When Only A Candle Lights The Way (Hatching, Open)

[LyricalBlue]

As contrary as their mother was, it was no surprise that the eggs began to rock just after the midnight hour. Most hatchings tended to happen during the day, but it seemed Nisurath's offspring were to be anything but normal. Slowly, the pale gold raised her head and began to hum and one by one the dragons in the Weyr picked up the strange song until it seemed that the very rocks of the Weyr were vibrating.

The eggs began to rock with more vigor and it was not too long before the Candidates, fresh in white robes filed out onto the sands. Iaslia moved to the Weyrleaders box, not really pleased to be so far from her agitated Queen. If the touching had been any indication, this was bound to be an... interesting Hatching. But, it was a hatching none the less and any need for sleep was quickly washed away by the rising excitement.

She glanced to the side as her father appeared in the seats traditionally reserved for the bronzeriders, and as usual the pleasantries between them remained at only a simple nod. After all, he hadn't been involved in her life as a youngster, she hardly expected him to be interested now. There was a change in the austere man though, a bronze firelizard sat perched and... chirping on his shoulder. Annoying thing, Iaslia snorted and looked back to the sands. No thank you, she had enough to do than to also deal with one of those foolish little things. Maybe they were good for something, but she had yet to see it.

The Weyrwoman's eyes wandered over the rocking eggs... There was one little green one that seemed simply furious to get out. That one looked like it would not wait for any late Candidates. Iaslia found herself chuckling quietly. Leave it to Nisurath to give rise to more dragons as independent as herself. Independent and... perhaps quick tempered, though Iaslia did not relish the idea of more dragons with such tempers. Nisurath herself was more than enough to deal with on any day. She watched as the Candidates formed a half circle around the eggs and behind the clutch, the pale gold stood, watching silently with eyes whirling red.

[hrsegrl]

The humm reached Rovanoth before anyone would have heard it. He rose off of his couch and woke his rider. "What could be so important at this time of..." He started irritably only to be cut off by the obvious humming. Quickly Ev'os ran to his dresser threw on his leathers and boots. Jacket still only on one arm he made sure Rovanoth's straps were on good and mounted the Bronze pulling that other sleeve on as he did so.

He arrived first to the Hatching Sands, being dropped off near Iaslia by his Bronze. He was nervous for some reason but quickly controlled himself and smiled at the Weyrwoman. "Ready?" He said, as he watched the eggs rocking violently. He hoped only that they were healthy. Due to his almost dishevelled appearance he doubted the Candidates would look much better. The entire Weyr was going to be quite groggy he suspected.

----

Hmmmmmm, Huuuuummmm. Who in the name of Faranth's Egg was snoring so loud?!!! He looked around the Barracks, now fully awake from his sleep. HUUUUUMMMMMMM. Wait, that was not snoring. It was definately humming. "The Hatching!" He said loudly not thinking he was waking anyone up rudely. They all needed to be up anyway right? He got his white robe and sandals out .

Instead of being bothered by the fact this was his last time, he was much to tired. In fact all he really could think to do was what came natural to him. Get dressed, comb hair, run out the door. It was all very mechanical. Of course upon arriving at the Sands to see the Eggs rocking back and forth like a ship being tossed by a raging sea he became more excited. Vigorous little dragons they certainly were. No doubt due to Nisuraths beyond excellent care of them. He heard she never left them the whole time. Different from other Queens though when had Nisurath ever been like other Queens?

The sandy haired youth was one of the first Candidates to arrive and saw no one with whom he could share his excitement with. In the stands he noted that people were beggining to file in though more quietly than usual. As if being called to the sands he walked out not noticing the heat nor the fogginess of his head. His clear blue/gray eyes were only focused on the eggs and the warm welcome he was going to give them. Dragonets were always lovely and wonderful so he could only imagine this was to be a great morning.

----

Thrumming and humming, ugh. That Queen sure knew how to mess everyone's day up. She could have done them all a favor and told those little brats to wait a few more candlemarks. Now he was up, he was cranky and he knew he looked awfu, though still better than most the Candidates.

