* * The Braethas Raug! * *

The Cathair was monsterous in comparison to the tiny Dopp-Rock Asteroid. It was the first time the girls had been on solid ground in quite some time, and the longest they had ever stayed. Should any Imprint a dragon, regardless of if the others did, all three would be staying until that dragon or dragons grew to maturity. That wasn't just a matter of days or weeks, but years! The prospect was both daunting, in many ways, and interesting.

On the Sands stood the three among many others. A soft whisper fluttered through the crowd, something about there being many more eggs than candidates. Even so, Moogz stood nervous, complaining about the heat to get her mind off her churning stomach. Shan chewed on a nail absently as with shifting eyes she studied the vast cavern's ceiling. She was humming a jaunty, very annoying tune. MelberLime stared off into space (trying to ignore the dull roar coming from the large crowd) worrying about the foozet. I wonder if he's comfortable? I wonder if Fhil is watching him or if he's poking his wounds.

Soon, the hatching began, and all thoughts were struck from everyone's mind, except those associated with the rainbow-colored hatchlings emerging from their eggs. Many times, the girls thought they had found a match, only to be disappointed.

Moogz whispered, "Ooh, isn't she gorgeous!"

"Look at that black hide..." MeLi.

ShanIon: I want hair that color...

Many hatchlings broke shell in groups and remained in groups. One dragon even Imprinted a fleet! Literally. ShanIon whined, "Ooh, I want at least five..."

"Why, so you can corrupt em all?"

Shan rolled her eyes. "Everyone knows that you'd corrupt any dragons you Imprinted, MeLi."

"Don't you know it." MelberLime smirked. Everyone knew that she corrupted people, not animals.

MoogerMint snorted. "You're such a dork, Shan."

"Nit!"

"I'm not a nit, dork!"

"Are too, nit!"

"Children, let's behave in public, shall we?" MeLi muttered with a twisted grin as a large group of hatchlings, mostly greens, broke shell. "There's some dragons coming this way. Behave, and they might not run back the other way."

The remaining four dragons of this little group were all approximately green. One had pale green wings, marked with light blue stripes, a very stark comparison to the dark rainbow and fireworks of her body. Another seemed to almost glimmer with a hint of gold beneath her green and body and wings, while her chest scales shone of a soft rainbow. The third had an iridescent green hide, with dark sunset wings and rainbow chest scales; aone of Latoteyth's offspring apparently. The last green could possibly have been termed as an eyesore, with her intense sunset wings and chest scales and swirled green and rainbow body.

It took a moment or two to spot these colours in the dragonlings however, as they had hatched in a clustered group, one egg acting as a catalyst for those around it to hatch as well. Once they had been separated out however, it was easy to see each one.

... There certainly was a theme of determined independence in the dragons of this clutch.

The iridescent green watched this, and made a soft noise that could almost be described as a kind of snickering, before making her way across the sands. She moved in an odd manner, looking more like she was trying to dance, making careful sidesteps and bouncing motions, with sunset wings flared wide. Hello! she beamed happily at ShanIon. Can we have an adventure? Do you want to dance with me? What's your name? Where are we? Why are we here? Can we do something fun yet? Am I annoying you yet? Am I annoying you yet? Am I annoying you yet? Am I annoying you yet? Am I annoying you yet? Am I annoying you yet? This probably earned Tekerinaereth the title of 'Most Annoying Dragon In Existance'.

There was an almost audible sigh of relief as ShanIon and Tekerinaereth left the sands. None seemed more relieved than the starry and remaining green, the intensely coloured one, since they'd chosen their bond, and were only waiting for the attention to fall onto them. It was so difficult to be noticed when there was a dragon trying to annoy everyone in the Sands.

~ Exerpt from the Braethas Raug, clutch two story

By the time Tekerinaereth had run out of "breath," ShanIon's eyes had grown to the size of small dinner platters. Tears streamed down her face, and her fists were pressed to her lips to keep from bawling. "She is so like me," she sobbed.

ShanIon nodded wordlessly, sniffled, and waved to her sisters, as she was lead off the sands by her dragon.

Moogz blinked several times. "Wow, that's bright." She paused. "I like iridescents."

