Log taken: 22 July 2001 Log taken by: Kassima, Wingleader/Candidate Coordinator, Telgar Weyr, NC. You part the curtain and step into the Candidate Barracks. [Editor's Note: OOC pre-Hatching stuff has been snipped.] Laidan emerges from behind the curtain across the entrance. Synna is situated on her cot, folding some freshly washed tunics. She turns slightly, glancing about the barracks. "Has anyone seen my headband?" Zaidra peers at Synna, "What's it look like?" Maylia's arrival in the barracks is rather sudden, with two riders - now wearing Assistant WEyrlingmaster knots - in tow. Mirielle shakes her head without looking up. "Nope sorry." Stitch, stitch. "durned robe. Whoever thought it would take so long to do." Tason is flopped stomach down on his cot, arms crossed under his chin. He yawns, slightly and shifts to curl onto his side. Nimiriel comes into the barracks behind Maylia, and doesn't bother wasting time mincing words. She bellows (and my, can she bellow) "Everyone up! Into your robes, right now!" Maylia winces. She's used to being the one bellowing. Mirielle starts and looks up. "Oh dear. Now?" Teye emerges from behind the curtain across the entrance. Roma looks up to Synna from where she is sitting at her cot, "Wasn't it sitting next to your cot earl- Huh?" she jumps up and opens her press, pulling out her robe, "Now?!" Kaylira winces as well, even as she's jumping up to obey - well, bellows have that effects. Synna taps her finger against her lip. "It's blue beads and kind of braided, on a wooden headset." She pauses, turning in time to see the stream of riders, then the Weyrwoman. "Ro, robes?" With a blink, she leans over her cot and reaches into her press, drawing out the so-so sewed robe. J'lyn, having appeared just behind the smaller Weyrwoman, scowls. "No, next sevenday. YES, now!" Savanna jumps up from her cot at Nim's bellowing. She quickly removes her blouse and skirt then grabs her robe and pulls it on. Alessandra follows after Maylia as well, shooting a look Nimiriel's way. Yup, she's one of the ones with the new knots. Kassima enters at a brisk walk, just in time to catch and nearly be deafened by the bellow. Ow. Pitching her own voice to be fully audible if not quite as loud she adds, "Remember: nay jewelry, nay 'lizards! Leave all of those things here!" Tason jumps at the bellow, eyes popping open. "Huh? Now?" And he shifts up, sliding off his cot and onto his feet, grabbing at the press at the end of his cot. Slipping on her headband herself, Kiharu shakes a negative to Synna. She appears bent on testing the seams of the pale cloth robe, until Nimiriel's shout sends her leaping into it. As best she can with one gangly arm pushing at the recalcitrant cloth and the falling headband. "Seems so," she manages to choke out at Tason. Dragon> All dragons sense that Herath starts to hummmmmmmmmm! << The eggs at *telgarweyr* are rocking! >> Macami adds her own bellowing, a bundle of nerves, clapping her hands sharply again. "You heard it all, get into your robes, no time to lose!" Mirielle makes a face and ties off the thread, sticking the needle somewhere before beginning to do as she's told. Mansi was sleeping. Emphasis on /was/. "What is this?" she sleepily inquires, brushing the sleep from her eyes as everyone apparently rushes into their robes. "Hatching, now? But I was having such a nice dream.." she complains as she searches for the bundled mass that is her robe and discretely, or as discretely as possible, slips into it. Zaidra abruptly rolls off her cot, and moves to comply. Her robe's hanging on a hook near her cot, and she moves quickly to slip it on and belt it...kicking off her shoes at the same time. Dragon> All dragons sense that Chezroth joins in the hummmmmmmmmmmmmmm... << yes! it is time! >> Shawnah walks in just as Nimiriel makes her announcement, "What? Why?" Duh. She eyes her robe.. which she happens to be carrying, "Okay.. that's weird. I'm /really/ scared of A'ser now.." with that cryptic remark, she strips and slips into her robe. Laidan blinks at Nim, hiding a smile at the sudden familiarity of it all, then begins looking around to make none of the candidates have missed the announcement.. somehow. Corwin blinks, sitting up at the sound of the bellows. He puts aside his knife and a little block of wood so he can move to his press. He opens it up and takes out his robe. Lenka starts; drops her pile of laundry to scatter on the floor, takes one look towards the entrance, and then dives for her clothespress and her robe, losing other clothes in an unusually untidy manner before pulling her robe on, and then beginning to fumble with the belt, fingers all thumbs. Teye pops a small sheath upon her bed after unwrapping it from around her upper thigh and pulling her robe over her head. Silent, and perfectly calm, she steps to Macami's side to signal her readiness. Dragon> All dragons sense that Daelyth's voice joins with Herath and Chezroth's, adding her own deep hum in. Maylia repeats, "NOW." A gesture goes to her assistants. "If Yehlth and Kiyoth aren't humming, they soon will be. Let's get them into their robes and ready - the more prepared they are, the fewer injuries we have to deal with. And no knives!" This last gets added after Kassi's instructions. Tason just looks vaguely blank for a second - no more, and then he's off tearing off the said everyday clothes and reaching for his robe - his mothers old one. He slids it over his head as soon as he's stripped down, then kicks off his boots, and reaches behind his neck to unclasp his necklace, then stands ready - at least he thinks he is. Synna just sobers up and quickly strips from her daily garb, donning her white-clad materiel. Her hair is soon upswept with a piece of plain wherhide, the headband completely forgotten about. Tarien gapes for a moment, but she's quick to change out of her clothes and into her robe. Hair is rather hastily braided, then she stands, nervously, looking at the crowd of people. J'lyn crosses his arms across his massive chest, all imposing-like. "No jewelry. No firelizards. No shoes. No decorations of any kind. We'll make sure you get it all back after the Hatching. Hurry, now. They're waiting on you but they won't be waiting for long. Move move move!" Dragon> All dragons sense that Kiyoth joins into the humming, joyously, sending out calls of invitation in swirls of jeweled blue and purple. << It is time! >> Dragon> All dragons sense that Lysseth adds a steady, contralto note to the growing chorus, her thoughts sending off sparks of anticipatory blue: time, it's time, it's time! Roma slips into her own robe, outwardly calm other than fumbling with the robe before looking around for instructions, bouncing on her feet excitedly. S'dar watches, excitement in his eyes, but calm in his demeanor. "Okay, looking good," he says, nodding as the Candidates prepare themselves. "Steady as she goes now... we're doing okay here." Dragon> All dragons sense that Yehlth hums in his fine tenor voice, happy yellows. Alessandra looks up, eyes narrowing. "Yup. She just started." Then, louder -- "Come on people, hurry, those eggs won't wait for you!" Dragon> All dragons sense that Yasinth's icy exclamation climbs briefly above those who started before, rising and then falling into the steady rumbling purr. Hatching. K'ran's quiet through the series of bellows, for all that he's slouched one lean shoulder against the entryway's side. A quick glance here, a reassuring smile there, and his nose is wrinkling with mirth as he shares a bright-eyed look with Alessandra and Laidan. Mirielle finishes, looking down at her last few stitches. "well, it'll have to do." she mutters, tying her hair back and standing somewhat at attention. Tason peers over at Shawnah. "What'd you do Nah? Sleep in your robe?" He calls to the blue haired girl. Kiharu gives a final pull on the edge of her robe. She'd had no jewelry to remove, after all, and her short, pale hair is given a quick smoothing-over before she begins to put her feet into her shoes out of force of habit- and pulls back hastily, standing there wiggling her toes uncertainly as her bare feet hit the floor. Kaylira makes short work of changing and braiding back her unruly hair. It doesn't take Corwin long to wriggle out of his clothes and into his robe. He takes a sit back on his cot again. Breath. And from the very Weyr's foundation, a hum starts--soft at first, but increasing in volume as the minutes pass. Laidan nods. "One hole at a time," she advises a younger candidate near the back. Falone dashes to the press at the foot of his cot, tearing his tunic off and pulling his robe down before he thinks to yank his trous off. "Boots off too, right?" Synna steps away from her cot, leaving her boots behind. "I think I'm ready," she breathes, taking a few steps over towards where the other candidates that're dressed have congretated. Shawnah just gulps, then sends a look from Tason to Roma to Zaidra, "Well.. I guess it's now, guys.. can I stand near y'all?" and then a glance behind her, "Where do we go? I mean.. other then the sands, of course.." a look back to Tason and a sticking out of her tongue, "No.. it's an old robe.. A'ser gave it to me.." A candidate with his robe stuck around his ears, hands waving in the air over his head, is suprised by a quick tug. May's not wasting time - the robe is soon down where it's supposed to be, around the lad's body. "No, no shoes." Another is told, as he's strapping on sandals. "Terumi, that necklace goes." A nod is tossed to Falone. "No shoes, no boots, no sandals." Kindre rubs her rather large belly and smiles, finally speaking after taking the whole scene of the barracks and Candidates in. "Good luck to you all," she says and smiles, trying to catch as many faces as she can. J'lyn nods to Falone. "Right. You're to be barefoot, lad." Teye swallows hard. "I guess that's our call." Savanna tilts her head as she listens. "Ohh, what's that sound?" she asks. Lenka falters, still fiddling with her belt - ah, something to concentrate on, and moves uncertainly towards the rest of the candidates. "Oh.... here it goes..." Falone kicks his boots off, and then under the cot. Reaching for a waterpitcher on a night table, we sloshes some of the liquid into his hands, and wets his hair back. Alessandra smiles warmly at a tiny little lass that's having trouble with her robe. "C'mere, let me help you. ...Here, there we go..." She looks up, grinning over at K'ran and Laidan. J'lyn claps his big calloused hands like a thundercrack. "Don't stop moving! Get your robes on and everything else off! Move, people!" Zaidra laughs, "A'ser is harmless, just keep feeding him cookies. And yeah, Shawnah, I want to stand with you and Tason and Roma, if we can." Macami makes her rounds of the barracks, checking on the candidates' progress, snapping here, nodding there, shaking her head now and then as well. And she didn't even have time to put on more distinguished finery herself. Mirielle looks over to savanna and Falone. "Might I stand with your two?" Kassima eyes Alessandra. Eyes her new knot. Gives her one of those looks that promises trouble later. But it's brief; there's other stuff to worry about for now, and she snags a nervous Candidate who's trying to line up with one boot and one earring still on. "Off," she instructs, and he flushes, reaching for the hem of his robe. "Nay, nay *that*. The boot! The jewel!" Oh. Another flush, and the young man removes the right accoutrements this time. Tason heads over towards Shawnah, her annyoing habits and fascination with him and pink gone - for the moment. H offers a grin to Zai. Mansi attempts to remain calm and composed, just as she was groomed to do in any unique situation; yet as the candidates begin to form into a line, her fingers tremple slightly and she fumbles nervously with a clump of braids that have tumpled before her lips. "Shards," she murmurs as she leaps from her cot toward the end of the line, peering over various heads and bodies to get a handle on the situation. Savanna grins at Mirielle, "Yes, please," she says. Tarien squares her shoulders, takes a deep breath, and links her hands together before her. Just when she'd calmed down, though, the hum starts, and nervousness creeps back into her expression. Roma looks over to Shawnah and grins, "Umm.. sure. Fine with me.." she heads near the group and waits to head out with them. Zaidra grins back, and smiles to Roma too. "Breathe deeply and don't trip..." she reminds herself as well as her friends. Alessandra eyes Kassima, then turns that gaze on Maylia. Trouble? Don't blame /Alessi/. Ahem. Maylia's voice, quite used to bellowing over loud weyrlings and dragons, rings out. "If you're standing around chatting," She calls, "You should be ready. Form a line, in twos!" Corwin rises again from his cot. He moves over in Tarien and Zaidra's direction. "Can I stand next to you two on the sands?" Falone snaps his fingers dry, and then wiping them on the sides of his robes, heading over to line up, Teye is already in line. A smile of supportive confidence is shot Tarien's way. "It'll be okay." she mouths. Mirielle looks to Savanna, and steps into the line, behind Falone. S'dar, having been Maylia's Assistant Weyrlingmaster in the past, makes like he's about to find a buddy and join the line himself. After a moment, he smirks at his former habits, and then makes sure that the Candidates are lining up properly. Shawnah just smiles between her friends, and steps away a bit to let Tason in next to her. Tason takes a deep breath, and holds it. He looks at the three girls. "I'll go with Nah."he says clearly. Kaylira finds herself in line beside Falone, not seeming to mind very much how things have worked out at all. Ilrik shuffles into one line, while Synna moves into the other. The young woman gives a final glance back at the barracks, and her fellow candidates. "I'm as nervous as a wherry during a green flight," she states matter-of-factly to those closest to her. Maylia passes by Kassi, and shoots her a look. Yes, she caught the quick examination the Wingleader gave *her* assistant. "I need her. Any objections?" The Weyrlingmaster asks, sweetly. Tarien smiles nervously at Corwin, but she nods, too. "Sure." Another grateful smile is given Teye's way, then she lines up as Maylia instructs. Zaidra falls into line, between Roma and Corwin, telling the latter, "Of course." Falone turns to give Kaylira a nervous smile. "Doese your stomach feel like mine?" Kiharu manages, "I suppose that's the cue?" she attempts to jest at Savanna, though her frown is more nervous than anything else. "Can I go with you?" she inquires upon Corwin's heels, grinning almost inanely at Shawnah and Zaidra, "Hope you aren't as jumpy as I'm feeling," she discloses with a grimace. Corwin falls into line. He gives the pair a little smile. "Thanks." Laidan helps a candidate find the other sandal to go with the one on his right foot and makes sure he gets it on and into line. She shakes her head in brief amusement at K'ran and Alessa. Lenka hardly hears: her belt just won't tie. She fidgets, gravitating towards another fidgeter: Mansi. "Can you help with this?" she mutters Savanna gets into line near Mirielle and flashes her a warm smile. "Good luck," she mouths with an added wink. She turns the same smile to Kiharu, "There is plenty of room over here." She makes room and is jostled a bit by Bintind. She even grins at him as she steps out of his way. Alessandra winks, impishly, back at Laidan, before moving her slightly-awkward self along the line to double-check hair and robes and feet. Roma just fidgets, already shifting from foot to foot. She smiles to Shawnah and Tason, and then behind to Zaidra and Corwin, "This is it!" Kindre looks toward the entrance to the sands. Mansi, now so nervous that she's slipped into absolute silence, feebly attempts to maintain her unruffled mien but as the candidates form into a line of twos, she's stuck simply standing there at the very end. "Um" she mutters to herself and then looks nervously toward Lenka, "Of course, let me get that" she says, looping the belt with trembling fingers before offering a partial smile. "Is that alright?" As everyone gets in line, Macami moves back, wiping her brow, then softly says "Our work is done," with a brief look towards Kassima and K'ran. Zaidra waits, with excitement and curiosity in her green eyes. She's not nervous. Not really. Just...anticipating. Tason looks behind him, giving Zai, Corwin and Roma all a big goofy...and yeah, nervous grin. "No turning back now, huh?" Maylia heads to the front of the line. "Out t his way, folks, when I tell you to. Laidan - no sandals for them! Now, here we go. Savanna, Mirielle, out you go.Best of luck. Hurry." "Let's just say you owe me one, May, shall we?" Kassi replies, tipping a brow back. "Next time I need m'straps castrated, I'll come t'you." Turning back to the Candidates, she