Midnight Chow

There had been a Hatching, and so there would be a feast. Nevermind that it was now legitimately "the middle of the night". Almost everyone had wanted to see White Lightning's first Hatching, and so everyone was awake and far to keyed up to sleep.

Br'son had spoken with the de facto "Lower Caverns" staff (even though the cavern was actually on an upper level compared to several of the dragon weyrs) about the possibility of a feast sevendays ago. They didn't have much, especially when it came to meat, but the canyoners and exiles that made up his Weyr were hardy, creative folk, and they'd done wonders with what they had.

The result was a curious mix of supper and breakfast, served with liberal amounts of wine, beer, and liquor (for those staples were not at all in short supply!) There were piles of delicious sweet rolls flavored with a spicy filling, as well as fruit pies and pastries of all kinds. There were breads of all kinds, as well as delicious hearty hot cereals made from various grains and flavored with nuts and dried fruit. There was a bit of meat, but it was mostly breakfast meats, since those were less suitable for young dragonets. Several slabs of fat-riddled streaky ovine belly had been saved when the dragonets' animals had been slaughtered, and these were fried up and filled the air with a delicious meaty smell. Klah and tea were also available, and when Br'son finally walked into the Mess Hall, he felt a surge of pride in his weyrfolk.

"This is amazing," he said to the assembled people. "Look what you've all done here. Thank you! Thank you so much."

Several of the staff smiled and turned away, and Br'son made a mental note to do something special for the "Cavern" staff.

A small dias had been set up, and he moved quickly to his designated place. He tried to be casual as he looked around for Sidran. The young weyrlings weren't here yet, which meant that he wasn't too late. They'd still be settling their dragonets, but he didn't imagine they'd be long before showing up at this midnight party in their honor. Yllaveth's sleepy presence occupied the back of his mind in comfortable, self-satisfied doze.

The Weyrsenior poured himself a glass of wine, and decided not to sit, not yet. He'd linger near his place until the weyrlings and his Weyrleader had arrived. He had announcements to make, and then the party could begin.

Dear, do try and have fun. Not too much fun. No, you cannot sit in the Weyrsenior's lap. Before you even ask why, it is not proper. Love! That is your weyrsenior! Just because you are both eighteen doesn't mean you can just....throw yourself at his feet and show him how very deep your loyalty goes.

When did you become such a mom, Anarath? V'tayn said, straightening his jacket as he entered the hall. The smell of the spicy pastries and slow cooked meat was reeking a happy havoc on his concentration but he could hardly miss the handsome Titanium rider milling about the designated place for Weyrsenior and Weyrleader. V'tayn, in truth, knew better and he voiced it readily.

No worries, my violet vixen. Br'son is tasty but there is a line. It starts with Sidran and ends with Can and Will eat your Heart Casriel. he said with a sigh. How could he compete with sexy women on cobalts!?

Best not to worry about it, love. As if you lack for company.
Anarath chortled a good natured laugh.

True, true. Much to political a climate for me. V'tayn replied. He settled for a friendly wave for his Weyrsenior, instead of a saucy wink, and made his way.

"A most heart felt congratulations to you, sir." V'tayn said, bowing with a flourish at the waist.

Sidran had changed, but rather than go glamorous - which felt foolish in the middle of the night - she went with a more polished version of her usual work outfit. Leather pants, a close-fitting deep blue top, her hair loose and easy (the sort of loose and easy that took effort, but not an absurd amount).

This was their first hatching feast, and while it was far more about the newly Impressed, it also mattered that they approached this as the first of a long tradition, rather than the helter skelter messiness of scraping by. And so she'd taken a little bit of time to change and freshen up, and was glad to see she still made it back in time before the new riders made their appearance.

Seeing Br'son across the room she smiled, and made her way toward him, pausing only to greet those folks she passed on her way. "It smells amazing," she said, with a hint of a smile that was very much just for him, adding with another (if less promising) smile for V'tayn, "And a good evening to you, V'tayn."

Br'son had been lost in thought, contemplating his upcoming speech. Sidran's voice snapped him back to the present, and he met her eyes with a smile of his own... and a fair amount of heat in that gaze.

"Weyrleader," he said. "You look lovely," he said, reaching out his hand to assist her in stepping up on the dias. She didn't need it, of course. It was merely courtesy, and more than anything an excuse to touch her. But when she greeted the nearby scarletrider, Br'son turned and included the young man in his smile.

"Hey V'tayn," he said. "Did you and Anarath enjoy the Hatching?"

The words popped out before he could stop them. "Babe, it was totally banging."

Love!

V'tayn was suppose to blush. He was suppose to apologize. There were a thousand things he was supposed to say. He slowly raised grey-blue eyes to his Weyrsenior and then his Weyrleader.

"I'm sorry." V'tayn said and corrected himself. "It was totally banging, sir."

