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 Posted: Thu Nov 01, 2018 2:41 pm
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Calla
--------------------------
Sharding shardy shards, shards, werryshit, shards.
The cacophony of motion, sound, blood, and ichor was a heady, unfortunate perfume. Calla drew in a long breath through her nose, steeling herself as best she could. It was numbing to see a Candidate so brazenly killed, then two more tearing into the crowd, and then -- dragons fighting one another. The laughable sadness of it may have been that Calla's choice to separate herself to focus, to not stand near enough another Candidate for a conversation, had spared her from damage. The dragonets were looking for a clump to ravage, and her self-imposed separation had apparently been a good choice.
That separation did not help when Crucio's mental lashing began. Situated closer to Rhianth's clutch, Calla winced visibly. And still worse, as if it could get worse, Amortentia paled further. Losing Candidates AND a dragonet? How did this help anyone! This only hurt all of them AND Pern.
Was someone... approaching Crucio? The boy seemed to be taking steps toward the fuming dragonet. And then another! A girl this time, going towards another dragon. Auror was on the move too, but stalking between the Candidates, thankfully not with violence. Gryffindor, too, moved forward. All this movement, some of it panicked -- sweet Faranth, was that a Candidate punching another Candidate?
If tsking was appropriate or if her head didn't hurt so damn much, Calla might have done so. So many were injured, and she did want to help them -- the girl was not heartless -- but she was not so sure that one more Candidate moving around the Sands would do anything good. Oh god, and someone was vomiting. Water pricked in Calla's eyes, more rage and frustration than sadness, though she felt both, but there was no way in all of Pern she would cry. Absolutely not. The height of emotion on the Sands was just palpable -- how could she not be affected? She was furious, and when she got mad, she became her most vicious self, a thing she tried to avoid.
Both hands moved to her head, trying to press out the mental lashing from Crucio and then -- it... stopped? It stopped and was replaced with laughter.
A sea of blood, death, crying, vomit, fury, morbid joy -- it swirled around her. Calla had been off to the side to start with, separated by choice by some initial steps. Now all those injured seemed paired up with people looking out for them, dragonet and Candidate alike. Calla was an odd tower to the side, avoiding physical injury from her choice to isolate herself, to step away, not toward. Maybe if she had friends among the Candidates, if she had known them longer, she would have been driven to action.
But the action she was best at on this day was apparently looking out for herself, standing apart from the crowd, tending to no one because everyone looked cared for, and her function seemed to be to watch, isolated.
Calla wasn't sure what she was feeling in that moment, but let her hands drop from their spot on the sides of her head to survey the dragonets once more, her emotions carefully ebbing back down like lapping waves in the eye of the storm. This wouldn't be the end of it, she didn't think, just an intermission.
-----------------
Ryah & Blue Kairinth
In the Stands, Ryah was aghast. This was nothing like her own Hatching. This was mayhem. But that shock and worry went icy cold when she saw Arcadin clap. Was he... happy that the Candidate was killed? That dragonet and Candidate alike were being hurt? Her frown was that of a million disappointed mothers.
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Posted: Thu Nov 01, 2018 2:59 pm
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Lauthisen
Things had happened so quickly that Lauthisen could barely make sense of them, watching as dragons burst from their shells. Some were unsettling--that cold, high-pitched laughter was enough to make the boy grit his teeth unconsciously. "No kidding," Came the mutter.. and that was when the blue approached. He was... regal, was the only real word to describe him, and he didn't seem inclined to lash out or turn violent. No, he creeled softly... and touched--the girl beside him?
His eyes widened briefly as those eyes whirled rainbow, realizing that he was witnessing... Impression? No doubt, as the girl reached out to cup that muzzle and even kiss the small hatchling, only straightening eventually to look at him. Lauthisen surprised himself with a laugh, arching a brow slightly. "I'll do my best," He drawled quietly, giving her a nod of admiration. "Congrats." Both to her, and Hers.
If only he could have been more certain of himself.
