Rise of a Legacy (Hatching!!)

[firethorne]

The night was deep and full as Aeriath slumbered inside the hatching cavern, the hour quite late and hardly a soul stirring inside Refuge. That is, until the eggs before her started to move. It was small at first, hardly note-worthy, but little by little a few of the clutch began to shudder rather noticeably, and the gold’s instincts suddenly went into overdrive and she jerked as she awoke sharply. Blinking, the great queen lowered her head to observe her beloved eggs, several of them now trembling powerfully against the sands. Nosing one of them gently, Aeriath sighed softly as she turned her wedge-shaped head towards the massive entrance to the cavern, noting the late hour. Oh my little ones, must you always be so contrary to the twoleg’s schedules? She asked, her voice exasperated but warm with affection. They were her children, after all, and so when they said it was time, it was time.

Lifting her head higher, the gold turned her whirling regard towards one of the larger ledges in the hatching sands, humming softly towards her mate. My bronze, they hatch. She said softly, then pitched her mindvoice in a different direction. Raelmine, love, my children hatch soon! The queen said, shifting upon the sands. It was not quite time, but soon, so very soon it would be. Slowly, her humming began to rise higher and higher, a deep thrumming within her chest.

As her dragoness bespoke her, the Weyrwoman jerked awake, sitting up quickly from where she had cuddled up against D’seus. Oh Ari… She gasped, a huge grin breaking across her face. “D’seus!” Raelwyn said quickly, shaking the bronzerider’s shoulder gently but firmly. “Come, Weyrleader, our eggs will hatch soon!” Scrambling out of her sleeping furs, the woman rushed across the cavern, grabbing clothes that were presentable but readily available. Jerking on a nice tunic and a skirt, the queenrider awaited her Weyrleader before they approached the cavern. “I have anxiously awaited this day.” She said softly, smiling at the man who now led Refuge. “It will prove to be most interesting with our current…guests.” Rael grinned again, then, impatient to see just what would become of their ‘strangers.’

Now, some of the eggs were truly beginning to move in earnest, and the gold could tell that several would be breaking shell rather soon. Straightening her posture, looking elegant and refined, the queen of Refuge threw her mind open to everyone within her weyr, her silky voice echoing throughout every person near. Come now, Refuge, and see my children hatch! Candidates, prove yourselves worthy to stand on my sands! Aeriath snorted as she finished, watching Hers and the rider of her bronze mate enter.

As they did, Raelwyn promptly began ordering drudges about as soon as they arrived, having already sent her personal maid to the lower caverns to alert the staff. Glows in the massive cavern needed to be unbanked, as did those in the hallways and especially the candidate barracks. Meat needed to be butchered and brought, and the healers were needed as well. Much had to be done at so late an hour, but Aeriath had given them ample time to do so. The eggs were shuddering, but would not hatch for a good half of a candlemark. Even so, the Weyrwoman cracked down on her staff, sending drudges running in every direction to get things moving swiftly. A drudge was sent to the Candidate Master, who would see to it that all those under his charge were dressed properly and sent to the sands on the double, and beastcrafters were already wrangling live animals in, leading them near to slaughter for the meat. Several men wore only their breeches, which made the queenrider grin slightly. When she spoke, things certainly happened quickly.

Now, the preparations were quite fully under way, more than ready for the first eggs to begin hatching. Riders and weyrfolk were filling the stands, dragons were alighting inside upon the ledges while humming, and the drudges had most of the glows inside uncovered and pouring light across the cavernous space. As candidates began dashing by, clothed in their traditional white robes, Raelwyn smiled. They were ready. Her green gaze cast to the side for a moment, assuring herself that healers were standing by the meat just in case a candidate or hatchling needed medical attention, and there were several riders and the Weyrling Master nearby to oversee the feeding of the young ones.

The board was set. The pieces were moving. All that remained was to see the game to the end.

Smiling, the Weyrwoman promptly entered the cavern, finding herself a seat beside her Weyrleader. “Finally, it’s time.” She breathed, her voice soft as her green eyes focused upon the eggs and the candidates. Now!

[HG]

The day...err night, had arrived. Zorometh felt it in his being, that the eggs were going to Hatch. He flew to the Hatching Sands as quickly as he could, sitting on his ledge, neck arching as he looked down on his Queen and their eggs. A humming sound began to come from the back of his throat. The Bronze as usual was not going to say much. His actions spoke loud enough he felt.

Slumbering as his rider was it took more than a couple tries to wake him. The Weyrleader was slow to open his eyes. “What?” He grumbled pushing head into his pillow. I told you three times already. The clutch Hatches! D'seus looked up. Oh great! It was pitch black outside meaning it was the middle of the night. This clutch was trying to kill him. He heard Raelwynn saying something to him. Eggs, Hatching... right. He sat up in bed and yawned. “Coming...” He added as he tried to stand. Why on Pern couldn't the eggs have waited till morning. It wasn't every night he actually was in bed.

“I am excited too.” D'seus smiled. This was Zorometh's first clutch and so it was the first D'seus had any say in. He was quick to throw on his leathers. Better that then anything else. He was dressed in about a minute and was quick to follow his Weyrwoman to the Sands. When they arrived he watched her take charge of things. His eyes were on the Eggs, though he emitted a slight chuckle at the Queen's challenge to the Candidates. They would be here soon.

“Ready?” He asked, smiling at Raelwyn and putting an arm around her shoulders. This was going to be an interesting night. The kitchen staff was probably fuming. He could only imagine the half awake Candidates walking in.



–

The punishment prescribed to him by the Weyrleader had been less severe than it should have been, he was told. Most people were kept from standing if they got into fights as Candidates. Well he wished that the punishment had been severe. Anything was better than cleaning the privy chambers. Ick. One would like to believe that he would now have a new respect for drudges. However, Nevarre thought they must be very simple if they had to clean the most disgusting places on Pern. What complete dimglows! He failed to see how some people had little choice. He believed everyone had a choice. Nevarre refused to ever work as a drudge again. This anger was perhaps why he was not in bed sleeping.

He was fuming, in the Weyrhall, thinking about eating but not really biting into anything. Tonight he felt like just wallowing in his own self pity. He wanted to go home. Maybe he was just a bit homesick or maybe these crazy Southerner's had finally pushed him over the edge of his sanity. His thoughts were constantly reminding him of how great it would be to return home having won over the support of the Weyr. Nevarre was not sure how he was going to win that support. What he did know: the north would perish without the help of the dragonriders. No matter what else he did with his life, Nevarre did not want to be remembered for his failure to convince the dragonriders to help.

Nevarre could not fathom any reason why the dragonriders would not help. It was their duty. It was their purpose. He glared at the glass of water in front of him as if his eyes would boil the water within. Briar was not eating and seemed a little more fidgety than normal. While she was normally quite calm compared to some of the other firelizards, she seemed just about as antsy as the others. Something was certainly going on. That was when he first heard the humming.

Odd humming. Not a sound humans made but a sound that dragons might well make. All of the sudden the Weyr seemed to come alive with activity. What in the name of Faranth was going on? Briar flew off, sending him an image of the Hatching Sands and her getting as far away from it as possible. Hatching Sands? He stood up, watching the apparent panic around him. Panic, flit leaving him alone, hatching sands... it could only be one thing. He decided not to rush. He would get there in time.

