Bursting Flames

[Spirithawk]

Rukbat was in the center of the sky, blazing down upon all that was exposed to its strong rays. The day had promised to be a scorcher from the beginning. It was to be expected during the summer months on the Southern Continent.

Even within the cool stone walls of the Weyr the heat was being felt. There was no wind to stir the air and keep the caverns cool. Uslanee had enlisted the aid of some riders to get ice from High Reaches to keep the newest batch of supplies from spoiling.

Most of the dragons had retreated into their weyrs with their riders because it was too hot for even them to sun. The watch dragon was watching from the shade of a skybroom tree on the heights. His rider stood in the shade of his dragon, dozing.

There was one dragon, however, that was not groggy from the heat. The great golden Queen who's hide nearly rivaled the brightness of Rukbat's rays when she rose to mate was alert. She thought she had heard something in the cavern, something other than the shifting of sand and her own breathing.

*Tick*

There it was again. This time the Queen was certain that she had heard it.

*Tap*

This was from another section. The giant Queen reared up from her crouching position and let out a mighty bugle that shook some of the dust from the dragon tiers of the Hatching Sands.

They Hatch!

She began a deep hum, and was soon joined by the other dragons of the Weyr, welcoming and encouraging the little ones to emerge from the safety of their eggs.

Even as she called for her rider and the weyrfolk, one of the eggs fairly exploded from the force inside the shell coming from the dragonet.



All that was left of the final egg that had been laid were tiny crumbled shards that flecked the sands after the explosive force of this dragonet's exit.

This young man was unlike any that had been seen on Dark Moon's sands before. His wings were a deep, jet black, but the rest of his body faded to a deep charcoal color in the belly and wing sails. He was a lanky lad, and would always look very sleek. It would be hard for him to put extra weight because of the sheer amount of energy he burned. He would be about the size of the smallest brown in the Weyr, but as agile as a blue with his sleek frame.



He looked awkward now because he was a hatchling. He spread his wings out to dry as he looked alertly at the scene around him. He let out a disappointed chirp as his red whirling eyes quickened. His was not here yet. There was only his golden mother. He crouched down in a playful manner, tilting his wedge-shaped head from side to side, wondering how soon his would come. He wanted food, and he wanted to play with all the new things. He would be a rambunctious youth always getting into everything and a very daring and mischievous adult. He would try the patience of all around him, but they wouldn't be able to help but like him because he was charming and sweet. He would be very much the lady's man when it came to flights, but always respectful.

They come little one. She told the hatching reassuringly. Then she broadcasted to the weyr. Hurry!

[Kandarra]

Jeri, always attuned to her surroundings, felt the humming as soon as it started. She sat straight up, regretting it a moment later, as she had been hunched over her hides for a rather long time. Even though she had never experienced a Hatching, she knew that dragons hummed to welcome the hatchlings to the world. She bounced up from her spot in the lower caverns and flat out ran to the barracks and grabbed up the sandals and robe that Rhia had mentioned. She shoved them on hurriedly as she heard a voice urge her to hurry. Ignoring any other Candidates that might be around her, she rushed to the Sands.

She stopped dead as she saw there was already a hatchling out of its shell. It was a gorgeous, blackish color, and Jeri knew that no one had ever seen a dragon like this before. Moving forward more slowly, she started the semicircle around the eggs that Rhia had told them to make. Her heart was beating loud in her ears, but she was still surprised she could hear it over the dragons' humming, which filled the great cavern. Her feet quickly felt the heat, and she didn't understand why the sandals had to be so sharding thin, or why they couldn't bring their own footwear. And she might step on one of the little egg shards that she was sure would soon be littering the Sands. Yes, blood on the sand would be a great start, she thought sarcastically.

But she banished those thoughts from her mind, and turned back to the matter at hand: the Hatching! It was the whole reason she was at the weyr in the first place, and now was not the time to nitpick. There could be a dragon for her somewhere on the Sands..

[Akki]

To say it was hot would be the biggest understatement of the turn. It was scorching, burning, sweltering, all of the words that lead up to the though of ‘Please don’t let Rukbat burn my skin off if I go outside’. Everyone was trying to avoid going outside though, Faine especially. Her skin was too pale for this – she thought back to the boy who was paler than her and winced slightly. The poor bloke better not go outside at all!

