Within a span of less than an hour, about thirty candidates – novo – were ringed around those four smooth eggs.
The first one gave a convulsive rock, and the shell split. Dainty paws pushed away the ivory case, and a soft yellow dragonet pushed out of her cradle. She lost her balance and would have fallen into the soft red sand had she not thrown open her wings to counter her movement. The sails sparkled gently, as if the shiny and semi-opaque membrane had been dusted with fine glitter. Though the glitzy coloration had been diluted a bit, this yellow dragon was definitely far from ordinary.
My name is Zeluorel… she said in a voice smooth like lemon custard.
Lyiese blinked but once before extending her arms towards the sunny hatchling. “Zeluorel! What a beautiful name!”
As the girl embraced her dragon, the second egg seemed to bulge slightly before cracking wide open, allowing a slightly clumsier but no less dainty pale green to tumble out into the sands.
”Are you okay, Cailiorel?” Nikki exclaimed spontaneously, stepping away from the circle towards the sprawled hatchling.
Just sandy, Nikki… the sparkly winged green said, her eyes glowing with happiness and love.
The third egg rocked a little and cracked a little and rocked a little and cracked a little until finally the shell fell away, leaving a slightly disoriented pale blue dragon in the midst of a pile of ivory shards. He got to his feet and shook his wings, trying to dislodge the pieces and the sand on his lightly sparkled sails.
Off. the little dragon ordered, giving his wings a snap. Off!
”I can wash them off for you.” A dragonish young male offered, stepping towards the blue.
Ryuujinyuurei. the dragon said, identifying the speaker – his bond. I am to be called Kiyaelro.
The last egg continued to rock for a few moments before a crack developed on the side nearest where Xirielth lay. Finally, the off-white prison broke, and an exhausted lavender hatchling was displayed to the world. Her green mother beamed proudly, as did her lemony sire.
The hands of one relatively young elf clapped together once in excitement. “What a lovely lovely dragoness!” Marian exclaimed, and the lavender dragonet looked directly into her eyes.
Why thank you! she replied, eyes whirling happy colors. My name is Sonaorel.
Though many candidates had been left standing – as was expected from a clutch as small as this – their hopes were not dashed in the least. Dhogakith was still brooding over her buried eggs, allowing none to search through the soft sand for them, and the two-colored queen seemed to be growing more smug as her nine eggs grew harder. Was she keeping a secret as well? Rumors were rampant around Ryslen, considering that she was the first to have three mates here… and her flight wasn’t even a mini-frenzy like some others were sure to appear.
Nikki and Green Cailiorel Ryuujinyuurei and Blue Kiyaelro Marian and Lavender Sonaorel |