Instead of warm happy thoughts all Akriseus could think of was his bed. His eyes were droopy and he found himself nodding off and then shaking his head to wake up. If they had to hatch now, couldn't they get on with it so everyone could go back to bed?

His whole day was ruined now. No run, no chores on time, the kitchen would be backed up so probably no breakfast. He could not imagine a worse time for this to happen. Akriseus let out a sigh and stayed behind that sandy haired guy who seemed to be in front of the group last time. He seemed confident and probably would not get mauled.

[adhoc]

Derron had gone to sleep early as usual, and while he'd certainly have loved the few extra hours rest, he roused significantly more calmly and collectedly than many of his fellows. His hands were steady as he squeezed into his robes, and you could have kept time with his pulse as he strode quickly to the Hatching Ground.

The thrumming reverberating through the rocky corridors only invigorated him further. He felt wildly exhilarated, and it showed on every inch of his face. As he took his place beside the other candidates, he felt the vibrations of the room putting his body in sync with the Weyr as a whole. It is time, they purred, It is time.

And what a time! The feeling was new to him. This was not the calm before a bout or the peace of early morning. He was standing near the future and sensed it in his bones.

He watched the green egg tilt, and for the life of him could not have put words to his thoughts. He was thoroughly and utterly there.

~~~~~~~~~

Lucan's eyes snapped open and his heart raced like a herdbeast being pursued by a dragonet. The noise and sudden light in the barracks as the boys shuffled and jostled to prepare themselves had jolted him awake after but one hour of sleep, and it required a hard moment's blinking before he could remember his name.

Hatching! The eggs were hatching! His usual steadiness fought with manic thrill and the nausea of too-early rising. He jumped to his feet and then sat down hard again on the bed as the blood rushed to his head. Flames and shards and scorch it all, pull yourself together! He admonished himself, rooting around for his robes. A quick review of right from left and he was dressed and scrambling along with the rest of the Candidates toward the sands.

Had the passage always been this long? He was practically weaving on his feet until just before he reached the giant chamber. Not a graceful riser, are you Lucky? No, and you had to stay up loitering with those girls, because there was no chance you'd have something Important to Do this morning.

Thankfully, the sight that greeted him as he reached the stands snapped him from his crabby inner monologue. He did his best to quell another wave of dizzy illness: adrenaline was coursing through him like ichor, and he lost himself in that heady rush.

Everything was intensified: the flickering torchlights casting red-orange highlights onto the Candidate's robes, that ceaseless shifting sound of dragon-humming, Nisurath's size (amazing how shadows and temper could make a deadly creature seem all the more menacing.)

Lucan did his best to compose himself, but the barrage of sensory input and his underlying knowledge of this moment's significance left this a mostly unsuccessful venture. And so he stood with his compatriots among the shifting eggs and gazed about with wonder, and with wildness.

[starshine]

Pantoth took his position among the browns. It had been and eventful morning at that. The first tones of the humming had seen A'rik sprinting out of his weyr in an attempt to rouse the candidates. He swiftly knocked on the boys barracks before heading down to the Sands. He had faith in his candidates that they would make every effort to make it down to the hatching. This was proving to be very unconventional. Wasn't this supposed to take place during the day time? Traditionally...[/color] He scoffed. This was going to prove to me trying.

It wasn't long before Pantoth took his position among the browns. A'rik took his position on the sands, instruction the hands on where to place the buckets of meat. Those dragonets were bound to be famished once they've hatched. Once the buckets were in place he motioned for the men to take they're places among the stands. He then turned his attention to the queen. He didn't want to upset her, just checking to make sure she wasn't getting to agitated. Iaslia seemed to have a good reign on her. He had absolute confidence in the Weyrwoman.

[LyricalBlue]

It was the jasper egg that was the most eager to join the world and with a crackling sound she bore her way through the now hard shell. The hatchling flopped on the sands for several minutes as she dried, patient now to wait. She had been the first out of the shell and that was what had mattered. She was a delicate looking dragon, very similar in color to her egg and when one looked close enough, they could see what looked like freckles sprinkled across her body.



It was not long before the second egg cracked and split, spilling its contents out onto the burning hot sands. It was the opal egg, and rumors were wild about the Weyr as to exactly what kind of dragon this egg would produce.



As the light hit the hatchling, there were some gasps from the crowd. He was a remarkably lovely creature, his hide glistened in the glow light, varying from a dark blue to an almost glassy light blue. His wings however, shaded to green on the membranes. This seemed to give the dragon an effect of shifting color, you could look at him a hundred diffrerent ways and see a hundred different variations on his hide.

