was a million petitions for her to help one girl or another with chores. And sometimes Panthea, who wanted to be well liked, couldn't say no. Plus the more time she was down there increased the chances that Panna would let her tongue fly at the old Headwoman. That got her into trouble like when she argued with Headwoman less than a sevenday ago. It was probably best to keep a lower profile. Panthea hoped that the old woman would resign and a new Headwoman appointed. Panthea was happy enough spending her time with Rael, who was quickly becoming a good friend.

As Rael repeated her story, Panthea giggled. She had seen the Weyrsinger around, but she was almost sorry she had separate chores as she related the hilarious story. "Shells!" She imagined everything vividly and giggled again. That was when Rael got her egg ready. Fellis hummed even though these eggs were not her own. Panthea got her jar with her egg. She took a meat roll with one hand and dusted of her egg, she was careful the whole time to rotate the egg like Jennah had said when Fellis hatched. The little egg was cracking, and Panthea thought it would either be a green or perhaps a blue.

"Yeah it's hatching. Be sure to have plenty of meatrolls, and I find it's good to smile and have happy thoughts. But I'm not sure if that really cements the bond. It's only theory."

[FireThorne]

Raelwyn tilted her head to the side and listened as Fellis began humming, watching the golden firelizrd with a smile on her face. The small pet of Panthea’s was rather scarce when the two had first become friends, but she must have warmed up to the other Fort-born for now she was present a lot more. If there were many candidates around the pair, though, the small queen was nowhere to be found. Focusing her attention back on her own egg, the girl grinned as she saw more cracks spreading about the surface. She saw Panna rotating her own egg, and Rael did the same. After all, she had already Impressed one of the firelizards. She must have known what to do a far cry better than the other girl.

“Alright. Thanks, Panna.” Raelwyn said excitedly, grinning in anticipation. Smiling was no problem, and neither were the pleased thoughts. I’slen had given her an egg, just like he promised, and she would soon have one of Feya’s to call her very own. More cracks spread across the egg, and the very tip of a small nose peaked out. The girl gasped, then held her breath, watching as a more of the egg fell away and revealed the firelizard’s face. “Oh!” The candidate exclaimed softly, her green eyes widening. It was a bronze.

She immediately began sending thoughts of love and welcome to the small creature, rewarded for her efforts by a small cheep. Smiling softly as the hatchling shook off the rest of it’s shell, the candidate held out a piece of meatroll to the little bronze, stifling a giggle when he snapped it ravenously from her fingers. He swallowed the chunk, then quickly demanded another, which Raelwyn was more than happy to provide. “Oh, you are quite the handsome little fellow.” She cooed, running a finger delicately over it’s back while feeding him with the other hand. It was so strange, she reflected, for the egg to have hatched a bronze. Upon her first meeting with Feya, when the small queen had leapt to her shoulder and butted her head against the candidate’s cheek, she had wanted a bronze firelizard to call her own. And now, here he was, standing before her contentedly snatching food from her fingers.

He was a lovely color, an amber bronze that gleamed with health in the glowlight and looked almost gold when the light caught his hide a certain way. He was only a handspan long, not including his tail, but the hatchling was sure to grow greatly. The candidate wondered briefly if I’slen knew the egg was a bronze, for it was much larger than the others she had seen. She wondered. The firelizard found his way into her lap and curled up contentedly, his belly full and his mind at peace with his new owner. Smiling in delight, Raelwyn stroked his back softly, turning her attention to her friend. What had Panna received?

[brimstone81]

Panthea couldn't help but be all smiles. She had been plesantly surprized when I'slen had given her the egg. It was kind of him, and she could never thank him enough. Fellis was young yet, and she knew if she found any of her gold's eggs, she would see if she could return the favor. I'slen might not want another firelizard, but perhaps he might like to take one for a gift idea or something. She would keep it in mind. Panthea was pretty good with her memory. Fellis now crouched not too far from Panthea, her little eyes whirling and on the eggs. Panthea giggled, "Well, I suppose she should be excited, she'll have some new companions."

