Life at RoF had been bustling after the present return of the riders and most of the clutch mothers, Vestiso and Cortheus...as well as Tenma and Ingoritieth had remained to fight for the Warren against the hydras. Calca seemed disappointed, especially when the dragon mothers had announced that the next hatching of the SoF clutch would be occuring soon. She'd wanted Vestiso to be able to see her children hatch, but instead she was left to mentally record the happenings when the hatching did occur.
Maekotek La'Saber, a bronzerider whom Lani had recruited from one of her aunts to lead RoF's primary large wing, stood nearby the Firelancer his slitted sulfur yellow eyes scanning the crowd of outsiders. Lani felt stupid about having him come here, especially since they'd only gotten back after the battle they were helping in was over...but he'd insisted on staying. It made her feel badly, she knew he was staying mainly as a loyalty to an old friend...and planning on getting his discharge from the military on his homeworld. His time was up, after all.
"So how many candidates did you get? There seem to be a few too many," Meeko suddenly spoke up, Lani's attention snapping to the ex-High General. "About four or so too many."
"A big group came in together..." Lani responded, stifling a yawn--she hated 'formal' occasions and was hence bored. "About nine wingless wolflike dragons called Hyedhostar, at least three of them being a general nuisance. One seems a bit...erm...uppity, he doesn't like those not of his own race and...clan I suppose. Another is just a total bitch, and the last one is irritating."
Meeko snickered, tapping one gloved hand against a table as a young woman came trotting up, carrying a clipboard and her dark green trenchcoat making her seem to move with exaggerated grace.
"Firelancer..." Vera, a journalist who had come to cover the second hatching of the SoF said quietly. "I'm not sure I want to do this anymore. It's just...not...I can't get excited about it. Since Phoenix died and Jatan's ship crashed..." she shook her head, black curls falling over her shoulders. "I can't do it."
Lani caught her gaze and nodded lightly. "...Do you want to go home?"
"I--" Vera's answer was cut off by a sudden, loud outburst of creeling from the special sands. Instead of whatever she was going to say before, Vera said something quite different and with a lot more confusion. "What's that?"
"Well, it's about time," Meeko mumbled. "Looks like more of those darn eggs are finally hatching."
"It's hatching? Now?" Vera asked, surprised.
Lani patted her shoulder. "Yeah...sorry, but I'm afraid we're going to have to postpone your going home until after. During the hatching feast I'll take you and your companion home myself. Meeko, I'm going to show Vera and Messel to their seats in the stands. You get the candidates and guests in order there." She grabbed the journalist by the arm and hulled her over towards the scrawny Messel then promptly lead them both down through the tunnels to the special sands. Behind her she heard Meeko's voice.
"ALRIGHT EVERYONE! GUESTS GO TO THE STANDS AND ANY CANDIDATES COME WITH ME! ONLY CANDIDATES AND DESIGNATED PERSONNEL ALLOWED ON THE SANDS!"
"Hey! Watch out!" Maramia of Vella Crean snapped. Lani noticed that the Light Court leader of Vella Crean's belly was quite...big, hence the cause for her irritability. If the Firelancer had had to waddle around because of a pregnancy, she'd be moody too. Maramia held a leash in one hand, and on the end of the leash was a most...hideous little creature, the likes of which Lani had never seen before.
It appeared to be draconian, but it was all shriveled and had huge, creepy blue eyes. However, it appeared to be clean for the moment and had a huge, froofy ribbon tied around its neck which really only added to its ugliness. It was angrilly chewing on the ribbon, hissing and snarling. Maramia snapped the leash.
"Stop chewing on the ribbon, Pee-chan! You'll mess it up."
"We wants it off!" the hideous little beast yelled, rolling over and flapping his tattered wings. "OFF! OFF!"
Lani voiced a sneaking suspicion she had. "Why do I get the feeling this is why you sent Shyibane to terrorize us?"
"Well, Pee-chan happens to look like your dragons around here, especially the vulpigons. So where else could he have come from?" Maramia replied offhandedly, snapping Pee-chan's leash when he started to chew on the ribbon again. "I love to get even, you know."
Lani clenched her fists. "We had nothing to do with it! Just because he's a Fantasan dragon doesn't mean we sent him! We'd never do anything like that!"
Maramia looked abashed, a blush kept up her cheeks turning them a bright rosey red. She mumbled what sounded like an apology, but a masculine voice with a feminine purr all but drowned it out. "Well, no matter how I came to be here. I am here, and I like it here. Hence I am staying."