In an instant, it was as though Thread itself had rained down upon the Hatching Sands. He heard the high-pitched keen of Amortentia as she grew more and more pale. A loud crack, was enough to make Lauthisen's head snap around, his mouth falling open with disbelief. A boy--limp in the bloodied jaws of a bronze dragon The two green dragons seemed to go berserk, and he barely even had time to register that the egg he had tried to touch--the dragon--she was barreling right towards him.
Lauthisen threw himself hard to the side, but sharp wing talons sank into his back, dragging him down like one of the caprines he'd grown up raising. He didn't recognize the shriek that ripped itself out of his throat, trying to curl up to defend himself even as the weight of the green came down hard upon his back. Something pierced his shoulder--her mouth--and she began to thrash him like he was a particularly stubborn piece of meat. The agony never stopped, his torso being jerked to and fro, sending up a spray of sand. He screamed again, the sound grating even higher as his shoulder suddenly gave with a crunch. Then Sectumsempra was off, furiously seeking to share her pain.
He was hardly aware of the fact that he was moaning, his right arm limp as he shuddered and twitched. Trying to roll onto his side earned another soft scream--she'd torn his back open, and he could feel how slick the sands were becoming with his own blood.
No one was going to want these robes back, he thought grimly, before half sinking into unconsciousness.
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Posted: Thu Nov 01, 2018 3:00 pm
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Ielin - High Reaches Candidate
Okay, okay -- she was moving. Ielin released a breath he didn’t realize he was holding, coaxing Amila back to the group of candidates off to the side. His heart sinks a bit as she shrinks in on herself, yet his clear eye does a quick once-over. She’s not hurt.. Physically, at least. “You’re okay. Deep breath. It’s okay.” As she crouches down, Ielin takes the collar of his robe and scrubs his face. It’s an action he’s done before, yet where he half expected coal dust, instead comes blood. Yet he’s able to clear his eye to a clean point, slowly testing it. Not hurt, stinging from the intrusion, but his vision is okay. Good.
“Easy now, c’mon.” Ielin doesn’t want to look at his arm, not quite yet. It stings, but if he doesn’t see it, it’s not as bad. “Amortentia perked up, look’t her. Gettin’ her color back an’ all.” Crucio had stopped her wrestle with Go the Distance. Colors of the Wind had made her way closer to where Sectumsepra and You’ll Be In My Heart were battling, on her way to hopefully stop the feud. He turns back to the girl, edging a bit in front of her. “Deep breath, you’re okay. Babies are okay.” But he’d stand in front of her, and make sure to keep her safe -- or what little he could keep her safe now.
/ / / /
Tuelarua - High Reaches Candidate
It isn’t until Crucio had finally settled her mental onslaught that Tuela’s migraine has drifted away. Like grains of sand in the wind, the pain dissolves, leaving the echo of throbbing pain somewhere in her right temple. Painful, but not unbearable now. She scrubs at the tears that had fallen out of pain with the pad of her thumb. The red head takes a deep breath to center herself, spying the form of AMortentia now beginning to bloom with color where she had once been pale, near white, on the sands. Had Amortentia been the one to call off the attack? Possibly, for Crucio was laughing…
She turns to look at her companion, to see him strike at another. She’s only able to wince, before the other candidate is putting his hand on her companion’s shoulder--
“No!” The girl wedges herself between Farellen and her companion, trying her best to dislodge the other boy’s hand. “Don’t touch, just -- leave him alone. He’ll be okay. He just needs space.” Her face flushes a bit, yet she knew there was something lying underneath her companion’s dark eyes. Space to calm down was as needed as a friendly touch -- just, sometimes someone needed one and not the other.
Revel1984 You'll thank me for this. Trust me.
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Posted: Thu Nov 01, 2018 3:17 pm
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Dehka
He doesn't think he can ever remember being so scared in his whole life. Amortentia looked terrified--as though she was hurting, and Dehka didn't understand what was happening. Was someone not keeping their thoughts positive?
