Little Treasures: Firelizard Hatching (OPEN)

The days had flown by since Victory's clutching. In all the after Aliseth's maiden flight and the calling of the Weyr council, Casriel knew the eggs were hardening under the careful watch of Victory. As the sire of the clutch was a brown firelizard, there was no queen egg. It did not both Casriel; let Victory remain the only queen firelizard for a while yet. There were not many bronzes and browns to court more than one gold queen. Casriel wanted her to be content.

Victory had produced nine eggs. There was one blue egg, another green, but most where creamy white or shades of brown. Casriel had arrange them in a box with warm sand and straw. She had a drudge place bowls of hot sands from the beach on the long table of mess hall. She had two of the eggs marked for Br'son and Sidran; it was traditional for a high ranking rider to gift his or her gold lizard's eggs to the Weyrleadership.


'Or it will be my tradition, regardless.' Casriel thought. She walked to the Mess Hall carrying the box of eggs, Victory mantled on her shoulder. The young queen looked proudly down at her clutch.

"Bring meat and tell all riders and folk in your wake that I have seven firelizard eggs that need homes. First Come. First Serve." Casriel directed and the young woman nodded. She was quick to do what Casriel directed.

Until then, Casriel sat and waited. She leisurely fed Victory chunks of meat as she waited for the weyrfolk to stir. She set the eggs, marked 8 and 9 aside for her Weyrleaders and waited.

Avidian stepped forward from where he'd been observing Casriel's actions. He gave the young woman a nod as she passed by, an acknowledgement that he'd heard the message, and that she didn't need to come to him first, as she otherwise might have done.

As he otherwise might have expected her to do.

Then he let his lips curve into a tiny smile beneath his perpetually cold eyes and walked toward the table where the firelizard clutch rested.

"Wingleader," he said, his voice soft as usual. "My congratulations. I'd like that one, if it's not already claimed," he said, pointing to egg number 5.

There might be some in the Weyr who might find it surprising that Avidian would even want a firelizard. He'd never been one who seemed to have the need for companionship. However, Avidian also liked to keep people guessing, and this was an excellent opportunity to do that.

Casriel was a little surprised by that as well but she rose smoothly to her feet. With care, she placed the Sand egg in a container of warm sand and handed the vessel to the man before her.

"May the odds be in your favor, Stillmaster." Casriel said, her tone warm and pleased. She eased herself back into her chair, one tone leg over the other. Other riders were wandering in now, some giving the eggs a look over and others stopping to linger. Casriel was surprised to see handsome and stoic E'ret stop by, his deep eyes considering the eggs heavily.

"What say you, E'ret?" Casriel asked, raising one eyebrow at him.

"Perhaps. I will give it a sit and think. I do not think Itzelbith will mind but just to be sure." he said, nodding as he excused himself.

Avidian took a seat near the Wingleader, but far enough away that others may approach without fear of interrupting either of them. After she'd spoken with E'ret, Avidian raised his head and looked at her again. "Is there anything I should know? About hatching a firelizard egg? I understand they're not as complicated as dragons or whers... That it's mostly about who feeds them first?" He asked.

In truth, he knew the answer, but if any of his people thought to come forward and claim an egg (and he would encourage them to do so) he wanted them to have all of the knowledge available in order to form a successful Impression bond.

"Keep the sand warm and keep an eye out. There are rock hard and ready to hatch at any time. Be the first to feed them and think encouraging, loving or reassuring thoughts. When Impression is made, you will feel it. Like eyes in the back of your head opening for the first time. Well, in your case...the second." Casriel favored him with an amused smile.

"Keep him or her fed ever 2-4 hours in the first two sevendays, wash and oil the skin to keep it from tearing. Firelizards make for very handy sentries and messengers, if properly trained." Casriel said, reaching out to stroke Victory's gold flank. The queen purred in response to the touch, craning her neck to nuzzle Casriel's hand. The blond woman artfully lifted a gobbet of meat from a nearby bowl and offered it to the firelizard. Victory's eyes whirled green-blue as she took the morsel.

"They are fine friends. They lack the intelligent and sheer charisma of a dragon, the fury and predatory nature of the wher but all in all, they are handy and pleasant to have around." Casriel added.

Avidian's smile had deepened, just a touch, at the Wingleader's jest. Truth be told, he rather liked the icy blonde woman. He recognized the ruthlessness in her, the willingness to do whatever it took to reach her goals. He could understand and respect someone like that.

And rumor had it that she was well poised to make a bid for Weyrleader when Yllaveth next rose. Vid didn't have a single problem with Sidran, but he rather thought it might be useful to have a good relationship with the heir apparent, as it were.

"So I've heard," he said softly, in response to her comment about them being excellent messengers. "How difficult is it to train them?"

Casriel considered that question for the space of a moment. She leaned forward a little as she answered.

