Dun Keiba Hatching 6

May 3 2006

Female Forest Shadeynna and Ore Male Tezriyn Parenting

It had been a long couple of months. Scotia and Elmon had predictably allowed their draks to bring them closer together, and the ninjas spent most of their time discussing things like hiding, herbs and whether there ought to be more fairy draks at Dun Keiba.

Their draks got along famously and almost sickeningly well. Tezriyn would bring his mate food when she didn't feel like hunting, and Shadeynna guarded their small nest ferociously - quite the opposite of her typical nature outside the deep caverns.

But she did allow the Aspirants to come near the eggs at least once or twice before they hatched. Not to get a look at the eggs, but so that she could evaluate the Aspirants!

Finally, on a warm late-spring morning, Shadeynna butted even Tezriyn out and bid him to find the Aspirants, judges and whoever else needed to attend her draklings when she brought them out. His happy trumpet was echoed in his Knight's cheerful hoot, and Elmon the healer was the one who brought in the small number of Aspirants.

There were two girls - wildly different from one another - and one burly boy. That was acceptable to Shadeynna, since she apparently only laid three eggs this first nest.

One of the girls had been overlooked by the prior draklings, but now she was the center of attention as a lovely little plant male approached her.

"Howsss a farm going to help you be a knight?" He asked. He tilted his head, and Chrysthia chuckled.

"I'm already prepared to clean up after you, and I'm not afraid to get dirty, if that's what you mean," she said.

"Then that'sss a good anssswer." He looked at his dam and she nodded. "I'm Thadnayn by the way."

It didn't surprise anyone that had been around Feige for a few days, when a Night drak, a female, slipped out from under her mother's wing and butted her head against the snake-shifter.

"You, I think. Mother?" She said simply, looking over her still-damp wingsails at Shadeynna. The Forest drak nodded again, and the night announced, "I am Baltynna. I would like to sssee you change, thisss intriguesss me."

"That's good to know," Feige said, eyeing the drak. They left to find the fresh meat and get settled.

That left the blacksmith ninja boy, Aedre, who stood with his head tilted looking at Shadeynna. Finally her wing lifted up and she nudged the last of her brood out, he did a roll and tumble and landed in front of Aedre.

"An Earth," Aedre said with a smile, "that would figure, huh?"

"It would figure," the male drakling said, "I am Sssydnayn, are you going to put me to work now?"

That elicited chuckles from the gathered onlookers, and a guffaw from Aedre. "Of course not now! I want you to see my work first, if you don't like it we can do Knight stuff instead."

That seemed acceptable to the earth male, and now that her brood was finished being shown off, Shadeynna gracefully took wing into the afternoon sky. Her mate followed, and the new knights were led to their quarters and later to training.

***

Chrysthia and Thadnayn Trained by ()

Feige and Baltynna Trained by ()

Aedre and Syndayn Trained by ()

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.