Second Egg Touching

Characters Alexa, Kate, R'sner, Tejra
Synopsis A second egg touching for Igen's candidates.
Out-of-Character Date February 8, 2020

Igen Weyr - Hatching Sands
As if temperatures in the rest of the Weyr weren't uncomfortable enough, the sands are positively blistering. The air shimmers from the onslaught of heat, leaving the area with a hallucinatory feel. Black sands stand currently empty but for the occasional egg-shard or 'print not swept clear. A raised platform of smooth stone provides a lounging-spot for queens or their mates, or a retreat for the lifemates that accompany them from whence they can cool their feet somewhat.


Igen, and the Sands, are as hot as ever. And just like before, there's a brooding queen (giving room to the candidates along with some serious stink-eye), a Weyrlingmaster, and a table of refreshments set aside to help combat the heat. R'sner nods a polite enough greeting to Alexa (who is once more perched on her dragon's foreleg) before turning to address the candidates. "Same rules apply: no running or roughhousing, be polite and respectful, and if either Alexa or I say it's time to go, it's time to go. No arguments. Any questions?" And, presuming there is none, there's a sweep of his hand toward the clutch. "Go ahead."

To be fair, Tejra takes pride in getting the stink-eye. She prefers to have earned it, and generally also prefers to receive it from her own species, but while Raaneth's impressive version is noted, she doesn't let it stop her from dipping her head respectfully to the dragon(s). The harper's pale gaze lingers on Alexa a few beats of the measure longer than the last touching, a slight tug at the corners of the redhead's lips making a phantom frown that doesn't fully manifest on her otherwise serene expression. "No questions," she volunteers politely to R'sner after listening to the instructions, but she's wasting no time on the hot sands, knowing her tolerance (that she must be trying to build if she's going to make it through a whole hatching out here). Her graceful steps lead her purposefully toward an egg of deepest azure, eyes taking delight in the richness of the hue. One hand touches Jewel of the Sahara Egg and then another.

The polite and silent greeting for dame and sire of the clutch, a nod of understanding for their instructions and a shake of her head for questions. Its all semi-routine, perhaps the only part of meeting the eggs that is, but that done they're turned loose and Kataliea heads towards one rather plain, in comparison, shell upon the sands, a hand reaching out to gently rest against the smooth surface of Treasure of the Sea Egg.

A sharp hiss of breath leaves the harper as her hands spring back from contact with the blue expanse. Stung? No, not quite, though her fingers curl into loose fists to rub fingers across thumb, the friction enlivening fingers that might be feeling like they need that little boost of kinetic energy to brave a second touch. What the Jewel of the Sahara Egg offers might be enough to cause some to leave it at just the one contact, but Tej is evidently willing to chance it. It's not, however, without trepidation, her expression briefly rippling from the habitual (and trained) tranquility to something unnerved, perhaps even… upset? Who knew she could be? At least it's only a there and gone again flash before her hands touch again.

Katailea says, "tilts her head just slightly, trying to focus perhaps on this mental interaction with creatures hidden inside the hardening shells. A slight smile flickers with a frown, a shake of her head at the sudden retreat and the blonde shifts. The realization of the heat beneath her feet or perhaps something else as she moves around the egg to test the proverbial waters again."

"That's better," Tej's melodic purr sounds quietly for the 'ears' of the egg before her, not quite a coo, but very nearly. Some people are baby people; Tej is a dragon baby person, unapologetically. Despite the rough start with this egg, her hands don't leave the shell again as her lips soften to a smile. Then her expression shifts back from the smile to something quietly troubled, something that causes her to catch her breath, hold it, and then release slowly. Biting her lip briefly, she elects to leave her hands on Jewel of the Sahara Egg for another moment more.

Katailea closes her eyes, if only for a moment as she lets that memory spill forth. Which one of them chose it, why, may never be clear but doesn't matter. For a moment its there and then its gone again, her fingers pulling back, not quite sure of continuing. Considering as she shifts once again, before reaching back out. Not alone.

