Finally a Future

[stolenhart]

The dragons always know when the eggs would Hatch, and the green on duty let it be known as soon as the first egg began to rock. With a loud roar she called the dragons, flitts, and humans to the Grounds calling them for a Hatching. The eggs were shuddering in their sandy nest, each one making tiny noises of protest and anger at being trapped inside the eggs. They wanted OUT! And right now. Especially the little gold egg, with it's violent shakes and shudders. It was tired of being constrained by shell, tired of the small space it had been in since day one. But she tired quickly and decided to conserve her energy. There wasn't anyone out there yet anyway.

Selfet heard the roar and it took him a moment to realize what it was. Then it seemed the Weyr exploded in a noise of jubilant humming and noise as dragons went streak for the Sands to welcome the new dragonets. "Shards, the eggs!", he hollered out. The MasterSmith waved his hammer acknowledging Selfet who didn't waste another second. He took off at a dead run for the barracks where his white robe was waiting. It was too short for him, and a bit short across the shoulders but it would do. It would have too. Sandals on his feet, he barely made it to the Sands. The CandidateMaster saw him and smiled warmly. "Just in time. Go, stand over there with Polas and Caston", he said, waving Selfet onto the sands besides two other young men.

(Just come on the sands. Remember your white robe and Sandals. If anyone wants to be Weyrlingmaster, let me know. We'll be needing one. If you have riders, post them as well, it's about to get fun!)

In Order of Hatching
Green Nemyath Impressed to K'ian
Blue Megryth Impressed to F'het, APC
Green Cath Impressed to Brogan
Bronze Canilyth Impressed to K'rit
Green Faralith Impressed to L'rel
Brown Evonath Impressed to S'fet
Brown Viscerath Impressed to J'kal APC
Gold Isiloth Impressed to Siten

[phlysolo]

Karamit had actually enjoyed his night and..,was still enjoying it. There was such a sweet harper that had come to the Weyr that Karamit had been quite happy to know...all night long. He wasn't sure how old she was...or even what her name was, but she could sure roll in the hay! Indeed, he could hardly remember what had gone on that night, for he was suffering from quite a heavy wine-buzz, but that wasn't his fault at all.

Nope! After all, the Headwoman had insisted that he properly stock the wine cellars. Well, lucky for him. It was the perfect place to sneak into with a journeywoman harper at his side. The two had imbibed a bit too much and, well, other things had followed. She had just rolled off of him when they both heard the wild humming and of dragons all around the Weyr.

"Shard it! The Hatching! I've gotta go!" He called to her, dressing quickly as she gaped at him, her mouth opening and closing rapidly, trying to get him to stay for more romanticism. Flame her! He was done! For what more use did he have of the woman? With out a backward glance to the naked female, Kamarit was off to the Candidate Barracks to change into his robes. Dragon riders were waking the stray Candidates who hadn't heard the dragon bugles all around the Weyr, but Kamarit quickly slipped past them to dress without having to answer any awkward questions.

It took him no time at all to dress, but he only hoped that the smell of love wouldn't put off any dragonet senses. Livro burst over head, shrieking at him, to hurry up, hums punctuating his scolding of him. Ah, the little lizard had missed his presence at bedtime. Poor old boy! But he couldn't have her listening or watching in on his late night activities!

"Come along, lad, we're going to be late!" He told the flit, racing out the door with the lizard swooping out behind him. Entering the Sands, there were already other Candidates waiting, girls mostly. "But not too late!"

At least there was no intimidating queen to bow to, he noticed before stepping several lengths away from the girls. Eek, imagine that! Impressing a female dragon! What fun would that be? It would ruin his masculinity.

[tariala]

Ligerel was fortunate to be working with the smiths also when the dragons began to roar. The blond boy looked up from his work in confusion, and more than a little irritation for the interruption, before Selfet's words got through to him. Oh, the eggs, right! His whole reason for being here. Unlike the other boy, though, he took the time to carefully put his work notes away before heading back to the barracks at a jog. Even he knew that it took time for any baby to be born. He wasted no time in getting the special robe and sandals on, though, and reported to the Sands. He needed no urging to join the other young men, attention entirely caught by the rocking eggs.

Oridale heard the roar, and the shouts, and rushed to retrieve her robe. Her fingers trembled as she slipped it on, automatically trying to swipe pretend wrinkles out of the fabric to look more presentable. Except the gold likely wouldn't care what she looked like, just what she was. All she had to do was stand out there and show that hatchling that she was the best choice, just like how her journeyman exams had gone. She blinked in surprise at her sudden ferocity over the gold she'd been so unsure about before. Then again, she'd always been somewhat competitive. If she was going to do this, she wanted to give it her all, and win.

