Ista Weyr Log: Omfaleth and Chezroth's Hatching, July 2005

Omfaleth and Chezroth's Hatching - July 17, 2004

Dragon> All dragons sense that Omfaleth raises her head and begins to hum, a low thrumming that catches and reverberates from dragon to dragon. << It is time! >>

The far corner of the Hatching Sands a quiet spot away from the chaos of the hatching Clutch. Several Istan riders await there to assist the new weyrling pairs as they Impress, and there seems to be a goodly quantity of food and oil, as well. (Deleted all the Candidates stepping out onto the sands. Just assume they did. ;))

The small grouping of eggs is well-protected under Omfaleth's watchful eye, and though while some are still, most have some small movement to them: a vibration, a shudder, a roll and a stop. Above, humming dragons join Omfaleth and Chezroth's voices, creating a thrum that comes up through the soles of the feet.

K'tdan leads the very large group of white clad Candidates to the sands, two by two, send them on so they can form a semi-circle. On the hot sands, they move quite quickly. Then, as a group (mostly), they bow to the dragons and leaders.

S'dar scampers out close behind Reye, the Candidates following soon behind. "It is happening so fast," he says with excitement, watching the group walk out onto the hot sand behind him. He comes to a stop standing at a spot between Chezroth and Omfaleth. Chezroth himself is watching with wide eyes, appearing to be very proud indeed.

Phy's version of a bow is really more of an irritated jerk of the chin in Omfaleth and Chezroth's direction, mossy gaze pinned to the ovoids, even as she moves with the other Candidates into the standard semi-circle. A brief wrinkle of disgust twists at her facial features momentarily, before a little wince is splayed over her countenance at the heat. And the steam. And the drizzling rain. Bah. "Disagreeable weather, " she mutters aloud, perhaps to herself, or perhaps to Delaney, whom she finds herself close to.

Lydia trots out practically on Ellery's heels. "Wow, it's HOT, I can't believe it's this hot. Why do you think the dragons like the sands so hot?" she asks. "I mean, maybe they could just make it sort of warm, and not cold, and the eggs would be happy and then it wouldn't hurt our feet."

Frelliss steps out onto the Sands, looking down at his soon-to-be scorched feet. No grimacing, not yet. He tries to step lightly, so no sand gets between his feet and his sandals. Following the other Candidates, he joins them, standing not quite on the edge of the group, but not in the middle either.

Delaney finds herself on the sands, sudden attack of nerves rendering the carpenter a blank memory for a brief spite apparently. Finding the familiar faces of Phy and Eilidh close, she extends hands towards each, asking for the comfort of fellow candidate's hands. She's quiet, just watching, sweating, and wishing wholeheartedly for a bit of a draft up her robe now that she's on the pervasive heat of Sands. "Hot.." is the only mutter from nervously pinched lips aside to those near, feet shifting on the heated ground.

Apheri looks around the sands with a nervous smile, feet lifting off the hot sands just slightly higher than a usual step. She looks in the crowd for out-weyr family quickly before turning her attention to the eggs on the sands.

Lorany stumbles, bumbles, scrambles onto the sands with the others, one in the veritable sea of white-clad nobody and everybody. Her bow, though hidden among every other bow, nearly costs her footing and after that disaster is averted she turns, ragged a white-faced. "Eilidh, Ellery? Where'd you go? I mean... Aeilas!"

Ishalla remains quiet as she bows respectfully and gets into position. She folds her hands behind her back, her features impassive. She gazes at the eggs. Here's where a chapter of her future will be decided.

Manawan shifts nervously from foot to foot as he looks on anxiously at the eggs scattered on the sands in front of him.

Eilidh walks onto the sands, steps lighter than usual in the beginning of the candidate shuffle of heat. With the nervous focus of pre-decision, the blonde steps into an open space between Delaney and Danica. Lips press down thin at the drizzle, and the sun-browned head ducks down, taking in her surroundings from under the veil of lashes. A clammy hand is set into Delaney's, the other reaches out for Danica.

Danica raises her head from her bow and keeps close to a small group of candidates including Delaney, Eilidh and Seffox. Blue eyes take in the humming, the rocking eggs and expectant faces in the galleries in several flashes. Numbly this Igenite candidate reaches out to clasp Eilidh and Seffox's hands in her own sweaty palms.

Xaine silently walks out on the sands. She winces only lightly when her feet touch the hots sands, even though her thinny soled sandals. She tugs at her robe as if willing it to be longer. Without much preamble, she puts herself beside Lorany and Ellery. She glances briefly toward the galleries then quickly turns away.

Ellery's countenance remains more interested than nervous as she steps out; maybe Lydia's chatter at her side has helped calm her. "Yeah, I'm burning. But wow, you can get a really good view of the Hatching down there." Lorany's frantic calls find her lifting a hand in response, but not too high. It's pretty clear she doesn't want to attract too much attention from the stands, or the dragonets.

Aeilas walks out onto the sands with a confident stride, head up, shoulders back and eyes shining. This is the day! He glances once towards the Galleries, looking for certain people, apparently, but his attention immediately returns to the Sands. He finds himself near Eilidh and Ellery. "Over here, Lor." He calls.

Hatching Sands(#1296RJqs$)

The black sand of the Istan hatching grounds is quite famous, and it also sends a bit of darker air to the entire cavern, since it doesn't reflect light as well as the unusual sands of, say, Igen. Of course, the sand is not only warm, it's baking almost as if it's been in the sun all day, even when the Weyr is under a hurricane warning! The huge cavern arcs overhead, a volcanic bubble in black matte rock, while the tiers of the galleries provide seating for the spectators.

Besides the span of the galleries to the south, one can head over towards the entrance to the hatching grounds, or into one of the Queen's tunnels to the southeast and southwest.

The people here on the dark sands are Lela, Frelliss, Oiralin, Alaner, Ellery, Mayani, Danica, Lydia, Delaney, Eilidh, Phy, Manawan, Seffox, Lorany, Apheri, Xaine, Kylia, Catriona, K'tdan, S'dar, and Ishalla.

Dragons scattered across the dark sand include Chezroth, and Omfaleth.

Perching anywhere in the dark sand that's convenient are firelizards, including Aeilas.

Glowbasket, Sandy Mound, and Raucous Swirled Redstar Egg are lying around loose on the dark sand.

Obvious exits:

Dragon Ledges Main Entrance

Kylia strides out onto the Sands, trying to move her feet lightly in the heat. With the bow out of the way, she shuffles sideways until she is nearer to Phy. With a quick glance over her shoulder she seeks friends and family, lifting a hand to briefly hail her father before turning her eyes back to the eggs. "How soon do they start to hatch?" she asks of no one in partiular.

Mayani follows her peers with only a small stumbling quality to her steps. Her bow is quiet but respectful and almost giddy in it's bouncy motion. She ends up standing next to no one in particular, but her nature draws her closer to any no one's standing near her.

K'tdan steps back, not wanting to be in the way. It is not his time now. He smiles as he watches and waits with anticipation.

Lela keeps her lithany of what Nadia had told her "Keep moving , for hatchlings." So she is doing somewhat a dance after her bow, not sure rather to be scared, or the fact its so sureal to her she is oblivious to it all, not having moved close to anyone just yet.

Seffox seems a bit surprised when Danica's hand finds his, but he manages it well: only a smirk and a smug "hmph". "Nervous, Danica? I mean, I know the heat can't have fried your brain that much."

Raucous Swirled Redstar Egg shudders once, violently, and then is still again, only the disturbed sand as evidence that it ever happened.

Tiny slivers mar the smooth surface of Bug-Infested Weyr Egg, widening with the speed and urgency of the dragonet within. After one final explosive burst, a goo covered green stumbles out, planting herself inelegantly face first into the sands. As the hatchling rights herself, kicking off egg shards from her haunches, and wiggling in delight at being out of her confines, her delicate wedge head tilts to the side, and then the other, before gallivanting steps gap the distance between herself and Shriya. The Nabol girl falls to her knees, wrapping her arms around the hatchling in tearful joy. "She says she's Yslewth!"

Lorany heard that summons, oh yes she did! The instinct to grab the nearest hand overwhelms the tiny seamstress, the widening of eyes and the almost frantic clasp of Xaine's and Aeilas' hands seem second nature. "Shells, I never thought it'd be here but... it is and I wonder if anyone from Telgar is watching or if..." those same wide midnight eyes scan the galleries briefly beofre they drop, back to eggs and fellows.

Alaner steps out into the sands, klah-dark eyes flicking around the ledges first and then to the dragons, then to the eggs. His large frame, straining inside his robe. When the tremors begin, he's transfixed by the happenings.

Xaine blinks in surprise even as she looks over at Seffox when she hears his words. "H..he c..called her b..by her name. " she murmurs in obvious surprise. Her feet mince lightly, one second on one foot, another second on another to give her a kind of rolling movement.

Phy turns a wary glance onto Delaney's extended hand, before hesitantly extending her left hand to clasp it tightly. Kylia's approach isn't noticed, for the time being, for the Hatching of the first egg demands all attention. "Green, " she mutters, low. "Ew."

Apheri watches nervously as a green explodes from her shell to impress to Shriya.

Eilidh shifts, a tension in her movements, the stressed downward curl of her toes bringing her sandal heels together. Impulsively, her hand squeezes Delaney's, though the profusion of sweat mingled with the light scattered may be a nice deterrent for the former carpenter. So focused on one point in the Sands in front of her, the first Impression is missed until mutters along the line are heard, "Oh. Oh! Delaney, she Impressed so quickly."

Delaney is gratified by hands grasping hers, a bit of tension leaving the wide shoulders as the overly tall candidate stretches her neck to peer at the eggs, a bit suspiciously. "They /are/ moving," she affirms, height for a significant advantage in this setting. "Er.." The girl looks amazed as the first breaks and Impresses in a fell swoop. "Ew is right," she agrees with Phy on her left, hands sweating copiously, feet shifting fervently.

Oiralin comes in slowly, hesitating at the edges of the grounds before pressing forward, looking for a place to stand. Somewhere safe, where he can move if and when he needs to. He looks to Kylia hopefully as he slides up beside her and reaches for her hand. "L-look....ah...." And words fail him as his mouth drops open and the dragon impresses.

Manawan watches with amazement as the first egg shatters and a green tumbles forth. "A green."

Danica tightens her hold on Eilidh and Seffox's hands and gives the young man a withering look "I'm not nervous at all" she boasts but pales as the first egg hatches swiftly and is Impressed. Swallowing with difficulty she watches the other eggs, such minor things as hot feet are quickly forgotten.

Lela ohs as she moves seeing the first hatchling impress, she dances from one foot to the other, turning to keep her sight on all the eggs, she gets close to Ellery, she reaches for her hand, "Now I dont know what to think sis."

Lydia gulps as the first egg hatches and the dragonet impresses almost immediately. "That one - Ellery, did you see that? Did you? Did you see?" she demands, shifting her feet uncomfortably and hopping on one foot to shake the other, and get sand out of her sandal.

Kylia's dark eyes widen a bit as the egg covered in red swirls starts to rock. Her attention is called all to quickly to the little green as she makes her entrance, and Impresses before she even has a chance to really admire her. "Jays, that happened quickly. I guess they start hatching, well, right away." She offers Oiralin a grin as he approaches, and slips her hand into his.

Ellery opens two eyes very wide as the first egg hatches, and the first dragonet chooses her lifemate in short order. "Shells, Xaine, Lydia, I didn't know it would happen so fast." Her eyes land on the robe-tugging, and she seems to remember only then that her shoulders are uncovered. One hand lifts cautiously to hide a bare shoulder, as she eyes the stands cautiously.

Hiccup in Hospitality Egg twitches, shivers, grains of sand slipping down around its base. Then, suddenly, it falls still once more. Nothing to see here, no not at all.

Seffox catches Xaine's words and grins at the girl for just a moment, his free hand lifting as he places his index finger over his lips. "I don't want her to clock me out on the sands, y'know. I can be nice when I have to." He peers over at the quick green Impression, then elbows Danica in the side. "That could've been you."

Raucous Swirled Redstar Egg rolls over completely a little way away from the rest of the eggs, with a soft rustling of black sand as it comes to a halt again.

Lorany is far enough away so as not to hear everything exchanged between her friends. The eew does catch her attention and her response is instant. "Nothing eew about Impressions, I mean re... wow! Green! Is that Shriya? Oh it is, it's Shriya, oh wow! I don't believe... ooh, there? Is another one twitching?" Maybe it's just Lor twitching.

Aeilas looks towards Lorany as she grasps his hand, "Well, this is it--good luck. My grandfa Miya, talked with me yesterday. He says all we can do is hope."

Chezroth watches the first Impression with pride, large eyes whirling. He shifts his massive body closer to Omfaleth, giving the Queen dragon a brief look of great pride before turning his attention back to the action upon the Istan sands.

Raucous Swirled Redstar Egg starts to move again but this time not so gently - it rocks violently from side to side with the blows of an unseen occupant.

Hiccup in Hospitality Egg will try that moving thing again, and a little more vigorously this time. Okay, maybe there /is/ something to see here. It jerks to the right after a few good shimmies, going lopsided in its little burrow.

