Congratulation Feast (OPEN)

[Akira]

T'rian was beaming as he entered the large dining hall. Loraketh had finally clutched. Though he didn't exactly enjoy the way he had been awoken, he couldn't blame Inali for trying to find her dragon. T'rianMine shall I wake up the others? T'rian almost jumped when he heard the large bronze dragon's voice inside his head. Yes Stallorth, everyone should be awake by now, but you might as well make sure. It was still morning, but in just a few short moments everyone would be awake, and making their way to the dining hall. T'rian smiled when he heard the large dragon bellow out an attention call. That would surely get the attention of the Weyr. T'rian shook his head, grabbed a cup of klah, took a drink and waited for the other's to start entering the dining hall.

T'rianMine I am going to see Loraketh. T'rian nodded his head at his dragon's words. For such a proud dragon he was awfully caring, especially when it came to Loraketh. T'rian himself was much the same way when it came to his Weyrwoman, and weyrmate, Inali. He had known the woman for many turns before Stallorth flew Loraketh. They were young, but not much younger than Tor and his dragon, only a turn younger. None of that really mattered to T'rian now. He had gotten what he had wanted, and now his lifemate finally had what he wanted. T'rian shook his head, his short brown hair bouncing lightly around his head. He was here to announce the good news to everyone. He wasn't sure if Inali would join him, but he would be alright if she chose to stay with Loraketh.

[Lark]

The Weyrwoman patted the gold's hide as she watched over her precious eggs. Though Inali would give anything to stay with her dragon right now, just like this, she new that breakfast would start though soon. A breakfast that no doubt would be quite eventful and big. Already quite a few people had snuck by the hatching sands to catch a glimpse of the 15 eggs. They want to see their future protectors My Lady. Loraketh's bell-like voice rang sweetly in her rider's mind.

Nodding her head, the Weyrwoman kissed the light gold hide. And they will be the best hatchlings Trelis has seen in a long time. Crooning, Loraketh's eyes swirled a slow blue, green as she agreed with Hers. Yes, they will be...I wish Mivinth could see them though. "I do too Lore." Inali closed her light green eyes as she thought of the Dead Queen and her rider. The sound of wing beats alerted the Weyrwoman of another dragon however. It is only Stallorth My Lady. The feast must have started. "Hello Stallorth, you can tell Tor I'll be with him shortly."

Standing up on her own feet, Inali shuffled so that the bottoms wouldn't burn. Loraketh looked the golden hued bronze over appreciatively and nuzzled her winner. Come, look at our eggs Stallorth. The Gold shifted just enough for the bronze to see the clutch she had laid only a half-hour before. Crooning happily, the Queen folded her wing back over her clutch and curled her tail and neck around them, forming a circular barrier.

Inali looked back only once on her way to the dining hall. Seeing T'rian at a table, the Weyrwoman headed over and hugged him briefly. "Sorry, I had trouble leaving Lore. I'm guessing Salt is with Pepper?" The rider looked around for the rainbow huntyre that normally was with His. Up until recently, Pepper had been her shadow also. Then the bird had her own clutch, a coy smile flitted on Inali's lips briefly before disappearing. Turning to adress the crowd, the Weyrwoman cleared her throat to gain the Weyr's attention. Loraketh bugled as well from her place on the sands to help.

"Though it is hard to enjoy the new life we have been given, we all have to learn to do just that. Mivinth and Sahelli would have wanted this way." Inali choked slightly as she said the passed Weyrwoman's name. Composing herself again though, the rider continued. "Loraketh has clutched 15 eggs. Yes, it is a bit smaller for a Gold's clutch, but it is her first. We have a Jn. Weyrwoman who's dragon will rise soon, an Alpha Handler who is wonderful, and a Weyr who saved Pern once....and it will do so again!" Pausing a bit to catch her breath, Inali found herself reaching her hand over to Tor's. "We are a Weyr that is united under one cause, and that is to protect our beloved planet from thread. It will come, the signs are already showing...and we will be ready. Loraketh's clutch is only the first, and here is to the start!"

[kitsuneko]

IskraMine, Loraketh has finished laying her clutch. The riders are gathering in the dining hall now. Are you going? Maeleth's calm voice interrupted Iskra's thoughts.

She was in her weyr, alone, for the moment, and Maeleth was nearby, lounging on her dragonbed, so the junior weyrwoman spoke out loud. "Of course; I am a weyrwoman after all, if only a junior one. I should at least make an appearance. Besides, I haven't had breakfast yet."

Curse this whole tradition of 'the first queen to rise becomes Senior,' Iskra thought to herself as she began to get ready for the feast. Logic dictated that the older weyrwomen should be granted the Senior position. They had more experience at it, after all. But no, that wasn't how it worked, and Inali's Loraketh had the wretched good luck to rise before Maeleth.

