Log - Benden Weyr's 8th Hatching

PernMUSH's 39th Hatching - February 3, 1995

Occurring in month 9, turn 8, 10th Pass

The Candidates

o Aisha
o Asfala
o Chelsea
o Covalt
o Denar
o Etrigan
o Jaen
o Jalaea
o Jorrus
o Kayne
o Kerlyn
o Micaya
o Rosalen
o Selenay

The Log

Jehrina comes down from the galleries.

Nich comes down from the galleries.

P'tran comes down from Laerth's neck in one smooth motion.

Jehrina moves over to the steadily humming Leilanth, favoring the huge 
queen with a smile as she looks over the clutch.

P'tran smiles softly to Jehrina from where he stands near the humming Laerth

Nich looks up into the stands and waves to her weyrmate cheerfully and 
then comments to P'tran and Jehrina. "Y'know... last time we were here, 
you two were at the other end of this little festival..." 

Jehrina chuckles and nods at Nich, "Aye.. it's decidedly odd ta be on 
this end of it."

P'tran grins and chuckles softly to Nich. "That's right. This is some 
change that I never imagined."

Leilanth hummmmmmms louder, looking over her clutch proudly.

Laerth croons softly to Leilanth before resuming his throaty hummmmmmm 
over the eggs as they begin to twitch and move

Nich grins and gently claps both riders on their shoulders. "Buck up, 
the whole of Pern is watching." And then she grins evilly, eyes looking 
out into the vast numbers of people in the galleries.

Jehrina looks up at Nich, and rolls her eyes before leaning against Leilanth heavily.

The eggs begin to rock more now, and nearly every one of them is in motion.

Nich murmurs something to the two Weyrleaders, eyes on the entrance to 
the waiting room.

Jehrina nods at Nich's comment, standing ready, waiting for the 
appearance of the candidates.

P'tran nods to Nich and smiles and looks towards the waiting room in 
anticipation as the eggs continue their increasing movement omn the sands
  
One by one, the Candidates process out onto the sands, their faces 
betraying the heat coming through the soles of their feet as they 
traverse the heated sands and form a loose semi-circle around the dragon 
eggs. 

Laerth hummmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmsss ....

Jorrus walks out, looking all around as he finds his way onto the sands.

P'tran smiles softly as he watches the candidates come in from the 
waiting room, his bronze continuing to add his voice to the loud humming 
of the dragons 

Jalaea looks around carefully.

Kayne glances toward Leilanth and Laerth and smiles slightly, nodding 
respectfully toward them.

Chelsea pads in and over next to Covalt..

Leilanth hummmmmmmms loudly as her rider looks over each of the 
candidates. The eggs begins to move more rapidly, some of them starting 
to show cracks.

Micaya makes her way out onto the sands with the other Candidates. She 
pauses to nod respectfully, and a little fearfully, at Leilanth and 
Laerth. Follwing that with a curtsey to the weyrleaders, she moves into 
the semi-circle.

Asfala follows her mates out, her arms wrapped around herself.

Nich looks over the candidates with critical eyes, finally nodding from 
her place off to the side.

Aisha nods politely to Laerth, Leilanth and then their riders. She moves 
swiftly to her position in the semi-circle. Fingers curl around the hem 
of her robe.

Selenay holds her place in the line, until her turn comes to step up. 
She curtseys briefly to Laerth and Leilanth, then takes her place in the 
semi-circle, glancing behind her to the galleries.

Jaen bows slightly, respectfully, as she passes Leilanth and Laerth.

Kayne steps into his place, watching the eggs with a critical eye.

Jalaea nods respectfully to the great queen and her mate and each of 
their riders.

Rafe takes a place near the center of the semi-circle, not quite knowing 
what to do.

Covalt reaches for Chel's hand, and looks sire and dam over, before 
nodding once to each, and taking her place in the semicircle, shifting 
restleessly from foot to foot.

Chelsea curtsies to Leilanth and her mate.

Jaen takes a position in the semi-circle next to Jorrus.

Asfala finds a place to stand, and curtsies to Leilanth respectfully.

Jalaea enters the circle near Jaen.

Jorrus smiles broadly, his excitement quickly overcoming him. He stares 
out at the sands, keeping constant eye on Leilanth as the eggs rock.

Rosalen bows nervously to the sire and dam, and finds a place in the 
growing half-circle.

Jorrus takes Jaen's hand.

Jaen grins up at Jorrus thankfully.

Kerlyn comes out onto the hatching sands and stands with the others.

Etrigan gives the entire scene a quick once over and stands near Rosalen.

Kayne's calm finally cracks as he starts figiting.

Micaya glances down at her feet, and shifts her weight slightly. She 
moves over a few steps next to Kerlyn, licking lips that have suddenly 
gone dry.

Asfala shifts unconsciously from foot to foot, and peers out at the 
group of eggs in the center of the clutch.

Covalt's eyes scan the crowds, face pale, her eyes widening; she bites 
her lip, and turns back towards the eggs, her fingers tightening visibly 
around Chelsea's.

Several of the eggs wobble dangerously.

Kayne bites his lower lip and frowns at the eggs as if by doing so he 
can determine which will hatch first and if any will choose him.

Jalaea looks over at the egg and then at the other candidates.

Kerlyn gives Micaya a nervous look, and then shifts from foot to foot 
restlessly.

Jaen shuffles her feet slightly on the hot sand and tightens her grip on 
Jorrus's hand as the eggs begin to rock.

Rosalen looks gratefully over at Etrigan, shifting on the sands from 
foot to foot.

Etrigan swallows...an undeterminable lump blocking his throat.

Jorrus watches the eggs now, his concentration overcoming his fear a little.

There is a very loud cracking sound from the other side of the clutch, 
from where the night sky egg sits. Before your eye, a large split in the 
surface of the nearly black egg races around the girth of the egg and 
splits almost cleanly in two, revealing a large lightly brown-colored 
dragonet. The brown steps almost regally from his shards, blatantly 
ignores many of the hopeful candidates near him, and instead looks into 
the eyes of a very quiet young man who lost his parents to the Great 
Benden Storm. For the first time since his arrival at the Weyr, the 
young man smiles as he gazes into the whirling eyes of the brown.

Chelsea flashes Covalt a smile, and looks over the eggs, shivering, even 
in the intense heat of the Sands.

Aisha rolls her head on her neck. Her fingers unclench her robe. A 
glance moves from Candidate to friend to dragon to egg. Her lip 
twitches, once.

Kayne smiles, nodding to the young man who impresses, looking happy for 
him, yet his own outward nervousness increases.

A candidate tries to hide her uneasiness and apprehension, wiping at a 
few grains of sand clinging to her candidates robe.

Jorrus blinks, smiling warmly as the candidate impresses. He shifts his 
feet, still scanning the eggs, .oO Will one of these be mine? Oo.

Aisha fixes her gaze upon the emerging brown, surprised unconciously by 
the explosion.

Selenay watches the first Impression, standing very still despite the 
hot sands on bare feet. She smiles crookedly, then turns nervously to 
scan the galleries, half lifting a hand at someone she can't see.

Rosalen watches in awe as the brown finds his lifemate. She stops still 
for a minute, before the heat of the sands causes her to start shifting 
nervously again.

Asfala steps back a bit at the abrupt hatching and rubs her arms.

Jalaea smiles at the candidate and his dragon.

Jehrina nods to the new weyrling, smiling gently at him.

Covalt's shoulders heave in a sigh, and her grip on Chelsea's hand 
relaxes... she shakes her head a little, lips moving silently.

P'tran grins at the Impression and leans back against his bronze

Micaya watches the first Impression intently, the corners of her mouth 
lifting in happiness for the boy and his new lifemate. The smile doesn't 
quite reach her eyes, however, and they remain wide and scared looking.

Etrigan gives Rosalen a reassuring nod.

Nich smiles at the first impression and nods in satisfaction. Off to a 
good start.

W'liam emerges from the candidate barracks.

Asfala turns her head this way and that to look over the whole clutch 
again, and then turns back to the center group.

Jehrina nods to the Weyrlingmaster and her assistants.

Kerlyn swallows apprehensively, still looking around as if she finds the 
whole experience surreal.

P'tran smiles at Cerilla and W'liam before turning his attention back to 
the rocking eggs on the sands.

Kayne shakes his head suddenly as if to shake off a sort of daze that 
came over him and he smiles nervously around the semi-circle of 
Candidates before returning quickly to the eggs.

Nich smiles to Cerilla and W'liam, gesturing for them to join her, eyes 
then looking toward the clutch again, on the look-out for another 
impression.

A candidate glances at the other candidates, as if unsure how to handle 
himself. He first attempts to emulate the others, but finally falls into 
a calmer stance and waits.