She took a deep breath to settle herself, and headed towards the Sands. The brunette nodded an acknowledgement to the Candidatemaster, and again toward her colleagues waiting to receive any injuries from the hatching. There it was, what a Weyr had risked war for. And it looked as though the gamble was going to pay off- the eggs were rocking and the candidates were here. The gold egg was beautiful, she had to admit. She just hoped that it, and the other eggs hatched healthy and Impressed well. She fought the urge to shift restlessly, and sought patience as she waited for something to happen.

[maiwolf]

Live had waited for this day for a very long time. The day where she would be able to stand to Impress. Impress a Gold, but she knew she could just as easily Impress another color. It did not matter. Live wanted to get there, to Impress, and to show Southern Weyr that she knew what she was doing. Impression made all the difference when you had a plan as great as Live’s plan. But Live could not hatch her plan unless she Impressed. She wasn’t forcing herself to Impress—no one could do that—but she knew that as soon as she did Impress, her plan would be put into motion. It did not matter what color—though Live did not want to Impress to a green.

‘In the long run,’ she thought, ‘I don’t suppose it will matter.’ She hurriedly pulled on her robe, and made sure to flatten it in all the places where it was bunched together. She wanted to look good. Sandals next, she looped them around, tying them tight. Then she hurried to the hatching sands. She was rushed to the female candidate lines, but she positioned herself to be closest to the other eggs, too. If those other eggs hatched, they might want to try for female candidates, too, right? Why not just give herself one choice, the queen? Though she wanted the queen to hatch, to Impress to her, she saw the other candidates. Some were cushy girls, girls that were not strong. Live acted innocent enough, but she was strong, she was going to show these Southerners that what they believed was wrong.

She stood impatiently, switching from foot to foot so that the hot sands would not burn her feet too much. But she was used to the sands, much more so than the people that were doing the actual ‘Sand Dance,’ or hopping from one foot to the other, precariously. She had been in the sands many times before; it was a place she liked to spend her quiet time. She was usually found tucked away in a corner, laying in the hotness of the sands, thinking. Now was not the time to think. Instinct would set in soon. She would not be mauled, she would survive. Queens were known to kill.

No’ln flew in with his trusty dragon, Pandorath. Pandorath alighted gently, and looked at the eggs. They shall hatch soon. He said, his mind voice not interrupting the humming coming from his mouth. No’ln swore that he could feel his dragon’s whole body vibrating. He shook his head as he dismounted. “Of course they’re hatching, silly dragon. This is a hatching. At least now there is a gold.”

[kat]

Maya had been enjoying the respite from her usual work as a drudge. Compared to the chores that drudges had to do, the chores for a Candidate almost had her wishing that there were more to do. Still, being at a Weyr was so different than being at Ruatha...she could listen to dragons all day long here, and how did you get bored with that? Even if they were one sided conversations, they still amused her to no end. Her little secret had thus far remained hers-or so she thought. Who knew who actually knew what she was? Probably many dragons did, and she'd heard rumors about a HAD floating around. Her biggest fear was that she'd be used the second she impressed...or that word would get out North about what she was, and then she'd be warred over by South and North alike, for not who she was, but what she was.

It was while musing about such things that she suddenly heard the dragons begin to announce that the hatching had begun! She had been searched and been called forth to stand for the gold egg. Her expectations were minimal, at best...but then again, she knew nothing of people with her abilities. So, she simply donned her white robes and brushed through her hair, murmuring quietly to Jade, her green firelizard, who was now humming up a storm. The little flitt blinked into 'between', and she smiled knowingly. For some reason, she wasn't nervous about the thought of impressing. Hearing dragons did that to you...you weren't afraid of something you already felt you knew so well. She merely didn't know if she wanted to impress today or no. The only nervousness she had was what happened to her, as a HAD, when she did...

She made her way down to the sands, apprehension rising in her stomach, but determined to remember the reason why she did want to impress: freedom. She didn't want to be a slave to her abilities. On a gold, she could simply fly away...if she was lucky...maybe they wouldn't be able to find her. Maybe they wouldn't come after her. Since she didn't plan to fight, maybe they'd let her, a goldrider, alone? She wasn't sure what she expected-only of what she wanted. Somehow, she had a feeling neither North nor South would care about what she wanted, however.

The sands were hot, as she knew. She'd been here touching the eggs only a short while ago. She made her way across them, looking more confident than some, less than others. She was Mayari, she was herself. She could hear dragons, and she would eventually likely impress one of her own. She wished females might impress green or blue, but it didn't suit her purposes so well as a gold. Golds were biggest, and held the most command over others...she needed a gold. She needed this gold. She took a deep breath, heading to the middle of the sands-not too overbearingly close, but close enough. She eyed the other female Candidates, wondering what they'd had that made them chosen for this. Wondering if they had something the gold would seek that she didn't. Wondering-she did a lot of that.

