The Guests Clutch

Spreading her wings to absorb the rising sun, Essaith yawned. It would have been too easy to just stay in her weyr at this hour, but with snow on the ground, even the Leadership Weyr was freezing. And she was determined to keep an eye on that damned silver...

She forced herself to keep one eys open. The cold was always so hard to resist, but she, like Aliath, could sense that the Silver was clutching soon. She admired her own hide for a moment. It was growing in brightness, it would only start glowing hours before she rose though. The rich orange tones in her hide were fading to gold with the increese in hormones, as all golds tended to do. Soon she would have the sands for herself...

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Irilith scaned the weyrbowl from the watchtower. She and Gie had been assigned the watch-Duty for dawn till midday, and she was currently watching on her own. Gie had been asked by those in the drum tower to bring up some Klah and meatrolls, so she was enjoying a meal with the drum-trained weyrfolk. Not as good as propper fort-trained drum harpers, but still better that nothing. Not that you could hear drum messages from Northern or Sothern, but ships still used them to announce their arrival or distress.

Aliath came in and sat a dragonlength from Essiath. She sighed as she lay down. It was incredibly difficult to pretend one wasn't proddy. Luckily that sorry-excuse-for-a-queen Agueth and Essiath's soon-to-be rise were keepign the humans' minds busy and off of her color-changing hide. She wondered if Essiath had noticed her hide changing.

>>She's got to many large eggs for her size Aliath, the stupid thing let herself get caught by a bronze at her age. Only Golds can handle a full Bronze-Sired clutch, she should have know that, unless high reaches silvers are so stupid as to forget that they are too small<<

Essaith looked over her shoulder at Aliath. There was pleanty of room on the Leadership weyr ledge, but as soon as Zenath woke, there would not be.

>>Can you feel it? She will lay today, I can feel it in my bones<<

Zenath yawned and stretched. He went out onto the ledge and found Essiath and Aliath talking. >>Good Morning Essiath, Aliath.<<He said and squished in between the golds. He was touchign both their hides, Essiath a little more, but it was the only way he could fit on the ledge as well.
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Aliath's hide prickled with nervousness. The last time Zenath had gotten a little LESS close than this, Essiath had been furious. And no they were both proddy. Aliath wondered what Essiath would do to her.

Essaith grumbled grumbily at the fact that Zenath was touching Aliath, but there was somthing bigger occupying her mind.

Suddenly, she felt the silver's first contraction serge threw her, and looked at Aliath. >>It begins<<

She had made this a privet comment, Zenath would figgure it our on his own soon enough. Aliath had to learn about these things. As much as she disliked the idea of not being senior, if anything should happen to her, Aliath was more likely to become senior than Florath or Beth, due to the fact she rose every year.

>>Now?<<Aliath eyed her. Finally, this meant the excuse would leave sooner. >>Should we wake our riders?<<

>>No, our chosens can arrive when they wake, it may take days for her to finish laying<<

Essaith stood and walked to the edge of the ledge. The hatching sands cavern was at an odd angle below them to the left, as it always traditionaly was in a weyr. Essaith eyed the younger gold.

>>You ever backwinged into a hatching cavern?<< With a rumble that almost sounded like laughing, Essaith jumped of the edge and quickly backwinged towards the hatching cavern. The seccond she was inside the cavern, she changed direction again, heading up to the ledges that sorounded the tall cavern.

Landing on a lower level ledge, she sat and waited for Aliath, watching as the Silver below her pagan to pace with nerves.

>>I believe I'd hit my head on the roof or a wall and knock myself senseless if I tried that.<<Aliath informed Essiath as she glided down and settled beside her.

>>Its a handy trick to know, just in case<<

Essaith looked down intently at the silver, whos gravid belly was moving and looked ready to burst.

Aliath watched the silver intently. >>How long until she lays them?<<

Essaith motioned to the Silver as she squatted to lay.

>>There is the first comming now<< Essaith watched as the Silver laid a firey looking egg, an avrage size, but very preety. >>That shell DOES do her credit, I must admit<<

>>If you mean that by they're nowhere near the eggs you or I could lay, then I agree.<<She said with a snort. ALiath raised her head and watched the silver. She disliked her, but she wondered what measley numbers the silver would lay.

