Victory over the horrific war ushered forth a wave of peace and prosperity to the shattered nation. Wounds were healed as the warriors struggled home with hearts intact and the lost were mourned as saviors across the entirety of Nyushi. In the ashes of the ruins, people returned to their lives with vigor. They shed their battered bodies, recovered from pestilence, grew, and saw the beginning of prosperity in the newly welcomed era of peace. In addition to the festivities, life continued on and in the fashion of their ancestors of long passed, the females Rose to choose the sires of their children. The infertile were cured with the help of one Hybrid, given a second chance at parenthood and intimate relationships that had been stripped of them at the hands of the Influenzas. Flights concluded, and with the females having chosen their able mates, the wait began for their precious eggs. Preparations rushed into effect like never before.

The Hatching Grounds had seen many lives welcomed into the world since its construction. In years past the desperate souls clinging to an existence had turned down the grandeur of the event, suffering the loss of their Academy and forced to make due with the ruins of the dragon's birthplace. This year, however, no one would question the measures taken to prepare for supreme celebration. Excitement loomed in every hallway, congealed in every room, and spread as if it were a potent epidemic to everyone in the Academy.

Brick and mortar were eventually replaced from the shattered ceiling with a splendid glass dome. Light of early morning filtered from above, spreading a warm, comforting glow upon the golden sands. Kazuko, the Great Mother, lie in wait, quietly watching over the proceedings like a gentle beacon. Mothers would find everything they needed. Water pools swished gently in wait of their aquatic eggs, petals of the finest hued flowers were gathered in bundles for Rosemaries, logs and dried kindle for Fire nests, and in the very center of the hatching grounds sat a prominent pedestal for the revered Celestial's broods. The only thing left to do was to wait for the females to arrive.

Anamchara had been feeling stirrings now for several days. It wasn't anything too alarming, but it had been alerting her that her time to lay was fast in coming, and as a result, had made her restless. She'd hedged herself off into the Academy, and despite any coaxing from her mate, had kept herself there. The last thing that she would want was to end up laying in an unfamiliar place, though their aerie was far from unfamiliar...But still, it would mean that she would be secluded in the middle of Nyushi for weeks, waiting for the shell to harden so she could bring it back. Which left her cut off from her rider and from the Academy, an experience, even if in a better light than the last time, she didn't want a repeat of. So she'd been left to pace the hallways, and annoy the loving daylights out of her dear Riven, and to worry and trouble her mate, Dhruva.

She knew it was up to the males to worry, she already knew what to do, already having birthed several children in her lifetime. Now it was simply time for another. She was going to take it all in stride just as she always did. It was a cycle of give and take, even if for the reasons of the ending of the war, this child's birth felt more significant to her. She hummed to herself as she lay upon her warm bed in her aerie with her rider. He was at work with more papers for the Wing they ran. She was rather apologetic for becoming pregnant in the first place, as being a mother of a babe, she would have to take leave from the Wing for several long weeks, and leave Riven riderless. But in his typical brusque way, Riven had simply shrugged it off and commented that he would be able to handle things without her. With his own way of 'handling things' she doubted it would be long before she'd hear him in the back of her mind grumbling.

Suddenly, a stronger urge rose within her, and she lifted her head giving a low sound almost akin to a low bark, that expressed her sudden surprise. She blinked at her abdomen, then looked to Riven in something akin to embarrassment. It had been nearly a decade since the last time they'd gone through this together. He gave her a wry smile, resting his head on his hand. "Well...Go on then. I'll have someone go alert your mate." he stated, shuffling some papers while Ana rose and made her way in the direction of the Hatching grounds. As she poked her head through the door, she saw the great sands already warm and prepared for all the broods that were to come. A smile curled her maw at the familiarity of this place. Soon enough, her next child would be born here.

The strirings, while becoming urgent, didn't demand her attention wholly and utterly at the moment of her arrival. She turned her head to the piles of kindling and wood that would provide the nourishment for the fire that would keep her child warm. With a fire and a fire pairing together, the results were something she figured fair easy to recognize. Pushing together a small pile of the kindling onto the sands and arranging them to her liking, she settled into the warmth of the ground and rested, waiting for the contractions that would bring her egg into the world to begin to their fullest. After nearly an hour, she was panting from the warmth of the place, and from the heat that the actions of her own body were bringing to her. She watched several other females comes in, and begin to prepare their own places. Anamchara paid them no heed, too busy concentrating on her own task at hand.

A short stretch of time, made longer by the lulling heat of the sands and the busy thoughts of her own mind. Then suddenly, the pressure was gone, as the egg that she had birthed slipped into the world and plopped gently onto the warm sands. Angling her body, and raising her tail to avoid crushing the precious shell, she turned so she could see it, and gave a low croon as with the utmost care, she set the Fire egg upon the nest she had crafted. "Welcome to the world, little one." she hummed, and curled herself protectively about it, one of the gentle humming tunes her own mother had taught her coming to mind and rumbling softly out of her chest.

At first, the Forest female assumed that her lack of control of her element was normal of her pregnancy. It had happened when she carried Buccinal and Tonare's eggs, but toward the end had been nothing like what she experienced now. When she woke up that morning, after a restless night's sleep, she was all but covered in vines and growth, dotted with buds and blossoms of small, fragrant flowers. It was Zahra's incessant giggling that woke her. Or at least, part of what woke her.

"What the?" Hadassah looked up at her rider, violet eyes shaded by verdant growth from her loamy nest. "Oh shut up," she grumbled grouchily when she realized what Zahra was giggling about.

"I'm sorry Hadassah it's just so ridiculous. I've never seen this happen to you before," she laughed. "Are you all right?"

The Forest grouched out loud and stood up, the sound of ripping vines filling the room as she stood from where they pinned her down. She wished she could just lay the damn egg already so the out of control growth would stop. Soon their entire quarters was going to turn into a jungle if it didn't come soon. Not to mention she wasn't getting any sleep. All night that night she'd tossed and turned until exhaustion overtook her. She'd been cramping horribly since the middle of the night, but she knew it wasn't time yet. Close, but not quite. So she'd stayed in her nest and ridden out the restless night. "I'm fine," Hadassah answered with an exasperated sigh as she yanked herself out of the foliage.

Zahra stepped forward and gave her scaled nose a soft pet, "Soon dear, then you'll be able to sleep again."

"It's been longer than last time," she replied, "I'm tired of being tired." She shook out her wings, upset that even after all that cramping the night before she seemed perfectly normal now. Of course, the thought came too soon, because the moment she folded her wings back against her spine, a shock of pain from her midsection startled her. She growled suddenly enough to startle Zahra, who stepped back, uncertain, though she trusted her dragoness entirely. Another wave rippled over her abdomen and her instincts told her that her wait was over. "It's all right…Zahra, I think I need to--,"

"Go ahead," her rider stepped forward again. Hadassah shoved her snout affectionately against her rider's chest as she gently stroked the frills lining her jaw, "Make me proud. I'll be down to see you soon," Zahra told her, knowing her Forest didn't exactly find the act of laying her eggs dignified enough to share with even her own rider. She preferred to do that in as much privacy as she could, and she fervently hoped that not many females would be feeling the urge to lay before she had a chance to lay hers. But it didn't matter either way, her body was telling her it was time, and she would lay her eggs whether she wanted to or not, whether she was in the hatching grounds or not.

"Please, I want you to be there to see it before those candidates get a chance to get their filthy paws all over it," Hadassah snorted, being broody and protective as usual. She then left her rider, padding to her ledge outside and spreading her wings for the last flight she'd take for the next several weeks. She lazily glided off of her ledge and angled her lithe form toward the hatching ground's entrance, expecting the same scene she'd beheld the last time she was here. But when she stepped inside, everything was different.

The great matron Celestial was in her place, but instead of the dark, cave-like area it had been when she'd laid her eggs two years before, the sands were alight with brilliant colored light, glowing from the new glass ceiling above. If not for the pang in her belly, she might have stopped to admire the glow some more. But she was relieved to see only one dark figure had arrived so far. No doubt many more would come before the end of the day. Hadassah trotted to an area where nests of loam and leaf lay in wait for her. If she laid a breed of Galileo's she wasn't exactly sure what she'd do, but she certainly preferred her own element. She just hoped her lack of control with that element would correct itself once she laid and wouldn't turn the hatching ground into a Forest by the next morning.

While her body worked to ready itself, the Forest nosed through the nest of twigs and leaves, making it perfect for its occupant. Finally, when she was satisfied, and could not wait any longer, she turned carefully and settled over the nest, waiting expectantly. Several minutes passed, then finally with a soft sound of impact and a blessed emptiness in her gut, the Forest turned to tend to her egg. Unlike her first clutch, she felt no more contractions that heralded the arrival of another, and that was just fine, she decided when she turned to see the product of many months of pregnancy.

She sighed softly, elation covering her like a warm blanket as she gazed at the mottled egg in its nest. "There you are, finally," she whispered, carefully pushing a few twigs that she'd disturbed while laying back up against the soft shell of the Forest egg. Then she slumped to the sand, a forearm to either side of the small nest. She felt utterly exhausted, more so than she had when she'd awoken, and she lay her head on one forepaw, her watchful violet gaze on the drying egg in its loamy nest. Pride swelled within her. She'd been just as proud of Buccinal and Tonare's eggs, but there was something different about laying one of her own breed. A familiarity. She wondered if Galileo would be as pleased, or if he would be disappointed that it wasn't one of his own. That couldn't be tolerated, but he seemed level-headed enough to be pleased either way. At the moment, however, she was too tired to worry and finally freed of the egg, she rested for the first time in weeks, dozing off in her vigil as she waited for her rider—and her mate if he wished—to come.


((1 Forest egg for reference! 8D ))

Sitting quietly in the comfort of her secluded barrack, the small Air was set to the task of preening herself. She slowly dragged her beak-like mouth over the leading edges of the feathers, pulling off any static-clung dust and straightening the shafts to rest comfortably along her supple form. Cleaning and aligning the waterproof feathers were a mountainous daily task, and today would be no exception. She would look her best, for no one would look upon her on this most auspicious day as anything less than a mortal goddess in her own right.

The telltale signs of contractions had in the darkness of the morning, well before the sun had begun to rise off in the distance. She knew instinctively what was happening to her body, but she showed little alarm, going so far as to neglect waking Eamon from his fitful slumber. She was in no panic either way; pregnancy made her glow with happiness and pride at what she was to become. The arrival of her child would only be the icing on the cake, or at least the very beginning of the celebration.

Narcissa fluffed her feathers when she finished, puffing up all so that they lie on end, and gradually allowed the vibrant plumage to fall back into natural alignment. She beamed vainly at the reflection in her mirror and, satisfied, stood up to begin her journey. Her belly twisted uncomfortably when she shifted. The Air cooed softly and shrugged it off, quietly bypassing Eamon's bed to head toward the Hatching Sands.

Some had already begun to arrive and begin Laying. Narcissa waddled across the sand awkwardly, eyeing out a potential plot of sand to stake as her own for the next few weeks. With her belly as swollen as it was, her normal side-to-side gait was exaggeration, but she pulled off the oddity like a champion feline. Nose stuck up, she waddled close to the center of the Hatching Grounds and padded in circles, testing the sands with her sensitive toes. Satisfied, she lowered her wings to prevent any curious onlookers and allowed the contractions to do their work.

When she began to push, she immediately knew what breed it was. Air eggs were small, round, and like that of a chicken's. This one, however, couldn't have been more of the opposite. Rough, irregularly shaped, and rather large. She strained for a few minutes until the lumpy egg passed onto the sands and peaked under her wing to get a look at it. A large, dark brown shell lie at her feet. However, it was a bit smaller than the monstrous specimens that she'd seen others lay, to which she was supremely grateful. She shuddered to think what would have become of her if it were six feet in length. Just as she was beginning to nudge the brown egg into a more aesthetically pleasing position, another wave of contractions claimed her belly, and she nearly squealed with glee. Another egg? Two? Oh, how splendid! Most folks were lucky to lay one, but not she, she must have been blessed with more luck than she thought. Narcissa lowered her wings again out of modesty and strained, coming to the conclusion once again that this one was definitely not an Air.

Passing the second one left her tired and sore, though not in terrible pain. Once the second Earth joined its sibling and the contractions ceased, she turned around to fully admire her eggs, her new children. While they were not of her own breed, a mild disappointment, they were still…lovely. Healthy, or so it seemed, and in good formation, or what she could tell of the lumpy shells. She nudged her children with adoring care, touching each egg with the tip of her soft muzzle. Cereus would be proud to know that her had sired not one, but two his own breed. Cooing to the children within, she settled herself down beside them and pushed the sand up in small mounds with her hands to support their shells. Perhaps later she would add some of her down to the mix, or adorn them with some fine clays to make the dark shells more appeasing to candidates, but for now, she was content. Narcissa proudly fluffed her crest up, beaming proudly at the success of her children as she waited for Cereus to join her.




The tides of war had changed for the better, eventually overriding and defeating their hated foe to never again plague the country with his terrible influence. Peace drove out the worries of most, but in those particularly strangled by ghosts of the past, it was an incomplete transition. Iridae stood in archway to Hatching sands as a stoic figure, as immobile and mute as a stone gargoyle. The larger females merely stepped over her to get into the warm, comforting interior as she stood, fixed in place. As much as she enjoyed continuing her bloodline, she had...mixed feelings about this occasion. It was supposedly a happy event of welcoming the new lives, but she felt less than exhilarated. Another part of her, a separate entity formed from the welding of her being and her mate's was now exposed, helpless, mortal.

She had felt the same way when she had laid Lichen and Opiat's egg, but this feeling was much more profound and horrific, to the point that it made her hands shake and her eyes mist over. Yuurei and his Influenza accomplice had done more than just use her as a factory device to generate their own twisted offspring; they had taken her peace of mind and mutilated what joy she had toward the creation of any children henceforth. She felt exposed, as helpless in the world as an egg. It would only leave her more susceptible to pain and anguish. Hao had, at least, taught her that there would always be a positive silver lining to this situation, even if at this moment she refused to acknowledge it.

Unfortunately, not even she was strong enough to hold off the urges of her body for an indefinite amount of time. Contractions forced her to move forward against her will and as much as she didn't wish to, she began to search for a suitable spot. No other Rosemaries were present, leaving all of the scattered piles of flower petals left unattended. She approached the same spot she took up residence last year and critically began to arrange the soft petals into a suitable nest. The attendants were capable fellows, but they were fools to think they'd know what she'd want. Iridae scowled at the eviscerated flowers, continuing to move them anxiously around until, at last, she was forced by her own body into action.

The violet Rosemary hovered over the newly made nest and waited, the contractions doing the work for her. What plopped into the nest was of little surprise to her tired eyes. A single, tiny opalescent egg lay innocently in the center of the nest, glistening with all the colors of refracted light. No sooner than it came from her womb did she descend upon it, curling her entire body around like a wall of living scales and flesh. She shuffled her wings to No one would touch this egg right now, let alone look at it for long as far as she were concerned.

For some time now, the Air Dragoness, Kestrel, had taken up staying in the obstacle course, not always working since as time wore on, and her egg or eggs developed, and rather, took to sunning or lounging, depending on how she felt. Having chosen a mate whom was Tainted, yet allowed at the academy- begrudgingly so to most, she had often been the subject of scorn for spending much time with him. At one point, in a fit of hormonal drama, she had exclaimed that she would nest elsewhere and that Kazuko could come to her.

Nivia, being understanding, had his lovely dragon keep to herself, and relax. Much to her dismay, that bright morning brought a tightness in her gut she could not ignore. Nor, she found, could she ignore the blinding instinct to migrate the short distance to the hatching grounds, returning to the place of ones birth as salmon did, though in her case, with less deathly consequences as that particular species had. Muttering to herself, the falconesque air mistress lofted herself into the sky, and only briefly paused by her wing to gather up her rider, and her, and the materials she usually brought with her to the sands, and then was off once more, feeling a bit off center.

Her lithe form felt off balance, but that was to be expected. With her quad wings beating, she entered the hatching grounds and looked about, keen eyes darting from here to there, looking for the best place. Ah, there, a higher place, the perfect nesting spot for herself. The spot usually held by her own mother, from years past. Surely that was the best place, as she herself had hatched there. But, first, order demanded her to, before anythign else, see to her own daughter who was nested on the sands already, beautiful and grand. Padding carefully to the mandarin-duck Air, Kestrel lightly preened at Cissa's crest and crooned with love and pride. “Well done, Cissa! You look so beautiful and shining today!” She called, her words full of pride for her daughter. But she could not stand and chat as she wanted to, though she was glad enough Cissa's spot was near the one she wanted for herself, so with care, she went and chose for herself the best materials she could find, other than those she'd insisted on bringing, and made her nest with the loving care she was known for, soft keens and croons escaping her. And, once she was finished with this, she settled herself into it. With Nivia at her side, she was comforted even as the pains fluttered through her, but, as all things, this soon came to pass, and there, nestled in her nest, was a single glistening Air Egg

Air Kestrel X Bone Denkou
1Air Egg


= = = = = = =

A deep humming had began to rumble through the gentle glass giant as she felt the now familiar sensation that always heralded the beginning of her own laying. When it had become known to her, she had been resting in a pool of water, likely at the lake gardens. Her coils of tail and neck seemed to take up most of what was visible, given her main body was under. But, as she felt the need to move elsewhere, she and Carpediem, who was up to some building blue print or other, design plans for some project somewhere,(and interupted by her poking him with her muzzle, nearly knocking him over) they made haste for the hatching grounds, pausing only momentarily to keen into the wing of her mate and his rider, before taking herself on her way off.

Once there, she settled in a favorite spot, suitable for her own size, and chose a pedestal she often did, and began to weave fragments of glass she had on hand with her own breath-glass, and wove out her personal tradition, choosing to bring forth a glass flower nest as always. She always had, and always would, continue to make such nests as those, likely until she was too old to formulate them. Calm and serene, the lovely great glass completed her work, and seeing it was well, began the labor of love that, in short time, glistened in her nest. Peering at it fondly, she adjusted that proud glistening egg, and added a little more to the nest to capture the light just-so, to center it like an artist would, like all her finest creations. Yes, she thought, this one would be great, like all her children. She was only mildly vain, from a great mother and a great sire, surely their child would shine proudly. She could only hope... And, as she folded her wings and nuzzled her rider, he smiled and stroked her scales. Once again, she had throne a Glass Egg. and he knew that under her care, it would thrive.

Glass Celiostiahle x Water Mire
1 Glass Egg


= = = = = = = = = =

Unfortunately, unlike most of the mothers waking today, who were often used to the wonderful hive-minded sequence that somehow made all of them rise, breed, and gestate, and lay their eggs as well as hatch them in sequence, all at the same time, there were a few new mothers. Many of those were a few years old and had seen these things happen before, if not joining in themselves. But for one scarlet-gold and harvest toned Sonic, who did not get much sleep for a while prior to this morning, the humming and bustling and joy laden croons in the air were doing nothing to soothe the young mothers mind. And if Tonare wasn't happy, no one was. In fact, it was miserable the last week because of her constant turning and tossing, and random cravings for foods she had never had, at all hours of night and day, that Kairen had not gotten much sleep herself. And likely neither did their room mates.

When she wasn't whining about something or other, in those odd times of actually being comfortable, she'd passed out into the deepest sleep imaginable. And if she wasn't complaining, or sleeping, or eating, she was over at Garboil's wing being cute and cuddly with the larger dragon. (Which gave Kairen a bit of rest time.) But, this morning,...This morning everyone in the wing they shared was woken by her complaining of pain, which Kairen insisted meant her egg or eggs were on their way and that she needed to get to the hatching grounds. Kairen, having some forethought, had packed herself some things that she thought might be useful for later, but never knew when her Sonic would change its mind about this or that.

So, after complaining for at least an hour about how dumb all of this was and how it was all Gar's fault, and then babbling about how it was someone else's fault too who had nothing to do with anything, Tonare had been begrudgingly convinced to get going and head for the hatching grounds. Once she got there, she saw females making nests, brooding over nests, or laying their eggs, but all of them knew on instinct what to go for. She had no idea what her instincts were telling her now, as she impatiently peered at the materials, it occurred to her that she had no idea what she was doing. But, before she could make any sort of scene, Kairen patted her dragon and suggested perhaps she first nest on the sands, and have time to gather herself. But first, Tonare had snatched up some soft things and a couple weird metal devices that were in a sonics pile of nesting materials, and set off to build a hasty unrefined nest- at least at first. She'd figure it out later once her lovely egg or eggs were laid. Perhaps it would make her a bit more calm...

With her riders constant encouragement, Tonare did her best, making a good enough nest, and whimpered as she braced herself against the pains of laying. Kai could only do so much to comfort her dragon, but, comfort her she did. As the egg safely landed in its soft nest, the first thing Tonare and Kairen did was look after it. But...Not everything was partucularly going well for Tonare today, and when her eyes saw her egg, she bugled in mild alarm, though her rider wasn't really sure what was wrong at first. With the care of a cat about her first litter, one unsure of what to do with it, Tonare curled up and whined, eyes looking about. Had anyone else seen? What had happened? Why her? She shuffled and nosed at Kai, who, with raised eyebrow, commented on her odd actions.

“My dear, what ever are you doing? This isn't like you, this is your baby, why do you look so troubled?” The harvest-gold and orangey red Sonic simply, and woefully whimpered. “My egg must be mishappen or dead, something is wrong with it,....” And, hell if Kairen didn't laugh at her poor dragon. She couldn't help it. “Oh Toni, it isnt dead.” Tonare blinked tearfully at Kairen, low humms whistling out of her horns. “But what happened to it? It isn't like my egg was! Or my brothers!” Facepalming, Kairen sighed. “Dear, it isn't a sonic egg. It's a Disruption Egg. You know, like Garboil's breed?”

Confused, Tonare stared at Kairen hard. “But...that isn't possible,......it can't be- has it ever happened before here? Over /there/ I'm sure, but...here?” And then she got the most precious, bewildered face... “What do I do for my nest?! None of those materials are for this breed! What do they use over there?” For, true enough, Kairen had been to the murks, and had seen those eggs. Hell, she'd even seen Nidhogg himself. She'd been in erebus's shadow, as others were that day, signing their contracts to their devils. But she had been spared...and had changed. She shook her head... “They don't care much for their babies. They all sit in the mud, with no love. You'll have to figure it out yourself, but I'd suggest some tuning instruments maybe, and perhaps some bells.

Gar'd like that, I think. Maybe a bit of earth too, just incase. And so, with Tonare standing guard, Kairen aided her in gathering materials. She was protective of her egg, now knowing it to be perfect. She felt rather dumb, not knowing his breed's egg on sight. But now she worried about the other dragons...would they be angry? Would they try to hurt her baby? She puffed up and postured, her wings mantled at her sides as she protected her nest. Yes, perhaps it meant the world was changing. Was it the first step to peace? Would they drive her baby out after it was born? Feeling helpless, the dragons golden eyes looked to the Great Mother. She wondered if even she would be able to give her baby a real crystal, not a fabricated one....

Sonic Tonare X Disruption Garboil
1 Disruption Egg

Proxy


Proxy woke with a start from her deep, deep slumber. She couldn't remember why she had awoken as she opened her eyes but she had and now that she did she might aswell get up. She shook out her wings as she stood up, stretching with a long yawn, butt up in the air, toes wriggling, her eyes still half shut. It felt wonderful to sleep in for once, something Ouray had not allowed her to do since she hatched. His usually tight discipline had slacked off somewhat over the past few weeks, the past days especially as it became clearer and clearer to even the unknowing bystander that she was heavy with egg. Her usually slim and slender form wasn't really fit to conceal such things. And as both her own and her mates breed were on the larger end... well it was to expect that her egg or eggs might be rather larger, fitting her own size. She hoped it would only be one, a single child she could focus upon entirely and shower in love and affection. Of course she wouldn't mind more than one... but celestial tailfeathers it was her first child and it was bloody scary!