MeLi turned to Moogz and elbowed her softly in the ribs. "They're made for eachother."

"That is so true."

A large sunset winged dragon with a hide of iridescent starry that those of any heritage but Danachian would be inclined to call gold made her way across the Sands, evidently oblivious to the hushed argument about whether she were a starry or a gold. It seemed that her rider of choice didn't really care about what color this large dragon was either. I know you like green MelberLime, but maybe you'll like me anyway? I am Kovphaleiryth.

~ Another exerpt from the clutch story

MeLi had heard the uproar from the crowd, vaguely understanding the significance of their quibble. Starry or Gold, Kovphaleiryth was gorgeous beyond words! "Oh, Kovphaleiryth, I wouldn't care if you were puke-green, or bright pink! Of course I love you!"

Next to her, there was a small gasp followed by a rough muttering. "Pink!? Don't worry Mel, I'd get you some spraypaint..."

She knew Moogz was trying to lighten the situation, the intense feelings of joy, and of her own nervousness. It was hard for MeLi to focus, or to care. Tenatively, she said, "Kovphaleir--"

Kovpha is fine.

She smiled gratefully; nicknames were a favorite pasttime at home. "Kovpha, do you mind if we stay and wait with Moogz?"

Of course.

MeLi ruffled MoogerMint's fiery locks then crouched there on the sands and leaned against Kovphaleiryth, watching the rest of the hatching, until...

An explosion of eggs on the other side of the Sands pulled the attention of both Candidates and observers away from Anraleil and his three new accomplices, and towards the cluster of five dragons that had hatched.

The first was a lavender coloured dragonling, with blue and green mottled feathery wings, and chest scales of rainbow...

The way they split from each other suggested that they had no intention of forming their own little group. Instead, three of them began moving towards the Candidates. The feather-winged lavender seemed uncertain for a while, before walking resolutely to MoogerMint. Halloooooo! I'm Reatilirinith!

~Another exerpt; for more from the story, check it out in it's entirety from the Links section!

"You. Are. So. Gorgeous."

"Better than an Iridescent, eh, Moogz?"

"Of course, just look at her!"

Hey, I resent that. Kovpha's mental voice held a hint of sarcasm, indicating that she understood MeLi's meaning. Not that Iridescents weren't as good, but that Moogz was totally content with a non-Iridescent.

MeLi hugged Kovpha and grinned. Moogz continued to stand rigidly repeating over and over how "gorgeous" Reatilirinith was, and had to be dragged from the Sands.

"You need to widen the scope of your vocabulary, MintBall."

Oh yes, definitely. I am gorgeous and all, but what else...?

To Moogz, Kovphaleiryth said, Watch that her ego does not outgrow the rest of her, mm?

Moogermint and Reatilirinith spoke simultaneously, "Hee, hee. Don't worry, I won't let her."

And to answer my own question, I am also famished.

* * *

The quartet found ShanIon standing over her dragon, sprawled out on her back spread-eagled in a most unladylike position. Her spittle-splattered mouth was opened wide, tongue lolling off to the side, a loud series of thunderous snores emitting from her throat. Around them, people plugged their ears, shot Shan baleful and disgusted glances, and tried without success to continue their business. Most left as quickly as possible, hatchlings wanting more, but willing to go with half-full stomachs, in exchange for no indigestion.

Shan saw her sisters, accompanied by two beautiful dragons, though the worry in her gaze made it apparent that she didn't really see the newcomers. "I uh... I don't snore like that, do I?"

Moogz said, deadpan expression on her face. "Oh, certainly."

Reatilirinith stared at Tekerinaereth in fascination. Ehhhr... that's interesting. Who's that anyway?

Shan looked about to cry, glancing from her dragon to her sisters, but MeLi jabbed MoogerMint in the ribs roughly. "You do not snore."

The youngest sighed audibly.

"You just grind your teeth. Loudly."

This time, the baleful glare came from ShanIon, and might have speared MeLi through the heart were it an arrow.

"Err," MoogerMint glanced at her dragon, a look of nervousness on her face. "That's our sister's dragon. She's a really nice green dragon, and Shan's really nice too. Yes!"

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