Xaine doesn't even catch the green's impression though she does turn quickly to keep her eyes on the sands and those rocking eggs and anything else coming her way. She flicks a brief glance back over at SEffox, then rolls her eyes before turning away again. She gives her robe a swift tug again while the drizzling rain falls over her shoulders.

Frelliss scans the sands, seeking out friends, then his eyes wander to his favorite egg--the Leisurely Lighthouse Locale Egg. "I can't wait to see what hatches from that particular egg--ooh what a lovely green!"

Phy tugs a little at one of the bunches in her robe with a distinct frown, despite her obviously unsettled nerves. Sharding, useless thing. It doesn't even fit correctly. But that's what one gets for procrastinating. The movements of one of the more ruddy-hued eggs elicits a speculative look, and then a narrow-eyed stare. It's moving - more. "Del, " she whispers. "It's moving again. More violently, too."

Danica hadn't even noticed Seffox calling her by her own name until Xaine points it out. Frowning at the herder lad she says in a peeved tone "Keep your eyes on the Sands, you don't want to be mauled. I'll expect you to call me Danica after this and not that horrid nickname." Her breath catches as a few of the eggs start twitching and wobbling.

Delaney curses the ever-present drizzle at Ista, having made the already superheated Sands a sauna for the slightly wet candidates. Trying to swing hips side to side just enough to stir some air beneath her damp whitish robe, she cranes her head again to watch with eager copper eyes as a red-hued egg moves away from the others. "Shells..." Single word sententces seem to be it for this girl. Poor Phy and Eilidh's hands are squeezed unconciously as she watches.

The Raucous Swirled Redstar Egg gives a final shudder, rolling twice over in the sand before a foot forces its way out. All at once, a dragonet lies sprawled in the remains of reddish shell.

Apheri starts to rock more fervently as the heat of the sands start to work its way into her feet. Her eyes are glued to the two egs that are seemingly about to break open.

Anvil-Steady Tempered Ore Blue Dragonet

Pale blue washes over the serene face of this bulky dragonet, circling around ever-steady eyes. Dark streaks form like rivulets in molten ore to race over prominent eyeridges, melding to a heavy, denser tone that continues down strong, bulky neck and faintly stubbed ridges. As that nebulous shade flows down ever-soft hide the light plays tricks, turning blue to tilt this way and that, lighter and darker as though mimicking dented, mid-shaped metal fresh from the Smithcraft's forge, not yet turned to splendid masterpiece. As though half-completed -- merely imagination taking splendid, lethargic form -- the blue tones suddenly deepen past hindquarters, growing heavier and more dense until it almost blackens at forked tail. Whatever Master wrought this gem seemed to have half-finished, and the blue's frame seems eager to fill out and discover the potential hidden within; but those wings surely have already reached it. Those were wrought to distinction, with translucent blue washed over powerful pinions and sparkle-bedecked sails: art in fluid motion, a Smith's pride indeed.

Freakishly Frightening Trousers Egg sways gently, hardly moving at all initially, but slowly builds up until it's swaying quite vigorously from side to side. In much the same way as it started, it slows again, dancing gently in its place until it comes to rest once more, unchanged except for the fact that the sands that have been shifted about and are now piled up higher around its base.

Perching anywhere in the dark sand that's convenient are firelizards, including Aeilas.

K'tdan takes a deep breath. "Here we go," he murmurs quietly to Catriona.

Kylia gives Oiralin's hand a convulsive little squeeze as more eggs begin to rock and shimmy. "It's really happening." A soft gasp escapes her lips as the little blue forces his way out of the redstar egg. "Oh, he's lovely." Absently, she shifts her weight from one foot to the other, lifting the free foot a bit off the hot sands.

Lydia shakes her head, eyes going wider and wider till they look like they're about to pop right out of her head. Hatchings she's seen a-plenty, but never this close! "Me either," she says to Ellery, then stares openmouthed at the blue. "Wow! Look at that one. He looks like... like... like he's half-built!"

Lorany opens her mouth, closes it, simply *stares* at the emerging blue as the crimson swirled egg shatters. "Oh..." squeak. Let's try that again. "Oh, oh my *gosh* Aeilas! Look at him, he's beautiful!" Lor's eyes are now nicely riveted to the serene forged blue hatchling.

Anvil-Steady Tempered Ore Blue Dragonet doesn't move for a moment, seeming almost to be taking an internal inventory. Four legs - check. Two wings - check. One tail - check. Satisfied that all parts are present, the little blue climbs laboriously to his feet and tries one cautious pace. The creeling wail that follows as foot number three promptly lands - hard - on wing number two would wake the dead. He sits down again to reconsider his options.

Hiccup in Hospitality Egg is really jiggling now, and isn't being the least bit subtle about it. Another spasmodic jerk to the right has the poor thing nearly completely on one of its rounded sides, and as if sensing its dilemma more frenzied twitching and jerking commences.

Eilidh mutters under her breath, comment indiscernible even to those around her. Releasing her friends from her clammy grip, she smooths down her robe in absent-minded gestures, and relieving them, coincidentally, of moisture. The rocking mound of eggs is given a terrified sort of look that is quickly replaced by pseudo calm, forced if the twitch of her nose is anything to go by. A shattering egg is given a studied look, and when it hatches, she exclaims to those near her, "He's blue." She's so observant.

Mayani watches as impressions begin and her lower lip draws up between her teeth unconsciously even as her eyes widen to take in the growing scene. With no hands to hold herself, she clutches a fold of her robes made by her fingers pulling at the fabric.

Manawan shifts positions slowly so as not to seem overly nervous. His eyes are watching an egg until a flash of blue catches his eyes. His attention turns to the blue as a smile creeps across his sweat laden face.

Seffox glances sideways at Danica. "I'm not making any promises, lady," he mutters, giving the Igenite's hand a little squeeze for emphasis. "Here, now, a blue. And he doesn't even know how to walk! His intelligence level seems a perfect match for you, Danica."

Omfaleth seems pride incarnate, her tailtip laziling falling back and forth in the sand. Reye sits on her forelimb, leaning forward as though watching the very best of suspenseful Harper's plays. "S'dar, look at that blue- so strong already!"

Lela can only get out a small mouthed wow, as she sees the blue, moving closer to her sister

Bubbling Benden Hot Springs Egg sounds a solid thump that breaks through most of the hatching din, before shattering and falling like a curtain to reveal a resplendent brown. He takes a moment to preen, and to shake off remnants of his home for the past few months before charging towards a cluster of candidates. Choosy, the limber bronze slows down, whuffling from person to person, before crooning softly towards a miner apprentice with dirt-encrusted hair. "Nygaeth! He's Nygaeth! And yes, yes, I'm your M'dilt." The pronouncement is startled, but filled with adoring enthusiasm.

Xaine lets one hand go even as she reaches a hand up to put to her chest, pressing down then takes a deep breath. Though her features are smooth and calm, the action is one that is obviously nervous. She glances around carefully at all those eggs rocking then to the blue that falls from his shells. She silently glances around the circle at the other candidates before back to the eggs and those dragonets popping from them.

Oiralin jumps despite his best effort and takes a step back, pulling on Kylia in his need to put a little distance between himself and the hatching dragonetts. HIs eyes round on his water-dappled face, "Th-th-th....I d-d-d-didn't think it would be like this." Gulping dryly in a sudden need to back away.

Danica watches the blue make his grand entrance and sighs, her eyes hopeful "He's just perfect" she murmurs to Eilidh, Seffox and Delaney. She doesn't take in Seffox's words at first but she turns scorching eyes on him and lets go of his hand. Giving the contrary candidate a good elbow she murmurs "Be polite, Omfaleth might take exception to that."

Aeilas grins at Lorany, "Hey, squeak like that again--it's cute!" He dutifully takes a look at the blue hatchling. "Yep, it's all slimy and ug-- I mean, lovely, just lovely."

Catriona is off on the sidelines, there, twitching. Like the eggs, only not. And she won't be hatching either. Nervous, though? Nervous she is, and it shows. "Here we go indeed," she replies dryly to K'tdan, eyebrow lifted. She watches carefully as the other assistant weyrlingmasters move to help those new weyrlings off the sands. Taking notes, no doubt.

Ellery, in spite of her interested detachment of a moment before, can't help but gulp when more and more eggs begin to wriggle and hatch, and so nearby. "Yes, Eilidh, /very/ blue," she comments, but a rueful smile belies the sarcasm. In a softer voice for Lydia, she adds, "But beautiful. Er, careful, don't let any of them run into you." She steps back as a particularly choosy dragon wuffles on by.

Freakishly Frightening Trousers Egg starts to sway again. First to the right, then back to the centre and then to the right a little further before it decides to come to rest at about a fourty five degree angle. Just as it seems that it isn't going to do anything else, it seems to jump, and positions itself in almost exactly the same place that it had started from.

The Hiccup in Hospitality Egg seems to have had enough. It's overstayed its welcome- or at least, the dragonet within has. A final and abrupt crack splits it in a dozen pieces, leaving a wet dragonet in its wake.

Sardonic Spiced-Rum Brown Dragonet

Imperishable walnut seeps into this brown hatchling's hide, his build one made up of lean muscles that ripple across his gangly form, rangy limbs and fruit-mottled angles meshing beneath wingsails of dark, heady rum. Awkward lankiness prevails over pure brawn in him; he'll never be bulky, but his strength will be obvious despite his lithe frame. Harsh scarlet streaks across his sides, contrasted by the pale cherry stain on the underside of his belly; gold filigree coils around slate-dark talons and headknobs, sweetened by a soft smattering of ocher across his prominent, pointed muzzle. Creamy pistachio tinges the warm, roasted chestnut of extra-long ridges, sliding down to the very tip of his tail's animated length.

Phy permits herself a small smirk at Eilidh's words, though the hint of something akin to admiration briefly touches the brat's visage. "He doesn't look too bad, " she comments quietly, and with a lack of her usual disdain or sarcasm. Sweat-and-drizzle dampened strands of mousy-blonde hair cling stubbornly to her skin, and it's with a soft curse that she reaches up one hand in an attempt to brush it away.

Lydia giggles. "He's sitting still, though," she points out to Ellery, only to be distracted by the hatching of yet another egg. "Wow! Look at that one!"

K'tdan smiles as he waves over the first weyrling pair to an awaiting assistant weyrlingmaster, watching them go to the far corner of the Sands.

Ishalla is serene as she watches the hatchlings, stepping out of the way from time to time but seeming unwilling to speak beyond that.

Kylia takes a deep breath, and her eyes leave the eggs long enough to steal a sidelong glance at Oiralin. "It's going to be alright- just keep your eyes on them. And don't drag me off balance while you're at it." Her words are light with excitement, her eyes sparkling. Hastily, she looks back, here eyes darting every which way as she tries to keep track of all that is going on.

Lorany is twitching, a rhythmic twitch, skip, hop, bounce from foot to foot, doubtless jolting Aeilas and Xaine in her enthusiasm. "Ooh, that poor little blue tread on his wing and... ow, that must've hurt... Sounds like it--ooh, brown! he's beautiful too! Shells these are some pretty dragons!"

S'dar claps Chezroth on the haunch before walking across the steaming sand to stand beside Reye, seated upon Omfaleth's golden foreleg. "Very strong indeed!" He replies with enthusiasm. "It is an incredible sight." His mouth opens as if he would say something further, but his attention is quickly captured by the appearance of a new brown dragonet nearby, and his eyes widen as he takes it in.

Frelliss is soon picking his feet up a bit more than before; he's probably thinking, "The Hatching hasn't started and already my feet hurt," though that most likely isn't an uncommon thought in his fellow Candidates' minds.

Delaney is silently appreciative as eggs begin to crack about the sands, the steady course of the blue impeded by his own wing earning a snicker from the sombre carpenter. "He'll grow out of that, I'm sure," she mumbles from the side of her mouth, copper-toned orbs flicking to a brown that hatches, catching her attention anew. The only constantcy of her activity on the sands, besides the sweating, is the shifting of largish feet in the hot black Sands they all stand on. "Eili, look at /that/.." Chin jerking to point.

Lela turns as she hears another crack she ohs as she sees the brown, "Oh Lydia, Ellie, look at him!"

Xaine begins to knaw on her lower lip while she watches the eggs hatch one by one. She furrows her brows, trying to catch them all at once and mutters under her breath, though it might be caught by those nearby. "N..No, t..that w..wasn't s..suppose to be b..brown. We p..predicted b..bronze. " She now seems to have forgotten her discomfort being on the hot sands and getting wet.

Danica takes deep breaths of excitement as she watches eggs splitting left and right. Squeezing almost painfully hard on Eilidh and Seffox's hands she gasps with wonder at the brown dragon just stumbling out "He's a real prize, that one is. Oh I wish...."

Eilidh takes a few wary steps back, one shoulder disappearing behind Danica. "It's all happening so quickly." Unable to keep up with this crumbling of eggs to that Impression, the blonde girl is late by a few seconds on everything. A half-smile finally finds its way onto her lips, tentative. "I see, Delaney, I see. So brown, with dabs of red. He's lovely, even with egg goo." Her hands are quick to seek out her friends' again, considerably dryer.

