Maybe you should get a mate. Kooth suggested eagerly. I'd like to see a lot of little Ialees running around.
Ialee laughed at that. "Certainly not." She was more like her mother when it came to mates; she preferred one mate all her life, she wasn't interested in a 'one night stand', so to speak. She was considering attending one of Darkling Dawn's hatchings, but somehow, she didn't think she would bond. Most hatchlings tended to choose bonds from outside the Dragonry, for some reason.
Her answer came one sunny day during the end of spring. Kshatarieth, a green dragon who had long since bonded a green-white from the second Ryslen Flurry, suggested she go somewhere to bond. You're too late for the Flurry, though. She said. The Third Flurry had been delayed in hatching, but the third batch had hatched and bonded before she'd made up her mind.
Ialee briefly considered going to Ryslen anyway to stand for one of the regular clutches, but decided against it. Kooth pointed out a Dragonry on another world called Enzan Shi.
Ialee looked at him oddly. "Where'd you find out about that?" The flit just giggled and refused to answer. Nevertheless, it seemed like a good idea, so she thought it over. The next morning, she'd made up her mind.
"Come on, Kooth." She said decisively, looking at her pet. "We're going to Enzan Shi."
Yay! Kooth exclaimed, flying around her head in circles. What's it like there, do you know? How big are the dragons, are they like you? Are there flitters like me?
Ialee grinned. "I don't think anyone's quite like you, Kooth." Kooth preened proudly at that.
They arrived at the Dragonry-or rather, Deragonray, as they called it-during midday. It was a large, hollowed out volcano, and Ialee landed at the entrance. Ducking inside, she tucked her wings to her sides and went to find someone to tell her how to sign up.
She passed the hatching sands, and Kooth perked, trying to catch a glimpse at the eggs inside. "Kooth!" Ialee hissed at him. "Come back here! We shouldn't be in there, I don't think."
Kooth ignored her, and crooned as he landed on one of the empty tiers of seats for human spectators during hatchings. The clutchmothers, a large female sunset and two greens, glared at Ialee as the sunset-green entered the sands, but made no move to stop her from grabbing Kooth's tail in her mouth.
Kooth protested, but she growled at him as she dragged him out of the hatching sands. They found someone to sign Ialee up for the clutches easily enough, although she was taken aback slightly when she was asked to choose which one to stand for. She shrugged and selected the sunset's, at Kooth's insistence.
Ialee settled down at Enzan Shi with Kooth, and waited patiently-ok, maybe not so patiently-for the clutch to hatch.
Ialee...Ialee...
Ialee shifted in her sleep, ignoring the quiet voice trying to wake her up. She dimly registered a mental sigh, and the calling got louder.
Ialee! Ialeeee....IaleeIaleeIaleeIaleeIaleeIaleeIaleeIaleeIaleeIalee-
Ialee squeezed her eyes shut, then reluctantly opened them. "Kooth...?"
-IaleeIaleeIaleeIaleeIaleeIaleeIalee-
"Kooth..."
-IaleeIaleeIaleeIaleeIaleeIaleeIaleeIaleeIaleeIaleeIalee-
"Kooth! I'm awake!" She shouted over the firelizard's telepathic chattering.
Her blue-speckled white fire lizard stopped his inane chanting, settling down directly in front of her snout to look the adult spirit dragon halfbreed in the eyes. Oh, sorry. The talking firelizard said sheepishly. I guess I got carried away. But look outside! There's bunches of white stuff falling out of the sky! It's neat, come look!
Ialee looked up in confusion, unsure of what the days-old firelizard was talking about. She stood up and to the entrance of her weyr and looked out. The ground outside Darkling Dawn was covered by snow. It was almost completely white, with only a few patches of green here and there. The snow was still falling heavily, and the wind blew the snow in circles, creating tiny flurries of snow that whipped by outside her weyr.
She had to turn away to sheild herself from the wind, and Kooth landed beside her foreclaw, looking up at her curiously. What is that stuff, Ialee?
Ialee tilted her bright green head down to look at the fire lizard and smiled. "It's called snow, Kooth. When it's really cold out, like it is right now, rain freezes before it gets to the ground, and comes down as snow instead."
Kooth's eyes widened as he looked outside. The firelizard had only hatched a few days ago, and was still rather naive. Ialee could remember clearly the day the little fire lizard had broken out of his shell.
