Look what I found! (open)

[ShadowReine]

Kwerth lay half in, half out of the water, sunning his wings. The blue dragon seemed quite, quite relaxed, the first two lids closed, although he was not, quite, asleep.

For once, K'vil, who had duties, was not with them. That left Z'war with little to chase away I'elda's ghost. His dragon was not awake enough to provide the distraction he needed, so the bluerider walked along the shore. His thoughts went around and around and around.

This might be one of the last few perfect days before the darkness descended, and perfect it was, the sun bright on the shore...and then something almost hit him in the face.

"Hey!" he yelled, before realizing it was a wild gold. She came around for another bombing run. There was only one reason why she would be attacking him. He lifted his arm, batting her away expertly.

There they were. Twelve apparently perfect eggs. Ack and Sharp both appeared out of between to circle them...and then again...and then the blues started to hum almost experimentally. A moment later, the wild firelizards began to join them, the gold eying Z'war suspiciously.

Kwerth! There's a firelizard clutch about to hatch and I don't want to end up Impressing them all myself!

OOC: Yes, getting things rolling with firelizards. Any characters can be here, but as it takes an hour to walk from the Weyr, please either show up dragonback or write that you were already in the area. And watch out for that wild gold, she's looking kinda feisty!

[dreamer]

Jasper was new enough to Ista that he still took every opportunity to go to the warm beaches. The ocean mesmerized him, lying on the sand and watching the waves was enough to calm him and keep him from worrying about the future. Digging in the sand and making sand weyrs was fun too, he had one half completed nearby.

It was also nice to watch his skin darken and his hair lighten from the tropical sun. The next time his parents and their dragons flew in to visit him, they‘d be in for a surprise! He was pretty sure he was growing again too, his wrists had gotten a boney look to them.

He was idly watching a very contented blue lounging in the sun and waiting to see if any more weyr folk his age managed to get rides to the cove when he heard the rider yell. He sounded alarmed enough that Jasper started running his way, trying to figure out what was going on as he ran.

[phlysolo]

Lenia had done well for herself, she thought with a smirk, as the great bronze dragon Erusth settled down on hard packed Sands near Diamond Cove. Bronzerider H'zu was rather charming, she had to admit, despite his lack of patence with Lenia. Of course, that was to be expected, as Lenia hardly got on with anyone very well. He had agreed to take her, after breakfast out to the Cove under one condition: She would stop pestering him and leave both himself and Erusth alone so they could enjoy the beach for themselves. Of course, the three planned to spend the entire day around the Cove and had each packed themselves food for their respective dinners; Lenia was certain, though, that she'd tear through her meatrolls long before she'd normally sup for dinner.

Upon actually meeting the bronze, the Candidate was stunned by his size and coloration. He was metallic in every aspect of the word and she had, for one of the few times in her life as a Candidate and Weyrbrat, been struck timid. While it pleased H'zu, it seemed to dismay the big bronze and he had, to Lenia's surprise and delight, send waves of calmness into her being. The flight hadn't taken more than a minute or so and despite that Lenia was shocked to realize just how much she'd missed being a-dragonback. While her father had been busy doing his duties as a bluerider, he still had found time in his day, when he was amongst the living, to take Lenia up for a fly.

Never one to get emotional, she'd gently pushed the feelings of sadness to the recesses of her mind as Erusth touched down on the beach. The bronze could see in the distance already a blue dragon! Wonderful! Company!...Even if it was a lowly blue...

Mine! Look, there's another rider out here today. You should go find him. I'm sure you could use another friend...or two...or three... The bronze said, almost cheerfully. While he didn't necessarily like H'zu associating so much with lesser ranking riders, Ista seemed to have nothing but them. For the past few days the bronze pair had been living at the Weyr, they'd seen absolutely nothing of the current Weyrleader, nor of the Weyrling Master who was, according to the Headwoman, a bronzerider himself.

Yes, yes...Why don't you ask the blue where his rider is at? H'zu replied, helping Lenia off of Erusth's great shoulders.

"As for you, Lenia, I believe you have a bargin to uphold?" H'zu said, eyeing the Candidate warily. There was something definitely about this girl; for all her bad manners and sarcasm, there was a sharpness in her that H'zu didn't even believe was inside of himself, for all he rode bronze Erusth.

The girl turned towards him, half smirking half glaring in her impudence. "Yes, yes," She drawled lazily, taking one slight step backwards away from the pair. "I'm to run along like a good little lass and not get into any trouble and to come and find you when I'm ready to leave."

