One of the Nightspark fathered hatchlings was practicing her 'wingless flight', spiralling around the hatching bay, not paying a bit of attention to where she was going. The dark blue was giggling to herself, and Jidka noticed she was getting very close to her. With her bright hide, she didn't think she could be missed, so she wondered if the hatchling was headed toward her for a reason, but expected her to stop before she got too close.

Which is why the sudden 'thump' took her by surprise, despite watching the little one close in! The nebula blue bounced backwards, blinking her eyes closed, and shaking her head.

Jidka looked down at her, concerned. Are you okay?" She asked as Rina and Kovin looked on from their perches on her horns, chirping at the little one.

The little Nightspark finally opened her eyes and looked at Jidka. Her eyes widened as she noticed the rainbow dragon's pattern.

"Wooooow! COLORS!" Kaselanugo squealed. "Can I keep you?" She asked as she wrapped herself around the Tavrayn's front leg. She was obviously not concerned that Jidka may say no.

Jidka spent the next few minutes talking to the sinuous hatchling, only vaguely paying attention to the rest of the hatching. That is, until everything went silent. Then she looked up to see what happened. Dr. Schroeder was talking to a large group of frozen hatchlings, different from the other three already in evidence. She couldn't see them very well from her angle, but she was curious. What had him so upset?

She found out a moment later, when he broadcast a thought about this group of hatchlings having xeno blood, and that if one approached to bond or sponser and the candidate wasn't interested, to come to him afterwards. She hadn't actually known any xenodragons, but had heard bad things about most of them. But she had also heard that not all of them were evil, and Schroeder had even said these were harmless. Why would anyone want to abandon one of them?

As he released them, and they scattered amongst the candidates, she got a better look at them. They were a bit startling, with their eyeless faces, but otherwise seemed fine. She saw a silver-purple one glare at the doctor while his back was turned, and guessed he said something to him, because the doctor started to turn to look at him.

But as soon as the doctor moved, the hatching squealed and darted away, running as fast as his new little legs could go, straight toward Jidka! Not stopping until he was safely behind her unoccupied foreleg, at least this one didn't run into her. ::He's mean!:: Little Bydeniss whimpered, he quivered with fright from his hiding place. ::Doesn't like us just cuz we're xenos!::

Apparently he was broadcasting his thoughts so at least Dr. Schroeder could still hear him, because Jidka noticed that the good doctor looked just a little bit embarrassed after that comment. She looked down at the two babies who had attached themselves to her; while neither of them had chosen to bond her, she was glad she had come. They would both need her for a while, and she would be happy to take care of them as long as they needed her.

"You two are probably starving. Shall we get you something to eat? I'm sure they set out some food around here somewhere." Laughing at their vigorous nods, she headed out of the bay, walking slowly as she compensated for the added weight on her legs, as Bydeniss had latched on to the one he had been hiding behind.

"You know, eventually, you will have to walk on your own feet," she commented as she waddled out. Her two dragonets were fascinated by her new friends, and chirped and chattered at them the whole way.

After a few weeks, Jidka came to the conclusion that Kaselanugo had to be color-blind, at least partially. She didn't seem to even see colors unless they were blindingly unusual. Either that or she just didn't feel the need to comment on them unless they were. And she loved the odd combinations that she commented on. Poor Bydeniss, since his breed doesn't see the same way, always felt he was missing out when the Nightspark exclaimed over some new visual wonder. Until they figured out a system for her to "show" him what she saw.

After a few of the wilder combinations, he decided he was better off being "blind" and decided to keep missing out. Then he came to Jidka.

::I'm sorry, Jidka. He sat by her feet, waiting for her to respond.

"What do you have to be sorry for, Bydeniss? Did you do something wrong?" The rainbow dragoness was worried for a moment; so far, her xeno-catdragon had been well-behaved and there hadn't been any problems with the yautjadragon security, but if he'd done something by accident...

::No! I wouldn't want to make you not want me anymore!:: That seemed to be a big fear of his: being unwanted. ::No, I'm sorry you have to put up with Kase's colors! She showed some of them to me, straight to my brain. I don't know if they really look like that, or if my mind altered them, but they were way too much for me! I don't know how you can deal with them.::

The Tavrayn dragon laughed. "Did she happen to show you what I look like? I'm pretty brightly colored myself. But I didn't get to choose my own color, so I have to live with it. I try not to look at the things she shows me for too long, though. They hurt my eyes when I do."