However when Kaith’s loud bugle rocketed through the Weyr, Faine knew that the lad had no choice but to go outside. Actually, all of the candidates were to go outside! The hatching was starting! Faine stood up quickly, accidentally knocking down the cold cup of klah that she had in her hands. She glanced at a drudge nearby who quickly shooed her away with a ‘I’ll clean it up! Go!’. It didn’t take much more than that for Faine to flee the kitchens, her legs whisking her as quickly as possible to the candidate barracks. Thank Faranth for running laps! She’d be one hundred times slower if it weren’t for those runs.

She never thought she’d be happy about having to exercise. She reached the barracks in a matter of minutes and struggled to pull the white candidate robes on. Faine paused, smiling slightly when the article of clothing was on. She could remember the last time she had worn them but this time she hoped the hatching ended differently – with her no longer being a candidate. Not that she minded waiting or anything. She left the barracks, robe flying around her as she ran to the sands.

Immediately the heat of the sands reached her feet but Faine didn’t pay much attention to that. A dragon was already hatched! The dragon was a dark blue, almost black. No…wait. It was black. A mutation! The first dragon was a mutation! Faine gasped slightly before realizing that she should probably stop standing there like a moron. She bowed quickly to Kaith and joined Jerodyn, careful not to step on the egg shards that now littered the ground. Soon the semi circle of candidates would be full – it was a matter of seconds before the others joined.

And now that she was in her proper place, she could openly admire the black dragonet.

------

Candidates, of course, weren't the only ones excited for the hatching. Everyone was moving quickly now, nobody dared to miss out on this! Akki especially - the girl loved hatchings and would rather chop off her right arm than miss one. Soon as she heard Ebbeth hum in her head, she was off running.

She didn't go straight to the sands, though she would have liked too. She had people that needed gathering up! "V'ian! Let's go! Comeoncomeoncomeon!" She chanted loudly, jumping up and down outside of his weyr. The bronzerider stumbled out of it, pulling on a shirt for he had taken his off early in the day - it was too hot for clothes! The boy was still trying to get one arm through a sleeve when his sister grabbed his wrist and started to drag him towards the sands.

They reached the stands just a few minutes after the first dragon had hatched, some candidates already there. It seemed a few riders were too - Akki noticed Hasima sitting alone in the stands. The siblings quickly joined her, there was a slight tradition of Akki sitting with the yellowrider. V'ian elbowed his sister in the side, pointing down at the sands.

"Shards, is that a black dragon?"

[Marnark’tranarprol]

It was really, really hard to breathe. It was soooo hot, even inside. As a result, Orena wasn't doing anything. No running, bouncing, or other mischeif. Sprawled out on a flat chunk of stone, she wished it would suck more heat than it gave, her hair tied up into a fountain of a runnertail atop her head. "Ohhhhhh." She mentioned, lifting up her already-tired arm to attempt to fan at herself again with what could have been a pot lid for all anyone knew. But it worked to cool her off a smidgen, even though it failed utterly to dry her raining sweat at all.

The sound of a dragon hollering was almost completely ignored. Orena did briefly wonder if maybe they'd sat on a hot rock or something, scalded something tender. However, the mental assault of a call that came with that was no mere hot rock. Orena jumped to her feet instantly, and almost fainted dead away due to it. Falling against the wall, she shoved away from it again to stagger down the hall, her hair occasionally falling in her face from the fountain of a runnertail. She made her way toward the sands, before hearing some shouting. Most of it she missed, but some few words managed to make an impression on her heat-addled mind.

"Robes!" She remembered, turning to run the other way. She hurriedly found her robe, stripped out of her clothes and slipped into it. Orena badly wanted to make a bright sash for it, but knew that was against the rules. Hurrying into her slippers as she bounced on one foot and then the other out the door, she slapped her way back down the hall. The whole time she completely forgot about the sweaty wreck that was her hair, cascading around her from the top of her head.

Orena made it to the sands breathless and feeling lightheaded, but she made it. If only barely still upright. Staggering forward, she followed the line into the semi arc on the sands themselves, eyes glued on the dragonet that was there.

What that really black? Or a really, really dark color of blue? Or brown? She didn't know, but it was pretty!!