The upright-walking purple dragon whose size was only a little larger than a human's came trotting up, his black hair waving behind him. He was eating a small pastry, or rather nibbling it. In the other hand he held a teacup and sipped from it in between nibbles on his sweet. Oh, how many times Lani had been tempted to somehow overfeed him just to watch him go off on a rant when he gained a few pounds.
"Hi, Bane," Lani mumbled darkly, folding her arms over her chest.
"Hmm...who's this?" Bane purred, leaning over. "Hello, Pee-chan." He reached out a claw--Pee-chan almost bit it off. Luckilly for Bane, he withdrew quick enough; but he was undaunted by the snappish smaller dragon. He simply laughed.
Lani sighed. "Let's get some seats before they're all taken." She took, Maramia's wrist and lead the waddling lady off to find a seat. However, the Firelancer made sure to keep her legs out of Pee-chan's reach lest he decide to take a bite out of her...
The white strode gracefully across the sands, heading straight to a strange group that the people of the Ring of Fire had never expected to fall into their hands--the hyedhostar.
Hafrinnaieth, I am Quaslievani, the white spared a glance at another hyedhostar, Thoranthi. Watch out for the ice witch, she is big trouble. Her ego is too large and compliments her horrible temper too well.
"There's no need to worry about her, 'Vani," the water hyedhostar responded, her furred tail waving through the air. They'd come in their true forms--the people of RoF had insisted upon it, as well as the wingless draconians doing shifting to any form they pleased. It wouldn't bother them. "She has no power among us."
'Vani snorted. I hope you are right, but beware...
During the exchange of words a few more eggs had burst apart. One of Datzchlynth's, one of Ashv's, and one of Tesimith's which was very different from Quaslievani. Datzchlynth's daughter, a dark green with blue Siamese markings on her paws, was the first to make her move towards the candidates. And move she did!
The green charged across the sands, tackling her chosen to the ground. Lief! the loud green laughed, bouncing around on her four legs she accidently hit Cynric across the legs with her tail almost knocking the boy over as well.
"Yes, Nazvath, you've found me...now settle down!" Lief responded in minor agitation. This dragon was already a handful!
Can I dance you with, Lief? Can I? I can dance good! I promise!
The brown griffin-dragon from Ashv's egg and caught Cynric when Nazvath had smacked him with her tail. He pushed the young man back up to his feet then rubbed against his legs, purring. Cynric patted his head. "Thanks, Tavrin."
The second of Tesimith's hatchlings, a...strange duowinged red with two tails and twilight fade trotted across the sands. Lani looked at him curiously, realizing he must have been a child of one of the Siamese twin dragons... He hadn't a twin, though, just extra appendages.
First, the twilight duowinged duotailed red trotted up to Thoranthi, snorted sand at her...then when she raised her paw to smite him, he ran across the sands. Squealing, he hid behind Trylldez.
Help help! Get me out of here before she eats me!
"Yeh, good idea, Fortaliraxik," the fire hyedhostar agreed, shooting a glare at Thoranthi. She glared back, undaunted...and Baltor smacked her on the head with a paw.
A candidate who had been at the Ring of Fire for perhaps too long didn't even bother to stand and watch the hatching, he sat in the sand and stared down at his feet feeling quite morbid. He'd been here, waiting, since the hatching of the previous Flurry. Far too long. High above, his lover and antitype sat on a ledge with her gold-white-bronze queen. Safety was praying Danger would bond, before he got any worse.
A single dragonet whom no one had seen hatch slunk out of the shadows. He was a rich, dark silver with two pairs of rainbow wings. Fins stuck out from his neck between curved horns that mimicked the sinister-looking blade on the end of his tail. His spine stuck out as deadly-looking spikes. Overall, he was bigger than any dragon to have hatched at the Ring of Fire so far. Bigger than many queens at many places, as well. Not a dragon to be messed with.
Instead of walking all the way over to the candidates, the big black-silver sat his rump down in the sands and tilted his head back releasing a powerful, echoing roar. Danger jumped up from his seat in the sands, swinging a fist in a throwing motion at the dragon though the hatchling was too far away for him to hit. "Shut up, Klirrashero!"
Gone a little stir-crazy, have you, Danger? Wake up and smell the non-Azonese coffee! I've finally come and that's all you have to say!? the rainbow-silver-black spat back, crouching down and digging his daggerlike Azonese claws into the sands. No doubt about it, he was one of Kioli's offspring.
"...wha?" Danger asked in confusion, the realization finally dawning on him. Then he got angry. "Klirrashero! IT TOOK YOU FREAKING LONG ENOUGH!"