It didn't matter, though. She was here now, and the egg was there, preparing to hatch. No matter what she did from here on in, there was nothing she could do to alter what happened here. Nothing but watch, and wait, just like everyone else. Her head was held up, not down, and she watched the eggs closely.

~~~~~~

Kyrsin was so nervous that it made her queasy. The humming might have started with the dragons, but Cask, her brown firelizard, was the humming she got to hear first. She looked over at him nervously when he started, sitting on her bed and writing an entry in her journal. She was diverted from it by him, and her eyes widened visibly. "No-already?" she asked him, disbelievingly. He took long enough to give a definitive chirrup before resuming humming, and Kyr stumbled off her bed, feeling dazed as she went to the drawers and got out her robes. For a moment, she could only stand and stare stupidly at them, unable to move. Unable to bring herself to actually get undressed, and put them on. As if putting them on would somehow confirm further that this was actually happening. Well, she wasn't given a choice.

"C'mon girl, hurry it on up already!"

She gave a start, as a drudge came in, issuing orders, and stammerd a reply out, weak though it was. "Y-yes, ma'am, I'm hurrying," she replied-though she was not, and the drudge crossed her arms over her chest and shook her head, waiting outside to make sure she hurried indeed.

She fought with the robes, fought to get them on, and then put her sandals on, feeling dizzy again. Was this what everyone felt like? Why wasn't she in the least bit excited, like others seemed to be? Was it another part of her oddity? She walked out of the room, only to have the drudge usher her rather pointedly, all the way to the sands!

She tip toed out onto them, and then gave a small 'yelp' at how hot they were. She'd forgotten, even though she'd been here not that long ago for the touching. Now, there were dragons everywhere. They were humming, and all eyes were on the candidates and the clutch of rocking eggs. Kyrsin wanted to turn and run, but instead she looked from one girl to the next, and then took a spot at the back, as far from everyone as she could. She didn't need to impress-she was no leader! Let someone else get that gold dragon. She hadn't even wanted to be searched! She was so content with her old life-it was simple, not complicated, and it was her life. She knew what she was, where she stood, there. Here, she felt so insecure and unimportant, next to the confident looking girls, all wishing they'd be the one. She didn't wish. She would turn and run if she could, but there were people at the entrance who would never let her leave. She chewed her lower lip, fiddled with her hair with one hand, rolled her long white sleeve with the other, shifting her feet. How long did hatchings take, anyway? If it went by quickly, she'd be out of here in no time. If not...shards, she hoped it wasn't the 'not'.

~~~~~~

Kalian was looking forward to the hatching with a fair amount of anticipation. He didn't favor the idea of a fighting dragon, but he did want a dragon-it was a sort of oxymoron, and one in which he didn't have much of a say, anyhow. He'd been searched, and so he would stand. Perhaps the risk of death wouldn't be so high, with a dragon? Well, either way, he wasn't really a coward, and he really did want the experience. So, he donned his robes and made sure all was right looking in the mirror before following the rest of the males down to the sands.

He got there to see all the excited prospects for the gold egg, and the rest of the anxious or excitable candidates. They weren't all there, but a lot were, and their feelings were quite catching. For some reason, the one girl looked like she might throw up, or faint. He couldn't imagine way-unless she was afraid of being mauled?-but he took up his spot near the left front. No point in not having a good view. No matter if he impressed or no, it would be nice to see it all point blank.

He calmly looked around at the others, inspecting their faces, amused by what he saw there. Eagerness. Hope. Nervousness. Anxiety...it was really tense with emotion in the hatching sands. It was part of what he liked about hatchings-all the raw emotions coming from the candidates and observers both. These eggs were stolen prizes from the North, but that didn't concern him in the least. If his dragon were Northern or Southern, what did it matter? A dragon was a dragon, and he might not even get one, besides.

He watched the eggs now, making guesses on what they held. There weren't a whole lot of them, really, but there were enough that some would walk away with new bonds. Bonds for life-that had a really nice sound to it. His face was serene, but there was a slight pull at the corner of his mouth, indicating a smile, for him. Yes, this was a good view, and maybe, if he were fortunate, he might take part in the action of impressing.

[stolenhart]

It seemed like the influx of candidates were all that was needed to get an egg to crack. If the people had known that, they might have come earlier and faster instead of taking their sweet time about the whole matter. The egg that cracked first was a pale tan, a normal color in an egg, and medium sized. It had been set near the gold egg but now, as it rocked back and forth, it was slowly scooching away from its golden sister. It seemed once it gained enough space was the sign. Without warning the egg exploded in a all directions, spilling a goo covered dragonet.

She was yellowish tinged green, especially with the egg goo coating her. Long and sinewy she seemed almost to delicate to Hatch and live. Even R'lyn frowned, wondering if this is what happened when eggs were stolen. Still she seemed healthy as she gained control of her limbs and made a mad dash for her chosen rider. Charging across the sands.