She had gotten the egg from a human rider, who was visiting from Falas Weyr in the eleventh pass. He had already received two fire lizard eggs, and had no desire to Impress a third, so Ialee had volunteered to take care of the tiny egg. She later found out that it was an altered egg from the FGPC when it hatched to reveal a white firelizard with speckled blue markings all over its body.
The green-sunset dragoness was further surprised when the tiny firelizard spoke to her mentally, and declared that his name was Kooth.
"But it can't be!" She'd declared. "You're not a dragon!"
So? You're a dragon, but your name doesn't end in -th! He'd replied. She'd decided that she couldn't argue with that, and decided to care for the hatchling. They had been inseperable ever since.
A tiny sneeze from her companion drew her out of her thoughts, and Ialee looked down. A snowflake had landed on the fire lizard's snout, and Kooth had sneezed. The hatchling wrinkled his nose distastefully. It was cold, and wet. Kooth complained. The fire lizard shivered and huddled against the spirit dragon's fore leg. I don't like this snow so much anymore. Let's go back inside.
Ialee smiled down at the flit. The cold wind blew her brightly-colored mane in her pale blue eyes, and she shook her head to push the purple strands away from her face. Kooth jumped onto her back, and she strode inside the weyr.
Kooth hopped onto the stone floor and curled up by the fireplace. In the middle of the cavern was a rock-encircled fireplace with peices of wood and kindling tossed in the center. Ialee sat down in front of it, and blew a stream of fire from her mouth, igniting a fire. In no time at all, they had a warm, roaring fire in the weyr.
Kooth crooned approvingly, and crawled over to rest in Ialee's foreclaws as she settled down by the fire. A flurry of snow blew in from the mouth of the cave, but unlike the earlier snowfall, this was not cold. Kooth looked up and snapped at a particularly large snowflake, but his mouth closed around it, and it continued flurrying about like nothing had happened. It settled to the ground and disappeared.
Kooth crooned approvingly as he watched the illusionary snow dissipate. I like this kind of snow. He said delightedly. It's not cold, and it doesn't cling to me. I like how you do that, Ialee.
Ialee chuckled, ducking her head shyly. "It's just a bit of Illusion Majyck, it's nothing really special."
The white and blue fire lizard protested. Yes it is! I certainly can't do it, and there are lots of other dragons that can't do some of the stuff you can either!
Ialee smiled down at the fire lizard, reaching over with one paw to rub the flit's head before she stood up. C'mon, I'm getting hungry. What say we brave the snowy tempest outside to get some food?" She asked with a grin as she turned her head around to stare at the flit. Kooth chirped happily and fluttered after her.
Ialee shifted in her sleep, ignoring the quiet voice trying to wake her up. She dimly registered a mental sigh, and the calling got louder.
Ialee! Ialeeee....IaleeIaleeIaleeIaleeIaleeIaleeIaleeIaleeIaleeIalee-
Ialee squeezed her eyes shut, then reluctantly opened them. "Kooth...?"
-IaleeIaleeIaleeIaleeIaleeIaleeIalee-
"Kooth..."
-IaleeIaleeIaleeIaleeIaleeIaleeIaleeIaleeIaleeIaleeIalee-
"Kooth! I'm awake!" She shouted over the firelizard's telepathic chattering.
Her blue-speckled white fire lizard stopped his inane chanting, settling down directly in front of her snout to look the adult spirit dragon halfbreed in the eyes. Oh, sorry. The talking firelizard said sheepishly. I guess I got carried away. But look outside! There's bunches of white stuff falling out of the sky! It's neat, come look!
Ialee looked up in confusion, unsure of what the days-old firelizard was talking about. She stood up and to the entrance of her weyr and looked out. The ground outside Darkling Dawn was covered by snow. It was almost completely white, with only a few patches of green here and there. The snow was still falling heavily, and the wind blew the snow in circles, creating tiny flurries of snow that whipped by outside her weyr.
She had to turn away to sheild herself from the wind, and Kooth landed beside her foreclaw, looking up at her curiously. What is that stuff, Ialee?
Ialee tilted her bright green head down to look at the fire lizard and smiled. "It's called snow, Kooth. When it's really cold out, like it is right now, rain freezes before it gets to the ground, and comes down as snow instead."