>>I do bet a Bitran mark that the rest will be plain or ugly<< Essaith stuck her nose up, to show she still thought of the silver as a wimp and fingerfish.

She watched as the silver laid several dark colored eggs, all with faint lighter marks, that were all rather plain, and a greenish egg, before the rider ran to her.

>>What a stupid dragon, to not call her rider before she started laying<<

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Alana bolted upright, slapping Z'ek on his bare back. "C'mon, by the firswt egg! The clutching! Essaith and Aliath are watching Augeth clutch!"

Sensing no movement from her mate, she slapped his back again, before pulling away the sleeping furs and begining to dress herself.

Z'ek jumped bolt upright, alarmed. He yawned, still exhausted. The weyr was busy and stressing these days. Dressing quickly, he dashed to the hatching grounds and stopped behind Aliath and Essiath on one of the ledges used to wathc impressions. He felt Zenath was awake already, out on the ledge outside. He stopped to wait for Alana, watching the silver lay an egg while he waited.
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Zenath came inside when he felt his rider wake. Morning, sleepy. When I woke you were snoring like a tired Gold. Zenath teased him jokingly, settling down to Essiath's left and watching the silver. He turned and scratched his mate's shoulder, one big eye fixed on the silver and one on his rider standing behind them.
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Aliath rumbled in agreement. When she's done laying, she's toast! Aliath thought with a mischevious smirk. She could feel her scheming thoughts-she had both the Silver and slipping away with Priloth on her mind-waking Callie.
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Callie woke restless, feeling her dragon's sour thoughts and guessed correctly the silver was laying. She dressed quickly and left her weyr, dashing in the direction of the sands. She was grateful she had remembered to wear her boots, not her sandals, as she stepped out onto sands. Aliath, could you give me a ride up to you guys? She asked her dragon after stifling a yawn.

Essaith Thumped happily as Zenath scratched her. She made it clearly audble, so that the Silver knew that Essaith's mate was here, and hers was not.

>>Aliath, did you know that her mate is not here because he is attending the hatching of a GOLD her caught before her, and after that he might not make it to the hatching, because I just heard he caught another gold, and wishes to attend HER clutching, but not this puny silvers?<<

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Alana heard Essaith's Gossip. "Essaith! Dont be mean and stop Gossiping!" She blushed and huged Z'ek, before realising that this only reinforced what Essaith was saying... the rider of the clutchsire was not here to be with Mamua...

Z'ek laughed at Essiath and Aliath after hugging Alana. He sighed after regaining his breath. "Once a gossip, always a gossip."He whispered in Aliath's ears. "They're never gonna like her, and they're never gonna quit being gossips either!"He walked over and crouched beside Zenath to get a better view of the silver. Reaching his arm over, he scratched his dragon's neck as the silver laid a darkish swirled egg.
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Aliath snorted. >>Even the clutchsire is ashamed of her!<<She snorted in disdain, watching the silver lay another egg. She heard her rider and brought her up to the 1st level of the spiraling ledge they were all on and then settled in her spot beside Essiath just as Zenath asked Essiath when she would rise. She listened with masked attentiveness so she could tell Priloth how long till she could rise.
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Zenath rumbled happily as Z'ek scratched his neck. He stopped scratching Essiath for a moment. He had noticed her hide turning more gold-colored. He had also noticed Aliath's was almost as gold as Essiath's, which troubled him. The queens had come close to fighting over almost nothing before,-he had learned Priloth had broken it up-what would happen if they rised at the same time? He shrugged off the worry. One of the others could escort her away when Essiath rose. >>How long before you rise, Essiath?<<He asked her, allowing his rider and both golds to hear. >>You are quite hard to look at in the sun.<<He said, referring to the bright color of her hide.
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Callie walked over to the Weyrwoman and Leader. "How many has she laid?"She asked, unable to get a good tally with the silver's wings fluttering open and closed.

