High Reaches Weyr . PernMUSH: August 11, 2005 Egg Touching
Search Cycle: Summer 2005
Egg Touching
Aug 11, 2005

Your location's current time: 23:43 on day 16, month 5, Turn 54, of the Tenth Pass. It is a spring evening.

Witless> Down below, on the bowl floor, M'rek stands before a pile of rough hewn logs, boards, various tools, and twine. He has a hide unrolled and peers intently at it a few moments before glancing up towards the ledges. Then he'll look back down again before starting the whole process over again.

Witless> Down below, on the bowl floor, Cullen emerges from the lower caverns, squinting from the sudden change in light level. He lifts a hand to shade his eyes, allowing a glance of M'rek's project. He stops, studying the man and the items surrounding him, a puzzled expression on his face. He doesn't yet ask what's going on but does take a few more steps, drawing closer and peering at the items.

You walk down a short flight of steps and head out through the entrance to the bowl.
Western Bowl, High Reaches Weyr(#880RJs)

Satiet stands just outside the wide tunnel that leads to the hatching grounds, the look of reproof cast over her shoulders fading somewhat as she spies out M'rek and his building project. Turning quizzical, the pale eyes study the bronzerider in a lazy up and down sweep, before she shifts, arms folded over her abdomen to wait with the utmost of patience etched into her features.

M'rek reaches down and draws an 'X' in the sand with one finger before he straightens and casts a glance around. Spotting Cullen he waves and asks, "Hey you. Got a little bit of time? I need some help with something." He waves in a 'come here' sort of motion to encourage the candidate to come closer and then he squints up towards the ledges. "It won't take too long, I promise."

Tahiri wanders over from the eastern side of the bowl.
Tahiri has arrived.

Cullen's gaze shifts between Satiet and M'rek, almost questioning, before he shrugs, "A little bit, though we're suppoed to have an egg touching soon." The blonde-haired candidate wanders closer, hands in his pockets now that his eyes have adjusted to the sun. "What, uh, are you doing? Sir?" The last is added as an afterthought.

M'rek points to the X on the ground for Cullen's benefit. "Stand right there. Oh. It's a project. Something I'm going to build." Then regarding the egg touching, "Oh. That's all right. Head out when you need to. I just need to get an idea of if the angle is going to be right or not." Spotting Satiet then Tahiri, M'rek raises his head in a nod of greeting.

Tahiri strolls into the bowl, giving the others a nod of greeting as he approaches. "Howdy howdy."

Terlan heads over from the eastern side of the bowl.
Terlan has arrived.

Suraiya meanders over from the eastern side of the bowl.
Suraiya has arrived.

From across the way, lounged against the entrance wall of the hatching grounds, Satiet calls out leisurely for Cullen's benefit, "Take your time, the eggs aren't going anywhere if Sruth or Teonath have anything to say about it." Say? More like do. "Any of you not intrigued with M'rek and his state of keeping his hands busy so his mind won't go, though," the goldrider quirks a smirk for the bronzerider in question, "That might be debatable. In any case," her alto rises in volume, pitched to reach within the immediate vicinity, "Gather around if you plan on taking advantage of Teonath's ever present good graces, and Sruth's... questionable one."

Xeledyr meanders over from the eastern side of the bowl.
Xeledyr has arrived.

Sria comes out of the entrance to the hatching grounds.
Sria has arrived.

Cullen obliges M'rek's request, steping around the building paraphernalia to stand, as indicated, on the big X in the ground. He looks up, to make sure there's nothing hanging above that might fall on him, before turning to wave to Tahiri and the others arriving. From his spot on the X he can hear Satiet and, when necessary, follow along to the hatching.

Rachiel wanders over from the eastern side of the bowl.
Rachiel has arrived.

Suraiya seems, somehow, reluctant about joining the group of candidates. But she does, nonetheless, flicking crumbs from her clothes from her finally finished lunch. Her blue eyes find a familiar group and she shuffles herself that way, keeping low in case she might draw any attention to herself that she doesn't want to.

Tahiri catches sight of Suri and slides over. "Hey there." he says to her in an undertone, offering her a reasuring smile.

M'rek mutters rather loudly, "m'Mind's always glad to go where my hands go." And he flashes a grin over at the Goldrider before he eyes Cullen and then makes a face at his drawing. "I don't know. Might be too short." No telling if he means the plan or the candidate. "Good graces, huh? Always glad to take advantage of THAT. All right, lad. Thanks. You can move on. Maybe come back later and see if it turns out to be a bar or what it's supposed to be."