Kooth's eyes widened as he looked outside. The firelizard had only hatched a few days ago, and was still rather naive. Ialee could remember clearly the day the little fire lizard had broken out of his shell.
She had gotten the egg from a human rider, who was visiting from Falas Weyr in the eleventh pass. He had already received two fire lizard eggs, and had no desire to Impress a third, so Ialee had volunteered to take care of the tiny egg. She later found out that it was an altered egg from the FGPC when it hatched to reveal a white firelizard with speckled blue markings all over its body.
The green-sunset dragoness was further surprised when the tiny firelizard spoke to her mentally, and declared that his name was Kooth.
"But it can't be!" She'd declared. "You're not a dragon!"
So? You're a dragon, but your name doesn't end in -th! He'd replied. She'd decided that she couldn't argue with that, and decided to care for the hatchling. They had been inseperable ever since.
A tiny sneeze from her companion drew her out of her thoughts, and Ialee looked down. A snowflake had landed on the fire lizard's snout, and Kooth had sneezed. The hatchling wrinkled his nose distastefully. It was cold, and wet. Kooth complained. The fire lizard shivered and huddled against the spirit dragon's fore leg. I don't like this snow so much anymore. Let's go back inside.
Ialee smiled down at the flit. The cold wind blew her brightly-colored mane in her pale blue eyes, and she shook her head to push the purple strands away from her face. Kooth jumped onto her back, and she strode inside the weyr.
Kooth hopped onto the stone floor and curled up by the fireplace. In the middle of the cavern was a rock-encircled fireplace with peices of wood and kindling tossed in the center. Ialee sat down in front of it, and blew a stream of fire from her mouth, igniting a fire. In no time at all, they had a warm, roaring fire in the weyr.
Kooth crooned approvingly, and crawled over to rest in Ialee's foreclaws as she settled down by the fire. A flurry of snow blew in from the mouth of the cave, but unlike the earlier snowfall, this was not cold. Kooth looked up and snapped at a particularly large snowflake, but his mouth closed around it, and it continued flurrying about like nothing had happened. It settled to the ground and disappeared.
Kooth crooned approvingly as he watched the illusionary snow dissipate. I like this kind of snow. He said delightedly. It's not cold, and it doesn't cling to me. I like how you do that, Ialee.
Ialee chuckled, ducking her head shyly. "It's just a bit of Illusion Majyck, it's nothing really special."
The white and blue fire lizard protested. Yes it is! I certainly can't do it, and there are lots of other dragons that can't do some of the stuff you can either!
Ialee smiled down at the fire lizard, reaching over with one paw to rub the flit's head before she stood up. C'mon, I'm getting hungry. What say we brave the snowy tempest outside to get some food?" She asked with a grin as she turned her head around to stare at the flit. Kooth chirped happily and fluttered after her.
Ialee
bonded Antliath at Enzan Shi Dragonry
The clutches are hatching! Theclutchesarehatchingtheclutchesarehatchingtheclutchesarehatching-
"Kooth!" Ialee shouted, trying to silence the hyperactive flitter, but she was laughing as she did so. She turned more serious as several people turned to stare at her and the blue-speckled white flitter flying in circles around her head. Settle down, you're disturbing people. She told him mentally. Anyway, I'm heading down to the hatching sands now.
The fire lizard crooned excitedly and settled down on Ialee's back, and she entered the hatching sands where the six clutches had finally begun to hatch. They had been still for far too long, and she understood that the only reason they had not already died was because of a spell of some sort.
Other candidates were coming to stand around the eggs as the first began to crack. The sunset Kujachyth's eggs were hatching first, and a green dragonet speckled with sunset was already sitting beside her father. Two more greens hatched and bonded as Ialee watched and Kooth hummed excitedly.
Two more eggs cracked open, leaving two blues in their place. The first was a normal blue except for his wing membranes, which were pure sunset. Kooth trilled from her back. He sorta looks like you, Ialee. Ialee chuckled at that. She was half spirit dragon and half mutt dragon-her long mane and horns set her apart from the Enzan Shi dragons, despite her sunset wings. You know what I mean.
