You hurriedly get dressed and run out of the metal hold doors leaving them unbarred in your wake. You rush out to the forecourt where a green dragon and rider are waiting for you. They have come to take you to Jerdan Weyr for the Hatching of Gold Isabeth's clutch. You remember vaguely hearing that there were 16 eggs on the Sands. You are drawn out of your reflection as the green lowers her forearm and her rider helps you mount. You just have time to button your wherhide jacket before you go between.
You burst forth in the afternoon sky of Jerdan Weyr. The sun is shining down. You are just a length away from another dragon who must be bringing other guests to the hatching. You marvel at the creatures' ability not to collide with each other in mid-air. Below you, you can see people running from the Lower Caverns to the gaping maw of the Hatching Ground where Isabeth is bugling.
The green swoops into the upper opening. The green rider closes in on one of the upper tiers and leaves you there. You thank her and the dragon and make yourself comfortable. You can see that all of the candidates are already asseembled. Isabeth is curled around her eggs. Suddenly she moves back and three eggs seem to explode showering even you with eggshell. A brown, a bronze, and a green are now standing on the Sands.
You look down at the anxious candidates. The 8 girls and 8 boys are standing away from the hatchlings. Suddenly you recognize one of the boys on the Sands. He's about 6'4" and well built. If he turned around, you are sure you would see his green eyes shining with nervousness. It was Attok the journeyman woodsmith you had met on your last trip to Jerdan. He looks up at you then turns to another part of the grounds and waves to someone in one of the tiers. You can't find exactly who.
You turn your attention back to the Sands as the hatchlings begin to move toward their chosen riders. You look on in surprise as the big brown makes his way right to Attok. Attok looks down at the hatchling. His green eyes meeting the iridescent ones. He looks up at you and then turns to the mystery person on the other side. His face is a mask of pure exultation as he calls out,"His name is Darinoth!"
Then the big rider leads his big brown hatchling off of the Sands. You wait until the end of the hatching before going to look for A'tok and his new dragon.
You find the pair with the other riders. They are all feeding their ravenous hatchlings. A'tok is on the far end with Darinoth. He is holding an almost empty bowl of wherry scraps. You walk up to the pair. Now you can see the brown more clearly. He is even bigger than you thought. His head comes up past A'tok's waist and his long tail swishes across the ground as he swallows the meat his rider is handing him. He is a fitting dragon for his rider.
"Hello A'tok. Congratulations on your handsome brown."
"Thanks," the former woodsmith says turning his shining green eyes on you. "I think he's absolutely perfect."
Your short conversation is interrupted as Darinoth croons.
"A'tok. I am really hungry. Being in that egg for so long has left me starving. Please give me some more of that juicy wherry meat."
"Sorry Darinoth. I won't neglect you. I promise," A'tok says out loud to his dragon. Then he turns to you. "I am sorry. I have to keep feeding him and judging by his hatching size, it's going to take a while. Please excuse me."
"I understand. I want to talk to Weyrwoman Carah about some likely candidates in my hold. I'll see you later A'tok. Congratulations again."
"Thanks," the large blond man responds. Then he goes back to feeding Darinoth.
You look back at him before walking off toward the steps to the queen's weyr. You think to yourself that this pair is going to be one to keep an eye on.
Stats
Name: Attok
Age: 20 Turns
Parents: Ursa and Marnet
Siblings: Attor
Birthplace: Crom
Dragon: Brown Darinoth
Birthplace:Jerdan Weyr
Sire:Bronze Pintreth
Dam:Gold Isabeth
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