He moved without much pause directly towards the candidates and many would comment later on the almost intelligent calculation in the little dragon's gaze. This one would be forever on his own tier, perfectly proportioned and so uniquely colored, there was no doubt in any onlooker's mind that this little guy was going to make some waves.



As the opal blue paused in front of the Candidates, the delicate Moonstone Egg rocked and cracked. This one had begun rocking early, but it was only now that the hatchling had gotten enough strength to push through his shell. And the creature that emerged drew as many gasps as his minutes older brother.



The hatchling glistened, limp on the sands. He was clearly larger than his darker brother, but this one looked like a dragon made of glass. He was so lightly built and his hide was as pale as his mothers. When the glow light hit, onlookers could indeed see that he was not white, but a delicate shade of very light blue. There would be no doubt later, which gold had given rise to this delicately elegant dragon. It seemed that he, like his brother would stand on a tier of his own.

[E]

Somadin found himself dreaming of the hatching. The humming had begun and his feet were burning on the hot sands but no matter how hard he tried to reach the hatching eggs the queen would place herself between him and her children. He pleaded and begged to no avail, it seemed the pale queen had no love for one so small…

“But I am getting bigger…” he mumbled to himself in his sleep as his bed vibrated again. Wait… why was his bed vibrating? Sitting up, he rubbed the sleep from his eyes and looked around the dark candidate barracks to find all of the larger boys pulling on the white robes they had been given. “Wha—“ he began, but never finished as realization hit him.

It was time.

His dream still fresh in his mind, he chewed his lower lip as he grabbed his robe and ran, pulling it over his head as he went. Sash tied quickly, he certainly didn’t look the best, but with the stars still in the sky over the weyr bowl, he didn’t think it would matter at this time of night. It was the queen within the hatching grounds that had him worried.

Making it onto the hot sands, he was glad he had slipped his boots on before grabbing his robe. He made his way into the cavern only to slow to a hesitant step at the sight of the queen who had been so angry with him the last time he had entered during the touching. Would she allow him to be there? It actually took more courage than he thought it would to step up to enter the semicircle of candidates around the eggs.

Once his eyes fell onto the eggs, however, some fear of the queen washed away. Already three hatchlings had pushed from their captivity and moved among the shells they had made. Somadin found his mouth dry as he realized it had fell open in the amazement of the colors in the little dragons before him. Had the last clutch had such beautiful hatchlings? There looked to be two blues, both wonderfully shaded and healthy looking, though one was nearly as pale as his mother. The first hatchling, however, looked to almost be a green… but he still wasn’t sure. It was just the right shade to leave him guessing. Even so, he found his heart in his hands.

Oh please don’t leave me standing here alone again… he thought to himself as he watched the magic of life unfold before him.

__________________________________________________

Deltontai had found herself awake instantly as the barest vibration shook the solid stone beneath her. She had been up before most of the other candidates woke to what was happening, but being born outside the Weyr, she was one of the last to understand what the earth shaking meant.

“There hatching?” she asked, a little confused as she repeated another candidates words. “What do you mean they are hatching?”

“The little dragons you fool! Find your white robe, we gotta get to the hatching grounds or it will be too late.” And with that the boy had taken off. Deltontai, however, was still confused but went to find her sister and her robe.

The white robe was the easier of the two to find it seemed. Pulling it on, Deltontai struggled with the sash for a moment before also finding the boots she had been given not long before. The fighting girl had remembered how hot those sands had been even though she had not gone far onto them. Wonder if I’ll be able to step farther in now…

Pulling on the second boot, she found her nearly identical sister. “Come Itona, I’m counting on you!” Taking her hand, she brought the other holdless girl along hoping to borrow some of her sister’s courage once they reached the sands.

[adhoc]

It was hard not to simply gawk at the hatchlings. Derron's fists clenched and unclenched, and he stared: what else could he do? He was tempted to shift one way or the next, but instead he just stood stock still watching the way the little dragons caught the light as one after another they began to come forth. It was like everyone in the cavern was holding their breath.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Something didn't seem quite right about this to Lucan. Didn't dragons usually impress almost immediately? Or had he lost track of time? It did feel like everything was crawling around him. Each cracking shell reverberated in his chest almost as much as the humming of the grown dragons. He felt unwell. Or not really unwell, overwrought, perhaps. He had to focus. He didn't want the dragons to turn away from him because his mind was a whirlwind.