Feeling like he had taken up enough of the Weyrsenior's good time, V'tayn pivoted to Sidran.

"Good evening, Weyrleader. A good time, to be sure. I think I hear those spice rolls calling my name." and he winked at her in sudden impish delight.

Someone would be calling his name by the morning, anyways.

Sidran took his hand and stepped up, and as she had before, laced her fingers through his rather than let go. She smiled again - it was hard not to, with V'tayn. "Spice rolls do seem like a good way to start." Warmth in her tone, ease. As though she stood where she belonged, and it suited her. Or she enjoyed her company. Both; two things can be true.

Br'son rolled his eyes at V'dayn and laughed. The scarletrider had been irrepressible for as long as Br'son had known him. "Well," he said before the other young man left, "you would be the expert on what's 'bangin', I suppose."

When Sidran laced her fingers through his, though, the Weyrsenior's attention swung back to her and stayed there. The heat between them still burned hot, and he wanted her some kind of bad. Her earlier promises had only whetted his appetite, and he found himself wondering how quickly they could sneak away without seeming to slight the Weyr's newest generation of dragonriders. Then he chided himself for thinking unworthy thoughts.

Then he looked at the neckline of her shirt, and thought some more unworthy thoughts. Lots of them.

***

M'dian hadn't taken long to get cleaned up, after he'd finally gotten Gideath settled. The quartz had hummed himself to sleep, happy about the ridiculously full belly he carried on his slender pearl frame. M'dian had watched him with an exquisite tenderness for just a moment, and then had gotten up, bathed quickly, and put on his finest clothing. Unfortunately for him, that wasn't saying much, but at least he was clean. His fine knife went into his bet sheath, and he was ready to go. Ashrah had brought them to a new cavern not far from their old candidate barracks, and he and Gideath had an alcove to themselves. So with one last look at the sleeping quartz, M'dian pushed through the leather curtain and out into the open area in the center.

"M'drist?" he called, and then, because they might as well start working together from the start, "L'lain?...E'zen? You guys coming?" He hoped his hesitation over calling out the new shadowrider wasn't too obvious. Those dark dragons still freaked him out, even with all of Gideath's reassurances that they were perfect and not at all dangerous. There was just something about them.

***

Siona sailed into the Mess Hall in good spirits. A midnight feast! Well, why not, she thought. There had been a Hatching, ergo there ought to be a celebration. And with two new colors and the endless possibilities that engendered... Siona was in the mood for a celebration indeed. Perhaps one that would end up with her sharing the sunrise with someone... one never knew.

She'd lost track of Dividia, but she'd been pleased with her as a seatmate for the Hatching. The wherhandler certainly had some interesting perspectives, and if Siona were perfectly honest, she loved the aura of danger that the other woman carried with her. Avidian, too, had been pleasant, if taciturn. He'd been entirely focused on the goings on on the Sands, and hadn't made a single comment. When Siona hadn't been able to resist any longer, she'd asked Lolath, but the quartz had only replied that the Stillmaster wanted to truly bind their two communities together. While encouraging, this news was relatively unhelpful, since Siona had already known that.

But still, celebration time! She snagged a wineskin from the top of a table and a glass from another and sashayed on in to find a good seat. Perhaps Dividia or someone equally entertaining would join her. One could only hope.

***

Avidian nodded. His boys nodded back and hefted the keg of White Lightning that was due to go out by dawn. Hatchings were one thing, but business was business and at the end of the day, Vid was the consummate businessman. He'd see his delivery off, and then head in to the feast. He wanted to congratulate Br'son and the new weyrlings... and he wanted to have a word with the canyon-born among them.

V'tayn chuckled and nodded his head, peeling himself off from the happy couple now that his sense of propriety, however childlike, had been satisfied. The young scarlet rider collect himself a plate including two spice rolls, poured himself a glass of wine, and headed toward a knot of rider's that mainly comprised his own classmates. No sooner had he sat down, he dug in and more people began to arrive.

The first was E'ret. His green-grey eyes stood out boldly against his jacket of dark brown and his boots were shiny with fresh polish. On his left index finger shone a band of silver, in it's center a white opal. The oval cut stone was very similar of Itzelbith's coloring and glittered brightly in the light of the cavern. With gravity, E'ret approached his Weyrleader and Weyrsenior. He gave a deep nod of his head and then stood with his hands clasped at rest before him.

"Warmest Congratulations to you, my Weyrsenior and you, my Weyrleader. You both have done well here despite Eastern's exile. It makes me proud to be here serving you both. Thank you, for rising to the occasion." E'ret said, his voice both steady and sincere. They had been thrown head first into chaos but good leadership had seen them out. He was grateful for that.

Meanwhile...

"Yeah...M'dian. I'm coming...um. " the older boy hesitated. He looked down at his dragonet again, blinking hard. It was hard to believe that he was looking down at his dragon, his baby dragon. Even though Finnedath was sound asleep, oiled to gleaming polish and stuffed to the jawline with good meat, M'drist was loathed to leave him. He knelt down to gaze over the gleaming, light brown hide.