Proxy had gone from very content and happy moments to restless nervous fretting to raking her claws across the floor, driving herself and her rider aswell up the walls until both of them tended to flee their quarters and wander the Academy grounds as much as possible. Sometimes together, sometimes apart when Proxy grew too irritated with everything to deal with another living being besides herself. His support had been seemingly endless though, a bottomless pond spilling over with love and affection. She wouldn't have known how to endure it without him and even with the absence of his crystal their bond had grown still. The shared struggles and worries had brought them closer together if that was at all possible. The last few days Ouray had picked up an old habit of Proxys childhood, sharing a bed with the now fully grown female instead of snoozing on his own cot. Neither of them worried even for a second she might crush him in her sleep and she enjoyed the additional comfort of his tiny body so closeby. She still remembered the days when she had been small enough to bury her face against his chest and still missed them. She looked down on him as she stood there, smacking her lips sleepily. Two years. Two years they had shared, never regretting a single day, hard or wonderful. Two years of joy. Two years of love. And Proxy knew it was thanks to this miniscule creature she hadn't torn the entire room to pieces, his endless admiration being such a strong anchor she knew she could lean the entire mass of her huge body on it without ever needing to worry it might tear. With him... she'd face any challenge. Even being a mother for the first time.

She yawned again and leaned down, her warm breath washing over his half naked form, swiftly followed by her muzzle that dug gently into his chest, his entire body even. She knew to be careful, her touch strong but gentle, a firm nudge that would not crush this frail body carrying a soul no smaller than her own, a soul no less capable. She grinned in devilish intent, her lips curling back from her teeth and her tonglue slipping out as she gave him an early bath, covering him in dripping slavia before he was fully awake from her nudging. Ouray squealed and tried to defend himself with his hands - a fruitless attempt as her work was already done and her tongue could wrap around him easily. She chuckled softly, deep statisfaction in her eyes and stood up straighter... only to freeze suddenly as her body did something.... odd...

She blinked, vaguely remembering that... something... had woken her up. Her head tilted as Ouray too went quiet in concern, the female fire trying to understand what was going on. Of course someday it would happen.... but every day Proxy thought 'not yet' and carried on... as well as she could. She lifted one frontleg to gaze past it, her slender neck curling as she stuck her head underneath herself to stare at her smooth but clearly thickened belly. Something had just... There! Another ripple flew through her lower body unbidden. Proxy was surprised to notice it was uncomfortable, edging on what she considered to be painfull. So... this was how it felt? She frowned in slight displeasure and heard her rider chuckle underneath her head. Tall as he might be, he was far from being able to reach her belly whilst she was standing up. "What?", she asked him, her frown deepening and gaining in intensity. "You can't burn that", he laughed at her, patting one of her claws. "I told you it's not the solution to everything", he chided as he studied her face, looking for signs of pain.

"Well. Almost anything.", she huffed, opening her maw and picking him up gently with her teeth as she withdrew her head from underneath herself. He was such a fragile thing... As another wave of discomfort rushed through her lower body she took note of the fact that should this grew any worse between her teeth was a stupid place for her rider to be at a time like this. She lifted him up to her back and turned to the door, her long strides carrying her through and out swiftly. She did not quite waddle... but she knew she had have days when she moved much more gracefully. But grace wasn't what she thought about when she hurried to the hatching grounds, eager to get this done and over with. She didn't notice the change until she was well within the huge cavern, pausing to stare up in awe, bathing in the warm sunlight playing across her dark hide, revealing its true dark red color. She smiled happily when she finally moved on, choosing her spot with deliberate care... only to change it again just after sitting down, being rather restless overall.

She eyed the pile of kindling off to the sides, then frowned and turned to stare balefully at Anamchara, the other fire female who had already laid her egg... and already picked a few of what Proxy considered the best kindling to warm her egg. If only she had been here sooner, she could have chosen better kindling for her own child! Gritting her teeth Proxy settled down, digging a rather large hollow in the hot sand for herself to rest in comfortably. She found it to be rather relaxing, almost as much as her riders touch who had crawled up from her shoulders to her face where he rested across it, stroking her eyeridges and talking softly to her. She rumbled pleasantly as she laid there, wriggling a little deeper into the soft, warm sands like an eel in muck, flinging it around whenever she turned restlessly. The contractions soon came more frequently and became rather painful, the large fire finally rolling to her side, already panting from the strain. She wasn't sure at all it was going as it was supposed to... but the time went on and sooner or later Proxy begun to worry that nothing seemed to move even if she tried to push, the egg or eggs refusing to move even an inch, every contraction growing more and more painful. She groaned quietly and rolled onto her belly again, getting up to turn and fret about for a moment before the next wave of pain came and forced her back down again. "It hurts...", she muttered miserably to her rider who could do little to lessen her pain. It had to be a large egg, that much she could guess and it being her first one didn't make it any easier. She groaned again and trashed around as she tried fruitlessly to find a comfortable spot, finally just giving up to lay still save for her panting. It was no use... something was just going terribly wrong. She groaned again, gathering her feet underneath her to get up once more, almost ready to call for help when suddenly the egg within her seemingly with a mind of it's own now was the time to shift and start moving.

Several minutes of painfull and exhausting pushing later, she arched her back to deliver a single egg onto the sands carefully. Dropping it while standing up would have damaged it but she couldn't just lay ontop of it either... something that prove surprisingly difficult to manage, considering her long and powerful hindquarter. But somehow she did manage and curled around her single egg, too exhausted to even cast a single glance what she kept hidden underneath her dark wing, tucked tightly against her side with the long coils of her tail. She felt like sleeping. Just like curling up into a ball and sleeping the rest of the day. But her rider wouldn't let her and her quiet groan at his gentle prodding bespoke her utter and complete exhaustion.

"Proxy! Proxy, celestial tailfeathers, at least look at it you silly beast! And let me take care of it!", he chided, tugging at her soft upper lip and trying to squeeze past her wing and tail. She didn't move at first but finally lifted her head with a sigh and dipped her wing down to peer down her belly at her egg together with her rider. What they saw gave both of them pause. "Great.", she snorted unhappily. "Now I have to get up." she sounded grumpy but extended her head without hesitation to run her tongue over the smooth surface of the egg, making sure it was perfectly round and utterly flawless. It passed her thorough investigation and she rumbled statisfied before very, very carefully closing her mouth around the large egg, teeth and lips falling shut around the egg as she pulled her feet under her once again, struggling to stand. She swayed for a moment, her wings hanging down and almost dragging on the ground. There was no sign of the usual spring in her step, her long strides reduced to slow and unsteady scuffled steps as she clambered out of her small hollow, stepping through the sand she had piled up around herself as she was trashing in pain.

She stood there for a long moment, bracing herself and then turned to the lone pedestal at the very center of the large cavern. She strode forward wearily but determined, making for the center, neck arched, wings parted as if she dared anyone to challenge her quiet approach. She could feel the warm sand under her feet as she moved, her paws sinking in somewhat, the sand being slick to her exhausted steps but the warmth and her duty gave her enough strength to move on forward. With the dark dome gone and replaced by glistening glass she could see now why this pedestal was reserved for one breed in particular. The sun was basking it in light and warmth and Proxy could feel its relaxing strength as she stood there, towering over her rider who had hurried along. She lowered her head slowly and settled her egg down into its new spot, teeth and lips curling back like a curtain, her tongue withdrawn almost hesistantly and finally revealing its glistening golden shell. Proxy stood in quiet wonder of her own child for a moment, her snout hovering protectively, then gently pushed it out into the light. "May this be the last time you were shrouded in darkness... Bask in the light so you can become a beacon for these new and strange times...", she whispered softly to her first and only child, inaudible for anyone safe her rider who stood closeby.

She then settled down behind it, like a giant shadow cast by the unborn dragon within the golden egg before her. Thanks to her own breed and that of its sire it was already a massive and huge thing, almost as tall as her rider and certainly nothing a first-time mother would dream of pushing out. But altough Proxy did look utterly exhausted, she towered over her child protectively, her forepaws never far from the shell, her neck arched, chin almost directly above it, never casting a single shadow on it. Proxy wasn't a particularly menacing looking dragon but she looked particularly dark and omnious at this very moment, claws extended in a loose half-circle around her child, showing her weapons to any onlooker. And if that wasn't enough... Her glowing eyes showed openly she would smite every fool stupid enough to approach her Celestial child without permission. Or dared to cast a shadow on it's immaculate shell for that matter.

---

Auster

Auster had not been... particularly open about her current state to say the least. Much like several other female dragons she too still stood in the shadow of her abduction. Denkou being present at the Academy did not make her life any easier. And in turn, neither did it make Kadys life any more comfortable either. Auster had been... terrible to say the least during the past few weeks. Always easy to flip and rage at the slightest incident, growing more and more violent with every passing day. She was simply afraid but Auster had a very different way to show it. She did not curl up into a ball and hide. No, she turned her fear into anger and struck at the world. Or Kady to be more precisely. As others bonds deepened, theirs weakened under the constant strain put on their relationship. It brought both of them almost up to the breaking point as Auster turning into a highly volatile creature that would even strike or bite her own rider if it suited her mood. Which it did at times. Luckily she did no permanent damage, staying away from doing real harm as she would feel it through their link... ...but it didn't keep her from painful nips, kicks and scratches. It wasn't an easy time for either of them to say the least.

And Auster had every reason to be afraid. Her only child had been stolen from her. Taken forcefully from her claws the very day she had clutched it. Gone from her life. If she ever met her offspring it was likely they would do so in combat. Even with the tainted lord gone now. She couldn't remember all of it clearly. Something had been broken within her and never been mended properly. It kept most of her memories locked far from her thoughts but she knew there had been an egg. Knew it had been taken, knew it had been Denkou. Who was now here. Perhaps to steal another of her children? She would not have it! Would never again permit such a thing to happen! ...but that thought held no security, no power over her fear. And so Auster had been rather ill tempered and misbehaved. Growing worse as the time of the clutching came nearer and nearer. There would never be enough time for this, never enough time to be ready.

And when the day came... Auster was nowhere near ready. The first vague feeling of discomfort almost send her into flight to... who knew where, just away from everyone, away from the crowded hatching sands. But after only a few minutes of being frozen solid with fear common sense or something resembling it won over. There would be many other females. Many of them having lost their children too. And none of them would allow them to be taken again. If not alone with them together Auster could protect her young. Such it was that the young Air chose to deliver her egg on the hatching ground, her belly round and buldging with the young life she carried. Of course even in her uncomfortable state she managed to look immaculate. Her tiny steps as weightless as always. Being an air certainly helped with that. Truth be told... she didn't be particularly heavy. Most of the time. Something was... odd about this egg. Other than the previous child she had... but that was probably hardly surprising. She doubted her chosen mate would sire a bone.

She arrived at the sands with swift airy steps, noticing that another spot of delicious lofty height had already been claimed as she sought one of her own. Only the highest most aloof would do. Of course no spot could be quite perfect enough for her demands, but.... well, the one she chose after visiting all untaken spots would just have to do. It was the highest place she could claim where it was still bathed in warm sunlight that would display herself and her child properly. They both deserved a proper stage. Her contractions had begun to increase in frequency and strength so it did not take her long to come down with the most heaviest ones. Luckily this was not her first egg. But neither was it a small one. Auster couldn't possibly have chosen a mate smaller than herself save for a Rosemary and a very few other airs and her hips were rather narrow... so it was no surprise her laying was not an easy one. She did not permit herself any ungainly trashing, fretting or even the slightest groan. She was perfect. And even in this she would remain immaculate. No matter how much it pained her...

...but she had chosen well when she had picked Lagrange as her mate as her egg was not terribly huge and very smooth, befitting her narrow hips and demeanor. She was a little surprised when she first saw the dark shell she had delivered into this world, then a little concerned as she was not fully sure she could meet its needs but finally settled on being merely very pleased with herself. She had produced a perfect and wonderful little egg. Almost pitch black in color and nestled carefully as lofty as she could without constantly using her element to keep it floating. And floating would suit it. For Auster had laid a single dark Gravity egg and proudly pushed it in front of her in its nest for the whole world to see...

Forest Adirondack

The distinctive deerlike Forest had been exceedingly restless as of late, and with good reason. With a swollen belly, sleep had become difficult and her once-graceful strides had been reduced to an awkward waddle, but little Adirondack couldn't have been prouder. She was most certainly pregnant, and no amount of discomfort could diminish her joy at that fact. She and Hertz had created a new life, and as the days dragged on, she could hardly wait to see it brought into the world. Forest or Sonic, she'd love it all the same. After all, it was made from her blood, and his, and it would be a magnificent child. Perhaps valorous, compassionate, brave... or so she hoped. She knew that occasionally children came out far different from their parents, but it didn't matter at all to Adirondack. However her children turned out, she'd never stop encouraging to reach for their full potential in whatever they chose. It didn't matter to her whether or not they made Shadowguarde or stayed lowly Scales, for all that mattered was their existence.

And she'd made Nevereki happy, too. In the last few days, while she stretched herself out on the grass to sun herself, her rider had simply sat beside her, resting his head against her and rubbing his hand slowly along her belly. He knew very well that he wouldn't feel movement, for the child's developing body still lay inside an eggshell, and would for a while. But just the idea of being so near a fresh life invigorated Reki, gave him a cause to smile for once. In fact, it was the most he'd smiled recently, and even he'd shown a proper grin. He'd watch Adirondack try to prance and end up swaying wildly from side to side, balancing precariously on her long legs before righting herself and then shifting to the other side with lilting warbles of laughter. Even Morpheus had joined in the frolicking, dashing around the fields and darting between Adi's legs with a practiced agility.

She knew just how much her pregnancy meant to Reki. Having been denied his own chance at children, he almost treated Adi's growing egg as his own son or daughter in some way. It reminded him of Nenerie, of her charming nature before she had been killed, and he idly wondered what would have happened to him if she had lived. Probably he would have stayed in his village in the west and married her as they planned. But then, he never would have come to the Academy, never would have bonded to his beautiful Adirondack, and life would be so much different. Would it have been better? He didn't think he could compare the two... his dream would have been to take Nenerie with him, to give her the chance to try and bond, and perhaps their dragons would have been fast friends. But no dragon could upstage the bond Adi had with Hertz.

Adi had been pacing for an hour at least as the sun rose on this particular day, while Reki slept soundly with Emersei on his chest and Morpheus by his side. Something felt special about today, and the tingling of energy running through her body seemed to confirm her theory. But if today was the day, wouldn't her body give her a more direct signal? She'd heard of contractions, and labor pains, and as a small dragon, the thought itched in her mind. How badly would it hurt? She knew her mother had been slighly injured by laying Ammit's rough egg, but there was no chance of laying such a large egg... right? Forests and Sonics were both small... And suddenly a weak tinge of pain coursed through her body, and she froze in her tracks. "Reki!" she breathed loudly, and her tail curled and uncurled with rapid excitement. "Reki, wake up, wake up!" When he didn't respond, she trotted awkwardly to his bed, wincing at another contraction, and whuffed a breath of air into his face. With a moan, he cracked his eyes open, and when he met the gaze of his dragon, he sat up abruptly, a smile on his face. He needed to say nothing... it was time.

"Go on, before your egg comes. I'll follow as quickly as I can. I don't want you burdened by carrying me." Adi nodded excitedly and whirled around, nearly tripping over herself in her rush to take to the sky. Her leap was more of a stumble and fall into the air, but thankfully she caught herself just in time, and Reki made haste to throw on his coat and make his way to the Sands. By the time he arrived, Adi had already chosen a spot and was beginning to dig. The spot seemed familiar... the very area where her mother had dug both her nests and laid both her Sekkaian clutches. It held such a profound draw on her, and she wondered if the others would choose similar spots. Glancing around, she noticed her sister Auster had already dug her own nest in a different place and now curled around what appeared to be a Gravity egg, and Adi smiled at her. Perhaps Ammit would be her own companion, then. Auster was high-strung and distant, even towards a direct sibling, but Adi treasured her bond with Ammit. In fact, she didn't even know which male had sired Ammit's clutch, only knew that her Earth sibling was indeed expecting. Happily, she stood by her nest, awaiting Ammit or Hertz's arrival, tail curling around nothing in the air around her.

Before either of the two arrived, though, Adi found herself arching her back with pain, shutting her eyes against as she felt her body contract against her egg, and finally, with a definitive squeak, she felt it enter the world. With a sigh of relief, she flopped onto her side in a spray of sand and stretched herself like a happy cat, her long legs kneading happily at the air. Loosing a lilting note, she yawned and rolled over, only half pushing herself up to gaze down at her single child. The lumpy green shell that lay before her only meant one thing... a Forest. She'd laid a little miracle of a Forest. And Reki had arrived at her side, primed with a pile of the finest leaves and branches, and Adi warbled as loudly and melodiously as she could, both as a call to Hertz and an unrestrained declaration of her joy. "It's so beautiful, Reki... so perfect!"

"So it is, my dear..." Reki had tears in his eyes, and when he glanced up to Adi, she gave him a soft nod. He smiled, so much more brightly than he ever had before, and with a careful hand, he slipped the largest leaf under the little Forest egg. "The rest is all yours, proud mother."

~~***~~

Ice Lithia

Unlike so many of the females who had just flown their maiden flights, Lithia lay calmly at the edge of her quarters, watching the sun rise with a new appreciation for the dawn. Whereas pregnancy had once been almost a nuisance in the past, something she had to slog through before she got to huddle around her egg and watch it lovingly, now she savored it. Every day was a blessing for her, a reminder that yes, everything was real and she wasn't living a dream. She really had been healed, really had reunited with Salus... and now really was carrying a child again. Fourteen years... fourteen years she had gone without feeling the telltale stretch of her belly, the familiar twitches of her muscles, the new life growing inside her like a little miracle. And it was nothing at all but a miracle, that was for certain. Lithia sighed with a smile, continuing to gaze out at the sunrise with a light in her eyes she knew no one had seen for so many years. Three clutches had sharpened her intuition when it came to pregnancy, and though it had been so long since she'd been carrying, she knew when a new life grew tired of its biological confines and wanted out to be seen by all while it continued to develop. Today was the day. Her senses were screaming it to her, even before the contractions began.

With a quiet yawn, Lithia rose awkwardly to her feet and stretched like a cat before spreading her wings and letting them catch the sun for a few moments. While basking, she felt a light form land on one of her intact horns, and the telltale peck on her eyeridge let her know it was Heine. "Good morning, little phoenix," she chuckled, to a squawk from the bird. The Ice dragoness turned her head back to see Reyzha already awake, sitting up in her nighclothes with a proud grin.

"Is it time?" Lithia nodded slowly, making no attempt to suppress her own wide grin. "Go. I'll join you once I freshen up. You can have some alone time with Salus before I come to crash the party."

"Nonsense, Reyzha," Lithia smiled. "Sleep in if you want, there's no rush. I may be a little while." She craned her neck back and gazed lovingly at her swollen stomach. "This certainly feels bigger than a Rosemary!" Both shared a laugh, and Lithia waddled over to Reyzha's bed to give her a loving nuzzle. They lingered for a while as Reyzha hugged her dragon's nose, until she let go and flopped back into her bed. Lithia gazed down at her for a moment before turning and slinking awkwardly towards the edge of her quarters. She had to pause for a moment to tense her muscles before leaping into the sky and gliding down to the Sands... a place she had not come to for this purpose in so long. Her eyes drifted to the other females just taking to the skies, and she knew her instincts had been right, even before the contractions began.

As soon as she touched down on the warm grounds, the first contraction hit her with more strength than she remembered experiencing before, and she just barely caught herself from tripping from the surprise of it. With a low whine, she slunk to an area that reminded her of all her previous nests and quickly began to dig, carving out a small dip in the sand. Poor Lithia hadn't expected the egg to try and force its way out so quickly, but it certainly was putting up a fight inside her. And it felt... large. Larger than the Airs and Rosemaries she usually laid. It felt like something she'd laid once, the one Water that had hatched her son Rime. Perhaps she'd lay another Water... but then again, she'd never laid an Ice egg before. It would be an honor to finally have a child of her breed... would this be the year? It was already a miraculous year, and just the fact that she was having a child again was a blessing in itself, but... she could hope, couldn't she?

The pain shot through her body with more fire than she had ever felt before, and she let a much more intense whine than before as she finally felt it move through her. And then... plish. Gasping with relief, Lithia whirled around, and at the sight of her one child, her jaw dropped and tears nearly sprang to her eyes. A distinctive, perfectly round shell, so much like her Water son from years before, but the color certainly wasn't like that of the liquid breed. Lighter, colder, whiter... an Ice egg. She'd finally laid an Ice egg... she'd have a child of her own breed at long last. She'd blessed Salus with four children of his breed, and then two Airs and a Water in addition, but at long last, an Ice. "Salus..." she breathed, letting her chilly breath settle over her precious egg. She let herself simply stare at it for a little while, curling around it and hovering her hand-like tail over it protectively. Salus would come, and he would be so proud... she just hoped he wouldn't explode from joy, like she herself felt almost about to do.

((Ice Lithia x Rosemary Salus = 1 Ice egg!!))

Paradisio to Iridae

With ears perking, Disio listened, watching, and waiting. He'd been careful around his dear mate, knowing she wasn't one to cuddle exactly during this time. However, he did notice when the females began to head for the sands, and that was his que to get ready. Timing had to be perfect, or he might risk Her wrath. Gathering up a basket in his jaws, Disio tottered off, taking flight elsewhere for a time. When he was finished, he padded off again, quite proud of himself, but also trying not to look silly as laden down with things as he was. He knew Iridae, and her expectations, so with this in mind, he did his best to gather things she would have wanted but probably not gotten.

Carefully, he scanned the area, looking for her on the sands, before spottign that small mound of protective purple, his eyes softening. He knew this was hard for her. Knew in his heart how hard it was for him too, seeing her this way. Carefully, he approached her, with caution. If she wished to be alone, he would leave her. And expecting her to lash out, his stride was slow and careful, nothing sudden. Gently, and quietly, he set down the basket, full of fruit- and a little protein, but mostly oranges. Sort of an inside joke by now. The second and third such baskets, which were attached to his harness, he had to carefully unhook, setting them down, and scooted them over to her. Filled to the brim with exotic flowers, and not so exotic ones, those she liked more than what was offered. Even some orchids and bird of paradise were present, as well as roses, among other things that smelled wonderful, rare flowers, some of which were still potted and growing. These he offered her before backing up, awaiting her permission before daring to lay beside her. He had no questions about the breed of their egg, doubting heavily a chaos would arise between them. “Iridae, you're so lovely today,....I've brought you something to eat, and more nesting materials, and gifts,....” he crooned, voice as sweet and calming as his own scent was...

Almirsael was not unfamiliar with the sensation of egg-heaviness. She had mated Liian once before and thrown two offspring, one of which was an earth dragon. This time was different, though. This time there was none of the heaviness; none of the thick, bloated, unpleasant feeling from before. Part of her wondered if her week-long jungle romp with her mate had resulted in anything at all, and part of her was a little disappointed by that. Not that she had any kind of obsession with birthing new dragons into the world, or anything. She barely saw the two from her first clutch, after all. She knew they were alive, assumed they were well, and occasionally saw them from a distance, but bringing them into the world had been the only part she'd really played in their lives.

Besides, her love for and coupling with Liian was not for the purpose of breeding. He was her mate because she loved him, and vice versa. If an egg resulted from their union, it would benefit the Academy, but wouldn't mean much to their partnership in the long run. She had to admit that it was still entirely possible that one might, however. With a chaos dragon for a mate, who knew what offspring might result? For all she knew, Almirsael might be carrying a basketful of rosemary eggs and be none the wiser, given her size.

So it came as something of a surprise when she woke that morning and felt a tremble running through her body, coupled with an intense desire to find the hatching ground and void her belly of whatever it was that had been growing there. She left her bed of soft copper without a sound, remarkably stealthy for a large creature moving over metal, and winged her way quickly to the hatching ground. She was not the first one there, she noted. But neither were the sands anywhere near full. That, she decided, was good. Bad enough so had to lay in public where anyone could watch her; having more eyes in the room would just make the process more uncomfortable than normal.

With that thought in mind, the copper dragon went to the far side of the sands, purposely avoiding the other mothers and picking a spot as far from them as possible before scooping a wallow out of the sand toward the edge of the grounds. She turned to face the center of the massive building, crouching so that her egg (eggs?) would be laid as much out of sight as possible, feeling suddenly grouchy and irritable.

Why in the name of The Rider had she let herself get pregnant? she grumbled internally. It was such a bother. And everyone wanted to look and touch and Taint it, she was just going to be over-protective to a ridiculous degree until her child or children or whatever the proper word to use was until the hatching, wasn't she?