Seffox arches an eyebrow at Danica. "Well, she can't rightly expect them to be Master Crafters right out of the shell, can she? Anyway, though, I suppose you're right." He crosses his arms over his chest--Dani's in tow--and peers thoughtfully at the little blue, then the brown. "Probably wouldn't do to be eaten on the sands, would it?"

Phy laughs softly, a mirthless sound that doesn't quite seem /right/ coming out of her mouth. "An interesting looking sort of creature, to be sure, " she murmurs, grinning the tiniest bit at Delaney at the former carpenter's comment.

Anvil-Steady Tempered Ore Blue Dragonet tries this again. Stoically he gets to his feet, this time with his damp wings and tail raised exaggerately high to prevent any further attempts at self-injury. The creel is now almost self-satisfied, this bit's been sorted out anyway. At this moment he suddenly seems to realise there have been witnesses to his earlier attempt, and the blue wedge-shaped head turns to regard the semi-circle of candidates.

Ellery chuckles, a little shakily, for Lydia's astute observations. "He'll move as soon as he gets hungry enough, I'm thinking." Hearing Xaine's interesting comments, she inquires that-a-ways, "Hope you didn't put any money on that? Wagering on a Hatching'll lose you most of your marks pretty quickly, you know." Though her comments may be light, she's shifting uncomfortably as eyes roam the grounds.

Aeilas sends an encouraging grin to Ellery, along with a thumbs up. "Here's to your chance of finding a Lifemate on the Sands today, Buddy." Then, he's being jounced by Lorany's jiggling.

Lydia looks back to the blue, and bites her lip in concern. "He's hurt himself - is he alright? Yes, Lela, but that poor blue - he stepped on his wing - oh! Look, he's walking again." She smiles, pleased. "I guess he didn't hurt himself too bad."

Sardonic Spiced-Rum Brown Dragonet stands in the shattered remnants of his egg with a wary air about him, his whip of a tail lashing. Eyes, whirling fast with crimson and scarlet, focus intently on first the galleries - he offers those spectators a bemused warble, taking a step back on stilldamp paws - then the whiterobed ones in front of him. Curiosity takes over his suspicion, and he manages to urge himself slowly in their direction.

Danica finds herself in the position of sheild on one side and being pulled towards 'Fox on the other. Normally she would have harsh words for such treatment but for now she merely braces her legs in case she needs to dodge wandering hatchlings.

Freakishly Frightening Trousers Egg does a little shimmy-shake to the left, knocking up against one of the other eggs. Tiny cracks begining to appear on it's surface as teensy bits of shell dust crumble delicately from these forming nooks. Another shudder runs down its length, as though the hatchling within is shaking itself off, and then all movement stops.

Lorany transfers her gaze, brown, blue, lingering... Xaine. aha, there would be the someone who... "What? Wait, did we say bronze? Did we? I forget in all this confusion and confusing stuff... oh well, I dunno, I didn't bet anything did you? I just bet that... well you know about that. So anyway..."

Xaine wrinkles her nose, at Ellery's comment, though she doesn't turn away from the sands. "O..Of c..course not. I d..didn't have m..marks at the t..time. " She seems to /finally/ catch the fact that she's standing on burning hot sands and quickly lifts a foot to cool it, then lets it down to do the same to the other.

Alaner has disconnected.

Alaner has connected.

Frelliss grimaces, though not many may see the attempts of a smile at the newly Impressed pairs. Who said this was supposed to be a joyous occasion? Burning feet is not joyous. Although the only drawback to the Hatching, it's still pretty bad.

Oiralin takes several long, unsteady breaths, "I w-w-wish Shim where h-here." He says with a twisted frown. But then the brown dragon, so newly hatched, moves closer he edges closer to Kylia. From blue then brown and then the severfal rocking eyes his eyes zip until he bites down at his lower lip.

Delaney withdraws palms from Eilidh's and Phy's, removing them to pull them slowly down the less damp surface of her robe, managing to make them a bit more dry than before. "They all seem to have instinct," she comments, a bland comment made more for the comforting sound of speech than anything else. Hot black granules worm their way between her toes, and the tall lass tries to innocuously shake them free as she continues to track the course of hatchlings across their semicircle.

Kylia glances over at Phy, one brow raising. "I think he's really unique with all that red and gold on him." Oiralin's words bring a hint of a frown to her own brow and she lets out a sigh. "So do I, Oiry, so do I. I just hope-" she breaks off, hastily closing her mouth. "We just need to focus on the Hatching for now." And so she does, a smile tugging at her lips as the little blue moves so deliberately.

Ellery sends a smile and an imitation of Aeilas's thumbs-up back towards him, though it's an awkward motion for her, and probably one she's rarely done before. "Now, we both know you're more likely to find one on the Sands than I am." She's distracted from that assertion by Xaine's. "You have marks now? When did you get a chance to make any, between chores?" Ah, yes, now is the perfect time for idle chatter.

Nevermind the Nothing Egg twitches, moving in the nest of sand that Omfaleth so carefully arranged and guarded. Yet more of the silver sheen seems lost, consumed by the bleak gray. Or just hidden in the sand. It's an unsettling void, and doesn't encourage a long vigilance to wait for the impending result.

Seffox remembers that Danica is still 'attached' to him and drops his arm. "How long do these things usually take?" he asks, nervously eyeing the dragonets approaching the candidates. "I never stick around for the whole ordeal. And, eh, no maulings yet. That's good."

Phy manages to catch some part of Ellery's words, and groans, audibly. "There go my Marks, then!" she utters with a disparaging shake-of-the-head. "I should have known betting was too fun to be any good." Hrmph. When Delaney removes her hand, the girl wipes her own carefully on her robe, then picks at it again with a look of utter disgust. "I can't wait to get this stupid thing off of me, " she mutters, although the words may very well be lost in everything else being said.

Anvil-Steady Tempered Ore Blue Dragonethas now turned himself around completely to face the candidates. Stepping with caution he makes his way over towards them, though 'caution' is always a relative term. He hasn't trodden on his own wings again. This is no guarantee that he isn't about to fall over anything else that gets in his way. His eyes look from face to face and then fix - having found perfection in a delicate girl's face framed with shorn wisps of ebony hair.

Chezroth fidgets in his groove in the sand as he watches the action before him, his eyes drawn first toward a wobbling egg, then toward a staggering dragonet, and finally to his Queen and her rider beside him. Would that he had multiple pairs of eyes he would be a happy dragon - stuck with only the single pair that he has, he is forced to divide his attention between everything that is going on in front of him at once. He trumpets encouragingly to the dragonets making their first movements, craning his neck forward to get better glimpses of the action.

Alaner just continues to watch what is happening with this dark eyes. He's smiling a little, though he's not saying a word to anyone. Occasionally, he sneaks a glance at his fellow candidates, but for the most part, his focus is on the eggs.

The Freakishly Frightening Trousers Egg will be frightening no more. They split down the middle -- cracks appearing just where they oughtn't -- before falling to the sands around a blinking dragonet.

Delicate Lichen Green Dragonet

The green hues of this hatchling are subdued, carefully grown over the other shades that seemed intent on influencing her hide. A tentative, mossy green rubs soft and rounded over her petite face and back to haunches, displacing the duller colors of stoney mountain lichen on her underbelly. That lighter belly, smooth with a newborn's perfect skin, tricks the eye with a pattern of color, lichenous flakes of gray-green warming to rose-green up her chest, like granite turning to sandstone. This lady's unusually small neckridges hold the boldest shades, a deep pine green that twists its way from tail to headknobs, holding firm between the pale clouds of her wings to either side. The wing membranes are thin now in her youth, and all but translucent; an icy shade of cloud and snow, with just the faintest touch of fresh green sprouting along wingspars through the frost. Actual measurement would prove her size to be quite average, but she seems smaller for the fine-boned body and delicate feminine curves.

Lorany is drawn, of course, drawn as though by magnetic force to that creepy silver egg that has so bewitched her throughout candidacy. "Oh, oh my gosh! Who *cares* about who has marks and why and where from look at that! Xaine, Xaine! Did you see it? I bet that's a blue, I just bet it's a blue..." Her attempt at pointing ends in wriggling fingers. "Eee!"

Eilidh's hand floats aimlessly in the air when Delaney moves, and fingers clench, grasping at nothing. Bringing it down to crush the material of her robe, the blue gaze skims the area nearby, following the actions of the blue dragonet. "Watch out." The warning is murmured with a lack of trepidation. "What's going on?" Straining to look, forgetting her own warning, the blonde peers over.

The Anvil-Steady Tempered Ore Blue pauses, still as the stone he seems hewn from. Then stone is in motion, and with a flurry of hammered wings, he's at his chosen's feet like metal to a magnet, the lodestone of his life found.

Xaine takes a deep breath then nods at Ellery's comment. Of course it's the perfect time for a random coversation and murmurs softly. "My b..brothers s..sent me a m..mark each for my t..turnday. " She's careful she keep her eyes on the sands and the dragonets there.

Sardonic Spiced-Rum Brown Dragonet is having a bit of a time trying to figure out this whole walking business. It's somewhat confusing, all these appendages and whatnot he possesses. Either his wings droop too low and he ends up snagging them and tripping, or those long legs tangle and send him skidding in the sand. And every time he snorts his impatience and gives a frustrated rumbling. Huff. Closer and closer he comes to the Candidates though despite his troubles, growling and hissing at anything too close to him and growing more and more agitated as time goes by.

Frelliss gasps at the Delicate Lichen Green. "Now -that- is a lady!!!" He breathes in awe, eyes following her.

Delicate Lichen Green Dragonet stares out in bafflement at her suddenly expanded world. Eyes whirling fast and red with hunger and confusion, she cries out plaintively to anyone that will listen. Her cries quieten down to a sad song as she start off slowly across the sands in her search to find something - someone, with her wings folds back carefully, lacey sails glittering in the reflection from the sands. Her little head swings around, cocked to one side and listening intently.

Lorany has been known, somewhere in her hyperactive, scattered existence, to go to pieces. This she does, falling *splat* in the sand, going nicely unstrung in the face of the beautiful, serene smith-forged blue dragonet who's just picked her out of a throng. "Who would possibly want... me? Larileth?" To the galleries, the sands, Telgar Weyr, "Larileth!"

Danica shifts slightly but doesn't really notice the heat radiating up her legs but she gasps as the blue goes stumbling towards Lorany "Oh Lor, congratulations!" The green who hatches next has her sighing again at the light colors swirling on the hide and loses track of the brown stumbling nearby.

Nevermind the Nothing Egg shudders heavily, spreading the embankment of black sand surrounding it in concentric circles outwards. The shudder continues, and sand sifts over the shards of it's neighbors, blanketing them in darkness. The shards are lost while the egg awakens, as if it's own shell was having trouble containing the nothingness displayed on it.

Lydia grins at Ellery. "No, I think you will - look, there he goes, that blue - he picked Lorany!" she squeals, hopping up and down in excitement. "It's Lorany!"

Delaney lurches to her toes, managing to see where the blue's knelt. "Someone with black hair," she calls down to the shorter candidates about her, hands in her own drug up with her, the perils of standing next to a tall girl. Short but still sweating hair is shook off forehead. "And a green, she's so delicate..." Before attention is jerked to Lorany's words. "Congratulations!" she calls, a huge smile wreathing her face for the first time glimpsed in the months of candidacy.

K'tdan steps up to take the next pair away from the chaos that is a hatching. "He's a fine looking fellow, Lorany," he says quietly. "I bet he's... Larileth's hungry. Come on." Away they go.

Apheri watches the dragonets with mild trepidation as more start to hatch. So much going on she can't possibly watch them all. Her eyes are caught by the latest green just hatching as she too wipes sweat from her palms. Just as she does she watches as Lorany impresses a green and she smiles, "Congrats Lorany!"

Phy catches Eilidh's warning, greenish-gray eyes flicking quickly over the sands before them. The blue, who seems to have found his lifemate, is spared a cursory glance, eyes widening as he realizes - he chose Lorany! Mouth gaping soundlessly in shock, the girl just shakes her head. "I knew that one was trouble, " she states in an 'I-knew-it' tone.

K'tdan walks down to the far end of the Cavern.

K'tdan has left.

The surface of Fort Ramp Retreat Egg is rent by a blow from within, a set of birth-soft tallons having pierced the hardened shell. The ovoid rolls erratically as the hatchling within struggles, finally splintering around the original crack and allowing a large dragonet to roll free. Covered in black sand from its tumble and speckled with assorted egg shards, the dragonet's color is questionable. Is it blue, green, something else entirely? As the little one halts before Kaylanne, its sandy covering begins to crumble, revealing a startling ultramarine blue hide. The former kitchen worker is stunned into silence as her knees buckle, and only when her arms are around the large blue's neck does she speak, a single name shouted for all of Ista to hear. "Doryth!"

Lela looks in time to see the blue impress Lorany, she smiles warmly claping her hands together, then watching the new green and the brown that is still about with interest.

Xaine quickly puts a hand to her mouth even as she looks at Lorany. She smiles for her friend and murmurs softly. "I k..knew it. "

Lorany walks down to the far end of the Cavern.

Lorany has left.

