739.07.24 | To Fan The Flames - Ameris - 18.Aug.18
[This hatching takes place at the beginnings of the Istan fire event and is a one shot]
The humming had begun sometime after midnight, Ameris groaned as she flopped over on her back. The heat had been tremendous lately, both the goldrider and her dragon miserable, irritable and grouchy. The only shining grace for the woman had been her children and M'ris. Mizeath had been a pain in the ass, grumping and grouchy the entire time she convalesced on the hatching sands with her clutch of twenty, not that Ameris really blamed her. It was damnable hot in there. The storm that had rolled in the night before had done nothing to alleviate any of the sweltering heat and instead seemed to make it worse. She sighed as she slid from her bed to dress and leaned over to poke M'ris to let him know the eggs were soon to be hatched. They could have picked a better time.
They are ready and do stop whining, it's unbecoming of you, the gold told her smoothly and continued her humming. Ameris scoffed as she sent for the creche worker to come to fetch Eris and Rislan. After the last hatching, Ameris had agreed with M'ris that Rislan would not be present for any more until it was time for him to stand on his own. She didn't mind really, hatchings were bloody business and the boy sensitive enough that they bothered him when they were. She wondered if this hatching would spell the same standard as the last and if there would be any girls impressing this round. She hoped so. They needed more bodies on the sands and girls could obviously impress just as easily as the boys.
The sands were hot and the candidates exhausted, all the boys and the two girls M'ris had allowed swaying with the heat. Ameris had a moments pity for them and then she remembered that the majority of them would walk away with dragons. The dark haired woman walked towards her dragon, giving the gold a gentle stroke along her eye ridges. You did well, my love, she murmured within her own mind and moved away to take her place with M'ris. I always do well, Mizeath told her rather smugly as the hums of the dragons began to deepen and Ameris knew an egg was going to crack.
It wasn't the coveted bronze that hatched first, instead a bulky little blue. He made now bones about how he felt about being interrupted from whatever peace he held within that egg and went on a tear around the sands. Thankfully his sharp little talons and cruel little teeth did nothing by way of a mauling and his impression was made. A green tumbled from her shell with a yawn and she slowly ambled her way towards the boys. Eyes whirled and a boy cried as impression was made. Two more greens broke shell at the same time. They snuffled in tandem around the ankles of the hopeful girls before moving away. Ameris chuckled quietly at the disappointment on their faces as the greens made their choices.
Finally that large bronze Ameris had no doubt existed broke his shell. He was regal and had an air about him that reminded Ameris of her own Mizeath. Haughty and arrogant, the bronze made his way to a young boy just barely old enough to stand on those hot sands. Impression made and tears tracking that little holder boy's face. Mizeath's hums sharpened and suddenly two browns shattered their shells at the same time. One, a deep russet sat looking dazed as his brother immediately went about his business and impressed. The russet brown continued to sit blinking at the crowd that gathered.
A squeal went up from the group of boys and a tricky little blue Ameris hadn't realized had hatched was being lead away with his boy. She laughed and leaned into M'ris to tell him the pair would need to be watched, she recognized the boy and knew him for a sassy little trouble maker. Three more green broke shell in rapid succession and made their impressions. That sturdy russet brown finally lumbered to his feet and Mizeath gave him a croon of encouragement. He bumbled and stumbled his way towards the girls and the entire weyr held their breath's collectively. Ameris shook her head in an kind of denial. That would not do, she thought as the brown sniffed a slender girl's ankle and looked straight up at her. Ameris heave a sigh of relief when he walked off and unerringly towards a tall, whip thin boy. Plopping his rump on the boy's foot, impression was made. What would they have done if that little brown had impressed one of the girls?
They would never have to find out as the hatching continued. Another blue and three more greens made their appearances and impressions. Another green and she made a determined squawk before heading towards the girls. She circled and circled as she gave what could only be a sweet trill of happiness. She rubbed against the girl who'd been sniffed by the brown and the look of utter peace and acceptance was beautiful. Tears were in Ameris' eyes at that happiness and for a moment she wondered if she was breeding again. Her hand gripped M'ris tight as she told him setting the girls on the sands was a good idea. They'd have lost that little green for sure if that young girl hadn't been there.
Three more greens cracked shell and ran amok in the hatching sands. Two making their impressions after the ran over the top of their newly minted riders. Ameris shook her head that the silliness of greens. Another blue hatched and impressed with little fanfare. But the last green took her own sweet time choosing and it was Mizeath's disgruntled snort that finally got her moving. Impression made and the silence that filled the sands was loud. She coughed suddenly, catching the scent of a fire on the breeze and Ameris frowned mightily. She was certain M'ris had demanded no fires to be lit during this drought.
She was making her way back to the weyr when the first of the firelizards arrived. Her own Mud shrieking in agitation, brilliant images bombarding her mind. "What in the world?" she murmured to herself. He said the world is on fire Mizeath told her with puzzlement. Like her rider, the dragon was having a difficult time understanding the whirling and bright images of fire and death. "But it shouldn't be!" she cried even as her eyes stung with smoke in the air. The smoke is in the air, Ameris, there is no denying that the world is on fire, told her quietly.
She ran to the bowl, eyes lifted to the sky as the first of Ista's dragonriders blinked between. Bespeak Mosiath, tell him we will rally what we can for assistance, Ameris demanded of her dragon and after a snort of indignation Mizeath replied, It is done. We should gather what healers we can.
What a way to enter the world, she thought as a worried weyrling pair was being ushered back to the master in charge of them. The world was ablaze and they were barely born. She shook her head as she headed to her weyr to change her clothing. A dress just would not do.
1 Bronze
2 Brown
4 Blue
13 Green
Special note
10Green impressed to 01Female
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