Her voice held such sarcasm and contriteness that H'zu couldn't help frown. Couldn't this girl show at least a teensy bit of gratitude? After all, he had taken time out of his life and...not-so-busy scedule to bring her down here. Just as he opened his mouth to reprimand her, they both her a shout of surprise.

"What was that?" The humans said in unison. Realizing this, they both glared at each other with hints of contempt.

OoC: Took just the teensiest leeway with your Kwerth. If you want me to edit, that's absolutely fine. : 3

Mine! The blue said something about firelizards eggs Hatching right now! Erusth said excitedly, his eyes whirling rapidly blue.

"What now? Girl! You like flitters? We need to go!" He said sharply, not waiting for a response. Lenia gaped at the bronze rider as he pulled her sharply along.

It wasn't hard to follow the sounds of an increasingly loud humming. Already in the air were a fair of firelizards and both Candidate and rider stared at them. Neither had any real contact with the creatures before hand, though it was natural to assume that both had seen their fair share of them.

H'zu, unlike Lenia who scampered closer to the other man, whom he presumed to be the rider of the blue they'd seen on the beach, stayed back just a little. His gaze was focused sharply on the golden flitter, probably the Clutchmother herself. No, if she was just barely used to the bluerider's appearance-and she probably wasn't based on that look she had fixated him with-then it would be foolish to charge right in as Lenia had. Then again...he wasn't about to call the anxious girl back.

The bronzerider approached more cautiously and quietly to the shaking eggs; Lenia gave him a scathing look, as though she wouldn't mind sharing the eggs with the stranger just a meter or two away from her, but to see the bronzerider Impress would annoy her to no end. He returned the look, inwardly annoyed that the girl could rally such feelings of contempt inside of him.

"'Lo, there, rider. Is that your blue? I'm H'zu, my bronze is out by the beach..." He said quietly, hoping not to draw unfriendly attentions of the queen firelizard his way.

From where she stood, Lenia supposed she should introduce herself, too. "And I'm Lenia. He brought me here."

[dotta]

The sand fought bravely against feet which plopped into it; their grip holding fast in a vain attempt to submerge these adversaries, only to be defeated upon these feet lifting. The tan rubble scattered into the air momentarily only to return dormant among the rest of its brethren. Along with the familiar hissing of the sand, sound of clattering boots could be heard. The large aged leather collided with each step taken, occasionally striking the large chest which harbored them. And a single string from each boot was intertwined to be hung from a strong, stout neck. But who would wield such a neck? Well, no other than Kathal himself.

The boy of seventeen would always find himself at the beach around this time. The boy had decided not to fish for a while, but he still wished to retain the tan that came with it. And though it was not quite midday, the sun was already suspended at its peak. This was perfect for Kathal.

The boy's trotting steps soon slowed, however, when something caught his attention. A series of adult firelizards were flying around in a frenzy. He wasn't the only one watching them. Their were several other people ahead of him.

Kathal ceased his steps when he approached the person closest to him. He took a moment more to admire this lithe creatures before turning his attention to this particular person.

"Oye," he asked, "What's going on?"

[Cherry]

Splashes erupted in the glimmering water as Ashuith's bright blue form dove after the sparkles of light the sun made on the ocean's surface. T'nul lazed on the beach and watched his dragon chase the reflected sunlight, as if the dragon expected to catch one. The blue's eyes were whirling happily, and that joy leaked through their mental connection, creating a smile on T'nul's face.

The weather was perfect - there was a healthy sea breeze, and the sun was nice and warm. The bluerider could almost fall asleep in weather like this.

And then a shout of surprise reached his ears, and he bolted upright.

Mine, what is wrong? Did you hurt yourself? I didn't feel anything. Do you see something? What-

I heard something, T'nul cut his dragon off. It sounded like someone shouting.

T'nul scrambled to his feet, and promptly tripped, falling flat on his face.

"That was dignified..." he grumbled to himself as he pushed himself to his feet and took off running across the sands.

He was a little ways down the beach, so there was plenty of time for several other people to show up, and when he heard the firelizards humming, he knew what was going on. He slowed to a deliberate stride as he kept a wary eye on the wild gold, who watched him right back, eyes menacing. He kept a respectful distance from the little queen as he took a spot between two people.

"Hello," he said to everyone and no one in particular. His eyes were on the eggs. A wild firelizard clutch! Even if he didn't get a little pet for himself, watching the hatching would be worth it. Besides, if worst came to worst, the fate of Pern may well wind up resting on the shoulders of whers and firelizards...

[ShadowReine]

If a bronze hatching first is a lucky clutch then this clutch...was not lucky. The gold screeched a warning, but could not take on all of the humans gathered around her rocking, cracking eggs.