"It is hard to leave them the first night." came a woman's voice from behind him. M'drist stood up and turned, looking at the Weyrling Master who stood in the doorway.

"And you don't have to go, M'drist, if you don't want to. No one will force you. That said, Finnedath has a full belly, oiled hide and will sleep until the dawn or later given the time frame today. Hesriath is right outside. She won't let anything happen to him or any of the others."

M'drist looked at his Weyrling Master, looked at his brother and then looked back at his dragon. The knowledge that Hesriath would stand guard did mollify him somewhat. He had seen how motherly and kind she had been toward them. Slowly, reluctantly, M'drist walked over to join his brother.

"As soon as the whole of you are ready," Ashrah said. "I will escort you to the Hatching Feast. You boys congregate while I fetch the girls.

'Of which there are many.' Ashrah thought to herself. For her thirteen weyrlings, only five of which were male. M'dian, M'drist, L'lain, E'zen and E'laer. Stepping into the girl's side of the barracks, Ashrah clearned her throat. It was Asteriel who poked her head out of her alcove, her blond hair falling in golden waves.

'It will just break her heart to cut it come time to fly Thread.' Ashrah thought but hair grew back.

"Is it the time, Weyrling Master?" Asteriel asked, stepping out. She was clothed in a dress of delicate pink, a sash of cream at her waist and a shawl of cream across her shoulders.

"Almost, Asteriel. Ladies, we are gathering up. Please congregate with the boys outside. Then I will lead you in." Ashrah called.

Now that he was full and oiled, Nicaeth was slow and sleepy. The change would have made Breklynn laugh, if she wasn't so busy looking at the shining cobalt with love and adoration. She'd heard that this is how mothers viewed their children, but she had never felt anything for the children she had spawned. The thought surprised her: she didn't often think of the children she had left without a mother.

You have hatchlings of your own, Nicaeth said with a yawn, picking up the images of the children from her. She caught her breath, not expecting those images and thoughts to flash through her mind as Nicaeth glanced through them like a book. I would like to meet them.

She took a gulp, and looked down at him with tears in her eyes. "Maybe," she said, before continuing to urge him towards their new barracks. He had his own little wallow, and she was glad that it took his attention away from the topic of children. Nicaeth turned several times in one direction, then once again in the other, before settling down with a satisfied humph. She watched for a few moments, amazed, as the cobalt fell asleep almost immediately.

"Nice trick," she murmured tenderly, turning back to her new bed. She'd be spending quite a bit of time here, she supposed. Her things had already been moved, but there was something unfamiliar on the bed. She reached out with hands that shook and picked up a silver necklace, set with a sapphire so deep a blue that it flirted with black, She held it up in front of the glow basket and mouthed a silent wow, watching as it spat fire from all directions. It was a fine piece of jewelry.

Her eyes went to the note on the bed, carefully folded, and she let the necklace drop into her lap. She held her breath as she opened it, not sure what to expect.

Congratulations Breklynn. You've earned this.

~ Fleur

Tears smudged the ink before she knew what was happening. She hadn't spoken to Fleur in Turns. Perhaps things could change now. She lifted the necklace again, the admiration now pride. She had done not only the canyoners proud, but impressed an old friend, and most importantly, she had Impressed Nicaeth. She gave the cobalt a loving gaze and then swirled to her chests. There was a dinner, and despite having eaten earlier she was starving.

She joined the rest of the women with Ashrah, hoping the others would be quick about it.


* * *

"Time for sleep, my dear one," Antonia said softly, stroking the scarlet neck of Tevannith as her lids became heavy.

But I want to play more, the little dragon complained, even as her inner lids were sliding shut.

"There will be plenty of time for playing in the morning," she whispered, scratching the eyeridge above the sleepiest eye. "Your brothers and sisters will be here when you wake up."

Tevannith may have grumbled more as she was falling asleep, but soon she was breathing slowly and evenly. Antonia sat there, for quite some time, just leaving her hand resting on the dragon and staring at her in wonder. It had only been a few hours ago that she had been getting ready for bed, she thought with a smile, and now she was tending to a newly hatched dragon.

Life had changed greatly since she had been found on the road, she reflected, standing up and opening her small clothing press. When she had first arrived, with only the clothing on her back to her name, the residents had been very generous to her. And after long enough there she understood how the filmy garments the women wore worked. As she dressed herself in the cool, flowing fabric, she gave a sigh for her friends still back in the holdcot: they'd never know how much more comfortable the heat was dressed like this!

The final pieces of her outfit were nods to Tevannith's hide color: a pair of deep magenta sandles that laced halfway to her knee, and a matching length of ribbon she wove through her dark curls into a twisted plait. It was simple and understated, she decided, and fitting to a woman who would be spending the next Turns devoting every free moment to her dragon. Nothing flashier than Tevannith's hide for her, thank you very much, she thought with a smirk.