And so, sulking, Almirsael crouched over her sand wallow, resenting the hard mass she could feel moving through her guts for things it had no control over. Considering that it didn't feel as large as an earth egg, it was certainly taking its sweet time, the copper dragon thought with an internal sigh. She sincerely hoped there was only one of...whatever it was. An egg, obviously, but 'Sael did not, as a rule, think overmuch about what was going to come out of her until she saw it with her own eyes. It was enough that it didn't feel like anything so blasted big as an earth or lava or, Taint take it, a celestial. Besides, she thought with relief, she really didn't feel like having to growl and give the number of dirty looks that would be equal to the attention that a celestial egg would bring.

The sudden cessation of pressure made Almirsael blink in surprise, accompanied as it was by the soft slithering sound of a solid object settled into sand grains. And in that moment, she knew for a certainty that this one egg was all that there would be. She spun around--careful to avoid stepping into her own sand wallow in the process--and tilted her head at what she saw there, considering it.

A crystal egg. Nearly a foot and a half long, it rested in the sand, pale and pearly and overbearingly lovely in its own right, like something a tastelessly rich person would have carved out of some rare stone to sit on his table and give constant wordless decree to the affluence of its owner. Jealously overprotective of her new offspring, Almirsael heaped sand on top of the egg, burying it completely and hiding it from prying eyes. Then, her head low and sloughing along over the sand, Almirsael all but slithered over to where the nest materials lay. She gathered what she wanted quickly, holding the items close to her chest with one clawed hand, then made her way back to the tiny dune that marked her egg's location.

When she returned, Almirsael curled herself around the little sand pile, the bulk of her copper-and-sea-green body hiding it from the rest of the hatching ground. Then, she began to breathe copper. It fell from her mouth in a waterfall flow, splashing onto the sand and solidifying instantly. Once she had enough, Almirsael began to work.

How much time passed, the copper dragon wasn't entirely sure, so focused was she on her work. But when it was over, the egg had been uncovered, and the sand all around it in a five foot diameter was inlaid with shining strands of copper in loops and whorls, occasionally springing from the sand in curls and arches. And from these up-sprays of pure copper hung a number of perfect white crystals. The egg itself was also surrounded by them, making it look as though the entire bottom of the shining ovoid actually fanned out in a perfect circle of spikes and translucent daggers. Almirsael leaned back to survey her work. Yes, she thought. She approved. The delicacy of the copper-work seemed to scream "don't touch me or you'll break me!" and the sharpness of the crystals added an undertone of "don't touch me or I'll break you!".

Perfect.

((Going ahead and including her new pet in this one. Will deal with details later!!!))

Anala awoke slowly. She felt tired, heavy, sore. She did not want to wake from her peaceful slumber. But she was waking. And at this, she growled. The growl came from her throat...but when that ended she couldn't help but feel a growl within her body.
Am I hungry? No, I ate a huge beast before I went to sleep...
Her belly lurched. So much so that it hurt her head and abdomen. This woke her up almost fully. Raising her head she looked over at her side....the soreness now pulling her attention. She shifted a stiff leg and...
Oh lords.....
Anala was now WIDE awake. Not moving her body she whipped her head around searching for her rider.

"Sara! Sarafina!!"

Sarafina rushed out of her bed chambers. Clearly alarmed by the urgency in her dragons call

"What? What is-" She looked at her dragon's slightly swollen nether-region "OH CRAP!" She shrieked but she did this with a huge grin. At the sound of his master's distress, Kite flew out with a shriek of his own as if to demand to know what was wrong "Can you move?" She asked her dragon.

"Of course I can. But it hurts. And I have to be careful" Anala answered shifting herself so she could stand. The slowness was more from her caution more than pain. As if the egg would fall out of here then and there
Sarafina was running around frantically getting dressed. Kite following her and perching on whatever piece of furniture he could to watch her.
"Kite! Get my boots!" Instantly the little white gryphon flew off and returned gripping the lip of a boot in each talon. Sarafina hurried to get them on and was so rushed she had to tie then twice. Anala was now on her feet and out on their ledge

"I can get us down to the sand fine I think. Forget the saddle I'll be down there a while....Oh I must let Buccinal know!"

"You call for him. If he doesn't hear I'll send Kite or go myself if I have to" Sarafina said climbing on Anala's back slowly

Anala opened her wings and let out a loud melodic roar to summon the father of the fast arriving offspring. She hesitated and looked about to see if he appeared. But then another contraction urged her forward. With a quick surge of pain and a great leap she was airborne. Sarafina holding onto her scales.
She descended onto the sands. A few other females were already in the process of laying. Anala felt her expected aggression but knew to keep it under control. These poor ladies were going through the same thing after all.
Landing was also somewhat painful. Luckily she saw an empty space off in a slight nook in the sand's walls and she lumbered into it.
Sarafina slid off as Anala lowered her body. Still looking out for Buccinal.

Sarafina went to her dragon's head and gently stroked her snout as Anala began her labor. The great fire dragon growled in both pain and concentration. Sarafina kept glancing back to see if she could see the egg (she couldn't)
The process took longer than either of them expected. But not so long that Sarafina would pull out her hair. She almost sent Kite to get Leeran but she knew he was not allowed on the sands yet. Which frustrated her. She wanted him to see this. At the moment Kite was wrapped around her neck watching with her.
Anala finally closed her eyes and gave one more strong push coupled with a deep growl. The sound of a plop/thud. Made the trio all open their eyes wide.
Anala looked at her rider

"You go first. tell me what it is"
Anala could feel there were no more eggs within her as her body was now fully relaxing and a huge weight had been lifted. One egg. But that was fine. The insane happiness already began to creep over her.
Sarafina ran back to Anala's back legs. The dragon had already stood up from her squatting position. Sarafina looked at the egg and a huge smile spread across her face. She stared over at Anala a moment for suspense.

"A fire" The girl said "You're having a little fire!"

Anala's great turquoise eyes widened and looked to be filling with tears. She forced herself up further and turned around. Though gingerly as she was still a bit sore. She looked at her egg for the first time. There it was. A perfect fire egg. Shining beautifully in the light of the sun through the glass above. Anala could not contain her joy. She raised her head and let out a joyful roar that startled just about everyone else on the sands.

Sarafina laughed
"Now I KNOW Buccinal heard THAT!" She laughed again and ran to her dragon. Hugging as much of her snout as she could.
Anala positioned herself so the egg was safely between her front legs. Now she laid down upon the warm sands to sooth her muscles and nerves and waited for this precious egg's father. She knew he'd be proud.
~~



Fire Anala X Sonic Buccinal = 1 Fire egg

Karedon had always been too busy to really take flight before, or so she had told herself. The truth was perhaps her self image was not as high as it could be, she felt that she looked odd and was much less attractive than most other dragons. She had certainly not expected the number that showed up the last time, which either meant she had qualities that made up for the strange appearance, or she was simply too hard on herself. It was fun, at the very least, and she had met a number of other dragons in the process.

The actual carrying of the egg was not so difficult for the massive dragon, she felt very few odd cravings and almost continued her work as normal... At least for the first few weeks. The only difference was that she stayed more within the bounds of the academy than the outskirts, and likely spent more time with dragons than she did in the past. Especially the soon to be father, Antimony. She had been surprised that something so beautiful, and elegant would work itself nearly to the point of collapse merely to please her, that was what had truly impressed her more than the shining crystal hide he possessed... Partially because it was very difficult to look at him directly in the day time, even with her goggles.

Today though, things felt different. Her body was telling her something, that it needed to go to the sands... So, dropping what she was doing, she obeyed. Slowly she trudged onto the sands, and though her feet sank heavily into the embrace of the earth, no prints were left in her wake. She was careful to avoid the others that had gotten there ahead of her, and was equally as careful picking her spot... Even if some part of her felt the urge to go around and see if anyone else needed help with the forming of their nests- she managed to resist that one and simply make one for herself. It was... Large to say the least, the sand seemed to weave itself in and out as she lay down, until it had become nearly a perfect shape for her to lounge in... With enough room for company, which she hoped to have.

It wasn't long before she finally lay the egg she had been carrying this whole time... It was... Large, but not larger than she had expected, the whole thing was relatively easy for her as carrying it had been. Ah... One of her own breed, Shifting about in the nest, she carefully arranged it so she could curl about while still allowing others to see it. The sand immediately about the edges of the nest seemed to clump together as she got comfortable, and soon formed into a small barrier of rocks and such. More matching the element of the egg.

Jhalorae was present, and had made as much comforting and encouraging speech as she could... But Karedon didn't really hear most of it. She enjoyed the encouragement nonetheless, and in the wake of the moment lifted the rider down to inspect the egg. A proud rumbling in the dragons throat at the awe of how... Large the earths egg was. Even if Jhal had secretly hoped it was going to be another beautiful crystal.

Liian, practically buzzing with delight, to Almirsael!

The time was coming when Almirsael would lay her clutch. It would be here soon. Perhaps today? No. Tomorrow? Such thoughts had hounded Liian for nearly a week, his anticipation and excitement multiplying tenfold each day that passed. Perhaps it was the fact that he was not physically carrying any eggs that kept him so light and playful and hyperactive, or maybe he was unconsciously making up for his mate's seeming lack of enthusiasm about the whole ordeal. Either way, he had spent the last few weeks having to snuff his airy mood down to keep the copper dragoness from snapping at him, for he knew that her temper was short under the duress of pregnancy and he certainly couldn't blame her for that when all he had to do was frolic about in anticipation.

When the fateful morning did come, Liian was by no means fooled by his mate's quiet departure. He was so high-strung that even a mouse scuttling by might have roused him. The Chaos knew that 'Sael would want to accomplish this on her own and out of respect for her he remained poised in slumber, rising only when she had winged off toward the hatching grounds. Like a shadow he pushed himself off of his nest of furs and leathers, his body moving like liquid as he rushed to the ledge. He dropped off of his ledge, wings springing wide to catch the air and then flung himself skyward, a joyous trumpet blasting forth into the morning air. His entire body was buzzing with a happiness that he could not have imagined and all he wanted to do was roar to the world to let it know how he felt. His entire being singing, he dropped into a dive then, wings flicking opposite of eachother to throw his body into a single spin, his body a blurred black streak arrowing toward the enormous glass dome of the hatching sands.

With grace belying his sinister appearance, Liian swooped low, claws nearly grazing the trees of the gardens surrounding the Hatching Grounds before his body swung upward again. He circled once, twice, relaxing his breathing as he took stock of the world below and then dipped into a soft landing. His claws touched the ground almost delicately as he backwinged near the entrance of the Grounds. He strode forward, head held proudly and crest flared like some sort of strange black-scaled rooster. Almirsael's copper hide was so beautiful and shimmering that he could not have missed her even if he had tried and without hesitation, his eyes focused only on his mate, Liian made his way toward the copper dragoness.

His multicolored eyes widened at the sight that he beheld, his chest practically fluttering with pride and joy. "'Sael," he crooned quietly, gingerly approaching with his head down. He let his eyes linger for a moment on the crystal egg nestled amid a forest of copper strands and suspended crystals and then wrenched them away to focus on his mate. "It's gorgeous, 'Sael," he continued, butting his muzzle lovingly under her jaw as she curled protectively near the egg. He lay next to her then, body pressed adoringly against hers, and allowed a deep rumble of satsifaction to pour forth. A huff of laughter came then and he playfully butted his head up against Almirsael's neck. "You realize you're sort of supposed to actually make it possible for the candidates to touch it, right?" he teased.

Another morning arose with Ammit tossing and turning in her nest. This by now had become routine, her waking up in the early morn, her entire body restless and deciding that she had had enough sleep. To occupy her time she set to work fixing her nest, often she had rearranged and reformed the rocks to make herself more comfortable but still she would no peace. Over the last few nights the nagging pain, similar to a cramp, that she had gotten used to had now begun to intensify. As a first time mother she had not learned that those small pains were actually the beginnings of what would become her contractions later on. But as a female she too had an inborn intuition that something was different this time around.

She awoke with a rumble of displeasure as she raised her head, causing a sharp intake of breath as a jolt of pain made it's way up her spine. She was about to pass it off as just another ache or pain that came with pregnancy, but... this was different somehow. Something she couldn't really describe, a feeling told her that her egg wanted out of her. As she heaved her massive bulk up she heard the rustling of covers as her rider moved to her feet. Alix too had been affected by her dragons newly acquired habits. She often woke up with her and stayed with her until she fell back asleep. “What's wrong dear, another pain?” The Earth vigorously shook her head. Her words were clipped as she spoke. “No. My egg wants out. It is time” She heard a gasp as she headed for the door. “Do you want me to come with you Ammit?” Came the concerned voice of her rider. Once again she shook her head in reply. “No, you stay here and get some rest. You can come later.” And with that she left for the Hatching Sands.

To be honest that was not her real reason for telling her rider to stay. In truth... she was scared. This was her first child and she was afraid. Most would say that was natural for a first time mother, but for her it was something alien to her. Sure she had felt fear before, but this was a kind of fear on a whole other level. What if something went wrong? It had surely happened before. What if some sneaky little candidates got in while she ate and damaged her precious child? That she didn't even want to think about for long. As she approached the entrance of the grounds she felt a ripple pass through her body. She dipped her head to Kazuko, the great Celestial who had played the part of ever present sentinel when she was in her egg. She would finally experience what her mother had gone through. She would give Disarrya a proud grandchild.

As her harsh claws sank into the sand she solidified the sand, not wishing to fight with the grains even the least bit. She carefully eyed the prearranged earth nests as she neared. Her child deserved only the best, plus she didn't know what kind of egg she was having. It could be an Earth like her or a Glass like her mate Dichroic. An egg of either breed would make her immensely proud, though an Earth slightly more so only because it would be of her breed. She had been about to head over to the far end when she noticed a flash of bright green that stood out like a plant in the vast expanse of sand. It was her own dear sister Adirondack! She barked out a quick greeting as she headed over to the Earth nest that was stationed next to her sister's. Her sister would certainly watch over her egg if she was occupied. She couldn't think of a better dragon to nest next to.

The nest was slightly larger than she was (which she had no problem with of course) and as soon as she stepped onto the cool dirt that was laid down another contraction rippled through her abdomen. She stiffled a growl as she paced and waited for her time to come. Finally the contractions increased before the lines of time between them blurred and merged into one great pain. She pushed and pushed, and then finally felt satisfaction in 2 forms. The first form was that of the sound of soft dirt giving way to something. It was a sound so soft that she had wondered, had her head been raised to it's full height and not hunched over as it was, whether she had imagined it or not. The second form of satisfaction came in the feeling that she had no more eggs to give. She turned her head in excitement to look at the child she had bore.

However her eyes met with no shape or gleaming shell as she turned around. A feeling of confusion and fear flooded her system as she frantically searched her nest. Where was her egg?! She had heard it land, hadn't she? She was about to call for her sister when, out of the corner of her eye, she noticed a glint. A pink purplish glint, like that of a jewel that had just been unearthed. It was then that she realized that that was her egg. ”It's so small...” She mused as she carefully used her powers to move away the specks of dirt from the dangerously soft shell. With a grace many probably thought she would never posses the Earth female curled her massive body around her lone Glass egg. A trunk like arm blocking it from prying eyes, and her mane acting as a sort of curtain. She chortled softly at her egg, bemused by the culmination of her mating and 9 hard, long months of gestation. "You caused me a lot of trouble for something so small", she whispered to her egg. "But you are an amazing gift and you will go on to do amazing things my child... my sweet child." She said, her voice full of a different kind of fierceness. It was the kind born of motherly pride.

She was greeted with the sound of panting and looked down to see her rider. She was out of breath and steadied herself on her dragon's leg. The girl looked up at her dragon, her face forming into a broad grin. "May I see?" She asked politely. "I'll understand if you make me wait." The Earthen mother looked down at sole her egg and then back to her rider. "Of course you may see." Nodding her head in recognition the young rider walked over her dragons paw to look at the single egg that her beautiful Ammit had laid. "Gods...", the girl whispered, "It's beautiful Ammit! This is wonderful! Do you want me to go get Di and his rider?" "Would you please?" She asked, looking toward the entrance to the Sands. "Of course." Alix said as she turned and left her dragon to fawn over her egg. Ammit watched as her rider walked away to get her mate and his rider. She crooned as she curled closer to her small egg, her tail wrapping around her legs. Her chest swelled with pride.

A lump had formed in the Air dragoness’ stomach, and with it her belly had also distended giving her a rather rotund look which she found mildly irritating as it gave her trouble when she tried to take off into flight and made flying in general difficult, in addition to making flying a pain however it drained her energy, her body spending most of its energy on caring for the egg growing within her. But irritation was not the only feeling she had for the egg within her body, she couldn’t help but feel a swell of pride as dragons and riders alike took notice as she and Elodie traversed the Academy’s grounds. Being a mother was something Aun had wanted for quite some time and now that she was finally doing so she couldn’t help but love the entire situation, even though it had draw backs, they were well worth the pride she was feeling. The first time mother was glowing with pride and excitement as the day drew nearer that she would lay her own egg. Thoughts rolled through her mind of laying one of her own breed, though she would not mind if it was a Forest as Moss was.

She was simply buzzing with a mixture of joy and excitement over laying an egg at all, the nerves of her first laying had not yet sunk in. Wiggling with anticipation, it took Amaunet a moment before she noticed a sudden feeling, passing though her urging her to head for the hatching grounds.

With a start, the brightly colored dragon stood up, a slightly shocked look upon her face which Elodie found quite humorous as it was difficult to surprise the Air. Looking around confused, Amaunet took a moment as she tried to assess what was happening. Small contractions had started, alerting the dragon to the urgency that she get to the hatching grounds, lest she wish to lay her egg in her and her bonded’s home.

“Mine, I do believe I need to..” Letting her sentence trail off and her eyes light up, she knew she did not have to finish her sentence, her rider understood and with a not, the soon-to-be-mother took off from their loft and with a little trouble starting her flight, heading for the hatching grounds. Behind her she could hear her rider shout words of encouragement, telling her she would be along later to check on her and the egg. The Air was slightly relieved that her rider was going to wait to come see her, she did not want to be observed this time around, or at all she should think. Laying seemed to be a very private thing and she would not want to look a fool in front of the other females or even her own rider should she start to panic.

Upon her arrival she noticed she was not the first to lay, seeing mothers curled around their eggs the nerves she had suddenly begun to experience ebbed away as she remembered that many females go through the same thing with no trouble at all. Giving a wide berth to the other mothers either laying or curled around their eggs she searched for what she deemed a good place, laying down gently. Hoping that like her rising, she would not be the last to lay Amaunet draped her wings down over her body modestly, hoping the other females would not take notice of the first time mother’s laying. It was not moments after that she began to feel the first of the rougher contractions as her body sought to expel the egg from within her. With the final contraction, Amaunet pushed the lumpy egg from her body and knew immediately that it was not of her own breed, but Moss’.

Turning her head and lifting her wings, she regarded the lumpy green egg with a kind look and a smile. A swell of pride once again took up residence within her chest as she stared at the egg, wondering what her first child would be like. Quickly, she built a small nest of leaves and twigs as she assumed was custom for Forest eggs and transferred the egg gently to the nest before moving her tail’s plumage to cover the Forest egg in a protective gesture. Raising her crest slightly she looked around and took notice of the other mothers, some of who’s mates had come to share in the joy of their eggs. Aun knew not if Moss would come to see the egg as the other fathers had, but she knew he was bound to be proud that she had laid a forest like he. Laying her head down she nuzzled the egg, softly cooing to it in her birdsong voice as she waited.

"I cannot wait to meet you, my child"

Moss, completely floored and happy as a clam, to Amaunet

Moss watched with growing excitement from his morning nest in the fields surrounding the Academy. The sun was bright and he was enjoying his basking spot immensely, the trees wrapped around his chest were practically thrumming with joy at the sunlight. It might have been that alone, or the fact that the day when the eggs would be laid had finally come, or perhaps a combination of the two, but no matter the cause, Moss was in supremely high spirits. He watched with keen interest as female after female flocked to the Hatching Grounds, taking note of them even from so far a distance. He wanted nothing more than to hover by the enormous glass dome, waiting for his lovely mate Amaunet to arrive and clutch, but the foliage clinging to him demanded he spend as much time in the sun as possible and Moss could not, in good conscience, deny them that. Only when the Air dragoness entered the dome would he rise from his spot to go and greet her and their clutch.

He cast his gaze up to the heavens, the circling form of Zainal's hawk, Lady, casting a faint shadow as she soared lazily high above. Her morning routine of searching out prey in the fields as Moss basked seemed to ground the forest dragon's mind, keeping him clear of worries and ready for what was to come. He could fully understand getting worked up into a frantic tizzy during such an exciting time, but despite his normally mischievous demeanor, he was not about to act like a fool. Chattering on his back caught his attention then and he swung his head around to regard the two young squirrels who were padding about on his shoulders. He smiled and whistled to them. "Goodmorning Navarre, Phillipe. Hungry?" he asked, dipping his head to a small pile of nuts and fruits that he had gathered before settling into the grass. "There you go boys."

With the forest dragon's snout on the ground, the squirrels quickly scampered down his neck, landing with ungainly youth near the pile of food. With surprising efficiency they tucked as much food into their cheeks as they could and then retreated back to the safety of Moss's back to devour their meal. Intelligently, black-furred Navarre and his red-furred brother tended to keep their time spent out of the cover of the dragon to a minimum. Lady was smart, but it had taken a lot of effort from both Moss and Zainal initially to keep her from trying to eat the juvenile squirrels, and she was still a bit miffed about the whole thing.

Content that the squirrels were happy, Moss turned his gaze back on the hatching grounds in the distance and felt his heart leap at the sight of Amaunet's brilliant green head and dark-feathered body. He rose, his limps carrying him immediately into a lazy lope. It would take a few minutes for him to reach the building and hopefully by then Amaunet would have clutched.

Grass swishing noisily around his claws, Moss made his way back to the Academy and up the ramp to the Hatching Grounds. He stared with amusement as other dragons gathered to watch, taking note of those who were particularly jumpy. He could understand their feelings, being a first-time father himself he was more than a touch nervous. Still, nature would have its way and things would work out, so the forest didn't let himself get too worried. As he approached the entrance to the enormous glass dome he slowed his pace, gazing about for Amaunet amid the gathering of other females, many of which dwarfed her entirely. Spying her, he moved forward silently, eyes alight with wonder, and paused a few paces away.

"Amaunet," he said softly, peering down at the most perfect forest egg he had ever laid eyes upon. "May I?" he asked, the awe and happiness he was feeling more than just a little apparent through his words.

Ore

Once again, Ore had been unable to sleep. She was restless, irritated at absolutely nothing except being irritated, which was a vicious cycle. At first she tried pacing, but that didn't do anything to help. Then she resolutely lay down and put her head on her paws and shut her eyes, but that didn't make her tired either. So she got up and paced some more, but then Roh half woke up and growled at her.

"Just can't win sometimes..." she muttered, sitting in the opening of their quarters and looking out to the barely lightening sky off to the east. She shifted and tried to get comfortable as her stomach cramped, not in the mood to go hunting even if she was apparently hungry. Except she didn't feel hungry. Half-heartedly, she stood as if to take off for the Fields, but another cramp through her abdomen stopped her. That was certainly not her stomach. Almost unbelieving, she swung her head to the side and eyed her belly, certainly not as big as some of the other females, but definitely noticeably round.

Then she marched straight across the room and grabbed a mouthful of sheet in her mouth, yanking until her rider tumbled right out of his bed in a torrent of curse words and surprised yelps as he hit the hard stone floor. He sprang to his feet with surprising agility and focused his eyes on the huge black nose that was right in his face, then jumped backwards and tripped over the bed. As he went sprawling, Ore snorted at him around her mouthful of bedsheet.

"Mmmf-" she dropped it so she could speak, "Get up, Roh, you're damn well not missing this," she said, and he stopped flailing about to look at her.

"What the devil is going on?" he mumbled in a sleep-addled voice. His dragon shook her head at him.

"I'm laying my egg," she told him, and against her better judgment from the past many weeks, stepped forward and nosed at him as he sat on the bed. She was nervous. Despite Metis' faith in her, she was afraid she'd screw up or do something wrong or, in spite of the Hybrid's cure, the eggs would turn out to be sick, or shrivel again, or something horrible. Her belly spasmed again and she nipped gently at his shirt.