---

The call of the hatching was more than enough to get everyone in the Weyr moving, that was for sure. Not just the candidates. Everyone was eager to witness the happy - if hot - event. Hopefully the open air over the stands would keep everyone from stifling in the heat. R'anl made it there fairly quickly, even as Geth settled on the ledges above, furling his bronze wings upon his back as he lowered his head. The great bronze added his voice to the queen's song, deepening the rumble that shook the stonework and encouraged young dragons to complete their struggle of hatching.

Ragule was issuing orders quickly to his staff, getting everyone hurrying and in the right direction. Emergency bags were packed, and things were moved, even as the old Master made his own way blissfully free of baggage toward the sands. He stopped just outside the sands, and leaned on the wall there to watch as the young whippersnappers dropped the infimary goods nearby in the duffles. Just in case something happened, he was there, prepared, and ready to tend to any wounds that were inflicted. Hatchings were nearly as dangerous as a lot of other things ... kids had to be brave, stupid, or ignorant to go onto the sands.

More or less ignored by everyone around him but also feeling the heat a lot, Honam slowly made his way over there. More out of curiosity and boredom than anything else. The wandering lad was in a bad way, and couldn't use either of his arms due to the damage he'd taken. But otherwise he was recovering nicely. He did somewhat resent being stuck in what was essentially a straight jacket, to keep him from moving his arms ... but oh well. Soon as his muscles healed back together, he'd be free again. He was certainly looking forward to that day, yep.

Unable to do anything at all, it was too easy for him to get bored, and a hatching was any excuse as any to try and not be bored. So he made his way into the stands, and found himself a seat near a wall, settling down to watch and wait. Honam didn't know the first thing about dragons, other than they existed, and they were ridden to fight thread - which no one had seen in so very long. So there wasn't a whole lot of anything he had, to base what he was seeing off of. It was all new, to him. Wrinkling his nose up, he wished he could itch it. It was an itchy life, not being able to scratch anything.

[Spirithawk]

There was a stirring in another section of the cavern, with another egg as the Candidates and weyrfolk began to arrive.



This one was rather predictable, even though the egg color and the dragon itself were different. There seemed to be a lot of testosterone in the air since the males were the only ones hatching right now. The other eggs began to rock and tremble as their occupants tried to escape their hard prisons that had once sheltered their lives.

This brown would be a good, solid, medium-sized brown. He would be very serious and down to earth and very supportive of his rider. He could be a little shy at first to warm up to people, but once you gained his friendship, he was loyal as could be, save when his rider or his Queen was threatened.

His frame was a little on the pudgy side, and his rider would have to watch out to make sure he ate sparingly and got enough exercise. He wasn't lazy, just not overly energetic unless there was a task that had to be done. He could be stubborn, but he was usually reasonable. He is a rather down to earth dragon and very steady. His hide was a strange, orange-tinted color.

[Spirithawk]

Right on the heels of the other one, another egg hatched. This egg broke into several large pieces.

The hatchling shook off the piece of egg shell that had landed on his head and several more that had landed on his body and then stepped away from the pieces. While his brother crouched, and his other brother sat on the sands, he began to wander, looking for his chosen.

The hatchling was a dark green, almost black. His wings and belly were a startling contrast to the dark green of his hide. The bones of his wings were dark green, but the wing sails were a significantly paler color. He was a very stocky dragon and obviously very masculine. He would grow to be the size of a large blue and would always appear very thick. He would sacrifice just a bit of his agility due to his stockiness, but it would not make that much of a difference. He would have the stamina of his green and blue siblings as well as most of their agility. His tail is not as long as he would like it and his limbs make him look like he would be "short" but he is proportionate in every way.

[Minajerie]

Rukbat. It was high and hot, and Andilay was reveling in it. Of course, she had just spent a good amount of time cataloging supplies in the storage rooms, as well as shifting ice and checking for tunnelsnakes. She had felt unduly cold in the dark of the caverns, and once she had finished, had seaked the nice warmth of the sun, and then partial sun and shade.

Rukbat's rays were good for her. Perhaps her mood had been brought about by staying inside for too long. esides her training in the mornings, and sometimes at night, she hadn't been outside in the full sun for weeks. Something she used to be in almost nonstop.

And of course, the heat and light released some kind of vitamin in her system, lightening her mood a great deal. She may not have bben sleeping well during the night, but during the day, she took nice, fitful naps.