Alana sighed. "There are 10 now, but she doesnt seem to have many more in her, and no sign of a queen yet"

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Essaith snorted >>Not nessisarily, all males will mate with any queen he can to prove his worth, but he caught two GOLDS, and clearly favors their clutches over her's. I highly doubt there will be any higher than a brownrank this clutch, but the wherrie necked finger fish might suprize us...<<

She looked at Zenath as he questioned her. >>I dont know bronze, I thaught you would be first to know, as bronzes always know before the queen does<< Essaith nussled him affectionatly.

Zenath rumbled the dragon equivalent of laughter. >>I'd like to say very, very soon.<<He said, nuzzling his mate back.
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Z'ek chuckled at his dragon and turned to look at Alana. "They're discussing how much longer till Essiath's rise...."He said.
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Callie watched her dragon worriedly. SHe had never seen Aliath like this, even in her worst bit of proddiness. Callie looked at Aliath for a moment and then turned to Alana. "Alana, may I talk to you for a moment in private?"
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Aliath flicked her tail bakc and forth in restless impatience. Where was Priloth? He should have arrived by now.

Alana looked at Callie with worry. "Yes Callie, we can go to one of the unused quarters on the sands. She made her way down from the stands, crossed the sands and waited for Callie outside of the room.

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Priloth trumpeted as he flew into the cavern and landed with a thud beside Aliath.
>>Have I kept you waiting my love?<<

>>Yes, you have!!<<Aliath nudged him affectionately as he landed. >>And I have good news, but I'm not gonna tell you hear.<<She said, in case the others overheard. She laid down pressed close to him and gently scratched his withers for him.
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Callie looked worriedly, her frown increasing, as Priloth landed beside Aliath. She watched Aliath's affectionate response with an even deeper frown and could feel the gold's mood go from proddy to... loving? She shook her head and dashed after Alana. She slowed and walked into the empty room, turned, and waited for Alana to come in.

Priloth almost purred in pleasure, before setting himself properly on the ledge and laying with his head next to Aliath, one eye on her and one on the eggs.

>>Who do you think will impress><<

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Alana walked in behind Callie, opened a basket of glows and shut the door.

"WHY was Priloth being scratched bu Aliath!?!"

>>Not the queen candidates. I'm a fire lizzard if that puny excuse for a queen lays a queen egg!<<She snorted. >>What's wrong?<<She asked. >>You seem distracted, Priloth, your worrying me.<<
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Callie looked at Alana. "I have no idea..."She said, flabbergasted. "Her mood goes from grouchy to... loving and happy every time he's around! Now that I think about it, she always sticks close to him and they spend a lot of time together..."She said. "She hasn't said a word, P'alo might know about Priloth?"SHe suggested.

>>There is nothing wrong, my love, its just that I am being prodded by my chosen as to WHY I spend so much time with you, and he now knows I am here, and is having to inturupt the lesson he is planning for Annabelle and Beth to come and speak to your Callie<<

Priloth looked up at Aliath, streached his claws a little and slumped comfortably on the ledge.

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"Loving? You have to be joking, Ivorys dont fly Golds!" Alana began to pace. "The genecrafters are due to arrive soon, I will ask them if they can assess this, they made the Ivorys, they will have records."

Aliath nuzzled him again. >>We can't tell them, you know. They wouldn't understand. "Ivories don't fly golds", they would say. Which apparently, is NOT true, because YOUR flying ME.<<SHe said, ending with a confident tone. He WAS going to fly her.
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"I'm dead serious."Callie said. "The thoughts she forgets to block and that I hear when she's aroudn him... They only reinforce the loving theory!"

Priloth started to Nuzzle Aliath, but screeched and lept of the ledge at the last seccond, reapearing on a ledge on the other side of the room. >>Sorry my sweet, P'alo is comming<<

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Alana stoped to think. "Even if he tried, he'd be outflown anyway, though he IS bigger than the avrage brown, and even a gold who had agreed to be flown by a lesser color will totaly disregard this come the actual flight"

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Striding across the sands, P'alo glared at his dragon, who looked smugly back, before heading strait for the closed door and barging in, slamming it behind him.

"WHY wont my dragon let me into his thoughts when he is around your gold Callie!"