Sria's brushing her hands on the sides of her pants as she exits the hatching grounds, and she looks vaguely displeased for a moment before abruptly brightening, surveying - treasure hunt and all, with a smile - and then approaching Satiet.

"You don't have to bow this time, but be respectful. Don't run, don't make sudden moves," Satiet drawls out lazily, her gaze sweeping across to try and meet each of the candidates' eyes briefly. At M'rek, the expression turns inscrutable. Her hand lifts to start a belated count down of various points, "Don't try jostle, argue, fight, lift your voice... basically," she concludes with a wry grin, some sliver of excitement penetrating past the chilly exterior, "Be on your best behavior as you would in the halls of the most respected Lord Holder." Catching sight of Sria, a brow lifts, a silent query as to what else might be needed to be said.

With hands tucked under his armpits, Xeledyr meanders in from the eastern side of the bowl, rugged up to the eyeballs with a scarf wrapped around his neck and covering half his face. A beeline is made toward the group of candidates and other assorted riders once the blonde youth spots them. His steps quickening as he makes his way over - his head bobbing to greet those he recognises. His head cocks to catch what is being said by M'rek and the others.

Suraiya waggles her fingers in greeting at Tahiri's approach, but her attention is soon stuck on the weyrwoman's. Oh, she's listening, and bobbing her head at every point made. "The eggs are hard enough not to get hurt right now, ma'am? 'Cause looking is jus' as good as touching." She shifts from one foot to the other, already anticipating the burning soles of her sandles. "I'd hoped the queen would've been jus' a bit more protective. Ya can always jus' wait till the hatching," her voice is muttered, more towards Tahiri and other candidates. Touchings.. Oh, she's a tad scared of them now.

Tahiri listens to Satiet's words intently. He has not intentions whatsoever of doing /anything/ to upset the parent dragons..... he grins faintly at Suraiya's words. "Don't worry Suri, just behave and we'll be fine."

"Just be smart about it," is all Sria adds, raising her voice to address the candidates and awarding each a glance-over. "You can touch the eggs, but don't go punching them, and don't try to stick your head inside to get a better listen." She pauses. "Use good judgement, I'm sure you're all fully capable."

Having served his purpose, though still not completely clear on what it was, Cullen steps off the 'X' marked on the ground near M'rek and moves to stand in the pool of candidates. He slips in near Suraiya, murmuring something under his breath about L'ian's story but mostly paying attention to Satiet's warnings and instructions.

Suraiya dips her head down first at Tahiri and then to Cullen. "'Xactly," she mutters, nose wrinkling at her own reluctance. She rubs her hands together, making sure to listen to all the riders' advice. "Jus' touch. Move slowly. Be extra nice. We'll be fine, right?" She tries a smile, which comes out crooked, so she settles for a blank look instead and looking more paler than usual.

Satiet takes in a deep breath, first time nerves of a kind bringing her shoulders up. "When Teonath, or Sruth tires of having other people on the sands, we'll notify you, but plan on being out there for about thirty minutes or so. It's fairly important, from what the dragonhealers have told me, to spend some time with most of the eggs, and not just the ones you favor. If you need to leave, have chores that cannot wait, make your exit politely, and no harm will come to you." The soft snicker that escapes, can't bode too well for some people, and it soon dies off as she spies out Xeledyr and then Terlan. "Respect and common sense," she emphasizes once more before turning on heel back to the galleries.

You stroll through the tunnel, emerging in an enormous cavern. You walk up a short flight of steps into the galleries.
In the Galleries of the High Reaches Weyr Hatching Grounds(#510RJas$)

You head down a short flight of steps to the hot sands.
High Reaches Weyr Hatching Grounds

Witless> Down below, on the bowl floor, "Righto, then," Tahiri says to no one in particular, moving towards the galleries.

Witless> Down below, on the bowl floor, "You'll be fine," Sria assures, her eyes moving to Suraiya's, and she does seem to mean it. "But be smart." And she makes the way after Satiet.

Witless> Down below, on the bowl floor, Sria wanders north into the tunnel to the hatching grounds.
Witless> Down below, on the bowl floor, Sria has left.
In the galleries, Sria meanders up into the stands from the entrance to the bowl.
Sria comes down a short flight of steps from the galleries.
Sria has arrived.