He was at the Candidate Barracks within a few minutes, his long strides helping to get him there quickly. Patient as he was to get to the Barracks, when he arrived the rushing, excited other Candidates began to impose this excitement on him. Suddenly he was in quite the rush to get to the Hatching Sands. He threw on the white robes making sure he looked right. He put a comb through his hair quickly and then brushed passed the others to get through the door. Nevarre was not going to be late and he wanted to present the dragonets with a good impression of himself. He arrived in time to see the Stands filling with Weyr residents. Some of the other Candidates were already there, some were just arriving like himself but there seemed to be a good number of them too. He didn't know even half of them, not that he wanted to. His focus now was on the eggs, some of which had begun to shake violently.

–

Sighing deeply into the pillow her head was on top of she realized a little late that she was still in someone else's bed. Who was it again? Memories of last night came back to her in a blur. Inwardly she groaned at the darkness still about her. She'd better get up before he did. Men were happier to know she was gone in the morning. Less for them to think about. Vaylee was actually a little angry with herself for falling asleep in the first place. She tried to leave soon after the man was asleep but this one kept touching her hair until she fell asleep.

Sliding out from under the covers and the man's arm, she searched for her clothes. It did not take long and she was dressed. The blonde walked out of the door and to her own place where she lived with her Foster mother. The woman refused to let her move out just yet. Vay knew she would not be happy that she had not come home until the early morning hours. Thats when the humming began. She had just walked in, facing her obviously concerned foster mother, who then shoved the white robes she kept there at her.

“You better go. I'll be watching.” She smiled and pushed Vaylee out the door. Vaylee would rather be caught dead than sleeping on those cots in the Candidate Barracks. While she was there when she had to be, she preferred to be at home. Vaylee put on the robe but changed nothing else about her appearance. “Wish me luck.” She smiled expansively and walked quickly out the door to the Hatching Sands. She did wish she had had time to fix her hair and put on a fresh dress. Too late for that!!

As she arrived, others were arriving too. As a woman she was supposed to make a semi-circle around the Gold egg with the other girls. The blonde walked onto the Sands, excited and nervous at the same time. What was going to happen?

–

The young boy was a little worse for the wear after a night of tossing and turning. He hadn't been sleeping well since moving to the candidate barracks. Why? Well he did not know. If he did, he would certainly not still be having a problem. Orisyn looked around to see the sun had not risen. The barracks was full as it would be by this time in the evening. He yawned, stretching his arms out over his head. Finally sitting up he wiped his eyes. The young Candidate sat up in his cot for who knows how long. He was tired it was not yet morning. That was all that mattered to him at the moment. Well except he was starving. FOOD! That was motivation for him. He got off his bunk and threw on the closest clothes he could find, which were of course too large on him.

He was about to go and get something to eat from the Weyrhall when the humming started. Shards! He thought to himself, throwing on his white robes. The excitement of the moment took over and suddenly he did not feel hungry at all. Orisyn's excitement was clear. He was smiling, whistling and trying hard not to bounce instead of walking. This was the best day of his life so far. He knew it was going to be wonderful. His sister would impress and so would he. His parents would be proud and he would get to be a dragonrider which was the closest thing to actually being a dragon that he could accomplish.

Although he wanted to run, they told the Candidates to be careful where they were going. They did not want to send people to the infirmary just before the Hatching. So he walked as quickly as his small legs could go, which was surprisingly quick. The smallest of the male candidates arrived with a bunch of people in front of him, blocking his view! Orisyn made his way under and around some people so that he could get closer to the front of the growing group of Candidates. The eggs were shaking, it would not be long now!

[snowdrop]

Galeda was in such a deep slumber that, when the gold broadcast her thoughts, it translated into the girl's very dream. Her mother was looking at her with a stern, but loving eye as she made sure her daughter was properly dressed, only to smile and smooth out a single flyaway brown hair on the girl's nicely plated hair and made a minor adjustment to the decorated comb. She opened her mouth to talk, but Galeda was not expecting the different voice and the words which were spoken.

"Come now, Refuge, and see my children hatch! Candidates, prove yourselves worthy to stand on my sands!"


Galeda awoke, her eyes snapping open. She laid there for a good few moments, not quite able to connect to reality. She heard the rustle and bustle and excitement from the other candidates, but for the life of her sleepy mind, she couldn't figure out why. The moment it dawned on her, though, she was wide awake. Neatly she slipped from her bed, her heart already beginning to skip wildly in excitement. Though she was in a hurry to get dressed, she was mild and graceful about it. A smile came to her pretty lips as she saw the decorative, small hair comb that lay next to her brush. Quickly and efficiently she brushed and plated her hair, then put the simple, but lovely comb in. Taking a moment to run a hand over the white material of the candidate wear and to make sure she had indeed put something on her feet, she made her way out before the flood of the candidates could surge over her.

She had walked in this same direction many a time, but never before had it felt so amazing. She had a chance to become something more, to have a different direction in life. As she approached, she saw she was not the first, but was pleased to see was certainly not among the last. She bowed to the queen, remembering her dream for a flash of a moment. It almost made her chuckle...however, that did not seem to very polite at the moment. After her respectful bow, she took her place upon the sands, directing a warm smile and a nod to those that were there with her. But then her eyes went to the eggs, and a surge of joy overtook her. Life was coming into the world, and she had a chance to be a part of it. It was a great honor indeed.

[meadow]

Ferlese was up and out of bed before the first couple of words had broken through her mind. She didn't see, or notice anyone else as she got ready as quickly as she could, pulling on clothes and running the comb through her short mane of hair with shaking hands. She stopped, drawing in a seep breathe before she left the room. This was it. The day she'd find out if she was worthy...

She walked from the room quickly. It felt like a dream but at least she'd stopped the trembling that had suffused her arms and hands while she'd been getting ready. She knew the way to the Hatching Grounds, and even if she hadn't it would have been easy enough to find, because that was were everyone else was headed. While a part of her wished she'd been the first one up, the first one there, she knew she was being silly. She'd arrive before the eggs hatched and that was all that was important.

Walking onto the sands was a heady thing. She knew everyone would be watching this event with great interest, and she wondered, glancing around, if any of those Northern folk would impress. While many of the Candidates were upset about the 'intruders'...well she didn't really think it made a difference. It wouldn't lessen your chance to Impress right? After all, a dragon only Impressed who they wanted to, and they either wanted you or they didn't...

Her eyes took in the Great Golden Queen, but where mainly riveted to those moving eggs. They rocked...they were so close to being born! Her hands clasped together in front of her, and she bounced on her heels quickly before forcing herself to stop. Suddenly it didn't matter at all who was watching. Her heart was pounding so loud she was afraid everyone would hear it. But it beat with the fierce joy and excitement of the moment.

[kaemi]

Sleeping. Dreams of a giant speaking- not mindspeaking, but of an actual speaking dragon- colored Essa's head. It was purple, and huge, and it was talking to her. Something about coming... and seeing. The girl tossed her head in her sleep, unwilling to wake up. Slowly, however, the dragon in her head grew to have an even stranger shading, a sort of purple-golden... and then the purple faded away... and then it was Aeriath, talking about Candidates proving themselves worthy. Something about that sounded familiar. And then there was that strange noise, growing a little louder. Sounded like a humming, almost, but it was loud.