And then the bronze... the bronze that Kahbrohm wanted so desperately... it killed someone. Dehka was frozen, staring in horror at the lifeless body that the dragon so carelessly discarded onto the hot stands, standing upon it like it was little more than refuse. He flinched openly from Crucio's mental assault, a wordless cry of despair leaving him as Go the Distance intervened to physically block her raging talons and teeth. Instinctively, he'd stepped in front of Soui as though to shield her, his whole body trembling even as he carefully backed them away from the dragons. He had to keep her safe, he knew that instinctively.... And that was what he realized Orri was shouting, just before Sectumsepra hit him. The screams from his friend were enough to shock him out of his terror. "ORRI!" He cried, releasing the girl's hand to charge forward, stumbling and slipping in the sands.
He fell to his knees, still scrambling towards the other. He'd never seen so much blood in his life, not from a person--and as the green whirled to find her next victim, she kicked off of Orri's prone body--just so her back foot could unknowingly catch Dehka on the left side of his face. The force of it alone snapped the boy's head back, sprawling in the sands. He lay there for a moment, stunned, all too aware of the white-hot agony where her talons had flayed him.
Half of his world was strangely dark, and it was only sheer adrenaline that had him staggering upright to crawl over to his friend. "Orri!" He choked, blood streaming down his face to fall upon the white robes of the other boy. There were so many wounds--so many. Could he even move him without hurting him more?
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Posted: Thu Nov 01, 2018 3:22 pm
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Dynzrak
Though the sudden death of the candidate was a surprise, it hadn't been anyone Dynzrak had known. Falienn--or whatever his sharding name was now--was safely off to the side with his green, and so that just left Amaretti. She may have been defending her sibling, but as far as he was concerned, she was his companion. Without thinking, the redhead moved to step in front of her and Nonami, intending to defend the pair of them. He hardly knew Nonami, but because they were important to Amare, they fell under his protection too.
Anyone else could be taken here. Anyone but these two. That, he wouldn't allow.
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Posted: Thu Nov 01, 2018 3:23 pm
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Whren -High reaches - He/Him
The sands had became the slaughter house, salty copper of blood and sharpness of fear and nervous noises and painful moans, merging together into a mess. Whren blinked serenely, still and untouched and familiar warmth of Jemi behind him, her hand resting on his shoulder, tension notable in weight and slightly dig in his skin.
He tipped his head, rolling back his shoulders and sighs. Well, Okay then. Someone was dead, bronze hatchling near by and waiting... expecting something. Judging? Keep and eye on him.
Curio... laughing now. Possible danger if someone upset her sister again.. though Amortentia seemed much better and with her brother and cousins. Sectumsepra and other green were battling.. source of the ichor smell and most of the noises.
Injured candidates... mostly being tended to. He didn't move to them, too many people crowding a single wounded person was just as unhelpful as no help. He looked up at Jemaselle. "You are suppose to be remaining calm."
"I'm Trying tooo... it hard when you just want to punch idiots in the face."She grumbled, eyes narrowed and taunt.
"Well... yes." Whren could admit that he could see the appeal in wanting to punch who ever started this in the face. He rather slap them, truthfully.
He sighed and took the moment to rub at his face. Why...
Jemaselle - High reaches - She/Her
For a hatching they were suppose to send happy, open thoughts and show every one that they could follow the rules and were worthy and now all she wanted to do was PUNCH WHO EVER WAS THE DIMGLOW WHERRY BRAIN WHO STARTED THIS IN THE FACE.
She glanced down as Whren spoke, small and serene and delicate and controlled so unlike her but safe and unharmed and ugh. She would defend him if she needed to but being the odd ones out they hadn't been terribly close to the carnage.
Jemi could smell it, like the ranches slaughter house and sighed, uncurling her fingers and flexed her wrist, looking out and admitted it. "I'm trying too.. it hard when you want to punch idiots in the face." And she did. So badly.
"Crack shells." She grumbled, looking out, taking in the damage, taking in the dragons, figuring out what decision she should take. Since punching was out at the moment. She couldn't just punch people. Even if that is just what she really, really wanted to do.
It wasn't as if they hadn't been warned. She huffed and paused, taking in a other small male. Hehe.. Whren wasn't the only shorty. She rolled a shoulder, nudged her friend till he glanced her way and motioned. "Might as well check on him... think everyone else is fine."
She got a nod and set off to check on the other. "Hey.. you.. you okay there short stuff? Not to insult you because well," She jerked a thumb at Whren. "It just true, you know." She asked, Karone, looking down at him.