Good things come to those that wait, the dragon responded sarcastically. Finally, he walked across the sands and nudged his chosen out to the kitchens. Soon after, Safety and her queen disappeared from their perch in a flurry of wings.
Four more eggs burst open, drawing the chattering crowd's attention to them. The first of the dragonets, a lovely minty green with a silvery sheen to her hide began the little parade across the sands, moving almost like a dream. Her head was held high and her eyes passively whirled with calm colors as she moved towards the candidates...and directly up to the only candidate that could have been for her.
Di'Cortavo kneeled in her dress, taking the small green's head in her hands and stroking her soft nose. "Kastiapianth."
The second of the dragons watched this bonding, then snorted. He turned purple and red eyes on the stands--and then he lept! A gambler who had chosen a front row seat immediately regretted his decision as he was dragged, kicking and screaming, down to the sands by the mid-sized shining black hatchling. It was a brief struggle as the dragon latched his fangs onto the man's throat and proceded to suck him dry. Once he'd finished feeding he became aware of the crowd's eyes on them and their panic at this vampiric attack.
Oops, sorry, the glitz black-red chuckled sheepishly. I just couldn't resist.
Across the sands, the parents of the nest the vampiric glitz had popped out of stared in horror, mouths open. His dam was the golden Delith and his sire white-blue glitz Iozabinth. How in the world had this little monstrosity come out of that pairing!? Delith gaped, then promptly fainted narrowly missing hitting one of her other eggs with her wedge-shaped head. Io' muttered darkly and nudged his current mate lightly.
A larger dragon, a slightly metallic cream with large, white wings glared at the vampiric glitz black-red. He stood from where he'd been sitting in the sands and moved over to the hyedhostar.
Diaji, the male cream purred gently. He stood on his hindlegs, flapping beautiful white wings that for some odd reason...glittered. On closer inspection, they were spangled with snowflakes just like his dam, the Flurry white Neva's hide!
"Losseth?" The fire-wind hyedhostar female responded. "You have snowflakes..."
So? I am only snowy in color, like you are only fire in appearance. I am not meant for an ice, I am meant for you. To emphasize, he blew a plume of flame out of his mouth.
While the cream-white was making his bond, the vampiric glitz had decided he'd had enough of his first kill's blood. He prowled along the area where the sands met the stands, crouched low like some sort of predatory cat. Candidates uneasily moved aside a the black passed through them, stalking directly up to the only one that was for him, the vampire Hinyaii.
"That was amusing, I'm glad I won't have to convince you to bite anyone. Welcome, Kyuuketsuki," Hinyaii laughed, patting his dragon's head.
It's a pleasure to be here, Lord of the Night, Kyuuheketsuki purred. I can't wait to sink my fangs into some of those vampire hunters.
"Nor can I, my friend."
The last of the four dragons padded lightly up to his chosen and puffed out his chest, black tail lashing. Yllowen, we will find her. I assure you! Let's begin!
"Patience, Halraritorath," the Leonite laughed uncomfortably. "I've waited this long, I can last until you're actually big enough to travel."
Two more eggs popped open, the last of Datzchlynth's and another of Tesimith's. The muddy brown biped from Tesimith's clutch took one look at the white-blue from Dat's, snorted disdainfully then charged towards the stands. The crowd recoiled, shrieking as they feared a repeat of the vampiric glitz's hatching. This one, however, did not bother to grab anyone. He swung himself up onto the railing of the stands, standing over Messel and Vera. Messel moved to shove Vera away, and Lani jumped up to stop any attack. But, the mud brown dragonet...didn't move.
The little beast blinked, then laughed and fanned his wings wide. The crowd muttered, seeing the colors there. They were black, veined with orange and red. Leave your old life behind and come with me, Messel Skraag. Journalism is not for you, fire runs through your veins as it does through mine.
"But what about Vera? I can't leave her here, you know, Qafevreos. That would be like...abandoning her," Messel said sourly, fingers twisting around the seat of his chair.
Leave that to the one who is coming for her, he'll take care of her. But you however, are coming with me.
Messel was about to ask who was coming for Vera when suddenly the dragonet grabbed him by the collar and pulled him out of his seat. Both crashed to the sands, Qafevreos was the first one up. He grabbed his bond's pantleg in his mouth and began to drag him across the sands. The last thing the laughing crowd heard from Messel was "LET ME GO! I CAN WALK ON MY OWN!" before the two disappeared into the kitchens. Vera sighed sadly, she was alone...