Witless> Down below, on the bowl floor, Cullen meanders north into the tunnel to the hatching grounds.
Witless> Down below, on the bowl floor, Cullen has left.
In the galleries, Cullen walks up into the stands from the entrance to the bowl.

Witless> Down below, on the bowl floor, Sria's words cause Xeledyr's brows to arch in a mixture of surprised shock, a faintly strangled noise being emitted from his throat as well. However, his hands remain clamped under his armpits as he attempts to quietly keep his legs moving on the spot to keep some lingering warmth in his body. "Uh, ma'am?" His attention is focused on Sria for the time being, "Has someone actually tried to do that before?" However, the snicker from Satiet draws his gaze briefly, and his mouth thins a fraction as the junior makes her way toward the galleries. But without an answer, he returns his attention to the clutch's sire - just as the brownrider also heads off after the goldrider.

Witless> Down below, on the bowl floor, Rachiel meanders north into the tunnel to the hatching grounds.
Witless> Down below, on the bowl floor, Rachiel has left.
In the galleries, Rachiel strolls up into the stands from the entrance to the bowl.

Cullen comes down a short flight of steps from the galleries.
Cullen has arrived.

Witless> Down below, on the bowl floor, Tahiri meanders north into the tunnel to the hatching grounds.
Witless> Down below, on the bowl floor, Tahiri has left.
In the galleries, Tahiri wanders up into the stands from the entrance to the bowl.

Witless> Down below, on the bowl floor, Suraiya walks north into the tunnel to the hatching grounds.
Witless> Down below, on the bowl floor, Suraiya has left.
In the galleries, Suraiya walks up into the stands from the entrance to the bowl.

Witless> Down below, on the bowl floor, Xeledyr strolls north into the tunnel to the hatching grounds.
Witless> Down below, on the bowl floor, Xeledyr has left.
In the galleries, Xeledyr strolls up into the stands from the entrance to the bowl.

Suraiya comes down a short flight of steps from the galleries.
Suraiya has arrived.

Tahiri comes down a short flight of steps from the galleries.
Tahiri has arrived.

On one of the ledges, Elindath settles in to observe the proceedings, fascinated by all the fuss made about some squishy egg-shapes. From her neck, a good vantage point, Linnea excitedly waves to the small figures below.

Xeledyr comes down a short flight of steps from the galleries.
Xeledyr has arrived.

Sria lingers by the stands long enough to add, "You might want to leave jackets and other extras in the galleries." And for just-missed Xeledyr, "I certainly hope not."

Rachiel comes down a short flight of steps from the galleries.
Rachiel has arrived.

Cullen's boots protect his feet well, for now, though his brows twitch up just a little as he settles into the heat of the sands. No scarves needed, here, nor jackets, and he finds himself pushing the sleeves of his shirt up to his elbows, a precaution against the warmth. He stands near the edges of the sands, still near the steps from the galleries, unwilling yet to move forward until he takes it in just a little more.

Tahiri walks down into the sands, looking up at Teonath and Sruth a bit apprehensive. They are ALOT bigger up close. He attempts a smile, not entirely sure that it would do him any good, and turns his green eyed gaze back to look at the other candidates.

Suraiya quickly follows after Tahiri and Cullen, keeping a safe distance behind in case of hiding queens and clutchsires waiting to snag up a candidate or two. Not that they are... Her eyes focus immediately at the pair of dragons. Oh, and the heat. It finally settles into her hand and she hops a bit forward, the heat penetrating her sandles easily. "Ooh, it's hot. I forgot how hot since it's cold outside." Behind Cullen, she politely waves to the clutchparents. "Guess we go to the eggs now," she whispers softly to them. You first, rather.

Satiet takes the steps down, two by two, a slit oomph of her boots unsettling sand as she lands with both feet onto the ground. Teonath has positioned herself in the center of a wide circle of eggs, watchful eyes considering this candidate or that in turn. Her slim form has curled up to be as small as she can be - which isn't very small at all - tail tucked beneath her body, neck leaned backwards. "Don't mind her," Satiet's alto interrupts all the murmured conversations, "She won't bite." The wave of a small figure in the distance catches her eyes, and her hand lifts in reflexive response.