calls to them, "Good luck, all of you--I'm sure you'll do the Weyr proud." Kindre looks toward the entrance to the sands. S'dar nods as the Candidates get ready, then looks to the exit. "I'm heading out, with Kindre," he says. "You're all going to do great, just keep your heads about you, and beware those jerky movements they do... you'll all do great, I'm very proud of all of you." Mirielle looks toward the entrance to the sands. S'dar looks toward the entrance to the sands. Mirielle looks over at Savanna and reaches for her hand, nervous. S'dar looks toward the entrance to the sands. Savanna takes Mirielle's hand. Kindre looks toward the entrance to the sands. Laidan blinks and nods, giving a look to the nervous boy, who is kind enough to shed sandals without complaining. Or nervous enough. "And not a moment too soon," K'ran's quipping, all amusement, to once-wingmate Macami; but then he's also pitching his voice to carry to the Candidates, and, "Good luck, all of you, and I'll be the one with the *ale*, afterwards," he's calling. Kindre heads out towards the hatching sands. Kassima then steps back, falling into loose line with Macami. "'Tis," she agrees in a low murmur. "They look good... Parme's lined up with 'em, aye? Didn't faint again?" S'dar heads out towards the hatching sands. Savanna heads out towards the hatching sands. Lenka nods, gratefully, but still can't help fiddling with the end of the tie, even as she offers a nervous smile, and a muttered, "Thanks, Mansi. At least your fingers are still working." Macami raises her voice, following K'ran's example. "Good luck to all of you, candidates! We'll be cheering you on!" She wrinkles her nose. "Look, he's sagging against those behind him." Mirielle heads out towards the hatching sands. Shawnah just squees softly, reaching out to squeez Tason hand in her anticipation, though she jerks away at the last second. "Lenka, Tason," She's snagging those first who's names she knows. "Out you go." Tason grins at Nah. "Luck!" Mansi's chuckle falls at a nervous decibel until it fades into absolute silence. "They work just fine, see steady as a board," she says while holding her trembling fingers up and then, with another nervous chuckle, attempts to tuck them into nonexistent pockets. Shawnah shoos Tason towards the sands. "You too! See you out there!" Tason heads out towards the hatching sands. Lenka fights her way through to the front of the line, murmurs to Tason, "Here we go..." Kassima makes a face, smoothing her kilt absently. "Mayhaps we'll be lucky," she quips, "and he'll get a strong, sturdy dragon t'hold him up when he does that." Synna watches the first of the group go, and just closes her eyes for a moment, drawing in a deep breath. "Relax," she murmurs to herself. Maylia sends out Parme and Terumi, then taps Shawnah on the shoulder. "Out you go. Synna, you too." Macami nods to Kassima, with a grin. "He would need one. I've never seen any guy pass out that often." Shawnah gulps and sends a look from Zaidra to Roma before scampering out. Zaidra says "Luck, Shawnah." Falone nervously holds a hand out to Kaylira, not sure if she'll take it, but he's at least wiped it free of nervous sweat before offering it. Teye just stands there next to whomever is across from her, watching like a patient hunter. Or in this case, a clueless but calm candidate. Shawnah heads out towards the hatching sands. Lenka heads out towards the hatching sands. Synna heads out towards the hatching sands. Kaylira slips her hand into Falone's and gives him a reassuring smile. "This is it," she tells him. Mansi sways from foot to foot as her fellow candidates step onto the sands, nervously muttering to herself every now and then. "Are we there yet?" Maylia continues to send out candidates, moving along the row, checking garments as she does so. "Zaidra, Roma, out you go. Watch yourselves, don't trip." Corwin gives a little smile as he makes way for Roma and Zaidra to get by. "Good luck," he says to the pair. Roma just sends Shawnah a smile as she continues to fidget.. and then jumps as her name is said. With a nod, she heads in. Roma heads out towards the hatching sands. Kiharu sneezes in the space that she'd attempted at silence, surprising herself. With a grumble and mutter she subsides, evidently trying to conceal any signs of a possible cold. "Luck," she whispers softly to Roma and Zaidra. Zaidra heads out towards the hatching sands. Maylia's right there, so Kiharu's pointed at. "Corwin, you go with her." Corwin gives a little nod. He takes a deep breath as he steps over to Kiharu. "Ready?" Kiharu slants a grin at Corwin. "Right. Let's go.." Corwin heads out towards the hatching sands. Kiharu heads out towards the hatching sands. "Kaylira," Maylia indicates next - a candidate who's name she knows! "And you, too." Naturally, Falone goes with Kaylira, as it seems they're standing together. Falone heads out towards the hatching sands. Kaylira's fingers give Falone's another squeeze; a quick flash of nervous smile for everyone else.. and she's gone. Kaylira heads out towards the hatching sands. Maylia clears her throat, adjusts a candidate's robe, and sends out another few pairs. "Tarien, and Teye," are indicated next. Mansi blinks as the group of candidates diminishes and attempts to stand as straight as possible without trembling. Teye watches Maylia, whom she's worked with for a month now. If her eye is caught, a timid smile is sent. "I guess you'll miss me soon enough?" Tarien squares her shoulders again, and offers a hand to Teye. "Here we go," she mumbles, stepping out toward the sands. "Out." May tells Teye, not answering that. Tarien heads out towards the hatching sands. Teye is relived as Tarien is sent with her obviously and with a stubborn chin, she steps out. Teye heads out towards the hatching sands. Laidan merely works on moving pairs along for Maylia's capable direction. Here's two.. and here's two. Finally, the stream of candidates has ended. "Mansi, and Kensel. That's it," Maylia says. Kassima sighs out a breath she'd been holding as Kay goes onto the Sands, though that's her only reaction any different to when the others left. "At least he doesn't always have t'go to the necessary," she mutters back to Macami. "Might--mayhaps--be better t'swoon on the Sands than disgrace yourself... particularly for those standing nearby." Mansi, her name finally called, seems to snap out of the nervousness that has seemingly overwhelmed her and with a confident lift of her chin, steps onto the sands with Kensel by her side. Mansi heads out towards the hatching sands. K'ran's eyes track Candidates out onto the sands, and still he's keeping up that silent litany of assurances to the passers-by -- last helpful adjustment of a robe here, and a quick-flashed grin there, but finally he's drawing a breath and taking a last look around the barracks before settling dark eyes on Kassima, on Macami. "So." Macami sighs. "And now I should get back to my formation hides. But no, it's a hatching. We better watch our charges to see who might make it into our wings one fine day, eh?" she asks her co-coordinators, Wingleader and Wingsecond respectively. Jehan heads out towards the hatching sands. "There's that," K'ran's quick to agree, though he'll steal a conspiratorial look after Laidan and Alessandra. "Besides. Last time I did this, I was dodging hatchlings. I'd like to see it with the pressure off, hm?" And then he's trailing after the exodus. K'ran heads out towards the hatching sands. Macami heads out towards the hatching sands. Maylia glances back at the candidate coordinators, with a weak grin. "Sure. Lucky you, it's all over for you - and just beginning for us. C'mon, Alessandra, Laidan." "So," Kassi repeats, folding her arms and watching after the last Candidates. "It's been a ride. And 'tis never too early t'start picking out your future prey, hmmm?" On that note, she heads after the throng. You enter the passage to the hatching sands. The tunnel goes to the north some ways, and then curves, heading eastward. Herath can not help but give the Candidates another of her famous heated glare-overs. "Stop it," comes from the rider-half, the gold giving her a snort before finally backing away to let what is to be, be. Rolling her eyes, Kin grins at S'dar. "She's such a ninny," she says and chuckles. The drowning sound of humming dragons begins to wan slightly as several of the eggs scattered across Telgar's warm hatching grounds start to make decided motions. Dragons from several Weyrs continue to land on the ledges high above trying to find a good place for viewing while others finish finding seats and chatting within the galleries not far below. Glorious Galaxy Egg has arrived. Maylia emerges from the candidate barracks. Laidan emerges from the candidate barracks. Synna takes her place in the semi-circle of white-clad candidates, offering a faint smile to Savanna, Mirielle and the rest of those within her line of sight. Her gaze slowly falls to the eggs, the expression on her face somewhat unsure of what to make of all this for the moment. Herath's actions don't seem to make her any more comfortable. Glorious Galaxy Egg sways the tiniest fragment, almost imperceptibly, but it hints at life within the darkness of the nightsky-shell. And as it moves, sand trickles down its sides, slowly, like a falling star. Mirielle smiles encouragingly at Savanna and squeezes her hand. Meanwhile, she begins the dance of the Hatching Sands, shifting her feet. Roma sticks herself between Zaidra and Shawnah, giving them a nervous smile before going back to her fidgiting.. and then her gaping at the eggs, "They're moving!" she points out needlessly. Locked Gates Egg has arrived. Even K'ran, as he steps out onto the sands, joins the Candidates in sketching a polite bow toward dam and sire, but then he's finding himself a place against the galleries' rails where he might aim his eyes toward the ledges -- ah, there's Indrath, dusk-dappled shadow within shadows -- and *watch* the chaos. Locked Gates Egg rocks once within the sandy confines of it's hollow, a small movement, easily lost in the ocean of movement of the Hatching Cavern. Silent, and still, as though waiting for some signal, it settles once more. Then, as destiny calls it, a discordant sound strikes true, a dragon trying to exit to the world, or the sound of rusted gates straining against hinges to open, iron fretwork abandoned to icy confines, frigidity now banished. S'dar nods to Kin with a grin, watching the Candidates, Coordinators, Weyrlingmaster staff and others emerge from the entryway. He gives Chezroth a grin, too, but the clutchsire is too busy watching the eggs with avid attention to look back at him. Tason shifts in close to Shawnah, Zaidra and Roma on his other side. He touches Nah's arm lightly, then drops his hand. "Here we go Nah..." Maylia heads onto the sands with a fairly leisurly pace. Unlike the candidates, *her* feet are nicely protected from the heat of the sands by boots. "Alright." She instructs her assistants. "Laidan, you'll head to the weyrling barracks - they'll need meat and oil, it's all prepared. Alessandra, you're helping me here." Jehan slips in hastily, doing the hot-foot dance like a feline trying to walk over wet ground. His face is pale with excitement, and his usual amiable expression is notably absent. Kindre nods her head at the Weyrwoman and smiles. "Finally here, Nimiriel," she says and grins. Kiharu seems a bundle of nerves barely held in check, though oblivious to all but her fellow candidates and wishing them luck in return; only then does the heat from the sands seem to make itself felt to the girl, evident in her mincing shuffle-dance. But it's to the clutch that her wide-eyed gaze is turned, now, at Roma's remark. Shawnah simply nods to Roma, then eeps and begins shifting from foot to foot, "H... hot!" she says, stop, smiles at Tason. "Yeah.." and then her attention is on the eggs. Falone gives Kaylira a weak smile as he shifts from foot to foot, "Now this is it," he says. Laidan pauses to give a slight bow to the sire and dam, similar to K'ran, then looks over the entire seen with lively eyes and a smile that may have to do with the fact that -she- doesn't have to stand in front of hte eggs and be nervous today. S'dar gives Nimiriel a wide smile as the Senior Weyrwoman arrives in the Cavern. Just in time, too, it seems, as the eggs are now engaging in a funky dance here on the Sands. He squeezes Kindre's hand and looks around to make sure that everyone appears to be in their proper place. Savanna looks nervous as she looks around the sands. She feels Mirielle's squeeze and returns it. Her wandering eye spies Synna and she gives her friend a grin. Absently, she starts to move on the hot sands, slowly at first, but faster as her tootsies heat up. Kaylira nods at Falone, but thats all of her attention he gets; her gaze is rapt upon the rocking eggs. Zaidra laughs softly, just watching, feet burning already, though she tries not to show it. Her eyes flick to her friends in a wordless wish of luck. Mansi falls into place amid the semicircle of candidates, all of the anxiousness that previously consumed her now substituted by a confident tilt of her chin and a fixed gaze upon the nearby eggs. Faranth forbid her parents see her nervous, she clasps both hands before her hips and, every now and then, sways from side to side. Teye holds tight to Tarien's hand as the first symptoms of the eggs hatching begin. Her chin trembles but is help high, stubborn pride precenting her from admiting what this adventure is doing to her. "I guess we just stand here and wait unless we have to dodge now?" Laidan nods to Maylia. "Right." She looks for the hazily-remembered exit and makes her way toward it. Glorious Galaxy Egg is no more swaying, it's shaking now, wildly, as if preparing for the Big Bang of the hatching. What were once tiny pearlescent stars now bloom into larger hairlines, then no more lines, but cracks, spreading all over the inky surface. Kassima bows low to the clutchparents as she joins the others on the Sands, genuine respect for once written in the gesture--and, there, K'ran has the right idea; she seeks out such a place for herself, where she can twiddle with her luck charms and recite her wagers under her breath unobtrusively. Oh, yes, and watch the Candidates, too. Can't forget that part. >From the lazy Sleeping Feline Egg comes a decidedly un-lazy aqua-green, who paces up and down the line of Candidates, creeling and chittering to herself derisively, until she runs directly into the knees of a sullen, dark-haired young man from the 'Reaches. "Rinoalith?..." can just barely be heard above the commotion as Leonhart becomes L'hart. Mirielle watches the eggs with one eye, so to speak, and looks up at the Galleries with the other, seemingly trying to spot someone. Jehan ends up bouncing unconsciously, between heat and impatience...he now looks less a feline and more like a male wherry doing a courting dance. Nimiriel quick-steps over toward J'lyn, S'dar, and Kindre, a faint smile upon her lips as she watches the eggs and the Candidates. "Just in time, I guess." Laidan heads off towards the bowl on the way to the weyrling barracks. Tason shifts his gaze over the eggs, each movement drawing attention, till his eyes seem as if they've a nervous tick to them. He draws his breath raggedly. "Wonder which will go first and what'll it be?" he wonders softly, now starting to shift from heel to toes. Synna seems to eventually fall into the routine of shuffling back and forth along with the others. Catching sight of Savanna's grin, she gives a quick nod and smile in return. The shattering of the first egg causes her to jump, but quiet congratulations are given to the first pairing. Lenka is still fiddling with her belt; it's a source of comfort. Her gaze, though, is intent upon the eggs, and a "Here we go, here we go," repreated in time rith her rocking from toe to heal, and then, there: "Oh!" Tarien squeezes Teye's h and, and offers her free one to Corwin, eyes wide as she watches the eggs. "Shells, it happens so fast!" Corwin settles into the semi-circle next to Tarien. He gives the girl a smile as he takes her hand and shifts his feet around to try and combat the heat of the sands beneath them. Locked Gates Egg spirals, a pirouette danced to an unknown and unheard melody, snowflake advance halted upon fragile surface as ice melts, cracks forcing their inexorable path along curvature. Tortuous precision forsaken in freedom's desire as glacier's conduit is deserted. Cast iron splinters in winter's frozen embrace, as inhabitant struggles in fragile boundaries. J'lyn nods to Nimiriel, Kindre and S'dar. "Aye, just right in time. It starts," he says, a hand sweeping slightly at the cracking, thunking, creeling and crying mess on the sands before him. "Messy, yes, but gloriously messy, yes?" If from the heavens