Since Panthea had gotten the egg, she had been thinking about names. She didn't want to be left without one like she did at Fellis' hatching. Even though Jennah did help her out. Panthea had wanted something that sounded like it would go with Fellis. If it were a green, she would name her Kalli. If it were a male, then she had picked out Drell. Fell and Drell, she smiled, happy with the choice. Panthea was not used to names, and she wondered if she would ever have children to name. It all depended where she settled. She was eighteen and getting too old for crafts, and already in marriagable age. It might be unlikely that a holder would want her now. Panthea had been thinking about her future obessesivly the last few days as well. She had been dependant on her Impression, but Panthea was a little uneasy that it would indeed happen. Panna had thought of all sorts of situations and made plans. Maybe she could compete for Headwoman. Maybe she could become a nanny. Or maybe she could find a weyrmate yet. However she knew she couldn't live with instability. She needed a spot where she knew she'd be needed. But now to happier thoughts.

The egg was breaking, and with one clean crack, the egg fell way to a most handsome, yet small blue. He was a vibrant harper blue color, with dark swirls under his wing sails and a dark patch over his left eye. He cried out in hunger and Panthea, with out hesitation, hand fed him one meatroll after another, until he was satisfied. "Ah, my little Drell, welcome, sweets. Fellis?"

Already the gold and ventured closer to see what had become of that little egg. She curiously put her face close to his, and Drell sort of nipped her. Fellis chittered at him angerly and then betweened. Panthea giggled, "Aw, she'll be back after a little bit. Wow, yours is a bronze. How lucky! Congratulations, do you have a name picked out yet?"

[FireThorne]

Raelwyn laughed softly to herself as she saw Fellis watching the eggs closely, obviously interested in who her new friends would be. The little gold was adorable, she reflected, especially sitting there all ears and eyes. “I’m sure she’s looking forward to that.” The girl agreed. Naturally, there were not a lot of firelizards about the barracks, for it was rather difficult for a candidate to get their hands on an egg. Those had been raised close to the beach were usually the only ones to boast one of the small creatures, and the occasional rider who was lucky enough to have happened upon a clutch or knew someone with a gold. Grinning to herself, the girl was happy to among those who had a friend with a queen. Her egg was the generosity of I’slen and Feya.

Green eyes snapped over at the sound of a sharp crack, and the candidate smiled as she saw the blue firelizard before her friend. He was an endearing little thing, especially with that dark patch over his eye. “Drell, is it? How cute!” Rael said, then watched with a growing grin as Fellis ventured closer. Blinking in surprise, the girl giggled uncontrollably when the little blue nipped the gold’s nose, her indignation quite clear before she betweened. Well, he certainly had some spirit, that was for sure. “Quite the fiery little fellow, isn’t he?” She asked, grinning.

At Panthea’s question, the candidate smiled down at her little firelizard, stroking his back. “Tydus. Ty for short.” She replied, watching in amusement as the little bronze opened one eye and regarded the blue as if to ask what all the noise was about. Rael had to stifle a laugh. She had thought about a name ever since I’slen had given her the egg, and she finally settled on the name of her brother’s canine. He had to give the hardy pet away when he became a weyrling, of course, but he was in good hands with the other canines of the lower caverns at Fort. The girl had visited him frequently before being transferred.

The firelizard raised his head, now watching Drell with growing interest. He gave a soft cheep, then leapt into the air suddenly, landing on Rael’s shoulder. Wrapping his tail around her neck, the little bronze settled against her contentedly, one eye still on the blue. The candidate was surprised at how quickly he could move about, considering he was so young, but obviously the creatures matured faster than dragons. “Tydus is your name, little darling.” The girl cooed, running her fingers over his back and down his tail. She just could not get enough of the small bronze, unable to believe such a charming little pet was hers. “Know it well.” Another quiet little chirp was her reply. She turned to Panna, elated. “Aren’t they precious?” She asked, watching Panna’s blue. They were too cute!