Dragon> Elindath bespoke Teonath with << If you pretend, they will jump. Rojieth's has been filling their heads with fear. >>

Teonath> I bespoke Elindath with << If I pretend? >>

Dragon> Elindath bespoke Teonath with << That you bite. >>

Teonath> Elindath senses that Teonath recoils from the thought, though a more Satiet-like sarcasm enfolds her immediate response. << That is for you to do, is it not? What tales has Rojieth's been telling of? >>

So, the jacket, scarf, and the seven other layers that Xeledyr was packing outside have been slowly peeled off to allow him to bask in the heat emanating from the sands. A sigh of relief is slowly exhaled as he stretches his arms out wide to indulge in the warmth before he makes his way down onto the sands. Sria's response is given a slow nod of acknowledgement, his gaze sliding toward the golden dragon on the sands as if to gauge the reaction to such thoughts.

Teonath> Sruth senses that Teonath's quiet thoughts reach out, humor held in its depths, << If you pretend to bite, they will jump. Shall we see if candidates jump? >>

Sria moves to stand by Sruth, now, who seems to have reluctantly backed off to the perimeter of the circled eggs - traces of sand dust his forelegs in a sort of dripped-dye pattern, and Sria idly brushes the base of a black talon in much the same manner as she'd cleared her hands moments before. -She- smiles back at Tahiri, though Sruth's tension echoes even there, and then the brownrider follows the direction of Satiet's wave to the ledges above, where she adds her own.

One of the more experienced candidates, who stood at another hatching, breaks the ice by stepping across the sands and pausing at the first egg she comes to. Unafraid of the situation, or at least appearing to be, she dips down and her hand flutters lightly across the egg, testing.

Dragon> Teonath senses that Sruth echoes the amusement, even imagines up the potential proceedings just for her: a harmless snap, a rampant panic. << They are nervous - they will jump anyway. >>

Tahiri casts a glance over his shoulder at Suri, smiling. "Yeah, it is awful hot in here, aint it? Has to be though, I suppose." and he personally finds it rather nice. "Yeah...yeah..." he comes to a stop, gazing at the eggs with a mix of curiosity and apprehension. The experienced Candidate's moving forward gave him some confidence, at least. "Shall we?" he resumes walking, approaching the ring of eggs slowly and reaching out a hand to touch the closest one, ever so gentle.

Dragon> Teonath senses that Elindath withdraws at the label, at the suggestion. << I have been gentle with these. Out of respect. >> For what, her golden alto does not elaborate, and her cooperation in the conversation is removed, the light odor of offense left behind after the soft tinkling of bells has quieted. << If you wish to know, you will have to ask him. >>

Cullen exhales a soft sigh as he watches some of the others move forward and does so, himself, but slowly, as if the sands might suddenly open up and swallow him for daring to come closer. They don't, though, and he takes a couple more steps around to the right side of the eggs, stopping near one to consider it but not touch it, just yet. He focuses on blue haze enveloping it, and the brighter colors peeking through, grinning at something that it probably reminds him of.

"Unless provoked," Suraiya finishes for Satiet, eyes trailing to the brooding queen. She turns her attention at Tahiri and nods, slowly. "Sure, for the eggs.." But when he moves, so does she. And when she realizes that she's out there, approaching the bright and dark shelled eggs, she seems to brighten up again. What scary stories? She seperates from the others, going over to one shell that caught her attention up in the stands, slowly moving about it before stopping and gazing at the surface.

Tahiri trails his fingers lightly over the egg's dark surface. It /is/ very pretty... all dark and swirled with that creamish color. And a bit unerving as well- it almost looks at though there's a face in there. "Odd." he mumbles outloud. "But not in a bad way."

Now that Xeledyr's actually on the sands, and at some point will likely be within a tail's distance of Teonath, the blonde youth seems a little apprehensive. He skirts the edges of the sands as his fellow candidates start to infiltrate it toward the eggs. Glances are darted between Satiet and the gold on the sands, as well as some of the other candidates - waiting to see what results.

Teonath> Sruth senses that Teonath's response is a cautious rustle of arid winds, amusement vibrating in her thoughts for sure. << We will see, >> the promise of something amusing at least while she's still in good humors. Though, to be sure, she hasn't been too much out of sorts in general. Amiable, if inconsistent in how needy she is.