She pulled out and inspected two of her dresses, which she generally kept for special occasions. Neither were among her best, but they were appropriate for today's Clutching, and eventually she decided on the dark green one. It had a lower neckline and revealed more of the scarring that marred her shoulder, but Iskra didn't let herself care about that. She'd never deliberately hidden her scars and wasn't about to start now.

Once ready, she turned to Maeleth. "Ready, dear." She climbed easily onto the gold's back, well-used to it after fourteen turns, even in a dress, and held on tightly as Maeleth jumped from her ledge to glide down to the weyrbowl.

I shall go say hello to Loraketh while you eat, Maeleth told her rider. Iskra just shook her head with a slight smile. Maeleth didn't seem to hold a grudge against Loraketh, but Maeleth didn't seem to hold a grudge against anyone. The queen launched off again in the direction of the hatching sands while Iskra went to the dining hall.

Greetings, Loraketh. Congratulations on your first clutch, Maeleth said as she approached. She stayed a respectful distance away from the mother and her eggs, but she craned her neck over to get a better look at the clutch of fifteen eggs.

At the same time, Iskra was arriving in the dining hall, and seeing that people were still streaming in and nothing had really started yet. She grabbed a cup of klah to sip on while she waited for their Senior Weyrwoman to appear. Their nineteen-turn-old Weyrwoman. Faranth, she hoped there'd be some decent wine later on. Be careful not to drink too much wine,[/color][/i] Maeleth warned her, causing Iskra to scowl.

Before Iskra had finished her first cup of klah, though, Inali entered the hall and soon enough started her speech. It was a good speech, Iskra allowed grudgingly, covering all the major points while being mercifully short. She briefly wondered whether she should stand up and say something herself, but she decided against it. She wasn't sure what else there was to be said, anyway.

Once things had settled down a bit, she walked over to Inali and T'rian. "Good morning, Weyrwoman, Weyrleader." She greeted them with a smile on her face. "Congratulations on a fine speech and a fine clutch. Let's hope her next one is even larger. Soon enough we'll have Thread to deal with, after all."

Maeleth's last clutch had been much larger than fifteen eggs, Iskra thought to herself.

I am also eleven turns older than Loraketh, Maeleth insisted on pointing out to her.

"I take it there is no queen egg, then?" Iskra ignored her dragon's comment, and outside, she was all charm and smiles.

[Akira]

Stallorth back-winged as he landed next to the Hatching Sands, his mate, and their eggs. The bronze dragon nodded his head at the Weyrwoman's words, and sent a mental image of her to His. Greetings LorakethMine. How are you and the eggs? His deep, strong voice gentle entering into the mind of his mate. He wasn't really sure of how she would react to what he had called her, but that was what she was to him no, his mate. That meant that he would do anything and everything for her, he would even give his own life for his mate and their eggs. He pured when she nuzzled him, and he nuzzled her back. Some bronze dragon's wouldn't be caught dead puring, but he couldn't help himself whenever he was around Lore, he had a tendency to purr when she gave him affection.

Stallorth carefully inched himself closer to the clutch of eggs that his golden queen was protecting. His eyes swirled blue green as he gazed at the fifteen eggs. They are beautiful LorakethMine. He moved his large head and nuzzled the golden female again, showing her his love. T'rian on the other hand was smiling proudly as he watched Inali approach him. He smiled, and hugged her back as he stood up next to her. Greetings my love. Of course, he doesn't really leave her anymore. A small chuckle escaped his lips as he spoke of his Rainbow Huntyre. He loved the strange creature, but he did have to admit that he had a pretty weird personality. T'rian smiled when he heard Loraketh, and Stallorth's bugles. He shook his head, at the sounds.

Why did you have to make so much racket you over-grown firelizard. He rolled his eyes when all he got from the dragon was a mental shrug. He turned his head when Inali started her speech. He smiled, and wrapped his arm around her lovingly, and encouragingly. He lowered his head respectably when Inali mentioned the previous Weyrwoman, and Weyrqueen. He lowered his arm from Inali and placed it at his side as he remembered them. He blinked his eyes slowly and brought himself back to reality when he heard Inali continue. He smiled as he held Inali's hand in his. He had all the faith in this woman and her dragon. After all, they may have a lot of responsibility now, but to T'rian, Inali will always be his, no matter what might happen.

T'rian lifted his hand and bellowed out his agreement and congratulations to, not only the woman standing beside him, but to the entire Weyr. He knew that Inali and Loraketh will be great, it was just a problem of convincing Inali that she really is great at what she does. He laughed and wrapped his strong arms around Inali and gave her a quick squeeze before handing her a cup of Klah. You should probably get something to eat, but have a quick drink love. T'rian's strong voice might have sounded more like a command than he meant it to, he had just ment it as a suggestion. He turned his attention from Inali when he heard someone aproaching them. Greetings Iskra. I'm sure Lore's next clutch will be much larger. After all, this is only her first clutch. His voice was respectful as he spoke to the Junior Weyrwoman. He wasn't sure, but he had a feeling that she didn't really like Inali all that well.