"Come on, come on, I don't have all day," she muttered, practically dancing. Whatever feelings he had about being surprised awake by the huge black Lava, Roh understood the situation, and he pushed whatever midnight demons and morning fears were in his head aside to swing up astride Ore's neck, where he never sat, clinging like a leech to her backswept horns. Ore dipped her head briefly and then took an awkward stride to the ledge and flung herself off towards the Hatching Ground. When she landed, she saw a great many other females were already there. Looking around for a likely spot, she saw a large space next to a female Forest that was sleeping a contented looking sleep near her own egg. Quietly, and so as not to alarm the smaller dragon, Ore padded up and nudged the sand around with her nose. Then she breathed lava on the sand and nudged it around with her nose, and while the stuff was still cooling, cracks the color of her scale edged showing through the hard black, she let her body take over.

Judging from the relative sizes of some of the other eggs to their mothers, she soon reasoned that she was actually quite lucky. There were several more spasms that were certainly unpleasant, but soon an egg lay in the lava nest. She turned and raised her wing, swinging her tail out of the way so she could see what the egg was. It looked just like her own had, a relatively small egg, and she smiled brightly. A Lava. Her's and Metis' child would be a Lava.

Then her brain stalled for a second. Oh, crap. Curse it all! she chortled a quiet little distressed warble. Metis! She hadn't told Metis! And he should be here, to see the egg that would bear his child into the world. Ignoring another spasm of pain and assuming it was only a reaction to having just laid an egg, she padded to the Hatching Ground entrance and, with as hopefully little bother to those inside as possible, bellowed out a call similar to the one she'd first used to call the males to the flight her dear mate had won.

"Ore? What's wrong?" Roh called from back near her egg, and she practically galloped back across the sand to him, and especially to her egg. Her abdomen was still cramping alarmingly, though, and she stopped nosing and humming at her egg to look at her side as if she could see what was wrong just by looking. Her rider just shook his head, unable to figure out from the tangled jumble of emotion reaching him over their bond just what was wrong.

For a second time, Ore's body let her know what it needed to do, and in a state of shock and astonishment, she turned and deposited a second egg, this one definitely larger, but still not nearly as large as some had laid, next to the first. A lava nest would have to do for this one, though she knew before she turned that Lava it was not. A large, shimmering, metallic egg sat next to the Lava egg, and Ore tipped her head at it for a moment before realizing it was, in fact, a Metal egg. Two eggs! She sat abruptly, and then felt a hand on her foreleg. Her rider, who hadn't approached her in weeks, stood next to her for a moment, nervousness at doing so practically radiating off of him.

"There are two," she remarked, completely dumbfounded, a low happy trill edging her voice. Then she stood and dipped her head, retrieving something Roh hadn't noticed from the ground. As she raised her head and tucked it gently around the eggs, he threw his hands in the air in an age-old gesture of defeat, but then just shook his head with a smile.

"Not that I'm not happy for you... but you couldn't have left my bedsheet? You already tore holes in the other one with your teeth," he asked goodnaturedly, and then sat crosslegged on the sands. For her own part, his dragon just smiled a sleepy smile, put her head down so that her neck wrapped partly around the eggs, and closed her golden eyes, finally tired enough to sleep.

Kokopelli

It was an uncomfortable pressure in her general belly region that awoke Kokopelli. She yanked her head up from where she'd been sleeping and looked around in confusion. What was that? It didn't come again, so she warily put her head back down and slitted her eyes shut. A moment later, she sprung up from the ground, looking around in bewilderment as that feeling came again. This time it wasn't just pressure, but a weird... twisting feeling? It hurt.

"Pelli, for the love of everything holy, would you please shut up and go back to sleep?" Denahi asked, and rolled over to drag the covers over his head. Pelli whined, a long, drawn out, utterly confused whine, and finally her rider sat up and looked at her. She looked back at him, an inkling of what was going on slowly dawning on her face in the form of a small, jittery grin.

"Egg!" was all she said, and then she bolted from the room like a sunset-colored tornado, leaving Denahi to blink and follow after her on foot. Luckily, they lived close to the ground and in one of the nearer rooms to the Hatching Ground, and he didn't have a long distance to walk. While he went on foot, his bonded flitted over on cool-hued wings. In a crazed flurry of activity, she landed and looked around for somewhere to lay her egg, or for her mother, or for Lumiére, the father of her egg. She saw none of these except the first and bolted that direction somewhat haphazardly, realizing only too late that it was rather too close to an angry looking Fire who was curled around a giant Celestial egg. There was room between them, yes, and she inched over to give them more. There was room on her other side, too, but she liked it right here in the middle of the space.

With no time to create a truly adequate Sonic nest, the dragoness nosed together several of the largest of the old glass pieces, so that when she brushed a paw across them, they clinked and clattered musically together. Then she crouched posessively over the nest, grimacing through several other contractions, and pushed an egg onto the sands. She could tell it was no Celestial even as she laid it, and was actually glad to not have to try and push something that huge out of her body. Ow would be the correct term for that.

It was a Sonic egg, a disc-shaped thing, and to her silver eyes, the most perfect thing she'd ever seen. She hummed a quiet symphony of sound at it and nosed it around until it sat perfectly in the nest, amongst the little shards of glass. She would have to bring it something pretty, to make sounds when it hatched, so it was born making music.

"A Sonic, then?" her rider's voice asked as she stood over her egg making happy little chuffing sounds. She looked up and grinned widely at him.

"Just like me!" she announced proudly. Denahi dug in his pockets for a moment, and came up with a stick, from which hung several metal bars that tinkled as he held them up and disentangled them from each other.

"You forgot this, Miss I'm In Such A Hurry," he said gruffly, and handed them over. But he did smile as he said it, and when she chirruped at him, he reached up and scratched behind her horn. She hadn't ever seen the windchimes before- she had no idea what he was talking about when he said "forgot" them. They were slightly out of order, as if whoever had tied them together hadn't known exactly what he was doing, or as if he'd been distracted. But if it made him happy to pretend she'd forgotten them, she was okay with that. She purred a quiet thank you at him anyway, both of them perfectly aware that she wasn't just thanking him for bringing them. Then she curled in a ball around the egg and looked around, apparently waiting for her mother or Lumiére, or perhaps both.

Water Mire to Glass Celiostiahle

Was he supposed to be this tense?

Mire sighed as he continued to pace along the perimeter of his quarters, much to the dismay of Arcyanis, who had had to endure such restlessness for at least the past week. If there was ever any doubt that Mire cared about his looming fatherhood, the thought would easily be erased by a simple five minutes of observation. Some males chose to simply fly as much as they pleased and leave the resulting children only to the mother, but Mire belonged to the other clan, that of the proud and doting father. Knowing that the time was rapidly approaching, though, he simply chalked all his nerves up to being a first-time father. Did all the other concerned fathers feel this way right now? Certainly he hadn't been spending much time with his clutch brothers, having devoted most of his spare time to checking up on Celi's comfort. He didn't even know which of his clutch brothers had won flights, with the exception of Buccinal. At the thought of the blue Sonic, Mire cast his thoughts idly to Anala, wondering if she was indeed happy with her choice of a mate. The Fire dragoness had mostly stayed on the fringes of his mind, the object of mere conjecture when he found his thoughts leaving Celi... which wasn't often. Of all the dragons he could have flown, he was chosen by the one that meant the most to him personally, and he was determined to make her significance known in as many ways as he possible could.

Finally, Arcyanis growled in frustration and slammed a hand against his nightstand. "Mire, will you calm down, for the Empress's sake?!" Mire froze in his tracks and grunted, but said nothing. "Seriously, she'll let you know when she's ready, won't she? I don't know exactly how this works, but I'm pretty sure you'll notice!"

Mire fixed Arcy with a long, hard glare of silence. Had he possessed visible ears, they would have been pricked and facing he entrance to his quarters, picking up the sudden rush of wingbeats outside. "...You just so happen to be right this time, Arcyanis," Mire drawled. "And since you seem so eager to kill my excitement, I'll just let you walk down on your own, should you want to see my offspring." Before Arcy could get a word in edgewise, Mire had whirled around and launched himself off into the sky with a running start. Arcy merely sat there, one hand partially outstretched, a confused and bewildered shine in his visible eye while a groggy Weiss yawned and stretched his marble body.

Mire lighted down on the Sands with a spray of the hot grains, though careful to land far enough away from the females so as not to disturb their nests with his entrance. So far, many had appeared to lay their clutches, and he found Anala first, curled around her single Fire egg. Mire flashed her a warm look and would have smiled if his face allowed it, and raised his head to scan for the unmistakable form of his own mate. And there she was, in her shimmering blue glory, reclining regally around her--no, their egg. It was his too... it truly was. He padded over to her with an excitement unbefitting of his stoic face and bulky body and greeted her with a deep growling croon. "Celi..." he let his eyes move from her finely-sculpted face down to the beautiful nest resting between her paws, and to the single shining egg in the center. "It's beautiful. Everything is absolutely beautiful. You, the nest... and our egg. Our child..."

So engrossed was he in the moment that he didn't notice Arcyanis finally staggering to his side and leaning against his foreleg. Startled, he glanced down at his rider and sighed before resuming his appraisal of his whole new situation. A few moments later, though, he turned his gaze back to Arcy and whuffed into what existed of his hair. "You do know I might have to harm you if you try to touch my egg, Arcy. Please make sure you have yourself under control. You didn't have any bad dreams last night, did you?"

Arcy slapped Mire's leg in a good-natured retaliation. "I'm fine, Mr. Valorous Protective Father. Besides, I'm not a complete idiot on eggs anymore. Your mate's granted me an honor once before, and I wouldn't want to impose. I'm not a candidate anymore, you big lump."

Buccinal coming to see Anala…not without some motivation

One of the Sonic's ears twitched at the sound of a familiar roar, but it wasn't enough to wake him from his snooze, not at first. Mykhail saw the twitch, as he was standing by the exit to his dragon's ledge, looking out over the Academy grounds, worrying as usual. He'd done as he promised, after much argument and pushing back and forth that he would stay until the eggs had hatched. He still worried for Des, but if she had bonded to something out there, he hoped it wasn't terribly evil and that it at least protected her. He prayed it wouldn't be one of those situations he'd heard tell about, where the Tainted dragons ate their own riders out of annoyance or hunger, or just because.

He stopped thinking the moment another roar rippled through the distance and Buccinal's head shot up from his fore claws. "What is it?" Mykhail asked, worried that one of the Taints he'd heard tell of lurking about the Academy had finally struck and something was wrong. He'd heard that roar too and though it didn't send a spike of fear through his gut like trouble should have, he was worried.

Buccinal gave a short cough, "Anala," he said, his voice gravelly with sleep.

Mykhail blinked in surprise as he realized his Sonic wasn't actually making any other moves, and he felt a strange confusion in his link with him, despite not having a crystal to solidify it. "What are you waiting for?"

Buccinal looked at his rider, his molten gaze a mixture of the usual grumpiness, concern, and by the Rider, fear. "What?"

"Aren't you going to go see her? She laid her egg right? She was calling you wasn't she?" Mykhail asked. That had to be it. Why else would she not just come to him and find him? It was about that time after all.

His Sonic just stared at him, "What do I do?" He asked. There had to be something. Some kind of fatherly thing he was supposed to do, but though his instinct had carried him into the sky after multiple females, it wasn't helping him here.

Mykhail tossed his head back in sudden laughter, "Go see her! Maybe go kill something for her to eat first, that'll calm your nerves," he chuckled.

Buccinal gave a wary look toward the hatching ground, then looked back at Mykhail. The young man clearly knew more about females and mothers and babies than he did. Hell, he hadn't even known the few times he flew what would happen if he did happen to catch a female's eye. "Come with?" the Sonic asked, a rare gesture of not only companionship toward his rider, but also admission that he wasn't as strong and fearless as he tried to make himself look.

His rider was taken aback for a moment, then he grinned, "Sure, why not." He shrugged and went to his dragon, who hunkered low to the ground for him to mount up. He was already wearing his saddle from their morning flight. "Just keep it down when we get to the fields would you? My ears can only take so much so close," he said and his Sonic leapt off the ledge without further notice, causing him to tighten his grip on the saddle as Buccinal sped to the fields to single out a small, edible snack for Anala.

His hunt didn't take long, it never did given the ruthless manner in which he singled out his prey and dispatched it with general ease. Once he had a small beast from the Academy's herd, he took off toward the hatching grounds, slower this time, uncertainy in each wingbeat. He landed just inside the grounds so he didn't have far to drag the carcass and looked around. He was surprised to see his sister, but not so surprised to see his mother there resting upon the grounds, curled protectively around their clutches. He was curious as to the offspring of both, wondering what sibling and other relatives he would be getting once these eggs hatched. But Tonare was wound very protectively around hers and he couldn't see, and Hadassah was dozing by her nest, no doubt ready to waken and spring upon anyone or anything that surprised her. He left them both alone, his concern very quickly on the brilliant Fire that was his mate.

Dragging the beast to her, he dropped it a few feet away. "Anala," he said, looking up at her with a low thrum. "Is it here?" he asked as Mykhail carefully dismounted, as though any false movement might upset any of the brooding females—entirely possible, but given his size and the immense hatching grounds, unlikely.

It was comforting to see Sarafina, another being his own size. He smiled and greeted them both, keeping his distance just in case, "Congratulations Anala, and Sarafina I suppose you're just as proud," he said, realizing as pride welled in his own chest that she must have been. His own dragon was expecting a hatchling of his own. Buccinal had come so far since the day of his own hatching, from a horribly antisocial grump to something…at least mildly tolerable. At least tolerable enough to be chosen as a mate.

Metis coming to visit Ore (and kinda freaking out when he realizes she nested by Hadassah |D )

The Ice didn't think he would make it through the winter months thinking and worrying about Ore and their progeny. He visited her often enough, but he still worried incessantly about whether or not the hybrid's cure worked. So he'd busied himself making something. A gift for Ore that he hoped she would like. He'd listened to her whenever she talked to him and gathered from their many conversations something he thought would make a perfect gift. It was a massive undertaking even for one, but Metis had all the time in the world to get it ready before Ore laid.

The timing couldn't have been more perfect. He'd just finished his gift the night before, and when her call reached his sensitive ears, he was leaping out of his nest with a spray of frigid ice crystals. "Audra! Audraaaaa!" Metis whined loudly.

"Whaaaaat?" she whined back from her room, mocking his urgency. She didn't think it was all that important, at least, not until Metis mentioned his mate.

"We have to go, Ore is calling," he said, dancing nervously in place. "It has to be the eggs! It has to be."

Surprised, Audra blinked and put her hands on her hips as she stood in her doorway staring at her dragon. "Seriously?"

"Yes, hurry hurry, I have to go," he said, "But I …I want you to see," he said shyly and his rider smiled broadly.

"All right you better get your thing you've been slaving over and making me help with for the last few months, I'll get your saddle--,"

"No time! I won't let you fall off, come on!" He said, the jitters clear in his body language as he pranced to his ledge, pushing his gift for Ore along the floor with his nose. Audra rolled her eyes and rushed out to meet him, climbing onto his back when he let her and getting a hold of him before he glided off the ledge, his gift clutched in his talons. The hatching ground wasn't far and he landed quickly and waddled awkwardly on the sand with his burden to get to the large black-scaled dragoness that rested with her eggs.

"Ore?" He approached the still dragoness quietly, she appeared to be napping and he didn't want to disturb her. Of course, he was so concerned with Ore, he hadn't noticed the autumn hued Forest that rested nearby her.

Audra didn't know any different and she slid off his back to take a peek at the Lava's clutch. She squealed softly, "Lookit lookit that Metis!" she said, pointing, "I'm so happy for you!" She flung herself against his neck and hugged him tightly, then she turned to see Roh sitting in the sand. She dropped to her knees next to him and threw a big hug around his shoulders, "Congratulations! I bet you're so proud!" she exclaimed softly so as not to disturb any of the mothers, including Ore. Elation spread through her link with her dragon as they both realized that eggs meant the hybrid's cure had worked!

Metis, however, was still worried, but that worry changed suddenly to embarrassment and slight fear when a shallow growl interrupted his thoughts. He looked to see the nearby Forest's violet gaze staring at him pointedly as she grumped at him. "You!"

He swallowed hard, slinking away from her on the safe side of the snoozing Lava, "Um…hi," he nervously chuckled, guilt flooding him once more.

Hadassah's growl cut off abruptly and she burst into laughter, sending the poor Ice for a loop. "You always were skittish as hell Metis," she chuckled.

The Ice was taken aback, wondering if it wasn't some ruse to get him to come closer so she could tear into him. She wasn't…angry at all it seemed. "I…what?"

"Relax big boy, I understand what happened…no need to discuss it," she said, a sadness briefly appearing in her eyes. "Life goes on." She said, seeming to understand that his infertility in the past had not been something he'd had any control over but rather was a vicious attack by their enemy.

Still he was wary, "I'll just…stay over here," he said, keeping Ore's bulk between himself and the smug-looking Forest still. She looked amused at his discomfort.

Anala to Buc & Sarafina to Mykhail

Anala nuzzled her egg. Purring soothingly to the precious package. Now she had to nurture it and see that it bonded to a worthy human....which may be a task but it almost pained her to know it was Kazuko's duty more than hers. Ah, but Kazuko never made a mistake. She curled her neck around the egg and continued purring. She was so swept up she didn't even hear Buccinal approach.

Sarafina looked up
"Aha. See? I told you he'd hear you!"
She also noticed the gift he had brought. Which was fortunate. Anala would need it after this task. She greeted Mykhail as he dismounted
"Oh yes. I am insanely proud. And it's a rather new feeling to me really" She laughed. Like him she was glad she had another human to endure this with. Only riders would be allowed so she did feel they were both privileged to be here.

Anala moved her eyes to Buccinal with a smile. She snapped at the dead beast and gobbled it quickly. But she made sure to stay in a position so he didn't see the egg...not just yet
"Thank you dear, I needed that. You should have seen it took some work, this one did!"
With a sly smile, she lifted her head and neck to show him the gleaming fire egg between her forearms.
"Like I said....one or two, I'm just as happy"
She reached out to touch his snout with hers with another purr. Then pulled back to watch his reaction.

Sarafina smiled and looked at Mykhail. She had a feeling this was the first he had seen Buccinal like this. Although Anala had always been rather motherly, seeing her with her first born was a whole new experience.
"Something tells me these two did good. Very good" She said to him.

((Anala will probably chatter with the other parents as well! So feel free to chit chat with her if you like!))

Lagrange to Auster

Since his flight with the most lovely of all airs, Lagrange's attitude was more or less on best behavior mode, which made Sen happy, and likely anyone else who'd noticed his quick to anger ways here and there. But not since he'd begun to fly, not since he'd been healed. True, he was still off in a way, but his joy was at the forfront of his mind, and now he had chased and won a real flight, and sired offspring. As the day began, he noticed the bustling, excitement in the air, and he perked his feline ears forward, spines raised. Could it be..? Ah, it was, the females were on their way to the sands, and he, deciding it was best to wait a little while before charging in, looked about for things. Not long ago, he'd met up with another dragon in his wing, who was known for being elegant as well, and shyly asked her opinion on gifts for....he had used a kinder word, but 'high maintainence female' was one way of saying it. Amused, she had given him a lovely suggestion, and he'd thought it was the best idea. So, after quite a while of planning, he went to fetch it from under the padding of his hammock like bed, and trotted off, tail curling a bit as he swirled and wove his way to the hatching grounds. He would invite Sen later, if his vain lady would allow it.

When he arrived, his white, glowing eyes looked about and quickly noticed the unmistakable pink feathers of Auster- who was not hard to find at nearly the highest point. Wings fanned out, yet not flapping lest he upset the others, he floated his way over to her and hovered, his colors in a phase that seemed to be passing through a nebula cloud. Eyes soft, he spied her egg, and his jaws parted in soundless joy, the white inner flesh of his mouth momentarily visible. Remembering his manners he shut his trap and floated a little, smiling, excited. “Glorious Auster, you've given this heart of mine such joy, what a wonderful little one we shall have!” So few of his breed were about, but now, new hope...Last year and this one, too.

Almost forgetting, he pulled the large box from its spot on his harness and held it out, holding his power on it, he gently held it on one finger, and then pushed its direction toward Auster. As long as nothing else touched it to change its direction inbetween, it would float to her and stop when she took it. Upon opening it, she would find a tri- set of tail-cuffs, appearing to be pure gold, etched in intricate designs, with diamonds on ringing the edges, a notch at the bottom holding a chain between three cuffs- large to small, the chain being gold too, in elegant loops. They had been mafe in a way to be light, and spaced out evenly enough that it shouldn't be too much of an issue, but just in case, under the 'cuff' pieces, was a similarly designed, gold faux feather collar with similar small diamonds on each 'feather'. Nothing but the best, he knew, would impress this female... If he'd guessed right, the set would fit snuggly on her, without altering her any. “A gift, if I may be so bold, for the most beautiful of Dragons ever to grace the sands,...” he rumbled, not yet landing. At least, not til she seemed to give him her permission to.

Darkness shrouded the Academy, wrapped it in a thick cloak of deep hues and speckled starlight. Beneath the endless blanket of night coasted the titled Siren on her gossamer wings, restless in the same way that a gently bubbling stream was restless, unable to cease its endless cascade of gentle currents while still keeping its serene nature. The strange urges to take to the skies in her unrest had plagued the Sonic in recent weeks and this night had proved no different. Some expecting mothers grew giddy, others grew more grounded by their nerves or hormonal aggression. Cadence followed neither suit by outward appearance, ever the picture of eloquence, of patience, in the face of motherhood.

Crystalline blue eyes searched the skies, sought the star's mysteries and ticked off the months it'd been since she'd coaxed her three suitors at the same early hour. Valigar had proven the victor that cloudy night and who had tended to her with the nervous and eager zest of a first-time father. She'd chuckled softly at his jittery enthusiasm, allowing him to fret over her with practiced longanimity. Cadence chortled now to the vast expanse of the heavens, musing at how unusually drawn to taking meaningless flights as of late. Before she could contemplate the differentiating occurrences between carrying out Kokopelli's term and the current one, a sharp movement in her abdomen gave ample warning to the matron.

The hourglass' sands are all but spent. The time is now.

A powerful down stroke and sharp angling of her lunar moth silhouetted pinions brought her around, angled her back to her own terrace of the Academy's rider wing. A clatter of padded paws and click of silver talons announced her return. With the relaxed gait of a passing feline she crouched beyond the heavy curtain and entered her quarter. Her masked gaze fell at once on the awake form of her bonded, oiling his two-handed blade, Verbrennen, by flickering candlelight. The gentle glow made her smile at both flame and inner warmth, a good omen. “Grittzel,” she greeted, reverberating voice conjoined by the silvery notes coaxed from her harp's string-spun eyrie.

“Cadence,” Grit replied, a knowing note within his baritone growl. Little escaped him, and this cycle had been no different in essence than the last. Silently he knew why she'd returned so swiftly, but he let her voice her request without disruption. “Send word to Valigar, he shall want to know of these tidings, of that I am sure.” requested the citrine and wine splashed Sonic. Cadence gave him the barest flick of her sailed crest, brushed his hand with the tip of her nose, and prowled fluidly out the door. Her bonded watched her departure, waiting until the tip of her large, ornate tail fork vanished from sight before he tapped a curious stone with the flat of his sword. “Wake up, Anansi. Job for you.” he grunted, watching with his good eye as the obsidian and slate lump rippled to life. Soon the spider gargoyle untangled its legs and stood, blinking its alabaster eyes curiously at Grittzel before skittering away with a chattering, wicked mirth. Valigar was certainly in for a treat with the little stone-climbing arachnid playing messenger as daybreak set the eastern sky aflame.

Meanwhile, Cadence had made her timely arrival, padding softly upon the brilliant sands shimmering in the early morning light. The Sonic's eyes sought the Great Mother, bowing her silver horned head briefly before returning her gaze to the sands. Mothers, nests filled and eggs tended, brought a pleasant smile to the Claw's lips. All was as it should be once more. The glass dome cast its rainbow of hues upon them as it had when she'd given birth to her daughter. Banished and hopefully forever gone was the stone that had blocked the sun's rays for the past war-stricken decade. All was well, all was whole again.