Teonath is a complete duck about the candidates near her eggs, and she sits, unmoving, in the center of her considerately made circle. Each egg is positioned to show off whatever brilliance in color it has, the darker ones relegated towards the back wall, while the more color shells of magenta and rose hues line the front near the galleries. Satiet stands off to the side, observant where her dragon seems to not be, and quiet. Even the glances given her aren't spared more than a passing nod, as if distraction with something else keeps her acidity at bay. "A candidate," she begins, then clears her throat, "In my group tried to lick one. I can't recall if he succeeded."

Teonath> Elindath senses that Teonath reaches out with a swirl of desert winds, a hook fashioned to try and draw the green back with gentle words layered atop her intense heat. << You have been gentle, it is appreciated. I, >> she allows a sort of breathless acquiescence held in the shimmering fumes of dry heat, << Should not have teased. >>

Tahiri looks up at Satiet, tilting his head. "Lick one?" he looks back at the egg, then back at her. Ewwww. "Weird...." he returns his gaze to the egg, giving it another gentle pat.

Another brave soul defiantly moves away from two of his friends, approaching one of the eggs positioned along the circle between Teonath's post and Sruth's. The candidate presses his ear very briefly to the shell, sweeps a flat palm across the surface, and shuffles quickly back, muttering a distracted, "Nice--very nice--feels like an egg--I mean, smooth. Feels smooth."

Cullen finally gets close enough to touch one of them, hunkering down by the stormy sum mers egg and reaching out to tentativly trace a finger along the curve of its shell. His right hand rests on the egg, palm flat for a moment, left hand still in his pocket as he squats in the sand. "I can't imagine that would be a good idea," he remarks mildly, with a quick glance to the golden duck.

Sria keeps a casual hand on Sruth's foreclaw, leaning back against brown hide to watch. "I can't imagine it would taste very much like anything," she says, upon Satiet's words. "Save sand, that is. We had an egg that sounded like...well, like rather unpleasant music, really. Though I think power of suggestion had a hand in that."

Tahiri takes a step back from the egg, studdying the patterns on the shell with great interest. "Sure would be somethin' to know what causes 'em..." he murmers, frowning a bit.

Rachiel has disconnected.

After a long time staring, Suraiya's blue eyes finally blink back to life and she reaches out a hand-- with a glance at Teonath, of course, for any movements that way-- and touches the honey'ed surface. First one hand and then the other rests on it, her face scrunching in concentration. And then she giggles, catching herself partway through them to grin at the clutchparents, in case she offended one. "I guess every egg always feels differently from the next. I keep thinking they'd be somehow the same." She tilts her head over to Satiet, eyes blinking at the comment of licking eggs. "Did he keep his tongue or did the queen get mad at 'im?"

Dragon> Teonath senses that Elindath lingers outside the circle of invite, the heat not as distasteful as the chilling drops of water, though not as warmly welcoming, and the alto takes a wry turn, its wryness learned new and unpracticed. << We will see if any of them are good enough for yours. >> Lingering hints of unhatched eggs or unacceptable candidates, little creeling patches of color unsated, whirl fleetingly past and are gone as though they never were, replaced by green glass'd tranquility.

"I... I don't recall whether he actually licked or not," Satiet finally remarks, the haze of distraction shook away with one decisive nod of her head. "I can't imagine it was taken very well at any rate, but I've heard there's always one, fairly intrepid sort, who decides to forge ahead to new frontiers, never realizing those areas have already been explored a hundred fold." Teonath follows Tahiri's movements, a little snort accompanying her observance of this boy, and then shifts to Suraiya. Wheat-gold filigrees bobble a bit, the ornamentation of her hide rippling as a deep-seated rumble escapes. Perhaps she's laughing with the girl, or just musing over something in a spectacularly thoughtful fashion, trading words with the green above, or brown near.

On one of the ledges, Pleased at the returned waves, Linnea settles forward, chin on her elbows, to watch the candidate-shapes move about. Only flutters of conversation reach her height, so she contents herself identifying the ones she recognizes by movement type or garment while Elindath leans her head over the ledge's edge to get a better look. "No dropping things this time, Elie," warns the green's rider. "This is a serious day, and you wouldn't want to frighten any of them into foolishness."

Drawing his hand back, Xeledyr rubs his fingers together - grains of dried sand falling from them. "Amazing." The word literally breathed more than spoken. Once the sand has been removed from his finger tips, he returns his hands to the egg in front of him - one reminiscent of a dewy sunlit field - to carefully brush more of the sand that clings to it away. Again, watchful of Teonath, he squats beside the egg and carefully places an ear near the egg's surface, attempting to see if there is anything to be heard from it. His fingers remained against the egg, splayed wide to help keep the structure steady.