While the green was taking off across the sands another egg was splitting shell. This one did so quietly, revealing a dark blue marbled in lighter blue splatters. Despite the goo this dragonet was a rather fetching specimen and he creeled hungrily, demanding his come to him. A startled boy, a messenger of some status, broke off from the boys line and haltingly crossed the Sands to the hungry blue. "His name is Megryth!", the boy, now F'het announced loudly, proudly leading his dragon off the Sands to the piles of meat that had been chopped for that purpose.

The little green would not be outdone as she all but tackled her's. Mine! I am here! Here!, she bugled loudly, trying to catch everyone's attention. Especially Kalian's, he was her's and he wasn't paying attention. She sat down on the Sands and began to sniff, pouting at being ignored. Nemyath just wanted some food mine, she added to Kalian.

[strawberrylush]

Hasia glanced around the Sands with a proud confident air. She would Impress that gold egg, she had been sent there for that purpose. If she failed, well she must not fail or they would kill her. She would serve no purpose if she didn't get that egg. She fiddled with the tie on her robe and watched as a yellowish green, a faintly ugly dragon, hatched. She was followed by a marbled blue who was a handsome fellow. Both Impressed much to the happiness of the Weyr, but Hasia was here for other things. She remembered the conversation.

"They have stolen a Gold egg. I am assured by several riders you will Impress", he was telling her, eyes as cold and calculating as a tunnelsnake's, "So. You will be Searched and you will Stand at Southern and you will Impress her. The Honor of the Hall is on your shoulders", he had put his hand on her shoulder and sent her out. She knew her Journeyman's knot rested on this assignment and she would see it done. That Gold was as good as her's, it was afterall, Northern bred like herself.

[tariala]

Oridale glanced away from the gold egg as the first dragons hatched, pleased to see that both Impressed without incident, and without looking toward the girls. Not that she had anything against that, but it'd be a shame to mar the hatching with the knowledge that some poor girl was being abandoned on Ista.

Excitement over, Oridale fixed her eyes on the all-important egg again. She didn't know why the other girls were there, but hoped the queen would chose a good woman, both for her, and for the South. Oridale didn't know if that would be her, but she knew she could do as good a job as any woman there, and that her intentions were good. After all, she'd made journeyman in a craft where female journeymen were a rarity, hadn't she?

[dragonfire]

((Sorry this is so short. I'm about to leave for college and I don't have much time.))

Brogan stood with the other girls around the Gold egg. Her stomach felt uncertain and her heart was pounding a steady beat she was sure the other candidates around her could hear. The Healer girl took a deep breath to calm herself.

She watched as a blue and green hatched and Impressed. The green seemed delicate, but healthy. Hopefully she would grow stronger with age. After those Impressions, she turned her eyes back to the Gold egg, not wanting to take her attention off of it for long.

[accelerando]

♥ ildessmor ♥
Now if she touches like this
will you touch her right back
Now if she moves like this
will you move like that
shake, shake, shake
SHAKE, SHAKE IT

[/i][/b][/center]

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I

[/b]ldessmor had been riding around the Weyr face, like usual. This time, however, she had decided to take a break near the waterfront, and for the last bit, Ekssripitia had been resting in the water, her forelocks damp as she look a long and healthy drink from the lake. However, Ildessmor finally realized how late it was getting, and regretfully, she had to pull Ekssripitia away from her well deserved drink to head back into the Weyr. As she was looping back to the Weyr, she heard a huge rumble, a growl if you would. Startled, she halted Ekssripitia for a moment, listening to the deafening roar first grow, then fade away. Why would a dragon be roaring so loudly? Unless, Ildessmor suddenly wheeled Ekssripitia around, and the two flew back to the Weyr.

H[/b]anding Ekssripitia to a disgruntled stable boy, she made her way through the ever growing crowds heading towards the hatching sands. The crowds pushed against each other, the amount of people growing as others joined the mass of people from their houses and shops. Many had just dropped their items and went, still wearing their work clothes. Grimacing at the smell of unwashed people around her, Ildessmor covered her nose with her sleeve, hoping that the smell would go away soon. Luckily, however, she was soon close to the hatching sands, and pushing her way through the last few people, she was finally through. Glancing around her, she saw a group of females standing around something. Recognizing one or two of them from the search, she turned to join them.

L[/b]ooking down at the ground, she sighed when she saw the annoying sand once again. She had kept out of this area just because of this, she honestly didn’t want the sand to ruin her slippers or her dress. If the eggs had been kept somewhere else, she most certainly would have come and visited them, but the sand had just made it all that much more impossible. If she stepped onto this sand, her pretty slippers would be ruined within an instant. But what could be done? The hatching was to be here, and she didn’t really have a choice, now did she? Trying to figure out if there was a way out of it, Ildessmor finally sighed, resigning herself to the fact that she would have to ruin a pair of perfectly good slippers. At the very least, she hadn’t worn her most favourite pair, now did she? She would just have to buy another pair once this whole mess was over and done with.