Aisha brushes a beading drop of sweat from her nose, as the chaos erupts 
around her.

Cerilla heads across the sands after a nod to W'liam, and smiles as she 
nears Nich and Jehrina.

The dark reddish milkwort egg hatches with a thunderous crack, 
depositing a glissening green hatchling onto the sands.

W'liam heads over toward Nich, watching the action as he goes.

Scrambled-egg egg shudders in the sands.

A candidate steps briskly away as a green hatchling nearly stumbles into 
her, then again as it falls against her leg. Suddenly her jaw drops as 
realization strikes her, and she bends down to gaze into the greenUs 
whirling eyes.

Etrigan ignores the pain in his feet and focuses his attention on the 
eggs at hand.

Asfala rubs the bottom of her right foot on the top of the left one, and 
then switches, watching the new hatchling.

Jalaea hops a little from foot to foot and eyes the impressions with a grin.

Scrambled-egg egg wobbles, shaking the sand off of its shell as it jerks 
to one side.

Kayne plants his feet firmly, if very uncomfortably in the sands in an 
attempt, however feeble, at withstanding the rush of motion and emotion 
around him.

Jorrus forgets about how hot the sands are as his eyes haze over. He 
looks out one last time to Jehrina and P'tran, turning to nod at 
Leilanth and Laerth. He exhales and focuses on the sands now, and only 
the sands.


Scrambled-egg egg cracks, spilling a Ocean blue Dragonet to the sands.
	This blue tumbles out of his shell, his eyes whirling rapidly. As he 
picks himself up, he shakes his wings, sending sands spraying everywhere. He 
BUGLES his the announcement of his presence to everyone, and then checks 
himself over, as if inspecting himself for damage, showing the deep, midnight 
blue of his hide, dark as the deepest parts of the ocean. The heat from the 
sands quickly begins to dry him, revealing lighter streaks along his body, 
looking like the tops of cresting waves.

Selenay clasps her hands behind her back and lifts her feet, glancing 
down at the hot sands, then peering up at the moving eggs from behind 
her bangs. 

Chelsea ohhhs

Asfala winces at the strident bugle, and almost backs behind the 
candidate next to her.

Kayne smiles, nodding at the blue hatching, watching his cyan hide as if 
mesmerized.

Jalaea grins at the new hatchling and moves uncomfortably again.

Cerilla smiles at the blue, nodding in satisfaction as she leans over to 
mutter to Nich.

Micaya wipes her palms, already damp from both heat and nerves, on the 
sides of her robe. As she sees another egg hatch, her gaze focuses on 
the newest dragonet, a dark blue. She shivers at the bugle.

Jorrus watches the blue intently while keeping watch on the other 
rocking eggs.

Covalt glances about her, and, all of a sudden, visibly relaxes. A small 
grin teases at her lips, and she chuckles softly, curling her toes in 
the sand.

Jaen licks her lips and stands still for an instant as she looks at the 
blue hatchling.

Kerlyn's toes curl up in the hot sands, and she steps back involuntarily 
as the small blue tumbles out of his shell.

Kayne suddenly notices his half-buried feet and makes a small leap, 
trying to cool them.

Rosalen smiles at the spirit of the little blue, her eyes darting across 
the clutch as she licks her dry lips.

Rafe wobbles on his hot feet, but his head whips around as he gets 
startled by the loud bugle.

Aisha glances to Jorrus, briefly, and then the blue.

Nich laughs at Cerilla's comment. "Yeah," she replies."Lookit Aelyth 
bugling up there..."

The Ocean blue dragonet takes another hop from his shards, snapping his 
tail around to rid himself of the last remaining piece of his shell. His 
madly whirling eyes descend on the candidates around him and he gives 
yet another loud BUGLE towards them.

Jehrina grins at the blue, and looks at Nich. "Figures. Aelyth never 
could keep quiet."

Cerilla chuckles at Nich, glancing upwards to the dragons on the ledge.

Jaen glances at Jorrus, whose gaze is fixed on the rocking eggs.

Nich grins at Jehrina. "Yup. Likes telling Kimmy she's not as good a 
flier as he is."

Chelsea chuckles softly, "Loud little guy...

Asfala winces again at the bugle, but this time was ready for it, and 
stands her ground.

A candidate with the muscular build of a seacrafter shows obvious signs 
of anxiety, glancing towards the stands searching for a familiar and 
supportive face.

Kayne winces at the bellow, chuckling quietly as to be nearly inaudible.

Covalt murmurs, quite audibly, to Chel, "I'm glad I'm not the poor 
wherry who'll feed *him!*"

Leilanth hummmms louder, her eyes whirling slowly as she watches her 
children choose mates.

Micaya shivers again at the second bugle from the blue, her hands coming 
together in front of her. She entwines her fingers to stop their 
trembling, and shifts her weight, biting her lip at the heat.

Rosalen cocks her head at the blue hatchling, watching him search for 
someone... LOUDLY.

Kerlyn takes another step backwards, though a smaller one this time, 
glancing apprehnsively at Micaya, then at the candidate in the other 
side of her.

Aisha takes an unconcious step backwards at the blue's bugle. A furative 
glance about the sands brings her back into the semi-circle.

Rafe tears his eyes from the blue and scans the galleries, but doesn't 
seem to find what he's looking for.

Jorrus looks around at the candidates in front of the blue. He looks 
curious now, more than nervous.

Etrigan is still covering his eyes.

Selenay smiles at the blue, looking hopeful when its faceted eyes look 
towards her group of girls. She glances towards the hovering Leilanth 
and holds her ground.

The ocean blue dragonet almost seems to bounce as he heads over the 
sands, giving yet another bugle, this time towards his mother, before 
scrambling towards the candidates again. He seems to stop before on 
young lad and considers, then snaps his gaze away and continues across 
the sands. 

Cerilla sweeps an evaluating glance over the Candidates, then looks over 
towards W'liam on the other side of the sands.

Kayne's smile increases in size, the more he watches the boisterous 
little blue search for his lifemate.

W'liam stands quietly, watching.

Etrigan realizes he's holding his breath and exhales. 

Chelsea grins, "He likes you, W'liam. :)

Rosalen turns her head to scan the moving eggs, before returning to her 
observation of the blue.

Micaya darts a nervous glance towards Kerlyn, before returning her gaze 
to the blue dragonet. She laces her fingers together more tightly, in an 
effort to control her anxiety.

Asfala's eyes follow the blue, and she hops around less, her feet 
getting used to the heat a little.

Kerlyn's feet become uncomfortabley hot and she shifts again, smileing 
tentatively as Cerilla's gaze sweeps over her group. Biting her lower 
lip she looks back across the sands and the eggs, and the blue hatchling.

W'liam chuckles quietly. "I think Sleath'd object."

Jalaea looks over at Jaen near her and then looks back to the blue, 
forgetting her feet again.

Cerilla sighs, looking over at Nich. "He'll be keeping the lot awake 
nights, I can see it now."

Covalt comments, humour a little shaky, "But he's have twice as much 
chance of winning Flights!"

Aisha looks at Cerilla, starts, and lifts a foot quickly from the sands.

Jaen smiles in encouragement at Jalaea, and shifts back and forth, ball 
to heel, on the hot sands.

Nich grins impudently. "Not my problem, 'rilla."

Jorrus chuckles as he watches the blue, quickly looking back to an egg 
moving nearby.

The sable egg rocks for a few moments, and then stops. It sits for 
several minutes, and just when people's attention is starting to shift 
elsewhere, it begins rocking again, almost frantically. From out of the 
blackness of the shell, a glistening wingtip appears. The wingtip 
wriggles about, finally becoming an entire dragonet as a light-colored 
bronze makes his way out of the remains of his shell. He fans his wings, 
flicking off bits of the shell, before moving down the line of 
candidates. He turns, and stops, looking directly up into the eyes of an 
older boy from the seacraft. The boy exclaims joyously, and moves off to 
the edge of the sands under the watchful eye of the weyrlingmaster.

Kayne winces and balances on one foot, holding the other in his hands 
with a slight wince as he tries to cool it somewhat with his cooler hands.

Jaen ahhs as the bronze and the seacraft boy impress.

Ocean Blue dragonet stops again by another boy, and is about to look in 
his direction when something ... or someone ... catches his eye over by 
a large cluster of female candidates. He gives another bugle, unusually 
loud considering how young he is, and makes a straightline dash for them!

Cerilla grins at Nich, and looks up to the ledges. "Maybe Varq'll be 
able to keep a hold on him he seems to have a similar frame of mind."

Jalaea grins widely at the new Weyrling and shouts, "Congrats!"