He took a step away from the other Candidates, and the motion helped to pull him back to reality. He breathed in deeply, watching the magnificent hatchlings make their way into the world. Another step, less tentative, and he felt his humor returning. It wouldn't have done to pass out onto the sands.

[hrsegrl]

Out of the eggs first came a green, she was a pretty little thing though searching for someone who was obviously not himself. She seemed to be heading a different direction anyway. The two that followed were blues. Caselo found himself watching their every move.

The first was darker than the second but no less lovely in coloring. If it was one thing this clutch was sure to hatch as it was colorful. Caselo continued to convey warm and welcoming thoughts to the dragonets, hoping they would find him suitable. He wasted no time looking for friends and focused on the dragons.

---

The coloring of the dragons that began to hatch was the first thing that caught Akriseus' attention. However with each passing dragonet he was sure that the next would be even better. He could not settle for less than the best. The best being what he deserved.

Some of the Candidates were taking this all too seriously. He shook his head at that, this wasn't life or death. Not unless you were mauled. He was not dumb enough to get in the way of the clumsy dragons as they emerged from their shells. Akriseus would leave that to the other Candidates.

[Rowen]

Itona let her sister drag her to the sands grateful that she'd changed into the white clothing when she'd noticed the others in theirs. She stood staring at the hatchlings, they were gorgeous. 'Come Itona, I’m counting on you!' She blinked as her sisters words registered in her mind. Casting a glance at her sister she glanced back at the hatching. She couldn't be serious could she? After everything Dela had been through. No, Itona would think about that later, now she had to concentrate on the hatching. She'd heard what happened to some candidates, and what happened to the poor hatchlings in some hatchings and wasn't keen to see that happen in this hatching.

She focused on the already emerged hatchlings, the coloring of each seemed nearly wholly unique. She wasn't sure what that could mean, but they were pretty. Maybe it was the lighting but it seemed to make them even more special, inspiring in a way. She felt sorry for those who hadn't had time to sleep yet. It must be very early or very late, she hadn't bothered to ask anyone what time it was. With her mind wandering she had to blink and focus again on the hatching. 'Focus' she told herself silently, feeling that speaking out loud would draw attention from the other candidates who should be allowed to focus completely on the hatching even if she was having sleep.. Maybe it was lack of sleep? She hadn't been sleeping well for the past few nights.

[LyricalBlue]

The brilliantly colored opal blue moved first, the beeline he made to the large Candidate was so fast, that those on either side scattered. The hatchling locked gazes with his chosen human and he sat with a thump on the hot sands. His choice had not taken very long at all, he wanted this one. And by Faranth, he was going to have him first. None of this mincing around that some of the others would do.
D'ron, I am your Eltanth. We shall show them a thing or two. But first, you must feed me.


Name: Eltanth (means “Snake”)
Age: Hatchling
Color: Blue
Clutch: 1188: Gold Nisurath/ Bronze Rovanoth
Appearance: Eltanth's coloring shades from darker blue to lighter in places. The underside of his wings are a blue-green color so that if someone only saw that part of him they would have trouble discerning which he was. He is proportioned almost perfectly so that one could almost judge other dragon's proportions off of his own.
Personality: Blues although known to be rather easygoing are not all happy go lucky sorts. Eltanth is an exception, quiet and a little socially awkward he has trouble making himself heard. His agile body matches his flexible mind making him easy to manipulate but also quick to learn. He needs direction from his rider in all things and requires a lot of patience. When the blue finds someone to look up to or imitate he does exceptionally well. He is very much a visual learner. While he could care less about most other dragons, the few he befriends will be his friends forever. Eltanth would never bespeak another human at least not if he could help it.
History:
Weyrling Class:
Font color: 6FB9BE




The bloodstone egg shattered violently while the Opal Impressed. She, wanted out and wanted out now. The glistening hatchling paused only moments on the sands. Her hide was so dark a green that in the glow light, she was nearly black. She was a long looking hatchling, with a neck and tail that had they been any longer would have made her ungainly. She swung her head around, trying to get her bearing. The noise of the crowd, even as hushed as it was, pressed on the dark hatchling. Without waiting a beat longer she lunged forward towards the Candidates, one girl was a tad to eager and was pushed away with lighting sharp hatchling claws. And it was standing in the girl's blood that the hatchling chose the one she wanted.
I am Alioth. They think us little, but we are much more than they shall ever know. Deltontai I am very, very hungry.