The white-blue, meanwhile, had gone up to the hyedhostar as several dragonets had done before. She rubbed her head against Soraiha's leg, purring. I'm sorry about your parents, Soraiha... but I'll never leave you. I'm Quantidalth.
A flash of lightning lit up the sands from the dragons' entrance followed by a low and menacing role of thunder. Rain began to pour in, soaking the sands. The dragoness's grumbled.
From Ryuuhikari's nest poked a strangely-shaped head situated on a surprisingly long neck. The white-cream-gold furred doglike dragon looked up at his mother, then the dragon entrance. Lightning flashed again, reflecting off his brown eyes. He virtually flowed out of the remains of his shell, leaving it mostly intact. A few spectators laughed at the comical appearance of the dragon. He looked like some kind of cross between a dog and a dragon! How odd!
Their laughter quickly fell into a frightened silence, however, as he...hover-flew across the sands towards him. He could fly without beating the small, feathered wings on his back! The Asian dragon let down in front of the stands, staring up into Vera's green eyes with his own brown ones. Instead of assaulting the stands like two dragons previously had down, he simply curled in the sands maintaining the young woman's gaze. She turned away, agitated.
~Vera, I'm sorry I hurt you before,~ the dragon said quietly, regretfully.
Vera's look sharpened, her green eyes going wide. She knew that mental prescence! "Phoenix?"
~Yes, and no. Phoenix was...just a temporary avatar that I kept up while I slept in my shell. His purpose was to bring you here, to me. Only the avatar died, not me. I am Omajinai Hikaru!~ the doglike creature responded.
Vera's face lit up, for the first time in a while leaving the melancholy expression she'd had since phoenix had 'died'. She lept over the railing of the stands, landing next to her dragon. The girl through her arms around Omajinai's neck, hugging him to her. He licked her face. Up in the stands Lani hid a smile behind her hand.
The gamblers were becoming increasingly chattery. Lani thought of asking what all the ruckus was when she suddenly noticed one of Calca and Darreon's eggs was rocking savagely. Her heart skipped a beat, that meant...well, this child would be the sibling of her mother. It felt odd, having an immortal family that could continue to have children even after previous ones had become great grandparents.
Something, however, was wrong. Darreon looked irritated. He swung his golden-white head towards his mate, Lani had the feeling they were having a private mental discussion as Calca soon turned to face him. Suddenly, the egg that had been rocking partially broke revealing a gold-finned tail covered in bottle green fur.
Lani gasped. A Fantasan green! A queen! The crowd, however, didn't seem so elated. They broke into grumbling and shouts as the six-winged furry green spilled from her shell onto the sands.
"What the hell made that thing? Weren't those two supposed to have EXTRAORDINARY hatchlings?" one of the gamblers shouted loudly.
Another one growled. "It's a fricking green! You'd think that with their coloration something that big'd be a gold instead of just a lousy green!"
Indeed, the young green elderspirit was bigger at birth than many golds. She got to her four paws and ruffled her wings, looking around wildly. She shook some of the sand off her head and focused on the spectators, her gaze asking them why they were treating her in such a way.
"Guess that the Ring of Fire's going to have to make a special low-ranking wing just to have a place to put that big piece of cannon fodder," one of the gamblers sneered, the others around him burst into laughter.
Darreon's neck curved backwards, his golden jaws opened as a fireball roared up in his mouth. Lani's heart jumped. He was going to torch the audience! Suddenly, Calca's paw shot out and clamped over Darreon's mouth, killing the spell he was readying. He shoved her away, growling audibly. Calca shook her head sadly, signifying that they were once again having a private mental conversation.
The third out of four total of Arinqueth's eggs with Dohosh burst open, a dark blue hy-dragoness with a single silver-crowned head and four small nubs stepped out arrogantly. Her head swung around and her eyes focused on the hatchling elderspirit green that stood hunched up in the sands, her finned tail covering her face. The hy-dragoness swaggered confidently over. Suddenly, the green leapt to her feet and bared a mouthful of fangs that put the fear into everyone there.
~Mind you, beast, you're no more than an Imperial level by the color of your hide and the number of your nubs! I, being green, may not be as high-ranking as you but I'm still at least twice your size. You might want to learn to show some manners.~ the green hatchling's voice filled the mind of everyone in the room.
The hy-dragoness hissed, leaping forward with all four armed paws forward. Certainly she was going to rip the pretty green to shreds! Suddenly a wind spell to shape, spinning the hy-dragon around as it lanced with lightning. The hydra-mix was thrown back and she went skidding awkwardly through the sand. As quickly as possible, the little monster was back on her feet. She righted herself, swept her currently existing head around and lunged for Rishi!