The other blue was another of the speckled ones, and he ran to one of the boys as a third blue hatched. It strided toward the candidates, head held high, and Ialee could easily see that the sunset-speckled blue was female. Kooth trilled happily as the female blue stopped in front of Ialee. Ialee, dearest, how are you?I'm Antliath, by the way, and I'm most awfully hungry. She said brightly, looking up at the green-sunset cheerfully.
Ialee grinned, pulling the dragonet closer to her with a curled wing. "Let's go eat then, Antliath. And make sure Kooth doesn't eat all your food." She added with a sly look at the fire lizard.
Hey! Kooth protested as Ialee and Antliath both laughed.
"Kooth!" Ialee shouted, trying to silence the hyperactive flitter, but she was laughing as she did so. She turned more serious as several people turned to stare at her and the blue-speckled white flitter flying in circles around her head. Settle down, you're disturbing people. She told him mentally. Anyway, I'm heading down to the hatching sands now.
The fire lizard crooned excitedly and settled down on Ialee's back, and she entered the hatching sands where the six clutches had finally begun to hatch. They had been still for far too long, and she understood that the only reason they had not already died was because of a spell of some sort.
Other candidates were coming to stand around the eggs as the first began to crack. The sunset Kujachyth's eggs were hatching first, and a green dragonet speckled with sunset was already sitting beside her father. Two more greens hatched and bonded as Ialee watched and Kooth hummed excitedly.
Two more eggs cracked open, leaving two blues in their place. The first was a normal blue except for his wing membranes, which were pure sunset. Kooth trilled from her back. He sorta looks like you, Ialee. Ialee chuckled at that. She was half spirit dragon and half mutt dragon-her long mane and horns set her apart from the Enzan Shi dragons, despite her sunset wings. You know what I mean.
The other blue was another of the speckled ones, and he ran to one of the boys as a third blue hatched. It strided toward the candidates, head held high, and Ialee could easily see that the sunset-speckled blue was female. Kooth trilled happily as the female blue stopped in front of Ialee. Ialee, dearest, how are you?I'm Antliath, by the way, and I'm most awfully hungry. She said brightly, looking up at the green-sunset cheerfully.
Ialee grinned, pulling the dragonet closer to her with a curled wing. "Let's go eat then, Antliath. And make sure Kooth doesn't eat all your food." She added with a sly look at the fire lizard.
Hey! Kooth protested as Ialee and Antliath both laughed.
Antliath grew quickly, and by the time she was an
esling, she was not very much smaller than Ialee, and still not full grown yet.
Though she would not be particularly large by dragon standards, she would
certainly be larger than her green bond. It was also obvious she would be a very
beautiful dragon, one males would be sure to go crazy over when it came time to
fly. And she was much prettier than Ialee-at least as far as the green-sunset
was concerned-despite what her bond and Kooth insisted, Ialee still felt she was
nothing special to look at.
They had already moved back to Darkling Dawn, as soon as Antliath was old enough to be carried between, Ialee brought her back to her home, as Enzan Shi was closing to outsiders for a while once the clutches had hatched.
Antliath was popular among the young male weyrlings, and even now several blues regarded her out of the corner of their eyes. The young female blue was well aware of the attention, and arched her neck proudly while pretending to ignore her admirers as she swam in one of the many lakes a short distance from the dragonry.
Ialee watched from the shore, partially hidden by greenery. Her bright blue eyes widened slightly as two young males began to squabble over something or other, probably Antliath, and the sunset-marked blue dragoness turned in horror. She leapt to the two blues, crooning in worry while she checked to make sure neither was seriously injured, then started scolding them fiercely. They both looked sheepish as the other males gathered laughed. Ialee chuckled as well.
It was late, the sun had set a while before, and the dark sky was beginning to fill with bright, twinkling stars. The pale silvery moon was half full, partially covered by wispy dark clouds which looked as if they could disappear at any moment. A cool breeze moved through the sky, ruffling Ialee's pale violet mane.
She felt another's eyes on her, and looked around. Antliath was still fussing over her male friends, and they were all ignoring her. She looked back towards the mountain that was the dragonry, and spotted a shape standing outside a single weyr, perched on a thin ledge outside the cave. His pale silver hide stood out in the night, while his dark blue wings seemed to blend right in with the sky. She couldn't really see his face very well, but she could clearly see his eyes locked on her. They were pale, pupil-less blue, like hers. As she watched, he stared right at her, and one blue eye winked.