Touching Jewel of the Sahara Egg is a far cry different an experience than those others Tej 'met' on her last occasion to these sands. A fleeting glance is sent toward Alexa, to whom Tej probably never really looked for guidance before, but might well be wishing to do now. There's a telltale glisten of tears that don't fall in her eyes as she looks quickly away from the other harper and to the blue shell. One finger touches one last time and she murmur a quiet, but felt, "Thank you." Whoever you will be. She takes a moment after she's stepped back far enough to allow another candidate past to take a turn with the egg, her fingers curling into fists in what is less an expression of anger and more the smallest possible version of a self-embrace that can be managed. A few slow breaths steady her, and then she's turning to move carefully among the eggs until she finds herself before Semi-Precious Stone Egg and her fingers lift to drift across the rusty, red-orange shell that matches so much of the Igen stone, fingertips tracing between the flecks of green.

Not quite a laugh, but a smile does touch her lips as Katailea nods. So much out there to explore, on that she can agree for once. This one, Treasure of the Sea Egg, so very different than many of her previous experiences on the hatching sands. Different in a good way it would seem at least. "Soon," she offers in reply to what's shared before pulling back again this time to move on towards the next in the rotation of candidates among the eggs.

The breath that leaves Tej as her pale eyes close is one of relaxation. What's offered might not be everyone's cup of tea, but it seems to suit Tejra perfectly. Her hands still on the shell of Semi-Precious Stone Egg, and a smile plays across her lips. If her mind draws up a wide variety of similar sights and sounds, broadening and deepening what's offered to her by the egg from the collection of her own memories, that's a nice something to share, right? She doesn't seem in a hurry to leave and when her eyes flicker open because there's more of the here and now than what the mind within the egg is showing, she can't be blamed for rubbing the shell gently to encourage more.

Katailea remains quiet as she reaches out mentally to the creature inside the egg. Unsure if there's a presence there at first, but then there's something. Something she'll try to match least it pull away too soon. Slow and cautious, yet curious to find more, know more of what it might be as green eyes survey the shell.

Perfect or imperfect, there's something more there. That's for certain as her touch remains, fingers and palm against the shell Katailea's lips twitch in a hint of a smile, closing her eyes of for a long moment to see that picture that's put before her that much better.

Tej's fingers tap, with just the pads, so lightly on the shell that there's no chance she's harming the hardening surface. The rhythm is regular, until it's not. Hiccups provided by other fingertips drive the rhythm in echo of the experience within. More memories draw up, color, deepen: Tej knows this fearless experience, even if not quite for the reasons the mind within is providing. But if it wishes to take of her knowledge, it can feel some realities of bow and string, of stealthy tread and trails sought. The rhythm of the recalled memories pause again when the mind of the egg drifts away and a gentle touch of fingertips seeks to connect just once more with Semi-Precious Stone Egg's occupant.

Katailea lets out a breath, slow and steady. Calm, peaceful, those are certainly different feelings from the time she shared with eggs on the sands elsewhere. Good, bad or indifferent however when her eyes open she lets her fingers linger just a moment longer before moving onto the next.

Pale eyes flutter when dawn becomes a different light and though her fingers linger a little while longer, her hands eventually slide away. Tejra steps back from Semi-Precious Stone Egg to let one of the others move to touch its surface. She hesitates only steps away from the egg, expression deeply thoughtful for those moments until a smile quirks and her head shakes just slightly at some inner reflection. Then she's turning to make her way toward the refreshment table. At least she's not swooning from the heat this time, but she does seem to be seeking a break from the intensity that is making contact with these growing minds.

A sudden change of pace, at least from the last, finds Katailea as her settles on Glory of the Sandstorm Egg. Different, yes, but perhaps odd perhaps not, but it finds laughter from the blonde as she pulls her hand back away. A slight shake of her head to clear thoughts, steady herself before turning towards the refreshment table in search of some semblance of relief from the sands beneath her feet, that feeling that creeps up suddenly after the distraction of the eggs.
Tejra takes her time with her drink, here eyes drifting over the eggs that maybe she can't quite still wrap her head around being with on this level. There's more than a measure of surreality to this whole candidacy experience for the first-timer. Her expression turns slowly closed as thoughts become more introspective and finally, the redhead sets her cup in the receptacle for them before murmuring her excuses to go within and out of the heat. She's not wobbly this time, though, so maybe the fair-skinned, lithe woman is starting to adjust to the desert's demands at last.

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