Name: Alioth (means “Black Horse”)
Age: Hatchling
Color: Green
Clutch: 1188: Gold Nisurath/ Bronze Rovanoth
Appearance: Dark and sleek. Her hide is such a dark green it looks more like its black with a green sheen to her than a true green color. The distinct coloring of the green is what stands out most about her. She has black claws and a well proportioned body. Her neck is slightly long as is her tail but its not enough to make her seem ungainly.
Personality:This quiet, secretive green makes many private plans. Things she may not wish to disclose to anyone, except her rider. She has quick wit and often uses it to her advantage. As a green, there is a stigma that there is only so much one can achieve, Alioth is not like other greens. She is someone to keep an eye on because one never knows what she is thinking or what she is made of. Alioth is a fighter both against thread and against the idea that she is somehow inadequate or less than other dragons because she is green.
History:
Weyrling Class:
Font color: 002000

[hrsegrl]

((Hopefully better than my last post.. haha))

Phaedon had taken his place near the meat that the newly impressed would be feeding the dragonets. His apprentices waited to assist him with checking each dragonet over. So long as they were healthy they would be free to leave the sands and get some sleep. This was the outcome he would like for all of the dragonets to have.

The dragonets began Hatching quickly which pleased him. The sooner this was over with the sooner everyone could get some sleep. Not that he was going to be headed to bed but his apprentices looked as if they were going to sleep standing up. Smiling he looked up just in time to see the first blue impress, followed by a black...err... green dragon. He'd never seen a dragonet that dark before, he noted in his journal. In moments the newly impressed would be ready to eat and he could start checking the new additions to the Weyr.

Glow seemed entirely unimpressed by the whole event and sat on his shoulder looking down imperiously at the apprentices. They were so beneath her it was not even worth her showing her master. She settled herself on his shoulder more evenly as he moved close to the meat. Quickly she expressed to Phaedon that the meat smelled delicious.

-----

The first blue seemed to be wasting no time. He found his life mate in that large young man he met in the Kitchens. Derron. Well good for him. He seemed to be a good natured sort and therefore would do excellent as a dragonrider. Most of the people he admired were dragonriders and they all seemed to have positive attitudes. The exceptions being Iaslia and Ev'os of course. He never much cared for either of them.

There were now two greens and a blue wandering about though the latest to hatch was the first of them to impress. The dragon looked black at first and he was not sure what to make of it. She was small which helped him deduce that she was in fact green. She almost seemed to be black with a green sheen rather than just dark green. Interesting. Even more interesting when one considered that she mauled a girl and impressed to that Holdless girl, Delontai.

Caselo was not exactly suprised but he had thought she did not want a dragon from when he had spoken to her. Too late now, he thought with a smile. So far only blues and greens were on the sands and he almost wondered if either of the large eggs contained a brown let alone a Bronze. Of course nothing about this hatching was normal.

-----

Although he should have been paying more attention to what was happening to the other people he was more interested in what was happening to himself. No dragons had come his way so far. Probably had that snady haired youth to thank for that anyway.

The blackish green dragon had almost headed his direction but found a girl whom Akriseus did not know. The youth the blue impressed was rather tall and good looking, probably more so if he had a better view. Maybe someone his sister knew? He thought about it but realized she would have told him.

He was soooo tired. A yawn escaped him and he stretched his arms. Falling asleep standing was bad and would give him the worst reputation. Rather than fall to sleep he decided to move a few paces every now and then. A couple of times he was too close to the dragonets for his own comfort. His body was too precious to be mauled!

[adhoc]

The smell of blood slammed into Lucan's nostrils, its tang like a cymbal clash.

Later he would berate himself for the seconds of delay he took before yanking the sash from his robe and hurrying to the mauled girl's side. But in the moment he felt a stab of anxiety. Why go?He could just continue to focus on the dragons. But that was not in him. The newly impressed and their partners were lost in their worlds of one another, the spectators were yet too far away, and the other figures lingering on the sands had duties to attend to.

And he had been so close, so close to her. If Derron's partner had not sent him hustling to the side moments before, he too would have been in the dark dragon's path.

He did not know what he was doing, but his mind cleared and he set to his task as best he cold, trying to find the place where the claws had bit deepest and to stanch the spouting blood. "Just hang on," he muttered. He wished for a blade to cut more cloth from his splattered robes, but there was of course none forthcoming. He looked up with frustration, and shouted "Fire and thread will no one help?"