[Lark]

Inali winced as she listened to the two riders' interactions. It wasn't a good thing to have a Junior Weyrwoman and Weyrleader fighting! Well, in that case something would have to be done about that. Clearing her throat, Inali tried to get their attention. "Yes, there is no Queen Egg in the clutch and it is smaller....however every Gold's first clutch is. I'm sure the next one will be even larger. As will Maelath's, I'm sure that she will be able to more than make up for the missing eggs." There, a bit of flattery never hurt anyone.

Loraketh in the mean time was crooning over her precious eggs. Upon Maelath's arrival, she warbled a greeting. The Gold honestly was too vain in that moment to consider the fact that she should be protective. Though, that was sure to come in the passing days. Instead, Loraketh gave the same comment to Maelath. Come, come My Sister. See the newest members of our Weyr. Nudging the eggs so that there was more room for her to curl up around them, Loraketh crooned again.

In that moment, a small green shape had flapped onto the sands as well. Loraketh! SisterMine, I heard the eggs were here. It's about time SisterMine! Avirith trilled happily as she hovered around her golden clutchmate. Snorting, Loraketh shook her head. She loved her green sister, but sometimes Avirith was just too much to deal with. Nudging Stallorth as a sort of "protective barrier" between herself and the other dragons, Loraketh set her head on the hot sands again.

Ara ran into the dining hall around the same time Inali had finished her speech and had caught what Iskra had said to the younger girl. Laughing, Ara shook her head. "Are you sure there isn't a Queen? That large egg that's kind of a goldish, bronze color is treated like one! Have you seen it yet Iskra? It's the size of a bronze's egg! It could hold a small Queen right Inali?" Sighing, Inali shook her head. "She treats the pinkish gray one just like it though. It's only a bit smaller too. There's no way that they're Queen eggs. It's okay though. It'll happen eventually I'm sure."

[kitsuneko]

Iskra watched the easy affection between Inali and T'rion and felt a twinge of sadness. She'd been like that once, long ago, when B'sar was still alive and she had had a weyrmate in more than name only. She pushed that thought out of her head with ruthless will as T'rion addressed her. Before she could do more than tilt her head in response, Inali jumped in between them as though breaking up a physical fight, causing Iskra to hold back a smile. The young Weyrwoman seemed to want to keep her and her Weyrleader from getting upset, and that amused Iskra.

"Oh, I'm sure it will be," Iskra replied, leaving it vague as to whether she was talking about Loraketh's future clutches or Maeleth's. Let them puzzle that out. Now if only Maeleth would actually rise. She wasn't technically late yet, though the gold had taken to rising more frequently in the last few turns than she had been in her youth--another sign of Thread approaching, no doubt. Still, Iskra just wanted to get it over with.

"If we're lucky, Maeleth's next clutch will have a queen egg," she added brightly. "I think she's due for one soon. We could use another Junior Weyrwoman around here, since poor Sahelli and Mivinth passed on and you've been promoted." Oh, wouldn't that be marvelous? She may not be Senior, but if that happened, she could still get one up on Inali in some way. She'd have to check out the hatching records later, track the sires and clutchbrothers of queens in the past and see if any of them were fit to chase at Trelis. Of course, it was never a sure thing in flights, but maybe, if she nudged Maeleth in the direction of the proper suitor...

Meanwhile on the hatching sands, Loraketh warbled a greeting to Maeleth and invited her to come closer, so Maeleth did so happily. What lovely eggs![/color] she exclaimed to her younger sister. She did so love children, even eggs--even weird ones that hatched from strange eggs. She had sat around enough clutches of her own to see that some of Loraketh's eggs were not normal. Not that Maeleth considered that a bad thing, and wouldn't have dreamed of saying so to Loraketh anyway. Some of these eggs are not like the others. I wonder what's inside them?[/color]

A green blur flapped onto the sands as Avirith chattered away, and Maeleth greeted the new dragon with a sedate warble.

Iskra was similarly distracted by Ara's sudden appearance in the dining hall. Obviously she had heard the tail end of their conversation, at least, for she told them of Maeleth's large, strange-looking egg. The possibility of a queen egg turned Iskra's stomach sour, but she kept a smile on her face regardless. Is it a queen egg? she asked her queen.

I don't know, but they're pretty![/color] Maeleth sent back to her with a mental image of the eggs. Two stood out to her, cached in between the golden mother's claws. Both quite large, and one with a yellow-bronze cast that indeed held a surface resemblance to a golden egg.

After a moment of studying the image, however, she shook her head. "Inali's right. From what Maeleth tells me, they are a bit too small for gold eggs, and the wrong color besides. That egg probably holds a bronze--not that another bronze would be a bad thing," she said with the briefest of glances at Weyrleader T'rion. "The more choice in suitors the golds have during their flights, the better, I've always said."