shining stars peer down, There's none as lustrous as the brown that's here, Or so it seems as no more shell's surround, His Glorious Galaxy prison shattered near. Weaver's Loom Brown Hatchling Lush falls of richest weaver's cloth, fresh from the loom clothes this spritely dragon's form in waves of golden brown like newly shorn wheat in a holder's field. Beginning at his muzzle smooth satin streaks of topaz blend with deeper amber like the finest sisal of a Lady's gown. Over eyeridges and the first bumps of his neck ridge, texture builds beneath an overlay of dark chestnut, wood tones swirling into the mix that creates patches like the finest velvet across his back and fore-haunches. Smoothing out again along his rear-haunches and tail, spread striped ribbons of taffeta in mellow near-bronze, alternating with coppery brass, until all that remains is the pewtered tip of his tail. On his underside, klah-bark brown starts at belly's edges, swiftly giving way to frothy cream, a paleness startling in contrast against the darkness of his upper stretches. Aurora Storm Egg has arrived. S'dar watches as, before he can even enjoy the moment of anticipation while the Candidates stand before the eggs, an Impression is made. Chezroth hoots loudly beside him, causing the young dragonrider's hair to swoosh this way and that. S'dar watches to see where the next dragonet will emerge. Suddenly, out of the corner of his eye, he spies a richly colored brown. "There!" Kindre squeezes S'dar's hand tightly back and grins at the Weyrleaders. "A wonderful sort of messy indeed," she says in agreement to J'lyn's words, her eyes catching an Impression not far from them all. Sighing, she near-whispers, "It all goes too fast." Synna jumps again as another egg splits apart. "Oh, look" she calls to Ilrik, who seems to be occupied looking at another section of the clutch. Mirielle squeezes Savanna's hand again, pointing excitedly at the hatchling., as if she couldn't already see it. Kaylira gasps at the arrival of the brown. Such a handsome fellow. Weaver's Loom Brown Hatchling more bounces from the egg than crawls, raising his head to survey all that is new to him. Wet still from the egg, he imperiously frees himself from fragments of shell sticking to his lustrous hide. He croons, a tentative sound, like a gentle night-wind sighing through the foliage of summer trees. Delighted at this, he makes a louder sound now, a bugle, a young dragonet voice filled with the warmth of summer and the thrill of excitement. Let's go explore! There's got to be food somewhere and The One! A shake to wrench the very sands apart, A split to sound a multitude of sighs, The Locked Gates egg reveals its very heart, A green, to spill forth with her head held high. Efflorescent Herbal Garden Green Hatchling A summer breeze rippling the surface of a lush herbal garden, all shades of diverse green, embraces the hide of this delicate lady of timid demeanor. Truly, a healer would be able to harvest an abundance of herbs that have been sown so beautifully. Her wingsails are of light gray-green that brings stands of numbweed to mind, but where numbweed sprouts tufts of its blossoms, the green turns ever darker towards her wingtips, like most umbrageous leaves of meadowsweet, with creamy-white specks illuminating the umbra. Her diminutive body is verdant, swirls drawing the eye away from the abundance of that predominant colour. The colour of her forelegs, her haunches, and her tail is caressed by striations of green and lightest brown, like a soft bed of ferns. Her chest is gilded with yellow the shape of stars, not unlike fellis blossoms. Thin tendrils, filaments of yellow, kiss her sides, then darken, swirling over her shoulders, her neck, under her wings, in more golden-yellow clusters of fennel blossoms dancing on the wind, as she will dance on the wind. First to overcome the anxiety though, at all the sudden sounds, sights, the vastness of the world... Roma just ohs softly as first an Impression is made, then another dragon breaks shell, "Wow.." only that word escapes her mouth as she lifts one foot, then the other. Mansi, like so many candidates about her, gasps at the initial hatching, her eyes gone wide with anticipation while her swaying all but stops. A quiet calm prevents her from voicing any form of excitement but as her jaw lies wide open, she murmurs a soft, "Ooooh." Tason looks at the eggs again, smiling at the first pairing. Then, another shattering egg catches his eye, he considers the brown. "A likely looking fellow, isn't he?" A crackle, a crunch as the Burnt Reminders egg spills forth a hatchling, his hide deep brown-black with hidden hints of red: off he goes among the Candidates, choosing a lass with dark green eyes and brown hair to call his own. She'll cry his name and cry her tears, leading him away proudly. Savanna sees the brown hatchling and grins. "Oh! He's so beautiful!" Her eyes follow him. Tarien's eyes widen, both at the brown, then at the green. "Oh, look at her, isn't she gorgeous!" Shawnah's gaze slides between hatchlings and eggs as she marches in place, "Too fast.." she murmers. Zaidra nudges Jehan, directing his attention to the brown and his newly arrived sister. "Look, at the pair of them." There's wonder in her voice. Mirielle nods at Savanna, and then spies the green that came out. "She's lovely too." Synna seems to shake less and less as more and more eggs hatch. Her head spins, however, trying to keep up with the hatchlings as they appear left and right. "A green too. She's pretty." Magnificent Mouth-Watering Muffin Egg has arrived. Corwin wows. "Look at them," he comments. "They're lovely," he says as an echo of Tarien's sentiments. Kiharu favors Tarien with a quick grin; then it's back to the clutch that her attention's turned, her fingers reaching out unconsciously for the nearest other hand to hold. Pity whoever's hand was grabbed in that whiteknuckle grip as she stares. "They're..it's all so quick," she gapes, following brown, green, then brown with darting eyes. Jehan heaves a tiny sigh of utter longing,for the moment ceasing the hot-sand shuffle. unthinkingly holding out his hands to the still-whole eggs. Teye ooohs and smiles, sending congratulations to the new pairs. "Wow...I've never seen such a show in my life!" Chezroth hummmms at the green now loose upon the Sands, now looking somewhat troubled as he has to watch multiple dragonets rove the Sands at once. He edges over to a spot where one dragonet sort of overlaps the other so that he can watch them both, but as more dragonets start appearing, he moves back to his former spot and merely lets his eyes dart this way and that. Jehan turns to Zaidra. "Yeah," he agrees. Like the gathering clouds that preceed a summer's storm, Aurora Storm Egg begins to shudder, a hint at the awakening life within. A flurry of motion preceeds a spinner's web of fine cracks, then all is still again, waiting and gathering strength for what is still to erupt. Lenka now has a quandry, there's so much going on: where to look at? She takes a step backwards, then forward again, not to break the circle, and simply tries to keep track. Efflorescent Herbal Garden Green Hatchling stretches limbs almost hesitantly: for all her eagerness to be free of restrictions and be loosed upon the world, now that she's in it, it's quite a different matter. Perhaps if she just stands here for a moment, things will improve. And so, for now, she does just that, wings stretching out, the dense umbrage released into view for all to see, like a breath of wind rolling down grassy plains. Head cants, curiosity evident, wings furling back around, though not completely, enough for her to peek demurely over the top of one as she glances at all those white-robed things. Just *what* are they? Savanna continues to shift from foot to foot. "She's beautiful too!" she says to Mirielle. Tason shifts on his feet, passing no comment on the green, merely studying her and with a slight smile, nods to himself. "Lovely." he finally says at last. Falone leans on one foot, lifting the other from the heated Sands, trying to catch a glimpse of the Crystal Glacier Egg. Weaver's Loom Brown Hatchling seems delighted at all the sounds and sights, as he plods over the sands. And he's not even awkward. He stops to stare at dam and sire, then examines himself with a delighted trill. He could one day be as fine as they are! He flicks his tail, and sand flies, and another delighted sound escapes his amber and topaz muzzle. But his joy is soon subdued as his hunger pangs, his need increases and he starts forward once again, towards those interesting white things, his draconial expression one of cheer. Roma's gaze shifts from brown to green, locking on the green a moment longer than the other. "They're all lovely." she murmers. WHOMP. The Frying Pan of Doom egg splinters right down the middle, as though bashed with, well, a frying pan. The blue that bustles out would be the spitting image of a certain baker Craftmaster, save that he's a he, a dragon, and blue. But he's bossy as they come and the man he impressed nods,"Of course, Ofirath.." And he turns to the assistant weyrlingmaster come to help him off the sands and asks in perfect bewilderment, "Can we get him some steak tartare?" Jehan notes, in an odd voice, "Well, have you ever seen an ugly dragon?" Mirielle sighs softly and watches the two hatchlings. "They don't *seem* to be in a terrible hurry. They're looking around a lot." Mansi has spent the last few moments motionless, her bare feet sunk into the heated sands below her without even the slightest heed; that is, until now. "Ouch, ouch shards," she murmurs aloud, breaking her calm repose for a mere moment to hop from heel to heel until she's refocused on the hatchlings once more, "They're so much larger than I thought.." Kaylira cranes, trying to catch all of hte action; a futile attempt with so much going on at once. Shawnah just nods to Roma and Tason, "You can say that again.." and then a grin is quipped Jehan's way, "Actually.. yes." Tarien shifts her feet, with a bit of a wince, then her attention's off again and she's watching the dragons as they hatch. "I never have," she asides to Jehan, as she catches his comment. Alessandra has been standing next to Maylia the entire time. Truly she has. Silently she lets her gaze sweep across the candidates -- measuring, perhaps, with a sympathetic eye. Zaidra's green gaze is tugged away from the hatchlings and toward Shawnah. "Mean, yes, ugly, no," she states, then goes back to watching. Synna spies a blue and his impression, her mouth quirking into a belated smile. "So many of them," she states with a shake of her head, turning to look back towards the little brown and green. Jehan gives another wherry-ish hop, noting, "Maybe they should put buckets of cold water out here, to keep our feet cool." Magnificent Mouth-Watering Muffin Egg bobbles on the sands, now starting noticeably to move. It rolls softly in its small depression, gently tapping against the egg next to it. Small beads of water form on its surface and trickles down so slowly. "There's something...frightening about that one," Kindre remarks as Ofirath finds his lifemate on the Sands. She giggles a bit, her eyes then focusing on the other dragons trekking across the grounds. Herath seems more like her usual self, her gaze as admiring of the hatchlings as her riders. Whuffing Chezroth, the gold then settles down to relax and watch. A deep breath issues from Kiharu, an attempt to calm herself. "Can't say I have," she agrees, unable to keep from chuckling at Jehan's comment. The delicate green, however, is issued an admiring glance, but no more words, as she seems to lack them at the moment. Tason shifts his gaze left, right, front and center, but avoids back, that could be dangerous. He rocks on his feet, trying to relieve them of the burning sensation. Lenka can't help but grin, slightly, the brown hatchling being so infectiously cheerful some of her nervousness is, if not lost, buried deeper for a moment. Feet, though, have to keep shuffling, gaze has to keep shifting. Corwin releases Tarien's hand long enough to wipe away a trickle of sweat that has formed above his left temple. He takes a side-step to try and cool his feet. Kassima hears Kindre, and murmurs in a response not really meant to be heard, "At least 'tisn't feeling... lonely, nay with that new lifemate." Each new Impression wins a fresh smile from her face, for their former charges and the egg-damp dragonets alike. Efflorescent Herbal Garden Green Hatchling continues her coquettish glance across verdant pinions, a lady through and through, though inherent within her is a certain duality: to defy her very nature and rebel against the stance that she has taken. A step is taken forward, hesitant and unsure, but another follows quick on its heels. Confidence grows, much like the herbs and ferns that bespeckle her hide, and wings flare as she passes a grouping of white-robed pink-things: see her tantalizing beauty, delight in her nature, for she is a free spirit, even if this is but a fleeting thing, a lover's kiss at midnight's pass. Savanna watches the blue impress and congrats the candidate though her eyes quickly go back to the brown and green sibling pair across the sands. There's a boy from Nerat kicking his feet on the sands, more intent on watching a particular girl than the hatchlings. This changes suddenly, sweetly as a crooning blue from the Haunted Shroud egg nudges his midsection, and his focus changes oh-so-quickly, "Ebidabith!" And the girl stares as J'ouba escorts his lifemate away. Maylia hangs back with Alessandra, allowing other of her assistants to help the newly Impressed while she instructs the newly knotted assistant. Soon, though, the Weyrlingmaster heads forwards, and patrols just beyond the circle of white robes. Weaver's Loom Brown Hatchling fans his tail as he lumbers towards the candidates, in a gamesome manner. His gayety is not dimished by those candidates he sends running with his flicks of sand at them. Most certainly, The One would know how much fun this is. But at last he gets bored by this, bored in general, as one thing after the other does not turn out to be the right one. Creeling with hunger, he makes his round through the circle of candidates. Synna steps forward, then back, leaning over to brush the sand off the bottoms of her feet. Not that it does much good, for the moment her feet hit the sands again, the same gritty consistancy burns at her soles. Rolling her head to the side with a sigh, she leans to the left, peering past Orven to watch the flaunting green. Aurora Storm Egg begins to break, not with the violence of a thunderstorm, but with the gentle approach of a spring shower as cracks slowly become crevasses in the the surface of the shell. Teye bites her bottom lip as her dark gaze follows the hungry brown hatchling. She smile a bit at him, encouragingly. Jehan has his eyes on the Storm egg, though his eyes are watering a little at the heat. Alessandra is silent as she listens to Maylia, nodding faintly here and there, one eye keeping watch on the hatching chaos in front of her. Then, as the weyrlingmaster walks away, she follows -- more slowly, but just as purposefully. Mansi wrings her hands together, finger interlacing finger as the sibling brown and green examine their potential lifemates; with each progressing moment, she attempts to split her attention between the two, occasionally mentioning things such as, "Just what I thought, ma' was right," and, "This is what they always do, examine each candidate." Corwin lets out a little laugh as he watches the brown hatchling send candidates scurrying. "Look," he begins, "it's like he's playing with them." Mirielle shifts from foot to foot in a sort of absentminded fashion, always trying to keep her eyes on the hatchlings and any other eggs that might soon burst. The Tousled Tumbling Tresses Egg tumbles indeed, spurred by the shove of a dark-clawed paw poking out one side - and right into its neighbor, showering curly cinna-brown shards about its hatchling; at first seeming pine-dark, night-dark, by the time she's stumbled amongst the other candidates to a young weyrgirl, those frilly wings have dried to a comparatively mild parsley-green. Tarien takes the chance to wipe at her forehead as Corwin releases her hand, but she's quick to offer her own back to him again. A grin for the brown, and she nods, "He'll be a fun one, I bet. Probably the prankster of the group." Weaver's Loom Brown Hatchling crouches before Parme, who once again looks ready to faint just this instance. The brown tilts his head right and left, eyeing him up and down to snort loudly at last, an incredulous sound. Another flick of his tail, that he is well in control of, and sand flies. Tossing his head, he sidles on, and then suddenly stops, in front of a girl with dark blonde hair and hazel