Enter the Night (Nim's Clutching)

[Wish]

When the darkness calls you home.
And there is nothing left but to feel alone.
Do you enter the Night within your soul?
Or do you try and save yourself from the ending you know?

It had been a long Fall, one filled with many surprises including a change of leadership and finally the reinstatement of water on Rindell Island's forecast. The ground outside, mixed with clay and water from the endless torrents of rain were proof of that now, and nothing seemed to end the onslaught of storms. Such was life in the south during the Fall and Winter though. It was the rainy season, and they would bring more life come Spring, but for now taking a simple stroll outside involved bringing a canoe and paddle.

Groaning as she arched her neck, the muscles protesting in discomfort, Eiko shook her head and put a hand to her temple, grimacing at the pain she felt. Why in Faranth's name this was supposed to be such a good little miracle, she would never know. All she was certain of was that she would never have children if this was any indication of how bothersome it could be. Glancing from her position sitting criss-cross on a rock, the rider turned her attention to the dark form of her lifemate.

Nimarath had started clutching a candlemark ago, or maybe longer, she wasn't quite sure. Either way, it was something both rider and dragon quite detested. I'll be happy when they are finally gone though. They're a troublesome bunch of pests, I can already tell. Sighing, and then that sigh turning to a hiss instead, the dragoness craned her neck to look at the first egg that finally graced the sands. It wasn't much to look at, except that it was quite smooth and flat...and small.

Somehow I don't think much will come from that one. It is a sad thing, but we shall have to wait and see nonetheless I suppose. Nudging it into a less problematic spot, Nimarath tilted her head and looked at the dark shell, blood red lines running down one side as if a dragon had scored its claws across a black hide. Then again, dragons had green blood, not red. There was not any more time to think about it though for another soon was joining it, this one only slightly bigger and equally as dark in coloration.

"It looks like one of those masks the villagers make." Eiko uncurled her legs from their position on the rock, getting up and walking over to her clutching dragoness. Slipping her gaze over the small shell, she wondered if they all would be like this; dark and tiny. It had a distinct white pattern on it though, and crimson red between them so it looked almost like red eyes on a black and white painted face. Something eerie about the two eggs made Eiko's skin crawl and she turned away from the sight to see another egg land on the semi-warm sands of the Rebellion's mountain cave.

It was more promising, a dark velvety green again almost as black as the first two. Greyish purple lines criss-crossed in a small "t" on one surface, the same color lining a curve below it so it looked like a winking face. It was all childish almost in the design, if one were to even consider such things designs. For all Eiko knew she could just be seeing such strange markings on them. Most tried to look for dragons or other such forms in the swirls of eggs. I like it...well, I don't while they're still coming out. I think this one is going to be much bigger.

Another one, quickly followed by a second slipped then, falling into place around the green and purple egg that winked back at Eiko. The first was quite a bit larger than the rest, almost completely circular in its formation. Like the green egg it had a menacing sort of smile, though this was formed in blood red on a slate grey and black flecked shell. "You and Emiath...you would produce eggs that were as odd as this." Shaking her head, the rider turned her gaze to the other egg that had been laid. It was a dark blue with lighter blue and grey lines webbing across one side. Another, last one, followed those two quickly; the dark brownish grey shell following the same sort of coloring as its siblings, but with bright green markings that looked like cracks running all along the shell. "So, that's six. Not bad at all love."

Nimarath grunted her agreement, curling up around her clutch and sighing in relief. I am glad it is over now.......go get something to eat. Eiko nodded, her stomach grumbling as she ran off to both alert some of the rebels as well as get herself something to snack on while she began her wait on the sands with her dragoness. By the time she returned she had to push through a crowd, the masses whispering in quiet alarm. Finally, frustrated at her inability to get to her own dragon, the blonde hit someone lightly on the arm. "HEY! What's going on?"

The older rider scratched his greying head, shaking it as she found a smile crossing his leather-tanned skin. "Doncha know? Yur her rider." Eiko blinked in confusion, gasping as she was suddenly pushed forward, her arms pinwheeling to gain balance as she landed in front of Nimarath. Between her front paws where it could be safely protected and away from the darker siblings, a large silver egg with lines of greys and blues that looked somewhat like the moon or even a wave was nestled. The Obsidian hissed as a curious candidate strayed a bit too close, her jaws snapping and a taloned paw coming to form a cage over her prize.

My daughter is Mine.
Easy Nim....I thought you said you were done.
Apparently I was not. I am now.


In the end it's all just a dream.
Or perhaps it's something more.
Not everything child is as it may seem.
This is your worst nightmare, it shall shake you to the core.

[Taylor]

Quinset couldn't tell you why he was here, if you asked. Well no, that's a lie. Masochism. Pure and simple masochism. That had to be it, right? Because there was no other reason - no possible reason - he would have started spending more time in the rebel camp instead of Rindell village as the obsidian's clutching time drew nearer.

At the announcement that she had clutched, the man headed for the sands, feet moving before he'd even processed what he was doing. His thoughts, as they often did, turned to Krillth. How different it had been, walking to his dragon's clutch that first time, gazing upon eggs, hoping one would hold his lifemate.

He jabbed his elbow harshly into someone's ribs, not apologizing when they cried out, just using the opening their flinch made to push in closer. He repeated the action several more times, occasionally shoving instead of jabbing, until he had a clear view of the eggs.

As soon as he spotted them, he regretted coming. He felt like someone had just kicked him the gut. Or perhaps stabbed him in the heart. Maybe both. Pain surged through him, as sharp as it had been the day Krillth had died, and he found himself unwillingly comparing eggs to his bronze's.

The dark ones were all too dark, of course. Dark like their mother. Probably twisted like her, as well. And that silver egg? Well, it was too light, nothing like the green of his dragon's egg. But the swirling pattern on it... It wasn't the same as Krillth's, of course, but his had had some circular coloration as well, and the similarity caused that knife in Quinset's chest to twist. He decided that that egg was both his favorite and least favorite, all at once. Favorite because it was similar to his dragon - the best dragon - and thus was clearly superior to its siblings. And, at the same time, most hated because of how much it reminded him of Krillth and how much it wasn't Krillth.

[metaldawn71]

Novar had gotten there in time. He breathed a sigh of relief and looked at the Nimarath and grimaced as the candidate was snapped at by the jaws of death itself. The boy hid behind an outcropping, quickly. He knew he would not be eaten today. Even though, it wasn't him that strayed to close to the Silver egg he knew that the Obsidian mother was angry. He didn't want to anger her more.

How does one get passed an angry dragon? If he opened up his mouth, it might annoy her even more. He wasn't so sure he wanted to do this. A possible angry mother might, just might do him in and he didn't want that. Wild thoughts raced through his mind on what could happen. He was afraid of dragons, in general. There was no way around it. He was here but for what reason? At a clutching. Hmm. Should be kept private and then call when the actually event happens.

Novar thought seeing the eggs was a waste of time. He was from the North and, like his step-father, saw no reason for this but the boy kept this emotion locked away and for very good reason. The emotion was anger. There was a crowd of people that walked past him glaring at him, judging him before they got to know him. What did he do? He scowled right back at them.

Novar glanced at the eggs and they appeared to be too depressing. All dark...except one. A silver egg, closely guarded by Nimarath. Novar oddly felt he had failed as a Candidate. He never felt this way, ever. Well there's always a first. Maybe it was because the last hatching didn't go so well. The boy had a gut feeling that he would not be successful in the the next one either.

The boy made a face and then smiled as he finally accepted that what life had to offer was indeed worth trying for at least.