Aisha steps to the side, bumping Asfala.

Rosalen's head snaps towards the sound of the joyful shout, and she 
bites her lip as she sees the delight reflected on the lucky boy's face.

Jorrus blinks, eyes flittering between the bronze and the charging blue.

Kerlyn smiles happily and whispers to Micaya, "Did you see he got a 
bronze- " then freezes again as the blue heads towards another group at 
high speed.

Cerilla takes the cue and guides the new bronzerider to a shaded, 
sheltered corner of the grounds.

Micaya turns her head to watch the bronze Impress, her smile reaching 
her eyes this time. She turns back to jump slightly as she spies the 
blue charging, and she steps closer to Kerlyn in an effort to keep out 
of the way.

Asfala is knocked out of her trance by Aisha and, smiling at her, nudges 
her back comfortingly.

Covalt comments, 'So it wasn't a green..." Then she trails off, looking 
suddenly worried...

Kayne grins at the boy and his bronze, glancing at the blue to be sure 
he's not in the way of its headlong charge, as /he'd/ most likely be the 
one hurt.

Nich smiles. "You'd better hope so..." Her eyes focus on the hatchlings 
staggering about, looking to see if another one's impressed, and her 
expression is surprised at the bronze's choice. "Fancy that." 

Selenay shifts her weight slightly, watching the blue dragonet make its 
way towards the girls, giving a tentative smile.

Chelsea chuckles softly.

Aisha shakes her head, quickly, towards Asfala, and continues her escape 
from the charging blue, further out of his path.

Rafe smiles for his friend's Impression, but only for a moment before 
fixing his eyes back on the blue.

Jalaea watches the hatchling and shifts her weight again slightly.

Cerilla heads back onto the sands, looking far more comfortable than the 
Candidates in her thick-soled boots. She takes her place beside Nich 
again, looking over the rocking eggs.

Ocean blue dragonet barrels over to the female candidates, sending one 
or two scattering, then seems to concentrate his attention around where 
Covalt, Roselan, and Jaen appear to be standing, and pauses a moment ..

Feldspar Pink egg rocks a bit in the sands.

Jorrus watches his friends, smiling as the blue nears.

Chelsea watches him, squeezing Covalt's hand nervously

Feldspar Pink egg nearly rolls over as it jerks about in the sand.

Rosalen holds her breath as the blue makes its way to her side, 
impatiently. "Quinath?" she asks loudly, before throwing her arms around 
the blue.

Kayne smiles at the blue and his careful perusion of the women.

Aisha composes herself with an apologetic smile to Asfala and resumes 
her position. Her back stiffens, and she stands up straighter.


Feldspar Pink egg cracks, spilling a Rusty brown Dragonet to the sands.
	The hide of this rather small brown is streaked with faint accents of 
rusty red, wispy lines of dusky reddish hue that begin near the haunches and 
move along the back and skirt about the wingshoulders. When he spreads his 
delicately translucent wings, the light shows the wingsails to be a mottled 
mixture of brown and rust-red, in sharp contrast to the dark brown of the 
wingbones. When his tail comes into view, you can see that it bears a very 
faint, barely-visible reddish accent that starts near the body and fades about 
halfway to the tailfork.

Jaen grins incredulously as Rosalen impresses the blue.

Selenay looks disappointed, but watches the blue from her stance some 
meters away, then turns to let her eyes drift over the other rocking eggs. 

Micaya turns slightly to watch the blue dragonet, a small smile 
appearing as she studies it. At Rosalen's words, her smile widens, until 
her whole face lights up, and she whispers, "Congratulations!" to her friend.

Covalt blinks, startled, then shakes her head almost  
mournfully..."Caught, well and truly..."

Kerlyn's weight is shifted back to her other foot, her eyes scanning out 
over the eggs and hatchlings. She grins suddenly and claps "Oh Ros! "

The speckled vintage red egg, having been sitting at an odd angle since 
it was clutched, finally falls over, a small crack along its length. The 
fall makes the crack widen and the egg splits, revealing a 
brightly-colored blue dragonet. The dragonet tries to take a step  
forward but catches his tailfork on part of his shards. He yanks it loose, 
sending a piece of shell flying towards Leilanth. Not even noticing, the 
blue stumbles, bumbles, and tumbles his way into a shy girl from Half-Circle, 
knocking her over. Bruised but otherwise not hurt, the girl looks up at 
the blue and gives a cry of joy as she finds her lifemate.

W'liam smiles at Rosalen, gesturing her to lead her new friend off the 
sands.

Jorrus smiles broadly, eyes wide, mumbling to himself, "Rosalen..

Kayne grins, murmuring congratulations to Rosalen.

P'tran smiles at Rosalen as the energetic blue finds his lifemate before 
crashing into something or someone

Asfala smiles introspectively, watching Rosalen's Impression, almost 
transfixed for a moment. 

Chelsea beams at Rosalen

Jalaea mutters something to herself about flirtatious blue dragons and 
grins widely, "Congratulations, Rosalen!"

Etrigan smiles at Rosalen, nodding knowingly.

Jaen blinks and renews her grip on Jorrus's hand as she surveys the 
chaos around her!

Rosalen glances incredulously at her friends, but quickly follows 
W'liam's motion to move to the edge of the sands to feed Quineth. 

Cerilla chuckles, shaking her head at the next blue and says wryly, 
"Can't wait for /that/ one to start flying..." She grins, watching the eggs.

Jorrus holds Jaen's hand tightly, and more than a bit reassuringly.

P'tran smiles again at Rosalen and looks back towards the rocking eggs.

Aisha looks over to Rosalen and Quinath.

Kayne glances around quickly, his smarting feet for a moment forgotten 
as he ensures no flailing dragonets are too close to hurting him or 
anyone else nearby.

Jalaea's eyes scan the galleries and she finally sees her twin and waves 
to her before returning her gaze to the hatchlings.

Wenda shifts from side to side, hardly noticing the first impressions as 
her eyes focus on her Golden egg.

The Rusty brown dragonet lifts himself out of the sands, fanning his 
wings in the heat of the cavern. He turns to his mother, and lets out a 
small rumble. Leilanth warbles gently back to her small brown son, and 
he begins to make his way over to a small group of boys clustered on the 
sands nearby.

Nich grins as Aelyth bugles his head off from his ledge.

W'liam hmms, looking approvingly at a new brown.

Meldor glances for a moment at the brown dragonet, then ignores it, 
looking around for something else.

Kayne quirks a smile at the brown's rumble, a firm look coming into his 
eyes as if the mere sight of his subdued brown lent his nervous knees 
strength.

P'tran grins and looks over to Cerilla and W'liam as the brown emerges.

Selenay's eyes unglaze and turn to look at the large queen, when she 
warbles. She smiles and glances down at the determined young brown.

Meldor steps back a little, watching the brown.

Cerilla points out the brown quietly to Nich and Jehrina. "At least /he/ 
seems more well-behaved than some I could mention." She winks, looking 
up at the ledges.

Covalt heaves a soft sigh. "Just like our babies, you know, Chel..."

Micaya turns to regard the rusty brown, her hands moving to twist in the 
sides of her robe once more. She shifts her weight, licking her dry lips.

Jorrus looks over at the eggs, smiling as more and more seem to be 
rocking now.

Jalaea looks at the brown dragon and grins at his rumble.

Chelsea chuckles softly at her, "Oh?"

Jaen follows the path of Wenda's gaze and chuckles.

Wenda grumbles a little as the brown interferes with her view of the Gold egg.

Kerlyn glances around once more, catching Selenay's eyes and smiling 
nervously before her glance follows the trail of hatchling clawmarks up 
to the new hatched brown.

Laerth continues to hummmmmmmmmm loudly as more eggs crack and give 
birth to creeling hatchlings in search of their lifemates

Asfala catches Jaen's remark and smiles a bit, glancing again at Wenda 
before returning to watch the brown.

Selenay relaxes suddenly into a mischievous grin, winking at Kerlyn and 
indicating the human footprints made by the entering Candidates. She 
looks back at the eggs.

Cerilla wipes her brow with her shirtsleeve, glancing up again at 
Varquith on the ledges above as she watches the little brown make his 
way amongst the Candidates.

Kayne can't seem to look in enough directions at once as he cranes his 
neck, trying to follow the path of every hatchling breaking out of its 
egg and skreeching, rumbling, bugling and warbling inevitably toward the 
one with whom they will spend the rest of their days.

Aisha frowns. She follows a few of the fledglings, as her head twists to 
catch their motion.

Jalaea's gaze shifts to Wenda and her mouth purses with dislike as she 
sees the girl's obvious obsession with the gold egg.