* * *

"An' this is where we're going to be living," Teagan finished as she led Eniseth into the new weyrling barracks, a bright smile on her face. She'd just finished giving the shadow a run down of the entire complex, which hadn't followed the natural flow of things so much as it had followed whatever Teagan thought most exciting first. Yet the dragon had trotted alongside her gracefully, head up and listening intently to every single word.

This is a good Weyr Eniseth said, a mixture of surprise and delightedness in her voice. And you love it here, do you not my little love? She turned mostly blue eyes upwards to Teagan.

The sparks of red didn't cause any panic in Teagan, she just smiled and nodded. "This is my home," the girl said proudly. "But it has gotten so much more exciting since your dame and sire and the others came to join us."

Eniseth noted the excitement Teagan felt over their presence there, noted it and tucked it away. She walked right at her rider's hip, and if the dragons they passed backed away slightly, Teagan didn't notice. She was too taken with their new barracks, and delighted to find her own bunk. It was even more private than her little candidate hollow, and that had been the most privacy she'd ever had as a canyon orphan. In here there was actually room to relax, with just her and Eniseth.

Eniseth gave a little humph of amusement, liking the image of herself with her neck stretched across Teagan's lap that her rider was seeing. She went to her little wallow without direction, still careful of her fresh oiling as she laid down. Her hide glistened and gleamed in the soft glow light, and it was hard for the little shadow not to be just a bit taken with herself.

The dragon felt a surge of love, and then found herself enveloped in warm arms, a tiny head of almost white hair pressed against her neck. She gave a long, low, croon, full of comfort and love and acceptance and most of all promise. Oh so many promises. When Teagan unlocked her arms and leaned back there were tears in her green eyes, and a huge smile on her face.

"Sleep well, Eniseth," she whispered, continuing to gently stroke her dragon's neck as her eyes closed. "I'll be right here when you wake up."

Go enjoy yourself, my little one. And do not forget my sister's., Eniseth told her as sleep overtook her.

When she was done staring at her, Teagan got up as quietly as she could and dressed. It didn't occur to her to dress any differently than normal, so she wore an oversized tunic with light weight pants, She did take a moment to slip on shoes, which at least meant she did think of the seriousness of the event, for a second at least. Her face was still smudged with dirt, and her hair a wind blown disaster, when she bounced into the main room with a grin on her face for Ashrah.

Sidran did not look back at Br'son right away; she could feel his eyes on her, and very much knew what both intended in the hours remaining before dawn, and it put a knowing curve to her smile and a very subtle (but noticeable, especially to a young man whose intentions were swinging that way) position to her posture that emphasized line of shoulder and breast.

She knew what she was doing, even as she inclined her head to E'ret and replied softly, "It would be impossible with you all," which was true, and genuinely delivered. No matter how strong Br'son had been, and her own determination, they couldn't have been successful in so blending with the canyon folks without each rider's commitment to making it work. And the canyoners themselves, of course. Before she could ask if E'ret were pleased with the range of new quartzes, Kyabree was there with her charmingly knowing self. And then she did turn her eyes back to Br'son, letting them linger a long moment, "Credit to our Weyrsenior - Yllaveth has certainly made her mark."

Her thumb slowly stroked the underside of Br'son's hand, because why not?

*
Abry pinned her braids back, putting on her best dark raiding clothes. Not because she was going to work, but because they were comfortable, and neat, and looked dramatic against Lizzoth's green-sheened quartz hide. Though Lizzoth wouldn't be going (Abry's eyes strayed back to the young dragon and her comfortably distended belly repeatedly, without any real choice made to do so), still - it was a nod back to her roots. Dragonrider now, canyoner of course, the two combined moving forward. She smiled a bit to herself before shoving her hands in her pockets and wandering out to meet the Weyrlingmaster and the rest.

*
Ceronith sprawled where she had fallen asleep - partly in and partly out of her wallow - at a crazy angle that looked supremely uncomfortable but what an easy mental check confirmed as perfectly fitting the full, oiled, brilliantly white dragon.

Vianne smiled, wished she had some fine dresses to choose from to best celebrate this momentous day, but her neat lended pants and well-fitting top would do. Who would care what she was wearing, with her face glowing and the knowledge of Ceronith's love reflected in her eyes? She let her hair stay down, no matter that it would gain more volume from the humidity, and felt rather like she was floating on the way to the Weyrlingmaster. Food, truly meeting the rest of the people she would spend the future with, and then perhaps time to finally write a letter to her parents.

*
E'zen heard the bustle, but there seemed no reason to leave Aliseth's side. The shadow had curled neatly in her wallow, head tucked under wing, the malevolent energy that radiated from her somewhat tamped down by the abandon of sleep. But he could stay, and marvel, and need nothing to do with the world outside this bond.