~~~~~~~~~~~~

The smile on D'ron's face could have competed with the glowlight. "Eltanth!" He bellowed, offering no unnecessary explanation. The former baker pounded one fist into the other palm enthusiastically. Yes! You are my magnificent Eltanth, and we will fill your belly.

He lay a hand on his new companion's luminous smooth hide, and together they strode strongly over to where the meat lay at the ready. A feeder by nature as well as by trade, D'ron was especially pleased that this was to be their first act together.

Eltanth found this quite excellent as well, and conveyed as much.
It is good that there is food. Where is yours? You are hungry. We are hungry. I will eat now. You should eat as well. Or perhaps give me yours.

D'ron laughed again at his dragon's plain sensibility, and the veneer of concern lingering above his powerful yearning for the slabs of meat in the pails. He took one, and began handing the juicy bits up into Eltanth's maw as quickly as the dragon could munch them down. D'ron cast a hasty look in the Master Dragonhealer's direction to assure he wasn't making any mistakes right off the bat, but Eltanth interrupted that thought quickly and calmly.

Nought is wrong. More please!

D'ron obliged, feeling fully at peace.

[LyricalBlue]

The moonstone hatchling stood as still as a statue, and stood so long enough that many began to murmur with worry. While he stood, his brothers and sisters passed him by. The Jasper green, the first to hatch finally found the Candidate she wanted and he announced her name to the crowd with usual enthusiasm.
"She says her name is Mirath!"
The happy young man wrapped his arms about the freckled green with a look of pure glee. Up in the stands, Iaslia could not help but smile. Hatchings were such joyous occasions, it was a pity the Weyr did not have more of them. They would need each of these pairs in the days to come.



The next egg to rock, was almost ponderous in its need to crack and reveal the hatchling inside. But finially, a long crack appeared down the side and the egg split neatly in two. This large egg had given Nisurath much trouble in its laying and it was with little surprise that the hatchling inside was sized to match. The color of cold klah, it became immediately apparent by his reserved demeanor that this large boy was all Brown. He stood, wobbly and held out his wings to dry. It was not too long before he began to move with stoic purpose. He knew exactly who he wanted, he had always known. The Brown bumped his wedge shaped nose against the boy's hand.
C'elo. I am Ainth.



Name: Ainth (means “Eye of the Bull”)
Age: Hatchling
Color: Brown
Clutch: 1188: Gold Nisurath/ Bronze Rovanoth
Appearance: A large solidly built brown, Ainth is anything but dainty. In fact one could say he is a rather muscular dragon, built more for endurance than for agility purposes. Everything about him says that he is indeed a brown. From the chocolate ice cream color of his hide to the shape of his body nothing about him seems out of place. His claws are slightly darker than his hide but not noticeably so from a distance.
Personality: If you want something done right, Ainth is your dragon. So long as he's not being self indulgent and lying around not wanting to do anything he will see any job through to the end. He is a very determined dragon who will do anything he can to get something he wants. Of course this stuboorn nature makes it hard to sway the dragon's opinions or mindset. With that in mind, Ainth can be a very sweet dragon with a warm heart and friendly nature. He will speak to any dragon he feels the need to talk to. As for humans it depends on the reason. Sometimes he will, sometimes he won't.
History:
Weyrling Class:
Font color: 582500