The dark forest green egg rocks to and fro, an obvious struggle taking 
place within. With a hollow ripping sound, a large chunk of the egg 
breaks free and falls to the sands. Moments later, a brilliant antique 
bronze hatchling claws its way to freedom.

Jorrus shifts his feet again, looking out at some of the far eggs with a 
smile. .oO Is that the black one out there? Oo.

The Rusty brown dragonet warbles, wandering in and out amongst the 
candidates, searching for his mate. He leaves the group of boys, 
wandering almost aimlesly towards another group of candidates..

Micaya's eyes stray over to catch a glimpse of some eggs off to the left 
side of the sands, before returning to the hatchling nearest her. Her 
posture is tense, and one hand goes up, almost of its own volition, to 
wipe some sweat droplets from her forehead.

A candidate kneels down before the bronze hatchling, holding up a hand 
to prevent the newborn from backwinging sand into his face in its 
excitement. The pair's impression is immediately obvious in the bronze's 
throaty bugles.

An egg on the far side of the cavern that looks like it got brought 
directly from the snow near the mountains of High Reaches wobbles 
uncertainly in the sands. Finally, it cracks open, leaving a pitifully 
creeling green in the hot sand. She lifts her lovely head, and creels 
again, lifting herself up, beginning a long walk towards the candidates. 
She passes by one girl, and then by a small cluster of boys, seemingly 
uninterested. Once she passes them, she turns back, She stops in front 
of a youngster and creels a final time, causing several candidates to 
wince. The boy blinks, looking down at the green, and smiles happily. 
Several of his friends grin, offering a quiet, "Congratulations, R'fe." 
though they know he won't hear it.

Etrigan's eyes widen at the green and he watches in awe.

Covalt frowns. "You'd think that brown'd find plenty over there.." she 
gestures a little towards the boys, bent towards Chel.

Jaen's eyes wander over the clutch, pausing on the gold egg, which shows 
no cracks as yet.

Chelsea smiles at Covalt, not commenting

Aisha glances to Jorrus across the way.

Kerlyn glances sideways at Micaya and reaches out a hand to give her 
friend's shoulder a comforting squeeze, "It's ok, Mica.. " though her 
eyes don't leave the mass of scrambling hatchlings and rocking eggs.

Kayne glances toward Aisha, trying to see if any of the hatchlings have 
approached her yet.

Jorrus looks out following Wenda's gaze and smiles, entranced by the 
gold himself. He turns to look out as some of his friends, wondering if 
any will be impressing her. Aisha? Selenay? Micaya? Who could it be? 
Maybe Kery? Jaen? 'fala? Covalt? He turns quickly, noticing another egg 
moving, Chelsea? Jalaea?

The Rusty brown dragonet stops, seeing prints from one of his siblings 
in the sand. Ignoring the candidates clustered around him, he follows 
them along. Several of the candidates just shake their heads as they 
watch, bemused.

Cerilla watches as one of her assistants guides a new dragonpair off the 
sands, then turns back to the brown hatchling, watching curiously.

Micaya extends her hand quickly, fumbling but managing to give Kerlyn's 
hand a squeeze back. She murmurs, "Thanks," softly, her eyes locked on 
the newly hatched dragonets and unbroken eggs as well. 

Chelsea grins, "Fussy little one..

Jalaea chuckles at the young brown, "He seems to know what he's doing."

Kayne can't help but start laughing as he watches the brown bemusedly, 
his own attention following the footprints to see in which direction the 
footprints will lead the little fellow.

Aisha's eyes move to Kayne. Her hand lingers on her face to flick away a 
bead of sweat. Her expression hardens.

Kerlyn giggles softly as her attention is captured by the curious rust 
colored brown, and she shifts her weight to the other foot, lifting her 
right a few inches off the sands for a moment.

Covalt murmurs, teasingly..."Maybe he wants you..." to Chel, snickering.

Asfala watches the brown, puzzled.

Nich watches that strange brown herself, eyes also watching for any new 
weyrling pair that needs help. "Varq wasn't like that," she comments to 
'rilla. 

Cerilla arches a brow at the little brown and murmers to Nich, "He'll be 
easy to teach.. just put footie prints on the ground."

Chelsea chuckles, "Me? Nah..."

The sunset orange egg crumbles into the sand as a strong green hatchling 
bursts out and moves quickly away, ignorant of the shards she crunches 
over. Trying valiantly not to walk lopsided and drag one wingtip, she 
heads straight for a young boy in Candidates robes. As the hatchling 
looks into his eyes, he almost faints!

Cerilla rolls her eyes at Nich. "To say the least." She smirks, "I'm 
glad he's not, that'd be too much to handle, in one weyr."

The Rusty brown dragonet stops, looking at a small group of candidates. 
He looks one boy up and down carefully, and then moves away, not seeing 
the boy's sudden crestfallen look. He stops again, looking up into the 
eyes of a pale girl with curly auburn hair.

The flaxen egg which had barely budged since the other eggs began 
rocking gives a sudden violent shake! It literally pops out of the sand 
piled around it by Leilanth and rolls a few meters before abruptly 
shattering in two and depositing a very small green hatchling on the 
sands. She gives a distressed cry as her muzzle plunges into the hot 
sands. Several candidates nearly step forward to help before remembering 
themselves, but she recovers on her own and looks past the ones that 
wanted to help, giving an urgent croon. She barrels through them and 
tumbles into a shy boy from Nerat. His startled expression turns to joy 
as he looks into the eyes of his new lifemate.

Selenay slowly eases her held breath out of her lungs, cautiously taking 
another one, spreading her feet further apart, just under her shoulders 
and watching silently.

Jaen drops Jorrus's hand for a second to push her hair back. She starts 
as the brown dragonet stops near her.
Jaen grins, and says horsely, "His name is Notreth!"

Micaya turns her head towards Jaen, holding her breath as the brown 
dragonet approaches her friend. Her fingers tighten on the sides of her 
robes, and then she lets out her breath with a whoosh, beaming at Jaen.

Covalt whoops, softly, and bounces once, then looks a little startled at 
herself.

Matte onyx egg wriggles in the sands.

Jorrus blinks at the proximity of the brown, eyes wet now as he watches 
Jaen, "Notreth.." he smiles.

Kerlyn bites her lip and watches the sudden impression transfixed, then 
a broad grins splits her face, "Oh Jaen!.. " and she claps a few times.

Cerilla smiles and approaches Jaen and Notreth, helping them off the sands.

Kayne smiles and nods, calling out a congratulations to Jaen over the 
din which threatens to all but silence his shout.

W'liam bounces on his heels, clearly pleased. A new brown. Lovely.

Jaen stares into the eyes of the lovely brown and kneels on the sands 
before it, ignoring the heat.

Aisha's staunch expression turns to a smile for Jaen.

P'tran grins broadly at Jaen, then smiles softly at her. He looks over 
to Cerilla. "What do you think Varquith will think of him?"

Jehrina grins at Jaen, and the other new riders as Leilanth continues to 
hummmmm.

Asfala grins happily at Jaen. She turns back to the eggs, wringing her 
hands nervously.

Jalaea laughs as Jaen Impresses and says, "Congratulations, Jaen!"

Almost in slow motion, an egg with a strong resemblance to burned 
parchment begins to crack. Slowly... so slowly, a maze of dark lines, 
looking like more burns make their way down the sides of the egg. Then, 
in sudden contrast to his hatching, an energetic, electric blue 
hatchling bursts out of the shell, tripping over himself in his haste to 
find his lifemate. He runs from one candidate, to the next, barely 
giving them enough time to get out of the way. One girl doesn't move 
quite fast enough, and he runs across her foot. She cries out, and the 
blue stops to look at her. He warbles softly, almost apologetically at 
her. Through her tears, she smiles, saying. "I'll be fine.. it's alright."

Matte onyx egg wobbles rapidly, the sand around it trembling.

Jaen rises and gently leads Notreth off towards the side.


Matte onyx egg shatters into pieces, revealing a Swirled bronze Dragonet.
	Emerging from his shell, this young fellow is obviously sure of 
himself. He is a deep bronze, looking almost brown while he's still wet. As he 
begins to dry, however, an odd pattern across his hide becomes visible. Hints 
of blue and green streak across his back and wings, and a subtle, spinning 
pattern, an almost hypnotic effect. He looks over the group of white robed 
candidates carefully, as if testing them for something.

Cerilla grins at W'liam, shrugging. "Depends on how he likes snow, I guess."

Rosalen looks up from feeding Quinath to murmur a congratulations to Jaen.

Jalaea steps over to where Jaen had been standing, shrinking the circle.

W'liam chuckles. "Never too many browns, you know."

Cerilla looked at P'tran and said that too.

