Zreshyn and Light Hot
Peacock Daimate
HATCHING
Winter
was progressing at an alarming rate, and the eggs on the hatching sands
were slowly hardening. Almost too slowly. Some worried that so many eggs
on and in the soft red sands were just too many and they weren’t kept warm
enough. Logical minds argued that if there were a problem, the experienced
mothers on the sands would have said something.
An unseasonably warm week had wreaked its havoc on the snowbanks of Ryslen,
turning the winter wonderland into a sloppy wet muddy place.
Many of the candidates - novos - were reassigned from
the “traditional” chores to keep the floors clean and dry in the major
entryways. Some, if not all of them were pleased to be out of
barracks cleaning duties.
It seemed that a breath of fresh air was what everyone needed - especially
the eggs. Shortly after the sun passed zenith, a harmonious rumble issued
forth from the hatching grounds. The call had been anticipated for so long
that half of Ryslen was quite startled and the other half... weren’t. At
any rate, the hatching grounds were quickly filled but the hearts of the
tiros were heavy - many of the eggs showed no sign of movement, and a few
even seemed flaccid.
The IceLanders were among the novos that had rushed to
the sands but had not bonded after the last rocking egg had hatched. It
seemed that they would have to wait a little longer while Winter lasted at
Ryslen. There were a grand multitude of eggs left and surely they would
hatch? It was barely daybreak when Ryslen was seranaded with dragonsong
again. But again the IceLanders did not bond. And worse, due to some
unknown magic a lot of the eggs that had rocked first seemed to have been
‘stopped’. Though it was hard to understand just what had happened the
IceLanders were a supersticious people and they knew that praying and
waiting was about the only thing they could do.
The weather at Ryslen for the following days was erratic at best. It
couldn’t decide whether to blow spring gently in, or to blow in another
snowfall. Every day it was cold and gloomy enough to hazard a prediction
of snow was followed by one just warm enough to melt the crystalline
drifts a little further. The hearts of the Ryslenese were similarly
afflicted – everyone seemed to long after the warm caress of spring after
an incredibly cold winter, but knew full well that until the Flurry clutch
was off the sands winter would never truly end.
When the attention-getting call of the Flurry mothers resonated through
Ryslen the third time, the multitude of novos hurried to assemble. There
were more dragons and furry candidates now than Ryslen had ever seen
grouped together for one clutch. The eggs were rocking quite ferociously
(for eggs…) and yet too few eggs showed signs of life. But at least some
were still alive.
The first egg to crack revealed a hatchling that was half white, and half
red, gold, and orange. He was large about the shoulders, and would have
the stamina and strength of a bronze when he was fully grown. He stalked
over to the IceLander Guard known for his short hot temper and butted his
head into Zreshyn’s leg. Stop
being so surly. The hatchling demanded.
We have a lot to do. Zreshyn
looked down into the rainbow faceted eyes of the hatchling and was
instantly in love with the creature. “Yes, Dairnate. Starting with some
breakfast.”
FLEDGELING
Dairnate rumbled and made a mad dash across
the road, flapping his wings. Then he jumped up into the air and glided
about 20 meters. Feeling quite pleased about himself he puffed out his
chest and thought:
Bested my record again, it won't be long now
before I'm flying.
Zreshyn grinned, not being able to resist his dragons' exuberant feelings.
They'd only started flight-training the day before, but being optimistic
seemed like a good thing. Onlookers ducked away as Zreshyn's grin looked
like a show of evil glee, his bushy eyebrows lifted, his eyes squinting
and the corners of his mouth pointing up in an unfamiliar fashion.
"Do your best." Zreshyn told Dairnate.
ADULT
Dairnate looked up as he heard a little
noise. Hearing the frightened squeak of a nocturnal animal, he relaxed
again and resumed his guard duty. Next to him Zreshyn stirred and relaxed
as well. He'd no doubt picked up the same noises.
"Still used to guard duty?"
Dairnate asked.
"I've been doing it since I was old enough to handle a weapon."
Zreshyn replied, "It's not as if you forget how to guard. And at
least the temperature here is a lot warmer."
"The temperature is not the only thing you
like here." Dairnate teased.
"I don't know, sometimes I miss the chill of spring." Zreshyn
said, acting as if he hadn't picked up the little nudge.
"You know, I wouldn't mind if you entered
her flight on the board." Dairnate continued.
"Would you now?"
"I'm strong and I can keep up for a long
flight. I have confidence in my chances."
Dairnate really was strong. he'd been big when he hatched and the people
at Ryslen had told him he would grow up to be the size of the bronze
dragons he'd seen there. Both of them liked to train and compete. Zreshyn
himself enjoyed the heat of competition, seeing it as an outlet for his
passionate nature. Dairnate was more about the show, he liked to play and
had a few moves up his sleeve that could confuse his opponents. But in the
end, both of them liked to win and come out on top. So maybe he would just
put his name on that flightboard.
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Zreshyn impressed at the Ryslen
Flurry 2003