P[/b]icing up the hem of her skirt, she lifted it so that it would not be dragging across the coarse sand. Placing her feet down carefully, she picked her way over to where the group of girls was standing, sighing in relief when she finally got there. At the very least, her dress had not be harmed, she thought, as she looked down at what everyone was watching. The gold egg lay there, still and unmoving as of right now. Stepping into the circle surrounding the egg, she studied the egg that lay there. She had to admit, it was quite pretty, with the light flickering off the shell of the egg. As she was studying it, however, she heard a huge crack from behind her and turning around, she saw two eggs hatch, revealing a green and blue dragon. Watching as they made their way to different people, Ildessmor returned her gaze to the golden egg. Who would impress this dragon?

A[/b]s Ildessmor was thinking about this little bit of information, she looked around the group and saw that everyone else was dressed in matching white robes and sandals. Whoops, she thought to herself. Sighing, she glanced back at the egg. Well, nothing would be happening for quite a while yet, she thought as she turned away from the circle. Pushing her way out of the main door, she made her way back to her living quarters. Opening up her trunk, she pulled off her slippers, annoyed that she had ruined a perfectly good pair of shoes for nothing. Thowing the pair into the corner, she sighed before peeling her gown off her body. Slipping into the robe that she pulled out, she tied it around her waist. Now, turning to the mirror, she quickly unpinned her hair, letting the golden waves cascade down to her waist.

B[/b]raiding two front strands, she pinned them to the back of her head, keeping her gold hair from falling into her eyes. Glancing into the mirror, she nodded once before slipping on the pair of annoying sandals. Uncomfortable, she sighed as she leaned down to scratch at her foot. Couldn’t they have invested in a pair of much more comfortable slippers? Realizing that she could be late, she left her room, and once again, pushed through the crowds to get to the hatching grounds. This time, she let her robe touch the sand (it wasn’t hers after all), but she winced when the sand went through the sandals. Sandals were so impractical when it came to walking on sand, didn’t anybody know that? However, she soon rejoined the group of girls standing around the golden egg, waiting to see if anything would happen.[/blockquote][/blockquote][/blockquote][/font]

[stolenhart]

It didn't take long for the crowd to grow silent as the two new Hatchlings were now Impressed. In any lapse of silence the crowd grew worried. Just two weyrlings? Would that be all or would more Hatch? Did the Weyr risk war for a scrawny green and a blue? The tension was mounting, panic starting to grow, then another egg began to move and the audbile sigh of relief was almost audible. Then another egg began to shake as well, almost bouncing off the sands in it's hurry to Hatch.

The first egg cracked revealing another green, this one a true deep green, like a well shaded lake shore that has gras growing under it. No one would mistake her for her coloring. She glanced around slowly, unruffled by her Hatching and the noise that erupted as she appeared. She took a step towards the males then paused, tilting her head quizically at them. Then she turned towards the girls, gathered around their precious gold egg. The roar of the crowd was deafining, urging her to go the other way, pleading that she not taint this Hatching by Impressing a female.

The bouncing egg collided with another egg and ring of cracks appeared around the bottom of the egg. A foot that was goo covered and very light colored appeared, murmurs began to rise as the foot began to scratch at the edges of it's crack. Finally another cracked appeared and another foot. This time the murmur went wild, a bronze. A bronze had been stolen. What luck! Out came the head then the shoulders, it was easy to see this was a large bronze, and he only wore half his shell. He turned his head and began to pull his shell off with his teeth and finally he was free. He was a very burly bronze, a nice butter color under his goo. He snorted, blowing goo over the other eggs then turned his back on the female stalking green and made for the boys. He candidate would have to be examined of course, a few re-examined but he had the time. He wasn't going anywhere.

[tariala]

Ligerel watched the new hatchlings with fascination and curiosity. The first two had been hatched and Impressed and off the sands before he knew it. Nice size on that bronze there. And, oh, simply lovely coloring on the green. He silently willed her to come closer, so he could get a better look.

Oridale, on the other hand, watched the green with a wary eye. She did *not* want a green, she was *not* keen on the idea of exile, and there were a lot of girls in between her and the dragonet, but still- who knew what could happen. She was faintly ashamed of the lurking thought that she was only one of many available females, if that was the green's preference, and better them than her. She looked back at the still-silent gold egg, and willed it to start rocking in earnest. To crack, hatch, and Impress, before more of the gold's sisters came to investigate her potential riders.