Oh. Oh!!

The kids of the Weyr had been talking about a humming. It signaled the beginning of the Hatching. The dragons apparently made the noise. And that must have really been Aeriath, advertising her children. Essabellona sat there for a moment, dwelling on the fact that it was awesome what was about to happen, with a grin on her face- and then she realized that it was really about to happen. She didn't waste any time messing with anything, just throwing on the robe she had been given and told to wear, slipping her feet into a pair of sandals that would 'better protect her feet', and throwing her hair up into a messy bun. Query was more awake than she, and spent a few moments looking at her, before going between and coming back, less than a minute later, with a roll.

Well that was helpful. She would have been starving in a few minutes, like she always was when awoken late at night. (Surprisingly, that happened more often than someone may think.) Thanking the brown by scratching his eyeridges, Essa gave him a mental order to stay in the Barracks, remembering a girl- Aisynn- telling her that sometimes the flitters were loathed by mothers with clutches on the Sands, thought of as nuisances. Then, she was able to walk into the main room, eager to make her way to the Grounds.

Everyone looked so... focused in what they were doing. Essa, however, was anything but. She looked around at everything, everyone, excited and curious to see what other people were finding necessary to do. She did not, however, speak. The rooms were mostly silent- sure, a few words were spoken, but no one was very loud. For one thing, it was the middle of the night, and most everyone was exhausted. For another, the excitement was something that was palpable, and so many people were so delighted for the hatching, that they (frankly) didn't have a care in the world for their peers.

Rushing to the Sands, the Northern girl took a brief moment to comment internally on the irony. The Expedition had come here for the sole mission of finding the dragonriders, most of the members skeptical of the very existence that they still existed. Not only did they find the dragons and their riders, but they were now getting the chance to become them. It was exciting! Looking around as soon as she entered the Hatching Grounds, she tried to find some of her Northern fellows- Phaerie in particular. She felt more at ease around her 'buddy', and would have liked to share this experience with her. Not seeing her, she bowed to Aeriath as she had at the Touching, and then moved as it seemed she ought to join the Candidates.

--

Of course.

Just after Kalindan fell asleep- just after- he would be awoken by some random noises. It sounded like what the flitters did when a woman was giving birth except.... louder. Was someone giving birth in the Barracks? That would be pretty nasty, quite frankly. And disturbing for the other girls. Funny- he hadn't known that there were any pregnant candidates (the Northern girl had just given birth, after all). It wasn't generally allowed for candidates to be pregnant, or anything less than in perfect, healthy condition.

Come now, Refuge, and see my children hatch! Candidates, prove yourselves worthy to stand on my sands!

Oh, yeah, that would make more sense.

Feeling like a deadglow, Kalin rose from his cot, throwing on the candidacy robe as he had been taught to do, and then making his way out of the barracks and down to the Sands. His face showed a wide grin, but internally, he wasn't as cheery. What if he didn't end up Impressing? Sure, the odds were in his favor, but that didn't always mean something. Not to mention, there were a ton of Candidates, the majority of them Southerners, and a great deal of them with dragonrider ancestry. Who knew how this could turn out?

Surveying the eggs as he joined the semi-circle, Kalindan felt that he was getting less nervous, instead of more nervous. There were so many eggs, after all... and they were all so vibrant and there... it was exciting. Anyways, the Records said that people were more likely to Impress anything (dragon, flitter, wher) if they were more open-minded and accepting to emotions. So that's what he would do! He wanted to Impress, after all, and if it meant he had to open-up a little, he would.

–

The words woke Aisynn out of her slumber immediately, and she was quick and excited as she put on her robe, smoothing it out and making sure that it fell correctly. Thankfully, it did- she didn't have time for any last-minute hemming, especially when she wasn't spectacular at it during a time-crunch. Or any other time, truthfully. Sitting on her bed, she began to brush her hair, forgoing speed and instead focusing on diligence. This could be one of the most important days of her life- she wanted to look halfway decent, at least.

Anyways, it didn't take her any longer than a few minutes to brush out her hair, make sure that she no longer looked dead in her exhaustion, and slipped on some sandals. With that done, and her appearance approved by the shiny surface which she checked it in, Aisynn departed from the Barracks and began making her way to the Hatching Sands. Like most of the surrounding people, was a little involved in her own thoughts. What if she didn't Impress? What if she did? What would happen if she got injured? Apparently these things could become violent, fast. Hopefully, though, she could evade it if she stayed aware and got out of the hatchlings' ways.

Despite doing a bit of a hop step upon entering the Sands- they were hot, after all- the girl barely noticed. She had her internal monologue running at full speed and full volume, drowning out everything except the basic-instinct dragon hum which they had to have. It was only her nearly bumping into one of the Candidates that made her wake up and realize where she was. To remind her that she should probably be becoming really hyped up on the fact that tonight was the day... or, rather, tonight was the night, that could change her life for good.

[Yuu Kanduet]

Jerezen was buried under a mountain of blankets. Although his sickness had fled, he still felt slightly chilled and tired. A good night's sleep was all he really needed before he would be able to be back to stalking around his room and rereading, rewriting, and remapping all his out-dated information of Southern, but it seemed that sleep was to be denied him. Sabastian had dove beneath Jerezen's covers and proceeded to prod and poke at the apprentice harper until he cracked opened his eyes. A low hum was issuing from the Blue flit's throat, and at first Jerezen ignored him and swatted at the pest. It wasn't until he heard the Queen's call in his head, did Jerezen know what was going on.

Groaning, Jerezen crawled from his fortress of comfort and stared bleakly at the floor. The stone would be cold and uninviting. How was anyone expected to place their feet on such an unpleasant flooring? Mastering his discomfort, Jerezen got off his bed and pulled himself into a standing position. The world remained stationary and didn't spin, not even a little. This heartened Jerezen, and he began to comb the snarls from his hair with his fingers, wincing when they tugged at a tangle.

After his hair was sufficiently unsnarled, Jerezen removed his sleeping breeches and pulled on his white candidate garb that he had stored neatly in his drawer. For all intents and purposes he was ready, but Jerezen couldn't resist wiping a clean wet clothe over his face and neck before departing from his room with Sabastian flipping excitedly overhead.

Just as Jerezen was about to snap at his discordant little pet, Sabastian went between to what Jerezen expected to be the Hatching Sands. Growling in frustration, Jerezen fell in behind the other candidates that were making their way towards the Sands.

The Sands were just as hot as he remembered from the Touching. They scorched his sandaled feet and caused small beads of sweat to rise to the surface of his skin giving it a thin sheen, but the heat seemed unimportant. The humming of the dragons and their smaller cousins the fire-lizards were a constant reminder of what was about to happen. Jerezen couldn't let something as trivial as the heat stand in his way of Impression. For to long he had merely read of history, but today he had a chance to become part of it. Jerezen had never felt more excited.

