[G] [C] 734.01.01 | Of Drunks and Dragonets [Hatching!]

R’nya, seated quietly in his hut, had a cup of still heated klah in hand that he was sipping at intervals. The bronzerider had not yet bothered to go to bed, instead making his way to his hut as the main party began to dispel, seeking to avoid drunken invitations and pools of sick as he wove his way home. Not one to drink, R’nya’s head was clear and his own when the very loud call of Grith’s was released to bounce between his ears without mercy.

The bronzerider grimaced while Xyreith grumbled under his breath and banished the green out of his rider’s mind, throwing commentary at the older dragon as he did so that were either not understood or completely ignored – or both. Rising, Xyreith stretched luxuriously while he waited for R’nya to join him, unfussed by the commotion going on around him. Everyone always got knots in their tails at Hatchings, and usually about ten hours before the first baby made it onto the sands.

Still grumbling to himself, Xyreith was almost startled when Aradissicath’s light voice reached him, and he sent back no more than a slightly irritated flare of emotion. Of course R’nya was up and ready and on his way. Ridiculous girl! Shaking his head, Xyreith grumbled some more as R’nya wandered out of the hut, combing his fingers back through his short hair and then climbing lightly atop Xyreith. The bronze dragon was perched to take off when Aradissicath again contacted him, and the dragon let out a great snort.

“What is it, Xyreith?” R’nya’s voice was curious, but held a slight note of worry as he tried to think ahead of what could be causing his dragon to falter, and mostly landed on mild dramas the girls could be having… Lost robes, stolen shoes… Broken nails? R’nya gave the dragon a droll look. “If you faltered over broken nails, Xyreith, I will be very disappointed.” Good thing it wasn’t broken nails then, eh, Sir?

The dragon paused for a moment. Apparently we’ve been reduced to drudgery. R’nya blinked. “Pardon?” His mind now jumping to trying to figure out what he’d possibly done to piss S’kef off that much without so much as a talking to… Are you sure you drank nothing last night, Sir? The little girls want breakfast. The dragon’s tone was dismissive, and carried a clear eye roll. Despite that, Xyreith headed for the kitchens, where R’nya was deposited to collect the demanded food.

The pair made it in a timely manner, and R’nya slid off Xyreith in an almost comical manner as he balanced the breakfast he had brought for the two girls, and those that were undoubtedly with them. As the food and drink were divvied up, R’nya took quick stock of his two current goldriders with a slight frown; rumpled, but not rumpled before turning to the eggs in time to catch sight of the first foot appearing and vanishing. “Someone is shy,” he murmured, amused, and folded his arms over his chest, standing between Rhaedalyn and Kahleena as they both danced around the dragons’ heads.

“Xyreith.” R’nya’s voice was a low growl as the bronze dragon squished his bulk in between Okalinath and Aradissicath, hip bumping the older queen when she tried to make the gap smaller with a smug look. He gave her a dirty look, before snorting smugly when he managed to fit, and settled himself regally behind R’nya, laying his head on his paws and allowing the man to settle on his nose, before he was standing up and stepping forward a little as the gold suddenly made her appearance.

His hands balled into fists at her terror – it was practically thick enough to walk on – and Xyreith raised his head, rumbling softly though it did sound more like a growl, before adding his own humming to the masses when the little gold seemed to gather herself together and bolt across the sands… and collide with Peorray. R’nya’s eyebrows shot up his forehead, surprised by the choice and more than a little amused by the dragonet’s chosen hiding place, before he nodded with satisfaction. “Good!” His gaze flickered in Rheadalyn’s direction, before back out across the sands. “She seemed overwhelmed. The candidates are spread a bit thin between the clutches; likely she did not know where to go.”

He watched as Peorray lead the little one off the sands, swiftly followed by her green sisters. The girl would make a solid addition to the gold ranks, and R’nya was pleased to see the batten handed to her. Brilliant. Another one. Just brilliant. Xyreith snorted again, before rumbling out a warning just before Kahleena threw herself at R’nya, hugging him tight before throwing herself off him and onto Rhaedalyn, hugging her friend before dancing around excitedly with squeals of ‘the gold hatched first!’.

“Congratulations my dear,” his gaze shifted from the still dancing Kahleena to N’kal. “N’kal. A gold is indeed a good start to the clutch, and to the new year.” His attention shifted back to the sands as another egg cracked, spilling contents onto the sands.

{SP will follow with the next batch of dragonets…}