All references to worlds and characters based on Anne McCaffrey's fiction are copyright © Anne McCaffrey 1967,2000, all rights reserved, and used by permission of the author. The Dragonriders of Pern(r) is registered U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, by Anne McCaffrey, used here with permission. Use or reproduction without a license is strictly prohibited. For more information, visit the Worlds of Anne McCaffrey.

13-11-01: Egg Groping
Once most of the other candidates have begun the touching, Jayden feels confident enough to start himself. He walks up...

Once most of the other candidates have begun the touching, Jayden feels confident enough to start himself. He walks up to them, his entire body shaking from nerves and awe. He reaches out towards the egg in front of him, the Biting Autumn Morning Egg, and gently touches it, his body vibrating in excitement.

Hannah smiles to the new arrival, "Be gentle with the eggs, and don't try to touch the gold egg.." Otherwise, go forth and touch eggs.

Dhiammarath watches almost lazily, however, to believe that would be more than foolish. Her eyes never leave the Candidates who are touching her darlings.

Heeding the call some time later than others - evidently, he was otherwise occupied, at first, Relian sidles onto the sands hesitantly, his hands dug into his pockets. He bobs a bow - somewhat rapidly, head nodding rapidly to Hannah's comments. "I don't think," he offers, shuffling forward, "I've much call to touch *that* one, anyway." Instead, he slides towards the Sunwarmed Olive Oil with Za'atar Egg, hesitating in front of it.

Serafa blinks as her fingers tentatively make contact with the surface of her first egg, making a small 'O' with her mouth she traces the delicate colours as they swirl in chaotic confusion. Slowly her 'O' is replaced by a dreamy smile as she treads carefully around the egg, tracing one particularly bright colour.

Barely do you smell the sublte aroma of cooking oil..

Ilara shakes off the feeling, attributing it to her nerves. And she has plenty of those to go around. So, for a second time, she reaches her hand out towards the egg nearest her, the Mornin' Cup o' Klah egg. With extreme care, as though fearing her very breath may shatter the earth-toned egg, Lar lays two fingers on its shell for the briefest of seconds. When it doesn't fanish in a puff of smoke, or crack, or fall over, she gains enough confidence to put the flat of her hand on its side. And the giddy expression on her face as she does so makes her look quite goofy.

Sunwarmed Olive Oil with Za'atar Egg

Decadent middle-eastern gold sweeps languidly over the deeply warm, crust-brown base of this egg. Smooth and glistening as a late afternoon summer sunbeam it floats down. Lazy cartloads of faded and chipped forest green trundle along their incomprehensible paths. High-gloss tarnished yellow oozes down the sides from the lovely puddle that glazes the top. Soft clouds of musty spice waft over the mid-section and launch speckles of sandy brown and dark orange to the extremities.

Rowann carefully wanders nearer to the eggs, eyes settling briefly upon each then moving to the next. Her eyes and hands come to rest upon the English Country Garden Egg, her fingers gently tracing over the shell as if afraid of disturbing the occupant. She traces an invisible pattern with delicacy echoing throughout her somewhat awed expression. She lays her palm down upon the warm surface, not quite fully prepared for what will happen next. The nervous feeling softly returning into her light blue eyes. Uh-oh.

Relian's mouth widens with surprise, his brows furrowing as he leans down to touch the egg itself. "Interesting," he decides, repositioning his legs so that he stands more comfortably, looming over the egg's form. In such a position he resides a moment longer, hands rubbing over the golden hues of the warm-shaded egg. "I do like this one, I think."

Hannah smiles softly, reminiscing her own past egg touchings. Finding a position that's comfortable, she watches the candidates gravitate towards certain eggs. However, the small weyrwoman says nothing, only watches.

With a soft little sigh Serafa steps away from the egg, bringing her fingers up to her mouth as she selects her next egg. A little more confident now, but still careful of thier dam's design she makes her way to Herbal Essences Egg, Her fingers eagerly searching for the now familiar texture.

"Oooh!" Ilara giggles in surprise, quite goofily. Hey, she didn't know what to expect, its not her fault. Her hand is briefly removed in surprise, but she quickly lays it back, softly but with more confidence this time. "I didn't know that they would... er..." not knowing how to explain, she shuts up, and places her other hand beside the first on the klah-ish egg. And she continues to grin stupidly. Don't mind her.