But no, this clutch was not lucky, for the first egg to hatch shimmered, rocked, rolled all the way over and then fell apart to reveal a healthy...green.

Neither overly small nor incredibly large, the green hatchling nonetheless seemed healthy enough, an ordinary firelizard. Could firelizards protect Pern if the dragons failed?

This one...perhaps...seemed feisty enough to try. Even, rich and deep in shade, she hissed at her dam, then at Z'war, who was too close. The bluerider hurriedly stepped back. "Two's enough." Indeed, he had a blue on each shoulder, as if he collected the color.

Fine, then, the green seemed to say, and then launched herself in a flurry of wings at Lenia. And Lenia's lunch. Which, if she didn't move fast, would become a green firelizard's lunch, but then again...was that really such a bad thing? Certainly she wasn't going anywhere.

In the meantime, a second egg had hatched, revealing a brown of medium hue and slightly small size. Unlike his sister, he seemed in no hurry to depart from the shards of his egg. Rather, he seemed to assess each human, and then his golden dam. After all, when one is making important life decisions, they should not be rushed. Did he go wild or did he go with the humans?

Or perhaps that was assigning too much reason to a hesitation that could just have meant that breaking out of an egg was tiring. In any case, the brown moved, finally, meandering around the clutch and across the sand. He almost seemed lost, and certainly was not looking where he was going. Eventually, he walked right into Kathal's feet, and looked up at the boy, a little...confused.

Green (Lenia)
Description: A darker green than average, she is the same shade all over, absolutely no variance. She is of average size for a green and frankly seems very ordinary.
Personality: Oh, this one is a feisty one. She can do anything a dragon can...just ask her. This is the kind of firelizard who will find herself firestone and go help the fighting wings...with or without her owner. She backs down to absolutely no one, not even a gold.

Brown (Kathal)
Description: Medium brown, shading darker along his rides and the front of his wings. He is a smaller brown, but well proportioned, albeit with a slightly short tail.
Personality: Isn't it better to sit and watch the flowers? Never is this firelizard in a hurry, and he won't use three wingbeats if one will do the trick. Yes, he's lazy. On top of that, he sometimes doesn't seem quite...right... Or maybe quite all there. In fact, he spends as much time as possible sitting and daydreaming (preferably on his human's shoulder...it's a comfortable perch).

[phlysolo]

Oh..oh one had Hatched! It was...a green! How anticlimactic! Lenia herself had been hoping a bronze would have broke shell first. Still, she was out of her shell and looking around for some food. She seemed to head for the guy who'd been here first, but scampered away from him, aparently focused on something. Lenia watched her progress with the slightest of frowns wondering if she would take off to the wild. She was about to dismiss the green when suddenly.

"AAEEEEAA!" She shrieked, all dignity and propriety forgotten. Green wings assaulted her and needle sharp tallons clawed into her legs, allowing the green to latch onto the dismayed Candidate. Lenia could not comprehend the absolute agony in her upper legs. Luckily, the girl had strength to her and she managed to not give another such embarrassing scream of protest to the firelizard's new perch. Then again, she doubted anyone would have been able to distinguish her cries from the firelizards impatient and malicious cries of anger at not being fed.

Even as she realized that the insatiable hunger in her stomach was not her own, the green was tearing her teeth at Lenia's waist, stomach, and small hip pouch that had her lunch in it. Falling to the ground in both pain and effort to take the snarling lizard off of her leg, Lenia groped for the lunch she'd packed herself. Seeing and understanding what Lenia was doing, the grip the green had been exercising relinquished and she opened her mouth eagerly and expectancy towards the girl.

Not wishing to attain any more lashes or bites, Lenia ripped a meatroll in half and almost shoved it into the green's mouth. The flit, finally being fed, crooned in appreciation and anticipation. However, Lenia fumbled with the next piece and the flit roared her outrage and swiped at Lenia's face, giving the girl quite a nice cut across her face. Lenia retaliated, bopping her lightly on the head and shoving the other half of roll into her mouth. And so the pair continued the feeding. If Lenia were too slow, she'd get a swipe from the green's claws and Lenia would attempt to poke or prod her little green in an effort to tell her that that was not acceptable behavior. But finally...FINALLY, four meatrolls later, the flit was sated and she crooned happily, snuggling into the crook of Lenia's arm and falling asleep.

"Oh, you ravenous, ungrateful little thing! All that eating and not a chirp of gratutude!" Lenia spat, athough she was looking quite fondly at the little green thing in her arms, completely oblivious to the other 'candidates' and Hatching eggs for now. She had even partially forgot the gorges the flit had made on her legs, face, and tummy.