eyes. If his earlier trills had sounded delighted, the chirping sound is now almost ecstatic, and gently he nudges the girl that he will enjoy his life with, that will understand the joy of life and share all the fun that life entails. Fidgetfidget. Roma continues to shift back and forth as her gaze follows the green, and then the brown, half grinning, though oviously wary. The storm will break at last, the morn is home, A shake to toss the lightning from its source, A brown wing thrusting through the rounded dome, Aurora Storm has broken with the force. Robust Dusky Cognac Brown Hatchling At first glance, this hatchling is almost painfully gawky, much in the same way that a human adolescent is while experiencing a growth spurt. But like a human adolescent, such gracelessness is lost in the fullness of time. The most noticeable feature of this dragonet are his large hindquarters and tail - he'll be capable of massive leaps when lifting into flight once he grows old enough. Otherwise, his body is fairly well proportioned, wings arcing in a wide but elegant splay when not folded neatly at his sides. Gracefully sloped forequarters lead to a thick yet sinuous neck, leading up to the almost wickedly sharp head knob. His eyes swirl and gleam with sharp intelligence, no doubt confidant that he will be one of the biggest browns in Telgar, if not on all of Pern. He is a deep, rich brown color from tip to muzzle, with an undertone of deep reds and burgundies reminiscent of a heady cognac, aged under the watchful eye of a master vintner. Paler flecks of gold and bronze dapple his hindquarters and tail in tear drop shaped marks, and the full spread of his wings reveal tracings of palest straw yellow running along the bones of each wing as if to outline them. His coloring becomes progressively darker as it races up his back and neck, his head the darkest, a rich red brown color that lightens only at the upweep of his head knobs. Gleaming eyes display sharp intelligence, and humor most uncanny in a dragon of any age. Shawnah blinks and backs up a few steps from the flying sand before going back to marching in place, "Aaw," she exclaims with a giggle, "A dragon after my own heat.." Crystal Glacier Egg has arrived. Savanna rubs her sweaty hands against her robe and congrats Parme. "Oh Mirielle, look Parme impressed!" She grins, then ohhhs softly as another egg cracks and a hatchling emerges. Efflorescent Herbal Garden Green Hatchling tosses her head, flirtation evident within every move, though tempered by her innocence into nothing more than what it appears, inner wiles moving her path forward in this manner. Flaunting her virtues and perhaps even vices, of female mannerisms but tempered in weyrling hide, she glances carefully at each of the pink-things. Coming to stop in front of a young dark haired woman, with golden brown eyes, she pauses, muzzle reaching out somewhat apprehensively as she retreats into shy interlude, the door shut on her earlier behaviour, the fragrance of the herb garden left behind momentarily. One set of eyelids blink down, as large eyes watch the one in front of her with a considerable measure of incredulity. Morning's Reflection Egg has arrived. Magnificent Mouth-Watering Muffin Egg's roll halts abruptly, smacked against another egg. It ceases rolling then, and commences to twitch, twitch, twitch very slightly and softly - listeners close by could hear the soft, high pitched pings and pops as the egg prepares to come apart. Crystal Glacier Egg begins to tremble in its sandy nest, its first motions slight and with visible if short pauses between them. Yet it doesn't take long for it to pick up the pace: the shell may not have cracks on it just yet, but the effort displayed by increasing speed and wildness with which it rocks is sure to bear fruit soon enough. Falone bounces from foot to foot again, stopping a moment when the Crystal Glacier Egg behings to move about. This rivets his attention. What else but a prissy pretty green could hatch from the shaking Beaded Bijoux Bauble egg? But when it cracks at length, it's an undersized runt of a brown that butts out and stomps away toward white robes - and white faces as they get out of his way. No gorings from this fellow, as he rasps his greeting to a solemn lad who simply nods in an accepting sort of way. Teye gazes hopefully at the pretty green on the sands. She sniffs. "Hey, do you smell that? Like a garden, or...something." Synna eyes the brown and the new mate he's apparently found. "Who?" she asks, her head bobbing as she tries for a clear view of the girl's face. Darting her gaze back to the green for a moment, she watches the green and the girl in front of her. Then the other rocking eggs are given consideration. J'lyn just stands there, grinning and shaking his head. "The looks on their faces." He turns to the Nimiriel. "I hope I never looked that young. And I hope I never had that 'hit in the back of the head with a board' look on my face." Roma hardly dares to breathe, for a moment, looking stunned. Then she blinks, and blinks again, and breaks into a huge smile. "Oh, Desdemath!" she says softly, reaching out to touch the green's soft muzzle. Then louder, more excitedly, to her friends nearby, "Her name is Desdemath! And, um, she's *real* hungry..." Nimiriel grins at J'lyn. "I'm sure you did, though. I *know* that I did. I swear I thought I was just going to plunge headfirst into the sands." Lenka still has that ever so slight grin playing around her lips, and there's no shock involved, though she stands stock still, and stares, and her smile's brighter than she's ever known it go. And while her voice isn't loud, is just might carry, "Hello... Robinth," she tells the brown. Mouth-watering sweetness parts its shell to show, A dragon most unmuffinlike, a brown, Who licks his shell and then will start to go, His tail a-sweeping and his head held down. Exuberant Iced Klah Brown Hatchling His wings are froth and bubbles, the light creamy brown whirling and rippling from wingtip to wingtip, the talons at mid-joint a stark and icy foam-white. His head is the darkest part of him, if that sweet fluffy brown can be called dark, and the color flows gradually lighter and smoother down to meet his chest. There it's a much creamier consistency than the bubbles over his wings and neck, with thin dark trails running from neck over chest and down his forelegs as though condensation had formed and trickled down slowly. Behind his shoulders and under his wings, the likeness to a Baker's fine dessert continues, the foamy whipped klah darkening just a little as it runs down his haunches and over his tail. This hatchling's frame is one of the smallest of his color on the sands, but strong and proportionate, though that tail is always churning side to side. Mansi pilfers a quick glance toward the newly hatched, curiosity looming within the knowing glance that she's assumed; inside she's wretched with nervousness but on the outside, she's perfectly calm. "How interesting, very typical," she remarks in a profound manner while resting her weight upon one foot. Shawnah perks, "Parme? Really? Did he faint?" she stands on her tiptoes, looking.. and then Roma makes her announcement, "Roma! Yay!" K'ran's lips curve in a broad smile at *that* Impression, and then the next -- and Indrath, above, he's echoing down a bright-sung note of approval for these little ones. Kaylira shuffles from foot to foot, torn between nearby impressions and the arrival of yet another brown hatchling! The impressions win and she offers congratulations. Robust Dusky Cognac Brown Hatchling places one foot down, then another as the brown slowly masters the skill of walking. A startled creel as the hatchling discovers the result of not walking well, falling. At least he can do that very well. The shards of the broken shell are eyed mournfully as a third ability is developed, that of regaining ones feet. Mirielle smiles encouragingly at Roma. "Congratulations." And then again to Lenka. Still, most of her attention is on the eggs. Savanna's eyes widen as she sees Roma and Lenka impress. "Congrats Roma, Lenka!" Kindre can't help but laughs a bit overhearing J'lyn. "I think we all did, Jaly, whether we'd like to admit it or not," she says and grins, nodding as the Weyrwoman speaks. Lenka's voice carries over, then, and Kindre's eyes widen. "Ooo...Robinth. That's a strong name," she remarks as the Impression is made. Teye cheers for Roma and a tear slips down her cheek. "Congratulations Roma! Oh, she's so pretty!" Kiharu pauses in the middle of raising a foot from the sands' all-too-heated embrace, unaware that she's holding her one-legged stance, almost comically so, stray flying sand getting into her eyes. An unrestrained grin breaks from her as she wipes at them. just in time to see the green settle in front of another young woman. Roma. "Oh, Roma! Congratulations." Then in quick succession, Lenka, too, apparently. "Lenka!" Zaidra smiles softly as Lenka and Roma both Impress, and while she'll spare them each a glance and a smile, her attention is pulled by the arrival of - is it /two/ more browns? Jehan has gone even whiter and tight-lipped, though he offers Roma a grin. "SHe's lovely." Alessandra breaks into a broad smile, walking over to Lenka. "Robinth. Gorgeous name. Come on, now, Lenka, let's head over to the barracks. There's food and oil in there..." Maylia is, having followed the green's paces with her own, rather close by when Roma Impresses. The Weyrlingmaster hovers for a moment, giving the pair a time to aquiant themselves, before interrupting. "Contratulations, Roma. If you'd assist Desdemath to the barracks, just follow that path there. Watch her wings, don't let them drag. Laidan will help you get food for her." S'dar gives an excited look as Lenka Impresses, the brown fledgling's lifemate for good. "Look! Lenka!" he cheers. His attention is soon captured by the green dragonet taking her stroll on the sizzling sands, and he watches to see where she might make her next move - "and Roma!". As another brown dragonet arrives, breaking free from his colorful confines to find a lifemate, he grins with delight and nudges his mount. Chezroth, of course, is one step ahead of him, already hooting his greeting to the young brown. Tason grins. "Wow...Roma...congrats!" he offers with a grin. Tarien cheers, "Lenka! Oh, he's wonderful!" Both Corwin and Teye's hands are tugged on in her excitement. "Lenka Impressed that brown!" Synna seems delighted to spy both Lenka's and then Roma's faces as two of those amongst the many that are looking starry-eyed. "Congratulations!" she calls with a whol-hearted cheer. She looks past the candidates then to focus in on two more browns starting to roam. Corwin gives a little cheer and says to Tarien as he retakes her hand. "Did you see, Roma impressed." Kassima murmurs to an unseen ear, "Aye, Lyss, the greens are all beautiful so far... and strong, and with fine Impressees. The males, too." Roma heads off towards the bowl on the way to the weyrling barracks. Efflorescent Herbal Garden Green Hatchling glances at this other pink thing that walked in: Maylia, and snorts. She'd never let her wings drag in the sand, not intentionally anyway. She nudges Roma firmly. Food? Come along now. Then follows quickly. The celery-pale hatchling bursts out with bright celerity, stamping entirely free of her Milky Sweet Egg nearly before oatmeal shards have touched sand; that sharp tail, its ridges only slightly darker green, whips this way and that as she hastens to preempt the gaze of a tall and startled boy: no, not over there, look at _me_. Mansi's response to the nearby impressions is belated, yet the cry that escapes her is heartfelt and joyous. "Lenka," she claps, "Roma! How wonderful!" For a moment, she forgoes her hatchling-bound stare and watches, with a wide smile upon her lips, the two with their newfound lifemates. Exuberant Iced Klah Brown Hatchling tests his voice with a raspy burbly croon, then flails his wings open excitedly at the sound. He lifts his head to look up-up-up at all the busy-ness around him, and then gives a longer, more burbly croon with his eyes half-lidded. And with his happy noise he stretches out his neck, wobbles his head from side to side - and of course his tail's in constant motion: backforthbackforthbackforth - OH! Up and down work too! He starts thumping his tail energetically on the sands, now concentrating on the white blobs of busyness. Desdemath heads off towards the bowl on the way to the weyrling barracks. Robust Dusky Cognac Brown Hatchling has a purpose now that balance has somewhat been regained, footsteps are rather ungainly as the hatchling is drawn towards the beings in white. As one comes within view, he pauses to observe carefully, even reaching his maw out to sniff the bemused candidate from Southern. Shawnah blinks, "And Lenka too? Wow!" Crystal Glacier Egg cracks! Cracks loudly, and noticeably, sounding a sharp note across the Sands. A bolt of black lightning crackles across its pale surface now, its jagged fingers slowly spreading to mar more of what once was whole. The rockings still for a moment as the occupant rests in its triumph--then begin again with new, wild force. It *shall* be free! Lenka shakes herself, shakes - no, it's a dream, and then, "Oh my... yes, yes, of course..." And that's all she hears, but she somehow manages to follow Alessi, never taking her eyes off Robinth for a moment. Lenka heads off towards the bowl on the way to the weyrling barracks. Robinth heads off towards the bowl on the way to the weyrling barracks. Alessandra returns moments later after entrusting Lenka and Robinth into Laidan's care, then resumes her prowling around the edges of the circle. Synna turns slightly, watching the new weyrlings trail out to their designated area while her hand falls to the back of her neck, brushing off the condensation slowly building there. Savanna stops shifting for a moment to try and see what comes out of the next egg. But she is not still for long as the heat rises and burns her soles slightly. Again she rocks, back and forth. Kindre is almost unable to catch all of the Impressions, her head turning this way and that. "Great Faranth's wispy ghost," she sighs out and smiles. "So fast. I can hardly how much has already happened," is further noted as she tries to keep up with all the activity. Herath just snorts approvingly in the directions of the pairs being made, giving Chezroth affectionate whuffs as well. There's no rest for the Broken Calm egg, as its pieces shatter slowly off to chink gently atop each other in the sand. The dragonet beneath reflects perfectly the colors of his shell, and those who missed the egg's crack might look twice in surprise as the blue wobbles upwards and toward a pert-looking girl from Ista. "Zoulamoulath!" Maylia sends her new assistant an approving nod, before reaching out a hand to assist a stumbling candidate. "Watch your steps, girl." She informs the pale youngster, before continuing on her way. S'dar smiles at Kindre, and at the other people assembled by the fringes of the cavern, and watches as the fresh dragonets pad across the steaming sand. "A healthy looking lot," he grins up at Herath nearby. The antics of the dragonets amidst the eggs and shells of eggs are met with excitement and some trepidation - he winces every time a Candidate has a close call with the sharp claws or the beak of any of the fledglings. Robust Dusky Cognac Brown Hatchling's steps are filled with a bit more urgency now, fueled no doubt by the growing emptiness in his midsection. Red-tinged eyes begin to whirl with more urgency, bafflement entering his tone. His lifemate must be out here, why can't he find them? Morning's Reflection Egg slowly begins to twist on the sands, the creamy shades of yellow ranging into orange looking like nothing so much as the flesh of a sweet, ripe rindfruit, or perhaps a particularly fine orangefruit. The rocking is far from steady. Instead it's a series of jolts and bumps, coming in fits and starts that fairly radiate annoyance and impatience. There's a pause for whoever lurks inside to regroup, and then the movements begin again with relentless determination. Kiharu glances to Zaidra, then to the rest of the clutch once more, straying for the movements of the hatchlings, the emergence of another. And to the latest, its occupant as yet undisclosed from within that crystalline shell...Her hands rub at her sleeved arms as though she were cold rather than shifting upon sands almost too hot too touch. Mirielle takes a moment to look at Savanna. "Excited yet?" Mansi's hand clasps foremost to her mouth to stifle a bewildered gasp and then to the braids that hang listlessly at her shoulders. Clenching them with both fists, she stands besides several smaller lads from Crom that, for the moment, block her view of the hatchlings. "Hey, move, I can't see" she