[accelerando]

♥ ildessmor ♥
Now if she touches like this
will you touch her right back
Now if she moves like this
will you move like that
shake, shake, shake
SHAKE, SHAKE IT

[/i][/b][/center]

● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ●

I

[/b]ldessmor sighed as she stared at the egg. It wasn’t like the egg was not gorgeous or anything, but it was getting quite... boring if you would. Honestly though, how long could one person stare at an egg, no matter how pretty it was? It simply wasn’t moving, and nothing was happening with the egg. Glancing back at the other group of eggs, Ildessmor saw that two more had hatched, a bronze egg and a green. The green was rather pretty, she thought idly, as she watched the dragon totter around unsteadily on its two feet. It was actually kind of cute, she thought, smiling before turning her attention to the bronze.

T[/b]he Bronze dragon was certainly generating a huge buzz from the audience. Although it hadn’t picked a person yet, the dragon was still quite intriguing as it studied it’s possible candidates. However, it didn’t seem to want to decide any time soon, and shrugging her shoulders, she turned her attention back to the green. The green, however, had turned it’s attention to the group of females, which surprised Ildessmor. Green’s were allowed to impress on females. Well, they did so anyways, but they weren’t suppose to. However, there really was no way to stop a dragon from impressing on who they wanted to, was there?

T[/b]ilting her head to the side, she wondered if the green dragon would impress on a female, and if so, who? As she shifted in the sand, she winced as sand moved into her sandal once again. What was it with the people here and open toed shoes? Picking up her feet, she shook it a bit so that the coarse sand moved from the bottom of the shoe back onto the ground. Loosening the stand trapped between her skin and the leather of the shoe, she grumbled at the inconvenience of it all. As soon as this was done, she was going to soak her feet in a hot water bath, which would hopefully get all the dirt and sand off of her feet.[/blockquote][/blockquote][/blockquote][/font]

[phlysolo]

Things were happening so fast. It was just like when Livro Hatched! Eggs and goo and shell pieces were going everywhere as the dragonets began to make their escapes from their opal prisons. To Kamarit's disgust, a green exploded out of her shell first. What, what? A female dragon? Come on, by Faranth, they needed bronzes with all that was going on. How many riders had risked their lives to steal these Eggs? How many riders would die when the North showed up and slaughtered them before taking back their Eggs? If anything, that Queen needed to get her Egg bashed open to hurry this thing along.

The second Egg from the thrown together Clutch revealed a good, strong looking blue, possibly to help make up for the fact that the green that had Hatched before him was so puny. As both dragonets began making their way towards the male like, fear gripped the Candidate's heart. No, no, not a green! He couldn't ride a green! The blue...at least a blue...

But perhaps luck was on his side: The blue Impressed, as did the green, to other males who he didn't quite no. Well, good for them. He didn't doubt for a second that the green who chose the young man just a few paces away from him was a man-lover. Hah, he DESERVED a green in that case!

He turned away from the newly bonded Weyrling, his attention back to where they should be - the rocking Eggs. Two more shattered open, the first revealing, to probably hardly anyone's surprise, another green. At least this one looked healthy and strong, much better than that green who Impressed to the other lad. He rolled his eyes at the female dragon, his eyes focused on the second Hatchling and...by Faranth! It was a bronze! So the South HAD done it, they had managed to steal not just one, but two high ranking dragons!

Just as he was about to shove his way forward through the throng of boys, he happened to notice that the green was NOT heading tn the direction of the males, but no, had turned towards the grisl! Oh, she couldn't be serious! After all the planning, all the risk, all the time it took to steal these Eggs, that foolish green was going to waste herself by selecting a female rider? Had the Southern riders knew about this, they would have been better off leaving her in the North.

Disgust mingled with regret that the green, if she did choose one of those gold Candidates, would only be going back to the place she came from. But there were more important matters at hand! That bronze was deliberately looking up and down the males, trying to see which one would best fit him, Kamarit supposed. Now was his chance!

Shoving a boy out of his way, he stood triumphantly in the front of the male line, his chest popped out proudly. But...did he want a bronze? or did he just wish to be bonded to one for the fact that he could Fly whoever he wanted? Bronzes came with a lot of work...a lot of effort. First, there were so large that the simple tasks of oiling and bathing him would prove to be quite difficult, especially considering the size of this Hatchling. Then there was the whole thing that bronzes, and thus their riders, made the best Wingleaders, Weyrleaders...Could Kamarit do all that? Could he be responsible enough to handle the position and duties that came with riding bronze?

Honestly...he didn't know.

[kat]

Maya realized she was a bit nervous. Not about whether or not she'd impress gold, but there was always the possibility that someone here, a female, would impress a green-or even a blue. She didn't think it would be herself. She would have all her plans fall into folly if that happened. She needed a gold, and a gold she was convinced was the only way. If dragons sensed things, then the dragons would sense that much-right?

She watched as a green impressed to a male-that was a good enough start. Then, another green hatched, and a bronze. A bronze was a great omen-the fact that they'd procured one meant that someone would be immediately given a higher rank-whoever impressed it, that was. But she watched the green warily, and glanced at the females and males apprehensively. The blue who'd hatched after the green had impressed a male, too. Would it all go smoothly? Just because the South banished women for impressing green or blue, it didn't seem to stop the hatchlings from choosing the women they wanted. She never could agree with that-didn't they trust the dragons to know? She eyed the gold egg warily, as well, waiting patiently.

