Dun Keiba Hatching 1

Wind Zariyapar and Plant Heldiadu parenting

it was a warm, windy night, and Zariyapar thought she heard something clicking in the nesting area. Sure enough, one or two of her beautiful eggs were shaking back and forth with the effort of her Draklings trying to break free.

She watched them with interest, not even bothering to tell their sire that they were ready to hatch. This was after all a private moment for a mother and her young.

Heldiadu would have argued, of course, because he was quite interested in the draklings progress. He happened to wake up in the pre-dawn light, but he'd completely missed the hatching of his offspring.

Instead, he entered the deep cavern groggily to find not a group of shining eggs, but a bunch of eager, bright eyed draklings sitting in a row!

"You could have told me," Heldiadu grumbled.

Zariyapar snickered and whipped her tail around. "That would be no fun. My knight the High Princccesss iss sstill assleep. Do you think I sshould wake her?"

Heldiadu's eyes went skyward, and he sighed. "Of coursse you sshould. And perhapss a recordkeeper asss well."

Wind Zariyapar swung her head around over her beautfiul draklings. "You wait here. I will ssummon my knight. Sshe will deccide if anyone elsse sshould come."

She walked to the edge of the cavern, and then bellowed loudly. "DOMINICA! COME HERE!"

A couple of the draklings gave off chittering laughter, while others like their sire groaned.

Eventually, the High Princess Dominica along with several other people came down to the cavern. Dominica looked a bit put off by this early morning summons, but the drak had actually mentally told her what to expect. The draks had hatched - it was time for the Aspirants to be brought in.

Zariyapar didn't think much of the idea of parading her young past everything in the Castle, to find their proper pair. So, bringing them to the draks would just have to do!

The parade of odd Aspirants were led in, followed by a very curious Almiron and his own opal drak. There were two fantastic woman among the Aspirants who had both been somewhat competing for his attentions. One halfway by accident, and the other obviously on purpose. It was oddly to the winged girl that Almiron was drawn, rather than the assassin whom Shy had provided them.

"Come along, Asssspirantsss," Heldiadu said, "form a line. Wait for the young to look you over, they will deccide if they will pair or not. Do not try to forcce them."

"They know their namess," Zariyapar said, "sso when they come to you, it will be their bussinesss to tell you."

The sturdy group of hatchling draks then took it as their cue to respond. First among them to stand was a strong looking Fire drak, who walked right up to a dark-haired young woman named Brachet.

He stood close to her side, pressing up against her hip. His head reached nearly to her ribcage, he was going to be a big Fire when he grew up.

"Brachet, I am Zolpardu. I will be with you, and never leave. And I will not let anyone elsse harm you ever again."

Brachet broke down into tears, after all she'd been through, this little drakling knew - he knew! How much it hurt to be alone...

"Not to interrupt or anything," said a rather sharply high voiced drakling, "But I'm trying to reach my proper knight. I'll never do it at this rate."

The Rain drak pushed the fire and his bond aside, nosing toward the lanky Raf. She looked up at him, her two-tone grey hide still moist from her hatching. "Raf, I am Nelladuar, and I think there are better fissh in the ssea than you've been looking at..."

Raf chuckled and scratched the furry neck of his new friend.

Luc seemed almost put off because Raf had paired off first. Of course, this was all new to both of them, being from Earth and all. As if in response to the man's thoughts, a Mud colored drak made his way toward Luc.

"Do not worry. You will get used to thiss. I am Sevlardu, and I will sshow you the ropess."

Proudly holding on to the drak's neck, Luc laughed. "Thanks. I think I'll learn faster."

The others in the nest were walking back and forth in front of those other Aspirants. Two of them nearly collided as they walked, one was a Wind, the other a Plant - just like their parents.

"I ssaw her firsst!" said the Wind.

"I wassn't even looking at her! You would know that if you paid attention!" Replied the Plant.

"Then sstep away from my Knight!" The wind seemed intent on someone, and pushed her brother out of the way to get there. She strode up to the winged half-fairy Illianna. "You! You are mine! And we will fly together - I will make you very happy."

Illianna gasped, feeling the mental air charge - the Wind's choice to pair her also brought a smile to Almiron's face.

"But what is your name, dear one?" Illianna asked.

