Touching Without Asking

Writers: Devin, Shawna, Suzee
Date Posted: 21st August 2025

Characters: Cirina, Cyradis, N'vanik
Description: Cirina sneaks onto the hatching sands to present her case to the eggs. There are consequences.
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 6, day 13 of Turn 12
Notes: Mentioned: Oriene

Cyradis

N'vanik

Cirina took every precaution she could think of. She wore all black. She even put a scarf over her red hair to help hide it from the light. She waited until after midnight to creep quietly out of the candidate barracks.

She considered waking Oriene to join her, but the noble part of her didn't want to risk getting her friend in trouble, and the selfish part of her didn't want the competition, so instead she crept quietly past her sleeping friend and into the night.

After Turns as a candidate, she knew the way to the hatching sands like the back of her hand, and it wasn't hard to get there without anyone stopping her. Getting inside wasn't so bad, either; the teen was light on her feet and quiet, and dressed all in black, she was little more than a shadow as she crept inside, Digger's eyes peeking through her hair the brightest part of her.

It helped that she didn't need to go far. There was a little trio of relatively small eggs near the outside of the clutch, and that was her particular target. Keeping a wary eye on the sleeping bulk of their mother, she tip-toed towards the eggs and then sat down almost in the middle of them.

Keeping her voice at a low whisper that she hoped wouldn't carry over the sands and wake Panitath, she began her pitch. "Listen. I know you're going to have a lot of options, but I really think one of you should pick me. No one else on those sands will have fed a baby dragon before. I'm not going to be upset if you knock me over or get your bloody nose all over my nice clean clothes. I know exactly how to chop up all the meat so you won't choke. And, if you pick me, I promise to take you everywhere. I always thought it would be fun to be a searchrider. They see everything. We can go to all the Weyrs and all the Gathers, and all the Holds. And I already know all the best places to scratch, so you won't need to teach me..." quietly, the candidate continued her desperate pitch to the eggs, alternatively reaching out to touch each one for a moment at a time while she spoke.

A very large orange eye opened and the golden mother opened her mouth as well but the little human was right between several of her eggs.

"Who is there?" Cyradis called from the Stands where she'd been sleeping. Shadow went sailing toward the disturbance with a creel of anger. "Loseth, please call yours!"

The bronze woke with a start at his mate's distress, eyes whirling red-orange. Someone was disturbing the eggs! He let out an ear-splitting roar as he called for his rider.

Cirina had heard dragons roar before, of course, but never that close or that loud, and her own shriek was drowned out by Loseth. Cowering down between the eggs, she used one hand to cradle Digger to her chest and the other to cover a ringing ear, "It's just me!" Her panic didn't quite give her enough room to think to clarify.

Cyradis walked out onto the Sands "Cirina? What are you doing?" Panitath's eyes whirled dangerously and she seemed to growl low in her throat.

"I just... I was just sitting here," Cirina flinched away from the growling gold. Staying exactly where she was seemed the best course at the moment. The gold couldn't eat her without disturbing any eggs. "I wasn't hurting anything. I would never hurt them."

N'vanik ran in through the main entrance, wearing only a pair of shorts and clutching a belt knife. "What's happening?"

"Looks like Cirina took it upon herself to go egg touching without permission from anyone. Am I right?" Cyradis turned to the candidate.

The only thing that kept Cirina from flinching away from Cyradis was the fact that she couldn't really make herself any smaller. "I mean. Mostly I was talking to them... but yes. I wasn't hurting anything, I promise."

N'vanik glared at her. "You thought you'd sneak onto the Hatching Grounds in the middle of the night? After what we've been through?" Loseth growled as he reassured his mate that no one would hurt their eggs.

"The clutch sire and dam are _livid_ with you Cirina," Cyradis had difficulty controlling her own anger. "You know it's dangerous, what were you trying to accomplish besides anger Panitath, Loseth and both of us?"

"I just... I thought if I could spend a little time with the eggs I could..." It sounded stupid saying it outloud, but she didn't see a choice, "Convince one of them to give me a chance? Maybe I won't be the best candidate, but I already know how to do the hard baby stuff because of Aeoluth and... and I thought maybe I just needed to... make an impression when the others weren't around." In a quieter tone, Cirina added, "I figured since I got in without being caught I could get out, too. I guess I got too loud. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to scare anyone."

"You sharding _dimglow_," N'vanik growled, still trying to get his heart rate to slow down. He'd been sound asleep, curled around Talryne when Loseth's anger woke him. "I thought you had more sense than this."

"Have you learned nothing Cirina? In all the turns of your life. Eggs are fragile this early. You must wait for the Weyrling Master to tell you it's time." She signed heavily. "Now you've upset both Panitath and Loseth." she could still feel the seething anger underlaid with anxiety as she examined the eggs. "Come out of there right now!"

Shadow screeched his anger as he flew around the area where the girl crouched. He was ready to fight the encroaching flit that had invaded the territory of his mighty queen.

Cirina nodded, slowly creeping out from between the eggs, as much because she was struggling to keep a steady hold on a screaming Digger as because she was worried about bumping the dragon eggs. The little brown was more than willing to try to face off against the other firelizard, but Cirina was sure discretion was warranted and kept him tucked tight and safe against her chest as she slowly walked off the Sands. "I'm sorry, I'll go now." Her heart was pounding, but she resisted the urge to run, not wanting any sudden movements to set off... well, anyone there. Rider, dragon, or firelizard. The slow walk to the door felt like it took an eternity.

}:Kularth has summoned his to deal with her,:{ Loseth told his rider and his mate, eyes still red but whirling a little slower.

Cyradis covered her eyes and growled through gritted teeth. "Post guards," she said as she took her hands down. "I don't want anyone in here to bother them again until they're ready for visitors, and please ask R'lor to pay special attention to this one." She raised her voice so the offending candidate could hear her across the cavern. "I'm not sure she's ready to Stand!" She practically shouted the last few words in her deep anger. She knew what she was feeling was partly Panitath and partly her own fury. Ciara was definitely going to hear about this.

Cirina flinched, but trying to argue right now would be about as smart as letting Digger try to fight Shadow, so instead, she just bolted for the door. At least the Weyrlingmaster couldn't literally roar at her.

Last updated on the September 2nd 2025

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Touching Without Asking