Kane might have put on some of his more tailored clothing, but that didn't mean he'd veered away from his usual black.  Not that anyone would have expected him to-- he wasn't one of those being honored tonight, after all.  And he had no other need to stand out.

No, if anything, he wanted to blend in, observe, listen for anything that might give a clue as to just what the new dragonet colors meant.  If they meant anything at all, that was.  Such knowledge could prove useful at some later date, and given how relaxed the dragonriders would be after the energy-fueled occasion, they might let something slip.

Aside from that, he had questions of his own about the sudden appearance of the new colors.  Especially as it had happened in a relatively short span of Turns.  A runner might be born here or there with some strange pigmentation-- or a lack thereof-- but that was only one.  Breeding such an animal usually resulted in offspring of a similar appearance, that of the mutant's own parents, or the animal it had been mated with.  Did dragons truly not function the same way?

Oh, he knew there was the potential for the various colors among the queen's eggs, but if, in thousands of Turns, no real variation had been seen… how had these come about?  Or was there record of other colors among the hides stored in each of the Weyrs?  And what of the fire lizards and whers, who shared the same color patterns?

Could it be that color variations were usually inviable?  It was certainly a possibility… but if that was the case, why had these survived?  And how had they produced even more colors on their own?

It was quite the mystery to him, with the limited knowledge he had from his days in the beastcraft.  Though he did have to wonder why it intrigued him so, as well.

Perhaps the giddiness felt by so many of the other people in the Hatching Cavern had addled his brain.  Or maybe it had been seeing the expressions on the faces of those who had Impressed.  The joy at being one of the chosen, at being paired with a creature who would know a person for what they were, and accept them wholeheartedly regardless of their flaws… deep down, he had to admit it had its appeal.

Because dragons were far more intelligent than runners.  And while he found solace in working with them-- they didn't lie or betray, or show pity to those who were no longer whole-- he wondered what it would be like to be able to truly communicate with a creature who was also incapable of the same.

Not that he'd admit it to anyone else.  Nor was he really even willing to admit it to himself-- it was clearly just the emotions of everyone else in that cavern that were affecting him, nothing else.  Just residual feelings, and maybe something being broadcast by the hatchlings who would likely now be sleeping, or nearly so, after all the hard work they put into hatching, claiming their humans, and eating.

It was nothing more than that.

Because he was several Turns past the age of Impression, by the standards the dragonriders had set.  So it was highly unlikely he'd even have a chance.

Assuming he wanted one, anyway.  Which he didn't.

But he knew at least one someone who had, and once he got himself a stiff drink, and maybe the promise of company, he was going to keep an eye out for the new weyrlings so he could congratulate them.

And somewhere in there, he supposed he should congratulate the dragonriders whose queen and cobalt were parents to the hatchlings… and maybe see what they had to say about the new colors.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Azareth had just drifted off when Jemma heard the Weyrling Master's call.  Still dreamily staring down into the scarlet's sleeping face, the tinkerer gently ran her finger over an eyeridge, a motion she'd been repeating as her dragon fell into slumber.

It hadn't really been that long, though-- Azareth was asleep almost as soon as she reached her wallow.  She'd been too busy exploring everything on the way and had barely made it to the space designated as theirs before she collapsed in an exhausted heap of limb and wing and tail.

Jemma had chuckled and shaken her head in amusement, not sure how such a sprawl could ever be comfortable.  But the scarlet hadn't seemed to mind one bit.  She'd simply asked her rider to scratch an itchy spot on her head, and then had fallen silent, radiating contentment as she heaved a great sigh.

How her rider wished she could fall asleep as easily as the scarlet had.  It was possible she would later, but for now, she was too full of energy, excitement, and the need to share it with the members of her family who lived here in the canyon.

She knew Cousin Vid had been there-- she'd seen him-- though she wasn't sure if her brother had been, or not.  Dividia had also been there, though, and even though the creatures they'd bonded with were quite different, she rather thought her cousin would understand what it felt like.

Such joy and happiness, and a rightness to the world… surely all of the others who had Impressed felt it, too.  Even Evzen-- E'zen, she reminded herself--, despite his not really wanting to be there.  His dragonet was so lovely, how could he not be happy with how things had turned out?

Humming to herself as she finally drew away from Azareth, Jemma realized most of the other girls were already moving towards the entrance to their new quarters and rushed to change.

It didn't take her long; she pulled out the one dress she had here in the canyon, and a ribbon for her hair, both in shades of pink.

A few minutes later, she was ready to go and meeting the others in the common area.  "Oh, how lovely we all look," she warmly greeted the others already assembled.  "Such fine dragonriders we are now."

Nimath had settled in comfortably for the evening, with several suggestions for her rider what he should do to celebrate this evening. Several fine scarlets, a fine class in total, and Nimath felt their Weyr well-served by the new hatching. So surely her rider could, at least for one evening, enjoy a bit of fun and ignore any worries.