As if her fears for the girls was recognized, a green turned away from the males and turned to their group of females. She wasn't worried it would come her way, and she dared not bespeak an unimpressed hatchling and draw it towards her any further. "Go back..." she whispered, glancing towards the others, who looked horrified that the green was looking their way, instead of going back to the males, as it should have done. She wasn't sure what to do, but in truth, she could do nothing. The thought of one of these girls being banished was making her stomach turn. It was so unfair...why did the dragons have to choose females? Would this one have the sense to turn the other way? She hoped so, for both its sake and the sake of the girls.

~~~~~~

Kyrsin watched the dragons hatching, one by one, glad that none of them bothered to look her way. She didn't really want one, did she? Besides, she knew that a female who impressed a green or any other color like it was instantly banished. She warily took a step back, eyes darting from green and blue, glad when they made their choices and they were male. Then, yet another green hatched, and a bronze. She'd never seen a hatching, and for her, this was amazing, even though she was standing for it. Even though she didn't want a single green to look her way. She cringed a little, more afraid of change than anything.

She couldn't be still, she was too nervous. She tried not to look at the dragonets that were definitely not meant for her, or any girl. As if looking at them might draw their attentions somehow. So she looked at the gold egg-did she want that, either? Not really. Think of all the responsibility! She couldn't do that. She was no leader, no fighter, either. She looked behind her at the boy who'd gotten the blue-he looked so happy. Well, he would be. Maybe he had wanted a dragon? Well, then lucky him-he'd gotten what he wanted. Maybe he'd known what he wanted...that was more than she did, right now. She inhaled sharply, watching the gold egg, trying to ignore the others, and waiting.

Suddenly, she heard the crowd begin to roar, and the girls begin to gasp. What had happened? What were they shouting like that? It sounded like they were saying 'no,' and 'go back'? She looked around to see what the commotion was about, and that's when she found out precisely what it was about. There was a green dragonet, and it was looking at the girls. Her breath caught in her throat, and her eyes widened in mute horror. Whomever it impressed would be banished. "Go away, go away, go away..." She couldn't help it, she didn't want the green to be here. Didn't want it to look her way, or at the other girls. Didn't want this dragonet to be the cause of one of them being banished. Didn't want it to be her. "Go away, go away, go away..." she kept muttering, chanting it over and over, squeezing her eyes shut and thinking about the gold. She didn't want to look at it. It was so pretty, that green. So pretty, and why didn't it just have the sense to go to the boys, where it belonged? She kept her eyes shut, the roaring of the crowd was deafening and all she would need to know if the green impressed a male or female. All she would need to know if the gold broke the shell. Her eyes squeezed shut, chanting 'go away' over and over, she stood there, tense as could be.

~~~~~~

Kalian was musing when the first egg hatched, and the blue that came shortly after was what he saw first. So, when the peridot green was heading his way, he was looking in the opposite direction. However, the instant the mental voice entered his own, he looked over with wide eyes-just as he was tackled into the hot sands. There was a dragonet sitting on him, and then impression occured. There she was, and she was perfect. Everything he'd ever wanted and more. She told him her name was Nemyath, but somehow he felt he'd always known that. Had always known her-and what had his life been before her? He couldn't remember.

He was staring at her in awe, his eyes glistening with moisture as he wrapped his arms around the small green. She looked so delicate, but so beautiful. She was small, but inside her she was not small at all-she was bigger than all of Pern. "Her name is Nemyath!" he called out, wanting the world to know the name of his wonderful, beautiful green hatchling. She was his, and he was hers, and it was as if for the first time everything was just as it should be.

He was still flat upon his back on the sands, but it was hard to notice they were so hot. It was hard to notice anything but his precious green Nemyath. K'ianmine? You should get up before you burn all toasty like, you know, Nemy informed her new lifebond, hopping off of his chest and onto the sands. They didn't seem to bother her too much, and the energy she had seemed boundless. She was a little live wire, and would surely be a handful. Still, Kalian-now-K'ian just smiled and got up, dusting some of the sand off of him as he allowed himself to be led to where the meat was kept, off to the sides. "Nemyath," he whispered, saying her name for the second time. He could hardly believe he'd impressed, and was in a dreamlike stupor, almost. Still, he had the sense to go to the food and begin feeding her small chunks, which she wolfed down quickly-she may have been small, but she had the appetite of a bronze!