"This one feels a little damp," Cullen comments, fingers extending forward again to touch the darker area, "but still hardened. I would've thought it would be more, er, dry." His gaze wanders around the area, from the sands to the other eggs, expecting anything in this level of heat to be dry as a bone by now. He looks up to find the head of Teonath not nearby, but closer, and all he can do is blink once, twice, then give her a grin.

Suraiya has her eyes on Teonath, making sure there's no movements in her direction, before standing completely in front of the rose egg, hovering with a bright face, eager to touch. And touch she does, her fingertips gently going over the surface, then splaying her palm on top. "It's like.. like a flower! Sooo smooth." And she giggles again, this time turning towards Tahiri, who is with his own egg at the moment. Ah well, she'll enjoy this herself. She rests the side of her head next, eyes closing as she listens.

Tahiri moves back from the egg, turning to glance in Cullen's direction. "Damp?" he tilts his head to the side, frowning slightly. "That's weird." at Suri's exclamation he turns back around, smile returning. "Like a flower, eh? Neat."

Sruth continues to watch all the watching, while Sria's moved off to another side of the clutch, pointing out the rougher patches of a certain shell and casting occasional glances back toward her dragon. Sruth has settled, his gaze shifting more than his still crouch would indicate.

Bemusement is what echoes in Xeledyr's features as he draws back from the egg, his head shaking a little as he pushes himself to his feet, brushing his hands of the sand that stuck. "I think this one is laughing at me." He announces, a finger pointing at the egg in front of him, a glance is cast at Satiet - almost as if she's the one responsible for it. However, not to be discouraged from adventuring further, the lanky blonde makes his way toward another egg - repeating the actions he went through with the first one that he touched.

In response to Cullen's grin, Teonath sniffs a bit and pulls back and turns in circles in place. Satiet laughs, the sound not unpleasant as it lifts to the galleries, and the target of her amusement is clear, whether it's the candidates, Xeledyr's accusatory look, or Teonath with her following words, "Don't scare them, regardless of what Rojieth's might have told them. It'll be unpleasant for your eggs, mind." She glances at Suraiya, the smile remaining on her lips at the girl's delight. "I like that one as well," she notes, "The coloration is brilliant."

Dragon> Teonath senses that Sruth shares a simmering temptation to move - suddenly and forcefully - to stretch a talon or maybe the hinges of his jaw. It's a playful desire rather than a malicious one, however, and perhaps it's his acute awareness of the candidates' possible interpretations that stalls the action, and even dulls the temptation itself. Good humor finds him most often, too, whether he's sharing fetched meals or the sensation of the hunt - needed, and not - though it's his overprotective mindset that so often colors his behavior.

Cullen, startled somewhat by Teonath's attention, decides to try his luck a little further away. He spends some time with two of the other eggs nearby, touching and listening (but certainly not tasting), then shuffles through the sand over near where the sire is, but by no means close. Perhaps he's a little safer here. He squats down again, careful not to kneel in the sand so that he can save his knees, and studies the egg in front of him, much like he's done with the others.

Suraiya bobs her head over at Satiet with a wide grin. The thoughts of a rampaging gold still lingering in the back of her mind. "I've never really seen a shell like it. G-gorgeous eggs in all, though." She seems really uneased about the queen's antics, and with the weyrwoman's words it seems the sweat on her head is more than just the heat. She shifts a foot, and then again, and then starts to move away. "Laughing?" She picks up on Xeledyr's previous comment. "I wanna hear a laughing egg." And that's the way she goes.

Tahiri takes a moment to appreciate the egg Suri is looking at, then turns and treads back over to the dark egg with the child's face like design on it. He reaches out to touch it once more, splaying his fingers across it's surface.

Sruth lowers his head as Cullen nears, briefly regarding the gangly candidate with one sharp eye before turning his gaze elsewhere. No tasting, but perhaps there is a bit of testing.

Tahiri spends a few more moments, ear pressed against it's rough surface, then slowly backs away. "Very pretty." he mumbles to himself, nodding his head.