So it was on a faintly warm rock, sunning herself in some of her smallclothes, that she first heard the bellow of the queen followed by the thrumm of dragons through both air and earth. The hatching!

Smiling, Andilay grabbed her pack and whistled to Mistress. She sprinted for the makeshift candidate barracks, her flitter not far behind. At least this time they would be impressing in the acual impression garb. She had had it modified to her for the past hatching, only not to need it, so it was nice that the hard work of the seamstress would get at least one use (if not more) out of it.

Hastily she tossed her outerclothes onto her bed, and then pulled the whispy white dress robe over her head. Pausing to adjust the cloth and undo, brush, and then re-plait her hair. Sure, she looked prettier when she left her hair free, but she would take function over fashion anyday.

She fussed over herself for a breif moment more and then she was once again off. Her feet sure of themselves, even in the odd impression sandals. She wished she could wear her boots. They were nice, and big, and comfy. Sure her feet might sweat, but they wouldn't scald. And, as she recalled, the sands were quite hot.

Mistress followed her chosen in a happy demeanor. Not only was her Mine better, but they were going to see babies! Happiness radiated all around.

It wasn't long before Andilay had the familiar crunch of sand beneath her heel. And the sweet, intense heat that came with them. She paused, allowing her eyes to adjust from the hall to the light of the sands. And then she saw them. Hatchlings.

Apparently, already three hatchlings stood waiting for their bondeds to come, as Candidate after candidate rushed to their positions. Still, no impression. She wondered who would be first.

[Spirithawk]

The black rose from his crouch as his two brothers hatched and the latest hatchling began wandering around the sands. He began to become even more excited when people started coming into the Hatching Sands. Hopefully His would be there!

He stalked around the sands, moving away from his mother and the other eggs. He positioned himself on the edge of the sands where the people were coming in. A couple of Candidates passed him up as he waited.

Finally! He spotted the lad that was his soul mate, his other half. The little black couldn't understand why it was taking his bonded so long to get here. Even now that he could see him, he was taking his good old time.

The black bounded towards where the young man that was his was sitting next to a wall. He probably freaked out some of the spectators as he barreled past some of the riders who were already seated to reach his. He was growing tired because of his hunger but at least his wasn't that far up!

H'nam. Why don't you scratch your itch? Won't you feed your Reloth? I hunger. Bright rainbow lights arched across to replace the whirling red of his many-faceted eyes. The first Impression had been made.

[D'vraid]

D'vraid looked at the meat wagon nodding at how perfectly the slices had been cut. Looking back up at the ceiling as if he could see through it all he spoke to Baneth lightly,'This is going to be a day to remember Baneth.' Baneth chuckled as he listened to his rider and then spoke back to him,'Just watch yourself D'vraid the hatchlings are not what they will be just yet.'

D'vraid chuckled while looking toward his superior Rhia. "I believe we have made enough meat now do you not think so? That's about three wagons full of the meat." He sighed lightly knowing how great this day was and how many couples would be feeling it later. Sadly D'vraid was without even a temporary mate and would not use a drudge as one he was brought up better then that.

He then thought of what the perfect mate would look like to him. Light brown almost blonde like hair with an almost athletic figure. But he knew he should get rid of his high hopes and focus on his duties.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Dukam looked at the rider that had searched him thinking him with a small nod hearing the queen dragon yell in his mind. Sighing lightly not really having that much of a hope for getting at dragon he followed the riders instructions to the Hatching Sands.

Finding the hatching sands he smiled softly at seeing the weyrling master and an assistant almost done with the meats. The Assistant pointed him in the right direction saying they would e there soon after hearing who he was.

When he walked into the area where the dragons were he saw three dragons already hatched and took a step back at seeing a black dragon as well as an abnormally large green. He then sighed knowing neither would probably belong to him.

[Spirithawk]

The large green had been satisfied that the girls who had arrived were not the person he was looking for. No one in the stands called to him like H'nam had done for his black brother. It did not bother him that his brother had stolen the glory by Impressing first. He would never be one to look for glory in that sense. He would work hard and long to bring honor to himself, his rider, and his Weyr. When thread fell, he would fight it as fiercely as any metiallic, but he would be a little more light-hearted than a brown or bronze. He would like to flirt with the ladies but he would prefer greens or female blues.

There! Finally His had arrived.