[Ise]

Dereo had always been a light sleeper, even at home where he was comfortable he would wake up at the smallest sounds. His eyes snapped open in the dark as he first heard a soft humming that quickly swelled and then he heard the queen dragon’s voice in his mind again. He sat up, rubbing the sleep from his eyes as he quickly woke up. Other candidates were rising as well as they all heard the call. Dereo’s body went through the actions of getting dressed before pulling the white robe over everything. He was tormented between going to the Hatching or trying to avoid it. The Weyrleaders weren’t stupid, they weren’t letting the Expedition stand on the sands for nothing. What they wanted the young man didn’t know and that bothered him. He knew he was just a pawn and didn’t care for that. But at the same time… he wanted to see the dragons. The Touching had been just a taste of what a dragon would be like and he had enjoyed some of the sensations he had felt.

As much as Dereo wanted to believe that he could just stay away from the Hatching and refuse to be a part of it, he knew he couldn’t. This was a once in a life time chance for him. If he did Impress he knew he would have to stay here for another turn or two, of course if anyone from the Expedition Impressed he’d have to stay, he wasn’t going to leave unless everyone was going.

He had absentmindedly followed the surge of candidates heading to the sands, the heat and noise pulling him out of his thoughts. He looked around, trying to spot some of the other Northerners. He saw Nevarre and Essa and was pretty sure that was Galeda over there but there was just too many people. Dereo took his place with the other males, tugging at his robe a bit to make sure it wasn’t wrinkled or caught in any of his clothing before he took a few slow breaths, keeping himself calm and relaxed. He had done his part by getting here, now it was left up to the dragons.

*~*~*~*~

The voice in her mind woke Razia up but it took her a while to figure out why she had woken up. She was tired still and just wanted to go back to bed. She had gotten up at the crack of dawn the day before to do the extra chores she had earned herself by fighting and hadn’t gotten to bed until late thanks to other candidates being to excited and chatty to go to bed. She rolled over onto her stomach, blinking a few times as she noticed everyone else was getting up as well. She frowned a bit, it was too early for them to be starting on chores already, but when she saw the white robes coming up she realized what it meant.

She kicked the furs off and slipped out of bed, yawning as she went and quickly grabbed her clothes. She had kept a tunic and pair of pants neatly folded and ready to be worn just for the hatching. She slipped them on before pulling on her thick soled boots, then putting her white robe on. Razia combed her hair out before putting it in a braid to keep it out of the way and left all her jewelry alone.

Razia followed the other candidates out of the barracks and spotted her sister Akroma waiting near the door. Akorma looked far more awake then Razia felt and for once the older woman didn’t try to give advice or directions to her younger sister. The sisters walked to the sands side by side, both feeling nervous and excited at the same time. Right outside of the Hatching Sands, Akorma pulled Razia off to the side, looking the younger girl over and fixing her hair slightly before giving her a hug.
“Good luck Razia, I’ll be in the stands watching.” With that, Akroma released her sister and hurried off to go find a good place to sit.

Razia took a moment to gather herself before she slipped into the flow of candidates and walked onto the sands. Though some of the eggs were shaking and moving already, she didn’t rush to the golden egg, it was better to take her time and be safe. She got into the semi-circle with the other girls, shaking her hands out a bit before she placed them at her sides, a smile creeping onto her face as she watched and listened to everything that was going on.

~*~*~*~

This time Beleren didn’t sleep though the gold dragons call. Mostly because he was already awake. He had continued to stay with Ajani while being a candidate, and not just because he had enjoyed sleeping in his own bed. This was not the first hatching Beleren had been around to see, he hadn’t been a candidate for the last one but he had been part of the kitchen staff. Those of the lower caverns, especially anyone who worked in the kitchens or as a beastcrafter, where some of the first to know about the Hatchings even before the candidates did. And here Beleren was lucky, his foster mother worked in the kitchens and his foster father was one of the beastcrafters.

The family had all been woken up for the Hatching. His elder foster siblings were put to work getting things ready as quickly as they could, the younger ones were woken up and told to get dressed so they could go watch the Hatchings, and Beleren was woken up so he could get changed and be on the sands early this time.

Beleren took advantage of his extra time. He wore older clothes under his white robes, no need to risk ruining something nice in case a dragon ended up clawing him. He was able to wash up a bit to wake himself up and even snagged half cup of klah before he headed to the sands. He entered them feeling awake and quiet cheerful, his little smirk resting on his lips as he looked up into the stands, finding his younger foster siblings and giving them a wave before he joined the others that were already there. He had a good feeling about this, of course it was hard to have anything but a good feeling with all the dragon humming. But he was happy, almost giddy about this. Now he just had to wait.

[firethorne]

Though he hadn’t been eating well since finding out about the hatching, Koldyn had at least been sleeping more as of late, having grown too exhausted to do much else. His body could only take so much, and after a few restless nights, he fairly collapsed into bed anymore. So it was tonight, when Aeriath gave her mighty cry, that the holder’s son had been fitfully slumbering, tossing in bed and mumbling incoherently. As the gold’s voice flowed through his mind, that luxurious sound banished all else that had occupied his thoughts. Amber eyes flying open, the boy rolled out of bed, yawning profusely as he straightened. Ugh, did it have to be so late when they hatched? Sighing, the Igen shook his head, running a hand through his tangled hair. Oh well, it wasn’t as if they had any say in the matter. Besides, deep down, underneath that haughty exterior and quick words, even Kol was enamored with the dragons. To have one of his own…