[stolenhart]

A fifth egg began rocking as soon as the second green and the bronze had cleared the small area. It rolled into another egg causing both shells to crack in a myriad pieces. The two dragonets peeked out at each other before spinning their eggs away and landing on their sides. The smaller egg, the smallest in the clutch, hatched slowly revealing a daintly looking green. She didn't seem as delicate as her clutchmate but she wasn't no muscular dragon. Underneath the wet egg sac she was a dark deep forest green. She pulled a line of goo off of her face so she could see and surveyed the crowd. She really wanted togo make friends with the handsome bronze fellow, who was slowly working his way through the gathered male candidates, but at the moment she was hungry. She found her sister staring after the girls, gave them a quick look over and shook her head. No her person was not over there. Turning on her legs she came to study the males and then she found him. It was so dream-like and perfect. Mine! Mine, she bugled triumphantly, running towards her newfound rider. I dreamed you and it came true, she added, headbutting Ligerel's stomach softly. I am Faralith, I dreamed of food. Can I have some food? Then can I go talk to him?, she glanced towards the bronze.

[saidaltam]

Siten had been sitting on the edge of the lake, flicking pebbles into the water and watching the resultant ripples dance across its surface when the green called out. Her head snapped up, and in a heartbeat, she sprang to her feet, scrambling to the Weyr and, more importantly, the tiny locker in which she had stowed her few possessions.

Siten nearly fell twice squirming into the white robes and slipping on the sandals, but she didn't slow for a heartbeat for it. Once suitably attired, she hastened toward the sands, managing to not even trip over her own robes and, pausing briefly for the suitable pleasantries and civilities, picked her way delicately across the hot sands to join the already-assembling candidates. Once amongst them, she let her eyes close momentarily as she attempted to calm her heart and slow her breathing.

The shattering of the first egg startled her, however, undoing all her efforts, and, with wide eyes, glittering with delight, anticipation, and just a twinge of anxiousness, Siten watched the hatchlings spilling from their eggs to seek their riders. One after another, the hatchlings spilled forth. It was... inspiring. Siten could find no other word for it. There was something purely beautiful about seeing the eggs hatch, and it was sufficient to drown out her nerves and fill her with raw, exhilarating delight. It was moments like these that she wished she could bottle a feeling. This moment deserved to be the stuff that anyone could feel. She only wished she could evoke it vividly enough to give it life.

To Siten, the room seemed to hum with pure energy, as though every grain of sand was trembling with it. She would have sworn she could see the seams spreading across the eggs before they hatched, and that, alone, was a wonder, but there was so much more to it. The place felt, smelled, breathed, of life.

Her eyes flicked over to the unhatched gold egg, then back to the others, broken and not, and, for several heartbeats, the girl just stood, letting herself exult in the wonder of it.

[phlysolo]

Another green? Kamarit was dumbfounded. Were the riders who'd raided the North targeted ONLY small Eggs? By Faranth, if HE had been the leader of the organized plot, he would have gone only for the largest Eggs of the bunch. Let the North suffer with an over mass of greens and blues while they the South had an abundance of bronzes and browns to lead the Weyr! Still, though, they would need the quick and limber little greens and blues to do some of the fighting that bronzes and browns couldn't do. At least they still had the gold.

And why was that bronze taking so sharding long to choose someone? Honestly, he hoped this finickiness within the dragonet would disappear once he was mature. Still, he was a strong and strapping young thing.

OoC: Fail post.

[tariala]

The other green was forgotten with that first ‘Mine!’. Ligerel reached for Faralith’s perfect head and stroked her face and upper neck, letting it sink in that this dream was real. And to think, he’d been planning on staying at the College all his life to work. Here at the Weyr, he could have both. Well, eventually. There was that training thing to do, and Faralith needed food, and-

Oh, right. Faralith needed food. “This way, dear one.” L’rel told his dragon softly, leading her toward the meal laid out for the dragonets. “I think your friend is a bit busy right now, but we shall see after we make your other dream come true.” His face bore the soft, beaming smile of a new love, or a new Impression- in this case, the same thing.

What dream? Faralith wanted to know, then answered herself by picking the answer from her rider’s mind. Oh, yes, my food-dream. Yes, that first. Then can we talk to him, too? She sighed wistfully, seeing her blue brother in the middle of his first meal.

[strawberrylush]

Hasia watched as another green and finally a bronze hatched. The green was certainly stronger looking than her clutch mate and the little bronze was very hopeful in his looks. Too bad she wasn't a man and hadn't been sent to Impress a bronze. Gold dragons were easy to influence all you had to do was catch them in their flights. And a bronze dragon could do that, and other things as well. Still she had been sent here to Impress the gold.

Disappointing since the egg itself wasn't really moving. She hid a smile, could be she was here for naught. If the gold egg didn't Hatch then there was no need for her, a Northern born and bred Southern Harper to Impress the egg for her Continent. But if she did Impress, then Hasia would simply have to wait until she had her wings and back North they would go. Easy as stealing a sweet from a baby. Now just to have the egg Hatch. She brushed a speak of dirt off her robe and watched and waited.