P'tran smirks at both Cerilla and W'liam

Jorrus turns from smiling at Jaen to watch the blue and the bronze, eyes 
focuses and sharp as they begin to move about.

Nich laughs out loud. "Brownriders," she mutters.

Kayne frowns at the sudden appearance of the bronze, looking over heads 
to see. The corner of his mouth curls in a slight smile as he sees the 
bronze's confidence.

Micaya looks at the new bronze with interest, her eyes showing 
appreciation for his fine coloration. She reaches up once more to wipe a 
few droplets of sweat off the side of her nose.

Covalt ooos softly...

Meldor begins to step forward, straight to the Bronze. He stops after two 
steps.

Chelsea says "Pretty.."

Jehrina grimaces at Cerilla. "Last thing Benden needs is another Varquith."

Selenay squints her eyes at the newest dragonet, hatched not far from 
her, trying to discern his colour beneath the egg membrane.

Jalaea overhears Jehrina's remark and looks at her, grinning.

Asfala pushes her long hair back behind her. She frowns as she sees 
Meldor step forward.

Aisha glances to Meldor. Then Kayne.

Kerlyn shivers unaccountably on the hot sands, her interest captured by 
the weyrling pairs off to the side. After a moment she glances back 
around, wondering who of her friends are left.

Kayne's slight smile breaks into a full grin as the colors of the bronze 
come out as he dries. He nods in appreciation unconsciously.

There is an odd movement from a part of the sands where it looks like at 
first there is no egg, until you realize that it is the egg that is 
colored almost exactly like the sands. The egg becomes more obvious once 
it bounces a moment later and cracks open the next. A brown emerges from 
the shards, colored only a slightly darker shade than his shell. He 
slowly makes his way through the candidates, some of which are surprised 
to see a hatchling come from that direction, until he stops before a 
young man from Bitra. The brown seems to scrutinize the young man for a 
few moments before "allowing" him to Impress. The Bitran struggles to 
retain is quiet composure as he inwardly rejoices in finding his lifemate.

Etrigan ponders the entire event whist chewing his lip.

Cerilla eyes Jehrina amusedly. "Although it wouldn't be the same without 
him." She chuckles, and moves to help another pair off the sands.

Meldor stands proudly, trying to attract the bronze's attention by 
standing tall.

The swirled bronze appears the scrutinize the first group of candidates, 
the ones closest to his egg when he hatched. Obviously something in them 
was not to his liking for he turns away from them, his tail swinging 
around and kicking up sand that splatters against the robes of several 
other candidates as he passes.

Nich smiles at the impression of the Bitran boy and the brown, and she 
looks up into the galleries to another Bitran brownrider of her 
acquaintance, flashing him a smirk. She then nods to 'rilla's comment. 

Kayne smiles his happiness for the distant young Bitran, but returns his 
attention to the bronze as if finding his color aesthetically pleasing.

Jorrus watches the bronze now, though every now and then his eyes 
flicker up to Leilanth. He moves a little to the side, not closer, 
though separating himself a little from the others, taking up Jaen's old 
place. 

Etrigan eyes the bronze in awe.

Chelsea grins to Cov, "Think he's yours. :)

Asfala nods as she watches the brown Impress, as if she approves.

The creamy-grey mussel shell egg twitches spasmotically as several 
cracks spread across its surface, before finally collapsing completely. 
A confused green hatchling steps out from the jumble of shards.

Rayke lifts one eyebrow, watching Meldor sardonically for a moment, and 
then dismissing the brazen youth with a chuckle. The young man stands in 
place with confidence.

Laerth gives a short bugle to annouce the birth of the bronze, then 
resumes his insistent hummmmmmmmm....

Jalaea smiles at Jorrus as he is now near her and shifts her weight again.

P'tran rolls his eyes up at Laerth. "I think they can tell already that 
it's a bronze, you beast." He says with grin.

A candidate hurries forward to support the green hatchling from the 
Mussel shell egg, whispering a stream of reassuring phrases. As the 
hatchlings cries modulate into a rhythmic trilling, he announces "Her 
name is Wiveth..."

Leilanth hums in a deeper tone than Laerth, looking more smug than ever 
as she watches her children one the sands.

Micaya wipes the back of her hand across her forehead, brushing off the 
sweat. Her hand swings down to her side, carelessly rubbing the wetness 
off on her robe. She smiles as she sees one friend after another 
Impress, thrilled for them.

Simultaneously, a pair of eggs hatch, and the candidates near them 
scatter. Out of the shards of a pale egg with the color of moss steps a 
small dark brown, the color of M'kla's infamous klah. The other egg, one 
that looks somewhat hazy, comes apart, revealing a perfectly-proportioned 
little green. The hatchlings bugle at their parents, and then stumble, 
towards each other, it appears. When they meet, they look each other 
over. The brown snorts, and the green warbles. They turn in opposite 
directions, the brown moving towards a solitary boy from Benden Hold. 
The boy's eyes alight with happiness as he kneels in the sands. The 
green looks over a knot of girls, examing each one as if a prospective 
buyer. She walks along the side of the group, stopping in front of a 
tiny blond girl from the smithcraft, warbling imperiously. The girl nods 
rapidly, her eyes fixed on the hatchling.

Covalt snickers..."I like women well enough, dearlove, but it stops there..."

W'liam smirks at P'tran. Too bad it wasn't another brown. :)

Aisha takes a deep breath, and slowly lets it escape her lungs. A glance 
to her friends.

Cerilla nods with a smile as another Brown impresses, giving a wry 
glance to the ledges as Varquith trumpets yet again. She mutters 
something at him a moment, then turns her attention to a newly impressed 
pair.

Asfala peers back at the center of the clutch, concentrating on one egg 
in there. She steps back a bit, and scans the galleries for a moment. 

P'tran Grins at W'liam. "Thay can't ALL be browns, you know ..."

Kerlyn shifts her weight uneasily again, flashing Aisha a quick smile.

Sariana looks at the little green with awe, her heavydark hair swinging 
about her shoulders.

Jehrina chuckles up at Laerth, resting more heavily against Leilanth. 
She throws a mock-glare at P'tran. "Next time, I'm no' goin' ta be ready 
ta have a baby when it's hatching time."

W'liam chuckles. "One can hope."

Kayne notices Aisha and flashes her a smile before resuming his frank 
appraisal of the hatchling bronze. He gazes steadily and curiously as if 
trying to size up the bronze's strength and potential.

Aisha winks to Kerlyn, just so. She gestures with herhead towards the 
activity surrounding the newly impressed Benden boy and girl.

Meldor waits patiently for the bronze dragonet, pointedly ignoring the 
other males behind him.

Cerilla nods at W'liam. "True. Only a select /few/ can be brown." She 
grins, elbowing W'liam as she walks by with a new dragon and her lifemate.

The swirled bronze now heads over to a small cluster of male candidates 
and stops. He sweeps his gaze over all of them, his tail twitching 
behind him, his eyes a rainbow whirl. He moves forward, a little toward 
Kayne and Jorrus, sometimes taking a look in Etrigan's direction. He 
gets that scrutizing look again.

Jorrus watches the bronze still, smiling happily.

Sun Stream Golden Egg rocks a bit in the sands.

Jorrus's eyes focus on the bronze, looking to see if he looks at him.

W'liam *nods* to Cerilla.

Etrigan's eyes widen.

The jessamine egg has been rocking for some time now without making much 
progress. Finally a claw manages to break throught the shell, just where 
the brownish patch is. The egg rolls over once more until finally it 
splits in two and a blue dragonet tumbles out head-over-claw and plops 
down onto the sands. Before anyone can react, he scrambles to his feet 
and bounces about the sands in almost a playful manner, until stopping 
before a boy who is chuckling at some humorous comment made by another 
Candidate. The boy takes a half-step back in surprise, pauses, then 
throws his arms around the neck of the blue after looking into his eyes.

Meldor's face screws into an angry pout as the bronze passes him by.

Kayne's eyes open slightly, as if taken aback that the bronze is 
approaching him. He quickly glances around to see if anyone else might 
be standing around the hatchling could be heading towards.

Kerlyn nods quickly and grins at Aisha, then stops suddenly, her eyes 
catching motion around the golden egg.

Micaya catches a glimpse of the golden egg rocking, and looks 
surreptitiously over in Wenda's direction to see if she noticed.

Sun Stream Golden Egg cracks, sending a puzzle of dark markings along 
the side of the egg.

Selenay glances towards the male candidates, unclasping her hands to 
tuck a stray blonde tendril into her long braid. She licks her lips 
against the heat and nervousness and watches the bronze.

Jorrus barely notices the golden egg he becomes more and more entranced 
by the mighty bronze before him.