Ialee blinked, regarding the strange male curiously, but he turned away and walked into his weyr. Puzzled, she sat there for a while longer, but the strange dragon didn't reappear. Finally she shrugged and decided she was being silly. What would he want with a plain little halfbreed like her, anyway?
They had already moved back to Darkling Dawn, as soon as Antliath was old enough to be carried between, Ialee brought her back to her home, as Enzan Shi was closing to outsiders for a while once the clutches had hatched.
Antliath was popular among the young male weyrlings, and even now several blues regarded her out of the corner of their eyes. The young female blue was well aware of the attention, and arched her neck proudly while pretending to ignore her admirers as she swam in one of the many lakes a short distance from the dragonry.
Ialee watched from the shore, partially hidden by greenery. Her bright blue eyes widened slightly as two young males began to squabble over something or other, probably Antliath, and the sunset-marked blue dragoness turned in horror. She leapt to the two blues, crooning in worry while she checked to make sure neither was seriously injured, then started scolding them fiercely. They both looked sheepish as the other males gathered laughed. Ialee chuckled as well.
It was late, the sun had set a while before, and the dark sky was beginning to fill with bright, twinkling stars. The pale silvery moon was half full, partially covered by wispy dark clouds which looked as if they could disappear at any moment. A cool breeze moved through the sky, ruffling Ialee's pale violet mane.
She felt another's eyes on her, and looked around. Antliath was still fussing over her male friends, and they were all ignoring her. She looked back towards the mountain that was the dragonry, and spotted a shape standing outside a single weyr, perched on a thin ledge outside the cave. His pale silver hide stood out in the night, while his dark blue wings seemed to blend right in with the sky. She couldn't really see his face very well, but she could clearly see his eyes locked on her. They were pale, pupil-less blue, like hers. As she watched, he stared right at her, and one blue eye winked.
Ialee blinked, regarding the strange male curiously, but he turned away and walked into his weyr. Puzzled, she sat there for a while longer, but the strange dragon didn't reappear. Finally she shrugged and decided she was being silly. What would he want with a plain little halfbreed like her, anyway?
Another year passed and
Antliath grew to adulthood and began to prepare for her first flight. Ialee
watched in silence as the sunset-speckled blue posed on the ledge outside their
weyr, her faintly glowing hide drawing eyes in the dimming light as night
approached. Her beautiful bond was well aware of the stares she was drawing, but
for once, she didn't revel in the attention.
Antliath growled, and her eyes began to whirl with red and gold. Don't they all have anything better to do than stare at me all day?
Ialee just smiled slightly. "What would you expect? Your hide glows more each day. You're going to rise soon, Antliath." She felt the slightest twinge of jealousy at the appreciative glances the male dragons always shot at her bond, but the green-sunset ignored it.
Antliath turned her head to look dryly at Ialee. Duh. I just wish there were some strong, handsome dragons around here, not all these floundering nincompoops. The female blue snorted derisively while a large brown crooned a greeting to her as he flitted by their weyr.
Ialee smiled wistfully and rolled her eyes. She'd risen before, once, herself. The two blues who had caught her, Iltraenth and Hyunth, were each fair mates, but they didn't provide very good company to the spirit halfbreed when what she really wanted was a permanent mate. They'd more or less ignored her once the clutch had hatched and they'd each gone back to their home Weyrs.
With a sigh, Ialee suppressed her feelings of jealousy. Her bond was dainty and pretty; it was no wonder all the males went crazy over Antliath, when she herself was nothing much to look at. This was the blue's first flight, she should be happy for her. "Do you want to go somewhere else for your flight, Antliath?" She asked the sunset-marked dragoness.
With a sigh, Antliath walked into the weyr, plopping down on her bed as her eyes whirled in confusion. I don't know...No, I want to stay here, for my first flight at least. And show those idiots outside that none of them will catch me! She added with a glare in the general direction of the weyr entrance.
Ialee chuckled, glancing out at the forests beyond the Dragonry. A movement out of the corner of her eye drew her head around and down by the lake, where a dragon was staring up at her with pale blue eyes that seemed to constantly be laughing at a secret. The handsome silver-and-night dragon noticed her watching, and he winked at her before turning away, appearing to ignore her.