Spurred on by that thought, he quickly dressed, pulling on that awful white robe they forced him to wear. Ugh, it was tacky, but…rules were rules, he supposed. Besides, when he Impressed his bronze, they wouldn’t be able to tell him what to do anymore, now would they? Smirking slightly, a shadow of his former cocky self, the holder jogged across the bowl with a few other candidates, ignoring them for the most part. As if he wanted to converse with them. Not likely. Entering the sands, Koldyn was almost overwhelmed with the sheer number of people and dragons there, filling the stands and ledges while watching him and the others. Squaring his shoulders, the Igen walked across the cavern, pausing to bow to the queen before standing at Nevarre’s side. He glanced over at the other holder, but did not speak. There really wasn’t much to say now.

~~~~~

Unlike many of her Northern comrades, Phaerie had been quite at ease in the weyr, settling into life there with an effortlessness that Koldyn undoubtedly hated her for. Though she despised the daily routine of chores and lessons, the trader adored the dragons and their riders, enamored with the beautiful creatures. After she had been chosen to stand for Impression, the girl could hardly contain her excitement, and had anxiously awaited the hatching ever since. Oh, to Impress one of those magnificent dragons…it almost seemed too wonderful to be true. Yet, it was indeed a reality, for even now, the queen’s voice echoed through her mind. Practically leaping from her cot, Phae pulled on her clothes as quickly as possible, tying the traditional white robe around her dainty waist. Pausing to run a comb through her hair, the trader then darted outside, her quick gait bringing her to the sands in a swift manner. Grey-blue eyes wandering over the crowd, she quickly found her buddy and jogged to her side after bowing deeply to Aeriath. “Hey Essa!” Phaerie said excitedly, her eyes shining. Now was the time!

[firethorne]

((AFTER YOU IMPRESS, I will wait until you post your reaction in this thread. Afterward, I will PM your fully-coded dragonet ready to just paste into your profile. ^__^))

Several of the eggs were rocking mightily now, great shudders running down their lengths. However, it was the Benign Creator Egg that first began to crack, small, hairline fractures running down the beautiful, colorful shell. A silence swept across the cavern then, all eyes trained on that single egg as a tapping could be heard from within. Slowly, a claw could be seen tearing at the largest break in the surface, scrabbling against the shell in an effort to escape. Meanwhile, the Sky Falcon Egg also began swaying wildly, clearly ready to begin hatching as well. Abruptly, a loud snap echoed throughout the cavernous space as a paw finally broke through the Benign Creator Egg, seen so briefly that it’s color could not be known. Claws hooked around the large hole, and two paws were now tearing at the shell, finally managing to pull away a large chunk of the egg. As it fell away, the dragonet within gave a squeak as the rest of the egg seemed to collapse, and the hatchling scrambled out quickly, spinning around to stare at the shell with wide eyes. What was that all about? Goodness, did it have to be so stubborn? As she stood, a ripple of whispers went through the cavern, an unease about the spectators. A green. A green had hatched first. That was not a good sign.

Whirling, the little dragonet surveyed them all, her eyes going even wider as she did. Woooow, so many twolegs here! Prancing forward, allowing her hide to dry, the green caused yet another slew of whispers to begin. She may have been a green dragon, but she was…beautiful! Her hide danced with an array of hues that shifted over every part of her, a gorgeous dragon by any standard. As she stepped towards the candidates, the Sky Falcon Egg gave another mighty shudder before large cracks began appearing in the blue-hued shell, large portions beginning to break off. After only a moment, a foot kicked through the surface, a reddish-tinted hide easily seen. A bronze or brown? The query lasted only a breath, for just a second later another foot kicked through the egg, breaking it apart rather easily. A dual-toned dragonet slid out, flopping down onto the sands unceremoniously. Snorting, the hatching quickly leaped back to it’s feet, as if to say ‘no one saw that, right?’ Now, it was quite easy to see he was a brown, but a very oddly-colored one. Darker hide covered his upper body, while a lighter, reddish hue covered the lower. Odd indeed.

Meanwhile, the green had already moved past the male candidates, and was quite unsatisfied. No, no, none of them were Hers! Snorting, she pranced over to the girls, every move cheerful and happy. Moving past the first few, she abruptly stopped, then made an excited circle before a certain girl. Oh! There you are, AisynnMine! A bell-like laugh followed those words, and the green bumped her head against the girl’s legs playfully. You were hiding from your Shivath! Oh I do love games. Oh, but wait! No, right now I am hungry, very hungry in fact. First we eat, then play games.

Name: Shivath (Shee-vath)
Impressed To: Aisynn
Color: Green
Age: Newly Hatched

Description: Shivath has a strange hide. There are swirls of different hues of green throughout and in no one place on her body is there a single color by itself. The most predominant color is a darker sea green. She has a long body and large wingspan. The lovely hide on this dragon distracts from any possible imperfections to her form. From her head to her claws there is always more than one color green swirling about. Shivath has a delicate looking frame although she is larger than the average green.

Personality: By nature, Shivath is a cheerful sort. She is never depressed and never has a moment where she feels like the world is a bad place. An eternal optimist, she very much believes that everything will work out for the best in the end. A sweet dragon she is affectionate with her rider and even with other dragons who need someone. She likes to give to those who need. Even those who need and don't necessarily want her help. This is the generous side in her. If she could she would give to anyone who wanted something from her. It is for this reason her rider might be begged to give a Weyrbrat a ride on a dragon and Shivath would agree to do it. Despite her more gregarious side, Shivath can be as stubborn as a herbeast in winter. If she has her mind set on something it could be hard to dissuade her. Calm reason and logic will work on her if she is to change her mind.

A lively dragon, Shivath can always be found doing something, whether that be swimming, flying or chatting with other greens. She is never really one to be idle for long. Except when the occasion calls for sunning, then of course she will sun. It is hard for her to stand still during lessons and often she is fidgety to the point of being quite annoying. This might make it hard for her to pay attention to what is being talked about in lessons. While Shivath is not a dumb dragon she is easily distracted and thus misses quite a lot of what is being said and done around her. A focused rider will help her greatly.

History: This is to be filled in at the time of the Hatching.

Clutch: Aeriath's 4th by Bronze Zorometh
Hatching Order: 1st, From The Benign Creator Egg
Text Color: 008641
Mind Voice: Anne Hathaway: www.youtube.com/watch?v=n5BC6qGoyNE

As the green Impressed, the brown had reach the line of boys, stalking past the candidates with a powerful, sure step. He was smaller than the average brown, that was certain, but he moved as if he owned the entire sands. Pushing Orisyn out of his way, the dual-toned brown paused before a boy, then stared him straight in the eyes. You there, Dereo! Horuth has chosen you for a rider. Let us make a noble name for ourselves.

Name: Horuth (Hore-uh-th)
Impressed To: Dereo
Color: Brown
Age: Newly Hatched

Description: In an odd tribute to his egg, this brown seems to have the same markings as the falcons depicted upon the shell. A reddish-brown in base color, Horuth’s face is of a darker hue, as well as the back of his neck. Small, various flecks also adorn his upper body, giving this brown a mottled appearance. The tops of his wings share this deeper hue, but the undersides are the same reddish shade as his legs and belly. On his paws, there is a light, tawny brown, and this same color is brushed upon his neckridges as well. His claws are solid black. Smaller in size than most browns, Horuth will not be the largest of his clutch, but he is built agile, able to perform more aerial stunts than his brothers.

Personality: Despite his small stature, this brown is a very proud dragon. Rather dignified and majestic, Horuth would have been suited well to a bronze hide instead. Extremely noble, this dragon will one day develop a ‘hero’ personality, with a desire to prove himself as a strong and capable protector of Refuge. In wake of this, he will also discover a reckless side to his personality, with no regard for danger at all. Horuth feels that fun and games are beneath him, and especially looks down on a certain blue brother for his love of mischief. However, this brown still enjoys flirting with any green that he finds attractive, though his ego may turn her off.