"I think I'll call you...I'll call you Midna," She said, smiling.

From just a little ways away from her H'zu had been watching the girl with such malicous amusement that he startled himself. Never before had he disliked someone so much and had actually lowered himself to enjoy their pain. And Lenia did certainly seem to be in pain: That firelizard had very fervently caught onto her leg and, as they battled over the speed of the feeding, had added a few scratches in addition to what she'd already done. Vicious little firelizard, really...

He looked away from the pair to see a young man whom he assumed was either a Candidate or a Weyrbrat find a little brown flit at his feet. How strange. That brown wasn't as viciously hungry as Lenia's green had been. Oh, well. Least that saved him the trouble of being half ripped to death by a Hatchiling. Still ten more little rocking eggies to go, H'zu saw with delightl.

[dotta]

The boy's unanswered question laid forgotten upon seeing what had interested so many people. Firelizard eggs-twelve in all laid within their sand burrow. But these eggs weren't dormant. One had already roused to reveal a feisty green lizard. This creature went charging as if in battle toward a girl (Was it really a girl? He wasn't sure) she deemed her new master. But after a very awkward scene, it seemed the two had come to a temporary resolution.

Now came time for the hatching of a second egg. And this is were the boy grew excited. At the moment, there were not enough people for eggs. So, the Kathal was bound to get a firelizard himself. He wondered what his creature would be like though. He bet the lizard would be the longest in the bunch or maybe the strongest? And certainly fiercer than that green firelizard.

Finally the second egg made way for a brown firelizard. This one was a huge contrast to his sister. He did not rush toward a single human, instead he remained idled, as if assessing each human. But finally, the creature made a slow tread forward.

And the closer the firelizard neared, the broader Kathal's grin became. He was coming for Kathal! Oh, the heavens were too kind. When the creature had reached a safe distance from him, Kathal had expected him to stop. Instead, the lizard ran right into Kathal's feet. It then looked up at the boy with a dazed expression.

Yes, Kathal's grin was now gone. And his brows creased in contemplation. Kathal tried to reason that the little guy was merely tired. But he wasn't tired enough to perch upon his shoulder right? How was he suppose to call this creature forth?

Kathal scratched the back of his head roughly as he looked down at his new companion. He then wet his lips before calling out to the firelizard.

"Uhh...come 'ere, boy...Here firelizard..."

The brown firelizard tilted his head toward the taller being than rested this very head upon the soft sand. Kathal frowned. He certainly didn't expect this. It seemed his little friend wasn't tired, but lazy. Kathal certainly didn't want to encourage this trait, but he also didn't want to have to beg his lizard to get up around so many people. So, the boy stooped down and scooped up the lizard in to his arm.

The lizard's attention was returned to Kathal then. But the brown firelizard did nothing more than peer at him then open his mouth expectantly.

"Nice to meet you too, Crabby." Kathal grumbled in response.

Yes, he knew Crabby was famished. But not everyone carried a meal with them. So, he proceeded to find something that would at least hold the lizard until he turned to the Weyr. Spiderclaws could be found anywhere one the beach. One just had to know where to look. So, when Kathal came across a small rock, he proceeded to upheave them until he found his prize.

And he did a few tires down. Picking up one of the scattering crab, Kathal held it up to Crabby. The hatchling looked at the morsel then back at Kathal and opened his mouth. Now the little bastard wanted Kathal to hand feed him?!

"It would be nice if you made a little effort..."

Nonetheless, Kathal stuck the small crab into Crabby's mouth.

[bookworm]

A pair of dolphins swam up, their attention captured by the blue dragon. Dragons were fun to splash and play with! As they swam closer, however, they spotted the angry gold and her brood. Squeeing happily, they watched the hatching for a little bit, then started to speak with each other in clicks and trills. After consulting for a few moments, they swam away.

A few minutes later, they returned with a third dolphin and his human companion, holding on to his fin. Kip trilled at the sight of the fire lizards, and Tesin grinned. Their podmates had been right about the hatching. It looked like there were several other people here, too.

"Little dragons! Cute!" Kip squealed happily, swimming close to shore as his partner stepped onto land. The blue and bronze dragons explained the presence of all the weyrfolk. Tesin vaguely recognized Kwerth, but he didn't know the bronze or the young blue. Transfers, must be. "Looks like you made a lucky find," he remarked to K'vil with a small smile. He had to agree with Kip. The flitts were cute, and he knew from watching his mother's brown that they could be useful, too.