Chelsea focuses on the golden egg.

The light speckled grey egg tumbles from its resting position, rolling a 
few meters before coming to an abrupt halt against the shards of another 
egg. Tiny creeling sounds can be heard inside, when suddenly a green 
hatchling with whirling eyes is hatched from the egg.


Sun Stream Golden Egg cracks apart, depositing a Burnished Gold Dragonet 
onto the sands.
	Emerging from her shell, she looks out, taking in everything. The 
light of the cavern appears to almost settle on her wings. She stands up, out 
of the ruins of her shards, her eyes peering over the candidates. As she walks 
onto the sands, more details of her color are noticeable. She is somewhat dark 
in color, similar to her mother, but looks almost as if she is in need of 
polish, being a color similar to brass.

Aisha follows the wink with a hot-footed smile, expectant, to Jorrus and 
Kayne. She looks.

Asfala's attention is pulled back to the Sands as the golden egg rocks.

Nich gets up on her toes, looking over the chaos as the gold egg starts 
rocking urgently, eyes narrowing to watch the scene unfold.

Cerilla hrms. "The blues in this clutch have energy to spare, it seems." 
She pauses as the gold hatchling emerges from her shell.

Jalaea looks at Meldor in exasperation, then at the bronze nearby.

Etrigan clenches his fists tightly.

Covalt shivers, and eyes the Gold, then glances at Chel..."Leilanth 
chose you..." she murmurs, softly....

The swirled bronze seems distracted for a moment by movement elsewhere, 
but quickly turns back to the matter at hand, and takes another step 
forward. His eyes seem to whirl even more insistently now, as if to say 
that the One /has/ to be over here, because it just makes /sense/ ...

Chelsea ohhhhs, "Pretty..

A candidate hugs his green hatchling's neck in exulatation, blinking 
back tears of relief and pure joy.

Micaya turns to behold the golden hatchling, and takes a deep breath, 
captivated by her appearance. She clasps her fingers together tightly, 
and bites her lip hard.

Jalaea's mouth drops open and she stares in open admiration at the 
beautiful golen hatchling. She tenses slightly.

Etrigan grins at the Swirled bronze, uncovering his damaged eye.

Kayne smiles, if somewhat incredulously that the bronze continues to 
approach and flashes the smile toward Jorrus as well.

Wenda shoves the candidate next to her so she can better see the gold.

P'tran smiles as he looks over the bronze hatchling, who is apparently 
taking his time to make just the right selection.

Jorrus stands before the bronze, offering himself to his imspection. He 
looks out warmly, eye's wider than ever. His smile increases in size as 
anxiety grips him. A bronze, this close....

Selenay notices the ripple of anticipation moving through the female 
candidates and turns her head to spy the newly-hatched gold dragonet. 
She takes another deep breath.

Asfala smiles dreamily as she takes in the sight of the pretty queen, 
then, with an air of resignation, moves backwards into the comforting 
knot of candidates.

Burnished Gold Dragonet shakes her head for a moment, getting out all 
those spinner-webs in her head. Then her wings are taken care of with an 
impatient snort. She lifts her wedge-shaped head to her dam, getting a 
croon in reply.

Leilanth hummmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmms, her voice echoing over Laerth as her 
golden daughter emerges.

Chelsea smiles a bit, "Doesna mean anything, love.."

Kayne bites his lower lip, his nervous excitement obvious now as he 
bounces slightly, his whole body seeming to vibrate with the intensity 
of his gaze.

Kerlyn shivers again, shifting her feet once more and watches the gold 
along with every other female candidate on the sands, "Oh Mica.. isn't 
she lovely.. "

Jorrus stands a little closer to Kayne now, one hand on his shoulder as 
if in mutual support. We can do it, he thinks. He's beautiful.

Covalt chuckles softly..."Being tumbled about like that by your mother, 
in the egg, would do that..." She looks to the bronze, curiously...

Aisha feels Asfala's robe brush her leg and turns at the movement. Her 
eyes fix, evaluate and brighten.

Micaya's eyes linger on the little queen, her expression momentarily 
wistful. Then, with a slight shake, she straightens her shoulders and 
schools her expression into calmness, murmuring to Kerlyn, "Yes.. oh yes."

The swirled bronze gives a short but satisfied croon. His wings unfold 
and fold once, he steps foward, and his eyes focus on his intended ..

Jaen holds her breath as the bronze dragonet nears Jorrus and Kayne.

The purple egg near the center of the clutch briefly commands attention 
as it shatters with almost no preamble. At first you think that the 
hatchling is the same oddly purple-pink color of the egg when you realize 
its only because much of the shards are stuck to the dragonet's body. 
As he flicks of pieces of shell in annoyance, you see it to a be a blue. 
That job done, he makes a straighline dash for a young man that was looking 
the other way and nearly bowls him over. A cry of alarm turns to 
sweet-sounding joy the next moment.

Jalaea looks expectantly at the bronze.

Asfala smiles at Aisha, and then looks back at the Sands, with the queen 
and other hatchlings.

Burnished Gold Dragonet realizes that she's facing the wrong way, and 
presents her face to the assemblage now, not her ... you know. Her head 
lifts in an imperious manner, and she takes a step forward, promptly 
burying her nose in hothothot sands, and she emits a plaintive bleat.

Chelsea giggles softly, "Careful, little one.. Don't injure yourself..

Jehrina watches, a smile on her face as the bronze and queen move about.

Selenay twitches, but glances towards Cerilla and doesn't move, 
well-lectured into stillness. She bites her lip, though. She glances at 
Cerilla again.

Aisha's expression tightens. Hands wipe against her robes.

Wenda manages to elbow another candidate over so she can get closer to 
the gold.

Jalaea jumps as the gold falls and looks concerned.

Micaya gasps softly, her hands clutched together and her face paling at 
the sight of the lovely gold losing her balance. She leans forward 
slightly, but doesn't take a step.

Cerilla chuckles softly, watching the dragonets on the sands.

Jorrus's eyes haze, as his face goes pale. He bursts out almost crying, 
a tear falling down his cheek. Standing prouder than he has ever felt 
before, Jorrus reaches out, touching the Bronze's eyeridges as if to see 
if this is all real. "His mane is Rodrith!" he shouts, leading him off. 

P'tran blinks as he watches the bronze make his selection.

Covalt giggles softly, then oos, and bounces softly on her feet... "Just 
like a two-turn old...but less mobile..." She swallows, then, looking a 
little nervous...

Kayne smiles at Jorrus, nodding quietly, his lips moving in a 
congratulations that surely only Jorrus can hear as he reaches out to 
touch his friend's shoulder.

W'liam dodges in amongst the grouping, leading Jorrus... er... J'rus? To 
the edge of the sands.

Jalaea chuckles at Jorrus, "Congratulations!" She adds fervently then 
looks about to find herself mostly alone on the sands.

The pale blue sky-dance egg slowly slides onto its side, the thumping 
within causing the sands beneath it to shift. A tap-tap-tapping sound 
becomes the cracking of eggshell as a deep russet brown hatchling emerges.

Kerlyn turns her head, startled by the loud shout, then her face lights 
up and she waves "Congrgatulations J'rus!.. "

Jehrina blinks, and shrugs. Leilanth rumbles down at her rider in amusement.

Asfala brushes her unmanageable hair back, and smiles at J'rus. She 
shifts her feet.

Jaen smiles in delight for her friend as Jorrus and the bronze impress.

Micaya catches a glimpse of Jorrus and the bronze from the corner of her 
eye, and beams happily for him. Then her gaze returns to study the 
little gold, eyes softening with admiration and enchantment.

Another cracking noise echoes through the cavern, this time, from a 
vibrantly-hued egg that seems to have colors dancing across the surface. 
The colors vibrate, looking almost alive for a long moment, when a green 
hatchling emerges from the riot of colors, her dark body a stark contrast to 
her shell. She steps daintily from her shards, and begins to move off 
the sand mound her egg was resting on. She trips on her wingsail, sending 
herself tumbling along the sands. A girl who looks like she's almost too 
old to be a candidate steps up, close to the green, and kneels. The green 
croons at her, and the girl smiles brightly, gently reaching over to untangle 
the wing, and then righting the dragon as they stare each other in the eyes.

Kayne stands tall again and looks out at the remaining eggs and 
hatchlings, an almost wry smile on his face.

P'tran looks from Jorrus ... er, J'rus ... to the bronze ...then looks 
again to make sure ...

The Burnished Gold Dragonet staggers up out of the sand she fell in, 
shaking her wings out impatiently. Her red eyes whirl in annoyance at 
the clinging sand. It's all the sand's fault, being so hard to walk on. 
Finally, she manages a couple of wobbly steps toward the candidates, 
avoiding the male ones like the plague.