If there is one thing he hates, however, it is lying. Horuth possesses a deep-set sense of truth, and he absolutely despises anyone who would tell a falsehood. He especially loathes anyone lying to him, and will likely never forgive such a trespass. He feels it is cowardly to lie about anything at all, and his noble demeanor gives him an intense detestation of such a thing. This brown is a dignified dragon, and he will expect his bonded to be the same.

History: This is to be filled in at the time of the Hatching.

Clutch: Gold Aeriath's 4th by Bronze Zorometh
Hatching Order: 2nd, From The Sky Falcon Egg
Text Color: 8A360F
Mind Voice: Antonio Banderas www.youtube.com/watch?v=L9as3GwRpFk

Even as Horuth chose his rider, the Stormy Chaos Egg began moving, the patterns across the surface seeming to shift and move with every wobble. It was almost dizzying to watch, and it made it hard to see where the cracks began to form. For a moment, it seemed as if the egg was not yet ready to hatch, but suddenly it did just that, the dragonet within pounding at the shell mercilessly. Swatting away at the thin prison, a blue tail suddenly became visible, used to crack and break the egg. Forming a rather large hole, the hatchling backed out, tail first, then plopped down on the sands afterward as if to rest. Here was another interesting dragonet, his body painted with two very distinct shades of blue. Without even sparing a glance at the boys, the blue stood and stalked over to the waiting girls, making a beeline for one in particular. FerleseMine, you seem nervous. He purred, smoothly stalking behind her while purposefully smacking Essa with his tail. Fear not, your Seth is here, and he is better than some silly green, believe me.

Name: Seth (Seh-th)
Impressed To: Ferlese
Color: Blue
Age: Newly Hatched

Description: Of an average size of for a blue, Seth hovers right in the middle of his hatchling brothers. However, his build is slimmer and more streamlined than most of his color, appearing to be conformed more like a green. Not quite lithe, he is rather sleek, and his body ripples with lean muscle. A dark, cadet blue covers most of his upper body, solid without much variation. His nose is a dark, midnight blue, as is his lower body and neckridges. His claws are a light, stony blue.

Personality: A maelstrom of emotion, Seth cannot be aptly described in certain terms. His moods can swing from happy to melancholy then straight to furious, and right back to happy in the blink of an eye. Worse than a proddy green, it is hard to make him concentrate because of his swiftly changing emotions. However, whatever he feels, he feels strongly, and there is never a mild attitude about him.

Conversely, there is one definite trait that one can pin on this blue, and this is his love of chaos. Seth is not happy unless there is something interesting going on around him, and if it is a calm day at the weyr, he will purposefully do something to change that. Stirring up trouble is something he does best, and whether it be physically or mentally, he will do what he can to get mischief brewing. From stealing a weyrling’s shoe and hiding it under someone else’s bed, or telling so-and-so that she said this and that about them, Seth is going to be trouble.

History: This is to be filled in at the time of the Hatching.

Clutch: Gold Aeriath's 4th by Bronze Zorometh
Hatching Order: 3rd, From The Stormy Chaos Egg
Text Color: 18376A
Mind Voice: Orlando Bloom www.youtube.com/watch?v=aOko-cT6QdI

A mumble went through the crowd, and Raelwyn’s eyes widened. A blue Impressing to a girl? Who had ever heard of such a thing? Glancing over at her Weyrleader, the queenrider merely shook her head and grinned. Well, at least it was an interesting hatching, aye?

[HG]

Aware that Koldyn had come up beside him, he smiled. At least they would endure this together. Even as he thought he had a wonderful chance of impressing, he almost did not want to. Call it spite or revenge, he just did not want to give the Weyrleader the satisfaction of being right! The other Candidates seemed to be more intrigued about what was happening in front of them then delving into their own thoughts. No one else in the Expedition was the least bit curious as to why they were being allowed to Stand. He was the only one who thought about things that could be wrong or go wrong. Even Koldyn seemed oddly complacent in this place.

Nevarre watched, unable to tear his eyes off of the egg as it began to shake more violently. The dragon that came out was green. There was no doubt about that. She seemed to think none of the boys were good enough for her. This sort of pissed him off. I mean he was better than any girl. Even if some of them were deluded into thinking otherwise. Frowning slightly he thought about it a moment. Well he didn't want some happy, bouncy little green anyway. He had bigger dragons to impress.

The Northerner watched as the next egg revealed a...brown? At first his hide was harder to discern though it became quite clear that he was brown shortly after. Within moments he impressed a boy but not before knocking that short kid over. GO DRAGON! Thats the way to be. Short kid deserved it after ordering him around. He found himself smiling, a genuine smile. Well the dragons were amusing if anything. Nevarre's mental commentary stopped as Dereo impressed the brown. Well done! A Northerner was now on a dragon and a brown at that! He was pleased, very pleased. Up until some girl impressed a blue.

Why in the name of Faranth would a blue choose a girl??? He was in complete shock, thinking that the odds of a woman impressing at all was low. Here they already had two girls on dragons and only one boy. That was not acceptable!! He looked over at Koldyn to catch what he might be thinking about all of this. It was completely ridiculous!! Trying to contain his inner outrage, he took in a deep breath.

–

The Hatching started when the first dragon came out of her shell. Vaylee was well aware that the green was looking for a girl. As she walked to Aisynn, Vaylee smiled brightly. Aisynn deserved a dragon. The blonde was so happy for the other girl that she was not really paying attention to the brown that hatched. It wasn't until after she saw the smallest boy knocked over that she realized other eggs were hatching. She held her sister's hand wanting to be certain that there was someone there with her.

Vaylee wasn't scared, per say. She needed moral support was all. The boy who impressed the brown was from the North, which was odd but then the Weyrleaders had them stand for a reason. This was a large clutch and they needed the variety. Besides, Vaylee would never object to new blood...or new potential lovers. She smiled inwardly. Well it wasn't like she would have to worry about that for a while if she did impress.

The woman was in complete shock as the blue who had hatched, walked past the boys. What was he doing? He impressed a girl...a girl?? She thought maybe that she had dreamed it but no, there he was, standing in front of Ferlese. Another girl who deserved a dragon. She wanted to congratulate them but being as she was going to be on the Sands for a while, she would congratulate them later. For now she needed to keep up with who was impressing what!

–

Orisyn found himself practically squished in between two larger boys, so he moved out of the semi circle a slight bit. This seemed like a good idea at the time. As the little green hatched and moved towards the girls he watched intently. HIS SISTER!!!! WHOOT! “AISYNN!!! I TOLD YOU!” Tonight was the night! He was correct once again! He loved his sister and was more than happy to see her on a dragon no matter the color. Their mother was going to be so concerned now that his sister was on a fighting dragon. HAHAHA. Oh all the worrying and nagging was going to come off of him and be placed onto her.

He was enjoying his thoughts, not paying much attention to the brown who suddenly knocked him over. “Hey...” He said a little perturbed at being knocked over. Well that would teach him to pay attention. The brown moved past him to impress another boy. Fine with him! Some dragons needed to learn manners! He thought a little upset and quickly got up off the sands as he almost burned his hands.
Good riddance little brown! He thought and looked on as the next egg hatched.

The blue that emerged seemed a bit chaotic to him. He was trying to stir up trouble. You could see it in his eyes. He did not come for the boys. Oh no... he wanted to cause a raucous and what better way to do that than to impress a girl! Ferlese was a bit chaotic herself if he remembered correctly. Well they deserved each-other then. He was glad the dragons were finding people who fit their personalities so well. He had high hopes especially as his sister had already impressed.

Tonight was the night for a dream to come true!