Kylia's free hand clenches into a fist as everything starts to happen so quickly. Her roaming eyes come to Lorany just as the girl falls to the sand. "Oh, Lorany, congratulations!" Her breath catches, and she shakes her head as she looks back at Oiralin. "Larileth she said. Can you believe it?"

Oiralin's head nods up and down at Kylia but his attention is torn between so many things. Now he's looking over towards the blue who's made his choice, "C-c-c...." oh bother, instead he chokes out "Yah Lorany!" That'll work. He nudges at Kylia and points with his other hand, pointing, "W-w-w-wwwow."

Aeilas flashes Lorany a grin of pure triumph. "I knew you would do it, Lor! Congratulations!" His face is totally alight with joy for his friend.

Ellery sends an exasperated smile in Lorany's general direction. "I /still/ don't know why she...what? Lor! Congrats!" Exasperation turns to a grin for her fellow candidate. "Oh, that's so wonderful. But...how will she stay on him to fly?" She banishes that puzzling thought with a shake of her head.

Eilidh's neck strains forward a bit more, trying to keep her attention forward, but failing miserably. While searching blue eyes cannot distinguish Lorany from the rest of the white robes, the voice is discernible. "Oh, Lorany," a soft exclamation pushed through pressed lips at the Impression. But remembrance dawns quickly, and the slender girl veers back to stare at the eggs with an immediacy fueled by either fear or nerves.

K'tdan walks over from the far end of the Hatching Cavern.

K'tdan has arrived.

Manawan cheers for Lorany quickly turning back to the other dragonets on the sands.

Danica bends her head towards Seffox and murmurs "Not too long..." She presses against him for comfort as hatchlings trip around in their search for the perfect candidate "I didn't think it would go so fast...that green is a beauty isn't she?"

Nevermind the Nothing Egg rolls free, a fine dusting of black istan sand obscuring whatever tracings of silver were left on the shell. Life within is strenghtening and struggling, fighting valiantly against the bleak gray shell. The gray orb starts rolling - a last ditch attempt to consume more of it's surroundings - but sinks into a rut of sand. Thwarted.

Larileth walks down to the far end of the Cavern.

Larileth has left.

Alaner wears a small, slightly amused smile at the sight of Lorany impressing. He keeps whatever's made him smile to himself, however, and just concerns himself with the dragonets on the sands - moving out of their way! - and the eggs still uncracked.

Delicate Lichen Green Dragonet stumbles forward, landing with a *splat* of egg-goop and shells bits on the ground. Regaining her composure, she stands and shakes off a stubbourn bit of shell that remains stuck to her wings, her wedged head swiveling once again to peer at the nearest candidates. Another soft call rises in her throat and in a scattering of eggs shards, she starts again towards those white robed figures - only to stumble once again and land with limbs splayed in all directions. One of her wings partially covers her head and an unhappy creeling starts again from the little green.

Prolific Purple Plots Egg twitches a little, shifting from side to side. Then it falls still again, nestled in its sandy indentation.

Seffox nods idly. "As beautiful as baby dragons can be, Danica. You know I prefer the males, anyway. Greens tend to cause trouble." He shifts his weight, then semi-leans back against the girl. "Keeping an egg count? How many left to hatch?"

Lela ohs as the green gets all wrapped in her own wings, "Look Lydia, poor thing, and that brown, has as bad of temper as me."

Lydia winces in sympathy. "Oh the poor thing. She can't stand up. Think there's something wrong with her? Or maybe she's just clumsy - should we try and help her, Lela?" the last is suggested tentatively.

Mayani claps for those impressions made closest to her, smiling somewhat unintelligently as she tries to ride the fine line between watching impressions and making sure she stays out of the way of those unimpressed hatchlings.

Prolific Purple Plots Egg restlessly moves with more energy this time. Rocking rhythmically from side to side with increasing momento like a ship on stormy seas, it completely capsizes, tumbling over itself to lie motionless.

Frelliss is being pessimistic about his feet, but why? He can't be any worse off than the other Candidates. It may look like he's hopping from foot to foot in anticipation or nervousness, but it's just the heat of the sand. The wing-hooded green is watched intently.

Lela says "Are we supposed to?"

Xaine shakes her head as if to clear it and takes a deep breath heavily. She flicks a quick glance down at the remaining candidates then looks out at the eggs and dragonets there with a slight nod. She seems to be mentality taking count or perhaps making sure all's well. That robe-tugging seems to have stopped for now as if she's forgetting her modesty and occasionally minces her feet to get the strain of the heat from the tender soles.

Ellery seems much more interested in her fellow candidates than any of the myriad of dragonets stumbling around so nearby. Lela's comment about her own temper draws a small laugh, which is soon smothered with one hand. "Oh, be careful, you two. Probably best to stay away from them." That's for Lydia's suggestion of help.

Lydia shakes her head. "I don't think so - but!"

Phy snorts softly at the green's ungainly ways. "You'd think she'd at least be able to walk a bit better, " the grumpy Candidate vociferates, though that doesn't prevent greenish-gray eyes from flicking in the dragonet's direction occasionally, even as she watches the restless movements of one particularly garishly-hued ovoid.

Delaney has partially disconnected.

Kylia winces as the little green stumbles and creels. She takes a half step forward, then catches herself firmly puts her foot back on the sand. Firmly enough to gasp as the heat flares- maybe that will help her to remember to stay in her place. With her free hand she points toward the purple plots egg. "That one is really smooth- it rustled when I was touching it." This an aside to Oiralin, even as her eyes resume their darting from one egg to the next.

Alaner shakes his head and says to Lela and Lydia, "I think we're supposed to just stay away from them... But I've never been to one of these before." The big man glances for a moment at the roly-poly egg and then steps to the left a little, well out of everyone's way, angry little dragonet and stumbly candidate alike.

Aeilas wipes the sweat trickling down his face, with is now-free hand, leaving a sandy smear on one cheek, as his feet shift, seeking relief from the heat. He moves closer to Ellery. "I've been deserted." He mock-moans.

Sardonic Spiced-Rum Brown Dragonet has finally managed it, this taxing trek across the sands - he's wearing quite a bit of it now, actually, in a thin coat of sparkling ebony grains - and now his mood is certainly one to be reckoned with. Confusion, urgency, frustration. It doesn't add up to a happy little dragon, no. He suddenly stop, quite close to a small cluster of females, and tilts his head. It's as if there's something in the air. He spins around, tail lashing again, spraying sand at the Candidates unfortunate enough to be nearby. Another whirl has him facing one particular Candidate. Without warning he plows ahead, all talons and clumsy movements, and if Ellery should be in the way and /not/ quick enough she might find herself on the wrong end of such things. His focus is clear. He wants /her/, the lanky girl, she of the warm blonde hair and deep blue eyes.

Prolific Purple Plots Egg violently shakes all over. A hairline crack appears at the bottom of the egg and works it's way upward toward the top of the shell.

Danica steps aside quickly as a dragonet crawls past, her hopeful expression turning disappointed "They are quicker then I thought they would be. I can see now why everyone says we will have to move fast. I don't know how many are left, I can't see beyond that hatchling."

Eilidh's feet shift again, lifting up by the heel and then placed down again with a delicate wince on her features. The commentary, once again, draws the girl's fluttery attention towards the green's stumble, and the angular face draws in. "That must hurt. Do they feel the heat as much as we do?" The question is asked in hushed tones of Danica. But other movement on the Sands makes her head shift from side to side in befuddlement.

Oiralin shakes his head sharply at Kylia, "N-no, don't." He warns her and tries to pull at her hand to draw her back along side him. "I'm s-sure that she'll be ok." Not exactly confident in that but the brown is moving towards the candidates with a purpose and he hold shis breath.

The Sardonic Spiced-Rum Brown seems almost to hesitate for a second. Then his eyes have fallen on the one for whom he was born to be, and he's upon her, with one creel that's turning from a question to the eternal answer of limitless devotion.

Seffox snorts. "I can outrun a dragon any day," he boasts. "Er, a baby one, at least. They aren't the most graceful of creatures, are they? And what's with the dragons Impressing females?" He wrinkles his nose. "Guess my odds aren't very good."

K'tdan mutters, "Oh, shards." He starts towards the injured candidate, but stops when another moves more quickly. Remembering his duties, he turns to the next impression pair.

The Prolific Purple Plots Egg skitters in the sand, its occupant bound and determined to make its way into the world. And that it does... slowly, surely, crack after steady crack, until a dragonet is left trying to steady itself.

Venturesome Water-Worn Brown Dragonet

There's a decidedly rich, almost aged hue to this brown's hide, like rare old wood refinished into something new, polished to a gleaming shine without losing the luxurious variety that turns can sometimes leave behind. A deep mahogany runs across a sleek, elongated body while smudges of ash mar the smooth lines of sinewy shoulders and muscular haunches. That long, lean build gives him a decidedly svelte appearance, buoyed by fluid ease and sleek carriage, a certain tilt to muzzle, a certain airy slant to tailtip. A trace of tar edges sinewy neck and back, fathomless ebony reiterated in sharply arched talons. Burnt umber and sorrels gather beneath him in a parade of shades, becoming darker around his sleek belly and beneath wide wings. Deep swathes and pale flecks gather in jagged forms as the lines of water-wear meet and mingle with soft meandering grain, tracing lines of muscle as though serving to delineate them. Those wide wings are strewn with a wash of sable, but that mahogany looms beneath, warm and rich, throwing into contrast the new and old.

Ellery is so distracted by watching out for Lela and Lydia, and then trying to set that aside to speak to Aeilas - but just when she's about to open her mouth to answer him, a large brown is clawing right past her. She falls to the sands with a *thump,* but no cry, and is that a patch of crimson flowering on her robe?

Lela jumps out of the way, the brown being on top of Ellery. "Yikes watch out Ellie!" Then she realizes the hatchling has gone for her sister, she blinks.

Lydia shrieks! "ELLERY! ELLERY! She's bleeding!" she calls out in a panic. "Someone HELP!"

Manawan watches with rapt awe as the dragonets wheel about in search of their lifemates, the brown knocking Ellery down as he goes for his lifemate.

S'dar watches the Impressions with a mighty pleased expression on his face. "A fine match," he says as the blue Impresses, and "couldn't be better," when a wobbling green finds her new lifemate. "This will be a fine Weyrling class, I guarantee it." He takes a few steps forward to where Chezroth's brazen nose is hovering close to the hot sand and affectionately places a hand upon the bronze's eyeridge. His attention is distracted by a commotion nearby and he turns to regard the fallen Ellery, his eyes widening with alarm.

Delicate Lichen Green Dragonet gathers herself up - peeking out shyly from beneath one shimmering wing. Something suddenly catches her eye. Her cries change from longing to panic as she starts purposefully at an awkward run - stopping only once she's close enough to the one that she wants. Wings snap out to form a shield as she protectively tries to cover the one down on the sands and tips her muzzle down carefully to nudge at the golden haired candidate.

Reye frowns at the sound of someone shrieking on the sands. "Oh dear," she murmurs, blue eyes scanning for the source of that injury: Lela? Ellery? "Is she hurt badly?"

The Delicate Lichen Green trembles for a second, caught in stillness, uncertain, then the uncertainty dies. She knows. She has always known. This one is hers - now and forever.

Eilidh's lips part, her head canting to the side with the befuddlement set in place. Her ma taught her well, and the brown before her is studied with continually widening eyes. "Oh! Oh." Expression clearing into one of unadulterated joy, the slender girl falls forward, arms reaching out with a complete lack of hesitancy around the brown. "He says his name's Cayetath! Oh, Cayetath."

Danica gasps as Eilidh's hand goes limp next to hers "Oh Eilidh!" she sighs, her expression one of acute envy as she watches her best friend at Ista Impress. Excited she jumps up and down a little, jarring Seffox's arm as she moves. The screams of the other candidates have her jumping as she cranes her head to see who is hurt.

Alaner glances at Ellery and then moves toward her smoothly, but not slowly. "Lydia, shut up... She'll be fine and you're just making a scene," he says sharply to the panicked candidate. Those dark eyes flick to Ellery and he says, "You alright, Ellery?" He extends a calloused hand to her.

Delaney loosens her thousand-glow smile as the first few trundle off to feed, watching as more eggs split, spilling onto the sands. Feet, even in thick sandals, are toasted nicely, a little too nicely really, and she shifts trying to see where the brown has made his port. Hands clench, and another smile lifts corners of her mouth high. "Eilidh!" A grin takes over her face, and her hand is snatched from holding Eilidh's, now happily busy with her brown, eyes only for her friend.

Apheri watches in horror as Ellery goes down, blood trickling from her. His attention drawn in one moment by Eilidh's proclemation of the brown's name.

Lela runs to her sister dispite the hatchling, "Move back, you hurt her, understand?"

Phy jerks her head around at Lydia's shriek, staring at the patch of crimson growing on Ellery's robe. "Ellery!" is all she seems capable of murmuring, attention caught by the emergence of another brown. Eilidh's next words, however, elicit a high jump of eyebrows and a gasp. "Eilidh! Brown - er, Cayetath!"