[ShadowReine]

OOC: Z'war. K'vil is Z'war's weyrmate.

The next egg that hatched showed that there might be a certain truth to a green first saying bad things about the color spread within the clutch. A tiny blue...no, not that tiny, more like average size for the color, literally fell out of one of the eggs.

He squawked indignantly. Then he chittered at his dam, at the other hatchlings, at the humans. He kept up what seemed to be a running commentary as he set off across the sand. Like the green, he seemed to know exactly which of the sources of food he felt like going to. He went right for Jasper. He even tried to fly up to him, but he hadn't quite worked his wings out yet. He landed in a heap next to the boy and creeled, giving him the most pathetic 'feed me' look imaginable.

However, with the exception of Jasper, who had a flying stomach to deal with now, it was likely that nobody was watching the blue for more than a moment.

Crack. The largest egg in the clutch split neatly into two perfect halves, to reveal...a deep, rich gold hatchling, a shade or so larger than her dam. The volume of the humming definitely increased. As did the sudden look of horror on the queen firelizard's face.

In fact, the first thing she did on being faced with the big, wide world, was try to hide behind her eggshell!

Slowly, first talons, then nose, she emerged from behind it. Then ducked back again. Apparently, then hunger won out over fear...

She made her way cautiously to the nearest human. By chance alone, it happened to be T'nul...and she promptly tried to hide behind -him-, before giving him the sweetest look. You'll hide me, right?

Blue - Jasper
Description: About average for a blue, with slightly long wings and tail. He is a light cerulean, the color of the sky on a cool day, with darker shading on his underside.
Personality: Chatter, chatter, chatter. If this blue was human, he would love to hear himself talk. As firelizards don't talk...well, he still loves the sound of his voice. He chitters, he squawks, he croons loudly when petted. He's only silent when asleep and immediately after his owner tells him to 'Shut up'. However, he's also deeply loyal and affectionate. And a master of the pathetic look.

Gold - T'nul
Description: A darker shade, she is a large gold, well put together and even bordering on 'burly'...definitely a stamina flyer, not an aerobat.
Personality: Queens are supposed to be arrogant and in charge. This one never read that hide. She is...shy. Painfully so, in fact. Large gatherings, be they human, firelizard or dragon are likely to get her hiding behind her human, or even just flitting between to go hide in her Weyr. She's even embarrassed by the attention her mating flights gain. 'But all those bronzes are looking at me! Aiee!'. Fortunately, it tends to make her flights longer, rather than the opposite.

[dreamer]

A blue firelizard! wasn't he just the most handsome fellow! Completely smitten Jasper scooped up the little guy, pulling out a bit of wherry jerky form his emergency snack stash, a leather pouch hanging from his belt. He was always hungry lately, and you couldn't always count on being able to get to the Dining Cavern for a snack.

"here you go, little guy" he crooned, walking over to the rest of the group by the hatching. They might need some of his snacks for the other hatchlings.

The blue fit easily along his forearm as Jasper held him against his chest.

"I have a Little bit of food, if anyone needs some?" he asked seeing a few other hatchlings near the other people here. He hoped someone else had food too, he didn't have that much!

[ShadowReine]

Quiet. For a long moment all of the unhatched firelizards seemed to be taking a break from the labor of getting out of their eggs.

Then one of the smaller eggs rolled twice, away from the clutch and towards the ocean. It was as if the egg was trying to escape before it bothered hatching...but, still being inside its shell, did not realize there was a dolphineer that way. Not to mention the three dolphins splashing in the water.

The humming had died down again now the gold had Impressed, had chosen the domestic life over the wild. Now she would be one of Igen's assets.

Now the escaping egg hit a rock and cracked wide open to reveal another blue. A large blue, as large as some browns. Yet, there was something about this firelizard that was not, quite, right. As the egg goo began to dry, it became obvious he had a brilliant jewel-like sheen on his hide, such as no blue had ever shown. It was the sort of metallic shine that golds and bronzes possessed. Startled at the loss of its covering, the firelizard chirped, then realized it had wings and hop-glided to land near Z'war and Tesin...but it was definitely regarding the young dolphineer...especially after Z'war, not wanting firelizard number three, took another step backwards.

A moment after the strange-looking blue Impressed, another egg cracked open, sending shards flying in all directions. The gold, now she was a cause for staring, and this hatchling attracted a bit of attention.

It was a small bronze. No...the swirls of color, clearer from some angles than others, that crossed hide and wingsail were blue. The firelizard looked one moment as if he was a bronze splashed with blue, then one's eyes might cross and see the reverse, a blue splashed with bronze. He was, in fact, clearly both colors, oddly intermingled together.