D'kam, you are late. You kept your Okith waiting. Feed me now please? For the second time in a matter of minutes, another set of eyes flashed rainbow as Impression was made. Okith raced up to his rider, holding his awkward wings up carefully so that he would not trip.

[Marnark’tranarprol]

Orena bounced in place, partly from excitement, and partly in an effort to get her heels off the hot sensations coming through her sandals. Of course, the air circulation the motion created under her garment was welcomed, as well. She desperately hoped she wasn't going to pass out from heat on the sands. That would be so embarrassing. Two more babies had hatched, and that really dark one ... was it really a black? ... was moving as if it knew what it was doing.

Only ... it wasn't headed for any of the candidates. Orena took on a really strange expression. What did it think it was doing, clambering up into the stands like that?!

---

Honam wrinkled his nose this way, and that, before eventually giving up and leaning as far forward as he could manage, bringing one knee up. Using the wonder abrasive power of the knees of his trousers, he managed to more or less scratch his nose. When he sat up again, he was greeted by an angular, black face that was staring at him with rainbows in its eyes. Which seemed to worm its way into his mind and lodge itself there rather permanently.

H'nam. Why don't you scratch your itch? Won't you feed your Reloth? I hunger. The young dragon told him.

H'nam. That sounded an awful lot suspiciously like his name. Only ... it wasn't. It sounded like a rider's name. "I did scratch my nose." He answered. "And I'm kinda the wrong person to ask to feed you, you know that, right? I can't feed myself, at the moment. Actually .. I haven't been able to feed myself for about a week or two. As humiliating as that may be." H'nam answered.

Then we can find help! Someone can feed me, and you can watch! Then I can find someone to feed you, and we'll be all taken care of! Reloth decided, happily.

"Uhhh ... okay?" H'nam answered, a bit bewildered by the whole thing. Why was this dragon talking to him, anyway? He wasn't a candidate. Despite being totally dragon-stupid, he did get the notion that it wasn't going to go away and leave him alone, either. That sensation tickling around in the back of his mind and settling in helped a lot in that regard. It sure was weird, to not be alone in there. He wasn't even sure if that was a good feeling or a bad one... that was a rather private area, his mind ...

Come on, then. I am hungry! Where do we go for food? Reloth insisted, bouncing a bit in place.

"How should I know? I've never fed a dragon before!" H'nam protested.

[Minajerie]

THE HATCHING!!!

Of course it would happen when... out of al the times, she was surrounded by a group of rather random children. They had just sort of found her, as they tend ot do. Started playing and what not, and Blissy, in her habit, watched over them and boke up their little childish spats.

Then the thrumming started and the young woman jolted upright so fast, she might have given herself whiplash. Somehow, she needed to find an adult to watch over this bunch, and fast! Luckily, their caretakers weren't far. They had been enjoying their small respite from the gaggle of children and thanked her heartily before sending her on her merry- though merrily rushed- way.

First stop, barracks. Or what passed as one until they had theirs repaired. Once inside, she was glad to see she wasn't the only one rushing for their robes in a frenzy. She didn't want to be late! Not for her brother's clutch! No sir-ee!

She changed quickly and brushed out her hair. The heat had effected it so that it waved, but the length of orangey red hair was still vibrant and beautiful. It was a marker of their family. Red hair and grey eyes. Only one of her older sisters differed, and she had intense green eyes that saw everything. Everything. She shuddered at the memories of being caught and having that gaze trained on her.

But those were thoughts for another time.

She tugged on her impression sandals and headed to the sands. Once there, she found the heat to be quite IMpressive, but not OPPressive. Her excitement more pressing and toward the front of her mind. And My! First impression was... a black? A BLACK! That was so terribly cool! Intead of a bronze for good luck, surely a black would be the sign of new things for the weyr. Perhaps of change? After all, Black was a new color for this weyr.

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

R'khol was So going to be chewed out. Late to the hatching of his first clutch as Weyrleader.

MY first sired clutch, to boot. Bad R'khol Bad. But I forgive you. You have duties too.

The weyrleader chuckled. Now your lenient with me?

If you were doing something other than Weyrleader duties I would be much harsher, but as you were not... Just hurry your pace Mine. You've missed two impressions already.

At that, R'khol certainly did pick up the pace to no longer a brisk walk, but a jog, and came to the upper part of the stands breathing only slightly hard. Good he made it. Who impressed first?