Kylia lets out a muffled sound somewhere between a gasp and an exclamation. She tears her hand out of Oiralin's and takes a few quick steps toward Ellery. "Oh shells, is she alright?" Eyes wide, she scarcely noticed Eilidh's Impression, trying to keep track of any nearby dragonets.

Lydia drops to her knees next to Ellery. "Oh my goodness, oh my goodness, are you okay? You're BLEEDING!" She completely ignores Alaner, so worried is she for Ellery.

K'tdan's pale gaze darts between Eilidh and Cayetath and the injured Ellery, ushering the newly impressed pair to the far side of the Sands. "Here we go. I bet he's hungry, come on, Eilidh." Away they go.

The Nevermind the Nothing Egg is quick becoming nothing but shards, and as it shivers and shakes bits of it fall to the ground to be swallowed by black Istan sand. Soon there's none left to fall, just a dragonet covered in small pieces of that former home.

Xaine completely misses Eilidh's impression even as she quickly kneels down by her cousin. "E..Ellery, i..it's a..alright. W..we're here. " She reaches out to help stem the blood. She quickly glances around, now keeping an eye on the sands and those dangerous dragonets. She looks pleeding over at the Weyrleaders.

Opulent Auburn Bronze Dragonet

Anyone with a keen eye for style can see that this young dragon might well inspire a new trend. The irrepressable presence of a bronze hardly makes the metallic sheen of his hide necessary. The variations of color are ornate, almost overwhelming the surprisingly soft lines of a finely pointed muzzle, extended headknobs, and a sweeping length to wing and tail. A brushing of fine-threaded copper hues around his neck and up wing shoulders create the look of a fur-lined collar, even with the bony joints of a weyrling dragon. The copper touch is increasingly subsumed by heavier bronzes of deeper shades, and even fine lines of cinnabar, as your eye travels down the length of the dragon. From afar, these colors blend into a rich shimmer to smooth over the lines of his back, gawky hatchling limbs, and svelte chest. But variations pull you in for a closer inspection, where it appears that each distinct shade weaves through the others in a brocade pattern that multiple looms of a talented weaver would be hard pressed to duplicate. Wingsails are less detailed, still thickly opaque, but with a broader pattern of hammered metallic leafing over the wingspars. Neckridges appear dark bronze, but are shot through with flashes of a copper knotwork design down his length.

K'tdan walks down to the far end of the Cavern.

K'tdan has left.

Aeilas blinks in consternation as Ellery goes down right beside him. The red seeping onto her gown causes him to freeze. "Are--are you ok, Ellery?"

Ode to Klah Egg shudders, loosening the clinging sand that now tumbles from the beige shell in ripples, undulating down, leaving just the sprinkling of nutmeg behind. The striations of chestnut and hazelnut vibrate, blurring faintly for a moment as the egg breaks into a quick shiver.

Ellery's teeth and fists are are clenched in pain, but she stumbles to her feet without assistance, her eyes locked on something other than Alaner's hand, something pale and green. "No, you can't mean me, you just can't." There's a pause. "Even so, you /do/." As eyes fill with both comprehension and tears, she raises her voice to proclaim, "Her name is Ayannath!"

Eilidh walks down to the far end of the Cavern.

Eilidh has left.

K'tdan walks over from the far end of the Hatching Cavern.

K'tdan has arrived.

Lela rips the bottom of her robe, taking it to tie off the injury of her sister's.

Frelliss looks up at all the humming dragons, so he totally misses Ellery's injury. No, the sound isn't so overpowering that it hurts his ears, nor is it the sweetest sound he's ever heard. But it is happy. Loud, clashing-pitched, and monotonous, but happy--in anticipation.

Danica gasps as she watches Ellery rise bloodied but with a green dragonet "Oh Ellery she is beautiful!"

The destruction of Forgotten Royalty Egg's shell into fragments of its former majesty reveals a small, erectly-held figure. Elegantly does the petite, very verdant green traipse over the ebony sands, bright talons pressing deeply into the heated grains. She pauses, however, at the very same moment that a rustic-haired lad from High Reaches glances in her direction, and Taceten, well-known for his quiet words, suddenly isn't all that quiet any longer. "Veneth!" he cries aloud, hastily moving toward the crooning, tail-swishing dragonet. "Veneth, I /knew/ you'd find me here! C'mon, we'll get you something to eat." The vociferation, besides holding ringing notes of confidence, is accompanied by an equally bright beam, quite the unusual occurrence upon T'ace's visage.

Apheri smiles and cheers as Ellery gets up just as the green makes her way over to her friend, "Way to go Ellery! She is beautiful!"

Oiralin's mouth opens but no sound comes out. He leans forward, yearning to help but held in place by uncertainty. "Kylia!" He reaches for her robe, stumbling a bit as he tries to catch up with her, "Sh-she's fine. L-look." He points at the green who's suddenly next to her and impressing to her. He hardly dares to look to see if Lela's going to get carved up for getting in the way. "OH shards no."

Lydia scrambles to her feet when Ellery gets up, just staring at her and the green dragon. For once, she's speechless.

Cayetath walks down to the far end of the Cavern.

Cayetath has left.

Ellery walks down to the far end of the Cavern.

Ellery has left.

Xaine blinks in surprise now, glancing over at the green and Ellery. She gives a strangled sound in the back of her throat even as she stands and her and her cousin's new lifemate is taken off the sands.

Delaney blinks, a hole suddenly in their five-candidate front, and she scoots over a bit, watching with no little pride as both Eilidh and Ellery head off the Sands. "Ellery too!" Smile seems fixed in place. Don't worry, it won't be permanent. Another brown catches her attention, followed by a bronze, and her own copper-toned eyes flick back and forth between the two, though if truth be told, a bit more on the wood-hued brown. "He looks just like my old clothespress," she ventures mutters to Phy, a grin in her voice from the boastful carpenter lass.

Ayannath walks down to the far end of the Cavern.

Ayannath has left.

Opulent Auburn Bronze Dragonet turns his head up to Omfaleth from within the ruins of his shell, with a flatteringly blinking gaze. My how /large/ you are! The newborn makes sure every part is in it's proper place, extending an egg-damp wing until the stuck bit of former shell comes free. Dull gray. Completely out of style. There's another still clinging to his back, but thank Faranth he can't see that one, or he might never get *moving*.

Kylia abruptly halts as Ellery pushes herself up out of the sand and to her feet. Worry fades from her eyes and she dips a firm nod. "She's lovely, Ellery. Congratulations!" Though the girl is clearly busy and can't hear her, she offers it anyhow, then lets out a ragged sigh. "There are too many to watch at once." She manages a weak smile, then reaches out to take Oiralin's hand back. "Oh, Oiralin, a bronze. Look!"

Lela looks back to the sands now, wary, Ellery's blood on her she wipes it on her now torn robe, she keeps looking about for any danger.

K'tdan hurries back, helping Ellery and her new lifemate to a safer area.

K'tdan walks down to the far end of the Cavern.

K'tdan has left.

Danica offers her hand to Delaney now that Eilidh has abandoned her. Blue eyes are shining as she murmurs to the bigger girl "Eilidh on a brown!" Seffox is dragged closer to Delaney with her and she grows excited again "Look, a bronze! He's beautiful"

Ode to Klah Egg gives another brief shake and cracks go racing down from the white cream top, leaving it intact like an ivory cap. The striations are twisted as each fracture break through their neat lines, sundering the swirling mixes of tan and amber and breaking a cleft in the dark chocolate splotch.

Omfaleth gives a light churr at the little bronze hatchling, an encouraging note to her voice. Go on, go on.

Phy's expression alters as Ellery Impresses, and the girl sniffs. "Ayannath, is it? I suppose that's a prettier name than some of the others I've heard. Like that one." A chin juts toward T'ace and Veneth. "Veneth is rather plain, don't you think?" A little grin flicks briefly toward Delaney. "Does he, now? Interesting." The bronze's emergence is eyed momentarily, then a speculative look shoots toward various males in the group.

K'tdan walks over from the far end of the Hatching Cavern.

K'tdan has arrived.

Seffox is silent through the whole ordeal: injury, impression, impression. "It's certainly turning out to be an eventful day, isn't it?" he asks cheerfully. "Just goes to show you have to pay attention in a situation like this." /He/ isn't going to be maimed, so he fixes the bronze with a glare. Gotta watch that one. He only grunts as he's dragged across the sands. "Focus, Danica!"

Ancient Accomplished Gold Egg shivers a little, as though it had just gotten a sudden chill. It's motionless another few moments, then trembles again, giving a little hop and a lethargic roll over in the sands like a child nosing around for that blanket she'd lost in the night. But the only blanket here is the black sand itself, and the bright egg seems almost to give up, settling down once more.

Aeilas blinks in surprise--and joy for Ellery as she is chosen by the green. He claps and cheers as the pair move off. Of course now he's totally alone.(re)

Manawan tries hard not to wipe the sweat from his brow as the heat radiates frmo the sands beneath his feet. He hands are just as wet as his forehead anyways. His eyes dart from dragonet to hachling coming back to the bronze.

Xaine quickly just wipes blood on her already stained robe and shakes her head while looking just a bit shakened. She glances around at the sands before taking a deep breath. She blinks a few times before paying attention to the eggs and dragonets there.

Lela has her lip tight, she sees her sister leave, she edges over to Xaine, "Xaine, dont leave me."

Oiralin stares after the candidates who left, worry etched into his feature. "D-do you think they'll let us g-go look at them? Is there a healer th-there?" So much for paying attention to the other eggs and the dragons. He tries again to edge backwards.

Alaner just steps out of the way as Ellery and her new lifemate head off. He looks to the other men remaining there and then to the remaining dragons stumbling their way around the sands.

Venturesome Water-Worn Brown Dragonet struggles to right himself, making a small sound of discontent at his rather ungraceful arrival. He doesn't even wait for the shell remnants to fall off his damp hide before he sets off, heading in the direction of the candidates.

K'tdan returns, wiping blood from his hands with a tattered cloth. He gives Reye and S'dar a thumbs-up, though his expression is somber. One might guess that Ellery will be okay from that signal. "They're keeping us busy now, Catti," he murmurs sideways to his assistant.

S'dar's alarm is placed by a wide grin as Ellery Impresses. "She'll be fine," he says. "She's got her lifemate with her." At that he turns to regard the newly-hatched bronze for a few moments, glancing momentarily to his left to give Chezroth a wry grin and a brief but loving cuff to the cheek. He steps backward to rejoin Reye and her Queen, though his eyes are still watching the young metallic dragonet making its way across the Istan sand.

Delaney manages to keep some distance between Py and Danica, however, even as her hand is thankfully taken by Dani. Managing to separate the less than friends, she blows a cooling draft upwards at shortly shorn caramel hair, a glance speared towards still moving eggs almost warily, before jerking back to watch as the two dragonets stumble over the black dips in Sands, breath shuddering out as she remembers to breathe... regularly.

The emergence of Omfaleth and Chezroth's newest child into the world, from the shards of the Fateful Ferrous Fry-Pan Egg, is heralded with much fanfare, judging by the force with which the bugling, umber-hued hatchling breaks through his shell. His bright tones never cease as he makes that fateful journey about the hatching sands, stretching his neck toward a slim, dark-haired lad from Crom. It's with an equally bright laugh that Gistra shepherds the cheerfully loud brown after a beckoning member of the Weyrlingmaster staff, and a slightly admonishing, "Do quiet down a little, dear Loquacith."

Xaine turns briefly to Lela and smiles gently even as her other cousin gets her attention. She murmurs softly. "N..never. I..I'll be h..here and E..Ellery will a..also, despite h..her new l..lifemate. " She reaches to put a comforting hand on the younger girl's shoulder then puts her attention back where it belongs.

Mayani watches the scene and the injured with a wrinkle of apprehension across her forehead. So everything's not so happy seems to be what her expression suggests. But she seems relieved that the girl is not hurt badly and impresses, even, all the same. She claps softly, perhaps not wanting to draw the attention of any hatchlings her way now.

Frelliss shifts his attention to the sands in front of him. Lotsa action here. Better pay attention. He looks around just in time to step out of the way of a very determined-looking bronze hatchling barreling by.

Phy glances down to her own robe, as though in an afterthought. Those faded bloodstains seem to be starker than ever, but perhaps that's only because of the hazy steam that keeps rising from the sands. Another disconcerted little tug attempts to move the garment into a more comfortable position, but of course, fails miserably. The emergence of the newest brown garners a snort. Not the nicest name, apparently.

Ancient Accomplished Gold Egg shudders again, several minutes after it did the first time. Ah, morning. It seems as though there are a few failed attempts at navigating the interior of that cramped space - there must be a hatch here somewhere, shardit - and a few knocks and exploratory shivers occupy it before it gets down to the serious business of hammering. When all else fails: brute force.

Opulent Auburn Bronze Dragonet stretches out, rising up on his haunches to give a tiptoe sort of stance, long tail in counterbalance. Trying to make sense of the chaos around him? His untried hatchling-voice wurbles and gronks conversationally, perhaps in complaint about the lack of proper precedence given his arrival, and the bronze rubs up against a nearby egg. No, it's not for balance. Whatever makes you say that?