H'den hadn't changed - the night wasn't about him, and he had no room for false modesty - he looked perfectly fine, and if Fleur was interested (which he very much hoped she was), clothes weren't going to make much of a difference. So he ran his hands through his hair a few times (this...didn't especially help), and made his way to the cavern with food.

Food which smelled amazing. Well, all right. The Weyrleaders and their Canyon counterparts had done well. No one wanted to be in this situation, perhaps, but here they were. Definitely making the best of it.

*
Dividia's part in the evening's work was done quickly, which meant she had time to run tunnels with Divisk, who had quite a bit of energy (or at least pent up something) after that hatching. Divisk would certainly have more running ahead of him, but once the worst was past Dividia made her way back for a quick bath and change.

Comfort, of course, but in the most flattering way. It was a line she had learned to walk quite a long time ago - so many, male and female, cared about appearance, and she knew how to make the best of hers. Hair loosely braided, pants well-fitting, no tension in her walk.

People talked at a party, and Dividia loved to listen. As she came in, she looked around, noted who was paying respects and how, and smiled. There was Kane, and there Siona, and she wanted to talk to both of them at some point this evening. But first...

"Hello there Wingleader," she said, pausing in Casriel's vicinity. "You look quite stunning this evening."

Casriel pivoted smoothly, the skirts of her crimson dress flaring around her lean and muscular calves. She had to hand it to that Wherhandler; she knew herself and how to command a room. She smiled, taking another sip of wine.

"Thank you, Wherhandler. Dividia, if I remember correctly. You look quite lovely yourself. Did you enjoy the turn out? A good hatching, all things considered."

"It was certainly different than I had imagined," Dividia acknowledged, thoughtfully. "The emotions get quite...full, don't they? Any theories about the new additions to your fold?"

One of her fellows slipped by, leaving a glass behind for her to take. Dividia's lips curved before she drank. It was always so good to have friends.

"They do. The hope tinged tension of the candidates, the nostalgia of the full riders, the excitement or trepidation of the watching families watching from the Stands. It all makes for a very heady mix." Casriel said with an nod of her head. She remembered the Hatching were she had Impressed Maraxith and how the emotions had run very high that day of all days hence.

"Of the shadow females, my Cobalt tells me they are fertile and will rise to mate and clutch eggs.  I am hoping they will give us the boost in numbers we need to fill out wings in addition to Yllaveth's own eggs. However, I hope the next time she clutches our Senior Queen will lay a Titanium like herself. I see the Smoke dragons serving to the Cobalts a lot like a brown serves to a bronze. I look forward to see how the new fighting males grow and how they can be incorporated into the Wings. " Casriel said and she sipped her wine.

"Speaking truth, here and though it pains me to admit it, I wish we had strong sympathizers among the male riders who ride brown and bronze. Their dragon's blood introduced into the line would boast the color ratio. There was only one traditional among that clutch, a brown for one of your local young men. It makes him the only Old Guard in the Weyr. I only hope that brown will mate with one of the shadow queens and expand the color range. We need every dragon if we are going to fight Thread. We are not so close to the end of the Pass as all that. We cannot let our guard down, not even for pride."

"Alright, Weyrlings. Follow me." Ashrah said to the group once they had assembled. They were a smart looking class of weyrlings and Ashrah's heart bloomed with pride. She hoped to look back on this day with fond thoughts in the Turns to come and would work hard to become a skillful and respected Weyrling Master the Weyr would appreciate. She had dressed in rich brown leathers, her Weyrling Master's knots hanging crisply from her left shoulder. She approached the dinner hall and signaled her weyrling to slow. Clearing her voice as she stepped through the arch of the passage, Ashrah projected her voice across the hall.

"Ladies and Gentlemen! It is my pleasure to present to you, the first crop of Weyrlings of White Lightning Weyr, the Bright Hope Class!" and she gestured to her hand as she stepped out from in front of the new Weyrlings.

Casriel turned her eyes to look for Asteriel, whom she found blushing more pink than the dress she was clothed in. Cas's blue-green eyes found Abry and Vianne too. She smiled to see the three newly Impressed women.

E'ret noticed E'laer and gave the boy a nod of respect. He had done good and the sentiment was clear in the older quartz rider's eyes.

V'tayn lifted his class of wine. "Three cheers for Bright Hope!"

"There is my sister." Asteriel said to Vianne, waving to Casriel with a bright grin on her face. Casriel nodded back but her cool eyes lingered on Vianne it a way a touch more than casual. Then sure looked back to the woman she stood near. Was that the Wherhandler?

"Yay, everyone is staring." M'drist said sarcastically to M'dian. "Just what I wanted."