The black.

BLACK?!

---

Admin's Note:[/hr][/i]

And then the male green.

R'khol brought a hand to his face, wiping it over his mouth in consternation. Never had he heard of such things. What kind of a Weyr was he now a part of?

A magical one, mine. Be thankful.

He would be thankful when he could make sense of it.

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

Rayn was quick to hop on Llawnreth's back. The brown anxious to get down and see the hatching of new dragons. New weyrmates.

I hope Andilay impresses this time. If she does, we won't be all that much ahead of her. Just a couple of months, instead of a year... or more. Please, let her impress. She needs it.

Do not worry mine. If she is meant to, she will.

That's what she was afraid of. The what if...

---

Admin's Note:[/hr] But Rayn shook her head and was glad when Llanwreth landed easily on one of the dragon platforms surrounding the hatching sands. She gave the big beast an affectionate pat, before moving to the stands and picking a seat.

Luckily, since she was out in it so often, the heat barely affected her.

[Drgnwlf71]

Kalaht heard the hum and wondered what that was. Then...it hit him! He gasped. The hatching has started! He popped out of bed and stubbed his toe on the way out. He hurried grabbed his robes and quickly put them on, too excited to tie it shut, he raced out of the door and ran towards the Sands. Cursing his short legs, he ran as fast as he could.

Finally getting there he slowed to a steady pace, ran his hand through his hair and sighed. He closed his eyes and walked inside. He opened his eyes again and oh what wonderful sights did he see! There were dragons hatching! Three had already hatched, a black, a dark forest green and a brown. Kalaht was in a daze. He knew that hopefully he would become one of these beautiful, gorgeous babies' lifemates. He looked on with a tender smile and a kind heart. He was one of the good ones.

Honest, loyal and trusting. Almost too trusting at times. He was compassionate and cared about others lives, even though they themselves did not. He would help out any way that he could even when the person didn't they deserve his friendship. Kalaht was a noble boy. He wouldn't turn down any challenge, not matter how tough it maybe. He would never ask for help unless it was dire.

He was just amazed on the feelings he had received during the Touching. Even though if he -didn't- get the egg he wanted, he would be happy with the dragon that chose him. He actually felt a connected two of the eggs. One when he was about to leave, another called to him and that familiar pull was felt. It was strong; stronger the the first egg he touched. It was the mottled one.

"Very soon, my dear. Soon...we will meet. Are you going to be the One I Impress?" he asked softly. He questioned his choice. What if that was someone else's egg? Positive thought, Kalaht...positive thoughts. Do not doubt your choice. He calmed himself down and waited for his Lifemate.

[mc16neo]

Kegin hurried to the hatching sands. He wanted to be part of the excitement. He hoped that one would hatch for him. Kegin arrived at the sands to see the Black impress. Kegin sighed. He had hoped for one of such color. It would have made him rather happy. But he wasn't the one. Kegin still had hope. He was confident and sure that his dragon would be here soon. kegin watched others that impress and then the other candidates.

Kegin looked over the sands. He saw the Queen and at the brown and a few other colors. It would seem that colors were various. you never knew which one would hatch into what. Kegin smiled and continued to wait patiently for his life mate to hatch for him.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sinic wanted to be quick to the hatching. he was sure it would be exciting. It seemed excitement would always follow dragons. Sinic smiled and came onto the sands. He went with the other candidates and waited. He was sure his life would be interesting soon enough.

Sinic was excited. He watched everything that happened. He was almost holding his breath as the eggs began to hatch. The black surprised him and he partly hoped he would impress. But his heart sank as he went to another. Then the brown and green, both not his. It seemed this Weyr was rather odd. But he actually enjoyed the differences. What would come next. Maybe it would be his dragon next.

[Kino]

It had been midday, and a rare occasion when there hadn't been any candidate chores to finish at that time. Naret had been sitting in the barracks trying to eek out what little coolness the room had. It hadn't been working too well, though, considering Ikarit was intent on getting attention from him. The both of them jumped in start when the faint (but still loud!) bugle ran through the Weyr, followed by the call from the Queen (that Naret didn't think Ikarit would hear anyway). In an instant, Naret was on his feet.