Soon enough she spotted her daughter's sunset hues, already coiled about her nest with an air of enthused pride. Cadence drew closer until at last she saw the familiar discus shaped egg between the slender limbs of her daughter. The Sonic cooed a greeting to both Kokopelli and her newborn Sonic grandchild as the elation rose in her chest, drowning out her body's insistent pangs. The sight of the small windchime being gifted from rider to newly made mother increased the joyousness tenfold, a fine gift with which to herald a new Sonic into the world. Her own internal clock would not be so easily dissuaded, however. She found herself forced to turn away, to retreat a short distance and find an offset spot on the glittering dunes for her own clutch to be brought forth. Warm sand shifted beneath her icy azure socked paws, wings unfurled to drape like a pale, shimmering veil about her form as the contractions began in earnest. The beats began to compose themselves into a steady rhythm, one that was familiar and welcomed despite the burden it bore.

Minutes passed as the light tempo hastened, and at last, found its final crescendo. Her sharp hearing caught the brushed landing of lain egg finding the cushioning sands. One wing lifted, wintery orbs searching for a confirmation her body had already foretold. A single Air egg lay shaded by her ethereal wings, silently offering answer to the airy grace she'd felt whilst she had carried it within, explained the strange urges to linger so long in the sky. “So it is with you that the new age of peace will begin, little one. Be joyous, your future holds more than you can ever know.” Cadence murmured to the pale, delicate shell. Soon her musical instincts overwhelmed her, words no longer offered a language suiting for the event unfolding around her. As she curled herself into a comfortable half-circle about her newest child she began to hum a soft song, haunting yet cheery notes threading its composition, awaiting her mate's arrival.

Sleep. Fantastically, wonderfully, merciful rest! With a mate beneath his wings and a new position in the Shadowguarde to keep up with accompanied by a jumpy rider who barely rested at night, Valigar felt himself being pushed to exhaustion. But for tonight, it seemed, all in their aerie would be still. Ryle was resting peacefully for the first time in months, and he could feel the reverberating calm that carried and echoed back and forth between them over their bond, centered upon the amethyst crystal that was encrusted into his chest. The air let out a soft huff of breath and uncurled from his ball of green feathers, his head coming to rest on the lip of his pillow-filled bed as he stretched in his sleep. He didn't hear with his soft ears, the sounds of the stone spider's scuttling or quiet chitters that would have been something like laughter. He did however, begin to feel a tickling on his nose. He wrinkled his muzzle and turned his head with a low moan. It persisted and he let out a grunt. Then something heavy hit him full upon the bridge of his snout and he woke with a start his head jerking up, and his eyes coming open to see...Holy Celestials!

"SPIDER ON MY FACE! RYLE! SPIDER! OH GODS!" The unearthly howl of the terrified Air rang through their barracks and Ryle lifted herself from her bed, rubbing her eyes and muttering low curses as her dragon proceeded to thrash like a hooked fish, his wings beating frantically. "HOLY GODS THERE'S A GIANT SPIDER ON MY FAAAAAACE!" He screamed again, and Ryle sighed. "Valigar, you're dreami-" she cut off as she noticed that there was indeed a spider on his muzzle. "Valigar, you have a spider on your face!" she called, horrified by the giant obsidian shape that was clinging to him in the darkness of their room. Another violent shake of his silver-crowned head and a frantic shriek, and the gargoyle was flung across the room...right onto Ryle's own bed, where it proceeded to bounce and then settle with a scuttle of limbs and a quirk of it's head. "Shit!" Ryle screamed and nearly fell out of her bed, tangling in the sheets in her haste to get away from the giant silhoutte of a spider. "Kill it! Kill it!" she called, reaching for a light source to see it better.

When the lamp flared on though, Ryle, who was hiding behind Valigar's legs, stilled. Valigar, puffed up to at least double his size was staring at Anansi with wide eyes, his chest heaving. "It's a gargoyle..." he stated dumbly. "Yeah..." Ryle breathed softly. "Just a gargoyle..." she blinked, trying to recall the name of the gargoyle who she knew. Anana? Sidney? Ana....Anansi. That sounded right. "Anansi. Get off my bed." she said flatly. She got a chitter that sounded suspiciously like laughter in response. "That's Grittzel's gargoyle." Valigar stated slowly. His crest started to rise upwards. "Oh gods!" he was suddenly gone in a blur of green motion and out the door. "That might no-annnd he's gone." Ryle sighed, shaking her head as she looked at the open doorway her dragon had burst out of...and he'd left her there with the giant spider. "Ehehe....sorry about that 'kill it' thing...?" she said, glancing at Anansi. Then proceeded to get dressed so she could go meet her dragon on the sands.

Valigar barreled through the halls, leaping furniture, people, and from time to time, smaller dragons. He shouted quick apologies to each over his shoulder, and almost rammed head-first into a male Fire at one point, managing to duck under their stomach instead as he sprinted through the halls, afraid he would miss something. When he came to the entrance of the Hatching Sands, passing by the guards that had been stationed at the entrance, his chest and sides were heaving, his mouth lolling open at the exertion of running and dodging his way through the halls. "Cadence?" he breathed out, his eyes looking around the sands for her unique sunset and sky-blue form. His eyes peeled over the sands, but finally found her. Carefully, moving slower now that he was amongst temperamental females, he picked his way over to her, his silver tipped toes sinking deep into the warm sand.

As he neared her, he fluted out a song-bird's greeting, and lowered his head to touch his nose to her. "Greetings to you, Cadence." he said softly. His eyes met hers for a few moments, before he stepped back. "I received your messenger...it was...quite an abrupt wake up call." he looked sheepishly at his feet for a moment, an embarrassed laugh coming from his jaws. His eyes rose again to look over at her partially lifted sheltering wing, where her child, his child, their child rested. The pastel colors of the Air egg unmistakable. His first child was an Air like he was. "Oh, Cadence..." he said softly. "It is beautiful..." he sighed, and felt his ears and crest go back. "Was the laying difficult for you? Is there anything I need to get you?" he asked as he walked around her and then settled at her side, one of his primary wings coming up to cover her back.

In the doorway of the Hatching grounds, Ryle watched her dragon. "Pushover." she snorted, but she was smiling.

Vlitzcrig laying

“Will you ever tell me who the father is?” Esoriel looked up from the thick tome she had been scribbling on and asked for the umpteenth time. Her back pressed comfortably against her Lightning’s shoulder as she shifted lower, one foot resting over the wooden staff she had come to rely on. She had been so extremely excited and elated when her dragon told her she was with egg, but then her brightly flaring emotions dimmed when she realized her dragon didn’t appear as thrilled. Vlitzcrig was happy, and she was uncharacteristically calm as she was with her first, but a shadow haunted her delight, dimming its brilliant edges.

A long exasperated sigh blew from flared nostrils. The Lightning curled her neck back and glanced worriedly at her belly. So strange this time… so dormant. She couldn’t stop a sliver of dread weighing down her wings like steel chains. The egg didn’t feel right… it felt as though something was missing. Troubled eyes turned back to her rider’s mossy green. “It hardly matters, truly. This is mine. But I think there is something wrong… I cannot feel it, Esoriel. Perkele was never this quiet, neither was my second,” her voice burned when she uttered the last word. “Am I- what if the Taint damaged me?” a hoarse murmur.

Esoriel sat up and put the tome aside, a frown creasing her brows as she lifted her face to regard her dragon. “Quiet? What do you mean? Eggs are not-“

“I could feel the life of my first and second born,” Vlitzcrig snapped impatiently. Dark amber eyes boiled black with hatred. “There’s nothing from this one… no static, sparks, nothing. I will hunt them all if they maimed me.” And if her egg is dead….

Her human hauled herself onto her feet with less grace since her leg was broken and wrapped her hand securely around her staff. “How are you feeling? Perhaps we should call for a medic? Who is the father, Vlitzcrig? At the very least, it might give us some idea what we are dealing with. His breed? Is it Ry-“

A sharp whining bark cut her rider’s words swiftly. “No,” the Lightning choked as she scrambled to gather her slender legs beneath her belly. Soon, so very soon. When the first contractions struck her stomach with a searing bolt of lightning, several more soon followed. Painful, she didn’t recall it being so unbearable. Paws kneaded desperately into the sand as she crouched and her sinuous neck chorded with her exertions, head hanging low, seeking her bonded’s touch. She might appear no worse for wear, she might have led others to believe she walked through a tempest unharmed, but the female was far from it. Irrational fear, the terror the Taints planted and imprinted in her when she laid her last egg seized her when she was most vulnerable.

She recognised that wild, wide eyed ferocity and responded quickly, taking her dragon’s head in her arms, steady hands stroking the Lightning’s brow. Electricity crackled, burned and stung the air around her, but these stings were nothing. Esoriel might shy from her dragon’s fierce courage, feeling so unworthy and beneath, but this- this fear from staring past nightmares through cleared windows- she could handle. She wasn’t alone and her dragon was not invulnerable. Vlitzcrig had her own fears. She was just better at concealing them.

The gesture calmed her, anchored her in the present despite the yawning spiral to darkness clawing for the shredded ends of her sanity. Through gritted teeth and blowing breaths, she endured her body’s internal spasms that were quickly wringing her sore and tired. Finally when it was laid, it took surprisingly a lot less of an effort to coax the egg out of her womb. Smaller? Stunted? She had to see. Still panting from her exertions, Vlitzcrig withdrew her head from her bonded’s embrace and stumbled a tight turn in search of her egg.

Sitting like a glistening black pearl on the sands, it was as round as any Lightning egg. Only smaller, obsidian, laced with rivulets of vibrant colours. Vlitzcrig stared at the unfamiliar egg with puzzlement and surprise. She had never clutched anything other than her own breed. What is this the Chaos Mazhrekan threw her way? Wearily, she plodded to shield her egg from the others, dropping her body to curl around the single egg. So far away from the other females, she preferred it that way. Never once in her life, she exposed her back to others, but today, the Lightning lay facing the unyielding wall, her unguarded back facing countless clutching females and their mates.

“Gravity,” Esoriel suddenly spoke, edging around her form to crouch before the curious egg. “A gravity father?” She glanced curiously at her dragon. Now with the worst behind them, the strain faded away from her eyes, replaced instead with wonder.

Vlitzcrig replied her bonded with a bemused snort. She gathered the sand around the egg and tucked it against her belly. Pale wing unfurled to blanket her treasure. “No-“ she had given herself away before she could stop her answer. Molten eyes narrowed with mock disdain at her rider as she lay jaw close to the cloaked egg. “I didn’t think it would be anything else other than a Lightning. That is why I thought I couldn’t feel. I am sorry for worrying you.”

Settling within Vlitzcrig’s protective circle, Esoriel sat back down onto the sand. “Not a Gravity. Then my next educated guess is Chaos.” An impish grin on her lips. “It is fine, Vlitzcrig… I’ve never felt more needed.” And it withered to a gentler, wan curve.

A soft sigh disturbed the fine grains of sand beneath her pale nose. Bejewelled eyes hooded with both exhaustion and sadness. “I should be happy. My egg is healthy, safe… but all I think of is finding my hatchling. My baby, Esoriel… I want to find my baby,” she whispered.

[1 Gravity egg]


Dhruva being a general derp at Ana

Suddenly it wasn’t just walking, or going through the motions anymore. He listened to songs, found more than dull meaningless melodies from even the poorest bards. The scent of flowers he always missed without a second glance made him pause, sometimes retrieve a thicket of tiny blossoms back to Ana. They weren’t the best of gifts since the blossoms were of little use. Most of all, he saw in colours and at the very heart of the palette, spilling nameless shades, was his mate. She made him let go of a past he had still been trying to salvage. It made the worn bond between his rider and himself so much more bearable. He didn’t feel the need to constantly try- and fail- to fix something beyond his powers.

This so called peaceful times allowed him little peace. Soldiers and residents seemed to go about their lives unaware of the undercurrents boiling beneath their feet. His station required him to keep the ground beneath them intact. More often than not, the pale Fire felt he was forced to throw his body into the viscous wad if chaos. Asara seemed to be always at odds with him and he couldn’t believe how swift she turned… against his views. No matter their minor disagreements, she had always been with him- on the same side- just different in the manner they chose to execute certain tasks. Eradicate the Taints- that was their purpose… had been. Duty tossed him under, but Ana made him float right over. He was living a dream and facing the rough tides of reality both.

Ana’s time is almost due, yet here he was, walking with a captain stationed at the northern borders, miles away from the Academy. He tried to give the human undivided attention as he lead the dragon on his horse around the ramparts, but the flaxen Fire found his focus drifting to his mate. Idly, he wondered what Ana was up to at the moment. Stretching out in the shade, perhaps? He had tried to coax her to remain in their aerie when she voiced her fear of causing accidents with the unruly spike of her element, was a little irrationally hurt when she refused. Of course, Ana was right- their egg was almost due to be laid. She couldn’t afford to be so far away from the hatching sands.

When an Air came shrilling of the delighting news, Dhruva grabbed the startled dragon, gave the frazzled male a sloppy lick from shoulder to the tip of his horn, and was instantly in the air, buffeting the poor captain and his horse to the ground. The messenger Air watched the Talon depart with a slack jaw and messed up feathers- a horrible cowlick on one side of him, unsure if he should feel flattered or mortified. The latter seemed more likely.

Few females flew through the entrance when they were about to lay, so Dhruva sailed through, raised wings nearly brushing the high point of the great arch to spare them of his impatience and rude entrance. He couldn’t wait, he really couldn’t possibly be gentlemanly for a second longer if Ana was delivering. Powerful wings threaded the air like a cherub’s, swift and excited, carrying him right over the clutching females. Mercury eyes scanned the golden sands swiftly, dismissing everything else without his beloved shade of obsidian and amber. She has already laid!

Raised sceathers on his spine rippled when he found her curled form. A rusty bugle left his constricting throat at the sight of the egg seated on its nest. He flew unerringly for his little pride, his second chance. The nameless emotion that exceeded bliss by several margins and more intoxicated him like ambrosia. He landed a distance away, clear of other females, for he knew he wouldn’t care to be proper with anything he did at the moment. Every fibre of his being urged him to get close. Spraying sand and dust in his wake, he shook the fine grains clinging to his coat before daring to near. So riveted, utterly entranced, the flaxen Fire took careful steps, slowly as though he didn’t quite have the courage to progress.

One prick and this impossible dream would vanish. Irrational, foolish, for he knew this was real, but still the haunting dread lingered. What if they vanished when he finally reached them? That made him pause, now only standing half a dragon’s length away. A different thirst burned in his mirror gaze, a silent desperation that drove him to drink in the sight of his mate, their fiery egg. He would etch them behind his eyes, into his memory. He would remember if they turned to mists… and he would shred it from himself to bring them back. A seeking sound curled from his parted maws when he finally moved, stretching his neck forward, blowing warm breaths over the fragile shell. They didn’t disappear.

As though released from unseen shackles, Dhruva resumed his rolling stride forward, prowling around Ana to tuck himself behind her. He didn’t know what to say to the female who had given him so much without trying, so he remained silent for a while, spreading a wing to blanket her flank, nuzzling the narrow dip of her collar and aligning his neck with hers. Silvery eyes gazed upon the single egg with the same unfaltering adoration, desiring to touch, yet withholding for fear of harming the little one inside. He contented himself with cuddling its mother, rubbing his cheek on the amber plates on her spine, and washing clinging sand off her shoulders and belly. The flames in his core stuttered to a brighter glow. Was it wrong to wish they were alone in their aerie so soon?

“How are you feeling? Was it difficult?” he rumbled, distracting yet dooming himself as he lifted his wing to tend to the amber plates on her back. “Are you hungry? Thirsty?”

Aun, to Moss and observing the large number of females

A thrum peeled its way through Amaunet’s throat as she saw Moss approach her and her newly laid egg, her crest raising and her salmon eyes squinting as she beamed at him, her head raising from the resting position. She had been uncertain if he would come to see her, after all he had not been informed of her laying, but upon sighting the Forest she was glad he had come and that he had been able to find her among the larger females and their mates, most of which dwarfed her considerably in size. It dawned on her then that he must have been either waiting near the entrance or the glass dome covering the hatching grounds, or he was simply watching from a distance. Either option elated the new mother; it was a new experience for both of them, and one that she was happy to share with her chosen mate.

Aun watched gleefully as she saw his expression as his eyes fell upon her egg. Their egg. She knew he would be pleased that it was one of his own, but she guessed he would have been equally as happy should it have been an Air like herself. There was no telling what the hatchling would be like, but it was bound to be something with a father who had grown his own armor and a brilliantly colored and blindingly fast and agile mother. She was curious, as all mothers and fathers inevitably were, about the baby dragon growing within its calcium womb. But time would reveal to them about their child, it would simply take patience, something of which Aun had plenty.

With a nod of her head, the air dragoness moved her tail plume, fully revealing the green irregular surface of the shell. Amaunet watched Moss carefully, though she was not worried of him harming the egg she was interested in how he would take to being a father, as this was his first child to sire. She watched his expression and waited, to see what he might have to say about the egg or to it as she had spoken. The Air now knew she had most definitely picked the right mate, the look in his eyes as he looked upon their egg told her as much. She could hear the joy in his voice as he spoke.

Letting out a sigh, Aun relaxed a bit feeling a bit more comfortable now that she was no longer alone in a room of pairs. But even still she took notice of the females still entering to clutch and was almost surprised at the number. There were to be many eggs this season, and she could only wonder if there would be enough candidates for all the young dragons to bond. She had seen the human candidates leave hatchings without a dragon but never a dragon not bond. But she supposed with the war recently over, many of their brethren lost it would only make sense to have a large clutching.

With another thrum, Aun reached her head up to Moss’ giving him a small nuzzle.
“Are you happy with our egg? I am sure whatever dragon is growing within it will take after you in many ways other than breed”

It was a sort of half doze that Anamchara had fallen into. She knew this drowsing feeling. It was familiar to any egg-heavy female that had ever birthed before. Though they birthed their young easier than perhaps, a human might, it still consumed much energy from their own form. Now lacking the heat provided by the warmth the egg had created within her, she curled tighter on herself, her nose curled around to almost touch her egg and to breathe in the gentle scent that laced across the auburn shell. Shuttered amethyst eyes appeared to glow dimly with pride. She heard grunts, wails, and cries of joy from other females and their mates as if they were through water. She ignored them, her eyes were only for that which had come from her. Her first child, of her own volition, in a long time. Her eyes shut and a warm breath fogged the sheen on the shell briefly. Soon she would ignite the kindling beneath it to keep it warm. Her body heat would be enough for now, and she would give the child within time to adjust, but it required tending as every other clutched dragon’s egg did. Whether it was a Water, or a Forest, all had special needs that a mother instinctively knew.

A heavy thud of wings, a rush of air that stirred the atmosphere above her caused her eyes to flutter open again, and she gave a soft snort, moving her head away from her egg, her spines bristling somewhat. Over-excited males had a tendency to fly in and make mad dashes for their children and their mates. They would be quite unwise to trip over her, or any of the other females for that matter. Her eyes cast towards some of the females she recognized from that day at the river. Several of them had clutched this season, and the majority of them were hoarding their eggs to their bodies with a fierce protection. Ana could feel her own determination boiling in a low flame, a backburner that was ready to snap and blaze, to retaliate against any interloper that dared approach without her approval. She wouldn’t be taking her eyes off this precious child. It was hers, and her mates, and none other save the one it chose to bond to heart and soul, had claim over it.

Then came the bugle. So familiar, even if it was of a raspy quality that etched through the tones that it presented, she knew who that was. Her head rose, her scales flattening as a sudden sigh of relief wound its way through her and she uncurled her form slightly from its protective stance so she could follow the form of the flaxen fire, her own mate, as he picked his way carefully through the air before he descended onto the sand in a flurry of scattering grains and a small dervishes. Many of the other females gave him glancing looks, or ignored him completely, but not Anamchara. Her eyes were affixed to him, a small, tentative smile on her face, her eyes still glowing gently with their own light as she watched him approach with slow, careful steps. There was something about his approach that made her heart go out to him, and made her want to lean against him. So afraid, in his own way with his heavy hesitance, he was so unlike Tezcatlipoca’s sire, who had approached her with a suave confidence and a high pride. It hadn’t bothered her, but now that she compared Dhruva’s attitude to her previous suitor’s….she found something about the Forest sire’s attitude lacking.

She didn’t speak as he leaned forwards to see their egg. She invitingly lifted her wings away from the nest of kindling it was laid upon, and unwrapped her tail from its protective circle around it. He hovered mere inches above the amber shell, his mercurial gaze as unfathomable as she sometimes found it, though she was slowly learning to pick deeper emotions from their depths. Even after so long, she had never sought signs from the male as she did now. He was more than someone to stand beside now, he was someone to stand with. To support in all his struggles, to be there for when he was troubled as his mate. She hoped that he would accept her help if he ever needed it, as she would any assistance he offered.

A low purr twined out of her throat as Dhruva settled behind her and began to attend to the sand that had scattered and clung upon her scales and form without her noticing. Her head braced against his collar-bone, leaning there against the warmth of his chest where she could hear the heavy, sure beat of his heart. She was glad that he was here at last, to see their child. She had begun to grow impatient with Riven’s idea of ‘sending word’. But she knew now that she shouldn’t have doubted her bonded to begin with. Her purring changed to a low thrum at the attentions that he showed and a warmth in her brightened and she lifted her head to nuzzle him under the jaw, a smile forming again on her jaws and her eyes lidded sleepily.

“I am tired, but that is quite normal.” She murmured quietly to him. “The laying went as it should, and I believe our child shall be a healthy one, with a bright future.” Her eyes cast up to the glass dome that surrounded them, one she’d never had the honor of laying in before it had become brick and mortar. But now, with the sun streaming through the ceiling, it felt warmer here than it ever had before. She turned her head to rest it on the small hollow between his shoulders; she let out a small breath, her eyes closing. “I am alright for the time being. You can run every which direction at another time. Stay with me, and our child, and rest with us.” She breathed his scent quietly, and felt joy blossoming within her. This was the future, them together, and their child soon to be born. She looked forwards to greeting it whole-heartedly.

Dichroic for Ammit; Being a overly worried:

Despite everything that Nirvana said to her dragon the male Glass was still pacing the flagstones outside their wing into early demise. What had started a few months ago as a walk to clear his head had turned into a daily pacing that Dichroic partook in. In fact, the habit began around the same time that the budge in Ammit’s was visible to the rest of the Academy. If he walked down to Ammit’s wing so early in the morning he would look desperate; and if he walked circled around the parade grounds he would look worked… so the fire sized Glass paced back and forth in front of his wing. All the while his rider bit back a chuckle or two at the first time father and his obsessions. Both his tails twitched back and forth to the rhythm of his feet on flagstones nearly coiling around him each time he changed direction and padded back in front of the entrance to his wing. His ears flickered behind his interwoven horns and his head was low to the floor; almost defended, his usually regal bearing had taken a battering over his worries. As much as anyone could tell him that Ammit knew what to do it didn’t dispel his gnawing fear… what if she laid a Glass.

Dichroic noticed the sound of other feet on the flag stones first and his ears flickered forward and his whole body snapped to attention. Neck pulling up into a regal ‘S’ pose, with his head tucked against it, each of his four feet settling into a square formation on the stones as his wings and tails stilled into an ‘at ease’ pose. Who would be up this early? Teal eyes narrowed out of curiosity and suspicion as someone finally came into sight… a rider; and not just any rider. The large Glass blinked dumbly when he recognised Alix, her face beaming as she made her way up to his wing. He gave a low greeting to the other rider and mentioned something about getting his own rider – assuming that Alix was here to see her rather than himself. Nirvana hardly needed and invitation though and was soon standing in the threshold as Alix threatened to explode with her news. Ammit had… Both riders turned and grinned at Dichroic; a knowing grin… Large teal eyes blinked again as they stared at him with the same look on their faces. Worry gnawed at him; what had Ammit done? Was she ok? Where was she? It was His own rider, with a hand against his shoulder who managed to tell Dichoric that Ammit had laid her egg.

He didn’t want to hear any more; he had to see. Twisting around faster than his large body seemed possible of doing and started running down the corridor. As soon as he reached an open area Dichoric’s sea-green wings hit the air as he launched himself in the general direction of the sands. Nether rider had managed to tell him what type of egg it was Ammit had final laid after nine long months; and his own worries pestered him as they had during the whole time she had been carrying. He would be proud, that much he knew; but a part of him begged that the egg in question was an Earth, like its mother. Ammit would be so proud of a son or daughter of her own breed; as would he. Given the alternative it really was the best thing he could hope for; but as he back winged to land outside the sands there was that sinking feeling again and it took him a long moment to fold his translucent wings back along his sides. Swallowing as much of his own nerves as he could he pulled himself into his normal regal bearing and strode out onto the sands. The coloured light from the finally replaced glass ceiling refracted through the Glass dragon and pooled as white light momentarily at his feet as he stopped to get his directions.