Kayne chuckles at the movements of the gold, his eyes following her 
plaque-avoiding path with amusement.

Chelsea smile, "Slow and easy.. Don't rush..

Covalt snickers softly... "Typical," she murmurs. "She'll have 'em 
hopping to worse than her mother in half the time..."

Micaya chews on her lower lip as her eyes remain fastened on the 
burnished golden hatchling, her hands tangling in the sides of her robe.

A candidate whoops with elation, all signs of fear and worry wiped 
instantly away. He stands confidently beside his newly impressed russet 
brown hatchling.

The blazing star egg begins to rock wildly from its place removed from 
the clutch, only now showing some activity. Cracks spider across its 
surface as rolls from its place in the clutch and then shatters, dropping 
a glistening bronze on the sands, looking like he had just barely fit 
within his shell. He gives a loud bugle and nearly barrels though a cluster 
of young women that scatter just in time, and finally tumbles to the sands 
at the feet of a surprised boy from one of the small coastal holds. He 
laughs and says that the young dragon was complaining about how cramped it 
had been in that small shell.

Etrigan looks at the number of people left and the remaining eggs.

Selenay watches the gold come nearer the female candidates, and she 
takes an unconscious step closer the others, as if for security. Her 
hands grab onto her white shift.

The Burnished Gold Dragonet staggers toward the women, sizing them up 
like clothing almost, shaking her head in dissatisfaction as she 
stumbles through the gauntlet of the semicircle. She halts in front of 
Wenda, looking her up and down carefully.

Asfala watches the golden dragonet, wrapping her arms around her. She 
moves to nudge Aisha again, for security.

Etrigans eyes transfix on the bronze.

P'tran hrms as he looks over J'rus and Rodrith. Laerth gives a rumble 
behind him which sounds faintly amused. "I am /nothing/ like him, beast 
.." P'tran mutters

Young R'ke gets the congratulations of his friends, and has no look for 
Meldon, but only his lifemate bronze as he helps him towards food.

Aisha sidesteps the newly emerged bronze, again close to the Istan.

Jalaea glances about looking for the comfort of numbers and decides on 
moving closer to Kayne, her eyes still on the gold hatchling.

Micaya holds her breath as the gold pauses in front of Wenda, one hand 
coming up unconsciously to brush some sweat droplets from her forehead.

Cerilla looks with disbelief at Wenda and the gold, and shakes her head.

Jehrina glances at her weyrmate, and nods, stating simply, "Yes, You are."

Kayne beams a confident smile toward Aisha, though he doesn't suppose 
she'll see it and steps slightly sideways for Jalaea, smilingat her as 
his gaze returns to the hatchlings.

J'rus smiles, feeding Rodrith as he looks up to his weyrleaders, and 
then Rodrith's parents, Leilanth and Laerth, smiling happily as the 
bronze eats away.

Chelsea watches Wenda and the gold quietly...

Aisha smiles to Asfala. A nod and a nudge. She gestures with her chin to 
the woman's hands. 

Covalt's lips twitch...

Jalaea glances at Wenda with an eyebrow half-cocked.

Meldor rolls his eyes as he spots the gold in front of Wenda, looking 
absolutely disgusted.

The Burnished Gold Dragonet pauses just long enough to scare people, 
then snorts and moves on. Her travels bring her then to Chelsea. This 
one? She seems nice. 

Shipfish Grey egg shifts in the sands.

Kerlyn rubs her hands nervously on her fabric of her robe, unable to 
believe that this is all happening. She glances around and her murmer is 
low pitched with relief, "Not Wenda.. "

Covalt bounces softly..."Love...!"

Asfala smiles at Aisha, and shyly slips her hand into hers.

Chelsea meeps softly and looks down, too nervous to even speak.

Micaya turns slightly to behold Chelsea, face tight with tension. A 
smile slips out, wondering if her friend will be the one.

Selenay echoes Kerlyn, a relieved sigh escaping her.

P'tran smirks at Jehrina and looks over to J'rus, smiling and chucking 
softly

Meldor erupts into a loud burst of laughter.

Etrigan sighs deeply.

Shipfish Grey egg rocks again, shaking itself off of the mound of sand 
it rests in. 

Jaen lets out the breath she didn't even know she washolding, as the 
gold hatchling moves beyond Wenda.


Shipfish Grey egg splits in two, and a Dawnsmist blue Dragonet is left 
in it's place.
	Patterns of color, like fog drifting on the morning breeze cover the 
hide of this blue. He is very pale, almost gray in his lightest spots. The 
effect is even farther exaggerated down his wings, and towards the end of his 
tail, especially near the fork. As he moves out from the remains of his egg, 
he stumbles slightly, spraying a small shower of sands over himself, enhancing 
the look of fogginess.

Aisha takes Asfala's hand. For a moment her locus is Kayne, then Wenda 
then Chelsea. The slither of the gold's tail drawing her eyes across the 
sands.

Kayne frowns in confusion, his gaze wrenching from the mesmerizing hide 
of the gold hatchling to the newly cracking egg.

Nich just smirks for some reason.

Jalaea can't help but grin delightedly as Wenda is passed up. She 
quickly ducks her head so her hair hides her face until the grin is gone. 

Sariana, so young and small she's almost lost amongst the candidates, 
follows the progress of the gold with wondering eyes.

Your gaze almost passes over the rather dull and plain wrinkled-shell 
egg, as it must have on numerous occassions because of its lackluster 
look. Suddenly large cracks run along its girth and the egg shatters, 
delivering a very brightly green dragonet. The green is tiny but very 
vocal, giving a strident cry as she tries to find her lifemate, butting 
one Candidate and the other out of the way, until finally bugling insistently 
into the face of a wipsy girl from Lemos. A smile lights up the girl's face.

The Burnished Gold Dragonet snorts her dissatisfaction again. Not 
_right_. She barrels past the two women she turned down, accidentally 
stomping on Wenda's foot along the way, her mind drawn by someone... 
special. Her eyes seek out the one, and she croons in expectation of 
greeting her lifemate.

Asfala catches sight of the blue, and murmurs the first words she's said 
on the sands. "Oh, how beautiful!"

Wenda pushes her way back toward the Gold, "Here I _am_!"

Chelsea almost slumps in relieved dissapointedness. :)

Jalaea laughs and claps her hand over her mouth as the gold treads on 
Wenda's foot.

Kayne oh nos and lets his head slump into his hand at Wenda's impetuosity.

Chelsea snickers softly.

Selenay winces as Wenda thrusts her way forward. She gently uncurls her 
fingers one by one from her robe and rubs the sweat off her hands.

Micaya watches the gold move along wistfully, biting her lip harder.

Asfala's mouth drops open as she watches Wenda's display.

The Dawnsmist blue dragonet lifts himself out of the sands, shaking his 
wings again. Several candidates rub their eyes as sands fly into them. 
He stumbles again, and offers an almost shy bugle in the direction of 
his sire and dam.

P'tran raises an eyebrow at Wenda and frowns. "A fine way to get 
yourself killed on the Sands .." he mutters

Kayne scratches his nose and holds one hand over his mouth to hide the 
amused smile you can see shine in his sparkling eyes.

Covalt giggles a little hysterically... She leans back, a little, to 
give the gold a better view, toes curling into the sand,almost 
convulsively...

Leilanth rumbles enouragement to the small blue, continuing to hummmm.

Aisha frowns at Wenda, and squeezes Asfala's hand.

Jalaea watches thr gold carefully and nervously as her laughter trails 
off and she smooths her robe carefully.

The Burnished Gold Dragonet pointedly ignores Wenda, crooning 
triumphantly as she gently lashes her tail heedlessly. She lurches forward 
and stumbles into Asfala. *thud*

W'liam blinks, watching the gold dragonet crash into Asfala.

Covalt winces...

Chelsea winces

Kayne ouches.

Jalaea yelps and cringes.

Asfala falls backwards on the sand and peers up at the gold dragon over her.

P'tran looks over to Asfala anf his eyes widen at the impact of dragonet 
and candidate.

Micaya looks with worry at Asfala, holding her breath.

Wenda stares on in disbelief, not knowing if she should go on any 
further, "But, you're....

Kerlyn pushes a wisp of hair back out of her eyes, and looks with 
startlement at the displaced figure of Asfala, then at the gold dragonet.

Aisha lets go of Asfala's hand, quickly. She kneels and shoots Wenda a /look/.

Jehrina winces slightly, looking at the tangle of newborn queen, and 
candidate.

Kayne chuckles and says, "...a goldrider now?"

The Burnished Gold Dragonet looks down, and licks Asfala's face with her 
tongue. Salty.