He'd only been wearing a pair of shorts, but he quickly made a grab for the white over-shirt hanging on the edge of his bed and threw it on. As he slipped his feet into his sandals, he turned and looked at Ikarit - the cat was clearly in his "I'm not going anywhere near those beasts" mood. As he got the second sandal on, Naret poked the cat in the nose; if things went well today, the feline would have to get used to them!

Fully dressed now, the excitement took hold and Naret turned and bolted out of the barracks. He was in a Runner's lope immediately, the sort that a runner had when they thought they might be late for a delivery, and in a few short minutes he was running out onto the Hatching Sands. He blinked wide-eyed at the scene, making his way quickly to where the other males were standing. It'd only just begun, and already there were hatchlings on the sand, and some already impressed? This was certainly turning out to be exciting. Naret focused in on the eggs, and the unimpressed dragonets. This was what he was there for.

[catilena1890]

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~(C)~~~~~~~~~~

They're here, they're finally here! Mosaic, the dragons are hatching, the dragons are hatching! Catilena mentally told her fire-lizard. She ran to the sands with her brown flitt in tow, both equally excited from the Queen dragon’s announcement. She burst onto the sands, bowing quickly but noticeably to Kaith, and stood near the eggs, watching them hatch. First was one of the dragons she had heard so much about, one of the strange colored dragons that hatch to Dark Moon!

“Oh wow, a black dragon! How cool!” She said excitedly. The next to come out was the green, which strangely felt male to her. Nonetheless, she was excited, which showed in her shaking and Mosaic’s flying around. Catilena was having so much fun, for she always enjoyed hatchings, even though she never impressed.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~(D)~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Close behind Catilena, Daelan also rushed to the sands as well. His eyes sparkled upon looking at the baby dragons hatch from their shells and inwardly, he chuckled.

Today will be the day I become a rider, I hope. He thought as he waited to see which of these dragons would be his. In a more polite manner, Daelan bowed to Kaith as low as he possibly could and stayed in that position for a couple minutes. He then took his place near the eggs and he looked to his right and saw Catilena quivering with excitement, obviously as excited to see the dragons as he was.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~(R)~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

They hatch.[/color] Soranith said, humming. Relina smiled and stood up, Rhythm and Zorn clutching her shoulders.

I wanna watch, will you come with me? Relina asked, starting towards the sands. Soranith bounded up next to her and kept pace.

Of course.[/color] Was all she said as they made their way. Upon entering the sands, Relina moved to the stands to watch the candidates impress. Upon sitting down, she observed her sister and Daelan rush into the room and onto the sands, both clearly excited. Mosaic flew around, chittering his chosen’s excitement, and upon hearing him, Rhythm and Zorn flew from Relina’s shoulder and joined him. Smirking, Relina turned to her dragon.

How interesting this will be, Soranith. Do you think they shall impress this time? Relina commented, seeing the black and the green.

I don’t know. I just want to see the dragons that hatch.[/color] Soranith said in her matter-of-fact tone. Relina chuckled and sat back, ready to see who would join her in the magical world of dragonriders this time around.

[Akki]

Almost immediately the black and the green Impressed. The black’s chosen was up in the stands and it was always an interesting sight to see people scramble out of the way of a dragon. Oh that must be so exciting; Impressing without even realizing you had a chance! It was like the best surprise you could get. “How lucky!” Faine smiled, watching as the reached the new weyrling.

Soon as one candidate hit the sands, the green rushed to him. Faine had seen a male green before and had the feeling this was one too. He just didn’t have that feminine grace that female greens had. Plus he was stockier than any female green she had seen! Faine quickly clapped along with the others to congratulate the boy.

“Ohhh!” Faine gasped, clapping her hands together excitedly when Catilena joined her on the sands. Truth be told, Catilena was really the only candidate that Faine knew. She knew Andilay, of course, but the two never really talked all that much. “How exciting is this! People are already Impressing!” She beamed to the girl. She turned her attention back to the hatching, her eyes nearly dancing with excitement. If she didn’t Impress, she really wouldn’t mind all that much. Waiting wasn’t too bad and standing always gave her the opportunity to see the new dragons up real close; she couldn’t complain about that one.