tells each of them, squeezing past the smallest to catch a better view. Teye blinks. "Zoula-what?" she mouths, stiffling giggles as best she can before sending her congratulations to the new pair too. Feet shift not at all despite being bare upon the sand. She's tough. Oh, and if she weren't she may never show otherwise. "Oh look Tarien! That pretty Morning egg is rocking now." Macami is still all tense, but smiles at the various Impressions, clapping her hands excitedly, all lost in the excitement of the hatching. Kaylira clutches FAlon'es arm, totally caught up in the excitement now. Synna watches one of the browns who seems to be a bit lost. "Poor baby... I hope his lifemate is close by." She too blinks at the name of the blue after it's called. "That's, interesting." Zaidra meets Kiharu's glance, then turns her own back to the hatchlings and eggs on the sands. She fidgets slightly, trying to find a cooler place for her feet. Exuberant Iced Klah Brown Hatchling flings his tail back and forth with such exuberance that his hindquarters waggle from side to side too. After a few minutes he croons raspily again and takes his first step - no, that's not a step. That's a -bounce-. So he bounces. And his tail bounces. He moves towards the nearest Candidate, a silvery blonde, and whuffles over her. Are you my Kiharu? He ponders, then snorts a huff of air at that fascinating flappy robe thing before moving on by her. Corwin casts a quick glance away from the hatchlings and in Zaidra's direction. "This is all going so fast," he calls over to her. Tason grins as he catches sight or hears the cries of eahc new impression, and keeps rocking from heel to toe on the hot hot sands. Jehan isn't white any longer...he's gone quite pink with heat and excitement. His gaze darts among the eggs, still longingly. Tarien squeezes Teye's hand tightly, nodding. "Oh... my." She's mostly speechless, and ends up simply shuffling back and forth in the sands, as she watches with wide eyes. Black and fleshy brown, leather and fuzzy peach, Is There A Draft Egg shakes in low, slow shimmies of a roll. When it finally does crack, now, that's exact: right down the center, parted by a masculine flex of lapis-blue wings; the dragonet doesn't take long to find his feminine side, either, his name lost to a wide-eyed weaver's half-gasped sigh. Savanna tries to chuckle at Mirielle but all that comes out is a croak, "I guess, but it is terribly hot," she says with bright eyes that glitter in the light. Robust Dusky Cognac Brown Hatchling moves with an awkward grace between the groups of white-clad beings. Where oh. A long pause as the brown begins to creel in a mixture of delighted discovery and demanding hunger as he stands before a one-time weaver. Glaciers do crack and sound a tolling bell, For the Crystal Glacier egg, now time is gone, And hatchling lifts bronze head to sound a knell, Atop his head a speckled shard stays on. Intemperate Irregular Ironic Bronze Hatchling He'll not be an epitome of bronze beauty; he is too irregular, too unusual for that, with his conformation too rangy to merit the label of perfection and his hide so dark that one may hesitate in deciding what color to call him at all. Dusky bronze heavily streaked with soot-dark shadow is stretched over those long bones, neither bright enough to gleam nor so subtle that it surprises. The iron-brushed tips of his large wings drag behind him just yet. His tail, that canny whiplash, could be covered with coal dust for all the shine it shows - his sharp and narrow head carries a roguish slash of brighter metal over each eyeridge, giving him the perpetual appearance of possessing brows. Yet what care he, what curious eye doth quote deformities? His lifemate, when he's found, shan't blush for him! Kiharu opens her mouth in wordless startlement as the brown sniffs at her -and- her robe. Too surprised to laugh, evince disappointment or move aside, she's rained upon with more sand from the brown's bouncing pace as he passes her by. Shawnah just keeps shifting from foot to foot, though she's beaming now. Falone strangles a gasp as it comes out off his throat, watching the new bronze intently, interest paying off. But will his luck? Synna can't help but grin as she watches Savanna and that little lost brown. An approving nod is given. "Bronze?" she echoes as Ilrik calls out the color of the next hatchling he spies hatch. "Oh," she states, standing on her toes to try and catch a glimpse of grace. Snow Reflections Pastel Egg has arrived. Savanna no sooner turns from Mirielle to find a hatchling in front of her. She falls to her knees and hugs him then tilts her head and calls out, "His name is Iagoth!" Jehan surreptitiously wipes his face on the shoulder of his robe, now longing for water nearly as much as a dragonlet of his own. Mirielle releases Savanna's hand quickly and steps aside, happily. "congratulations, Savanna" she whispers. Tarien's eyes widen again at the appearance of the bronze, and this time, it's Corwin's hand that's squeezed. "Look at him, he's... wow." Here, she breaks off, and grins as she sees that Savanna has Impressed. "Congratulations!" "Picky one, that," Kindre remarks of the brown that seems to be sniffing his way up the line of Candidates. The bronze tugs her attention as does the movement of that snowy looking egg. "Shards, S'dar, I can hardly keep up," she says and chuckles a bit. Scratching absently at a strand of hair stuck to her sweaty neck, Teye peers most curiously at the odd bronze hatchling. "He's umm...different. I like different. Yes he....Oh Savanna that's wonderful! Gates once opened, soon slam shut...But on which side will Tas end up? Tason, catches sight of the bronze and then squints. "Rather unusual, isn't he?" Zaidra peers down the line to the male candidates, watching for their reactions to the young bronze, and then look the other way, to call, "Congratulations!" to Savanna. Snow Reflections Pastel Egg trembles, so slightly -- but the egg's bulk earns momentum enough to free it from the sandy hollow in which it's rested. Another trifling shudder shakes it when it comes to rest again, and *there*: delicate hairline cracks marring pastel surface, beads of moisture gathering along them, as the creature that lies within struggles to be free of its confines. Chezroth rumbles loudly as a young bronze hatchling emerges from his icy-colored shell. He takes a step toward the mess of eggs and shells and Candidates on the Sands, but can't go any further than where S'dar is standing. Nonetheless, his serpent-like neck snakes out and brings the bronze dragon's head as far as it can go to watch with interest. The Looking Glass egg shatters! Silver shards sent to the sands show a shimmery green sailing swiftly to a strong Smith, "Sissenesith!" S'silis smiles at his sweetheart, slipping her a smooch. "Say it's so, my sunshine!" She says it's so and they stride swooning off the steaming sands. Mansi drops both braids as Savanna impresses, her hands falling together in an uncoordinated clap before once again regaining that hold upon each braid. Stealing a quick glance toward the stands, where her family watches patiently, she musters up a quick smile before watching the sands again. Exuberant Iced Klah Brown Hatchling snuffles around a few more flappy happy white robes, testing the taste of one on an unfortunate young Candidate who's wide-eyed in fear. Suddenly he swirls and darts off, ripping half the bottom of the robe with him. He hunkers down in the sands and gnaws on it for a few minutes, his tail swinging, twitching, moving constantly. Mmmmm, cloth! S'dar's attention is caught by the utterance of a name, and he turns to see Savanna crouched down beside her new lifemate. "Savanna!" he exclaims with a grin. "Excellent." Corwin is looking back towards the others when he sees Savanna impress to the brown. "Way to go," he calls over to the girl. Kiharu calls out congratulations to Savanna, laughing. Until the robe-theft, that is, which catches her wary attention more than the bronze. "Some of them like the taste of cotton I think." Kaylira can't help but snicker at the munching of robes; fingers clutching to her own robe unconsciously, protectively. Alessandra is standing near Savanna when Iagoth claims her, then grins and sweeps a hand towards the barracks. "Come on, now -- Laidan's waiting inside with food and oil." Synna just kind of peers over towards that other brown, and the now half-naked candidate standing in its wake. "Oh dear," she states, peering over towards Savanna quickly. "Congratulations!" she calls in good form with the others. Kindre bobs her head along with S'dar's words. "Iagoth, right," she wonders, a wide smile curling her lips. "He's quite a fellow, that brown she's got now." Jehan nods absentedly, "yes, Congratulations," Savanna heads off towards the bowl on the way to the weyrling barracks. Mirielle giggles as the hatchling takes the robe. "Oh dear, must be hungry." Shawnah just blinks, loking away from other dragons and eggs a moment, "Sss..ss..suh?" brow quirks up, and even more as the brown eats the robe. Iagoth heads off towards the bowl on the way to the weyrling barracks. Morning's Reflection Egg jars violently, rolling away a bit from its original position on the sands. The rocking and spinning continue, revealing the full range of colors that wash over its shell, the shading from pale citron through deep orange. The movements at last take on a fierce rhythm, a steady back and forth that indicates that the occupant is prepared to shatter its beautiful and delicate encasement with all due haste. Falone looks at the bronze as he shifts back and forth between feet. He smiles as he hears Savanna K'ran lifts his chin to favor Savanna with a brilliant smile as she passes under Laidan's care, but then he's dancing his gaze back toward the goings-on on the sands -- and letting a merry gaze touch upon S'dar, briefly. Intemperate Irregular Ironic Bronze Hatchling has an important task to perform, yes, he does. A task that is of more importance than any other. A task whose urgency none could possibly deny. And that task is to get this fardling piece of shell *off* of his head. That shard may be his midwife, and may come in shape no bigger than an agate stone, but it's still infuriating and he throws all his energy into shaking it away. Or attempting to. Eventually, the small scrap is dislodged, but not until he's wriggled himself into a loss of balance: his new legs give way beneath him, and he falls belly-down on the Sand with a half-bugle, half-squawk of alarm. Macami crosses her arms in front of her chest and looks pleased. "Saw all those browns? And female riders. Hah, that is a good thing," says the very unbiased female brownrider, right. Falling apart as if by some lumbersmith's axe, the Forest River egg splinters easily and deposites a rather striking blue onto Telgar's sands. Almost radiating a violet color, this fellow moves directly across the sands to a young woman from Half Circle Sea Hold, Impression being made in an instant. Teye chuckles at the Intemperate Bronze. "He's so perfect! What an adorable little bronze. It's too bad they don't choose girls." she sighs. Exuberant Iced Klah Brown Hatchling snorts. Okay, chewing robe gets old after a time, and he lets it drop wetly over the feet of the Candidate he eyes next. But that's not it -either-. He rumbles puzzledly and wanders through a ring of Candidates, his tail beating their legs as he passes. And - wait! Look look look! He bounds towards his curly-haired chosen one, crooning with so much raspy excitement as he butts his head against her middle. Falone watches the Intemperat Irregular Ironic bronze hatchling with a smile, taking a half step forward to help when he remembers the rules and stops, still standing next to Kaylira. Maylia's naturally got a scathing look for the half derobed candidate. "Tug it down, and don't worry." She offers, passing by. Slowly, she moves on, waiting for the klah brown to resume his search. When he does, she's quick to pick up her feet, following. Zaidra blinks, "Ymedath! Of course I'm yours!" Synna winces, moving to cover her ears slightly at the sound emerging from the bronze as he falls. "Ouch," she states, nose wrinkled. "Where'd the other one go?" Her hands fall to her side as she looks for the brown, then spies him with Zaidra. "Congratulations!!" she calls with an excited wave. Shawnah looks towards Teye, laughing, "Tell me about it.." and then, "Zaidra!" Ymedath croons raspily up at His Zaidra, his tail wrapped around her feet and staring contentedly up at her. Jehan's face is worried, as he glnaces unhappily towardsthe bronze. Teye clasps her hands together, struggling not to clap or get too sudden in her movements. "Zaidra, congratulations!" she squeels. Tason looks to his side, still shifting foot to foot, eyes drawn away from the other dragonets. "Zai! Oh congrats!!!" Mansi can hardly withhold her chuckle, "What an amusing brownso different," she remarks while eyeing the dragon and his chosen lifemate. A mixture between surprise and then delight suffuse her expression as he then impresses, "Zaidra! Congratulations!" Mirielle grins at Zaidra and waves her congratulations. Kaylira adds her congratulations along with Teye's. "Congrats Zaidra!" Falone looks at Zaidra as she calls out and smiles. He leans over to Kaylira, "She got one." he says with a smile before turning to congratulate Zaidra. Tarien bounces in her little hollow in the sand, with another one of those big grins. "Zai! He's beautiful!" Corwin can't help but laugh at the little bronze's antics. When the brown hatchling gets close to he and Zaidra, he steps away from the girl once it's clear the brown has selected her. "Congratulation, Zaidra. I told you you'd do it." Kindre's eyes widen as she overhears Zaidra. "Oh, what a great name," she exclaims as she hears the young woman call the name. "He's a smart looking fellow, too," is noted further. Kiharu bites her lip as yet another egg begins its prelude to hatching, another impression made. She grimaces as the ragged remnant of dragon-drooled robe is bestowed her feet, and a smack of his tail, beside. But that's forgotten as she hears Zaidra's voice, "Congratulations!" She makes as if to hug Zaidra, but the girl's new lifemate's in the way. And so restraint is exercised for the moment. Zaidra scritches the young brown's muzzle, still stunned. Ashes to ashes, crackdust to dust, and tiny shell fragments drift downwards like ash to litter the sands in a black circle around a petite green. Her first attempt at a croon is anything but harmonic, sounding far more like a screech. But there's a lad who rushes forward to her, and the lady from the Pale Crackdust egg claims him with a truer croon. Maylia's right by Zaidra's shoulder a moment after Impression. "Carefull you don't step on - Ymedath, is it? On Ymedath's tail. Congratulations, Zaidra. If you'll step this way, we'll get Laidan to help you find some food for him in the barracks. S'dar grins back at K'ran's merry gaze, looking very proud at all the fine Impressions that have been made thus far into the evening. Seeing Zaidra Impress to a very handsome looking brown, he grins wide. "Zaidra! Good show!" Morning's Reflection Egg sends up clouds of sand as it rolls about, obscuring for a short time the cracks that are slowly appearing, marring its perfect appearance. There's a non-stop battering and quite a lot of noise coming from this egg as it bounces up and down in a very focused effort to reveal its contents. Gilded Glazed Glasswork Egg has arrived. Intemperate Irregular Ironic Bronze Hatchling bounds off the Sands as soon as physically possible--he won't stay down, oh, no, not when there's a whole world open for his exploration and his delight. Summoning what dignity he possesses, he creels to both his parents before leaving them behind. Such wonders are here! Such white-robed wonders! And his uneven, still gangly lope shall take him towards them with damp wings wobbling behind, his intensity of purpose as clear as his callow lack of grace. Zaidra laughs and murmurs, "Yes, come on, lets get you fed." Zaidra heads off towards the bowl on the way to the weyrling barracks. Ymedath heads off towards the bowl on the way to the weyrling barracks. Pale gives away to tawn gives way to dawn, And comes Morning's Reflection to its end, As up the sun comes, gold in demeanor's brawn, And goes she off around the sands to wend. Salt-Crusted Sea Gold Hatchling Glistening with liquid brilliance, this gold hatchling holds herself with a certainty that suggests firey confidence tinged with unquenchable curiosity. Her whirling eyes flick from place to place, capturing the world about her and taking deep breaths of it, and the actions she makes in response to her new surroundings are bold and unapologetic. Her hide is a silky gold the color of spoilt milk, capped with waves of