Asfala leans forward, her eyes radiant, and reaches to touch the soft 
muzzle. "Oh, I know, Dyinath, right over there."

A young female candidate stands silently, looking pale and drained as 
the gold hatchling impresses Asfala. Silent tears stream unnoticed down 
her cheeks as she looks around for unbroken eggs.

Jalaea glares at Wenda, and watches Asfala and the gold.

Wenda walks off closer to Asfala, "No Asfala....

Kayne congratulates the fallen Asfala and turns to the blue, trying to 
see in which direction he'll turn.

Jalaea laughs out, "Congratulations Asfala!"

Rocking slowly, an egg matching the color of the soft hide of a 
runnerbeast shakes its way out of the sand it rests in. It begins to 
move more rapidly, sending little waves of sand down the mound. A wet 
dragonet's head appears at the top of the egg, breaking through at the thin 
end. A tiny blue eventually manages to make is way out of the shell, looking 
almost too small to be a blue. He shakes himself off, showering the nearby 
candidates with sand. HE then proceeds to make his way to the other side of 
the cavern, teetering unsteadily, and stops in front of an apprentice 
vintner. The boy's smile comes out like a ray of sunlight, and he wraps his 
arms around the blue's neck.

Micaya looks longingly once more at the golden hatchling, and then 
immediately banishes her look of disappointment, whispering 
congratulations to Asfala.

Selenay tries to smile for Asfala, but her face shows her 
disappointment, and she turns to glance upwards towards the galleries,  
then towards the remaining eggs.

W'liam steps in, tapping Asfala on the shoulder and leading her and her 
lifemate off the sands.

Rodrith pauses from his eating just a second to look over toward the 
sands, warbling loudly for a dragonet as his eyes whirl over at Dyinath.

Jaen mutters to J'rus, "I... us..."

Chelsea chuckles softly, "Congrats, Asfala..

Kayne grins at Wenda. "Yes, Wenda!"

Kerlyn wipes her cheek with the back of her hand, smiling for her 
friend, but not knowing the right words to use.

Etrigan edges his way over to Selenay.

Asfala slowly rises from the sand, unaware of the candidates around her 
or the tears streaming down her face as she leads Dyinath off.

P'tran looks over to Asfala and smiles, a slightly bemused look on his 
face. After a moment it passes and he smiles softly at Benden's newest 
gold dragon and lifemate

The Dawnsmist blue dragonet croons again, looking down at his shards for 
a clue as to what he should be doing. As Laerth rumbles at him, he looks 
up, warbling sweetly as he starts to look over the candidates, searching.

Kayne mutters to Aisha, "... looks like I'll still...to... hmm?"

Jehrina hmms softly, her eyes flicking up to the stands to meet the gaze 
of the other weyrwoman of Benden.

Covalt chuckles, and snugs Chelsea softly...

Aisha rises to her feet, smiling at Asfala and Dyinath for a moment. Her 
pupils constrict, focused on Wenda. She shakes her head at the woman, 
and Kayne's words draw her away. "Look, Kayne." She gestures to the 
field of eggs.

Several promising-looking Candidates watch the remaining eggs and 
hatchlings, their tension reaching its apex as their chances for 
Impression diminish steadily.

Nich hmms at the gold's choice, finally nodding in satisfaction.

Chelsea smiles a little to her.

Kayne smiles softly and turns to look at the remaining eggs, his gaze 
seeming distant until he notices the little bluestill scrambling about 
the sands.

The small fellis bloom egg has been rocking since the clutch first 
started to hatch. Finally you see a crack appear on the surface. 
The crack widens but does not go all around the egg, as if the shell is a 
little too hard on the other side. Finally a patch of the shell falls open 
and deposits a tiny green on the sands. She picks herself up as if trying to 
make it look like she had not really fallen in the first place. She remains 
quiet until she looks into the eyes of a Bitran lad, when she suddenly gives 
an almost musical croon. The Bitran boy throws his arms joyously about 
the green's neck.

Asfala and Dyinath joins the other dragons in feeding and loving.

P'tran smiles over at the other riders and nods to them as he looks back 
to Asfala and Dyinath.

Kerlyn smiles again, looking around the diminishing field of candidates 
and the ever shrinking mounds of eggs, rubbing the toe of one foot with 
the sole of her other.

Micaya reaches out to squeeze Kerlyn's hand for a brief moment, before 
returning her attention to the remaining eggs.

The Dawnsmist blue dragonet shuffles about, not looking at any candidate 
in particular. He nearly walks into one boy, who jumps out of the way 
just in time. Another boy isn't quite so lucky, and the blue walks over 
his foot, leaving a bleeding gash.

J'rus looks over to Jaen, Rosalen, and now Asfala, smiling broadly as he 
looks over at their dragons. He looks back to Rodrith as the bronze 
mutters something to him amidst chomps. He chuckles, "..tell me about it."

Chelsea winces, and mutters, "If he don't choose soon, there won't be 
anyone left alive to Impress to!"

P'tran winces slightly and shakes his head, hoping to have avoided some 
injury among the candidates

Jalaea winces in sympathy and looks anxiously at the boy to see if he's 
alright.
Jalaea nods, eyes widened, at Chelsea.

Jehrina's mouth twists in a grimace at the injury. She shakes her head.

Selenay looks towards the blue, looking hopeful, and taking a step 
towards the candidates that are mainly boys.

Covalt chuckles, softly...

Cerilla frowns towards the injured boy, and nods as a rider brings out a 
rag to wrap around the boy's foot. She walks back over to the shaded area 
where the dragoets are.

Kerlyn smiles back gratefully at Micaya, taking a  small step backwards 
when she sees her other friend's foot.

Nich frowns at the injury. Don't these candidates remember what they 
were told about _dodging_?

Micaya winces for the injured Candidate, biting her lip again and 
watching the dragonets.

Jalaea glances at Nich and hides another smiles.

One egg, sitting near the southern wall of the cavern, begins to rock, 
the small red spot on the side of it shaking rapidly as the dragon 
inside struggles to be born. The surface become crazed with tiny fissures, 
each one widening rapidly. Just when it seems the egg should burst under 
the stress, a claw appears at the rounded end of the shell. A mid-sized 
brown makes his way out of the shards, landing with an audbile *thump* 
at the feet of a boy from a small cothold near Lemos. The boy shakes 
his head in disbelief, grinning at the dragons who quickly bounces up, and 
stares up into his eyes. 

The dawnsmist blue dragonet stops, warbling at the boyapologetically. He 
looks the boy up and down, whuffling at him for a long few moments.

Cerilla smiles as she makes her way back onto the sands in time to see 
another brown impress, this on quite energetic. She glances up with a 
fond smile towards the ledges, and makes her way towards Nich.

Aisha brushes a bit of sand from her knee and stands.

The speckled cream egg that sat forlornly at the end of the clutch 
suddenly springs to life. It nearly jumps into the air and spins around 
once before cracking open and dumping a pale blue dragonet onto the 
sands. The hatchling looks up a little dizzily, bumping first into a 
clutchmate, then into a Candidate. The blue finally stops, swings his head 
around and gives a stuttering trumpet as he races towards his intended, a 
rather tall and gawky lad from a very small coastal Hold. The boy looks on 
first in amazement, then in utter joy as his eyes look fully into those 
of his new lifemate. 

Etrigan takes a deep breath, shifting from side to side. He whispers 
"Come on...Come on..."

The dawnsmist blue dragonet looks the boy over one last time, and then, 
turns away. He begins making his way over to a group of girls, lifting 
his head, and finally meeting the eyes of one.

Selenay smiles ruefully as she eyes the dwindling mound of eggs, 
following the newly Impressed as they walk off the sands.

Kerlyn swallows and drops to her knees wrapping her arms around the neck 
of the bluw, "He says his name is Sorath!!"

Jalaea grins at Sorath and Kerlyn, "Congratulations, Kerlyn!"

Cerilla makes her way to Kerlyn and Sorath, and helps them gain their 
balance as they head off the sands.

Kerlyn wipes at her cheek with one hand, the other finding the blue's 
eyeridges, and she adds, "And he says he's hungry.. "

Micaya turns to her friend, and, knowing she won't hear, still murmurs 
her congratulations softly, eyes glowing for Kerlyn.

Selenay smiles for Kerlyn, looking at the young blue, and then with 
wonder at Kerlyn's face, full of joy.

Leilanth BUGLES! as the last of her children find their lifemates.

Chelsea smiles a little with a sigh.

Covalt smiles, very softly, and watches, standing quietly...

Cerilla chuckles, "He'll get to stuff himself soon enough, as soon as we 
get you both out of the heat."
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