The Sungazer's Newest Resident (2)

Writers: Ainsley1, Jane, Kaysea, Vix
Date Posted: 7th July 2007

Characters: Rahona, Lineal, Fog, Barli
Description: Rahona's firelizard egg hatches in the middle of the night.
Location: Elsewhere on Pern
Date: month 5, day 1 of Turn 4

"I think ..." Rahona looked around the galley, realising how many people were crammed into the limited space. "You'll have to all be quiet. We don't want to scare him away."

As if the warning was a prompt the first crack appeared in the shell.

"Oooh!" Jezz squealed before slapping a hand over her mouth, mindful of her aunt's warning. She stood, her eyes fixed on the growing fissure in the egg.

In all of her turns, Vaheri had seen nothing like this. She found herself pushing forward to see, but remembered that others were smaller and dropped back. As she noted Fog seated at the rear of the crowd, she made her way to his side and sat beside him.

Linli's eyes widened, and her mouth formed an 'o' as she watched the crack appear. She looked for a moment to Lihona, and flashed her a brief but nervous smile and then looked back at the egg, not wanting to miss a thing.

Fog rested back in the chair, his head lolling with the now quieted room. He closed his eyes and listened to the hushed whispers that hummed around the room, and vaguely thought of the legendary humming of the welcoming dragons. A smile formed on his lips, they were welcoming the flit.

Biting her lip as she watched the drama unfold, Barli had to keep herself in check so that she didn't push to have a better look. She noted Vaheri's retreat to join Fog and felt a pang of guilt at not doing something similar, but consoled herself with the idea that she needed to keep tabs on Jezz and be close at hand to keep the girl in line. As striations formed on the egg, she inhaled quickly in excitement. What color would it be? It was such a large egg! Surely it would be a bronze.

Rahona glanced from the meat to the egg, reassuring herself that everything was ready. What did she have to do? Feed and encourage him?

Another crack ran along the shell and then a damp muzzle poked out, retreated and then reappeared as the egg cracked completely open, tumbling the damp body onto the benchtop.

"Oh," Rahona breathed, surprised by the suddenness of the arrival.
"Hello." She reached for some meat and had it half way to the blunt muzzle when the creature turned and snatched it out of her hand.
"Hungry? Yes. Don't gobble."

"She says that to me all the time," Lihona whispered to Linli.

Nearly vibrating in excitement, Jezz was having difficulty containing herself. "It's, it's - she's a GOLD!" she announced in astonishment.
Though the truth of that statement had Barli paralized for a moment she was quick to step forward and put her arms around Jezz to keep the girl from further outburts that might frighten the young firelizard.

The hatchling was startled by the girl's statement, but did nothing more than flap her damp wings and arch her neck, looking for all the world as if she was showing herself off - and then nearly choked on the next offered mouthful.

"He is. _She_ is ..." Rahona agreed, stunned at the thought. "She's a beautiful _gold_ firelizard."

Lineal had seen a few firelizard hatchings by some ham-handed seacrafters and none had ever failed, but now he was as nervous as if every one had. It would be such a boost to the Sungazer's status if they had a gold firelizard on-board -

He smiled, realising he was back in the riverboat way of thought; always 'What's best for the boat?'.

"Entice her onto your arm," Nalin said softly over the whispers around him. "So she is closer to you."

With wide eyed wonder Linli watched as the little Queen flapped her damp, fragile wings and opened her mouth wide for more food. She watched as she swallowed deeply, and her little stomach became rounded.

At the first shout, Vaheri had told herself that it could not be so, that there could not be a newly-hatched gold flit on the Sungazer.
However, the murmurings around her repeated that information and she finally had to rise to her feet to confirm it for herself. "For Faranth's sake ... it is." Though those words were not loud, her next were even softer as she mumbled to herself and made her way into the kitchen. "More meat. . . we'll definitely need more meat."

Rahona did as her son suggested, finding that the new-hatched firelizard was perfectly willing to follow the food up her arm, grasping firmly with feet and needle-sharp talons which effortlessly pierced her thin shirt. "No wonder your egg was so big," she said, curving her arm toward her so the firelizard was cradled against her. "You're going to be much bigger than a bronze."

Though she had sworn that she would wait, Vaheri had to see. She stopped halfway to the cooler and returned to the crowd, standing on tiptoes to try to catch a glimpse of the Sungazer's newest resident.

Tahna moved back and sat on the arm of Fog's chair, smiling down at her father as he feigned sleep. She wondered if Fog had ever wanted a firelizard of his own? They had seen the occasional fair of firelizards on the banks of the river, but this was the closest she had ever been to one.

She was pleased that Rahona had received a Queen, she liked her newest aunt and it was right that she receive a gold for everything she had given up to join them here on the Sungazer. Tahna didn't know if she could be as brave.

"We're going to have _hundreds_ of firelizards," Lihona said thoughtfully.

"When she grows up, perhaps," her father suggested.

"We've no other firelizards with which to breed her," worried Vaheri.

"I think that if there are any males around, they'll find her," Rahona said with a smile as the firelizard's blunt muzzle lowered to her forearm, the creature ignoring the proffered meat. "But that'll be a while yet. More importantly -" She glanced around the sea of faces. "-
What are we going to name her?"

"Take your time on that," suggested the riverboat's headwoman.
"Eventually, she may give a hint as to the answer."

Neke walked over the her niece and brother and gently shook Fog on the shoulder, "Come on, off to bed with you, and you.." she nodded at her niece, "the excitements over now and we'll still have work in the morning." She turned and walked across to were Linli had slumped, the wonder had left her eyes to be replaced with a drowsy, half asleep look.

She collected the child in her arms and walked towards the door.
"Congratulations Rahona." she spoke quietly as the hubbub settled to a low murmuring from the crew. "But, we'll leave you two to acquaint yourselves, in peace." She watched as Fog rose from his chair and settled an arm around Tahna following her to the doorway, each nodding farewell to those gathered.

"'Night all."

Last updated on the July 8th 2007

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The Sungazer's Newest Resident (2)