Oiralin's eyes dart up towards the stands and he blinks, did he just hear his name? Nah....it must be a trick of the sound coming from that crazy brown screaching. "Ah...Loquacith? J-jays." He stays still though, some inner reminder coming to him that he'd shame his whole family for hiking up his robe and dashing off.

Kylia tightens her grip on Oiralin's hand and jerks her chin toward the Sands. "She'll be fine. There are people in there I'm sure. I can't watch the hatchlings and you at the same time you know, so pay attention. Don't you get hurt as well." And as she looks back she notices that the gold egg is rocking. Her eyes skim over the remaining girls and she dips a slow nod.

Danica takes a shuddering breath and looks over at Seffox, her face wreathed in a smile "I'm focused, I'm focused." Pulling on Delaney's arm now she remarks "That brown hatchling looks like a well seasoned piece of wood, doesn't it?"

Lydia inches closer to Lela and Xaine. "Do you think she's alright?" she says worriedly. "That brown just... just walked right over her and knocked her down!"

Venturesome Water-Worn Brown Dragonet seems a little less sure of himself as he nears the white-robed candidates. He doesn't slow down though, not this one. Instead, he angles to make his way around the candidates at the same steady pace. Unnoticed, a sliver of shell falls off of his back to the ground.

Lela watches the other brown, a lot more fearful now, she is just inches from running from any hatching coming close to her.

Ode to Klah Egg rests quietly for a long moment, as though its occupant has changed its mind about coming out. After all, it's quite an effort. But then a faint popping starts and along the thin cracks little bits of shell begin to fly away. Flakes of tan and cinnamon go flicking off as the cracks widen.

Xaine murmurs and nods, flicking a brief galnce to Lydia. "S..She'll be f..fine. " she says with more conviction though her features say she isn't sure. SHe gives a small smile as if to help the weight of her words.

The Ode to Klah Egg appears to have had enough of its predicament; there's a rat-tatting from within, a hammering that batters the shell into irregular halves.

Languid Cerulean-Shores Blue Dragonet

As the brilliant blue of the waters off Boll wash up upon its white sands, so does the ultramarine hide of this dragon's torso and tail wash up upon the light cyan of its legs and neck. Alternating bands of slate and aquamarine flash across the wingsails of this compact, relaxed, and well formed dragon, the colors blending to a much lighter hue when the wings are extended and stretched, somehow reminiscent of the ocean sky dotted with puffy white clouds. Pronounced headknobs are a darker shade of cornflower blue, standing out against the light sky blue of muzzle and wedge-shaped head, directing attention to his intelligent eyes.

Delaney nods at Danica's question, the heat sapping vocabulary from her, rendering her reply a simple, "Right." Tone is apparently approving, however, and she continues to weave on the heated sands.

Aeilas has an eager smile upon his face as the more of the dragonets hatch. He keeps his eyes upon the Water-Worn Brown Dragonet as it stumbles across the sands.

Seffox snorts, unconvinced. "Sure you are, Danica. Whatever you say." His companion is talking with the other girls now, -still- not paying attention, so he keeps sentry duty for the both of them. "Next one's a blue," he announces, a master of stating the obvious.

Weyrwoman's Curse Egg trembles where it sits, noticeable only as soft clumps of jet black sand fall from its smoothed surface.

Oiralin looks at the bronze from the corner of his eye, He mutters to Kylia, "What if th-that's Shimshon's..." His voice catching with a thickening worry.

Phy suddenly re-inserts her grip upon Delaney's hand, and tightens it, almost convulsively, at the movements of a vibrantly-hued ovoid. The girl shakes her head hastily, as though to clear it, and smirks a tiny bit as a sliver of shell slips off of a brown's back. How amusing. The newest blue meets a measuring, almost calculating glance. "Sort of pretty, " she pronounces at last. Sort of?

Lela still watches warily, seeing the blue hatch, she looks at the beauty before going back to being on guard.

Kylia takes a steadying breath, doing a little foot shuffle as the heat of the sands makes itself known once more. "Look at that blue, my he's a beauty." Soft lips slip into an admiring smile, but it is quickly washed away by Oiralin's words. She tsks softly and gives his hand a comforting squeeze. "I'm sure if it were, he would be here. It's all going to be alright. It is." Her words are firmer than the flicker of worry in her eyes suggests.

Frelliss is -thirsty-! Anyone can see that by the way he's licking his dry lips. "Hot! And dry out here." He mumbles, wiping at his flushed forehead, eyes and attention focused upon a wandering green nearby.

Lydia takes stock of all the dragons in the vicinity. "Brown. Bronze. Blue," she says to herself. "Who do you think that bronze will pick, Xaine?"

Opulent Auburn Bronze Dragonet flaunts, oblivious to the chaos. Head is tilted here and there, with an eye for who is watching. Moving seems to get more eyes on him, so he steps away from the distraction of rocking eggs, and moves. A lot, with quite the high-step to it too. And he's bronze, so he'll hear no accusations of prancing from the galleries, nope. And still, someone doesn't seem to be watching close enough! He quests forward for a better look in one sudden spurt, and then stops, visibly bothered. That man looks... sleepy? While he's here?

Danica is oblivious to the fact that Seffox is actually...gasp...looking out for her. "I hope Ellery is alright" she fusses to the pair beside her. Now that Phy is finally within talking range she leans forward to say to the other girl "Too bad you didn't take that blow for her and win everyone a lot of money Phy"

Languid Cerulean-Shores Blue Dragonet sits amid the fractured shell and egg goo, blinking at his first sight of the huge world. It's so busy! Plenty to watch. In fact, he doesn't appear to be in a hurry to even get up. He stretches out one slimy wing and watches it start to dry.

The Opulent Auburn Bronze is questing no longer, because the goal of his quest was here all the time. Bright wings shimmer in the darkness of the sands as a tremor of joy ripples through him and his eyes meet those of the man who is his own.

Xaine flicks a glance over at the bronze, at Lydia's question and shakes her head lightly. She lifts one foot from the heat then sets it down before lifting the other from the nearly overpowering heat burning into her feet. "I d..don't know. " she murmurs very softly though she watches curiously.

Weyrwoman's Curse Egg shivers and quakes, small imperfect veins spreading out in webs across its shell. Very soon a complex latticework of cracks decorates the entire visible surface of the egg. The fire-capped top of the egg begins to chip, jagged flakes sliding their way from the top of its ovoid form toward the sizzling sand below.

Ancient Accomplished Gold Egg gives a truly admirable pace of hammering for a little while before falling silent again. Alright. So. Sometimes brute force doesn't work so well either. Sometimes one has to be -convincing- with one's home, and talk to it nicely. There's a concerted silence, and then one last effort.

Phy, upon hearing Danica's words, turns her head to regard the other Candidate frankly, as best she can, considering that she has to peek around Del's tall frame. "I know, I know, " she says carelessly, "and it's far too bad that /you/ didn't take that blow for her and win /me/ a score of Marks." Ha! Take that!

Manawan finally can't stand the sweat dripping in his eyes as he wipes his hands on his robe then accross his forhead. His attention returns to the hatchlings as he smiles as the blue takes his time getting up.

Delaney gives Phy a raised brow. "Only a little," she teases, hands hastily loosed to wipe incongruently on her robe's front, hastily placing them back with Phy and Danica's hands in order to keep a safe amount of distance between the two. Between hotfooting it on the Sands, keeping a war from beginning, and roving dragonets dragging at her attention, she barely notices where the bronze halts. "I might injure you two if you keep bickering," is the low-voiced threat, a smile tacked on to soften the effect of her teasing words.

Venturesome Water-Worn Brown Dragonet has decided the best method of doing this is to head straight into the storm, so to speak. He walks directly at the candidates without hesitation now. As they move out of his way, he goes absolutely still, and whips around to look at a small cluster of them more closely. Altering his course, he lifts his wings up in anticipation as he heads at a tall brown-haired girl.

Another startlingly-loud *crack* reverberates across the black Sands, leaving the riotously colored Capering Condiments Egg split in twain and the gangly form of a green hatchling in it's thunderous wake. On creakily wobbling legs meanders forth the hatchling, arbitrary path taking it precariously near to a group of hot-footing candidates upon the Sands. Where several white robes flee immediately in the face of the bumbling reach of goo-encrusted forelegs (complete with diminutive talons), one, Mahren, steps forward, a painfully quiet candidate more apt to be seen taking to shadows than stepping out as boldly as he does now. The whirling eyes of orange-red meet pallid blue, and a squeaky warble erupts, green hatchling stumbling trustingly into welcoming thin arms. "Giorth! Her name is Giorth!" is the delighted cry from the jubilant boy, now M'ren.

The Venturesome Water-Worn Brown pauses for a moment, his muzzle questing side to side almost blindly, and then he knows what he's been looking for, he's found her. The one who'll share the adventure with him.

Languid Cerulean-Shores Blue Dragonet spreads both wings for balance as he finally decides to right himself and get to his feet. With a shake of his whole body, he flings bits of sand and egg-slime about him, heedless of who it might hit. Of course, he wasn't really ready for that sort of motion and he falls face-forward into the sand with a pitiful cry.

Lydia worries out loud. "That blue - he isn't moving. He didn't get hurt did he? Oh, there he goes... oh dear." She frowns as the blue goes down. "It's all so - I didn't think it was going to be like /this/."

Phy smirks at Delaney, as if to say, 'Riiight', but refrains from verbally commenting, choosing instead to remain silent, and stare stoically ahead. The brown's choosing is afforded the briefest of glances, mossy gaze flicking from Candidate, to egg, to dragonet. So many things to look at.

Seffox is a good little guard. "The bronze is no longer a threat," he informs Danica gravely, "Nor the brown, nor the green. Still got a blue out there but he seems relatively harmless." He gives the girl's hand a tug. "Are you watching? You can gab later. The last ones are always the most vicious, you know."

O'lin nods his head to Kylia and frowns even more, "B-but what about" he catchers movement out of the corner of his eye and throws his arm up suddenly and rips free of his friend with a startled cry. He's backpaddleing backwards as his eyes widen and he's suddenly sucking in breath and then stammers out, struggling with the name that he knows and is suddenly everything to him. "A-A-aaaaaaesarth!" And he laughs, pushing his weight forward so he can smooths a hand over the bronze hide, "He's A-Aesarth!"

Weyrlingmaster staff move quickly and efficiently among the clutch as egg after egg breaks, and their new charges pair up. Plenty of work to keep them busy, but there is always a moment spared to look sharply towards a black-haired Crom lad. Haderven tries to look like he's sulking under the watchful eyes, but the amazement of the hatching keeps breaking his facade. As the Leisurely Lighthouse Locale Egg splits somewhere across the small clutch, and a blue comes careening out, rebounding against unbroken eggs until he reaches a few clusters of candidates. Haderven tries to look disinterested, but that promptly fails. Especially when the blue skids to a stop in front of him, drooling merrily on the stained robe of the candidate. "You believe in me Gazgarth?" H'rven blurts after a few unsuccessful gulps of air. Gazgarth drools with utmost faith.%r

Lelanods, "I noticed," She starts backing as she sees the brown heading closer, then hears Oiry as a hatchling gets him.

K'tdan hurries along to Oiralin, now O'lin, and his new lifemate. "Aesarth? A fine name. I bet he's hungry. Come along now." Away they go.

K'tdan walks down to the far end of the Cavern.

K'tdan has left.

Delaney just rolls her eyes at the two, the end of eye-maneuvar finding a brown figure near her, very near. As her eyes meet up with those of a beautifully wood-hued brown, a smile splits her lips, lighting her face in a way that makes the light of Rukbat seem dim. "Mraneth, of course I'm yours," she murmurs, a longfingered hand reaching out to stroke the headknobs cautiously, and with blatant affection.

Weyrwoman's Curse Egg is now a frenzy of bottled activity. A small plate of mud-brown shell tumbles from near the bottom of the egg and falls to the sand below. Firey-colored bits of shell near the middle of the egg start to split at the seams as the occupant of the egg struggles to make itself known.

Apheri smiles and turns her attention to O'lin is it now? "Congrats!"

Danica smirks at her arch nemisis and counters "I don't know Phy, there are a lot of marks riding on your getting mauled today, I wouldn't want to see all those bets go to waste." A swift inhalation of breath is taken as the brown Impresses to the girl next to her. Like a mother sending her child off to classes for the first time Danica reluctantly lets go of Delaney's hand.

The Ancient Accomplished Gold Egg gives one last shudder before a crack begins at those diamond-like formations near its base, snaking up through a rough patch of shell and finally breaking open to leave a faintly disoriented dragonet on the sands.

Lyrical Crimson-Chased Gold Dragonet

Crafted like one of the finest instruments on Pern, this young queen is so pale a gold as to be nigh-colourless, the shade of the gleaming of light off raw, pure metal. But it's an imperfect instrument as yet; rough around the edges, clumsily shaped with feet too large for easy movement and tail too long to stay out of the way, oft caught in sharp talons or between awkward limbs. Ridges march irregularly along a sinuous neck, fair contrast to stunning, large eyes that seem ever-alert and dominate an inquisitive, playful face and trim muzzle; a hint to future beauty for all her gawky beginnings. All this, fair enough; but when she happens to fall beneath a beam of light, glory: for there that pale, iridescent hide lights brilliant fire, a hundred red and umber hues dancing, flittering, trickling along that effervescent hide and then suddenly gone, vanished to start anew on haunch or wingspar, as elusive and fleeting as memory.