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Posted: Thu Nov 01, 2018 3:28 pm
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Talis and Holleth
There was nothing she could do but watch, the pain of helplessness and horror familiar and icy-cold, and what a terrible thing it was to witness. Like a wher in minature, the green was absolutely brutal as she ripped into the boy, as he screamed, as something crunched, and in the background of it all, a low keen formed in Holleth's throat, the blue unable to reach his cousin before..before... Was he...gone...?
He felt that fear in His, but also the surge of denial, of determination as she rushed forward to grab at the broken form of the candidate. She didn't waste any time checking for signs of life, or even being gentle - even if there had been that kind of time to risk wasting, she was just one person, and he was dead weight (tall, blood-slick dead weight) - she just grabbed him by the arm that didn't look wrecked, lifted what she could, and <******** deadglow," she growled out, voice sharp with something more than just disapproval, "I turn around for two seconds-" The words and thought broke off in a strangled noise of effort, and a pain that was shoved down and away because there wasn't time for it now.
Holleth, wide wings mantled and eyes flashing yellow-red-gray, took stalking backwards steps, prepared to protect them if necessary, and all the while poured support to His.
Tsunake she will apologize for manhandling him later..if...he has a later. orz
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Posted: Thu Nov 01, 2018 3:38 pm
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Posted: Thu Nov 01, 2018 5:11 pm
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Rylyrr - Impression post
“Is that so?” Rylyrr questioned, relaxed as Akaris talked, watching the hatchlings move about and what was someone doing that that little green. They had been over this, and after the Western hatchling, and he still at times felt the phantom pain of that tail hitting hard into his ribs and the bruises left to slowly heal.
“She shouldn’t… she upset but her brother and siblings seem to be working to help her stay.” He hoped she didn’t, there was so much to do and see, little one. He sent her reassurance that she was lovely and perfect.
He trailed off, watching the brown Be our Guest brown move through the crowd and headed their way. He truly was a beautiful creature and he stopped before them, and reached towards Akaris with a peep and nudge of her hand and he had hopes for her. Akaris deserved happiness with a partner.
There was rainbow and a voice, warm and bright and just like something clicked into place that had been missing. Rylyrr had asked his older brothers what impression had been like and had gotten vastly different and disjointed ramblings and now he understood.
It was a stillness of the moment, that the only thing in focus was the hatchlings, Andelath whirling rainbow eyes and honey brown hide and his voice and self and was like being the only two in a room. A warmth that curled up and filled like spiced wine and touch of silk. It was the pop of worry that he wouldn’t and would impress out and just disappear like his elder brother and he felt himself sink down.
Rylyrr reached out, fingers skimming over the eye ridges, the horn nubs, his vision blurred and ooh, he was crying. He laughed faintly, scrubbing at his eyes and grinned at the whirling eyes appeared back in his vision. Rainbows and truly just beautiful.
‘Oh, my Rylyrr I didn’t mean to make you cry…. Come on now. Everyone is much to sad for this.’ Andelath said, nuzzling against his choosens face, and crooned as he was pulled close.
“I’ve just… it has been a long time and now you are here… and you are absolutely perfect,” He managed finally, smiling. He had a dragon and his name was Andelath and he truly was perfect. “His name is Andelath, Akaris.”
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Posted: Thu Nov 01, 2018 5:46 pm
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Akaris
Though the situation with Amortentia caught her heart, out of the corner of her eye, it was impossible not to notice a certain golden-hued brown getting closer. He...he was coming over here! He really was! Ohhh! After the welcome she'd gotten from him in the egg, she wasn't concerned about the hatchling's approach the way she might have been, and a girlish little sound of delighted bubbled forth when he actually nudged at her hand. With a smitten smile, she sighed out a happy, "Hello."
But then he looked to Rylyrr, and...and....he was his! She released the young man's hand with a delighted squeal, and there may have been a tiny little dance, which for the first time since the Hatching had begun put some distance between them (just as well, as they deserved their moment). "You're..you're....Really!!"
Thank you, she thought emphatically at the brown, who was almost as handsome as his chosen, and for one bright, shining moment of joy, everything was perfect.
