[G] [C] 733.12.21 | Showing off, in the name of Art

She'd always wanted to sketch a gold and her clutch.  It was an odd wish, and normally Ravana wouldn't have even tried, but Okalinath seemed to be dying for excuses to show off her eggs.  Ravana was perfectly happy to give her one.  Shanith didn't see what the big deal was to the green rider as she gathered her art kit making sure she could be setup to draw or paint, adding a few bottles of water, a bowl, spare parchment and treats for Stubborn.  It was all wrapped in the blanket Ravana wished to sit on if she was allowed to do this, and once again, Shanith complained.  Why can't you draw me with some rocks, and call it a gold with her eggs?  You can make the rocks look like eggs if you want and...You're ignoring me aren't you?

Not ignoring you.  I just disagree.  Ravana made sure she had everything, then set out for the hatching grounds.  Shanith harrumphed at her and headed to snuggle with her bronze.  Not your bronze love.  If anyone of you belongs to anyone you're his green.  The image she got back made Ravana laugh, putting her in an upbeat mood.  Where on earth did you learn that?

Silence.  Ravana shook her head as she slipped onto the hatching grounds and made sure Okalinath was awake.  Her good mood made her a bit more expressive than she normally would have been.  She got close enough to the gold to be able to talk to her without annoying Kypth.  "Greetings, Okalinath!  I was wondering if you would do me the honor of allowing me to sit on the sands for a bit and paint you with your clutch?"

She waited quietly for an answer, hoping the gold truly wouldn't mind.  Shanith stirred in the back of her mind, grumbled about shiny hides blinding her rider to the beauty of a green pretending to be a clutch mother and settled to complain about it to Olemuth.  At least he would listen to her.  Hmph! 

Ravana restrained her amusement at the green's antics, reassuring her that she was truly beautiful but Ravana's sketchbook was full of pictures of the green.  She could use an occasional new subject.  The green grumbled, but was mollified enough to let Ravana alone to bother the gold.

Okalinath was busy setting her clutch back to rights after the excitement of the Touching. She was alone on the sands – besides Krypth, but Okalinath wasn’t interested in counting the sourpuss no-fun gold – since she had sent Torath off to vent his frustration on herdbests (and bring her something too!) and Kahleena had gone to lunch herself. The young woman was still slightly frazzled from the event, but mostly from Okalinath’s resounding joy and high end emotions.

Humming quietly to herself, Okalinath nosed one egg back towards the main clutch, before nosing another, rolling the eggs while also turning them enough to cater to their need for even heating. They would hatch very soon, and Okalinath was determined that they should all hatch! She clearly had a superior clutch than those Krypth was capable of bringing forth, but the other gold had no duds to her name and Okalinath refused to give the other the satisfaction of outdoing her in that regard. However, that required Hatching day to prove Okalinath was yet another bar above Krypth.

It took the small gold a moment to realise there was someone entering the sands, and she turned in surprise at the sound of a woman’s voice, her eyes sparkling the startled emotion, before flooding with joy when she processed the request. Oh, that would be grand! Okalinath cheered, turning to face Ravana while batting away the inquisitive though of Kahleena, telling her bonded to mind her own business and eat her meal before it got cold; she was quite fine!

Okalinath shot a smug look in Krypth’s direction; no one but Jada painted her clutches, but here this woman wanted to paint Okalinath’s! Clearly, she was far superior! Radiating a smug joy, Okalinath stood to walk around to where Ravana was standing, and lowered her head to the woman’s height, peering at her clutch critically. Let me fix them up! Trotting back, Okalinath nosed a couple of the eggs once more, picking up the gold one carefully in forepaws to move it to the front and centre, she then carefully arranged the others around it. After she was done, Okalinath stood up and returned to Ravana’s side, lowering her head to the woman’s view-height once more and again analyzing her clutch.

There! One moment! How should I be? the gold quickly returned to the far side of her clutch, and stood for a moment, looking expectantly at Ravana to instruct her on how to pose. It was all very important! She knew she was a gorgeous dragon, but she wanted to be the most gorgeous, and she didn’t know what angle Ravana would have the most skill with drawing her at!

She'd expected the red of anger, not the softre, cooler colors that siad the gold was happy...as if the way she seemed to half strut, half prance over to Ravana didn't show plainly she was happy. 

