Just outside Ryslen's Sands, A Light Blue head poked out of the Sands to greet the new Hatchling and rider. Was it...?
   Sekayth! Elcayleth* bugled joyously, as Keylyn leapt lightly down from her dragon's back, beaming broadly. "Congratualtions, dragonrider."
   Damari grinned back. "Thank you, Key, Sekayth." He listened to his lifemate for a moment, then added, "'Cayle says 'thanks', too." His face took on a worried look. "She also says she's starving!"
   Keylyn nodded, surpressing a grin. "I bet she is. My Se was, too. All hatchlings are, right after they leave the shell. Come one, we can go to the kitchens. I'm sure they'll have something."
   I hope so, Elcayleth remarked as they started back to the main Weyr. Hatching is hard work! She couldn't understand why both riders exploded with laughter.

---

   "Didn't you want to stay for the rest of the Hatching?" Damari inquired of his Weyrmate as he deftly cut up meat for his voracious green. He size was apparently deceptive; she had already consumed about half a wherry.

   Keylyn shrugged. "It doesn't really matter to us. Sekayth said  both of his children had hatched, anyway. Although don't ask me how he can tell."     She looked reflectively down at little Elcayleth. "I guess she does look a little like Sevith. And if I'm any judge, she'll have some of her mother's size."
   Damari smiled lovingly down at his beautiful dragon. "If she keeps eating like this, I'm sure she will." He stroked the green's side gently. 'Cayle, darling, haven't you had enough? You'll burst.
   I will not, Elcayleth told him. Besides, the others will be here soon. They will take all the food!
  "I doubt it... Ooh!" A pink hatchling dashed past, jarring the knife so it cut against his finger, not the meat. He sucked the injured finger ruefully. "Guess I'd better listen to you next time," he apologized as a yellow gragoness bounced after her sister.
   Elcayleth wolfed down the last scraps of meat, so fast Damari worried she would choke. Keylyn, who had been watching quietly, spoke up now. "What's her hurry, Dami?"
   Damari consulted with his green. "She says... More golds?" Both riders turned to watch the gate. A moment later, a huge white gold dragon did enter majestically, stopping to bugle imperatively at Damari's green, who had decided she also needed to leave, and at that moment. However, Elcayleth refused to move out of the way, chirping a polite but obvious refusal. The gold seemed to consider this, then passed by the green.
   It was difficult for Damari and Keylyn to get through the milling crowd, but they finally accomplished it; Damari in the lead, a little worried about Elcayleth. Noticing this, Keylyn grinned. "Don't worry, Dari. Your little Elcayleth has spunk, enough to stand up to a gold three times her size. She'll be fine."
   Reassured, Damari smiled back. "I'm just glad she isn't going to be another Aventrineth."
   Why would I be? Elcayleth asked curiously. Xhorieth isn't that bad for a gold. And I wouldn't argue with a probable Weyrwoman-to-be's queen.
  Keylyn listened as Damari told her what his green had said, then cocked a reflective eyebrow. "Wonder if there's such a thing as a 'seer' dragoness. You and Elcayleth are coming to Abri when she's grown up, right?" 
   He nodded, still unsure what was going on. Surprisingly, Keylyn smiled. "Then I think we're getting a long over-due Weyrwoman."
   And me, the cloudy green reminded them.

---

Read about Damari and Elcayleth as weyrlings?

Elcayleth hatched at Ryslen Weyr's Flurry Hatching

 

Pronounced el-kay-leth, stressing the italicized syllables. Her nickname, 'Cayle, is kay-lee

 

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