There; she up among the gathering of Earthen nests and seeing that eased his panic a little as he convinced himself – or at least tried – that the egg was an Earth. With a respectful dip if his head to Kazuko Dichroic made his way up the sands to Ammit and with a quiet, musical croon he muzzled up against her shoulder. All the while being careful not to get her mane snagged on his horns. Part of him wanted to ask and part of him was too scared too; so for a moment he was happy just being with her, being this close. It was only when she shifted and he could see the gleaming shell of the egg she was protecting that Dichoric faltered. It was a Glass…

He could almost feel his heart stop for a second, his ears flickering in a manner that suggested they wanted to droop as he extended his metallic teal striped nose to the small egg buried against Ammit’s protective body. Quivering a little his eyes closed as his nose made contact, it was real enough and his worry turned his stomach over a few times. Glass eggs were common enough, but that was not why he was so worried. Common or not; Glass eggs had a very low survival rate, and the fact that he could count all the Academy’s Glass dragons on one paw was a testimony to that. He couldn’t ask Ammit to go through that heartbreak just because of him, it wasn’t fair. He twisted his head up to Ammit and nuzzled her nose to nose.

“It’s beautiful.” He told her with all honesty, despite his own fears about it hatching. Tilting his head back to the egg he parted his jaws a little, and brought forth the molten form of his element and created a few glass stones to settle around the egg along with some the real stones that had already been present. Should the little one hatch she had the right to know both elements. When he was done he settled down next to Ammit; unsure what to say, so it would seem that a trivial question leaked out of him. “Are you ok?”

A roar broke the silence of early morning.

The Celestial bolted upright from restless sleep, perturbed by the sound. An anxious pang gripped his stomach when he recognized it as the first of many cries. Roars were a common thing, but, as of late, he couldn’t help but twisting in his bed with worry at every loud vocalization that wrenched him from sleep. In years past he’d not paid much attention to the cries of females when they began to lay, calling for their mates to congratulate them and beam at their offspring, but it was oddly…different when one was subjected to the task of fatherhood for the first time.

Lumiére only wished for happy, healthy children, but he supposed even that was perhaps too much to ask for. Proxy’s and Kokopelli’s pregnancies hadn’t seemed complicated, at least to him from a somewhat removed perspective, but that hadn’t stopped him from constantly worrying. His main concern was perhaps the conception of one of his own breed made the late stages of gravidity and laying difficult, or potentially dangerous. Celestials had no problem depositing one of their own on the sands, but for some of the smaller breeds it could possibly be rather painful, a fact that he wasn’t keen on subjecting either of them to. What if they were in pain? What if he hadn’t been attentive enough? Questions and self-doubt plagued the new father like a sickness, invading his dreams and waking hours with a horrible level of worry.

Being woken up by such cries startled dragon out of his reverie. He rustled about his enormous bed and heaved himself to his feet, shuffling his wings and sending a great gust of hurried air about the private barrack. Makani rolled in his sleep at the noise, muttered incomprehensibly, and fell back into unconsciousness. Lumiére shuffled around his little collection of belongings for a small bag, which tinkled as he picked it up with a delicate pair of talons and hooked the loops around his larger remaining horn. It held a few trinkets for the three possible nests; nothing very flashy or expensive, but perhaps enough to satisfy the mothers as a welcoming present for the eggs’ arrival.

Lumiére fidgeted uneasily, ready to be off but...still not quite ready. He stared at Makani’s motionless body with regret. His heart didn’t feel the connection to the man that it once held, even less so when the memories of their two decade’s worth of desertion simmered at the edge of his thoughts with loathing, but he wasn’t just any human. He’d been by his side all his life, his best friend, and his soul mate. If anyone knew how to comfort him in his panic, it would be Makani, despite the troubles that the two faced as a fractured pair.

The dragon stepped slowly toward Makani’s bed and nosed the pile of blankets with a wavering question. "...Kani?"

He shifted again, but the desperate voice tugged him enough to pull the old rider into the realm of the living. "Yes?" he slurred, yawning as he cracked open an eye to peer at the enormous head looming above him.

Lumiére fidgeted again, shuffling his wings uncomfortably. "Would you mind coming with me?"

“Where to?”

“The Hatching Grounds.”

“Why would you wish to go the---oh….” Makani queried, trailing off and going rigid with surprise when another dragoness roared with the same tone as the first had. The aging rider frowned somewhat and pushed his upper body up to fully look at Lumiére. "You never told me you had partaken in Flights," he said, more of a statement than a question. "Don't tell me a big old dragon like you is afraid of a nesting female."

The dragon shivered and twitched his tail in mild annoyance. Bitterly, he remarked to himself, I didn’t think I needed your permission. “It’s not that,” he replied at last, “But you know I've never sired any hatchlings before, so I have no idea what the right thing to do is. I'll mess it up, I'm sure I will. What if I anger their mothers? Should I even go? I probably should, just to offer my assistance if they need it and maybe bring them some food, or maybe---"

"Wait, wait, wait," Makani sputtered, interjecting the blubbering dragon with a few quick exasperated waves of his arms. "...Them? Plural?"

Lumiére pulled his head back and blinked sheepishly. "Yes."

The rider went silent for a moment, too stunned to speak. Of course the dragon had tried to father some hatchlings in the past, but he'd never succeeded, and because they were usually too busy, he'd never thought that Lumiére was the sort to take such a huge interest. Certainly not so soon after he had recovered from the War. The Celestial averted his eyes, but rumbled in affirmation nonetheless. "You seem unhappy," he muttered meekly. Since their return he had taken much leave from Makani's side to breathe and think, and in those hours of venturing, Flights were happening and, well, the rest was history. "I was away from the company of females for so long that I---"

"Why would I be unhappy? Lumi, that's amazing! Two clutches! Two of them! Many don't get even that chance." He abruptly crawled out of bed, walking over to the nervous Celestial as his expression blossomed into one of joy. "I couldn't be happier for you. Come on, let's go. I don't think you'd wish to keep them waiting." Makani stumbled off to put on some clothes while Lumiére waited, making sure his satchel was secure enough for flight. When Makani was fully dressed, the Celestial bent down and gently lifted him to sit on his shoulders, relying on the man’s old training to ride without a saddle for the time being.

“Ready?” Makani queried.

Lumiére chuckled absently and unfurled his wings as he approached the landing on the other side of their room. “No, not really, but I’ll have to make do.” He dropped from the precipice a moment later and glided quickly off in the direction of the fields. Food would be needed, or at least he’d predicted. He listed off toward the pens of stampeding cows, swooped down and grabbed one in each hand before dispatching them with quick bursts of concentrated light to the back of their necks, searing the vertebrae clean through. The smell of charred flesh made the dragon’s mouth water, but he was too preoccupied to save one for himself or even think about consuming one with his stomach twisted in such knots. He took one up in his jaws and carried the other in a clenched hand.

After the cattle were collected, the Celestial made a beeline for the Hatching Grounds. He landed hard in a flurry of ruffled feathers and clinking scales as close as he dared to the entrance an awkwardly shuffled toward the Sands on three legs. Makani yelped and dug his heels into the large scales and held on tightly to the dragon’s shoulder feathers before he could be thrown off.

Lumiére nodded in an odd bobbing fashion toward the guards outside the archway that led into the cavern and pushed through. He bid Kazuko’s ghostly figure similar respect before turning his lilac gaze toward the throng of females scattered about the sands. His stomach did a backflip on its own as he noticed Proxy’s prominent lie dead center around the Celestial’s mound. Is it possible…? he whispered internally. He couldn’t see anything within her dark coils aside, but…perhaps he should visit Kokopelli on the off chance that the somewhat violent Fire would hold him at her side.

Striding in an odd gait across the sands, Lumiére approached Kokopelli first, spotting her sunset hues easily amidst the larger throngs of females. He warbled as he approached and lowered his head to place the cooked cattle beside her. "I'm sorry its not much of a gift, but I figured you might be hungry after the...uh...ordeal." Lumiére grinned sheepishly, nudging the fat cow closer to Kokopelli's nest. He fidgeted in a more pronounced manner, his midsection wiggling like an excited puppy. “If I may…” he muttered, looming slowly over the young Sonic and her nest to catch a glimpse of the violet disc within.

Lumiére was happy that it was anything at all. The sight of the egg ushered forth an elated croon from the large dragon's grinning muzzle. An egg! His egg, their egg! "Oh, how marvelous!" he burst out suddenly, shuffling his wings an almost childlike giddy manner. “I’m very happy, and I hope you are as well,” he crooned, eyes alight with pooling emotion toward both Kokopelli and their new child. The little Sonic egg was perfect; deep purple, well formed, and cushioned with musical instruments. His anxiety pegged down a notch and he sighed happily.

"A Sonic, not bad, my dear," Makani whispered atop the Celestial's shoulders. "A fine breed. I'm sure it will be healthy."

Lumiére trilled again, beaming with pride. “I have a gift for the nest as well. It’s also not the most extravagant of things, but it’s the thought that counts, right?” Lumiére rumbled merrily and reached back to take the small satchel in hand. Placing it on the ground, he nudged open the drawstring and plucked out a wooden column. “It’s a rainstick, or so the maker told me.” He offered it to Kokopelli, flipping it upside-down to produce a comforting pitter-patter of beads down the length of the jagged infrastructure. He glanced toward the dark female to his right out of the corner of his eye and bowed his head in apology. "I will be back later, Kokopelli, you have my word, but I think…I might…uh, get my head bitten off if I don’t attend to something first. If you need anything, I will have Makani acting as a runner so that I may help.” He bid one last merry rumble before taking off in the opposite direction, not quite wishing to leave Kokopelli’s side just yet, but…Proxy’s possible wrath in response to him staying with the young Sonic without visiting her frightened him into submission.

He strode quickly across the sands to the central mound and deposited the second cow close enough to the Fire dragoness for her to reach it, but kept a respectable distance between himself and her rather impressive talons. He had no idea if she would bar him from staying, but he had to get a look at what she curled around, even if his instincts already knew the answer; her domineering gaze toward everyone else in the grounds and her location all but tipped the scales toward the identity of their egg, but he couldn’t quite wrap his head around it without seeing. Makani glimpsed the shell first. "By the First," he whispered, catching a glance at the golden shell within. His mouth hung open in astonishment, as dumbstruck as his dragon was at the outcome of their union. "You sired a Celestial."

“I…” Lumiére stuttered. “I… I can’t believe it. After all these years, I would never have thought the first egg I sired would be one of my own kind.” His voice gradually escalated from a whisper to a loud shout. He bellowed in excitement, making the glass above their heads tinkle at the sound. Lumiére hovered, shifting from one foot to another and almost knocking the clinging man from his shoulders. “Proxy, this is splendid! How are you? Was it difficult? Are you in any pain right now? If you need anything, I’m more than happy to retrieve it for you, and see – look, I even brought you a cow if you get hungry.”

Makani grinned, cupping one hand and shouting to Ouray over his dragon’s elated questioning. “Don’t mind this buffoon, he’s generally harmless. Conrgats, by the way, to the both of you.”

Ore, to Metis

If she'd had external ears, they would have twitched and perked towards the sound of her mate's voice long before she raised her head and turned to look at him. As it was, she heard him even though she was cat-napping, and with a blink, raised her nose and looked around for the Ice dragon. She found him soon enough, since he had crossed the sands to find her, and his rider was already having an excited look at the eggs. Had Ore been a small human, she probably would have been squealing and jumping around in excitement as well, but as it was, that kind of behavior would have made a horrible mess and irritated a lot of hormonal mother dragons. So she only laughed at her mate's rider. When Metis stepped within nosing distance, she headbutted his shoulder affectionately.

"There's two! The cure worked, Metis!" she said excitedly, gesturing with a nod for him to come see the eggs that held their two children. Over on the floor, her rider stiffened for a moment at the sudden and unexpected presence of someone hugging him- because that never happened, especially lately since he'd been avoiding pretty much everyone- but then he patted one of the arms alung around his shoulders awkwardly and managed a bemused chuckle.

"Yes! I don't even really begrudge her the bedsheet," he said with a helpless gesture at the thing, contrasting a stark white to the lava nest in which it lay like a pillow for the two eggs. It was certainly an unconventional choice of nest linings, or so he assumed from the general lack of bedsheets or disgruntled riders sitting around. "Even if it was my last one. I guess I'll have to go over and see if they'll loan me one from the Candidates' barracks for the next couple of nights. I suppose I should be glad it wasn't my best clothes," he remarked, and Ore answered with a snort from where she was laying probably making calf eyes at Metis, if he was an accurate judge of what she spent her time doing in the other dragon's presence.

"Oh, don't even pretend you weren't eyeing them. I saw you. Last night when you thought I was asleep and you were pacing like a caged tiger," he said, but his argumentative tone was mostly joking. Mostly, because while she'd been cat-napping, he'd been sitting awake watching her curled around her eggs. She wasn't frightening to him when she was asleep, and he'd been savoring the moment. Still, he was tired.

"Maybe... but I wouldn't have taken them, not really," she said a bit sheepishly, and then her head whipped around as she heard a growl, not directed at her, but at Metis. She was turning her head to snap at Hadassah for growling for no reason, but the growl was quickly replaced by laughter, and she settled for a confused tip of her head and questioning chirp. Wait... so the dragoness Metis had talked about, the one who he felt he'd abandoned... that was Hadassah? Of all the weird things, Ore hadn't thought she actually knew the dragoness in question during that conversation. When Metis retreated to her other side, Ore shot Hadassah a half-grin and then turned to her mate.

"Metis? You alright? What's that you brought?" she asked, remembering that he'd hobbled over carrying something with him. "Come see our eggs!" she added, shifting around until she was on the side closest to Hadassah, with the eggs between herself and Metis. "I think they're the best thing I've ever seen," she hummed to her mate in absolutely elated happiness, so much of it she felt like she might explode.

Cereus, coming to see Cissa and feeling kiiiiinda guilty that she laid two Earth eggs!

It wasn't sunlight, birds, or anything else especially unusual that awoke Cereus, but his own rider. His tall, thin bonded awoke him by tapping him repeatedly on the tip of his nose until he awoke with a sneeze and a start. Then he looked down at the man and snorted.

"Whassat?" he mumbled sleepily, and Gruis pointed out the opening to their quarters without a word, and somewhat half-heartedly. Cereus lowered his head until he was at eye level with his rider, cornflower eye meeting dark brown eyes, and rumbled thoughtfully. "I can't understand you when you don't speak," he said softly. Gruis had not wanted to return to the Academy after Cereus had chased and won the pretty Air Narcissa, but he also realized that they couldn't just hang out in the wild indefinitely. He'd gone very quiet, and he jumped at a lot of things, and sometimes Cereus found him just sitting in a corner of their quarters panicking about nothing he could see or hear.

"Three dragonesses just flew by. I think they're laying their eggs," he remarked, and his bonded was suddenly standing, looking out the door with a nervous little flick of his huge wings. "Really? I mean... I should go! I should go make sure Narcissa is okay!" he said and almost went right then, but as he stepped into the early morning sun, he turned and padded back to Gruis, who was looking around like he was lost. "Come on! You're coming with me. You've been stuck in here too long, at least the other anti-social riders go outside sometimes," he said, picking the man up by the back of his shirt and setting him on his back. Then he bounded to the Hatching Grounds and looked about for the lovely duck Air who'd chosen him to father this clutch of eggs. She was easy enough to find, as tall as he was, and he padded as gently as a huge Earth could.

"Narcissa? I'm sorry I wasn't faster getting here! Are you alright? Can I bring you anything? I forgot to go hunt! I was...um," here, he would have blushed if dragons could. His tail, his ridiculous, long tail, flipped a little self-consciously. "I was excited." Then he glanced from the Air to the eggs next to which she nestled, and his head bobbed as if he thought he might be seeing double. "Two? Oh, I'm so sorry! Two Earths! That mustn't have been comfortable," he said with concern, "But they're beautiful, look at them! Are you alright?" he asked. A tapping on his shoulder stopped the stream of mixed questions and statements before he could continue, Gruis letting him know that he was rabbitting on like he sometimes did when he was excited. His rider was chuckling very softly, though, the once-familiar sound barely loud enough for Cereus to hear. When the Earth ducked a shoulder, Gruis slid down and bowed to the Air almost as soon as his feet hit the ground. It was perhaps a bit of the joker's bow, but the sincerity was there.

"I congratulate you, lady Air, on your lovely eggs," he said, again perhaps a shade too serious to be believed, but the smile on his face was certainly genuine, and he was absolutely glad for the pair. Cereus, who'd at last sat down, shuffled his front feet happily, but carefully did not disturb the sand so carefully arranged around the eggs.

Kokopelli to Lumiére (and Cadence at the very very beginning!)

Of those she was looking and waiting for, her mother was first to arrive. Kokopelli greeted her with a raucous waterfall blast of flute notes that made Denahi jump.

"Mother! I laid an egg, and it's a Sonic!" she practically bugled, and Denahi just shook his head. She would certainly be an enthusiastic mother. As Cadence prepared her own nest, Kokopelli left her to her work and to lay her egg, not wishing to intrude on her mother's privacy, but she did catch a glimpse of a pretty Air egg when the bright dragoness stepped aside.

Then Lumiére arrived, the huge Celestial unable to do anything but loom over her, he was so tall. She cocked her head all the way back and greeted him even more enthusiastically than she'd greeted her mother, prompting Denahi to cover his ears and back off several steps until he was sure she was done with the noisemaking. Lord, she was loud. He wished whatever poor candidate her kid bonded to luck or tolerance of loud sounds, if that babe took after its mother. He waved in passing and apologetically to the rider perched far above on the Celestial's back, but knew being heard over the two dragons chatting was a lost cause.

Kokopelli, for her part, seemed not to notice her rider's discomfort, or perhaps she just wasn't bothered, since he was usually discomforted by something or other. She shifted so that Lumiére could get a good look at the egg, a merry laugh spilling from her gaped jaws.

"Of course you may! It's your child, too! And yes, thank you, I am very happy!" she exclaimed to him as she tilted her head up. A short happy trill went through her back spikes and she twitched her wings a little, a laying-on-the-ground manifestation of her dragon dance of happiness, as Lumiére offered her a lovely stick that sounded like rain to add to the nest. She took it very gently and arranged it alongside the lovely tinkling glass shards and Denahi's chime, which hung from a stick he'd found at her asking and planted behind the nest with the express purpose of hanging the chime from it. "Ah, it does sound just like rain, so that is an apt name. Thank you very much, Lumiére," she said, reaching forward and nosing what she could reach- his paw- in thanks. A gift for the nest on top of the cooked cow! Which also looked absolutely delicious. But she was keeping him from his other egg! She mustn't do that, especially since it belonged to that kind of scary looking Fire, if the direction he was glancing meant anything. She nodded.

"Congratulations on your other egg as well! But please do avoid getting your head bitten off, that would be sad. I'm not going anywhere, goodness knows, so take your time. And thank you also for the cow," she said to him. When he'd gone, her rider stepped forward to stand by her head, one hand on her neck.

"A Celestial, Pelli?" he asked with deceptive boredom. She dipped her nose and looked sideways at him. He was grinning at her discomfort, and she snorted. "Yes, a Celestial. He rescued me from a tree," she informed him matter-of-factly, and the grin widened, as wide as she'd ever seen her rider smile.

"Rescued you from... a... tree?" he asked, and she realized he was trying very hard not to laugh. Her eyes narrowed and she school her facial expression to one of impassive neutrality, chin raised almost haughtily. "Yes. A tree. I was playing hide and seek with them and I got stuck, and he got me down." At this admission, Denahi lost all attempts at being serious, and with a "PFFFFFFF" sound, he laughed, so hard that he had to sit down and lean against her side or risk falling over. Tears ran down his face. Apparently he thought this was the most hilarious thing he'd ever heard. Or maybe he had finally, as Pelli had been warning him for years would happen, gone completely crazy.

"I'm sorry, are you quite finished?" she finally asked, more than a little put out, and he strangled the last few giggles and just sat breathing hard with his back against her ribs. When she swung her nose over to glare at him, he reached his hand up and put the palm across the bridge of her nose. He said nothing, but just shook his head, still grinning, and she snorted a litle at him before turning to begin demolishing the cow.

Hadassah and Metis to Ore

It was true, Hadassah hadn't forgotten the pain and sadness she'd felt when every other female her first season had laid their eggs and she hadn't even felt pregnant. She hadn't been after all. Metis, along with the rest of his breed and many others, had fallen ill and those that had survived the initial strike were made infertile and impotent seemingly forever. Hadassah had been younger, flighty, and drugged by her own hormones. Her maiden flight, her very first, had resulted in nothing but emptiness and regret. But that all changed the moment she laid Buccinal and Tonare's eggs. All that emptiness was filled with the birth of her daughter and son nearly two years ago. It had hurt, but she had grown past it…and no longer could honestly say she held it against the poor Ice, who from the looks of things remembered very clearly what had happened.

The Forest wrapped her tail in a protective semi-circle around her nest and used her nose to push a few twigs into a conical shaped cage around her egg. When Ore looked at her in surprise, then chirped curiously at her sudden laughter, the Forest glanced up at her, a sleepy, satisfied look in her eyes. "Perhaps he has already filled you in. But if he hasn't I'm sure he will now. No need to worry dear Ore," she told the Lava, whom she liked very much. They'd fought at Iyalruek together, defeated a Taint together, and rescued both of their riders. She was a comrade that Hadassah didn't feel the least bit ashamed having nest nearby. "Congratulations on your clutch, a fine one it is," she said warmly, having woken at the sudden burst of heat from Ore's nest-making. She'd seen enough to know that Ore had not one but two eggs in her clutch, much like she had last time. And it must have made her even more proud than most, being that Ore's was one of the breeds that had been stricken barren by the biological attack that affected Metis.

Slightly more relaxed, Metis crooned softly when Ore pointed him toward her clutch. Seeing them made him swell with pride and he felt like bugling like a silly yearling taken his first flight. "Oh…they're perfect," he said, prancing slightly where he stood. "Not just one but two!" He exclaimed joyously. He craned his neck to see them better. A Lava and a Metal. Metis didn't know for sure, but he felt in his heart that they'd be strong and able. All the nightmares would never plague him again. He hadn't let Ore down, and now, seeing their eggs together in their nest, he felt closer to her than ever.

He almost forgot when she asked what he'd brought with him, so taken he was with the eggs, to give her the small gift he'd made for her. It seemed a pitiful present in comparison to the gift she graced him with, but he was willing to bend over backward for the Lava even if it killed him. "Oh! I made you something…it's not much, but maybe it will keep you occupied while you watch," he told her, bending his neck to push a rather large rectangular object in her direction. Upon closer inspection, one could see that it was a very large…somewhat crude being a prototype…book of some sort. Its pages were thick leaves of very thin pressed wood pulp with cloth adhered to the surface with dried resin. Once opened, it revealed letters penned in a crude and inexperienced hand—or in Metis's case, claw—in dark black ink. "I copied the words myself, well…as best I could," he chuckled nervously. Being a dragon, he'd never written a word in his life, even though he could read them, so he merely tried to copy the shapes of the letters in the book he copied carefully from. "I think it will work unless you spit lava on it," he laughed.

"That thing is pretty damn indestructible if you ask me," Audra piped in. "Ask my throbbing toes that found it in the middle of the night."

"I wasn't sure what book you liked the most, so I picked a good story I thought you would enjoy," the Ice said, as proud of his work as a toddler drawing a scribbled image for his parent's wall. Because he and Ore discussed books—even jokingly—so often, he thought it might an appropriate, if not amusing gift for his mate. "Are you hungry? I can bring you something to eat if you'd like," he said happily, sitting next to her and nuzzling her shoulder.

Audra rolled her eyes and laughed. It was so very good to see Metis so blissfully happy with at least one individual other than herself after so many years of uncertainty and shyness. Sitting on the sand next to Roh, the Ice rider smirked and patted his shoulder, "I'm sure we can find you some new bed sheets around here somewhere," she said consolingly.