Z'war drew in a sharp breath. "Shards," he whispered, mostly to his dragon.

With absolute dignity, as if unaware...and surely, the firelizard could not be aware anything was 'wrong' with him...the hatchling glanced around. A long look to his dam and her fair, and then, as if making a choice, he walked, wings held high, straight to the rider of the highest ranking dragon present, and stopped in front of H'zu, almost bowing to him.

Sapphire - Tesin
Appearance: A large, light blue, what differentiates him from normal firelizards is the distinct metallic sheen to his hide. Other than that, he appears to be a normal, well proportioned blue firelizard...but his appearance will stand out in any fair. He has lighter, almost silver-colored neckridges, shading out across his back and wingshoulders.
Personality: He's a clown, this one. If somebody stole from the kitchen...lead suspect. He teases anyone he can get away with and collects shinies...preferably other people's shinies. He loves nothing better than to get a laugh out of humans, and clearly thinks -he- has -them- well trained.'
Note: In mating behavior, etc, he's a blue. Just a very, very pretty blue.

Tourmaline - H'zu
Appearance: Swirls of bronze and blue cover him, a pattern that intermingles the two colors, especially across his wingsails. In size, he is more that of the average brown, distinctly smaller than any normal bronze. He has short, broad wings and a long tail, making him maneuverable for his size.
Personality: Status and dignity. He -is- a bronze...well. No, he isn't, and that's the problem. He's really defensive about being -small- (by his own standards). So, he tries to prove himself. He'll chase any gold that rises and sometimes eschews greens as beneath him. He even seemed to choose the highest ranking individual available at his hatching.
Note: This is a male firelizard, similar to a brown in size. He -can- fly golds, but is less likely to than a bronze.

[phlysolo]

Lenia, by now, was nursing her injuries rather than paying any real attention to the Hatching. Midna was fast asleep in the crook of her bent left arm and crooned ever so slightly in her sleep in what could be green flitter snores. In spite of herself, the Candidate found this vicious, snarling little annoyance to be rather adorable. She looked up only occasionally to see a gold flit Hatch and Impress to...some guy who she didn't know nor hadn't cared to know. Yes, all she cared about right now was her little sleeping Midna.

It wasn't until someone gasped with surprise that she actually looked up. What? What was all the fuss about now? From Lenia's position she only saw...a blue flit. But...it was shiny. What was wrong with it? Should it look like that? Sitting up, but cautiously so she wouldn't wake Midna nor suffer another attack, Lenia craned her neck to get a better view. In all her days at Weyr, seeing a shining dragon was quite common, but that was only a usual sight for bronzes and golds!

The strangeness wasn't about to stop and before Lenia could completely swallow the little...whatever the shards it was Impress to another random person that Lenia did not know, another...ridiculously colored flit Hatched out of its egg! It was bronze...No, it couldn't be a bronze. Why! It had blue swirling all over it, Lenia spied, completely befuddled. What in Faranath was going on? This wasn't...this wasn't right! Flits couldn't just...just...just...MUTATE. Yes, that was what it was! Mutation! These flits...these flits must not be healthy! They must be some kind of diseased, brain addled, abnormal firelizards! They must all be put down! But then...that meant...that her little Midna...was some kind of a freak, too, right, born of this Clutch?

She weakly stared down at her little green, completely torn between love and devotion to the newly Hatched babe in her arms and total fear of the unknown of the little oddly colored bronze...blue...whatever it was that Impressed to (Lenia's gaze and expression pulled into one of deeper disgust) H'zu. Well, perhaps he deserved such a freakish fire lizard.

Some part of her mind, however buried by her tendency to have a negative outlook on things, insisted that these two uniquely colored lizards were not necessarily a bad thing. After all, the other fire lizards seemed not at all bothered by their appearance...

~~

H'zu had actually be staring rather hungerily at the wobbling eggs and had stared enviously at both a young man whom he'd never seen once before (whom he also presumed to be a Candidate by the tell-tale shoulder knot he wore) and the gold to T'nul, the bluerider who'd greeted him his first day at Ista and who had also helped settle him into his weyr. Well, good for that bluerider, he thought, feeling resoutely sure that T'nul would do a good job passing around eggs when the time came for the little gold to Fly and Clutch. Yes, T'nul was a good fellow, quiet maybe, but fair.