delicious oranges and creams. In the creases of her hide, briney blue pools seem to soak in the light, allowing only the occasional twinkle of salty white to escape from within. A thin film of molten amber coats the queen's underbelly, spilling down her forelegs and settling atop her golden toes. In contrast to the fury of color that comprises her hide, the queen's body is lithe and graceful, perfectly proportioned and breathtaking, of a smaller size than that of the average queen dragonet but held with enough confidence to more than make up for this. The dragonet's wings are furled sails of gold by her side, but when thrust outwards they are capable of harnessing the true power of the wind, thin and rugged sheets of golden cornsilk steadied by wingridges the color of moistened timber. In her entirety, the queen is truly a sight to behold, majestic and powerful and perfect. The tempestuousness of the sea and the fury of the wind are embodied within her features and engrained into her very character, ready to take on the whole of Pern, to explore, to embrace and to drink from it, and to stake her claim upon it. Snow Reflections Pastel Egg shakes again, more violently now: for all its size it's still a prison, and one its occupant's yearning to be rid of. Pastel surface yields along those thread-slender cracks, giving way, giving *light*, and now tiny taloned feet are powering through, shattering the thing merrily. Mansi's attention remains centered upon Zaidra and her brown for a prolonged moment, the smile that lifts her lips seemingly plastered there forever. Yet at the newly arrived bronze and gold, she provides what seems to be a suitable - and common - comment: "What a nice pair." Mirielle gasps as a gold hatchling comes out of the egg that had so long held her eye before. Falone smiles as he watches the bronze before turning to look at the new hatchling and gasps. "A gold." he says with a big smile. "She sure is a beauty." he says before turning back to the Intrepid bronze. S'dar is smiling and mentioning something to Kindre, nodding up to Herath as he does so. Suddenly, he catches a glint of metallic beauty from Herath's chosen egg, and his head spins abruptly to see what's been inside of that glittering parcel for all these sevendays. "A gold," he croons, his excitement rivaling that of to his dragon, who rears back and lets out a healthy-sounding hoot of happiness for the arrival of a brand new queen. Nimiriel just boggles for a moment, then he looks over at S'dar and Kindre. "Erm. Did they tell you that this was going to happen?" Kaylira turns to Falone, "She's beautiful.." Falone nods to Kaylira with a smile. Synna is just brimming with anxious excitement now. Ilrik is staring jaw-dropped at the bronze still. Synna continues to shuffle back and forth, stopping mid-stride once she's spotted the gold. "Oh, there was one," she notes, seemingly pleased. Her eyes dart left and right as she looks to the possibility of girls on the sands for her. The Fluffy Cloud egg starts to rock out of its cubby on the sands. Before long it gives way to the pressure coming from inside and splits rather neatly to expose a beautiful, if small, blue dragon. He seems confused, heading towards S'dar first before Chezroth gives him a nudge in the right direction. Bounding off to find his mate, he stumbles over a lad from the Bakercraft and a match is made! Teye gulps in silence and follows with a low whistle of appreciation for the lovely gold. Corwin reaches up again to wipe some sweat away from his forehead. He just sort of stares at the gold for a moment. Lovely creature. Herath crooooons a greeting to the new Telgar gold and then turns to give Chezroth a good whuffing. Kindre eyes continue to go from hatchling to hatching, attempting to keep up with the progress. Nodding to S'dar, Kindre looks every bit surprised before turning to shake her head at the Weyrwoman. "I swear, Nim, they didn't say one thing...well now," she looks miffed for all of one minute before beaming up at her own lifemate. "Guess you two fooled us all." Maylia returns, having shown Zaidra to the barracks, and murmurs, "Going well, so far," as she passes Alessandra. "Just keep your eyes out, now's when problems can happen, too much going on." Gilded Glazed Glasswork Egg rolls fitfully in its sandy confines, and then stops. Then, more forcefully, it begins again, minute cracks barely visible upon the opaque panes on the egg's surface. A spinning whirl, and then...the egg's movement stops again. J'lyn smirks at both goldriders. "Looks as if you have some more work ahead of you." Alessandra blinks, turning away from helping a young candidate climb back to her feet after tripping, and just blinks at the gold. "Either that was hidden... or I just didn't pay attention to the sands. Hm." Far up on the ledges, Kiyoth bugles a greeting down to the newest queen. Her rider just nods, absently, towards Maylia... Tarien gapes, jaw dropping open at the sight of the gold hatching. "Shards and shells... Didn't they tell us there wasn't one with this clutch?" The question's asked of Teye, of Corwin, of anyone else who can hear it. Tason looks from the bronze, to gold. "I thought they knew when there was a gold egg?" he asks uncertainly, more or less mumbling. Shawnah's eyes light up, "Hey. That's a gold!" pause, "Right? I mean.. she could /still/ be off to tease us all, but.." she trails off, then grins over at Tason, "Usually.. but you can never tell.. or something.. I guess?" Kiharu is unable to keep from echoing Mirielle's gasp, breath snuffed out for a single heartbeat. Wordless in the following moments, she shakes her head once, awed. Finding her voice, she answers Tason, "Maybe they did know." Teye shrugs. "I had a feeling that one was gold, but no one pays attention. Gosh she's awful pretty. A fitting beauty to Telgar's queens." Falones gaze seems caught by the bronze hatchling as he watches it, though he does tear his gaze away to look again at the gold with a smile. Intemperate Irregular Ironic Bronze Hatchling throws his weight to his haunches just as he's entering the realm of 'dangerously close' to a group of Candidates. The result? He skids, sending the hot sand showering, tail trailing behind him and his muzzle parted in an absolute crow of delight. Nevermind those poor white-robes whom he sprays with grains, for he peeks up innocently from the ground near their feet and immediately turns to investigate new possibilities. New dreams--and dreamers--wait for him, and he spares barely a glance for any of his brethren. The humans who gasp and glance, who look worried and who look hopeful, are *ever* so much more interesting. K'ran's eyes, dragon-distanced, are all for the newborn queen, and Indrath's sonorous baritone calls down still another appreciative note -- though this time, there's a touch of breathlessness to it. Tason laughs, eyes shifting from the sands in front of him, to the side, to Nah. "I guess." he echoes. S'dar hears Nimiriel's question, and shakes his head. "Nope, he never let me in on it," he replies. He looks up to Chezroth, who is looking very smug indeed, tail thumping happily on the Sands behind him, kicking up little puffs of sand and dust that dance circles in the hazy air of the caverns. Nimiriel rubs at her temples and shoots a look at J'lyn. She mumbles something quiet, then nods at S'dar and Kindre both, the smile slow to come back in place. Jehan dodges out of the way as the bronze nose-dives far too close to him, keeping in mind the warnings against being trampled on by an insistent young dragon looking for its lifemate. Falone steps back a little as the bronze sprays sand as he stops. He shakes the sand out of his hair before looking at the bronze again, smiling. Corwin gives a little nod to afirm to Tarien that they hadn't imformed them there was a queen egg on the sands. He's to busy trying to watch it and the other dragonets that are about. Mirielle sidles slowly closer to Falone, having been left all alone when Savanna Impressed. Cream pages fall apart as the Dusty Secrets egg shivers and splits, the inside of the egg revealed as scarlet glistening with moistness. The green that creels her way out is gleaming caramel with the same wet sheen of egg, and she bumbles around for an achingly long time before tripping over a slow Candidate, bonding with the one now tangled in her wings and neck. Kindre gives both Nimiriel and J'lyn an almost apologetic look, her smile betraying how little she cares about more work considering how lovely all the hatchlings have been. "Maylia is certainly going to have her hands full. Not that she usually doesn't," she quips and grins. Synna reaches back to check that her mop of curls is still tightly bounds with the wherhide strip. Once assured that fallen hair isn't what's causing her warmth, she looks back to the young bronze. Snow Reflections Pastel Egg continues to shiver with its occupants' struggles, the little creature within perhaps interested in *destroying* this prison rather than merely escaping it. Whole chunks of the egg fall away, now, and those tiny feet powder what comes near as the hatchling yearns toward its life. Tarien frees her hand from Teye's long enough to wipe at the beads of sweat on her forehead. Just as quickly, though, she's clinging to the other girl again, feet shuffling back and forth in the scorching sand. Jehan runs his hand nervously over his own short-cropped hair...the days when he'd have to tie his hair back are long since gone. His lips are pressed into a thin line, as he waits impatiently for..something. A dragon to pick him, or to be left finally on the sands. Mansi has lingered amid the trio of Crom lads for too long, having endured an excited elbow into the ribs and a distorted view of the sands; squeezing past them, she situates herself near the halfway point of the clutch, amongst what was once a semicircle - and is now simply a cluster of nervous candidates. As if melting rather than breaking apart, the Snowy White egg slowly gives way to the green's pushes to be free. A piece of the white shell remains stuck to her head unbeknownst to her. Scanning the white robed Candidates, she struts along until - could it be? Here? Yes! One of the lasses from Telgar's lower caverns now has her lifemate, and kindle removes the shard from the little green's head. Tason bounces from foot to foot, gradually speeding up the pace of the rocking. Who's next. He looks around, so much going on it's hard to keep track of it all! Mirielle ends up moving closer to Tason and Shawnah, Falone being further away. She gives them a nervous smile, shuffling over. Salt-Crusted Sea Gold Hatchling steps from the broken pieces of shell and flicks them aside with an impatient flick of her tail. She strides forward gracefully from the ruin she leaves behind her without a second glance, and then surveys the sands, taking it all in, or enough of it for her purposes, in a single glance. Choosing without hesitation a direction, she goes, head held high, clearing a path about her, wings nudging with gentle steeliness at those in her way. Halfway across the sands, she pauses to look about again and try out her bugle, all the excitement of the moment contained in that echoing sound. That done, she goes back to the business at hand. Intemperate Irregular Ironic Bronze Hatchling attempts, with a marked lack of success, to poke his nose up the skirt of a female Candidate's robe. She shrieks and darts away, leaving him in confusion--what did he do? What did he do? Oh, well. Surely *someone* will play his games with him. He gives his still-damp body a thorough shake and lifts his head to scan for... what was it? He sensed something, he did. Some spark of caution, some mind that might *listen* to his advice. Someone both quick and colorful, even if his hair is shamefully short. The young dragon wheels on a hindclaw, butting his head insistantly towards a certain boy's midsection: hey! You! Come, gentle Jehan, we must have you dance! Falone looks as the green hatchling breaks out of the Snowy White egg and smiles. He smiles at Mirielle as he sees her stop near Shawnah and Tason. A drip that summons spring has come at last, Snow Reflections Pastel egg is splintered, A green is spilled out from the frigid blast, And goes along the heated sands unhindered. Midnight Aurora-Veiled Green Hatchling As moonless night dapples deepest forest, haunts shadows with only stars' cold stare, her legs and haunches are dark, nearly black, lit by the faintest of tiny silver glimmers. Yet curtains of brilliant emerald fire grow from that gloom to sweep across her body: dance shimmering waves upward over dusky flanks and along the spare arch of neck to veil her elegant muzzle in ethereal jade. Unmuted, the blaze circles kohl about each eye before, finally, fading back toward darkness as it reaches her headknobs, her neckridges -- but that lambence, it resurfaces upon each gossamer wing, trailing its slender celestial glow from bright-lit pinions back across silken wingsails. Long and lean, this one, and with grace that argues against her age: though her lithe-muscled frame's still unsteady, she's sure to carry its sleekness as she grows. Teye beams brightly at the playful bronze and new lifemate, her eyes glittering with laughter and envy. Shawnah moves aside a bit to let Mirielle in, giving her a grin.. and manages to catch Jehan's Impression over her head. "Jehan!" she whispers loudly. Mirielle perks up again, eyes caught on the green hatchling that has just appeared. "Lovely!" she whispers. Synna steps back slightly as the gold announces herself to the sands, looking over towards Jehan and the recently hatched bronze. "Is that... Jehan?" While trying to catch site of the candidate and the dragon, another hatchling distratcts her. "A green. She's pretty." Her hands fold together neatly behind her sweat-laden back. Tason offers a smile to Mirielle as she comes closer. "Scoot on in Mirie." He offers quietly, then looks again. "Way to go Jehan...a bronzer!" All semblance to a blanket's lost as slowly pieces crack from the Wadded-Up egg: fallen to the sands it might yet resemble it again, had one the patience to piece the shards. And another puzzle's solved as the green it contained meets her match in a feisty spike-haired woman. Maylia's assistants are kept hopping, as they range beyond the candidates, ready to move in to assist. Slipping behind the candidates, May keeps moving with the bronze. As the girl shrieks, the Weyrlingmaster herds her back into place, grumbling, "Stay out of their way, then, girl!" Tarien allows a small smile for Jehan's Impression, and casts an admiring look at the gold. A low whistle, too, for the green that's newly hatched, and her expression turns to one of dismay. "I just don't know where to watch!" she mourns. Falone smiles as Jehan impresses to the bronze. "Congratulations Jehan." he says with a smile. Gilded Glazed Glasswork Egg has started rocking regularly now, the hatchling inside growing more determined to break through the glassy translucency of the shell and see the wide world outside. Indeed, the golden filigree shimmering in strands across this egg's surface seem to be all that's holding it together as more and more of those minute cracks appear in a workmanlike fashion and chips fall to the sand. J'an, thinking that the bronze seeks someone beyond him, take a tentative step back. It doesn't work, though...he's bumped. It's supposed to be a clear call, but comes out an awed sigh, though still loud enough to carry. "Eneryth!" Kiharu reaches for Teye's other hand, as much for reassurance as to reassure. "Congratulations Jehan," she whispers. "Lovely." To the green though now, and the dignified gold her glance falls. "I don't know either," she concurs wryly. Mansi's interest is stolen by each and every one of the impressions while she provides a, "I knew he'd impress her too" at each one. With a confident smirk, she's at odds with her trembling fingers, which she manages to pull into a clap as Jehan impresses. "Congratulations Jehan!" she calls and for a moment, steals a glance toward both green and gold hatchlings. Kaylira settles back closer to Falone. Midnight Aurora-Veiled Green Hatchling exhales slow breath along a quiet croon, spreads slender wings to taste the air's warmth -- but then she's letting livid crimson-glinting gaze sweep toward the white-robed things, allowing another of those soft alto notes, and letting clumsy feet carry her through this chaos. S'dar watches as the brilliant bronze fledgling finds his home with J'an. "Fantastic!" he calls out toward the new rider. As another green emerges from her sticky confines, he twists his attention to her next movements. Chezroth, however, is still watching J'an and Eneryth, checking out the newest young bronze he has sired and checking to make sure that its new rider fits the bill. After a moment, he nods with