Buccinal to Anala

Even though Buccinal craned his neck around to try and see the egg, Anala purposefully hid it from him at first, causing a snort of displeasure from the Sonic. Fortunately, she didn't make him wait long. When she finally revealed the gleaming shell, almost the exact shade of his own crystal and his eyes, Buccinal could only stare at it in amazement. Trying to connect the events that brought it about in his head made him realize once and for all that the egg resting comfortably between its mother's forearms had only come into existence because of her and him. No one else. It didn't just poof into existence. It was as much a part of him as it was the Fire that held it so carefully.

A low, curious, yet comforting rumble radiated outward from the cobalt Sonic as he stared, entranced, at the egg. Anala broke his concentration with a quick purr and soft touch of her warm snout against his own. Looking up at her pair of turquoise eyes, gleaming like gemstones framed by fire, Bucc made a quiet whistle at her. "Think the world can only handle one," he said, his spines whistling his words with some amusement at their discussion they'd had weeks ago on these very sands.

Mykhail smiled broadly. He wouldn't understand until later how strongly he'd felt his dragon's emotions even without his crystal to connect them. Their bond was an odd one on the surface, but it ran deeper than most realized. It's roots were firmly planted in the consciousness of both, even when they looked like they hated each others guts. When Sarafina spoke, he looked at her as though looking through the haze of a dream, thanks to his dragon's odd emotions, "Yep, something tells me the same," he said, that satisfied grin still lingering on his face. The kind of grin his dragon would be displaying if his face knew any other way to arrange itself. There were no words to describe how proud of Buccinal he was, being so pleasant with this female. Of course, it probably had a lot to do with Anala too. She was a sweetheart even if she was as bold and determined as Bucc. Proof that the Sonic could be pleasant if he didn't feel threatened by negative judgment.

"Part of me can't wait to see what's in there. The other part is terrified," he laughed. "Let's just hope Sekkai doesn't get a fire breathing Bucc, or we might be in fiery trouble," he joked lightheartedly.

Salus to Lithia

Salus was.... exited... to say the least. Lithias newfound fertility had been a real gift, a gift granted by the Hybrids and their researches and Salus was still stunned by the miracle it was. He hadn't found a way to heal her on his own but just as with the taint, someone else had found a way to make things right. And Lithia, the glorious, wonderful love of his life had chosen him once more, without doubt, without fail. She had always stood by his side one way or another even while he had flown other females during her long infertility and apparently never loved him less for it. Sometimes... he wondered how he had ever managed to win her heart in the first part, how he even deserved so much love, so much forgiveness. But... a single look at her, a single glance into her eyes made him forget all these questions. He loved her. Simple as that. Once more he found that 'love' was too short and to easy a word to describe what he felt truly. And as the time passed and many females begun to show signs of pregnancy, he grew more and more anxious. He did not worry the healing had not been complete. It didn't matter to him. All that mattered was that Lithia was whole and happy. And that she was. But he did remember the first clutch he had sired, their first child, his exitement over their first egg... and it was as if time had spun backwards to that very day, leaving him twitching and shivering in exitement as soon as he heard the first female call her mate to the hatching grounds.

It was just like that first time. As if he were a first-time father again. Everything was new and exiting once more. And... unlike that day... he was rather prepared. He had collected a few things for the day their child or children were to lay on the sands for the first time, just a handful of trinkets. So it took him time to gather them all up before he could hatch to the hatching grounds, knowing full well that Lithia was probably already there and probably had already have her eggs... their eggs... He made his way towards the sands with a light bounce to them, a weightless feeling in him that already made him dizzy. There were many females gathered. More than he had ever seen before and he assumed it was a good thing, considering that they all would hatch their young into peace. He saw many of his own family too. Not his daughter Ionos but his grandchild and great-grandchildren. He smiled, seeing they were well but couldn't bring himself to visit any of them before seeing his mate and their child first. Lithia was easy to spot. For him at least for it was not her color so much that made her stand out. It was as if whenever he caught so much as a glimpse of her, his heart would leap from his chest towards her, tugging him along with it. It was impossible for him not to spot her almost instantly.

He didn't walk over in collected calm altough he did make sure he did not come close to any other female around her, he came towards her in long, leaping bounds instead, joy and exitement already spilling over visibly. He didn't care what onlookers might think of him. He just wanted to be with her and swiftly. "Lithia!", he called happily, attempting to perform a proper greeting but giving up the farce as soon as he had wriggled out of his harness and set it to the ground carefully. He took a breath and opened his mouth, a thousand words, a thousand things dancing in his mind... ...but nothing came out and instead he slowly came to her side to peer carefully at what lay in the protective curl of her body. He stood there for long heartbeats, frozen. Was he disappointed? No, certainly not. His posture was much different, struck with awe. And then, like a spell broken he started laughing with joy. And crying. For Salus had always tried to immitate as many human emotions as possible for his work at the Infirmary and found that crying did come naturally to him. "Oh Lithia...", he muttered, choking on even these simple words as he turned back towards her, bounding over to her head to lean into her with his entire small body, wrapping his wings around her as much he could, always careful not to disturb the egg.

"Lithia... it's a miracle... You are a miracle...", he whispered to her, his heart still spilling over with joy. There had been one thing of the past he had always regretted, one thing that had always been there with its tinge of deep sadness. That he had never been able to give her a child of her own breed before infertility struck her. That she had never been able to see a child of her own cold beauty grow and prosper as he had seen so many of his own kind. And now with her cure of infertility... she had finally been given an ice egg. At long last. If there had ever been a dragon deserving of having a child of her own kind, it was certainly Lithia who had never loved any of her young less for being different. And the Rosemaries among them tended to be different... a lot. She had put up with them and him too with all her love and joy... And finally... was rewarded. Hopefully it wouldn't be as eccentric as his Rosy children, Salus mused ruefully, still pressing against her cool, smooth scales. Finally he managed to gather his wits together once more, taking a deep breath before stepping back. "A miracle...", he kept muttering as he walked back to his things, pulling out a large sack to open it and lay it out before his mate.

"I brought you fruits of all kinds and favors, a few pieces of meat and fish too...", he told her as he showed her the colorfull mixture of different food, some of them prepared and flavoured, some raw as they came. "I thought you might find distraction by interesting different tastes welcome...", he smiled warmly, knowing that being bound to this place for many days could become rather annoying and boring without any distraction around. "...I'll bring you more or different things whenever you need it.", he told her altough he assumed she already knew he'd do anything to keep her happy and relaxed as the days passed by. "I also brought along this...", he said, pulling a number of large pots from another part of his harness. At first glance they seemed to be covered in thick grass with large, sharp leaves but upon closer inspection one could find hundreds of tiny blue flowers scattered among it, some of them blooming, some still closed. Many would not recognize them but perhaps Lithia would. They were from the far north where there was hardly ever any summer. "During this time of the year... the first begin to poke their heads through the snow and bloom despite the cold...", he explained, pushing the pots towards her for inspection. "They won't mind the cold the egg needs and keep blooming for many days still.", he told her, looking up. He had originally gathered them himself so she might have something that reminded her of cooler regions, something that reminded her of the snow and ice she loved so much. Had there been a Rosemary egg, they would have been a welcome addition around it too. But as it turned out they were even more perfect for the egg he hadn't dare to even hope for. Cultivating these flowers in the warm and moist climate of the Academy had been difficult. But around the egg they would prosper and grow. He hoped Lithia would approve. Then there was another thing he had brought along that awaited her approval moreso even. Something he had not dared to bring along thus far but hoped it would find approval in her eyes. It was a book he took from his harness last, a huge tome, old and worn by the use of many hands. He held it carefully in his claws, looking up to her: "I brought this along aswell. It's a book full of stories humans read to their children when they are little. Tyrael calls them fairytales and we assume that at least in the late stages within their shells our children can hear our voices. I was thinking... ...if you would like to hear them... I would like to read one of these stories to you and to our child every night." he said that very carefully, knowing it was highly unconventional... but he had found that these idle stories could teach the young a very great deal about things important in life and yet be very entertaining. Salus was hoping Lithia approved because he was actually already looking forward to reading one of them every night as the sands grew quieter. Filling the silence with wonderful stories of strange worlds and even stranger creatures only imagination could create before your minds eye. Perhaps it would make the long wait a little shorter, fill their waking hours with magical things as they sat and awaited the day when at long last their child would emerge from his or her shell.

In his mind, this young ice was beautiful. Always would be, no matter how it might look in the end. For life itself... was beautiful.

---

Auster to Lagrange

Auster had no trouble noticing Lagranges arrival as the flying patterns of a Gravity did often seem quite a bit odd and approved of the fact that even today he looked quite dashing. He always did, truth be told and she was pleased by that. She was even willing to overlook the fact he was gawking at her egg for a little. Their egg. Well, it was to be expected, was it not? Of course, not by her mate... ...but people were supposed to gawk at the tiny miracle. Thus she did not shoot him more than a slightly displeased glance, fluffing up her feathers and looking quite regal as she lay there on her high perch. His words pleased her greatly and his careful approach and demeanor did so too, putting her mind at ease that this male might not have come to take her child. "Of course.", she agreed "Our child will be the most wonderful of them all.", she said, her voice in a tone of absolute certainty.

She perked up slightly when he floated the box over to her, curiously peering at it as she snatched it from the air daintily, opening the lid quite carefully to look inside. What she saw apparently pleased her greatly as she begun to humm in pleasure, running her claws over the golden cuffs. She instantly knew she would wear them. No, not just wear them, wear them every day from now on, always making sure they shone and were as beautiful as she were. For a creature like Auster... this indeed was the perfect gift. She picked them up with the utmost care, her humm deepening as she saw how the light danced across the surface of the three cuffs and the chain. She hesitated only for a moment before trying them on, a pleased croon escaping her as she saw they fit her perfectly, testing their fit with a swift flick of her tail. Perfect, simply perfect. And they didn't seem to hinder her movement at all! She straightened a few rumpled feathers back in place, clearly swayed by his gift and looked up, her voice thick with joy and pleasure. "Come, sit with me my mate.", she said warmly, making an invitational gesture with one clawed paw. She greatly approved of his gift and behavior, the short moment of gawking already forgiven. And, deep within her, a tiny, tight knot released silently, a fear she had felt all day long. Revealing an even tinier sliver of actual and real joy at his presence. His comforting, pleasing sight. It would never show, never get past the vain surface but in this moment Auster had found a very real, very uncharacteristic liking to him. She did not merely approve of his presence...
...she was glad he was here.

---

Proxy and Ouray to Lumieré


Proxy did not quite catch his arrival, her mind already fogging over with exhaustion altough no muscle in her body even so much as twitched. She kept her posture, head held high and only after a while noticed that her mate had arrived. Only he hadn't made a straight line for her. Instead he walked over to another female, one who had taken a spot rather close to her, close enough to be on the edge of uncomfort. Hadn't she been so tired, Proxy might have attempted to push her further away but now that the Sonic had laid her egg... well, Proxy was not a cruel thing and would never be. She had only just been forced to shift her own position and knew how that felt. She would not inflict such a thing on another. She watched in silence as the male Celestial approached the Sonic female, listening and staring as she saw his almost childish display of joy over the egg of another. He had brought food along it seemed and she could smell it from where she was. Freshly burned meat. Her favorite to be exact. He only left one of the cows with the other female so the assumed there was a slim chance he might come to visit her too. She hoped he would. She had tried to talk to him prior to this day but not found him then, nor being able to muster the courage to try more than once.

So when he finally turned away from the other female to start walking towards her, she was actually relieved. Just a little. It did not show openly. Nor did her tension show. She wasn't sure what to expect of him, how he would react to their child and it made her belly knot and curl in on itself. Ouray would probably be the only one who could tell with certainty she was not as relaxed as she tried her attentive posture to appear. That her display of claws and ferociocy was not all domeneering pride. That in truth she was so very, very afraid of his reaction it made him cringe in sympathy. Silly thing. Why didn't she chose the fire instead? Not only would the egg have been much much smaller and much less painful to deliver but she would have also known exactly what to expect of him. Tez had said he would care for her and her eggs. Even after the hatching. This male had said none of these things and still Proxy had chosen him, leaving her with all this uncertainty.

Perhaps she needn't have worried so much. For his exited whisper soon enough turned into an exited bellow, the glassen dome overhead tingling with the sheer volume of his voice. So he did approve after all. Relaxation came in a warm wave as relieve washed over her. She didn't relax visibly so much, still tightly shielding her feelings from the outside world with her calm and collected posture but Ouray once more could tell her wings were tucked to her side much less stiffly now, her muscles no longer cramping up with tension. He had kept his distance... but he didn't disapprove and his fretting actually brought a small and tired but warm smile to her lips. It did reveal an awful lot of teeth too but Proxy didn't mean the gesture to be threatening. He seemed about ready to dance from one foot to the other and his words were quite bubbly too, spilling out of him like a waterfall. For only a short moment Proxy felt as if she were the elder of them both and found his exitement to be rather soothing to be honest.

She waited quietly for the waterfall of his words to ebb, answering calmly once his words fell away. "I am glad you... ...approve.", she said carefully, looking down at the golden orb by her paws. "I didn't expect it either. And I must admit something... smaller... to be my first child might have been... less straining.", she admitted a little more quietly still. She didn't quite dare to admit how much of a struggle it had been. Delivering her egg had taken her long, long enough for her to worry something had gone terribly wrong and it hadn't been particularly painless either. To imagine anyone smaller than her could bring an egg of such size into this world seemed rather... painful a thought. Perhaps next time she should simply choose a male smaller than her. That would've been much less painfull but you were always the wiser afterwards. Besides... would she really have wanted that? She knew she hadn't answered all his questions... or been entirely honest with him but she was too tired to think of much else to say. Instead she turned her attention to the meal he mentioned, sniffing the air. It smelled almost too good to be true and her belly rumbled the affirmative. Now that she thought of it and smelled it, she realised she the was indeed quiet hungry.

The cow was not as crisp as she usually prefered them but she wasn't that picky and the scent of burned meat and hair was overwhelming enough. It was within easy reach too altough shifting her weight to get to it seemed awfully exhausting still. She picked up the cow with her teeth, pausing thoughtfully only for a moment before she bit clean through, swallowing about two thirds of the beast with some chewing and without terrible bloodshed. The other third, the frontal part she picked up and placed back before his feet. She might have nudged it towards him but that would only have covered it in sand and made a mess. And she had outgrown making a terrible mess of her feedings a little while ago. It was the chewier part, certainly but her gesture was clear. "You should probably eat too. All that wriggling around in place must be quite exhausting.", she said with mild amusement, shifting her weight back into a much more comfortable position. Besides, she didn't feel like wolfing down more than two thirds of that cow, knowing that too much food would add pressure to her lower body that might only make her feel more uncomfortable and not less so. What she had eaten was a pleasant weight in her belly nonetheless, something her body had been asking for more desperately than she'd realised.


Ouray had been silent for the most part, watching and listening, waving in acknowledgement when the other rider shouted down, shouting a "Thank you!", up in response. He was still bare-chested, his hair sleep touseld but at least the slavia had long dried off in the pleasant heat and he didn't feel he needed any additional clothes besides his trousers. There was something else bothering him. Something that kept nagging at him until he finally moved away from Proxy and her egg to walk towards Lumieré, gesturing for the Celestial to lower his head so he might speak to him more privately. With Proxy growing up around him he was surprisingly fearless of huge dragons, to a degree even that might seem insane to post people but had nothing to do with it, really. It was simply the utter certainty that Proxy herself would never hurt him, never be rough around him and he thereby expected all other large dragons to be equally mindful of their enormous size. Besides... he knew Proxy was watching. He could feel her intense stare without even probing their bond, knew that if Lumieré even did so much as lift a single claw against him she'd cross the distance in the blink of an eye. Calmly as she might appear, he'd seen her leap from seeming calm and knew she'd pounce immediately to land claws first in the Celestials face if she had to. Which was probably exactly why Ouray needed him to lower his head down to talk quietly to him instead of shouting up to the large beast under her searing gaze.


Should the celestial decide to lower his head, he would speak to him in quiet but surprisingly melodic tones, focusing to look him into one of his eyes, knowing he would not be able to look levely into both at such close range. "I think there is something you might find helpful to know about my partner.", he would tell the Celestial, his voice too quiet to be overheard by Proxy who wouldn't move her gaze from either of them. "Should you actually manage to enrage her, you will be given a fair warning ahead of time. Perhaps you remember from the flight... her markings will glow yellow, then orange and finally red if she really is angry.", he would explain in calm tones, actually hoping to set the Celestials mind at ease altough he might just be doing the opposite. "If she does spit fire... she has a tendency to open her mouth too early so you can see it glowing and building deep down her throat about an heartbeat before she actually does let go. That would be about the time you need to duck and take cover.", he grinned ruefully. It wasn't quite what he wanted to say. Wasn't what he meant the other dragon to hear. But he was already vastly overstepping boundaries and any more would have been inappropriate. Quit being afraid of her., was what he really wanted to say but he dared not. Ouit being afraid of her or sooner or later you will hurt her. And I love her with all my heart and soul and do not wish to see her hurt. - it was on his tongue, in his mind, in his eyes even as he looked at the Celestial but he did not utter it aloud, instead turning away with a gentle smile to walk back to his dragon who would welcome him back with a soft croon and gentle touch of her muzzle...

Smallfire
It was the slight trickle of light from the window that woke the mighty Fire from the dreggy grasps of her slumber, leaving her to survey her surroundings coolly for a moment before widening her toothsome maw in a ponderous yawn. An instant later a forceful breeze rushed in from the outside and washed over her body like a tidal wave, weaving between the Fire’s every scale to quench the feverish heat that had gathered there during her rest and at once Smallfire felt gratitude for her rider. It took a little self-sacrifice to leave the gates of the flight entrance open, especially with the autumn coming…but with the pregnancy came strange circumstances.

Each dragoness experienced their own plights during the gestation period and Smallfire’s was to be perpetually hot, cloaked in an aura of heat that emitted from her body. Still in the grasp of the cool breeze, steam trailed off her body in lazy curls just as if she was a red-hot piece of ore. Each day became a routine of heating and cooling and so Smallfire often spent her time in either the Lake Gardens or the hot springs to suit her needs. It must be a strange sight to see a fire so keen to visiting sites of water but a voracious thirst persisted and the weightlessness brought by the water seemed to comfort the stirring egg within.

Thinking about it Smallfire became acutely aware of her stomach and of the presence of the egg within. Since the flight it had become distended, lined with two pouches of fat that forced the blood red scales to jut out of line and expose the sensitive skin beneath and between. At first Smallfire mumbled endlessly about it, insulted that a warrior would get fat even when egg-heavy. There was simply no excuse in the Fire’s mind and the feeling of vulnerably made her edgy.

The only respite she got was when she swam, and even then Smallfire got strange looks from people and dragons alike when steam suddenly erupted all around her. In return, if she were of a questionable mood, the Fire dragoness would carefully remind them that she was in fact a member of the Fire breed and that her abilities were of long distance capability. Only Rynn could get away with teasing her Bonded and often mused that Smallfire had become a sort of living volcano, which must mean that the egg she bore was a Lava. It was a possibility since her…chosen was an Earth, but it could just as easily be a Fire, like herself, or a Glass or an Earth. However that didn’t stop Rynn from insisting her views were correct when she laid beside Smallfire at night, pressed against the Fire’s bulging belly.

Speaking of Rynn, a flutter of motion drew Smallfire’s gaze to a thrashing bundle of blankets that was her rider bolting out of bed, frenzy hair and all without a care for grace just to pause and put a palm to her face a moment later with an audible smack.

“ Strange to you up so early, and in such a hurry, mine,” said Smallfire, chuckling. The women stretched her head sheepishly at being caught, kicking lightly at the sheets to untangle herself. “Well, I thought I saw some smoke but you know, I forgot that you steam the most in the morning,” she replied a bit groggily. “ The finest way to wake up in the morning. I’ll start making breakfast…oh wait food is served in the banquet hall, my bad.” She rambled on, stretching her arms whilst her minute frame wandered over to some shelfs littered with books.

Stretching a bit herself Smallfire made to stand but her efforts were halted when a sudden jolt of pain stabbed through her stomach. A whine passed through her clutched teeth as another came, this one more urgent. An expression akin to aghast crossed the Fire’s features. It was an unfamiliar pain and Smallfire was unsure what to make of it. Could this be…?

Without a second thought Smallfire made her way toward the gates to the halls. She needed to get to the Hatching Grounds right away, there was no time to waste. With a silence usually not associated with one of her bulk the fire had nearly made it out of the dorms before being detected by her bonded. “ And where are you going?” She inquired, pot in hand. Smallfire begrudgingly stopped herself, wincing slightly from another contraction that ripped through her stomach.“ I think it's time for me to lay, Rynn. In fact, it is.”

“ WHAT?!” Came the outburst. The pot fell in a clamor of metal as it hit the floor and was kicked again by the fumbling feet of the now bolting human. “ You couldn’t wait till I was decent!” shouted Rynn while she fumbled for clothing, quickly getting fed up and grabbing a long scarf to decorate herself with. Luckily the women had slept with a tunic and pants so decency wasn’t really an issue. She had just been planning to be all nicely attire when the time came, as she thought all riders would be at a such a time. Skidding around the corner Smallfire started to lower herself to let Rynn on the darting women quickly dismissed it with a flail of her arm. “ No time for that, I’ll just hitch on ride on your tail. Now go, go, go!”

With the grace of unoccupied hallways the Fire’s pace went unchecked and they were soon were at the grounds. Smallfire was the first to notice the number of dragons there and felt a tinge of joy when she saw Ana among the nesting females with Dhruva at her side. She had a passing acquaintance with both of them since she was part of the rescue mission that had found the ashen dragoness in the Desolation. But those were the only ones familiar to her…other then Iridae, which brought a slightly bitter taste to her mouth and another pang from contractions, which somehow seemed fitting while reminding the young fire of her purpose here. Such trivial things could wait till later.

Approaching the nesting material, Smallfire glanced quickly at the other nests assembled around and selected a clawful of kindling and grasped a hefty log in her jaws which she carried with ease.

Swiftly a spot was chosen somewhere near two other fires but far enough to be considered privet and went to work into digging a shallow depression in the sand first for herself and then the nest within the other with her massive claws after letting Rynn off from her tail. Settling into the sand Smallfire made quick work of her nest, ordering the kindling and logs in a way that would hopefully burn for a while. Content with her design Smallfire let her body sink into the sand while slightly elevated over the nest, humming lowly at the feel of the warm sands on her sides as she prepared for the task at hand. The contractions intensified instantly and the poor fire could only groan with effort just as Rynn could only comfort her with gentle strokes along her nose, but the gesture was appreciated. Being her first egg everything was to be exaggerated and while she was unsure if things were going smoothly the fires instincts alerted her to nothing estrange so she did not linger long on negative thoughts, just concentrated on pushing. It was the only thing she could do at this point anyway.

However it was difficult to feel comfortable and at one time shifted onto her side, embracing the heat of the grounds beneath her as she panted. The key was to relax, she concluded and after an unknown stretch of time a faint thud was felt against the glistening grains and the heaviness that she had carried with her vanished in an instant. The task was done. Smallfire herself was too exhausted to look right away, but Rynn was not and quick as she could scurried over to see what life her dragon had brought into the world. Peering into the shadows a grin fit for a cheshire grew on her face. “ Is that a Lava I see?” she asked questioningly , but in a way that suggested she knew the answer and was just acting, leaning as close as she dared. “ Ha! I told you it’d be a Lava. Teaches you to doubt my foresight.” She added teasingly.

Raising her head, which felt queerly heavy, Smallfire saw that it was indeed a Lava that she had lain, dark with glowing veins and healthy as far as she could tell. Even in the gloom of her colossal shadow it glowed dimly. Somehow the size of it disappointed her, as if the effort wasn’t worth something smaller then her claw but a glimmer of pride and joy shone in her bright green eyes nonetheless at the sight of her child. Yet there was a disquiet that was stirred deep within as well.

It was still unknown to Smallfire if the male she had taken as her consort was indeed Tainted but the thought had never left her mind, nor could she forgive herself for laying with one of the enemy — or once was — despite Brakken’s demeanor or how many times it’d happen in history. If the rumors were true, then Smallfire herself was half tainted.

Well, only one thing was for sure. She would not abandon this egg, whatever the linage, unlike her own mother that had so heartlessly left her clutch at this precious moment. Had it not been for her Metal father, Hephaestus, she and her brothers would have never breathed their first breaths.