Teonath bares a tooth as she approaches Tahiri and his egg, once again unblinking in her regard. Interesting sort of boy, interesting smell. A ripple of discomfort flows from shoulders to tail tip, gliding along golden hide, and the queen shifts restlessly from her perch in the center. Satiet's pale gaze flicks to Sria, a hesitant sort of smile offered the other woman. "Wrap up what you're doing," she says firmly, verging on commanding, "And make your way up to the stands again if you will."

Cullen rests his hand on the pale peach area of the egg in front of him, the tone of his skin a contrast to the light shade of the hand-shaped splotch found on the shell. The warmth of the egg and its rough edges cause him to rub his hand down the leg of his pants and rid himself of the prickly feeling. Once Satiet's suggestion comes, he takes a step back, finding himself near Sria, who he nods to in greeting. He tilts his head, regarding the brown as the brown regarded him, then asks of the rider, softly, "Does he have a favorite?" His arm spreads wide, including the entire clutch in the question--then moments later he blushes some, realizing the question might sound inane.

Tahiri catches Satiet's words and nods, offering the queen dragon one last smile before turning on his boot heel and treading across the sands toward the stairs that led to the galleries. He wasn't sure what was on the dragon's mind, but there was something about that /look/ that makes him shiver.

It is toward one of the larger eggs of the clutch that Xeledyr has decided to visit. His fingers carefully tracing the shades of peach and apricot that mark its shell, then following the slivers of aquamarine. As he squats close by it, he inhales - as if attempting to catch the scent of the warm fruit colours that make up the egg's hue. As Satiet voices the call to retreat from the sands, he's just laid his ear against the warm shell, his eyes closing briefly as he strives to catch any noise from it. An almost content sigh is slowly released as he pushes himself to his feet - a shallow bow offered in Teonath's direction and thanks murmured before he retreats to the edge of the sands.

Suraiya lingers a bit at the fields egg, giggling as she smooths out her palms over the grainy surface and then putting an ear to it. "You're right," she says in Xeledyr's direction. "Kinda similar to the other one, too.." Flowers. Yay. She lifts her head away, grin fading to a loving smile. "Both remind me of Ista's summer rains, too." And then there's the warning, and her head jerks up to Satiet. "Oh... /oh/. Going, going." More like running. She picks up her skirts and darts back in the direction of the stands, looking down to make sure she won't trip on something.

Suraiya pauses just before the stands, turning to look at the clutchparents, waving briefly. "Thanks for the visit," she tells them, directed towards the weyrwoman with a nervous grin. "Hope we didn't upset too much." And she's off the sands and heading back to her chores.

Suraiya has left.

Sria pauses to watch Teonath, and then smiles calmly at the near candidates. "It's a quiet one," she says, her voice carrying over to Tahiri, "But it's oddly comforting." And she gives Teonath another look before regarding Sruth - at last shifting from his crouch - and only then returning Satiet's smile with a similarly halfway sort of her own. Cullen's question earns a thoughtful smile, no remark for the blush at all. "You know, he doesn't. Which is interesting, for him. Do you have one?" - "Come on, then," is put firmly for a few other candidates, lingering by one of the eggs, and she herds them toward the galleries. "You'll have other chances," and firmly: "just not today."

Tahiri heads up a short flight of steps to the galleries.
Tahiri has left.

"I think I like the summery one. It reminds me of Boll." Then with another shrug and grin, Cullen makes his way toward the galleries, careful to walk around the eggs and not trip over any of them. His boots make faint marks in the sand that disappear as others walk over them.

Cullen heads up a short flight of steps to the galleries.
Cullen has left.

Xeledyr seems to relax a little as Suraiya confirms his opinion, his posture drooping a little with relief. "Glad I wasn't imagining things." He mutters as he attempts to remove sand that has stuck to his hands and other parts of his clothing. "The last one that I touched," The blonde pauses as he takes another look at the egg, "Well, I think it was fuzzy, but.. they're not really fuzzy, are they?" The question not voiced to anyone in particular and Xeledyr simply bewildered by the experience that's just been afforded to him, he runs a hand through sweaty hair as he gives the eggs one last look before heading back up into the gallery area.

Xeledyr heads up a short flight of steps to the galleries.
Xeledyr has left.

In the galleries, At the edge of the steps, Cullen pauses to tap his boots against it and let the sand fall out. Then he follows along with the group of candidates, some staying here to see if there are parting words and others returning to their chores; he's part of the latter, quietly continuing on and, ultimately, out to the bowl.

In the galleries, Cullen walks down a short flight of steps and heads out through the entrance to the bowl.