Ialee frowned as she recognized the dragon. Midnight-Moon Birayen, a habitual insomniac who only ever appeared at night, a reclusive and mysterious dragon whose pale blue eyes looked as if they were always laughing at a secret only he knew. He seemed to enjoy watching the sunset-winged green dragoness, Ialee had noticed him on several occasions and finally learned his name when she struck up a conversation with him, which had lead him to being hit on the head due to one of Ialee's illusion majyks. It didn't deter him in the slightest, however, from doing...whatever it was he was trying to accomplishing by stalking her.
Ialee? Is someone out there? Antliath asked, and Ialee turned away from the handsome and infuriating Birayen and faced her bond, glad that dragons could not blush.
"No, it's just...nothing." After a short pause, she added. "Well! I think tomorrow we'd better go and alert Weyrwoman Teah that you're to rise soon. Maybe we'll be able to coax some offworld dragons here for your flight." She said brightly.
Antliath perked up at that. Ooh, do you think any will come? She asked eagerly, clearly excited at the thought of new, and possibly very cute, dragons.
"We'll just have to wait and see." Ialee said with a laugh as she turned away from the entryway and Birayen. She had a long conversation with Antliath about her upcoming flight, vowing to clear her mind of thoughts such as life mates and intriguing blue-eyed dragons.
Antliath growled, and her eyes began to whirl with red and gold. Don't they all have anything better to do than stare at me all day?
Ialee just smiled slightly. "What would you expect? Your hide glows more each day. You're going to rise soon, Antliath." She felt the slightest twinge of jealousy at the appreciative glances the male dragons always shot at her bond, but the green-sunset ignored it.
Antliath turned her head to look dryly at Ialee. Duh. I just wish there were some strong, handsome dragons around here, not all these floundering nincompoops. The female blue snorted derisively while a large brown crooned a greeting to her as he flitted by their weyr.
Ialee smiled wistfully and rolled her eyes. She'd risen before, once, herself. The two blues who had caught her, Iltraenth and Hyunth, were each fair mates, but they didn't provide very good company to the spirit halfbreed when what she really wanted was a permanent mate. They'd more or less ignored her once the clutch had hatched and they'd each gone back to their home Weyrs.
With a sigh, Ialee suppressed her feelings of jealousy. Her bond was dainty and pretty; it was no wonder all the males went crazy over Antliath, when she herself was nothing much to look at. This was the blue's first flight, she should be happy for her. "Do you want to go somewhere else for your flight, Antliath?" She asked the sunset-marked dragoness.
With a sigh, Antliath walked into the weyr, plopping down on her bed as her eyes whirled in confusion. I don't know...No, I want to stay here, for my first flight at least. And show those idiots outside that none of them will catch me! She added with a glare in the general direction of the weyr entrance.
Ialee chuckled, glancing out at the forests beyond the Dragonry. A movement out of the corner of her eye drew her head around and down by the lake, where a dragon was staring up at her with pale blue eyes that seemed to constantly be laughing at a secret. The handsome silver-and-night dragon noticed her watching, and he winked at her before turning away, appearing to ignore her.
Ialee frowned as she recognized the dragon. Midnight-Moon Birayen, a habitual insomniac who only ever appeared at night, a reclusive and mysterious dragon whose pale blue eyes looked as if they were always laughing at a secret only he knew. He seemed to enjoy watching the sunset-winged green dragoness, Ialee had noticed him on several occasions and finally learned his name when she struck up a conversation with him, which had lead him to being hit on the head due to one of Ialee's illusion majyks. It didn't deter him in the slightest, however, from doing...whatever it was he was trying to accomplishing by stalking her.
Ialee? Is someone out there? Antliath asked, and Ialee turned away from the handsome and infuriating Birayen and faced her bond, glad that dragons could not blush.
"No, it's just...nothing." After a short pause, she added. "Well! I think tomorrow we'd better go and alert Weyrwoman Teah that you're to rise soon. Maybe we'll be able to coax some offworld dragons here for your flight." She said brightly.
Antliath perked up at that. Ooh, do you think any will come? She asked eagerly, clearly excited at the thought of new, and possibly very cute, dragons.
"We'll just have to wait and see." Ialee said with a laugh as she turned away from the entryway and Birayen. She had a long conversation with Antliath about her upcoming flight, vowing to clear her mind of thoughts such as life mates and intriguing blue-eyed dragons.