Still, there were still more eggs shaking and rocking on the sands and H'zu was hopeful, ever hopeful, that one of the little lizards rocking up their little containers would be all for him. Just as his mind had settled on the resolution, one egg burst open and out of it tumbling a little blue flit. Shells, he was a large one, H'zu observed. He had seen his fair share of fire lizard Hatchings, though none of them every had turned out little critters for himself. By the judge of it, this blue was large, or going to be fairly so when he grew up, probably the size of a very small brown and certainly larger than any of the other blues that would probably Hatch here. Wow, that was interesting. He'd never seen a little blue so large before, ironically enough.

The little guy looked exceptionally shiny as well, but he attributed that first to the excessive egg goo that every Hatchling he'd ever seen be covered with. But...that was rapidly drying away and the flit seemed to be strangely still shimmering. The more H'zu stared at it, the more he realized that he wasn't imagining the glimmer, that it wasn't a weird trick of the light, or shadow for that matter. No, this big blue, a lizard so large that it could probably pass at least in size for a small brown, was truly shining like a metallic dragon! He almost glinted so brightly that his hide had faint echoes of his naturally glinting Erusth! How was this possible? Blues, for obvious size reasons, were not metallic. This was most irregular.

The blue? No, it couldn't possibly be a blue by the standards of dragonkind at all. Well, whatever this little shiny azure flitter was, it seemed to have no idea that there was anything at all the matter with it. And the more H'zu thought about it, for the other firelizards surrounding the Hatching had not uttered a squawk of protest, there really couldn't be any defect to the little guy-for he presumed it to be male in accordance with its color. No, if the other firelizards, specifically the gold Clutchmother who was still hovering warily over the Hatching, hadn't swooped down to attack it, then there really shouldn't be a problem.

If anything, H'zu thought, rubbing his chin and watching the strange flit Impress to a lad whom he wasn't sure what his ranking nor status was, this new color would be a welcome addition to the Weyr. After all, who wouldn't want a firelizard that was generally considered a lowly being to have the same sheen and metalicism as a bronze or gold? By the First Egg, H'zu wouldn't. Once most of the inhabitants of the Weyr adjusted to him, her, it, H'zu was sure that this flit would be the envy of almost everybody, for such was the attractiveness of its hide. If someone spoke with discontent and aggression towards it, that would only mean that they were unwilling to accept any sort of change at all-even the good kind!

Again, H'zu made up his mind for a second time at this Hatching about the contents of the eggs just in time, as it would so happen again, for another flit to break free of its shell. Oh, at last! A good bronze..?! No, it couldn't possibly be a bronze at all. There was no Pernly way that it was! H'zu took an hand's step closer and bent over slightly to get a better look at yet another irregularly colored Hatchling. If the metallic blue had been a shocker, this bronze-blue combination took the proverbial cake! The more H'zu stared at it, the more he couldn't figure out if it was a bronze flit with blue swirls or a blue flit with bronze swirls!

What was going on? Had the flitter population suddenly decided to over dose on food colorings to change their markings or something? As he stared at the bronze-blue, or blue-bronze depending on how one was looking at it, the lizard had decided to move about. He looked rather regally to his Clutchmother's fair, then promptly turned and headed away from them...straight for H'zu himself! The bronzerider stared perplexed at the Hatchling as it lowed itself down on its front legs, his long neck extended to where it was straight out in the slightest of ramps so that his little chin nearly touched the sand.

Shells! The...whatever it was seemed to be bowing to him, regally almost! H'zu, giving the new firelizard with his even stranger hide coloration the same respect that it had just shown him, lowered himself down to one knee and scooped him, her, it up into his hands. The flit raised himself up tall in the man's large cupped hands and bugled in such a stately way that H'zu couldn't help but laugh. Like a kind scolding a court jester for impudence, the...bronzie-blue let out several chitters and squawks of his scolding, making the bronzerider laugh even harder. Outraged, the flit hissed and tucked himself almost into a ball of discontent in H'zu's hands.

"Oy, oy, sorry, sorry, um...firelizard," H'zu said, still amused, but rapidly losing his confidence. What was he supposed to call this thing? He couldn't even discern its gender!

It is a male, H'zu. And Erusth's voice shocked the rider so that he jumped and off-set the bronzie-blue in his hands.

The flit chattered once again in his annoyance and clammored up H'zu's arm, trying to reach the man's high shoulders to perch. Of course, that would be the best place for him! High above everyone else! And where he should be, too. He was far better than that those other flits that had just Hatched, after all! And His newly bonded would make the perfect place for him at all times! He had a new 'big brother' of sorts who was bronze, too. And of course he was! Bronze stuck with bronze!