Curling her massive body around her Lava egg she whispered lowly to it. “ Welcome to the world, fire of my fire.” Later when the egg was dry she would ignite the kindling to regulate the tempter but for now it was still hot from her body so it was all right to rest for the moment.


[One Lava egg please]

Ammit to Dichroic

The Earth's eyes brightened at the sight of her mate. His bright, attractive colors countering her own drab palette. She could only imagine how proud he would be, to see that their egg was of his breed. Crooning, she nuzzled him as he placed his muzzle on her shoulder. With his presence finally acquired she moved and showed them their beautiful egg that held their child. She was so happy that she could give him on of his breed. Already there were three Earth eggs on the sands so she didn't have to many qualms about not bearing one of her own.

She watched her mate's actions with a small feeling of concern growing inside of her. She too understood that Glass eggs were hard to take care of. They needed the right temperature, level ground (which she could easily maintain), and she would need to watch it constantly to check for signs of movement inside. It was a lot of work, but as a mother it was her duty to perform those tasks no matter how hard or the cost. She would ensure that her egg would hatch a healthy and strong hatchling that would bond to a rider of it's own. Maybe later when all of the males were gone she would ask Dichroic's mother, Celiostiahle if she could tell her anything on rearing a Glass egg. Yes that would be a good idea.

A rumble passed through her chest as she touched noses with the teal male. "Indeed our egg is beautiful. And it will produce a beautiful hatchling when the time comes." Looking down at her one and only egg she thought, "I will not let you die little one. You will live. I will make sure of that."

She watched as Dichroic molded Glass rocks for the nest. A sigh passed her lips as Dichroic inquired about her health. “I am all right. Laying was a bit painful but that is to be expected.” She sighed as she shuffled her wings to cover her mate. A concern clawed at her as she lay there. Finally she decided to turn to her smaller mate and voice her concern. "To be honest. I am a little worried. Glass eggs need... meticulous care, and things... tend to go wrong. I thought I would ask your mother for advice when we both have time, as I see she has an egg of her own too." She wasn't used to admitting her fears to other people. Even her own rider rarely saw that side of her. Her orange eyes hovered around her egg as she waited for an answer.

Dichroic to Ammit:

Dichroic found himself crooning in agreement to when Ammit said that the egg would hatch into a beautiful hatching when the time came. Although his mind plagued him with a variation of that statement… if the time came… even though it was a concern that had annoyed him since knowing that Ammit could clutch a Glass he couldn’t himself to mention it. At least not out loud… if he voiced it out then surely it would come true. This way there was some sort of ambiguity about the survival of the egg in question and he didn’t doubt Ammit’s abilities in the least. They could do this… he just wasn’t sure if he knew what to do or where to start. Not with something so precious. Come to think of it Dichroic was pretty sure he would have still had first time jitters if the egg had been an Earth like Ammit. This was just going to be a much steeper learning curve.

Tilted his head towards Ammit as she answered perhaps the most stupid question he had ever asked. She mentioned the laying had been painful, but expected to some extent; at least she was ok though and the Glass found himself thrumming as Ammit covered him with a larger, almost flightless wing. If nothing else, should the young Glass make it then he or she would be of larger bearing. Not quite as large as Dichroic’s own mother; she was a oddity as far as the breed was concerned, but the little hatchling could easily reach Fire size like Dichroic had. His ears flickered, and teal eyes swum with question and concern when Ammit turned to face him again; almost reluctantly. To admit the same fears as his own; leaving him to almost blink dumbly at her when the concern was finally out there in the open. Reaching deep into his own reservoir of strength he made a ‘hurring’ sound deep in his chest and let his twin tails entwining with hers.

“If I’m honest too I was worried for that same reason.” He told her; eyes flickering from her to the egg; unsure if he should be ashamed of such an admittance. It might have been common knowledge that Glass eggs were so rare to hatch; but that didn’t mean that their parents should be so worried about it. Dichroic considered the offered solution and found himself of mixed mind; it was a grand idea. Surely his mother would have some ideas; she had brought him successfully into the world. At the same time though she did have an egg of her own this season. It was another Glass, unless his eyes deceived him. Dichroic paused a moment and leaning back into the nest he pressed the delicate shell up against its mother’s warn body. “I’m sure she would be more than willing to play the doting grandmother.”

Knowing Celiostahle, Dichroic had a strong feeling she would leap at the chance. She always seemed to put the best intentions of everyone in her own interest. Doing what she could to please all of them; giving a little help to Ammit would certainly make the Celestial sized Glass preen with joy. Not only would she get the chance to bring her own offspring into the world but lend a helping hand with the rearing of her own grandchild to be. In fact; Dichroic had a suspicion that if Ammit didn’t ask, then Celiostahle might have offered anyway.

“Can I get you anything in the meantime though?” was the question for Ammit who would be mostly tied to the sands unless she switched mothering duties with Dichroic to go hunt or see to anything else she needed too. The Glass would more than happily oblige any requests she made of him.

Forest Psamanthe

It was a strange turn of events but Psamanthe, already known for her collected manner, seemed to become even more tranquil with the onset of pregnancy. The growing burden nestled safely in her womb was not nearly large enough to cause her any significant discomfort, rather impending motherhood just lent her a feeling of responsibility she hadn't experienced before. She was as protective of her rider as any dragon, but Halifax was a tough lad. He could take care of himself without her having to fuss and bother over him, but this egg needed her. It was up to her to keep it safe with body and heart, to shelter it from the outside world until it was ready. Once the precious egg was laid upon the hatching sands it would have a plethora of powerful guards to keep it safe, not the least of which were her and Lichen, but until then she was its sole guardian. It was a very curious condition that she relished the chance to experience, and had already resolved to repeat. Even as the weeks passed and the impending trial of laying grew closer her good mood could not be broken. Her rough scales, normally a pale yellow-green, bloomed with bright hues that hadn't yet faded from her Flight colours. She didn't quite sport the same vibrant green on her leafy stems, but her upper body was much more rosey than usual. Halifax told her she looked like a young rose and she'd blushed from the tip of her tail to her noseflutes.

For her, time passed all too quickly. She greatly enjoyed being doted upon from both sides by sweet Lichen and her enamoured rider, and it was a pleasure to chat away with the other expectant mothers who had been given pride of place in all the best sunning spots. Camaraderie was always high in the time before a hatching, as all the Academy glowed with excitement over the new life which would soon grace their proud halls. More than before she felt a part of the Academy, accepted into the ranks of dragons who had shared their lives with the human race for three millenia. The war had ended before she and Halifax had to put their lives on the line to defend their new home, but in this way she could contribute to the future peace of Sekkai.

When pangs began to pain her insides Halifax was quick off the mark to usher her to the hatching sands, walking beside her with his hand pressed gently against her tail like a gentleman supporting his lady's arm. Somewhat silly because she had grown into a fully mature Forest by this stage, and nose to tail she stretched an admirable 55ft long. But sweet too, and the pair of them were comforted by the close companionship. Many females had already come earlier on in the day, staking out what could be considered prime positions on the vast sandy bowl. There was normally room enough for many a dragon on that welcoming arena, but even its generous capacity was unusually full with the sheer amount of female dragons and their mates who sought its warm golden sands for their nests. Rosemary, Glass, Celestial and everything inbetween all nestled closely over their clutches, radiating proud love for the gifts their Flights had bestowed. Psamanthe felt at ease to walk carefully between them, her own steps gingerly placed so she did not slip on the shifting grains. Her hind flippers, at least, were more suited for this kind of terrain than the hard soil of normal ground. Two other Forests had gathered near the nesting materials which had been chosen to suit similar eggs, and Psamanthe joined them with Halifax. Quietly she dipped her snout to Adirondack and Hadassah and knelt carefully upon the sand a considerate distance from the former.

Hot, dry sands weren't normally her cup of tea, though Halifax loved any excuse to be allowed access to the artificially created dunes. She would have much preferred to have a cool wallow of some sort, but the only such vestibules were small pools made to house Water eggs. In any case a Forest or Rosemary egg would not appreciate being soaked in water (she was amused to recall how bedraggled Lichen had looked after she had insisted their courtship took place in the lake) like she would, and in either case there were plenty of appropriate materials at hand for a more acceptable nest. While she dug herself gently into the sand using her hind feet and broad tail flukes as effective shoves, her rider fetched several branches heavily laden with broad leaves, a good armful of soft moss and an aromatic bouquet for good measure. Neither were particularly aware of the possibility of laying a Chaos or Celestial egg, but there was little to worry about. Psamanthe's abdomen had swelled only perfunctorily, indicating a small egg which would be easy to carry and lay. True to form the contractions which pained her were not too strenuous and she bore them with placid determination, curling her tail and long wings like a cloak around her while she laboured under Halifax's concerned gaze.

But there were to be no complications and Psamanthe was blessed with an easy clutching, gracing the hatching sands with another Forest egg to add to the tally. Dark as an emerald and formed of asymmetrical protusions, she lovingly licked the fragile shell clean and parted her wings to allow Halifax to slip through under the semi-opaque membrane. Together they bent their heads down to bless the egg with a zephyr of warm breath, completely unconcerned by the other dragons who gathered around them. This was a moment for rider and dragon to share, along with her tender mate, Lichen. After Halifax had picked up the egg with incomparable gentleness and arranged a nest of moss and leaves upon which it could sit safely under the protective shelter of his dragon's crossed forearms, he departed the sands to retrieve her mate so that he and his rider could share in the joy of their dragon's creation.

((I apologize ahead of time for the song. I just had to. I love it. lol. PLus I DID edit some of the lyrics to make it appropriate ;) She'll sing normal songs from now on))

Anala singing to her egg before congratulating Celi/Mire

Anala felt a wave of pride and satisfaction as she watched Buccinal's reaction to seeing their egg. It was clear that he was feeling quite emotional and was happy with the result of their union. Which is exactly what Anala was hoping for. Not only had she chosen well, but the result was this marvelous fire egg. Thinking back, yes, two would have been a real blessing but at Buccinal's comment of the world only being able to handle one, Anala laughed. Perhaps he was right. Besides, she would have more children. She was certain of that now. This kind of joy she felt at this moment would probably only grow when the shell cracked and the dragon within emerged. That was her next goal. But for now, she needed to attend to this egg with anything it needed.

Sarafina laughed at Mykhail's comment.
"Yeah...I'm a tad concerned too. But even more so I'm curious and eager. Hell our dragons may have spawned the next icon of their species....ok maybe that's a stretch but still a nice thought"

Purring Anala gently touched the egg with her snout. Deciding to ignore the joking human company. She pulled back her head a little and began singing softly to her egg

"If magic is all we've ever known
Then it's easy to miss what really goes on
But I've seen miracles in every way
And I see miracles everyday
Oceans spanning beyond my sight
And a million stars way above them at night
You don't have to be high to look in the sky
And know that's a miracle opened wide
Look at the mountains, trees, the seven seas
And everything chilling underwater, please
Hot lava, snow, rain and fog
Long neck giraffes, and pet cats and dogs
And I've seen eighty-five thousand people
All in one room, together as equals
The sun and the moon, and even Mars
The Milky Way and shooting stars
UFOs, a river flows
Plant a little seed and nature grows
This world is yours for you to explore
There's nothing but miracles beyond your door
Take a look at this fine creation
And enjoy it better with appreciation
Crows, ghosts, the midnight coast
The wonders of the world, mysteries the most
Just open your mind, and there ain't no way
To ignore the miracles of every day"

Kite seemed to enjoy the song and flew about excitedly before landing next to the egg and looking up at Anala expectantly. Anala seemed to read from this.
"We should build a nest. I know the sand is all well and good but we should provide a little extra heat and comfort don't you think?" Anala said looking at her companions.

Sarafina thought a moment
"Your egg was in a stone nest with embers and burning sticks inside. That seems appropriate." She answered. "We'll get some things in a bit" At this Kite flew off and they both seemed to know he was going to gather stones and whatnot.
"Such a helpful little addition we have" Sarafina said with a chuckle.

Anala looked over at some of the other dragon families. She spotted Mire and Celi and saw their lovely glass egg. She was happy for them as well. She called out to them
"Mire! Celi! Congratulations you two! Surely it will be as lovely outside and in as both of you"
Anala made a note to congratulate the other parents soon. She was feeling oddly loving....

Ore to Metis (and Hadassah!)

Ore dipped her nose to more easily talk to Hadassah, and so that the other dragoness didn't have to shout up at her. "Oh, he did say something. I didn't know I knew the individual of whom he was speaking, though. Congratulations on your clutch, as well. Are you and your rider both doing well?" she asked. The last time she'd seen Zahra and Hadassah, the rider had been in somewhat dire straits after being kidnapped by a Tainted Rosemary in the tunnels of Iyalruek. Ore had herself had a broken foreleg, but Zahra had been worse off, by far. But still, the Forest and the Lava had saved their riders and themselves, and rid the tunnels of a massive Tainted Earth while they were at it.

When Metis craned his neck to see the eggs better, Ore rumbled happily at him and shifted so he could get closer, and not have to try and see around her or the sides of the lava nest in which the eggs nestled. She nodded enthusiastically in agreement with him, a slight smile hovering around her muzzle at his little prance of joy. It looked like a little dance. She tipped her head curiously as he nudged a small rectangular object over towards her, the thing he'd brought with him when he'd hopped in here on three feet.

Her curious half-frown of concentration turned into a slow grin that only grew as she realized he'd remembered what they'd talked about in the Dragon Wings while their riders chatted. It was a book, just like the books they'd discussed making that morning, made of cloth and wood pulp. When she opened it gently, reaching a paw forward to gently nudge the cover over, pages covered in charmingly uneven handwriting were revealed, clearly not written in any human's hand. Ore put her nose down so far to the book to look at it that she had to go almost cross-eyed to even see the letters. Then she pulled her nose back so she could actually read the words, a claw tapping gently at the letters her mate's hand had traced onto the pages.

"Oh, Metis, it's lovely! This is amazing," she purred, looking up from the book to the Ice. She looked from him to his rider with a grin, and added, "And I will avoid breathing any lava on it, I promise. Even if you're pretty sure it's indestructible. I think I won't test the theory," she laughed. Gently, she closed the book and nudged it safely toward her chest with her nose, where it certainly wouldn't get stepped on, and where she would have it close to read when she inevitably got bored. Her stomach growled, the residual pains from the effort of laying the Lava and Metal eggs having subsided to the point that she barely noticed them. She supposed this answered Metis' question, and she snorted a short laugh.

"I am somewhat hungry, but..." she paused and turned her head to the side to nuzzle his shoulder in return, "But not terribly so. Stay for a little while?" she asked softly, a note of uncertainty in her voice. She was still worried she'd do something wrong and cause all of this to go to hell in a handbasket. The Lava egg she understood how to care for- keep it warm, cradled in a nest of its parents element, but what about that metal egg? Did they need anything special?

Sitting next to Audra, Roh laughed and poked pieces of colored glass into piles of the same color. He supposed she was right. Someone, somewhere around here, had to have spare sheets he could borrow.

Larka had been telling him that he was getting himself into a mess of nerves for something small. But...But it wasn't small! This was Psamanthe he was worrying about! This was about her and it was about his child! His child...Dear lord within a short amount of time he was going to be a daddy. How strange a thought. His crest flicked up as he froze, rigid with fright at the thought. What would happen when the child was born? What was it going to be? A beautiful forest like it's dam? Or a Rosemary like it's sire? Was it going to like him? It's mother? Was it going to be as gentle as she was? Or as terrified as he? Would it be bright or dull? He stuttered in his stride and almost tripped over his own feet as he heard a pattering of feet pass through the hallways. He was in the smaller medical wing that had been installed just outside the Hatching Sands to keep the healers nearby if they were required for any complications or troubles a new born child or a mother and egg might have.

His wide eyes and crest fell when the pattering of feet eased into the distance. Not for him. He knew that someone would send for him when his mate laid. It was still such a surreal experience to know that he was going to watch something he had sired come to life and bond soon. He had never thought it would be him who would sire a child! Always his brother, the suave, bright, flirtatious Opiat instead. But no, his brother hadn't found anyone this season, and had fought for the right several times. In his stead, Lichen had been chosen, selected, by a single female he had grown up with and she had taken him under her wing and borne his child. Oh...His feathers stood on end again as his nerves grew. From the other side of the Academy, he could sense the presence of his rider and she had given pause in her consciousness and sent a soothing wave of emotions over his frazzled consciousness. His wide violet and pink eyes lowered their lids slightly and his crest drooped. He took a shaky breath and took a moment to just...breathe.

But no sooner had he gotten himself calm, did Halifax appear in the doorway, looking at him expectantly. There as a smile on his face, and all of Lichen's fears that something bad might have happened on his mate's first laying drained from him. A sort of giddy fluttering rose in his chest and he became very still. 'It's here...' the thought whispered daringly through the back of his mind. "Oh, Psamanthe!" he murmured, his uncommonly short crest flaring up to it's full height, the vibrant shades of pink at the base gleaned by the action. His green stained feet drummed rapidly across the tiled floor, his claws clicking on the stones as he tried to get his grip. He had left Halifax behind in his rush and in his joy as he skidded around a corner, desperately seeking purchase on the flagstones. Oh! Oh! Psamanthe had laid their child! So many fleeting thoughts, unacknowledged fled through his mind as he dodged towards the doorway of the sands.

But on the threshold, he paused, his eyes seeking for the Forest that he had called his own this season. A breathy sigh escaped him as he took in the scent and sounds of the hatching sands, somehow different from how it had been when the Rosemary had been there a few weeks before with his hatchmate, Dichroic. He could see the teal Glass and his own mate, Ammit resting in the full sands. He could feel the difference too as he took his first step onto the warm grains that shifted beneath his feet. It was joy. Pure, unadulterated and sheer joy. All the dragons were with their mates or waiting for their arrival. Some were still in labor, panting over their burdens that would soon be life. He walked the circuit slowly, a dwarf among giants. He saw his own mother, curled protectively around her own egg. He gave pause, his crest raising up somewhat. He was going to have a sibling this year...He and Opi would be brothers to another child of Iridae's. But rather than go and see his mother, he turned away, she didn't look like she wanted to see anyone anyway, even if it was him. Besides...he still had to go and see where Psamanthe had settled herself.

There....

His eyes lit upon her unique colors, still blushing brightly from the Flight seasons, a strange contrast from her normally placid tones. His chest fluttered strangely again as he took in the dragoness' gaze upon a small bundle between her front paws. It could be anything, Forest and Rosemary eggs, both just as small. For a brief moment, he gave a sigh of relief that it hadn't been a Chaos dragon. That would have caused strain on his mate he wouldn't have wanted her to suffer. "Psamanthe..." he whispered as he stopped a few feet away, his eyes were riveted, however, on the egg between her paws. A Forest egg. It was a lumpy, small, unpleasing thing to look at. But to him, it was perhaps one of the most beautiful things he'd ever seen. "Oh..." he sighed. "It's so...beautiful." he stepped forwards and reached his nose up to touch Psamanthe's. "I...I'm sorry, I ran here in such a rush, I neglected to bring you anything for the nest." he said softly. "May I sit with you?" he asked her, his crest lowering a little, uncertain.

Takumi and Ayana to each other, Anala and others

Takumi was having a nice nap, her dreams were of eggs. And for once she was not at the hot springs and she was with her rider. The only reason Ayana was nearby was because both females were expecting the egg to come any day now. However Takumi wanted to spend as much time with Scythe as she could, he deserved it since once the egg was laid it would be awhile before he could see her again.

But then Takumi moaned, a soft sound of discomfort or pain. It woke Ayana and she nudged her dragon.

"Takumi! Wake up!" she pushed at the leg with her full weight even though it would not do much good. Still it was enough and Takumi awoke, unfolding herself from the air she napped with. Then she noticed what was going on.

"Oh dear! I'm sorry Scythe but I must go, I will find some way to let you know what the baby is!" She gave Ayana enough time to get into the saddle before she lifted off. Her flying was awkward at times, suddenly dropping several feet as a contraction shook her body.

Ayana crooned and patted her dragon, they would both make it together. Then Takumi was landing ungracefully on the sands and Ayana dismounted as quickly as she could.

"Hi Anala." Takumi panted but could not say more after that. Ayana was right by her snout and helping in the only way she could. Takumi muttered 'oh dear' the whole time till she growled and groaned. All the water did was pant and tremble for a couple minutes until she shifted and nestled the sand covered egg towards her chest.

"I need a basin." Takumi told Ayana as Takumi dripped some water from her maw to gently remove the sand from her egg to reveal it. She filled the large supplied basin with water and carefully placed the Water egg into the basin gently with her claws.

"A Water, Anala. A Water." Her snout was partially in the water as she nuzzled her little bundle of joy. She seemed like she would be in tears.

Water Takumi X Air Scythe = Water

Lilith sighed heavily, feeling something stir within. In her lavish nest of silks and jewelry, the chaos dragoness shifted. She had become accustomed to the growing egg or eggs (it certainly felt like it could be either at this point...), however this morning it felt... different. The twinges that were the start of labor awoke her early in the morning, when the first rays of light bled into her and her riders room. Normally they awoke later than this but the contractions were strong, telling her the time was now. She stood, awning exaggeratedly as she padded over to Serra's bed. She stuck her snout into the sheets unforgivingly, rustling her rider awake.

"Lil! Lil, you stop this instant- oof!" She exclaimed, pushed straight off her bed. "WHAT is the meaning of this, Lilith!"

"Its time, Serra, I must get to the sands, but, oh, I didn't want you to miss it," Crooned the black dragoness, whose tail was twitching excitedly. "Forgive me for waking you so harshly!"

"Oh! no, no my dear! You go, I'll get made for the morning and meet you there," Serra said, all trace of anger gone from her face. The excitement she felt off her dragon was palpable and more than enough excuse for a rude awakening. Lilith had laid before but each time was exciting for her. Bringing in new life! Plus it was interesting seeing what she would pop out next! As a chaos she was entitled to whatever chaos chose as her child, regardless of the sire.

Lilith bobbed her head as her rider stood and stretched, vaulting out the dragon size opening and soaring down towards the sand. So many females, it seemed, were egg laden this year! The winning of the war they had fought for, for what felt like eons had been won! And why not celebrate with a massive rebirth! She crooned happily, trotting around the sands to find a good spot. Not too distant from the other females, she walked in a circle, before laying and allowing labor to ensue. The labor went on for a short while, not extremely painful, until the egg was ready to come out. It hurt and was rather large it seemed. Oh yes large. She gritted her teeth as it came out in its final push.

Sighing in relief that it was out, she turned and admired her earth egg. Oh yes, one earth egg, large and brown and lumpy. She chuckled tiredly. An earth! What a strange thing, having chosen Daranau as her winning suitor! Her chaotic genes had decided to take a reverse route to expectations rather than a completely random one, choosing an element that defeated the sire. She called for an earthen male to approach with stones and she constructed her nest, pink eyes searching out the tiger striped male.

[One Earth Egg]

((This'll be short but I'll be making a thread for Scythe soon :D))

Scythe to Takumi

Scythe had been sleeping less lately. Lately if Takumi was napping with him he stayed alert just in case. But this time he slept as well. The knowledge that their egg was fast approaching made him insist that she stay by the Academy for when she went into labor. This nap was just so pleasant that he drifted off as well. Plus he was very pleased to have met her rider at last
Naturally the first time he let himself relax was when it happened. Ayana had woken them and it took Scythe a moment to realize what was happening. He was up and about within seconds. He knew Takumi had to go. He nuzzled her tenderly

"You just take care. Of yourself and the egg. I will be in my usual spots!...Here take this" He pulled a few feathers off of his wing "One for the little one, One for you, and a couple extra just in case!" He smiled and nuzzled her again before she flew off. He stared out after her longingly. He wanted to know what they had created. And he wanted to meet and get to know their offspring. As maddening as it was, he knew all he could do now was wait....

Anala to Takumi

Anala woke up from her own nap to see her Water friend arriving

"Takumi!" She greeted happily. But did not say more as she knew Takumi herself was going into her own labor. Anala waited patiently. As soon as she overheard that they needed a Basin, Anala smiled, knowing just what she had given birth to.

"Congratulations dear! Looks like we're both spawning one of our own element!" She again laid her head next to her own egg and shifted her eyes over to Buccinal and smiled at him. Then she thought a moment before looking at her rider
"Sarafina...do you think Kite could relay a message to Scythe? He'll need to know of his little one!"