Jayden moves his palm slightly over the Biting Autumn Morning Egg, his hand savoring every bit of the texture. He places his other hand on it as well, a goofy grin on his face as his fingers trace circles along the top of the egg. "So beautiful," he murmurs, eyes never leaving the autumn colors. Then, remembering Hannah's instructions not to hog, he steps back from the egg, eyes scanning for the next one. And then he sees /the/ egg. He steps towards the Heady Incense Egg in zombie-like fashion, eyes fixed and widened as he reaches out to touch it.

Rowann boldy places her other hand on the egg, though her touch lightens instantaneously as the thoughts and emotions stirred wordlessly by her fingers flows through her. Her eyes close as the startling sensation washes over her body and mind, caressing all that lies in her. Her mouth drops open and her eyes widen as she pulls her hands away. The shock of the abrupt stopping of sharing feelings causing her to gasp as if choking. She turns to see if anyone was watching, her cheeks reddening with embarrasment. Oh well. On to the next egg.

Relian shuffles away from the egg at which he stood, weaving a passage around the other eggs randomly, somewhat aimless, his boots making soft sweepings of black sand as he moves. Presently, he pulls up by the Bakery Fragrance Egg to watch it warily before placing down his hands upon its surface, peering at it. "They're big," he decides, somewhat overawed. "I mean...I hadn't realised how big." His eyes are as round as saucers - if somewhat less breakable.

The aroma of freshly baked bread tickles your nose while at the same time appealing to your tastebuds..

Bakery Fragrance Egg

Warmth, unrequited were it not for the baking heat of the Sands, exudes with the lightest fragrance of crisp, crumbling, sugar-scented pastries, mingled molasses and frosted chocolate blurring into a plethora of crisscrossing cinnamon-sprinkled stripes from apex to nadir of the ovoid. Walnut overtly blends into the nutmeg-imbued mix, its addition spurring on the bittersweet fragrance of coffee; perversely, near invisible touches of frothy cream mute the entirety of this egg's too-rich aromatic appearance with flecks of off-white, topped with a scant, scentless dash of rainbow'd sprinkles.

Serafa gently caresses Herbal Essences Egg with one last flourish before she steps away to select another egg, That egg hadnt held her attention for all that long. Her eyes slightly unfocused she traces the outlines of the assorted eggs before her eyes are caught once more. Now fully into her egg-touching groove she makes her way with grace to Fruit Gone Rancid Egg, placing her finger tips upon the garish surface, she inspects it solemnly.

Ilara rubs her hand along the eggs surface for a moment, before taking her hands off with a wistfull sigh and moving on to the next egg she sees, the Hot and Spicy one. Yes, she seems to have a thing for the hot food eggs. She circles it with solemn cerimony before placing her hands on it and running her fingers along its side.

Rowann heads towards another egg she has spied from afar, stopping before it with a questioning look on her face, "I like this one..." Is said to no-one but herself! Rowann steps forward, cautiously touching a fingertip to Sour Milk Egg. Her position soon becomes relaxed, as she lets each finger on her hand reach out for the hardening. Her palm closing over the egg in a ritualistic movement, waiting for the shock soon to come.

"Mmm," mutters Relian, beneath his breath. "Hungry." He stares at the egg, disapprovingly, adding, "I just ate - not long ago!" Vaguely troubled, he steps away from the egg, casting it another wary glance as his feet carry him more confidently in another direction. It is the Fruit Gone Rancid that now catches out his attention, and this one he leans forward towards, resting both hands upon the surface in a curious, considering moue of interest. "You're not going to tempt me to eat, are you?" he queries of the egg, dubiously.

Jayden's hands roam over the Heady Incense Egg, his eyes transfixed. Jay is in love. He murmurs something incoherent, palms gently feeling the texture on the top and sides, a satitiated smile upon his face. Sighing, he manages to move away from it, silently vowing to return to it at the next Touching. Next, he moves to the Fruit of the Loom Egg, arm calmly stretching out to it.

Rowann walks with a little sway in her step off the sands.

Quite the opposite, the scents coming from this egg is more likely to take away your appetite with the rancid and putrid smells that seem to spill from it..