How...how can you tell? How do you know?! H'zu demanded of his dragon, thankful that he'd worn a rather thin longsleeved shirt and wherhide maroon jerkin today, for the firelizard would have surely scratched up his arms, shoulders, and neck as he tried to settle himself on H'zu's shoulder.

Because that's what the thing conveyed to me. Seems to think he's a right bronze, too, for that matter... Erusth rumbled, his tone alluding that he was amused by the flit's behavior rather than disturbed by its color.

So, so...Nothing's wrong with? The rider asked almost timidly, being reminded of the fire lizard's hungry plight the instant the Hatchling began his piteous creeling. He yanked three meatrols from the small sack he'd brought with him and tore one in half, giving it to the lizard.

It instinctively took it between his forepaws and began stuffing his face. But not too quickly, H'zu made sure, for he didn't want this newly Impressed...oddity to die before anyone had a chance to figure it out.

Why should there be? I...can smell no difference in him between any of the other fire lizards here and he seems to be quite capable of...communicating. Well, at least by firelizard standards, he can. Vivid pictures, he sent me... Erusth replied swiftly and with such lack of concern that H'zu felt he should drop the topic.

If the cautious and wary fully grown bronze mass that was Erusth was not worried about this bronzie-blue on H'zu's shoulder, then H'zu knew he musn't be either. Perhaps...and his mind got to turning...Perhaps that Plague that had swarmed across Pern had...had...tampered with whatever it was in flitter genes that had caused this...mutation? Could it be called that? Well...certainly, H'zu supposed. And quite a ruckus it would cause back at Ista to see not one but two freakish flits at the Weyr. Of course, no one he knew would say a bad word about them, if H'zu had anything to do with it.

Slowly, feeding the fire lizard, H'zu turned his attention back to the rest of the Clutch and wondered if there were any more...surprises laying in wait inside those eggs. If there were, there could be a whole slew of problems and speculations back at Ista. For...if this could happen with a wild fair, could it, would it happen to, say Lyeth, who was the first and only gold dragon to Hatch after the spread and eradication of the Plague?

And if there were more abnormalities in this Clutch, H'zu had decided that he would fight in favor for these bizarre twists on firelizard kind, regardless of the fact that he himself had Impressed one. A sudden thought of understanding struck him: What if this was the new future of Pern? What if this Plague had made it possible for these new radical colors to exsist? How hard would it be to, not only convince, but integrate these strange new flitters and, quite possibly, new dragons into hierarchy already established? H'zu did not know, and could not possibly at all at this moment, but he did vow to help spur the winds of change if he were ever given the chance, if indeed these new colors somehow made it to the dragons of Pern, if Lyeth indeed bore Clutch at all...

You should feast on all the beasts you can today, Erusth, for you must, you -must- Fly hard for Lyeth... H'zu said to his dragon. He did not receive a reply, nor had been expecting one, for Erusth, who at the same moment as his rider, been thinking the same: their bonds of Impression poignantly shared their feelings, sentiments and thoughts acutely.

After a beat...What will you be calling him, by the way?

"Oh..." And H'zu had said this out loud, just as he finished giving the bronzie-blue the last bit of meatroll he could have stuffed into his mouth. The flit had crawled from his perch to the comfort of H'zu's arms and, with a soft yawn, snuggled against the man and fell asleep.

"Well...Bonooru, I suppose..."

[dreamer]

Warily Jasper backed away from the weird new hatchlings, any thought of sharing his bits of food forgotten. Where the flitts ill? They didn't move like it, but those were not natural colors. He couldn't help but be afraid it was the start of a new illness when Pern's dragons had been all but destroyed by the last one!

His little Blue Flitt acted normal and looked normal, what kind of illness could deform some flitts in the shell and leave others alone? Would they have to be quarantined?

[bookworm]

Tesin's eyes widened at the sight of the little gold. He expected her to go wild, but instead, she graced one of the riders with a bond. The humming died down, but there were still eggs left. Next to hatch was a large blue, who started towards Tesin and Z'war. Then, the metallic sheen to the blue's hide became visible, and Tesin gasped. He had never seen a fire lizard like that before, even among the wild ones.

He realized Z'war was backing away from the flitt, so Tesin moved forward, scooping up the strange metallic blue. The hatchling creeled, eyes whirling red with hunger. Tesin grinned goofily as the pleasant Impression feelings blossomed in his mind. Still, he knew he needed to feed the odd little blue to cement the bond.

"Can I borrow some of that food?" He asked the candidate who had volunteered earlier. Seeing the boy's dismayed look, Tesin frowned. "Don't worry, I think he's okay. Just oddly colored."