Kylia blinks as her attention is forcefully swung around when Oiralin rips his hand free. "What are you-" she begins, then lets out a little pleased cry. "Oh, oh Oiralin! He's gorgeous." Her eyes fill with tears and she slowly shakes her head as her friend and his lifemate make their way out. She takes a moment to breath, one hand resting on her chest, then smiles at Delaney and calls a congratulations in her direction as well. Suddenly alone, her hands clench at her sides, though a smile touches her lips.

Mraneth has left.

Aeilas jerks his head, flipping his blonde hair out of his eyes. No sense missing anything because he can't see! "Oiralin? That was Oir--er, O'lin, huh?"

Delaney walks down to the far end of the Cavern.

Delaney has left.

O'lin walks down to the far end of the Cavern.

O'lin has left.

Apheri gasps as the gold egg lets out its occupant she turns to Danica, "A gold!"

Lela looks lost now, she looks back and forth, not sure what to do.

K'tdan walks over from the far end of the Hatching Cavern.

K'tdan has arrived.

Lydia looks tremendously pleased. "It's Oiralin! I knew it would be," she says, then looks around, trying to locate that blue again.

Aesarth walks down to the far end of the Cavern.

Aesarth has left.

Manawan watches as the bronze impresses smiling as the pair walk off the sands. He watches them go for a moment before realizing his attention isn't where it belongs.

Lyrical Crimson-Chased Gold Dragonet stands stock-still for a moment, swaying lightly on her feet. She seems almost poised, effortless, graceful... but that's simply because she's not yet moving. That first step ruins the effect, as she stares unblinkingly at the white-robed group of candidates and then swings 'round unsteadily to get a good look at her sire and dam. Wuh. They're huge! The diminutive figure wobbles, gets her wits about her and narrowly avoids toppling over her own tail as she heads off in that direction with a musical churr.

Xaine turns at the sound of Oiralin's yell and gasps in surprise, suddenly grinning. She laughs then quickly contains it. "He d..did it. " She murmurs softly before putting her hand to her mouth again, for the second time she walked on the sands. She turns back to the sands to watch the remaining eggs there and those dragonets finding lifemates. That's when she spots the gold, or rather, the obvious comment of Apheri's words. She flicks a glance down at Kylia and smiling lightly with a light nod.

Phy automatically drops her hand from Delaney's as the former carpenter finds her lifemate, and a smirk plays about her features as she spares yet another glance toward Danica. "Perhaps we can stand here for a few moments with that 'clean slate'?" she reminds pointedly, turning her gaze back to the twitching eggs. The emergence of the pale, yet fiery queen garners a long, long look, and then a soft, "She's ... lovely, " to Danica, who's nearest.

Languid Cerulean-Shores Blue Dragonet manages to get himself upright again, taking his sweet time doing so. After a few halting tries he manages to get this whole walking thing under control. Time to peruse those white creatures. He wanders by a few of the candidates and then settles down in the sand to consider a certain dark-haired young man.

Frelliss claps for O'lin. "Aesarth, what a fine name," he says to himself. He continues clapping for a bit longer, watching the pair with a half smile; did you forget the Sands? I mean, it may /look/ like he's doing a happy dance for them, but the heat from the Sands is the real reason.

Alaner continues to keep a watchful eye on the goings on, smiling a little when people are impressed, but there is a small sadness in those eyes. So the big man continues to stand, having to move to avoid dragonets less now.

Danica wavers as Oiralin impresses his bronze, Delaney her brown but her eyes lock unerringly on the gold who splits her shell. Though Danica had a comment for every other hatchling to split it's shell she is speechless at the arrival of Ista's newest gold. Raising one hand she absently pushes damp hair from her forehead and gives Phy a quick grin "Clean slate...sure. She's perfect." Tentively she extends her hand out to Phy.

Lela looks at the gold, then at the blue, not sure what to do now, she just keeps her feet moving and her senses alert to hatchlings like she was told to.

S'dar grins and calls out encouraging words as the young dragons wend their way about the sand and connect with their lifemates. When the bronze finds O'lin he grins wide, but his full attention is soon snapped toward the brilliant pale gold who has just emerged from her shell. He gives a soft 'oooooh' and sidesteps to be a touch closer to Reye.

Kylia flicks a soft smile Xaine's way, then lets her gaze slide back to the sands. Her breath catches in her throat as the light touches the gold hide. "They all are but she is-" she breaks off as the little one moves unsteadily. "Well, beautiful of course. Even if she doesn't quite have her feet yet."

Seffox takes a few steps back from the blue hatchling, pulling Danica along with him. "There will be no maulings here, mister. You can go consider eating someone else." Notice his fierce expression? My, he's intimidating. "Move along."

Aeilas smirks to himself as he spots the newly-hatched gold. "That'll wake up all the gals on the Sands." He chuckles to himself. He looks around to see who's watching the little queen.

Danica tears her eyes away from the firey gold on the sands to blink with surprise at the blue in front of her and Seffox "He doesn't look like he has mauling's on his mind..."

Manawan watches the blue with entent eyes shaking his head at the comments near him, "Of course he doesn't."

Phy edges nervously away from the blue that approaches her cluster of Candidates, daring another look at the young gold. "If he has mauling on his mind, I'm running away, " she warns, taking a teeny step away from Dani and Seffox, just in case.

Lyrical Crimson-Chased Gold Dragonet responds to her parents' encouraging urgings with a miffed little huff. Candidates? But there's so much to dooooo, so much to- a rumbling catches her belly and sets her surprised, and she looks down in faint alarm. So... so maybe there's a hurry after all. She gives an inelegant squack as Omfaleth gives her a nudge, and makes her inelegant way to a group of boys, giving them a once over with a light, echo's creel. She's not doing this right at all! But that's shaken off fast enough. It's the journey, right? The jooooourney.

Languid Cerulean-Shores Blue Dragonet considers some more and rumbles. There seems to be a problem. This other white thing is in his way. How can he get to the one he wants? Ah, we'll just move her. The blue clamps his jaws down on Danica's arm, far more roughly than he realizes, and rudely pushes her aside. Now that's better.

The Languid Cerulean-Shores Blue gives a heart-breaking creel, a clear question to everyone and no one. Blue head raises - and then all the laziness of motion is gone, as with a rush of damp wings and a voice turning to joyful croons he's in front of the one boy he needs, drawn to him as inexorably as the moons draw the sea tides.

Danica looks down at the blue latched on her arm and the blood drains from her face so fast she sways. The pallor of her skin turns ashen as she crumples to her knees with a low moan of pain, her eyes going glassy with shock.

Manawan moves out of the blues way and as he does the blue clamps on Danica's arm tossing her aside to get to someone else, "Danica!"

The Weyrwoman's Curse Egg seems cursed to have been left to near the end of the clutch. Isn't it time to be free already? There's a persistant, steady tapping from within, and finally the occupant pushes a muzzle-tip, a pinion, a foot through; and then the egg is no more, just shards on the sands.

Tenacious Copper-Traced Green Dragonet

This unusual dragon is all about stark contrasts: exotic beauty in the midst of barrenness, colour playing against itself, melding with divine tone and form in one unique whole. Bursts of emerald mark the dainty lines of her muzzle, fluting back around expressive eyes, sculpted ridges and delicate haunches only to march back along the top of her long, sinuous tail. That shade, though remarkable, is common enough on other dragons. What makes her truly noteworthy are the striations of tawny burnt umber that darken the undersides of her wings and the round of her haunches in intricate patterns, seeming almost like the morning's shadows on parched desert grass aching for rain. Glimmering veins of amber stretch gauze-like beneath her sails, wending their way across her belly like so much sunlight glistening on webs. Those light specks of muted oranges and reds that float their way across the emerald coalesce in small eddies and concentric patterns along the bunching of muscles, almost like exotic creations that floated there on the wind from dust motes, pollen and dew. It's a shimmering, entrancing effect that plays with the ambient light as she moves; and the best artist could not have formed it better.

Seffox shakes his head sadly at Danica. "Poor girl. You'll never understand the animal mind. He may /look/ cute and cuddly, but really, see those claws? They've got 'candidate' written all over them." And, wouldn't you know it, Dani is swept aside. "Faranth, Baharith! I said no maulings! Er--Baharith?" Danica is forgotten as he drops to his knees, arms falling around the blue. "Baharith!"

Kylia draws back, one hand flying to her mouth as Danica's arm gets in the little blue's way. She takes a few careful steps out of his way, eyes wide and attention all on Danica. "Oh, shells, are you alright?" With one wary eye on the cerulean dragonet, she hurries to her side and reaches out to steady her. "It's okay, you're alright," she murmurs, striving to keep her on her feet.

Apheri moves to Danica's side as the blue sidesteps her after releasing his clamp on her arm. "Danica? You alright?" She then turns to see Seffox impress the blue but her attention right now is back on Danica.

K'tdan winces. Yet another injury. He hurries along to assist Seffox and his new lifemate to a safer area of the sands. "Baharith. Fine, strong name. Let's find him something to eat." He glances back to Danica quickly. Away they go.

K'tdan walks down to the far end of the Cavern.

K'tdan has left.

Phy looks surprised - nay, /shocked/ - as the blue shoves Danica aside. The Candidate immediately hustles back toward the other girl, reaching out a hand to steady her, too. "Danica!" Forget their arguments and differences. "Are you - okay?" Seffox's Impression garners a smirk, though a glance is briefly given to the newly Hatched green.

Lydia lets out a little squeak as the blue bites someone. "Oh dear, oh dear." She picks up her feet, hopping from one to the other and looking allll around her lest any grumpy dragons be headed her way.

Xaine blinks at the sight of Danica getting hit and winces. SHe makes a move to help, though stops when Apheri and Kylia move to her. She looks down at Lela and gives a small smile. "S..She'll b..be a..alright. " She shakes her head lightly, looking nervous and worried at the same time. She takes a deep breath, glancing to the sands and the remaining dragonets.

Lela swallows hard, looking at the impression and seeing the green hatch, she still keeps moving, accidently stepping on an eggshell making her jump

S'fox is still a little dazed, but knows enough to check on Danica before he leaves. "Baharith didn't mean it, Danica, he was just--you'll be all right." And then his attention is back to the dragon. "Food, yes, just come this way."

Baharith walks down to the far end of the Cavern.

Baharith has left.

S'fox walks down to the far end of the Cavern.

S'fox has left.

Frelliss can now drop his half-smile for the newly-impressed pair as they leave the sands. A look of disgust, flits over his features. That is one /messy/ dragonet!

K'tdan walks over from the far end of the Hatching Cavern.

K'tdan has arrived.

Aeilas shudders at the connection of the blue's teeth with Dancia's arm. "Hope that didn't hurt her!" He murmurs.

Danica totally misses Seffox's words as she rocks on the sands, cradling her arm in her lap as it swiftly stains the thin cloth of of her robes red. Too shocked to remember the first aid she has learned over the turns Danica pushes to her knees and tries to stand up, her mind only on getting out of the way before another hatchling comes her way.

Tenacious Copper-Traced Green Dragonet creels loudly, stamping her moist feet upon the hot ebony sand beneath her. Bits of broken shell crackle beneath her hind legs as she pounds them to pieces. Her long, sinuous neck cranes outward to take in her first views of Pern. Large eyes whirl with confusion and curiosity, and suddenly she is taking her first tentative steps... away from most of the Candidates. Perhaps she feels that the Hatching Cavern wall is somehow beckoning her? Soon enough she realizes that the action is behind her and she turns quickly around, her emerald tail whipping through the air dangerously close to an approaching Candidate as she stalks toward the group gathered before her.

Apheri offers a hand to help steady Danica and help her up, keeping one eye on the other hatchlings in case another comes this way.

Lela bites her lip now just wanting to get off the sands, she starts backing slowly , seeing Danica has help.

Chezroth watches the sands with rapt attention. His eyeridges raise as injuries occur, but he does not let such activities get in the way of his gleaning as much information about the new Weyrling dragons and their new lifemates as he can. His tail snakes over to lay atop Omfaleth's own, though it fidgets and doesn't remain there for long before it is off near his other side and tamping upon the black sand, dust clouds billowing upwards from the spot where the brassy tail strikes.

Kylia reaches out to slip an arm around Danica, her eyes falling to the girl's arm and the spreading flower of crimson. "Oh, Danica." She swallows hard, then glances down at herself. With a hint of a frown, she tears free the strip of cloth she had added to the hem, gritting her teeth to get it free. "Here, Dani, let me help." Dark eyes flick up to Apheri. "Help watch out for us- I don't want anyone else getting hurt."

Phy steps away from Danica, as others surround her fellow Candidate to help, and suddenly finds herself - rather alone. Undetached, not holding anyone's hand, she merely stands as straight and tall as her shaken dignity can allow. Green-gray orbs watch the progress of one of the greens, with a hint of disdain, while another glance flicks toward the still-moving gold. Does that glance bear a look of - curiosity - in its depths?

Frelliss perks as another green hatches. He smiles and his gaze fixates upon her, forgetting about any hurt Candidates.

