The Next, You're on Pern
CRACK! -
The shell of crisp, hard material shattered outward as the blue spasmed inside it. He felt a Mind waiting for him outside. Light flooded his sensitive many-faceted eyes and he blinked in surprise. There were three sensations tugging at him. Three holes, one in his head, the most important, one in his belly, the next to reckoned with, and one in, well, he didn't quite know. He shook his head to clear the fizz from it. He sneezed, blowing mucous from large, delicately scaled nostrils.
The navy blue dragonet, slimy with hatching fluids, flew forward, hit his nose, and rolled forward onto his back. Sprawled on the sand, he felt his mind reach out to the humans on the scalding sands. He was looking at two in particular. One was a girl named Bella, but something felt wrong about her.
She's mine, hissed a voice. I am Wraith, and Bella is MINE!
Okay, so the blue's mind moved on. The other candidate was a boy. The blue received a flood of warm love from this mind.
My name is Graham... th. No, that wasn't quite right. It's Graham... th. Each time, the "th" added itself inexplicably in his mind speech. The little blue shook his head again and pined, I'm hungry, K'rry.
The dark-haired boy dressed in a white robe identical to all the other candidates smiled broadly and exclaimed, "His name is Grahamth!"
I told you that, now my belly needs tending. NOW!!
All right, they said you would say that. There's food outside. Lots of it! All you can eat. The blue's rider assured his dragon.
The blue and his rider stumbled toward the exit of the hatching ground. "I'm glad you choose me. For a moment," the rider confessed, "I thought you were headed for a girl!"
The little blue wisely said nothing. Soon enough, though it felt like ages, they had reached the buckets of meat scraps.
The blue Grahamth stuck his finely-boned head into one with zest, but pulled it out again in revulsion he could not explain.
It's raw! He told his rider in disgust.
Of course it is, the boy replied, unsure. Just my luck to get the picky dragon! The boy teased. Grahamth shook off the feeling of disgust and helped his aching belly. The meat didn't taste bad, not that Grahamth would have noticed, the way he seemed to inhale it.
The blue was busy eating, but he still heard the Wyerlingmaster congratulate Karry on impressing the prettiest blue of the lot.
"He's as fine-boned as a green, but as big as a small brown. And that color!" Grahamth appreciated the compliments, but felt he must correct the Wyerlingmaster on his rider's name.
My rider is K'rry, Wyerlingmaster.
"Yes, of course," the Wyerlingmaster agreed, surprised. "K'rry."
Soon enough, Grahamth was stuffed, and he was sooooo sleepy. He told his rider so. K'rry replied in a long-suffering tone that Grahamth could sleep soon, but first he must get to his bed.
They reached the stone barracks of the male wyerling's quarters, and Grahamth selected a couch almost immediately. He made sure his back did not face the door, and that he wasn't too cold. He began to fall asleep almost immediately, but the uneasy feeling was back.
What is it, Lovey? K'rry asked, concerned.
I don't know, Grahamth replied. Do not let it worry you, Love. Then he drifted into the deep, dreamless sleep of hatchlings.