Then came the rage, and terror, and pain. There were screams, and the sickeningly awful sounds of flesh ripping amd bones breaking: a boy was killed by a bronze, immediately followed by others torn into by a green, one not far away at all. She could hear him. It was straight out of a nightmare, and far more than the once-traumatized girl could handle. Her first thought was to get back to Rylyrr, but horror kept her rooted a moment too long, and claws flashed and dragged down from her hip to her thigh, and she screamed and crumpled. On top of it all was the outpouring of hate and wrath from Crucio, and it was far, far too much.
She curled in on herself, shaking, and utterly unable to do or even think anything.
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Posted: Thu Nov 01, 2018 6:30 pm
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And what started as the happiest moment in the best day of his life went completely between and thread fall. Rylyrr froze as he started to come back from the warm high of impression and completing his dream for years, more than ten turns coming and passing to complete and utter ********.
‘Mine?’Andelath question, voice high, and eyes whirling between red and grey at the sudden onslaught of noise, blood, and fear blooming from his chest. This was not what he wanted, he had wanted to make it better.
“Akaris?” He hadn’t seen what dragon had injured her but she was hurt and Andelath was at his side and he couldn’t linger long.. Not for the hatchling health. “It be alright, Andelath… come on Akaris.” He leaned down carefully, checking the wound and reached out, gently patting her back. “Come on, luv. Look at me please?”
He wasn’t going to lose her, not at the happiest day of his life and he found himself struggling to ease out his emotions, shoving away the fear and panic till he felt more tight but in control and narrow focus. “We got to get you to A’ral.” He couldn’t leave her here.
Okay... He shifted, carefully gathering her in his arms, and lifted up, heading to the healers to set her safety down among them. Off the sands and possibly getting mauled any worse. He sighed, gently hugging her before heading to join the others off the sands and to keep Andelath safe.
and get his emotions under control.
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Posted: Thu Nov 01, 2018 6:44 pm
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Grumioll
He’d never felt anything like this before. Any hurt to his body could be endured. It was strong and hardened, well used to pain. But his mind was as soft and untrained as an infant’s body. The attack on the other boy was pure survival instinct, kill or be killed! Once that one was down, he frantically turned this way and that, trying to make sense of everything through the haze of Crucio’s piercing mental stabs. Then… they stopped.
The world went dark for several terrifying moments as his mind readjusted to absence of pain, during which Gru was genuinely frozen in shock. He came to just as the boy he’d struck was reaching for his shoulder. Had the boy been from High Reaches, he would have known that his attempts to comfort this feral creature like a normal person could lead to far worse hurt than what he’d already suffered. If a certain girl hadn’t interposed herself between the two males, Gru’s fist would absolutely have flown again. Her sudden appearance was enough to make him pause long enough to reassess the situation, to step back and take a deep breath and remember where he was and what was going on around him.
He looked at both of the candidates in front of him, eyes lingering on the female longest. Then he turned away from both, making his way to a completely different area of the sands. If he lost himself like that again… he did not want to be near that one when it happened.
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Posted: Thu Nov 01, 2018 6:49 pm
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Kiri
Kiri almost missed sight of what happened. One moment she had been standing with Farinalgo, trying to sway their conversation to happier tidings. Aresoth had spoke to her, she'd all but invited C'ryn out on a date to join her at the feast whether she Impressed or not, and for a few moments...things looked good. She was often an optimistic sort, one who didn't let things drag her down; even the loss of her parents was something she kept well buried so as not to anchor her down. She was too buoyant in nature, and tended to prefer bottling up those more vulnerable moments when prying eyes weren't there to witness such a breakdown.
She liked to think she was fierce as the very felines she had wanted to bond to....nothing could tear her down, or keep her down, for that matter. But one thing the girl never expected was to watch her brother get pulled into the jaws of a bronze, and killed. There had been a cry among the boys, just loud enough for her to look up in surprise. That had sounded like--oh for Faranth's--she couldn't even complete the thought, eyes going wide when it happened. She was too far away to hear the snapping of bones, but the way his body went limp, and the way his head sagged she knew.