Danica leans against the supporting arms of Kylia and Apheri and manages a weak smile though her eyes are still wide and glassy "I'm fine, it doesn't hurt htat much." She keeps a lookout for any wandering dragonets but Danica is careful not to look towards K'tdan or the other weyrling attendents in case she is forced to leave the Sands. With a shaking left hand Danica tries to help Kylia bind her wounds.

Lyrical Crimson-Chased Gold Dragonet makes her awkward way amongst the candidates, a more worried look to her now. Oh, shells. This isn't working out right at all. Not at -all-. At this rate she'll get in trouble for not even making the first step in life! But she hatched, That's a plus. Chin up, right? It's not like we've been through every single Candidate out here. Or has she? The little dragonet pauses, looking behind her at the candidates she's already walked by. No, no, no... frump. But just then, just when she's letting out a desolate sigh, she spots her suppporting somebody else. Someone else? That's for later, pay attention to me now, please? And she lets out the most musical of croons, butting her head up against a girl busy fiddling with a strip of cloth.

Xaine glances briefly over at Danica in worry then nods when Kylia takes care of her. She picks at her robe, which is now sticking to her because of the drizzling rain and gives it a careful tug down. She winces and finally lifts her feet in a mincing motion only briefly before turning to Lela. "J..Just k..keep an e..eye on those d..dragonets. She looks over at Phy, then Kylia and Phy again with a raised eyebrow. She glances toward the gold, then nods. The glance is enough to say that she's wondering which of the two the gold will go to.

The Lyrical Crimson-Chased Gold is doubting no longer. Her start may be rough, her finesse may be... er... unnnnfinessed, but this decision is true, this one is -hers-, and a musical, yearning creel sounds from her throat.

Tenacious Copper-Traced Green Dragonet paces in a wide circle about the Candidates, her eyeridges furrowed as she examines the ragtag group before her. She begins a brief routine of stretching her nose out toward each Candidate in turn as though her getting as close as she possibly can to each one will help her to find that certain person that she is looking for. All of a sudden the young green twists her angular head and, forelegs outstretched, darts toward the other side of the Hatching Cavern! As she moves her sharp, untrained talons scrape across Phy who happens to be standing in her path! The green does not notice what she has done and turns back around to wail a loud complaint to anyone who might care to listen.

Quietly crumbling walls of the Hallowed Silences Egg resting well within the mound of eggs dissipate with no noticeable sound, a green hatchling floundering over unhatched brethren to greet the world with a graceless flop onto black granules below. Righting itself with a jaunty jiggle of soggy wingspars, it sets upon a course unerringly towards a plump girl of diminutive stature near the left of the semi-circle of candidates it faces. Stick-skinny foreleg reaches out to tap gently on a chubby wrist, the faceted eyes of a famished hatchling entreat the round-cheeked brunette. "Ekith? Of /course/ we need to feed you, you're wasting away as we speak!" Trixa burbles ecstatically, the former pastry apprentice only too eager to oblige her new lifemate, wrapping stout arms about the emaciated-looking neck of Ekith.

Aeilas bends over to scratch his leg, relieving the sudden itch. But he's not watching and nearly misses the fact that there's a hatchling stumbling in his direction....and then right on by.

Lydia gulps, staring at the tableau of the injured girl, her helper, and the gold dragonet. Again she's speechless. That's twice in one day.

Lela swallows Oh no more blood, she sees if someone closer to Phy gets to her before she can.

Manawan catches sight of the green as she walks nearby her talons scrapping Phy, 'Not another one." Standing just off the back side of her he comes up to make sure she is ok.

Kylia blinks, her dark gaze flicking up from Danica and around the sands, a hint of a frown touching her brow. "D'you hear...?" Abruptly, the words stop and her hands drop the makeshift bandage, eyes widening. "Oh, yes we will be together." For the moment at least, Danica is forgotten and Kylia takes a step forward. "She says her name is Essieth." The words are liberally laced with both shock and awe, and she reaches out a tentative hand to caress her new lifemate.

Xaine smiles softly and nods at the gold's choice then frowns when the green claws Phy. "S..Shards. D..Does n.. no one know h..how to d..dodge? " she asks before glances to Lela. "I h..have to h..help her, Lela. I..I'll be back." With that, she skuttles down the line to Phy to help her.

K'tdan returns just in time to see Danica show her bravery and to see the gold dragonet Impress. Smiling, he steps up to guide Kylia and Essieth away, telling the new weyrling, "I can just bet she's hungry. What a beautiful name Essieth is, Kylia." Away they go.

Lela says "be careful Xaine, please."

Lydia calls after Xaine, "Be careful!" She regards the scrambling green uneasily, and glances back toward the stairs they used to get to the cavern. Could she sneak out without being noticed? Probably not.

Apheri motions to Kylira and Danica as the gold seems intent on coming there way, too late. The gold is on top of them and has latched onto Kylira. 'Oh Kylira, she is lovely congrats." She doesn't stand still too long taking over to help Danica now that Kylira's attentions are elsewhere.

Kylia walks down to the far end of the Cavern.

Kylia has left.

K'tdan walks down to the far end of the Cavern.

K'tdan has left.

Essieth walks down to the far end of the Cavern.

Essieth has left.

Phy shrieks, totally caught off-guard by the green's slashing, sharp, untrained talons. Even while ruby rivulets begin trickling down her legs, she wavers, seeming caught between falling over or attempting to stay upright. Swaying dangerously on her feet, the brat turns as Xaine approaches, reaching out a thankful hand for support. Kylia's Impression is noted with a very surprised, un-Phylike, squeak.

Danica stumbles as the gold Impresses to the girl next to her "Oh Kylia, congratulations." With her left hand Danica works hard to bind the wound on her right arm.

Tenacious Copper-Traced Green Dragonet examines a nearby male Candidate, snorting disdainfully at his plain white Candidate's robe. She makes a gutteral honking noise and then starts toward a patch of young women standing nearby. The young green's eyeridges raise with interest as she examines each one. After a moment her gaze locks onto one of them almost incredulously, as though she is almost in disbelief that this person is really and truly there. Could she be a mirage? Such a person whose personality fits so perfectly with her own - could such a person really exist? And why on Pern is she here before her, lying on the sand, bleeding? She starts her way slowly toward the blonde-haired girl, deeply whirling eyes refusing to shut lest the girl should somehow vanish from her sight.

Frelliss watches until the green Impresses to a girl on the far side of the Hatching Grounds. "Ah, well." He sighs.

The Tenacious Copper-Traced Green is looking from face to face, wondering, uncertain, and then uncertainty dies as the whirling eyes fix on one individual in particular. This girl is her match and her own, is the other half of the whole, and not a mirage at all.

Like a white haystack, an ill-fitting candidate robe dwarfs a young boy from Nerat. You can't even see his face for all the layers of fabric wrapped around him! Oh, wait. That'd be because the boy is hiding his face in his hands. "Tacrin! Y' gotta look," the candidate next to him hisses in warning. The flopping white fabric of the robe twitches as hands start to slide away, but then the Fanciful Families Egg in front of the duo shatters, and hands are clamped firmly back in place. "Tacrin don't wanna look! Too scary!" The kid wails, as a petite green struggles unnoticed in the shards in front of him. Pulling to her feet, the new hatchling staggers over to the bundle of cowering candidate, and patiently stares up at the hidden face. "You're sure Sissonth? T'cri can look now?" The Nerat boy finally moves his hands, but has eyes only for the green in front of him.

Aeilas freezes, and for one long moment, then breathes again as the dragonet turns and stumbles off in another direction. The boy blinks in brief disappointment, then says brightly, "Oh, well, it just wasn't meant to be. That's ok."

Alaner looks a little disappointed that he's not Impressed. But then.... there's also something that looks like relief in those klah-dark eyes. Could it be possible that someone didn't /want/ to impress?? Unthinkable!

Danica blinks once, then again and slowly reaches out one hand to the green before her "Sam...Samaranth?" Forgetting the marks on her arm she bends over to rub the head of her new lifemate "Yes I am yours and you are all mine my Samaranth." Standing up Danica deftly puts her arm around the green's shoulders to help her and help herself into the caverns.

S'dar, who does not appear to be as desensitized to dragonet-inflected injuries to Candidates as Chezroth is, gives Danica and Phy very concerned looks, but he does not move forward. He watches as the young Queen impresses, a smile on his face for her new rider. The green soonafter Impresses to Danica, the new Weyrling still lying on the sand. And even now it appears that the last of the dragonets are finding their lifemates; scattered shells of many colors now litter the Istan Hatching Cavern.

K'tdan sees that Danica is well enough to help her new lifemate away. "Samaranth? Very nice. Come along now. I bet she's hungry." Away they go.

Apheri watches as Danica is again approached this time by the green. She steps away fearfull but watches with smiling eyes as her friend wraps her arms around the green.

K'tdan walks down to the far end of the Cavern.

K'tdan has left.

Danica walks down to the far end of the Cavern.

Danica has left.

Xaine ignores the green impressing Phy while she takes care of Phy and shakes her head. "D..DIdn't l..learn to d..dodge yet, huh? " she asks softly even as she presses fabric to wounds to help them stop bleeding.

Lela just stands there looking a bit in shock, not sure what to do just looking at the ground

Looking around the sands, it seems as though all the eggs have hatched, lifemates struggling to support one another in a daze as they get to the corner of the sands. Reye lets out a breath, gives S'dar's hand a squeeze and stands, smoothing the fabric of her sarong. "If I may please have your attention," she calls, soft enough to be gentle, yet her voice still carries to all the Candidates remaining.

Lydia reaches up to rub at the back of her neck, looking unsure of herself. She turns toward Reye when she starts speaking.

Alaner turns his attention to the Weyrwoman, watching her carefully. He managed to escape mauling, huzzah!

Phy shakes her head, giving Xaine an appraising sort of look. "I didn't think that any of those - things - would dare to come after me like that!" she expresses with outrage, mossy orbs peering toward Reye as the Weyrwoman begins speaking.

Manawan looks up towards the Weyrwoman as Xaine takes care of Phy.

Lela moves towards Reye's voice, still not looking up.

Xaine snorts and murmurs. "I k..know how y..you f..feel though. A n..nice w..waste of time. B..But d..don't tell a..anyone I s..said that. " While she help the other girl. She briefly flicks a glance toward S'dar.

Mayani watches the last dragons impress, that grin still on her face even considering the not so happy things that have happened among the more happy. Either she's just that strange, or she's good at hiding her emotions. Her attention shifts to the Weyrwoman and the soon to be ex-candidate stands up a little straighter.

Aeilas studies the now-empty Sands. "Well, as my Grandfa says, there was nothing more I could've done besides hope. It wasn't my fault that I didn't Impress, there was just no dragons that were 'meant' for me today" His voice trials off.

Frelliss looks around the Sands, "They're all gone? All gone." The reality seems to sink into his brain slowly. "I didn't Impress." He sighs, but then brightens. "I can now cool off my poor broiled feet!" He's about to make a dash for the beach and some cool water, when he hears Reye call the leftover Candidates.

Reye and S'dar stand together amist that circle of Candidates, and the Weyrwoman's tanned features show a somber regret. "I wanted to let you know that we -- S'dar and I -- have really valued your time here with us as Candidates. And we wanted you to know too that just being here means that your lifemate may well find you one day; they just weren't here today. We'd like to invite you to stay with us, if you wish it. There are many opportunities, especially now. But if you wish to make other plans, we'll do our very best to help you fulfill them."

Alaner just shrugs a little at Reye's words, since he's already been chomping at the bit to get back to his "real" job at the smithy. He flashes a reassuring and yet, still charming, smile at the others that didn't impress. Maybe they're the real winners in this situation...

Lela looks up at Chezroth and Omfaleth, "Thank you for giving me a chance anyway."

Lydia rubs the back of her neck again. "So... we can go eat now?" she asks.

S'dar stands close beside Reye, a serious expression on his face. To those standing before him on the black sand in white robes, he says with great sincerity, "we are truly honored to have had you residing here as Candidates of Ista Weyr - I truly believe that each Candidates is an invaluable member of the Istan community, and each has done us extremely proud. We do hope that you will all stay with us now that the Candidacy is over; you are most welcome. And as Reye has mentioned, there is always the chance that your dragons simply were not here; next time, who can tell." He turns to regard the exit of the Hatching Cavern, and says, "but for now, let us celebrate the arrival of Ista's new Weyrlings with some food and drinks in the Living Cavern! Residents and guests of Ista, you are all welcome. We appreciate your having come here to share this joyous occasion with us!"

Phy permits the beginnings of a crooked grin to wash over her mouth thinly, greenish-gray gaze remaining on Reye as the woman continues speaking. "Soon as I get cleaned up, I'm going home, " she says slowly, casting a glance stands-ward momentarily. At least those bettors will be making Marks, this day. An unreadable look floats over S'dar, Reye, the proud clutchparents, and at last, the shards littering the sands.

Aeilas nods at Reye and pinches his robe with two fingers on each hand at the same time, flapping the garment to create a breeze and hopefully cool his sweating body. "It's been an honor. Right now, though, I want a bath." he chuckles.