Ravana would hurry up with this.  Kahleena would only be eating lunch for so long and she wanted at least a few sketches done by the time she got back, along with a couple of speed paints.  The rest could be done at her hut so she could give Kahleena and N'kal each a picture of the clutch come hatching day. 

The dragon fussed happily and Ravana slowly relaxed as she did indeed show that she was happy with the request and Shanith stayed off the sands, grouching to Olemuth.  She did not need her agitating Kypth! 

She looked up as the clutch was settled, and tilted her head in thought.  "However you would like to be, Okalinath."  How did one address a gold?  Gold Okalinath seemed too formal, and just Okalinath seemed to familiar.  She spoke softly.  "You'll want to be comfortable, I'll sketch quickly."  Stubborn peeked out then, flying curiously above the clutch, then to Okalinath, chirping.  The eggs were so big and pretty! 

She settled before the gold, wriggling happily and chirping.  Ravana recalled her after a moment, offering her a treat, and starting to sketch.  Okalinath was perfect for this.  She was expressive, practically glowing with joy at her motherhood, and she got the feeling that both mom and dad would be involved in watching the clutch grow once it hatched. 

Actually...  "It's odd talking to a Dragon that isn't Shanith or Olemuth but...Are you looking forward to seeing what your babies look like and what their personalities are like?"

Okay! the gold chirped happily as Ravana answered her, prancing around her clutch once or twice more before settling herself regally down behind the eggs – at least from Ravana’s point of view – and curling around them, her tail tip flicking against one shell as she nosed another egg in closer to the others so she could lay her head down upon her paws and not have her pretty face obscured by its shell. Her eggs really were quite stunning, but they were still not quite as stunning as she!

A low croon was given as her tiny gold cousin came to flitter over her eggs before landing before her, and Okalinath blew a soft exhale of breath over the little creature with a chirp in response, clearly thanking Stubborn for her implied compliments. Okalinath watched as Stubborn was called away, slightly saddened to see her go, but not displeased to be the center of attention as Ravana began the process of putting her glorious beauty forever more onto paper.

Only as odd as you make it!Okalinath chirped cheerfully, her eyes swirling placid blues and greens as she teased Ravana. Yes! I am very excited. Kally is really excited about my gold egg. She said I did very well! Okalinath preened, her neck arching as she wallowed in a moment of self satisfaction and delight. Kally won’t take bets on the colours in the shells, because she is boring, but I think there will be all amazing! A pause. They will make Krypth’s babies look boring. She tossed her head slightly, and gave a dismissive snort towards the other gold.

Ravana's concentration was complete enough that presently Stubborn's nose slipped from behind her curls and unnoticed the firelizard took off.  She circled the eggs again, chirping and cheeping at them, as if encouraging the dragonets within to grow big and strong.  She finally landed on one of Okalinath's headknobs, chattering to her happily.  She took off again landing on her nose and chirping a greeting, her mental images all happy and delighted by her eggs, how beautiful they were!

Ravna answered as she focused on her paper, words soft.  "I suppose, though not used to conversing with dragons that aren't Shanith or Olemuth...and Olemuth barely talks to anyone."  She finally got the curve of her tail around the eggs right, looked up and actually yelped.  "Stubborn!  Okalinath isn't a throne!" 

Though actually...She drew a quick sketch of the gold with the flit on her head, folded it to put away for later, then sighed, not calling the little flit back.  "I am sure all your babies will be fantastic."  Ravana looked up at her, and started to correct the lines of her muzzle.  She was at once larger and more delicate than Shanith.  Built like a lady, or so it seemed to Ravana.

She hmmed.  "Some of these eggs look like they could be bronzes, I'd say.  I don't bet on the eggs, though.  It seems a bit rude, like the only worth of the dragon is their hide color..."

Ravana mused, having forgotten a moment she was speaking to a gold.  "...but then I'm biased since I ride green." Ravana finished one sketch, working on a more detailed one of the eggs themselves now. "Still comfortable, lady Okalinath?" 

She looked up, adding, "I'm hoping to give one of these to your bonded and one to N'kal.  He's sort of a friend.  I'm almost done with what I'll need to finish these though."