And just like that, the bronze dropped him, like he was nothing, like he was no one, like he was dirt.
The chaos that seemed to follow hardly registered with the girl. All she saw was that thing, mouth still red with her brother's blood. All she saw was him looking around, like he owned the crowd, uncaring, unconcerned. All she saw was not one, but two golds, who sat back and did nothing. Candidates were getting bloodied, wounded, and hurt. By a stroke of luck Sectumsempra did not make it to where she walked. Farinalgo was forgotten--she could feel herself moving towards that beast, tears suddenly stinging her eyes as she realized that Shinnikan was not getting up. He was....dead. Gone.
She hadn't even wished him luck this day... Hadn't wanted to get in his way with his boyfriend. Had assumed she'd see him after the Feast, had assumed... they'd have another day. He had been the brother she'd been closest too, as K'din had well been older and on his way to the Weyr by the time she'd been born. And now... No more jokes. No more teasing him for being an upstanding Tillek seacrafter. No more giving him a hard time about keeping secrets--like boyfriends--at her. She wouldn't get to hug him goodbye, like she had as a child; wouldn't get to drag him into trouble, either. He was supposed to have Impressed not...
Not be the platform for that thing.
"Get off him!" She half-choked, half-snarled, tears suddenly turning into anger. Grief could come later, but wasn't... Wasn't anyone going to get that bronze monster off!? Wasn't anyone going to make him move?! She knew they weren't supposed to approach dragons that weren't Theirs, and this one was clearly not hers, but she would not let her brother just be some stepping stone for such a heartless monster.
It was one thing to have done it... but to... to just stand there? Like it was some game!? That was HER brother. That was Shinnikan, who had always been the mediator; had always been friendly, talkative, and while he had his judgmental side, his heart had always been in the right place. He'd wanted to save Pern from the enemy... and instead, he'd been betrayed by the world's most famous heroes.
Crucio's mental lashing only helped open up that wound, that ache, that pain. The idiot couldn't be dead; fallen by some wicked bronze beast. And for what reason? The creature hadn't shown any sign of rage or upset; Shinnikan had moved out of his way. Was it a stray thought? Why had it happened? Why him?
She wasn't afraid of pain. She wasn't even afraid of death. If these were the saviors of Pern... Kiri couldn't help but wonder in this moment if it didn't come at too high a price. She stopped a little ways away, glaring at the bronze, uncaring if this got her kicked out of Candidacy or not. "You've done enough! Move!" Her voice cracked. She hated seeing him like that. Like he was... was nothing. He might not have been well known, but she knew him. "Make him move!" She turned to implore (practically command) Rhianth and Fianth, the two golds who did have the power to force him away. Let Rhianth snarl at her, or snap, or spurn her; at this moment, she just didn't care.
Rules be damned, she'd move him herself if she had to, and just let the bronze try to make a fuss. As far as she was concerned, this Hatching was over. She was done and she wanted no part of this game. She just wanted to stroke her brothers hair, to kiss his cheek, and to get him away from the carnage. She hadn't been able to save him, but she would at least make sure he wasn't humiliated a moment longer.
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Posted: Thu Nov 01, 2018 7:05 pm
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Reya
The sudden carnage came as a shock, and the stands around Reya rippled with alarm and horror at the unexpected violence. Reya, too, gasped at the bronze's first vicious act, but then her breath was gone and she had none left to spare for the damage inflicted on subsequent candidates.
She had almost recovered from her shock - if it was even possible to recover from that sort of shock - when another assault came. A wave of agony whipped throughout the hatching grounds from one of the furious hatchlings on the sands. It lashed Reya, too, curling around her mind and ripping a whimper of pain from her as her hands flew to her head, pressing her palms to her temples as though trying to draw the pain out.
It was a relief when, as suddenly as it had begun, the excruciating sensation ceased, leaving her panting slightly. She watched as a young woman threw herself toward the preening bronze. Reya couldn't make out the candidate's words over the crowd, but her anguish was clear, and Reya was sorry for her. She wondered if the two of them had been close, or if the young woman was merely especially sensitive. Either way, Reya couldn't fault her for her reaction. It seemed like a reasonable response.
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