"It depends on their color, really. Golds and bronzes have more recall, remember more places and can make their desires out more clearly than blues or greens. You get a decent middle ground with a brown. With enough time and positive reinforcement, even a green can become a worthy messenger. What I will say is it requires a level of patience. Firelizards are prone to mischief but yelling at them doesn't correct much of the behavior. They can go Between shortly after hatching, you see."

"Interesting," Avidian said smoothly. Then he snorted softly. "Fair enough. I never yell, personally. I find it much less effective than speaking softly." He met Casriel's eyes with his cold blue ones, and let his own ruthlessness show through, that she may see their similarities.

"I rather think you know what I'm talking about, don't you, Wingleader?" He added after a moment.

The Candidate Master had enough going on already but a part of her had really enjoyed meeting Victory. It couldn't hurt to have a Firelizard flitting around their weyr, could it? Aurayath was happy with the idea of having a Firelizard but she kept thinking they came with more work. In the end her desire won out over her common sense, as it was want to do at times.

She approached quietly, listening to the instructions being given. She was more than happy to wait her turn as it was, she hoped it wasn't impertinent for her to take one. Obviously she assumed that they would go to leaders who wanted them first, not that shew as without rank but it seemed to her that she was not in the position to ask for a gift like this.

Avidian noticed the greenrider, and her conflicted expression. He nodded in her direction and waved a hand to welcome her over. Not that it was his clutch, but... Well... He was Avidian. In a sense, he still considered everything in this canyon to be his. And he'd already heard that the clutch was to be first come, first served. If the girl wanted an egg, better she let herself be heard.

"Candidate master Brielody," he said in his quiet voice. "Which of Victory's offerings will you choose?"

"Walk softly and carry a big stick." Casriel said, nodding. To come to an understanding, maybe even a partnership with the Stillmaster could give her the support of the canyon folk when in came to Maraxith catching Yllaveth. It was said that the feeling of a Weyr could influence the outcome. So they said but no one banked all on just that; Casriel had been drills Maraxith every day to tone his muscles and get him fighting fit for the mating flight to come. She would be Weyrleader, if she had any say in the matter.

Casriel's blue-green eyes slid to the Candidate Master and she offered a respectful nod of her head. "Good day, Brielody."

Inclining her head in a respectful manner, "Good day to you Stillmaster Avidian." She peered at the eggs but wasn't permitted to decide anything without input from her dragon. Oh look at them! I like them all!
Smiling at Aurayath's indecision. I like the first one, it has a rather pristine appearance?Wonderful. Can I name it? Can I? Please?

We'll name it together.


"May I have the first egg Wingleader Casriel?" Brielody spoke in such a way as to come off as professional. She wasn't here to make a lot of friends. She wanted to do her duty and feel like somehow she had accomplished something important at the end of the day. "After meeting Victory, I have been hoping I would be allowed one of her fine eggs."

Dividia appeared just behind her father's shoulder during the conversation, not intending to be covert about her appearance - but a habit was a habit, after all. A bit of her attention moved to the green-shaded egg to the side, and she'd wait her turn. Easy enough.

Casriel favored the green rider with a smile and nodded. "By all means, Candidate Master. It is yours."

With a slim hand Casriel lifted the white egg carefully and lay it in a bowl of warm sand, moving it toward to Brielody.

"Thank you." She said, as she gingerly took the bowl with the egg and sand from Casriel. Brielody was going to take it straight to her weyr for Aurayath to admire while she figured a way to keep it warm. This was so exciting, she couldn't wait for it to hatch!

Turning from those gathered she walked away, clearly not paying another soul any attention as she went although she was careful to keep an eye on where she was walking. Certainly didn't want to fall and crush the egg or something.

Teagan had approached cautiously, half expecting to be chased off. The few firelizards around the Weyr enchanted her, and the thought of one of her own for Ensieth and her was thrilling.

She peeked in the basket, her eyes immediately going to the blue eye. It was almost the same color as her eyes, she thought, reaching out to touch it before she snatched her hand back.

Avidian saw Teagan's almost-furtive movement and gave her a Look. "Say what you came to say, queenrider," he said softly, for her ears alone. His use of her title was intended to be a reminder and a prod. She was not a canyon brat any longer. She had position, and she must act like it. If she wanted an egg, she must claim one with confidence. He had no use for a queenrider afraid of her own power.

Looking up at the stillmaster, Teagan felt a smile come over her face. She was a queenrider, he was right. "Thank you, sir," she whispered, only for him. It was loaded with more than just this moment; without Avidians' guidance she never would have survived long enough to Impress Ensieth.


"Casriel?" she asked when the Wingleader had a moment. It felt a little odd to leave off the womans' title. But this wasn't a formal setting. "Could I have the little blue egg, please?"