Fruit Gone Rancid Egg

A darling wretch of an egg, this one's coloration and patterning gives the effect of dents and bulges on the shell, as though it has been beaten to the point of disfiguration. Lime predominates, as only the brightest of hues would do! Noxious yellow, violet, and magenta battle violently from the center outwards to each end. But muddy smoke coils upward throughout, entwining itself among the striking colors in such a way as to offer a subtle rotting appearance, as if each of those drastically attention-commanding shades has been wasting away. Other eggs might be ashamed to be so foul, but not this one! Proudly does it wear its design, bright and bold in the most eye-aching of ways.

Serafa makes a face, and stops her inspection suddenly, oooh that was not good at all. No disrespect intended. Pausing once more she searches for another egg for her shell hungry fingers to explore. Spottoing Feeding time Time at the Zoo Egg she makes her way to it, her steps careful, and her fingers outstretched ever so slightly. COming to a gentle stop she places her hands upon it and strokes lovingly.

Ilara makes a sour face, holding her hands on it for a long moment. "Spicy." She likes this one, too. But then again, she would probably like them all -- oh, if only she had the time to touch all 23 of them! Well, 22. But time is short, so Lar gives it a final rub and moves on to the Bakery Fragranced one, though the autumn one catches her eye in passing. With as much caution as before, she brushes her fingertips along the surface of the bakery egg's shell.

Dhiammarath seems to be taking all she can of this egg touching and suddenly, she moves, her eyes whirling. "Candidates," Hannah calls, recieving some message from that leviathan queen, "I do belive now would be a good time to wrap things up. I think Dhiammarath has had as much as she'll take for now.."

Relian's lips and face twist into such a moue of distaste that it's quite possible he appears to be choking in disgust. "Yuck," mutters the young man, taking a rapid step back. "I'm not going to touch *that* one again." Rather, he hesitates, glances at Dhiammarath with a wariness that is not undue, then nods. "Thank you, Junior Weyrwoman, for allowing us out for this long," he notes, another bow made towards both queen and her rider.

Ilara was about to turn to see that autumn wind one-- shards. Her face falls at Hannah's announcement, but she squares her shoulders and resolves not to whine or look too dissapointed. "Yes, thank you, weyrwoman Hannah, and lady Dhiammarath. It was..." she searched for the word, "magical." A bow again to the two large dragons, and she backs her way towards the entrance so she doesn't overstay her welcome. Her eyes remain fixed on the eggs as she moves.

Serafa bows once more to Dhiammarath and Tynabih as she leaves Feeding Time at the Zoo Egg to the gentle devotions of its dam and sire. With one last longing look sent to her first egg she steps daintily off the sands. In a gentle hush tone she addresses the Weyr-woman, "Thank you very much for allowing us to be soo close..." Not much of a harper this one. Clutching her hands she nods solemnly to Ilara's words.

Hannah smiles and replies, "You're welcome" to Relian's thank you. However, the queen has had as much as she can take for the moment and it shows in the whirling of her glittering eyes. She smiles at Ilara, "You're welcome. Now if you'll all follow me?" She makes her way off the sands. "I do hope you enjoyed the Touching?"

Jayden gently strokes the Fruit of the Loom Egg, smiling. He likes this one. Not as much as the Heady Incense Egg, but he likes it. The colors are transfixing. However, he moves away from it and seeks out the final egg to touch for the moment, settling on the OO! So Hot n' Spicy Egg. He smiles as he rubs his hands over it for a few minutes, until he looks up to the weyrwoman and nods, stepping away from the eggs. He nobly bows to the dam and sire, particularly to the queen. "Thank you, Dhiammarath and Tynabith for allowing us the touch the eggs." Then he turns to the goldrider, nodding his head to her. "Thank you very much, Weyrwoman Hannah for this incredible experience."

[Outside]

"Very much," agrees Relian fervently, smiling broadly as he trails after Hannah, off the sands. "I wish someone could paint the eggs, so that they wouldn't be all lost, when they hatch."

Hannah nods her head, "Maybe we can commission someone to do that.." She smiles softly, "I'm glad you enjoyed it.."

Relian's grin broadens. "Oh, that *is* a good idea," he avers, nodding rapidly. Promptly, however, he goes silent, glancing back around at his fellow candidates. "Well."