Wild Clutch 5
The nekrats in the bay that were keeping watch over the
clutch of donated eggs sounded the alert that it was time for the candidates to
hurry to the bay. They'd maybe waited a bit too long with their announcement,
wanting to be sure before disturbing the people on this hot and sultry day.
Though the nekrats weren't inconvenienced much by the weather, the humans were
less than happy with the hot humidity that was plaguing the isle.
From the deeper waters arrived a small blue mer-rukel called Byyla and the long
black and purple-finned sea dragon Maymriekor Dacia or Memory for those with
impaired memories. Byyla was by far the most sunny of the two and she watched
from the waters as the darker, gloomy dragoness shifted into human form to join
Tohiji, the Gremynian human and Ikeng, the dwarf werecat closer to the beach
than her dragon form could take her.
The sky took on that yellow light that announced the coming of a storm and the
wind picked up, lessening the heat but not the oppressive atmosphere. Small
waves could have been signs of hatching or the coming storm. People on the shore
weren't certain how many nekrats had hatched and it took a few minutes more
before the first decided it was time to bond.
A soft yellow-coloured sand female stuck her head briefly above the waves,
giving the candidates a once over before she dove back down and swam toward
Byyla.
"You're by far the most interesting of the
candidates so I choose you!" she said.
Byyla grinned and added, "I hope you enjoy classes
on engineering because I'll be taking a lot."
"I'm certain they'll let me wait outside.... or
maybe they have some classes on interior decorating."
An azure blue lake nekrat swam at his own pace through the surf. Still small he
was able to swim in the shallow waters to reach Maymriekor. He swam a couple of
circles around her and said:
"You'll always be my first priority."
Memory wondered if that would be true, but maybe it was time to trust:
"Thank you, Erjumin." she answered.
Rain began to fall and some people tried to take shelter beneath trees while
others just ventured into the water since they were getting wet anyway. This
made manoeuvring more difficult for the black storm nekrat that had just
hatched. He had sensed an einzelganger and likeminded spirit among the waiting
candidates. When he finally reached him he said:
"Let's get out of here quick, it's getting too crowded."
"Of course, Ulafar, I can't wait to see the world with you."
Because now his parents would have to let him go, right?
As more and more water came down from the heavens, people seemed to decide it
would be better to get back inside. Standing knee-deep in the bay, Ikeng
wondered if maybe she'd have to wait for the next clutch. But there were definitely
still nekrats in the bay and they were still making those excited sounds. The
werecat had been in stasis for who knows how long, she could be patient.
And that mindset paid as a little while later a very my pace kind of green swamp
nekrat approached her.
"So I hear you enjoy this thing called alcohol.
I'm quite interested in it."
Ikeng cocked her head and wondered if she should tell this hatchling she'd need
to be an adult before imbibing alcohol, but then Joullea was already the same
size as her and seemed like she'd grow quite big.
"We'll see."
Tohiji
(m) and Storm Ulafar (m)
Maymriekor
'Memory' Dacia (f) and Lake Erjumin (m)
Ikeng
Ananoshnil (f) and Swamp Joullea (f)
Byyla
(f) and Sand Perila (f)