As the impressive Ainth found the one he wanted, the much smaller Jade egg cracked and shattered. The little creature that spilled out onto the sands looked clearly disgusted by this turn of events. She matched her shell to a tee, a smooth, even green. She was soft to look at and almost a calming shade. The hatchling began to stand then sank back onto the sands again, clearly not pleased to be wet and now covered in sand. She hissed and regained her footing, then stared out at the ring of candidates in front of her.

[hrsegrl]

The Master Dragonhealer wasted no time in getting to know the newest pairs as they arrived. He was relieved to know onl one person thus far had been mauled. The latest green on the sands seemed a bit testy. His attention landed back on the first pair to come to feed. D'ron and his blue would have to be checked first.

"D'ron? Ravenous when they hatch, all of them. Let him eat till he is sated but no more. I'll give you an anatomy and physiology lesson on dragons later which will describe in depth why not to let them overeat." He smiled and gave the dragon a look over. Such a bold colored blue.

"Mind if I look him over while he finishes?" Phaedon waited for permission. Being polite was important even to the newly impressed. One could not break protocol simply because the dragons were too young to care.

-----

Akriseus watched as one of the two largest eggs began to crack. He bet that at least one of them held a Bronze and this one could be it! Only the large dragonet that came out was not Bronze. In fact he was a very patient brown who was taking his sweet time drying his wings in order to not fall. Good thinking on his part. Would not want to look like a fool in front of everyone.

At first he hoped the dragon would look his way then decided the size and coloring certainly were not for him. After all, browns were steady and had no real specialty. He'd rather have one of the others. Settling back in to his watching mode he was slightly suprised when the brown headed straight for that sandy haired youth. He seemed like a good person but good people were boring. No doubt the dragon was boring too.


----


The moments flew by for Caselo. He was smiling and watching the dragons as they continued to impress. So far two greens had impressed and one blue. The other blue seemed troubled and Caselo hoped he would find his without too much more worry. The spectacular coloring of this clutch was amazing to him and he found he could not help but want to watch them all.

The large egg that seemed to have been breaking slowly finally revealed a large sturdy brown. He was already much bigger than the hatched clutchmates and while he was not so spectacularly colored there was something about him that made him more interesting. The brown stopped where he was and let his wings dry, obviously not wanting to trip over any Candidates. Who could blame him. He had probably already noted how clumsy the other ones seemed.

As the brown grew nearer his throat tightened. Caselo looked briefly at the people nearest to him. No one was really all that close. Could the brown be coming to him? He watched wide eyed and held out his hand. The brown hatchling immediately nudged it with his large head. C'elo. I am Ainth.

The emotions running through him transfered to the dragon. Realizing that the overemotional state of him might affect the hatchling he added, "I waited for you." The response that the brown gave was short and matter of fact. Of course. You are my rider.

Without further pause the new brownrider shouted to those watching from the Stands."His name is Ainth!!" Shortly thereafter both man and dragon headed toward the meat. Babies were always hungry when they first came to be on their own, even baby dragons.

[Rowen]

Itona watched as the dragons impressed, wincing as one of the candidates bled on the sand. Poor girl, even as Itona looked at the girl she took a step back. No way, she was NOT going to get injured right now. She rather liked not having to be taken care of or rather bandaged. Nope not happening. She was glad for her sister but no, she was NOT going to get within reaching distance of the hatchling until it had a more solid grasp on its movements.

She focused on the rest of the hatchlings and yet unhatched eggs fighting the urge to take another step back when they seemed rather close to her. It wasn't about fear, it was about personal space, that's what Itona told herself anyway as she watched the hatchlings a moment then cast a sideways glance at the other candidates, Caselo had impressed as well. Though Itona hadn't spent much time speaking with Caselo he seemed like an alright guy as far as men went. A brown, now that was not surprising for some reason. She found a smile as she watched the impressed pairs but as the hatching continued she found her smile disappearing again. Not time to celebrate yet.