A flash of black that changed to blue when the light hit it just right slammed into the hydra's side, knocking her back to the sand. The half-Draconic Geomancer dragonet stood strong, his irridescent hide glittering, his rainbow fins fluffed up, and his four rainbow wings spread in preparation for any coming attack. Sulkilly, the hy-dragoness slunk off and over to the hyedhostar previous hatchlings had called a witch.
I'm Facinarose, the little beast growled, shooting glares at the green and the black-blue. Get me some freaking food before I show one of those idiots the true meaning of pain.
Thoranthi, glared at the other hatchlings. She bared long fangs, "Ignore them, Facinarose. They're not worth your time."
The irridescent black-blue trotted assuredly up to Rishi, twining around her legs. "I'm sorry I wasn't there with you before when Bekirol took you from your family," the son of Rishi and Sherra said gently. "But I will always protect you now..." He paused momentarily, looking up at her. "There is no reason for you to pay that man back, he took what was not his in the first place. You owe him nothing, but if you insist I will help you. Rishi, my name is Raeiaressi Aricoli."
The blue-black haired girl nodded mutely, staring down at the dragon shyly. Finally, she found the words to say. "...You talk?"
Raeiaressi's green eyes lit up, he laughed. "Yes, of course I talk silly! Otherwise you wouldn't be able to hear me."
Reshi giggled, then turned grim. "You have four wings..."
The dragonet winced. "Yes, I do...but I'm better than any stupid Beast! I can do things they can't, like talk and shift! And I don't eat people, so don't worry," he nuzzled her leg, she hugged him.
Presently, Rishi and her dragon left. The black-blue paused a moment, looking back at the green. There was a brief mental message that no one heard but the green herself, then he pranced off happily after his bond.
The Asian green looked around at the people, puzzedly, then curled up in the sands hiding her face in her fur.
Two more eggs burst open, another that had been hidden between Calca's paws...but the dragon that hatched was definitely not Calca and Darreon's child. He was long, and scaley with long legs and single-ribbed wings. Not to mention he was bright red and gold. One of Vestiso and Cortheus's! Calca smiled sadly and gave him a shove forward with one paw. Too bad his parents weren't there...
The red started forward, tripped, and skidded facefirst through the sand. The other dragonet who had hatched, another of Sherra's but colored like a pastel rainbow Danachian Starry, trotted over and nudged him to his feet. The two looked at each other, purred, then started across the sands together. The Starry was the first to Bond.
Kirikoya, the starry said lightly, momentarily glaring at the red after he fwapped her across the rump with his tail. Kirikoya, I'm glad you're still alive. Once all of us dragons are grown up we'll rejoin your sister and Sahen's friend.
Kirikoya chuckled, patting the starry's muzzle. "That we will, Shekaiolia."
The red, meanwhile, was playfully kicking sand all over Sahen, and generally being a nuisance. He grabbed his bond's pantleg in his mouth, pulling hard and causing a loud RIIIIP!
"Stop it, Corvethis!" Sahen grumbled, pulling away from his dragon. "To think--I would get such an annoying dragon!" He shot Kirikoya a 'help me' look. The lady general just laughed.
"You love me, anyway," the red responded in a smug verbal voice, nipping at the man's foot.
The last quivering egg rolled out of Yureith's nest, spinning widely. Another thunderclap announced the birth of the last dragon of the clutch. He pulled himself from the shards of his shell, red eyes glittering menacingly. The wraith dragon rose up onto his hindlegs like the true bipedal that he was and beat black wings that seemed edged in a white mist. A wind came through the sands, ruffling the white mane on his neck. Slowly, the dark beast made his way over to a candidate that had once almost been angelic.
Makiar, the wraith dragon hissed. We will make them pay, we will show Eios that we are not so easily trifled with! My name holds much meaning, for it is Meianth.
The few remaining candidates, four out of nine of the hyedhostar, breathed sighs and began to leave the sands along with the crowd. One of them, Baltor, momentarily wondered about Thoranthi's hy-dragon bond. That one certainly looked like trouble.
Lani remained in the stands, leaning forward on the back of the seat in front of her and staring out across the now mostly dark hatching arena. Darreon was still down on the sands with Calca and their daughter who hadn't moved since she'd curled back up. The Firelancer watched Darreon lift the little green up, nuzzling her. She sighed...the entrance of this new elderspirit into the world had been far from joyful. Sparing one last glance back to the sands, she turned and left to join in the festivities.