–

D'seus smiled at Raelwyn, “We can't expect them to be a normal clutch. They are rather abnormal in every way.” He said outloud, though he hoped all the girls impressing would not set them back at all later on. He had to think that this was for the better. Women were great companions and perhaps there was a reason behind the women impressing. A reason they wouldn't know about for some time. In any case he was just happy the eggs were producing such healthy and lively dragonets.

The boy who had been knocked over seemed to be up and fine. No one injured so far. How long would that last? He wondered, glancing at the Gold Egg. “Lovely coloring on that blue don't you think?” He was excited about this. Zorometh had certainly proven himself as far as the Weyr was concerned. D'seus never needed him to prove himself but now he was kind of glad that the dragon had sired so large and interesting a clutch.

[kira]

Ziridech was dead to the world when the call came. Luckily, he'd learned young how to sleep deeply but rouse at a call. He roused immediately, but was startled awake so quickly that he nearly fell out of bed. The only thing that had saved him were the blankets haplessly tangled around him preventing him from tipping more than his head and one shoulder over the edge. Chuckling silently, he set about unraveling himself, having to roll off the bed onto his knees and one hand to get fully free. Straightening, he yawned and stretched as he looked around at his sleepy dormmates. Ah well, no helping it!

He quickly stripped off his nightclothes and donned his white Impression robe, tying up the thick-soled sandals with nimble fingers. He gave a jaunty wave as he beat some of the sleepier guys out the door. Normally he would have waited, but today he was so much more interested in his destination than any companionship he might have on the way there.

.o0O0o.

Merielle groaned as she rolled over again. She'd always been a light sleeper, and the past several months since the incident with her sister only made her more so. Every snuffle, shift, and snore woke her briefly, and while she was usually able to get back to sleep it wasn't a very restful one. Someone else had just rather noisily rolled over, and she was awake again. She was just pondering whether she should even try to go back to her fitful sleep or if she should just give up rest for that night and go sketch in the common room when the call came. Gasping, she blinked herself fully awake. It was time! ...Right? She glanced around at her dormmates to make sure that she hadn't just imagined it in some half-asleep state - but no, they were all rousing too.

An excited smile stretched across her face as she extricated herself out of her blankets and got ready. Her hair was fine, but she tied a few front pieces in a little twist at the back of her head to keep it out of her face and swept her bangs to the side. The robe fit rather well, and she smoothed it reverently. Today was the day, where she would walk off those Sands an asset to her people or a failure to be returned to her home. She shook the negative thoughts from her mind. No matter what, she had been granted an honor, and she would focus on that.

Stepping out quietly, she began making her way to the Sands. She smiled nervously at a few of the faces that she passed by, silently wishing them luck. She was surprised when someone snagged her arm, then gave a short laugh when Zir grinned at her. He'd decided she made a good friend after the Touching, and despite his handicap he'd have her giggling helplessly whenever they interacted. Giving her sweet friend a pat on the arm he had linked with hers, she fell into stride with the much taller boy.

They entered the Sands together, both in awe of the sheer number of people already there - both Candidates and spectators - having been quick to get ready themselves. They bowed and curtsied - respectively - to Aeriath, and Zir gave Meri a wink as they parted to stand with their own genders.

The eggs began to hatch then, and the first to tumble out was a quite beautiful little green. Though Meri understood that it wasn't as good of luck as a bronze, she was still enamored with the gorgeous creature. She moved right past Meri without a glance, but Meri still smiled happily at the girl who had Impressed. Aisynn, if she remembered right.

The smaller, reddish brown that hatched next was a sight to see. He strutted like he owned the Weyr, and it amused Zir quite a bit. He pushed one of the other Candidates out of the way, but at least he hadn't clawed or bit him in the frustration of finding His. He seemed so assured as he faced another boy, and it made Zir wistful for a moment. How amazing it must be...but he'd get his chance! Focusing back, he saw the spectacularly colored blue stalk right over to the girls. His eyebrows raised to his hairline as the blue quite decisively stalked around one girl in particular. Well, that was interesting! A grin on his face, Zir turned his attention back to the eggs again, not wanting to miss even a single one hatching.

[meadow]

Standing amongst the other females, Ferlese gasped when the first egg hatched. Her hands inadvertently clasped in front of her as the...green! A beautiful green! Her eyes trained on the dragon as she made her way over to one of the other Candidates. She felt a moment of apprehension, watching the green circle the other girl. Would she be chosen? Would she really Impress one of these wonderful beings?

Her gaze turned back to the other rocking eggs. Another dragon had made its way out...a...brown? She'd thought it was a bronze at first, but, no, it was a brown. She winced as she saw the brown push another boy away, but the moment of Impression was always...her eyes turned to another egg as it hatched. A blue...her breath caught, her dark eyes watching as it...made its way towards the girls? Her heart pounded in her ears, nerves and excitement merging within her until...

The beautiful blue stopped before her, then moved behind her. She whirled, her eyes meeting Seth's and a feeling of completion infused her. His voice blossomed in her mind, and her nerves stilled and for a moment calm descended on her.

Then she blinked, adoration and love suffused with ecstatic excitement. She held Seth's head in her hands, and she realized...she's Impressed! A blue! Girl's NEVER Impressed blues! And she'd Impressed the best, most beautiful blue in existence! Laughing, she nodded.

Fear not, your Seth is here, and he is better than some silly green, believe me.

"You certainly are," she replied, glad the other girls couldn't hear her wonderful dragon's voice.

Scratching behind his eye ridges, she was almost knocked off her feet as he butted his head imperiously against her legs. His eyes whirled quickly to a bright red, displaying his mood even before he mindspoke her.

I am hungry FerleseMine!

Her face colored, then she nodded, quickly moving with her Seth to get food for him. She barely noticed anyone else, no other Candidates or people mattered. The only thing that mattered was her wonderful Seth.

((OOC, if I messed up here, I can fix it >.<))

[Yuu Kanduet]

Jerezen watched in rapture as the first egg cracked and reveled a Green. He had read that a Green Hatching first wasn't good, but Jerezen scoffed. Not only was the Green hatchling one of the most beautiful things he had ever seen, but he had never been one to believe in superstition anyway. Only fools believed in what they couldn't see, Jerezen preferred hard facts and written theories. The Brown that followed the Green was absolutely stunning. It stood with a proud stance that Jerezen had often seen his father pull off. it was the kind of stance that said 'I may not be the most powerful, but I'm still better than most.' The first thing Jerezen thought when he saw the Blue was how mischievous its face looked. He was almost wary of it.

Noticing that some of the others on the Sands were clapping for those that had Impressed, Jerezen engaged in the congradualtions as well. Seeing the happy faces of the bonded pairs only made Jerezen ache inside at the thought of what dragonet might be waiting for him on the Sands, curled up and shifting in its egg. He hoped ferverently that he would Impress a hale and hearty young dragon.

Without realizing it, Jerezen had allowed a small smile to creep up his face. The excitement in the cavern was catching. Up above Sabastian could be seen twirling and somersaulting through the air as the little flit hummed and chirruped happily. Jerezen watched him for a moment. One day he might be able to ride a much bigger version of his little flit. One day he might do maneuvers like that astride a dragon.

[Ise]