draconic satisfaction. Falone looks over as the Guilded Glazed Glasswork egg begins rocking. He points to it as he leans over closer to Kaylira. "That was one of my favorites." he says with a smile before turning to look at the new green hatchling. Maylia's only a few steps away from J'an as Eneryth bumps him. She allows a moment to pass, before speaking up. "Congratulations, J'an. Will you and your Eneryth follow me? We'll see that Laidan finds you some food for him." She gestures the way to the barracks. Mirielle sighs softly, stil lwatching the green carefully, although not without glancing at the Gold as well. Falone gives Kaylira's hand a soft squeeze and smiles. As if taking a cue from its shards coloring, the hatchling inside the Rainbow Chaos egg seems to be causing just that from the inside. After quite a few leaps across the sands, the shell finally splits to reveal a blue hatchling. Creening across the grounds at the Candidates, he charges at them. A lad from Benden Hold who couldn't quite get out of the way in time finds himself on his back, his new lifemate cheerfully gazing down at him. Salt-Crusted Sea Gold Hatchling begins to study the humans, crooning her interest in a deep, thrumming sound as she inspects them one by one. She dismisses the males quickly and lifts a wing as if to brush these annoyances away. The females get more of her attention, a large faceted eye fixing on each one in turn. Short haired, long haired, dark, fair, short, tall, skinny, and round. All interesting. None of them right. The croon turns to an irritated hiss as one red haired one gets in her way, and then as the next turns out to be unsatisfactory as well. Graceful steps become a stomping across the sands, heedless of who she knocks over on her way. Where is the harmony, the rightness, the beauty that she knows is right for her? Falone gasps as he watches the blue. "I hope he's ok." he says softly to Kaylira before turning to look at the gold. J'an nods shyly to Maylia, one hand resting on the little bronze's crest, before he heads the way indicated. J'an heads off towards the bowl on the way to the weyrling barracks. Kaylira nods absently at Falon'es words, looking to the rocking egg. But not for long, not with the gold hatchling making such a fuss. Eneryth heads off towards the bowl on the way to the weyrling barracks. Shawnah sighs and runs a hand through her now /very/ sweaty hair, then starts to wipe the hand off on her robe.. She stops at the last moment, though, and eyes said hand - a bit of dye has run off onto it. Woops. Closing her hand into a fist, she goes back to watching hatchlings.. and gasps as the gold bowls candidates over. Teye steps out of the way of the agressive gold, envious eyes watching but not daring to even hope for the impressions. She urges Tarien forward with a gesture though, dropping her friend's hand. Mirielle shifts her weight somewhat, making ready to dive out of the way, if need be. Eyes are riveted on both hatchlings, nervous but excited. Alessandra is silent, prowling along the outside edge of the candidate circle. One eye is cast on that gold -- come on all ready. It's /hot/ out here. It's now a shimmered Glazed Glasswork Egg, That hatches, a brown opening his eyes, And stretches, here a wing and here a leg, Then sails forth with a sprinkling of cries. Bright-Scored Cromcoal Brown Hatchling Under the seeming weight of those iron-dark wings, within the sweltering brown of his hide, a lesser dragonet might crumple; but this one's shining eyes, even more than his strong-boned conformation, speak of perseverance and would-be precision beyond the current clumsiness of youth. His soft hide already seems scored, however, if not by Thread: across his sturdy flanks, fiery splatters of green and blue surmount its darkly gleaming red-brown, as if purpose or accident had strewn chemicals across banked coals - and as for the spade of his tail, it's engulfed entirely. Mansi remains situated where she is in a near-frozen state: her hands clasped now to her braids while she astutely perceives the gold's interrogation and, wisely, remains where she is. "Picky, isn't she," she remarks to a girl nearby that teeters nervously upon her toes, threatening to topple over at any moment. Tason rubs his hands once more against his robe, taking a gulp of hot air. Breath, can't be too much longer, can it? Synna makes sure to stay clear of any tromping hatchlings. Colbalt blue eyes examine the gold before that shaking egg and other green moving about capture her attention. She lifts her feet in time again, fanning her face with one hand. Kiharu does not speak, returning that iridescent appraisal with her own, as though too numbed to shift her glance elsewhere; in echo however of the low music of the green a soft sigh slips past her lips, a single note fading into silence. Corwin shifts uneasily on the hot sands as he watching the breaking eggs and dashing dragonets infront of him. Maylia's exasperated, though on the other side of the cluster of candidates from the gold. "For the sake of Faranth's golden..." what body part of the ancient gold she names is lost in a dragonet's screech. "Stay outta her way unless she wants you!" Falone looks over as the Bright-Scored Cromcoal brown hatchling finally breaks out of his shell. There's a gooey dragonet from a gooey-looking egg, as dark and rich a green as the Decomposing Glows egg's color was pale and faded. She'll march her little bottom straight across the sands to Kindre, staring up at her for a minute before huffing a snort and choosing the nearest Candidate seemingly at random. "Gakahacath!" Midnight Aurora-Veiled Green Hatchling takes tentative steps, her clumsiness giving way to lithe elegance as she moves, moves toward the thinning line of Candidates and marvels there. Yet after a moment she's angling a look back toward her dam, letting an inquisitive creel spill from her muzzle as if to prompt for direction -- and that's enough distraction to land her chin in the sands, where questioning's forgotten for irritation as she climbs back to her feet. Tarien shakes her head almost sharply at Teye, and she looks rather nervous, now, as she watches the dragonets remaining. Chezroth rumbles his encouragement to the gold, though by her very bold actions, she doesn't appear to need any help in that department. He watches as the gold gives the female Candidates her shrewd glares, raising his brazen eyeridges every time she looks as though she might make her choice, and whuffing out clouds of heat from his nostrils as she shrugs them off disdainfully and moves on to the next young woman. Mirielle catches her breath when the little green falls, clasping her hands together to avoid an instinctive gesture of encouragement. Tason glances aside to the gooey green, and her impressie. "Gaka...? What?" He blinks. Kassima winces at the loud noises from the gold hatchling, shooting a look commingled of rue and disgust towards the other Coordinators. "We told them," she mutters, shaking her head. "Why does someone always nay listen?" Salt-Crusted Sea Gold Hatchling stands perfectly still and bugles once more, though it's more of a frustrated sigh at this point. It's such a lovely occasion. Warm sands. Plenty of admirers. Her clutch siblings all busily doing what they ought to be. Perfect for everyone but her. How unfair. How unacceptable. How - the bugle cuts off suddenly as a female, golden hair long and plaited, seems to stumble into her path, pushed ahead by another. She turns to observe this one more closely, and the sounds of indignations slow to a gentle croon. Oh yes, this is the one. This is the one with whom she will be whole. This is the one with whom she will fly to all the heights they can dream of together, and more. Maylia assists the young green and her newly Impressed, taking them off the sands to the barracks. Maylia heads off towards the bowl on the way to the weyrling barracks. Shawnah just grins at Tason, "Don't even try.." she murmers. Tason snorts. "I'm not even." he retorts. Bright-Scored Cromcoal Brown Hatchling is momentarily bewildered as he looks about on the Sands. So many things to see, all of it new! But look down there. The shards at his feet are all broken up and they're heaped in random piles. That sort of mess just won't do at all. Must tidy them up. Gingerly, the brown turns and, tail sticking straight up in the air and wings outspread for balance, begins nosing the shards of his shell into more orderly piles. Kiharu startles at Maylia's screech, stepping aside even if such was not needed, at the moment anyway. For the grace of the tiny green, unmarred despite her fall, she smiles. Synna squints a moment at another name called. She looks over torwards Tason, seemingly just as confused. "That was a, different, name." Tarien gets a look, before the brown and green both call her attention. Brown starts to show beneath the cracks of the Perfectly Plush Peach egg: slowly it flakes apart, and reveals a crannied and pitted light brown dragonet unfolding from his oval prison. He'll croon a sweet sound and ooze his way across the sands: you, tall boy from Seacraft, you are mine. And he is. Falone looks at the brown hatchling as he tidies up the shell shards and chuckles. Teye stands with quiet confidence, encouring Tarien as much as the Gold. "Look." she urges softly to her closest friend. Tason grins back at Synna. "I thought she was excusing someone's sneeze...or the like. Such a mouthful of a name!" Tarien's hands drop, nerveless, from Teye's and Corwin's, and she falls to her knees, heedless to the heat of the sands. Hands reach out to cup the face of the dragonet before her, and she's unable to speak at first, for the tears in her eyes. "Oh, Mirrath! Yes, you've found me!" Shawnah smiles brighter, and then pauses in her shifting to giggle towards the brown, "Now.. that one look like he'd be better suited for Roma.." she eyes the direction said girl and her green lifemate went, and then jerks her gaze over to Tarien, "Woah.. congrats!" Mansi stands there, eyes wide and by the upward tilt of her brows - confused. "There's so much going on" she murmurs. Falone cheers as Tarien impresses the gold. "Congratulations, Tarien. She's a beauty." Kaylira smiles happily for Tarien. "She's gonna have her hands full," she remarks to Falone, and then laughs at the tidy brown. "Oh dear." Mirielle smiles happily at Tarien, eyes drawn quickly back to the little green though. S'dar is watching the newly minted green dragonet when he hears Mirrath's name. He grins. "Tarien! It's you!" Behind him, Chezroth, who has been watching closely to see who the gold will accept as hers, trumpets loud enough to wake up a whole Hold full of folk. He nudges the gold standing beside him excitedly, looking altogether too pleased with himself and very proud of Herath indeed. Tears of joy stream down Teye's cheeks. This is right. This is why she came. "Oh Tarien...She's beautiful! It's perfect!" Corwin's face is wearing a smile as he steps away from Tarien and Mirrath. "Congratulations," he says to her as he retreats. Tason peers at the brown. "Oh no...a *tidy* dragon? I fear!" Midnight Aurora-Veiled Green Hatchling regains her dignity as she's back to her feet, and stalks more than wanders along, among the remaining white-robed ones. She'll give Falone a long, considering look -- no, something not quite right there -- before moving a bit further down the line before angling delicate muzzle up toward an elfin, silver-haired girl and breathing a quiet creel, still another of those sweet-sung alto notes, but this time, it's all contentedness. Alessandra smiles softly, letting Tarien have her time with Mirrath. Then, softly -- "Tarien. Tarien... She's beautiful. Come, now -- on into the barracks with you. Laidan's inside, with food and oil for her. Mirrath, you said? Be careful not to step on her sails..." Falone nods to Kaylira's comment and turns back to look at the brown. "At least, whoever Impresses him, wont have to worry about a dirty weyr." he remarks to Kaylira with a chuckle. Kaylira gives Falone a mock-glare. "I resemble that remark you." Falone chuckles at Kaylira. Synna chuckles towards Tason. "Oh, Mirrath on the other and is a very pretty name." She nods over towards the newest weyrling pair. "Good for Tarien." There's a twinkle in this candidate's eye. "Is that Kiharu and the green?" she asks, squinting towards the other little lady. Mansi, as though snapped back into reality, finds her footings besides the young girl nearby and lets out a joyous: "Congratulations Tarien!" as the girl impresses. With a fond smile for both dragon and rider, her eyes are locked on them for a long moment before returning to the sands. The brightness of the Tropical Jungle egg is lost as it hatches a brown - a plain, dull dragonet. His eyes are lively but his hide is -just- the wrong shade to look good in any light. "Oh, you're beautiful," sighs a short lad, lost in those eyes. "And -mine-." Tarien gets to her feet, knees shaking, and grins tearily. "I'm sorry I was so hard to find. But I'm here now, and we're together. Come on... let's get you something to eat." Tarien heads off towards the bowl on the way to the weyrling barracks. Mirrath heads off towards the bowl on the way to the weyrling barracks. Bright-Scored Cromcoal Brown Hatchling finally finishes his tidying. There, the shards are as precisely ordered as the uncoordinated hatchling can make them. Unfortunately, the poor little fellow just doesn't realize that he's got one shell stuck to the end of his snout. For the time being, he concentrates on this walking thing, figuring out when to place which foot down and how to keep his wings out of the way. Slow and sure does the job..but what are those white things over there? Definitely, they need to be investigated! Falone grins as he sees the shard stuck to the end of the browns snout. Synna raises an eyebrow at the little brown with the shell stuck on his muzzle. An amused giggle is hidden behind a hand as she watches his progress. Teye wipes away tears of joy, tearing her eyes from Tarien's departed figure and putting them back where they belong, on the remaining eggs. Sniffling softly, she steps over to Corwins side. Tason gives an involuntary shudder at the thought, shakes his head and peers from Shawnah, to Mirielle then to the hatchling. "I wonder if he'll nag his 'mate to keep things clean all the time?" Corwin casts Teye a quick smile as she steps up beside him. He watches the remaining few eggs and dragonets left. Mansi's cries turn to laughter at the shard situated atop the tip of the brown's nose, hardly bothering to stifle it as the sand's excitement nearly drowns her voice. Yet as the impressions continue, she stills assumes that confident mien and her matter-of-fact commentary, "Organization, that's key to a good dragon, or so pa' told me." Mirielle grins at Tason. "Well, then he won't want me. I'm not the tidiest in the world." Kiharu gaspst, her glance falling to the lithe green crooning before her, muzzle pointed, to line opalescent gaze with her own. Nothing, not even a breath, does she dare. Until she cries out, "Taericeth!" in unrestrained joy, swiftly falling to hug the green to her, hiding her tears in her new lifemate's arched neck. Falone chuckles at Tason's comment and continues to watch the brown. There's a blue unfolding wings to dry, a large shard of the Caramel Cream Spiral egg stuck over his haunches. The rich cream and orange goes well with his deep-sky hide, until his chosen lady, unfortunately named Sweet, gives a laugh and plucks it off. "Now, food for you, my Gooiemeth!" Tason snickers softly. "Nor me either Mirie...I like being dirty too much." Alessandra returns from the barracks in time to catch both Sweet's and Kiharu's Impressions. Another smile, and a nod -- "This way, into the barracks. Laidan's waiting with food and oil." It's a familiar refrain, by now... Kindre's hands are on her cheeks, her words not able to fall out with all the activity along the sands. "Some very fine Impressions," she murmurs as the pairs are made and head into the barracks. "Shall be an interesting class to watch, that is for certain." Bright-Scored Cromcoal Brown Hatchling marches over toward the clump of white-clad Candidates, determination in his careful gaze. There're so many of them, all different sizes and shapes. One of them must surely be right for him!The sturdy brown pauses as if in thought, tailtip twitching (and shell fragment still stuck on his snout), and then rather methodically begins sniffing his way down the line of Candidates. Kiharu heads off towards the bowl on the way to the weyrling barracks. Synna grins, watching Kiharu. "Congratulations!" she calls. The blue's name just makes her shake her head. "Tason... Maybe this little brown's for you, eh?" She pokes her head up, looking across the sparce field of candidates left. Taericeth heads