Utori - Male, age 22
Partner/Offspring: Temih, son Tomi

A lance-bearer, with the sense of style and pride that goes along with a sort of parade-show for the weapon. While it is a good ground weapon, Utori knows that it would be best put to use mounted, or up in the air... He crafts his own, using parts from the Warthog Kin's forges, and wood which he finds on the plains.

While many of the Tribe's powers are external and exert their will upon the elements, Utori's couldn't be farther from theirs. He has an innate ability to learn, and does so very quickly. Any language other than his own, can be learned momentarily with a bit of a mental nudge. He loves doing puzzles and Human math problems. His memory is very clear, almost photographic. As a savant in certain ways, Utori tries to exploit his knowledge as much as possible, but at most times he's still just a kitten trying to impress the big cats. His powers were elusive at first, but his rapid and complete understanding of things led to a deeper testing by the normal Kin. He had hoped to remain among them, but that is far too late now.

When Nameh brought up the call that the human-thing had entered the plains, their territory, Utori was one of the farthest south and therefore one of the first to see it.

It looked human enough but there was something odd about it. When it turned out to be a more Kinlike male than they expected, he was almost relieved. But then, he realized, then... his first real thought was that there would not be enough room for yet another male in their Tribe. Not one more. There were enough.

One more was too many - especially with them all trying to vye for Temih's eye. Utori was happy that she'd sometimes look his way, they were age-mates after all.

Ivo turned out to be quite the character. He was active, even though he claimed he was ever-so-tired. He was quite loud too. Nothing like the Tribe. His world, he claimed, was a human world which he barely fit into - especially with his dragon on hand.

"It's a good thing we have all this territory at our disposal, then," Utori said, "otherwise how would a dragon live? They look ... big."

"They are. They come that way. But they also come quite small." Ivo assured him. "I've experienced though, that the smaller they are, normally, the stupider they get."

Ivo didn't realize that Utori was doing the math in his head. "How small?" He asked, and Ivo described a flitter. "And Zkoth, that's this dragon - you said he's a big male?"

"He's one of the larger brutes I've seen bond. There are bigger ones, and different breeds. That is why I'm here to suggest you something."

Utori glanced about. "We haven't the space for that many dragons," he said.

"There's tons of space," Ivo said flatly. "You have caves here, and this whole mountain range is pocketed with caverns. Don't sell it short - dragons live in a surprisingly wide variety of locales."

"There is that low pass," Iryudyo said, his mood obviously softer than typical. "It's got gulleys and those longneck deer usually pass through there. Good food source."

"There is SO much food out here," Ivo laughed, "I can't even believe it. Zkoth's beside himself trying to stop from eating everything in sight."

Utori wondered aloud, "how much food would one dragon that size eat in a season? A heavy buck every few days?"

Ivo glanced at the young cheetah Kin, and nodded. "Yeah, about that. Maybe a little more often. But that's for a big dragon like Zkoth. One big deer-thing, whatever they're called, like that one," he pointed at the gutted and practically bare carcass of the buck they'd hunted the night before, "would feed a typical blue for half a week at least."

"It takes three of us to bring one of those down," Utori pointed out, and glanced at Qodara and then back to Iryudyo - neither of whom tried to stop him from now claiming his kill. "But that dragon's mouth could easily just snap it in half."

"That's about right," Ivo said. "Say, you're pretty curious."

Utori glanced away, shy. "Sorry - I don't mean to ask so many questions."

"Yes, you do, and it's all right," Ivo said. "Ask whatever you like. If you lot go off to bond dragon kind, you're going to need to know lots more."

"Upkeep," Temih said, sliding in behind them, "feeding, care... They look like an awful lot of work."

"They are." Ivo stated, then grinned again. "But in the end, they are well worth it."

After a while, Utori had asked many more questions. He got to understand the varieties of coloration, the different worlds' breeds, and most importantly, that mating dragons flew and their bonded riders would become quite ... interested as well.

Even Temih looked at the fake-innocent expression on Utori's muzzle. "If you pair with a female, and the rest of us with males - mostly," Utori said as he threw a look at Dijo and others laughed, "that would solve one big problem, wouldn't it?"

Ivo blinked and looked around intently. "You're all male!" He said, "Except you," he almost rubbed up against Temih but he'd long gotten the idea that to do so to a stranger was often quite dangerous. "So that's why it's like this here. I'd say you stand a good chance of having your own little weyr right here. And with no other competition to speak of - from your own kind that is," Ivo said, looking away oddly, "you'll be set as the founding weyrwoman."

"Kin Witch," Utori said, and Temih again glanced at him with an odd expression of ... was that approval? He remembered almost everything in detail - and she'd spoken about this title of hers. Few others really wanted to play that game - they were hunters and warriors, runners and ... well, maybe they would be something else soon.

Utori smiled and looked away. "It's a Human expression, but she likes to be called that."

"So we'd be what," Ihnala grumbled, "Kin wizards? I don't think so."

"You're all whatever you are. Not many dragon-hatcheries cling to the same values any more. Some places have to fight to survive, and others supply good strong dragons - like Zkoth - to other worlds."

"Well we do need them right here," Omaciyu said, it looked like he was appraising the change in attitude that Temih had just gone through - toward Utori? Utori didn't dare challenge the eldest. But ...

Maybe if Temih bonded - and bonded a female, who rose, and then...

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."

There was hardly a day that went by that Utori didn't think about what Lioten wanted. As they matured in Cy, Utori's powers of learning and memory grew strong - he enjoyed knowing the histories of things, and determined that he ought to be a records keeper for Twelve and One.

What does that mean?

"It means that I will listen in on everything, and remember for the tribe. Because," Utori laughed, "let's face it, Cheetah Kin don't have very good memories..."

So as they bid farewell to Cy, among the rebuilding and bustle, Lioten and Utori headed back to the Plateau. It was a good thing that he'd decided to absorb all he could about everyone - because everyone was so much different now!

The youngest had matured a little, Hita and his beautiful Spirit dragon spent a little more time than others ducking in and out of the school on Twoarth, Carramba High, to learn more about - well, everything. Everyone's dragons were so dramatic.

It would take a little while to really get everything settled. The dragons had yet to find their niches along the Plateau's cliff face, but there were many to choose from.

While they were doing so, Utori remembered the small tribe that had arrived from the north, Spotted Hand, and asked Omaciyu if he wanted to bring them in, now that they had dragons.

"Shouldn't they also have dragons?" Utori asked.

"If they so wish," Omaciyu said. But they would wait a little bit before truly meeting up between the tribes.

Eventually, of course, it wasn't necessary that Kelssyroth and Lioten pair up - Temih chose Utori herself, for her partner. Their Kin child? The first (and for a long time, the only) true Kin offspring of their generation.

But that is their own story!