Dereo watched the as the hush fell over the crowd as the first egg started to crack and break apart. He was glad he was tall and didn’t have much of a problem seeing the shaking egg. His breath caught in his throat as the green finally broke free, it was beautiful. But by then another egg was already hatching. He almost ignored the hatching dragon at the first sight of its redish color, assuming it to be a bronze. Dereo knew he wasn’t the type to draw the interest of a bronze. But once the dragon broke free it was clear that the dragon was a brown. A small brown he gathered from some of the murmurings around him. Though small, the brown walked as if he was bigger then everyone else, and so sure of himself too! Dereo cringed slightly as the brown knocked a small boy down, though it looked like he had only knocked the kid over and hadn’t clawed at him. But he forgot about Orisyn as a voice filled his mind. Unlike the first time he had heard the queen dragon’s voice in his mind, this one felt right. He reached out and touched Horuth’s head, making sure that the dragon was real, a grinning as he gave a slight nod.

Dereo contained his giddiness quiet well as he looked around, quickly spotting where the food for the newly hatched dragons was. He quickly led Horuth to it, finding it odd that he could feel the dragon’s hunger. He had yet to make a sound or even say anything to Horuth yet the dragon seemed unbothered by it. Words were not always needed in a bond like this and Dereo’s pride and surprise passed easily to the dragon.
Don’t worry mine, I know I picked the right rider. But let us watch my brothers and sisters find their riders as well.

The brown turned so he could watch the hatching and Dereo followed suit, feeling the intense interest that Horuth had for a certain egg though Dereo couldn’t figure out which one.

[kaemi]

The first egg to hatch was the Benign Creator Egg. It was a very prolonged experience for Aisynn: she waited in anticipation for the first hatchling, watching the fractures spread along the shell and listening in the hushed silence for the tapping from within as the creature tried to escape. Internally, the Candidate encouraged the dragonet within, hoping and wishing for the first hatchling to be healthy and able. Oh- there it was. A green! Of course, it was well-known that clutches from which a bronze hatches first were said to be 'best'... but Aisynn didn't see the sense in this. She was just as happy that a green had hatched, as she would have been if a bronze had, or a blue had. They were all the same for her, sparing the fact that girls didn't Impress bronzes or blues. So, truthfully, she was even more excited that a green was the first to appear.

She seemed adorably amazed at the surrounding people. As she surveyed the choices, Aisynn was able to see the different hues that faded around her hide. From dark to light and back again, completely different shades of green patched and melded to create this lovely dragonet before them. She really was quite pretty, the Candidate thought, her attention momentarily captured by the next egg hatching. A bronze... no, it was a brown. This one had an odd, yet attractive, coloring as well. Smiling a little, she turned her attention back to the hatchling that was wandering and surveying as he shook off the egg goo. Who would this cheerful little green go to? Maybe Vaylee... or one of the Northerners...

Yes, she seemed to have moved past all the boys, and was instead surveying the choice of girls. As she approached Aisynn, the girl let the thought approach that maybe... maybe... she would choose her? It would be a folly to blow it off. She had been Searched, after all, and she didn't think she would Impress the gold. Maybe a green was for her! And maybe such a pretty green. The Candidate grinned, thinking of being able to scrub and oil that lovely hide each and every day. As the little hatchling continued to approach, she surveyed just how interesting and special the hide was. And then the green was right in front of her, and she felt the breath catch in the back of her throat, in excitement and hopeful anticipation. The little one circled her, before bumping her legs.

Oh! There you are, AisynnMine! You were hiding from your Shivath! Oh I do love games. Oh, but wait! No, right now I am hungry, very hungry in fact. First we eat, then play games. The green's voice was sweet and decisive, and she gazed up at Aisynn with whirling rainbow-eyes. The little one did not have to wait a long time at all, as the Candidate- now weyrling- fell to her knees, ignoring the heat of the Sands, and hugged the green tightly. “I didn't mean to hide, Shivath,” she assured the green with tears gleaming in her eyes. “But if you do want to play, then we can play later... after you eat, and sleep, and eat some more.” She had been told by multiple sources in the Weyr that that was all that hatchlings did for a good portion of their young lives.

Finally standing up, with a grin firmly spreading her lips, Aisynn led Shivath to the food. She hadn't noticed her brother's yell of congratulations- indeed, the entire applause that went up for the first Impression had been in the very distant background. However, she made sure to turn her smile towards Orisyn as she walked past, elated as she was. He would Impress, too, she was sure of it!

–

Kalindan watched as the first egg hatched- a green, who was quick to Impress, by most standards. Of course, he had little to compare it to. It wasn't as if they had timed data from the Records on how fast individual Impression usually took to occur. He applauded for the girl, Aisynn. He knew her; a sweet girl, matched well with a green, he thought. A little more importantly, however, since he doubted that he would Impress green, was the brown that had hatched. Oh, wait, but it did not take him long to Impress, either. This time he wasn't so sure on the identity of the new weyrling... a Northerner, though, if he wasn't mistaken.

He shook it off. Now there was a blue on the Sands, anyways, so maybe there he could have a decent shot. So far, none of the hatchlings had so much as glanced at him, which was just fine (there had been two. For him to have taken offense would have been considered petty), but now there was another chan--. No, there wasn't. The blue didn't even spare a glance for the boys, heading, instead, straight for the girls. Girls! Maybe it was a mistake... but no, he had Impressed. To a girl. A girl! The cases of a girl Impressing a blue were few and far between- very far, from what he understood. To the point that he was unsure if it had ever happened at Refuge. Surely it had occurred since the move from the North, but he didn't think at Refuge.

–

Phaerie! Essa shot her a smile, glad to have her there, just as the Hatching began. It didn't allow time for talking, as the first egg cracked open and revealed a green. Was that what all hatchlings looked like? The dragons she had seen... all from a good distance, and all mature... they were all majestic and beautiful. But this little green creature was lovely, with her various shades and the smooth melding between each one. It wasn't like patchwork on her skin- hide, she meant, hide- it was like one smooth, endless color, that just happened to drastically change. The Candidate nudged her favorite buddy with her elbow, probably unnecessarily. Most of the eyes in the Hatching Sands were focused upon the sole hatchling, and would have been with our without her beauty.

Another egg hatched, revealing a... er... a bronze? Sure, that one. She had just learned dragon colors, and brown and bronze looked a great deal alike, to her, and this one looked both light and dark. And seemed to shine. Despite Essabellona's uncertainty, she determined that it was a bronze, and if she was wrong, she could amend her thoughts at a later time. Right now, she was busy trying to split her attention between the beautiful green and the “bronze”, hoping to actually see the first Impression, to notice what it was like. She had Impressed Query, which was more than she could hope for as a comparison in this situation, but a dragon was so much... bigger!

The green Impressed a girl whom she had met at chores a few days back: Aisynn. Nice, funny, sweet girl. Applauding with the rest of the crowd, Essabellona smiled widely for the girl, despite the fact that she wouldn't see it. She was glad that the first Impression had been to a girl a like that. She, Essa thought, deserved it. As far as she knew.

Somehow, Essa had missed the Impression of the “bronze”... who now looked like a brown! Which one was it! Confused, the Candidate shook her head and promised herself that she would ask when there wasn't a dragonet on the Sands. Which there was now; a blue, who was coming this way, actually. Strange. She had been told that boy dragons (blues, browns, and bronzes) only Impressed boys, whereas golds only Impressed girls, and greens could Impress either. So why was a blue coming this way? For a few brief moments, she entertained the idea that maybe the blue was coming for her. Maybe she could be a bluerider! How exciting!

But no. Instead, she got smacked on the head! Startled, Essa stumbled back a step, watching that the blue Impressed the girl in front of her, instead. Dazedly, she applauded with the rest of the crowd, unsure of how to react, but to regain her place in line, shoot a grin towards Phae (she had just been touched by a dragon) and glue her eyes back to the eggs.