Utori - Male, age 22

Bonded at Cy Dragonstake

Dragon: Brown Lightning Lioten

Dam: Green Palinth, Sire: Rainbow Blue Sanzen

Utori thought this place was pretty neat. There were people of all descriptions there, but mostly Human. He was rather glad that some of his tribemates weren't there. They would be snarling and growling at everyone left and right just because they didn't have fur or scales.

He was there for perhaps ten or twelve days, and on the last few every night or even half a day the clutch mother Palinth would announce that her eggs were hatching!

They weren't. They were sort of moving a bit, yes, but they weren't hatching. Utori got used to putting on his robes and combing down his fur quickly, and, he got used to the vague disappointment that he felt every time the clutch didn't hatch.

There was always a distinct buzzing in the back of his head, though, when he entered the hatching sands. The other candidates might have felt it too, but he was sure that it was the hatchling dragons waiting. They would choose. Utori's heart fluttered when he thought about it.

In the mean time, he got some instruction from the elders about how to use a lance on dragon back. There was a big mockup of a dragon - complete with wings and neck - that the students would be able to use to practice while their dragons grew up.

Utori sat on the saddle, and said, "I don't know about this ... my tail is in the way."

The instructor, a scarred-faced human man, nodded. "P'raps y'don't need that then. Try it w'out." They got the saddle off, and Utori climbed back up.

"Is it okay for me to grip with my claws? I won't be hurting my dragon will I?"

"W'those li'l things?" The man said, laughing, "Hardly. Takes a much bigger claw t'do any damage t'these beauties."

His own dragon was old, and had battle scars which told Utori he might not be able to fly - at least not into battle any longer. With respect, then, he listened as the instructor told him how to grip and duck, the wings of the machine-dragon moved up and down, and the swaying motion of the body fell into a rhythm. Utori loved it.

His lance was perfect in his hands. He would truly love this when his time came to bond.

***

Later that night, after a fairly exhaustive day of practice, Utori was called out by one of the dragons or their riders - they were almost interchangable in his mind - because this time, the clutch actually WAS hatching!

Excited, he ran back down with the others, who he noticed now had the lines of sleep around their eyes. He was good at reading human faces.

The eggs were trembling, but some were actually shaking violently, as though their dragonets were kicking their way out. They were strong, these little creatures! And big!

The first to emerge from his shell was a blue with lightning on his wings, beautiful in every sense of the word. He bonded to a young man, and then they left for the food. It was so late at night that Utori wondered how many people had to be dragged out of bed to just feed and clean up!

Next to hatch was a lovely emerald-sparkling green and a yellow who both bonded to girls. Then, the big egg that Palinth had been so proudly displaying began to rock its way open.

First a nose emerged, then the rest of the egg broke away. A large brown with the pretty speckling on his hide that the females had, but he also had bright lightning dancing over his wingsails. The dragonet turned and glanced at his mother before walking near the candidates.

He came right up to Utori, sat down and gazed into the Kin's aqua colored eyes. Utori sighed, the buzzing had stopped and was now replaced by a symphony of emotions. Before him was a lovely dragon - his own.

He absently reached out and scratched the dragonet's head, looking at how sharp the horns were going to be. Then he realized he was daydreaming about their future together.

"I'm sorry - I was just a bit tired from coming to your hatching all these other nights too..." Utori admitted. His head was fluffy.

I've felt you from inside my egg all those times, Utori. My name is Lioten!

Then Utori hugged the dragon, sure that he would be a very fine strong dragon when he grew up. He'd obviously be in contention for Temih's dragoness, if she paired right. They would fly to defend their territory, and ...

I would like to eat first, if you don't mind... Lioten reminded the sleepy headed Kin.

***

Lioten drew in a long dragony sigh.

She is really amazing.

Distracted from his chart-drawing, Utori looked up at his lightning-striped brown. "What? Who is?"

The gold over there. She is big and strong and lovely. Don't you think?

With a pause, Utori stood up and glanced out of their den's ledge. Sure enough, where the dragon was gazing in his lovelorn way at a visiting golden dragoness. She was sturdy, looked like a different breed than the locals.

"She's totally not interested," Utori said, patting Lioten on his flank.

But if she is, then -

"She's not interested, and let me put this another way. I'm not interested. The only female you ought to be chasing after is one that I don't even know yet."

You really love her, that woman I've never met.

"I -" Utori sighed. "Well, not like the way you love every big female you see. I know what to expect with Temih."

So you will want me to catch her when we meet?

"When she rises," Utori corrected. "Let's not have any mistakes."