"There have only been two titaniums," Dividia mused, considering, "and now one of them has brought forth two shadows at once. Perhaps she knows something we don't, and titaniums are continuing some progress yet to be seen." And one of their own had Impressed one of those shadows, after all, so she would make sure they wouldn't be supplanted by anything that came later. Even if that troublesome boy had the other. Well. For now.

"Ah, your sister is quite fetching," as the weyrlings appeared, speaking as she lifted her glass in their direction. "Please pass my congratulations to her - I imagine you will want to speak with her. Perhaps we can catch back up on ways to bring other, trusted male dragons to White Lightning soon." Though she wouldn't say no to further conversation with this fascinating cobaltrider.

*
H'den clapped heartily upon announcement of the new class. Bright Hope, was it? He smiled, impressed with Ashrah and pleased to see her in charge. Scarletriders, he thought fiercely, let them try and stop us now.

Nimath roused just enough to mutter drowsily that there was time for battles very soon, and for now it was important to instead enjoy a flight (in non-dragon terms: get laid, rider of mine).

*
Vianne leaned closer to Asteriel and said, a laugh underlying her voice, "Oh, I've met your sister. She's the one who brought me here." She did, she wouldn't lie, experience a thrill when the cobaltrider's eyes lingered on hers. Oh, Ashrah had been clear about what they could and could not do in training well before the hatching, but with Ceronith asleep Vianne felt perfectly free to think whatever she liked.

*

Abry saw Dividia talking with Casriel, but no sight of Avidian yet. She hoped Teagan Impressing a queen, Breklynn and cobalt (both clear routes to authority), and then she and the boys all Impressing would please him - she found though, as she thought it, she refused to feel anything but glad that Lizzoth was exactly who and what she was, and so (a thought she barely managed to think and quickly buried) thought she wouldn't be devastated even if he wasn't thrilled.

She also saw Kane, and shot him a bit of a grin, in case he was looking.

*
E'zen had been roped into coming (not literally, and much more pleasantly than his first experience coming here), but he still stood in the back, and had a glare for the general public (he made a point to meet as many eyes as possible, and glare fully at each), but when his eyes met Dividia's something flared in his mind and Aliseth stirred.

With a curse, he tamped down on it. His ferocious shadow needed rest. But, maybe not tomorrow, or the day after, still...soon.

Someone had reminded Teagan to give her face a quick wash, so she was bright and fresh faced when they were introduced to the gathered Weyr. She beamed proudly at the people she had grown up with and the people who had brought the dragons.

She looked up at E'zen, who she had helped drag along, and smiled. "Ensieth said to have a good time," she whispered, pulling at his sleeve a little bit. She had promised the shadow that her sister's rider would enjoy himself, and she'd do whatever she had to.

Breklynn smiled nervously, the amount of attention making her uncomfortable. Her hands fiddled with the necklace that Fleur had left her, mind a whirl with all the meanings behind it. She herself only had meager possessions, as was befitting someone who was more of a drain than a help. But the necklace... Fleur thought she was worth something.

She hoped she wouldn't let the other woman down.

"Didn't think you could hide from me forever, did you?" Fleur said in a soft voice, coming up beside H'den while applauding with the others. She'd made a few adjustments to her jewelry, to honor the two new colors that had hatched that day. "Quite an interesting group, wouldn't you say?"

Suddenly, Br'son couldn't wait for the feast to be finished. Because if it meant that Sidran...

Nope. Better not think of that right now. Not in these trousers. Not while standing.

Instead, the Weyrsenior smiled and contented himself with a slight squeeze of his Weyrleader's hand as Ashrah made her entrance with the Weyrlings.

Br'son started the applause as the Bright Hope class walked in. It spread with predictable speed, and Br'son was gratified to hear what sounded like genuine enthusiasm from his riders and weyrfolk. And why shouldn't they be enthusiastic? This group of weyrlings was as promising as any other... more so, in many ways. The canyon-born among them might not have had the most conventional upbringing, but they did tend to exhibit a certain... practicality that Br'son could appreciate. Especially given the challenges that this class would face.

When the applause started to die down. Br'son raised his free hand for the attention of the crowd. "Bright Hope Weyrlings," he said, smiling at the group and looking at each of them one by one. "Let me be the first to welcome you to the ranks of the dragonriders of White Lightning Weyr! I know we're all eager to eat... especially those entirely too tempting sweet rolls," he added to a general rumble of laughter. "But I do have one item of business, first. Some of you may know this already, but it's important, and so I'll make it official. Yllaveth has informed me that Aliseth and Eniseth, our two shadow dragons, are fertile females. 'Mini-queens', she called them. Though I have no idea where she got that phrasing. In light of that information, I'd like to announce that Shadow Weyrling E'zen and Shadow Weyrling Teagan will share the duties and title of Weyrjuniors. They will act as my seconds, in addition to training with their class. Congratulations and good luck, you two. It will be a lot of work." He gave them both a bright smile.