off towards the bowl on the way to the weyrling barracks. Shawnah beams after Kiharu, but makes a face, "-Gooieth-?" and then she grins back to Tason at Synna's comment, "Wouldn't that just be ironic?" Falone just watches as the brown walks down the line, sniffing candidates, a smile on his face. Teye shoots a beaming smile at Kiharu. "Wow. That's a mouthful." Tason just offers a shrug to Synna. "It's not for me to say, Synna. It's not we who choose....but yeah, it'd be...ironic, quite so." Mirielle eyes the brown for a moment, watching to see if he comes closer. Corwin watches the little brown with an amused look on his face. He reaches up to wipe away a trickle of sweat before is rolls into his eye. S'dar arches a single eyebrow as he sees the green approach Kiharu, and then raises the other one to join it up there on his forehead as Impression is made. "Wonderful!" is how he voices his encouragement for the new Weyrling. He grins as Alessandra leads the Candidate toward the barracks, and then watches to see what might happen next. The Sands are definitely more shards than eggs at this point, and he looks around to see what eggs, fledglings or Candidates are located where. Mansi , being the know it all she is, points out the obvious: "He's got a shard on his nose." Dropping one of her braids, she directs a finger toward the brown, wiggling it patiently so - or perhaps trembling - in his general direction. Then, as before, she turns to the girl next to her, "I wonder if that bothers him.." Hiss. Snarl. Crackle. Off goes the Weyrleader Is A Crack Smoker egg in a rolling-round circle, tilting erratically from side to side until, POP! And a hiss of smoke seems to plume upward, but no: it's a lean, lithe, grey-green little thing, who crouches and drifts along the sands, circling and spitting hisses at each Candidate in turn. Falling to her knees, a rail-thin, red-eyed, grungy-looking girl cries, "My Addictioneth! I -need- you!" Falone tears his gaze from the brown at the sound of the cracking egg and grins as the green appears, congratulation the girl who just impressed. Teye's dark eyes mirror the deeps of the cromcoal brown's soft hide as she watches him methodically weed out his options. She gestures to her own nose. "Hey...on your nose. You have a shell there, little one." Perhaps she hates to see such devoted organization humbled in that way. Shawnah blinks, blinks again, and, yes, again. Covering her mouth with her hand, she attempts to smother her giggles. Giggles of mirth and giggles to release nervous energy, "Hey.. I think I bet someone a half-mark that one would be green.." Bright-Scored Cromcoal Brown Hatchling is nothing if not methodical in his movements, sniffing along the line of white-clad Candidates. So intent on his work is he that he doesn't even seem to notice when the shell drops off of his snout and onto the foot of a rather plump young girl. He reaches the end of the line and looks back along it, tail twitching. He rumbles to himself and stomps back down the line, having apparently come to a resolution. Corwin lets out a little laugh as the brown turns and starts back down the semi-circle of candidates. "This is worse that a barracks inspection." Kaylira watches the shell-bedecked brown with curiousity. Mirielle looks down the line at the brown and sighs, shuffling her feet until she's moved back a little, letting Tason show. Wood-brown shell shivers once, again, and then the Ladder Egg splits its timbers in a long, resounding crack: along one vertical of its seeming ladder, fragments of orange and green falling to the sands, and with them the semblance of the blue-dotted glowbasket - only, that blue dot? It's now pierced on the end of a light blue tail, and bobs as the dragonet claws his way free to the embrace of a dark-haired seacrafter lad. Tason blinks his eyes, shakes his head and just stares, dumbstruck. "This will definitly be something to remember, always." H mutters to himself, shifting his feet. "Wonder if my mum came to watch." Falone watches the brown with a smile. Synna grins at Corwin's views on the brown. "He seems to have found someone. Hasn't he?" She leans back again, taking a step to steady herself. Mansi observes the falling shell with a raised brow, that expression apparently frozen on her features as she looks up toward the brown's systematic decision-making process. "Very organized," she remarks again while grabbing at her braids again and twisting each between her fingers. Alessandra waits, more or less patiently, fingers of one hand tapping against the opposite elbow. Shawnah dares a glance behind her, towards the stands, "I wonder if /my/ parents came to watch.." Tason shifts.... and shifts ...and shifts from foot to foot. "Grief, he's sure taking his sweet time." Another mutter. H wipes his face distractedly with one hand, eyes glancing up automatically at the stands. "Dunno...let's hope." F'lone looks down at the brown and smiles. He kneels. "Hello, Hroth." he says, wraping his arms around the hatchling. Kindre murmurs, "He's a determined one. Making sure he picks right I suppose," and smiles as she watches the brown. "Oh! Hroth and F'lone," she calls a touch excitedly. "A fine pairing." S'dar watches with anticipation as the young brown comes to a judgment and proceeds to act upon it. As the dragonet gifts Falone, hereafter F'lone, with Impression, a grin splits S'dar's face at a spot just beneath his nose. "Great work!" he calls out. He regards the Sands by now it is virtually a sea of sticky shards, their colors beaming up at the cavern from where they lay scattered across the sandy ground. Synna draws her lips up into another smile, this time for Falone, or F'lone. "Congratulations!" she calls to him and his Hroth. Mirielle looks up on hearing the name, and smiles widely at F'lone. "Oh, Congratulations!" she calls, ecstatic for her friend. Mansi blinks for a moment and then: impression! "Congratulations!" she calls, her voice nearly lost in the similar calls surrounding her. Kaylira smiles at her friend, and offers soft congratulations. "Lucky you. A brown." Her grin grows impish. "Lucky me. I dont have to wear that dress." Tason grins at the brown chooses. "Congrats Falone, er...F'lone!" Hroth lets loose with a stuttering trumpet of joy as his F'lone wraps arms around him. His tailtip thumps happily at the sand for a time and then he nudges at his brand new wonderful lifemate. Teye looks oddly relieved as Falone impressed the handsome brown. A sense of peace fills her and glazes her tear-streaked face. F'lone smiles at everyone as he stands there with Hroth. "Lets go get you something to eat, Hroth." he says, looking down at the brown. Shawnah just laughs, "Fal-F'lone!" she exclaims, "I knew he's find his lifemate!" she then glances around the sands, as if just realizing how empty it's become. Synna looks over the expanse of sand and the emptiness that remains. Soft sigh escaping her lips, she reaches back to her neck once again, rolling it once to relieve a bit of pressure. Now the Weyrwoman is turned to. Chezroth surveys the hatching cavern, looking as pleased as a tunnelsnake in a Holder's boot. He trumpets his pride to the dragons on the ledges and to the folks in Telgar's Galleries, gesturing toward Herath as he does so to make sure they know who to thank! He nudges his rider on the shoulder as the newly Impressed make their way toward the barracks. Biting her bottom lip, Teye calls out to the clutch-parents' riders, "May I gather some of the shells please?" Tason smiles, and then glances around at the bare, or nearly so sands. He turns, zombie like towards the Weyrleaders, and waits. Corwin watches F'lone and the others head towards the barracks before turning back. After a quick survey of the shard-filled sands, he turns to look in the direction of the Weyrleaders. Nimiriel watches the last of the Impressed pairs as they're escorted off to the barracks, and sighs a bit. A look to J'lyn, and she asks softly, "Shall I speak, or do you want to?" F'lone grins and looks at Hroth. "That's just your stomach. Lets go get you something to eat." Mirielle looks around, and sighs deeply. Rejected. Again. She turns to face the Weyrleaders after giving Tason a sad smile. J'lyn looks to Nim. "You've done this more than I have. I'd have no idea what to say. "Please, be my guest." Mansi, like many other candidates, turns toward the weyrleaders and offers a low bow and a wide smile to follow. And then, a sigh of relief, "Now back to my duties..." Of drudgery that is. Alessandra, conveniently next to F'lone, speaks up. "Right on into the barracks with you, now. Careful of Hroth's tail." F'lone walks with Hroth to the barracks after nodding to Alessandra. F'lone heads off towards the bowl on the way to the weyrling barracks. Alessandra heads off towards the bowl on the way to the weyrling barracks. Shawnah bites her lip, looking thoughtful a moment, then reaches out to tap first Tason the Mirielle on the arm before turning to wait for futher instruction, a soft smile slowly spreading across her face. Hroth is very careful of his tail. And of his wings. And especially of his lifemate as he follows F'lone adoringly to the barracks. Hroth heads off towards the bowl on the way to the weyrling barracks. Tason glances again towards the galleries and ledges, looking for a familiar face. Nimiriel nods to J'lyn, then takes a few steps forward, looking at those who remain. "This is one of the hardest speeches that a Leader ever has to make. All of you should remember, however... you were chosen to stand here for a reason. Our Search dragons saw something in you, and just because your lifemate was not here on the sands today does not mean that you have lost it. Nor does it mean that you have failed. It simply means that today was not your time." She takes a deep breath, wipes quickly at her eyes, and says, "You are all more than welcome to remain here at Telgar if you wish. We would be happy to see you stay. If you wish to return home, however, all you have to do is let us know. And--I just want to add...thank you for spending this time with us. If there is anything that we can do, please let us know." S'dar gives sympathetic looks to the Candidates still left on the Sands in their white robes, some looking confused, some on the verge of tears, and others looking very relieved indeed. He gives a small smile and nods at the Weyrwoman's words. Still engaged in that lazy slouch by the galleries' rails, K'ran's angling a quick look after F'lone and Hroth; lancing dark eyes back up toward the ledge where his lifemate lurks -- no, departs. And then, then he's trailing a look back toward the sands, back toward the remaining Candidates, and bracing a light smile on his lips. Mirielle smiles thankfully to Nimiriel, Kindre, and S'dar. "Thank you for this opportunity, on behalf of all of us." she says, speaking loudly enough to be heard by the Leaders. Macami is not quite able to smile, remembering her own feelings of rejection after that first hatching, but tries to smile anyway, even though it does not reach her eyes. Kindre's eyes reflect similar emotions to the Candidates left, her head nodding to the Weyrwoman's words. "We were honored that you all were a part of this with us." The picture of calm and peacefulness, Synna waves as F'lone walks off with Hroth. "Thank you for the opportunity. It's much more fun watching from this close as opposed to the tiers. I'm gonna take a few days to decide what I want to do," she states, a bit unsure at this point. Teye nods greatfully, pleased Mirielle could find the words she lacked at the moment. "May I have a few shells please? For my trading?" Shawnah lowers her gaze a moment before offering a wide grin, "It was.. fun." she says, "And I think I /would/ like to stay.." another glance behind her, into the stands, "I just have to talk to my parents.." Mirielle also glances into the stands. Searching, her eyes scan all of the people in it, being able to take her time now. Finally, sighing, she looks around. " I might as well stay, for a while at least. It appears I have no reason to return to Ista." Tason smiles at Shawnah, and then at Synna and Mirielle. "I know what I'm doing...Igen's calling me. I think I'll go back there - home. My mum is there." Corwin is quiet for a moment before saying. "I think that I would like to take a day or so before I decide what I want to do." Nimiriel adds, with a quiet smile, "For those of you who wish to return home, you have only to ask, and we'll find a rider to take you home. For now, however...you are no longer under the restrictions of a Candidate, so you may join the festivities. And please...we're here for you if you need us." Kassima summons a very small smile, though it doesn't quite reach those very dark eyes... not when they flick over those who stay Standing. "You made wonderful additions to the Weyr while you were here, whatever you decide," she offers quietly to them. "I can honestly say 'twas proud and pleased t'be one of your Coordinators." J'lyn, always the strong silent type until riled, simply nods. K'ran's uncoiling from his slouch at that, breathing a contented sigh. "Likewise," he puts in there. "Been an honor and a priviledge -- and it'd be yet more of one if the bunch of you'd join me for a drink. I'll pour." Kaylira grins back at Kassi, "And it was different being one of your candidates instead of your daughter for a while." She smiles to let it be known there won't be a four day retreat into weeping this time. S'dar gives Kindre another squeeze of the hand, and looks at her and at the other riders close by, asking - or perhaps informing - "drinks, I should think?" He gives the Candidates now departing the Sands a very respectful nod, and says, "thank you," with meaning, as Candidates truly are a lifeblood of the Weyr, and he got to know many of them throughout the course of their Candidacy. Then he waves up to the Galleries and to the tiers of ledges and smiles his thanks to those who came out to witness the happy event. Shawnah looks at Tason, getting a pouty look on her face, "Aaw.. couldn't you stay a /few/ more days?" a beam is sent Mirielle's way, and then she turns back to the leaders, squirming "Umm.. now.. it's kinda hot.. and I really have to pee.." Teye gathers up a few shell pieces, including one from the egg that hatched the gold, and some other rather vivid pieces before taking her leave. "Make it a double, K'ran and you have a deal." Kindre pats her stomach and chuckles. "As long as it's juice for me," she replies and grins. Mirielle smiles softly. "Can we go somewhere to change first? It would look silly if we went in these." Synna turns to Tason then. "We'll have to write. Keep in touch, okay?" K'ran receives a smile. "Thank you very much, but I think sleep is calling my name. I get a more comfortable bed tonight," she says with a waggle of her brows. Teye walks over towards the galleries. Tason eyes Shawnah. "Not on your life, sweetheart...If my mum's here...then, tonight...if not, I'll get word to her..and you'll have to tolerate me a day or so more." He turns back to Synna. "You bet...my little Tiya is a great sport for playing messenger." Macami calls out to those who didn't Impress. "It really was an honor of being in charge for you. All my best wishes for all of you." Her smile is genuine. Kassima, at Kay's reaction, does allow herself a hint of a *real* smile this time. "Different from this end too," she wryly assures. "A drink sounds like a fine idea for everyone--I'm sure something can be found for you, Kin, even if'n 'tis as disgustingly non-toxic as juice!" Nimiriel turns to J'lyn next, and casts a glance toward teh barracks. "Shall we?" Offer made, offer taken; and K'ran's stepping up into the galleries, jaunty, even as he's letting his gaze touch back upon the path scoured by the weyrlings pairs toward their barracks. K'ran walks over towards the galleries. J'lyn nods to Nimiriel. "I suppose we should." Synna nods. "Good. I'll send my little Eva with my notes. Now, if you'll all excuse me. I could use a dip in the pool to wash up before I crawl into bed." Kindre giggles at Kassima and bobs her head. "I don't have much choice, though can mayhap sneak half a glass of wine." Mirielle walks over towards the galleries. Shawnah ffs at Tason. "I'll get you somehow.." with that, she high-tails it for the privy. Tason summons a smile, then offers a short nod to Synna, Mirielle and Shawnah, then heads of the sands, walking rather fast, no trudging for him, nope-nope. Nimiriel heads off towards the bowl on the way to the weyrling barracks. Shawnah walks over towards the galleries. Corwin walks over towards the galleries. Synna walks over towards the galleries. Kaylira walks over towards the galleries. J'lyn heads off towards the bowl on the way to the weyrling barracks. Kindre walks over towards the galleries. You walk up the stairway into the galleries.