Casriel turned to regard Teagan with a weighing look in her eyes. She could be looking into the face of her future Weyrwoman, once time had had its way with them both. Casriel would be old then, Ancient's willing. Teagan would be welcome to rule the Weyr when Yllaveth stopped rising and Maraxith was charcoal with age. Still, she smiled at the young girl and nodded her head.

"Of course. The blue one is yours." Casriel said. She carefully lifted the egg, deposited into a bowl of warm sand and offered the bowl to Teagan.

"May the odds favor you, Queen Rider."

Teagan broke out into her toothy grin, taking the bowl carefully. "Thank you so much," she said, beaming and her eyes practically sparkling with excitement.

She went and found a place to sit, the bowl cradled carefully in her hands. "You're in for a lot of surprises and fun," she whispered to the little blue egg.

It was in that moment that the egg Casriel had given the Stillmaster gave a sudden rock. It shivered hard, shards of egg shell breaking free and skittering across the table before Avidian. Within the egg, a cheep erupted loud and clear. The egg gave another shove and split open end to end.

Tumbling out of the shell prison, still wet from his recent birth, a firelizard went down in a tangle of limbs and wings. Feet run brown and cream clawed at the air, as beige and bright yellow, not gold, flailed damply.

"By the Ancients." Casriel breathed. "The Firelizards have mutated."

The male gave a snort, righting himself. He was creamy yellow and bright goldenrod all over, with his feet going burnish orange-brown. He squealed hungrily as he eyed Avidian.

"Quickly now." Casriel urged.

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OOC:
Color: Agate
Sex: Male
Size: Equivalent to Brown Firelizards.

Despite herself, Teagan let out a small shriek of surprise at the first crack. She'd jumped a bit even, and quickly looked back down to her own little egg. Still safe, she saw with a relieved sigh. She brushed the sand around in the bowl, whispering nonsense to the egg and it's tiny occupant.

The small commotion over the firelizards' color drew her attention back again, and she gasped. The firelizards were changing colors, too?

The Blue Sky egg shivered and twitched, as if responding to the call of the Agate firelizard. Cracks began to appear across the surface and with a tremendous shudder, blue eggshell shards flew. With a shrill trill, a firelizard jumped from its sandy bowl to catch hold of Teagan's top.



The firelizard ducked its rich amethyst purple head against Teagan and called out again. Her rainbow eyes whirled quickly and she lashed her tail impatiently. Her feet darkened to deep indigo but the majority of her body was the rich purple of pure amethyst. Her wings paled to violet quartz to tinged with lavender.
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OOC:
Color: Amethyst
Sex: Female
Size: Equivalent to Green Firelizards.

Casriel was so intensely watching the debut of the Agate and Amethyst firelizard she did not even notice an egg shaking just below her. When she saw a red haired young woman coming up to the table, she didn't even think. She snatched up the Terracotta egg and thrust it at May even as she opened her mouth to ask if she could have one. She caught it just in time and cupped in her hands.

"There is meat. Feed them until you can feel their love." Casriel said as if almost in trance. May nodded and snaking her hand to the surface of the table, grabbed a bowl of meat. She thought it wise to retreat to a safe corner but she hadn't gone five feet when her egg burst over against her hand. She had been cradling the egg between her right hand and chest when the firelizard within hatched. She sat in the floor without hesitation.



Breaking free of the clay colored egg was a firelizard awashed in white, grey and beautiful blue. He kicked free of his prison with a squeal and then rounded on May. She quickly plucked a piece of flesh from the bowl and offered it. He snatched it away and bolted it down. She gave another and he took it only a tad more gently than before. Slowly, May began to feel a warmth and affection coming from the male firelizard.

"He looks like blue spinel." May remarked. Spinel was a good name for his color.

Brielody thanked the Wingleader before backing away from the eggs. She did not know what to expect but she certainly was not expecting mutations. When the stillmaster's egg hatched, she returned her attention in his direction. Her stomach tumbled. Why? Why were there more strange colors? What reason could there possibly be for them to mutate?

When she had Impressed a green instead of a freak, she had been exceedingly happy. What would she do with a mutant firelizard? As Teagan's egg too hatched a strange color, she could feel her anxiety building. She rather preferred knowing what to expect. She did not particularly care for surprises of any kind. This was making her uncomfortable.

Aurayath however commented only that whatever happened she should be kind to the little creature. It had no control over what it hatched as. Brielody could concede that it wouldn't be the firelizard's fault it was a freak but it wouldn't make it any less irritating to her. Maybe they would be lucky?

May, seemed to have gotten herself a blue... was it a blue?

Brielody sighed, looking down at the pure white egg cradled in her hands. I guess we'll just have to accept you for whatever you may be. Aurayath certainly wouldn't let her get away with casting it out because of its color.