"Oh - ssorry," the Wind said more quietly, "Novaduar iss my name."

"Novaduar," Illianna said, looking up directly at Almiron, who couldn't seem to take his eyes off her.

His sister, on the other hand, suddenly realized why she'd been so snippy with the winged Aspirant - they were so very alike in many ways, that they even paired the same kind of Drak!

The Plant on the other hand was still unimpressed with Novaduar's choice, and instead chose to head toward the other rather volitile member of the gathering, Cealyn.

"I like you best. Your ssenssai ssemss to be an odd man. I think perhapss he would be happier if I were female - but you know I am besst for you. I am Lelardu, your drak."

While they were busy chatting it up and deciding how soon they would go out for food, another Plant drakling approached the other Aspirants.

One of them looked a bit sad, a bit out of place. "You misss her," said the Plant, "I can take you to her. Eventually."

Indrid looked down, surprised that the drakling seemed to know what he was thinking about. It had been several weeks since his arrival to Dun Keiba, but his thoughts always returned to the strange woman he'd run into on his journey.

"I do, and I hope you can," he said.

"I am Halzardu," the drak announced. They slid off to the side, to help the other draklings see their choices.

There were only two left of each, aspirants and draklings. A water and a rain drak, and two female Aspirants.

The Rain type snuck up to Vortex Blue's side. "Your hair isss blue. Even around here, that iss odd."

"Well, I'm odd around here," Vortex said simply.

"I am Hzeduar, I bet you I can help with your... project." She said.

Vortex grinned broadly. "I bet you will, Hzeduar."

That left a pretty, small Water type, who went to Myan's side.

"I knew you would be here. I hoped you would come to me."

"Well, your mother told us not to." Myan said. "So I didn't think it would be a good idea to disobey her."

"Well ssometimess I think dissobeying iss okay - but not now. I am Zhelduar, will you win your bet?"

"I don't know yet," Myan laughed. "But I've already won you!"

The first hatching of Dun Keiba finally overwith, records were written and everyone was provided with their new quarters. Shortly, once the draklings were old enough, the pairs were then assigned with Knights to train!

Vortex Blue - Rain Hzeduar, training with Knight Jinty and Water Enthurn (Armada training - drak-back fighting)

Raf - Rain Nelladuar, training with Knight Rowan and Earth Urncheu (flight training, possible Judge)

Cealyn - Plant Lelardu, training with Knight Emris and Forest Bandurn (Armada training, Nex location and disposal)

Indrid - Plant Halzardu, training with Junior Knight Alex and (m) Night Khymelyn (flight training, distance courier)

Illianna - Wind Novaduar, training with Flight Surgeon Istvan and Wind Cephari (flight training, drak and human medicine)

Myan - Water Zhelduar, training with Junior Peacekeeper Reynate and Fire Gwaelyn (flight training, peacekeeping)

Brachet - Fire Zolpardu, training with High Knight Aylene and (f) Day Nysyph (Armada training - fighting wing)

Luc - Mud Sevlardu, training with High Knight Dunstan and Fire Etdenma (flight training, judging training)

 

All the colors have certain personality traits and physical characteristics that are as ingrained in their genes as their colors.

Night Draks (gold and black), which can be either gender, tend to be serious and thoughtful, very quiet but deeply intelligent.

Day Draks (gold and white), also of either gender, tend to be uplifting and cheerful with a vast sense of humor.

Plant Draks (mottled green), always male, have a sense of humor but tend to be wry and sarcastic.

Water Draks (green and blue), which are female, are soothing and calm, and always tactful.

Forest Draks (green and brown) are female and are relatively energetic with a very optimistic view and always something positive to say.

Desert Draks (mottled tan), who are males, tend to be good-tempered and honest to a fault, possessing very little tact.

Mud Draks (mottled brown), always male, are very meticulous and always think before they act.

Rain Draks (mottled grey) are female and tend to be impulsive, often sneaky.

Fire Draks (gold and red) are male and hot-tempered but very faithful, and will always defend their Knight.

Earth Draks (brown and white) can be either gender and are stubborn, decisive, and unshakable.

Wind Draks (white and blue) are female and very whimsical, with a tendency to play with the minds of those they wish to confuse.

Ore Draks (gold and silver) can be either gender and are very stable, personality-wise, always choosing defense over offense in any fight.