***

M'dian had stifled a laugh at his brother's commentary, and then had fought off the subsequent case of the giggles as people started clapping for them. Perhaps having the giggles wasn't the most manly thing he'd ever done, but if he were honest, he was more than a little punch drunk. He'd been up since the previous dawn, and the rush of adrenaline that accompanied Impression was making him giddy.

Ha. Giddy. Like Gideath.

Oy. "Maybe we should eat something," he said, apparently apropos of nothing to M'drist.

E'zen's glare intensified, but he didn't glare at the Weyrsenior specifically. Not this time.

Abry caught her breath, just for a moment. Teagan, a second. That would have to please Avidian, surely.

Revel knew Sanovith was going to keep her on her toes.  He'd already proven he was capable of keeping everyone guessing what he would do next, and she would have to be extra vigilant if she were going to be able to keep up.

For now, at least, her smokey dragonet was asleep, and unlikely to wake up any time soon.  His belly was full, his eyeridges had been scratched, and he was settled in his wallow as if he hadn't just hatched a short time ago.

It was funny when she thought about it, though-- both of their lives had changed drastically in such a small amount of time.  His for more obvious reasons than hers, but at the same time, she couldn't deny that she'd never again be the same person she was before Sanovith raised his eyes to hers.

Whether that was for the better or not remained to be seen, but she was certainly looking forward to whatever new experiences it brought her way.  Even if it meant eventually fighting Thread-- it was what dragons did, after all, which meant they'd each have a hand in doing so once their dragons were mature enough.

That was far in the future, though, and she had more pressing things to worry about before that time-- like getting through her first day of training tomorrow after some fun at the feast they were throwing in honor of herself and the other new weyrlings.

They'd been warned they couldn't have too much fun, of course, but that didn't mean they couldn't enjoy themselves.  And she hoped some of those who'd been a bit more reluctant to attend would eventually relax and do so.  And then sleep well, in order to prepare for the busy days ahead, since they'd been warned about them, too.

So, wearing a red dress she knew would draw attention to her shape (because she knew she looked good in it), despite the fact that she hadn't Impressed a scarlet, and with whatever dangly bits of jewelry she felt like placed in her ears and on her wrists, she joined the line of weyrlings as Ashrah led them in to the feast and introduced them.

Bright Hope seemed rather fitting, she thought, especially given the circumstances of the dragonriders' arrival.  They were starting something new, taking the situation and making it their own.  And what a way to do so, with two new dragon colors, and a whole new group of weyrlings.

And she was smack in the middle of it, where she'd have a prime spot to watch everything unfold.

Oh, the pile of stories she'd likely have to tell before too long!

Kane glanced over the weyrlings as they entered, searching for Abry, Teagan, Revel, any others he'd known for some time.  It was strange, really-- they didn't look any different at this point.  Unless you counted the silly grins on a couple of their faces, the bright eyes and flushed cheeks that indicated how pumped up on adrenaline they still were.

He had to be happy for them, he supposed-- especially for those who'd wanted this from the start.  So he clapped when the speeches were given, one eyebrow lifted at the thought of little Teagan being the second to a queenrider of any sort… but that was likely a testament to how life in the canyon had treated her.  He just hoped she was up to handling her shadow, especially if those dragons exhibited traits similar to those he'd heard about golds and, presumably, Br'son's titanium queen.

Raising his mug in salute to Abry when she caught his eye, he figured he'd give her some time to get settled and get some food before he moved to officially congratulate her.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Alannah plopped down rather unceremoniously by Siona, still excited about the new scarlets that had hatched.  For obvious reasons, she was rather fond of the reddish lovelies, and felt an odd sense of pride in them, as if she'd had some hand in creating or Impressing them.  

"Did you see how many scarlets there were, Sia?" she asked the quartzrider, grinning widely.  "Plus, all but one of them were our colors.  Take that, Eastern!"

((OOC: If it's unlikely Allie would be allowed to call Siona by that nickname, let me know, and I can change it! ))

Teagan's mouth went dry; weyrjunior? Of course she had noticed the deference showed to Ensieth and Aliseth, and the words queen had penetrated her Impression-soaked mind to some degree. But hearing that those duties were her's was different than the abstract knowledge before.

You worry too much, rider. I would not have chosen you if we were not meant to be. Do not forget that. Ensieth's voice came to her softly, gently. The shadow was half asleep, but had sensed her rider's sudden spike of concern. She could tell what Teagan needed right then: a gentle reassurance. They would be tested, but there was time yet, and her rider would be ready.

And she wouldn't be doing it alone. E'zen would be there, as well, learning everything at the same time. Not only their new duties, but everything about the shadow dragons. He seemed to be in his own little world, so she let him be for the moment; Ensieth had said to make sure he had fun, but she'd learned enough about him in candidate classes to know you couldn't drag him kicking and screaming to a good time. She heard M'dian and bounced on her heels, a huge grin on her face. "I'm starving," she announced.