[Spirithawk]

The sherbert toned egg had been rocking violently while the first three to hatch looked for their lifemates. How it shattered open to reveal yet another male dragon. This time, it was a blue, but a very distinctly marked blue. His hide was a dark sapphire toned blue, but along his back there were near stripes of a lighter colored blue. He would be on the smaller size of a large blue and quite sturdy, neither stocky nor slender. He shook off his surprise at being out in the open, his wings spread out to dry. His wings were evenly toned with the sapphire blue. The only variation on his hide were the paler blue strips. The strips stemmed from the thick band of blue that began between his knobs and extended to the end of his forked tail. It looked very much like a dorsal stripe from a Terran Rhodesian ridge back canine.

He creeled his hunger demandingly. He wouldn't be a very vain dragon and could care less if his hide was smudged unless it itched, but when he wanted a necessity, he wouldn't be very patient about it. He prefers small groups to large crowds and will be friendly to those that his chosen are friends with. He will encourage his chosen to make friends, but will feel awkward in large crowds and tend to stick to his closer friends. He will be a little less agile in the air than some of the lither blues, but more agile than his male green brother Okith. He can be strong, but he prefers to follow the lead of a dragon that he feels is wiser than he is. He loves quiet time but doesn't mind hard work.

[Foxfrost]

For most individuals, the hatching was cause for great excitement or nervousness. However, Iechi felt as though he were some kind of an exception. For the Northerner felt, as it were, almost nothing either way about the hatching that was due to occur any day now. He had trained with the rest of the candidates for the past few sevendays, and he had admittedly gotten decent. Yet he was not even up to par with the females of the group. He felt as though some part of him was not quite ready, even though pride would not allow him to admit it. Still, he had no choice. He was here to stand, just as they were. Come what may, it was necessary for him to do so, whether he felt ready or not would not matter to any dragon if he were chosen.

When the call came, he was still not ready. He slipped into the horribly unseemly candidate robes. While white made him look like some eerie Terran angel, he felt absolutely ridiculous in them. They seemed 'overlarge' and 'clingy' all at the same time. Pure white was simply not done, not in good style or taste! He grimaced as he glanced at his reflection in the mirror. Why did he feel so very out of place? Why did he not share in the enthusiasm and excitement that seemed to overtake the rest of the candidates, rushing about to get to the sands? As he was ushered out the door by a drudge, he felt as though his feet were suddenly made of lead. Was that it, then? Was it merely a case of anxiety and nerves? He was not in the least sure.

He made his way onto the sands, and though he'd been there to touch Kaith's eggs, the overwhelming heat of them seemed to assault him from all sides, smothering him. It made it difficult to breathe normally, and for a moment he felt that old panic that he'd felt the first two sevendays he'd been there. Like a suffocating sort of heat that threatened to drown him with the thick, humid air. He forced himself to breathe as Rhia had taught him to do, however, and the feeling, though not completely gone, dissipated to a dull unpleasantness. He glanced around him, at the other candidates, and filed his place in the unorganized line that had seemed to be forming. When he got to Kaith, he found himself wordless, and merely gave the customary formality of the bow, before taking up a spot. Where was the thrill of the hatching, the excitement? He had no reason to believe he didn't stand a chance as much as anyone else at Impressing. So where did it come from? He just did not feel that readiness he had expected to feel. Still, it would happen, with or without him. He was here, now, and the dragons had already begun to hatch.

His breath caught in his throat, for it was awesome to behold. Still, he felt as though he weren't exactly there. As though he was watching the whole of it through the eyes of someone else. Did they all feel as he did? He wasn't certain, but he watched the hatching with a sort of detachment that he would perhaps analyze later, when he could. Where his mind was, he could not have said. Did it wander from hatchling to hatchling, or was it completely elsewhere? He was mildly aware of the warnings of mauling and what to do if it looked like a dragon was headed your way without meaning to choose you. He was forcing himself to concentrate on what was going on, while watching everything at once. Was it, then, just nerves? Then why did he feel like he wasn't quite meant to be here? He just didn't feel ready...

~~~~~~

Yorisa felt the excitement building inside her as the days drew nearer and nearer to the hatching. It was almost as if it were a fever of a sort, of the kind that every candidate seemed to share. The energy in the barracks and during lessons increased exponentially, and the air practically crackled with the excitement and eagerness. She shared in it, and she herself, though outwardly appearing to be level and calm, was more excited than she could have given voice to. That was why, when the announcement came, she could hardly not show just how excited she'd been!

She raced for her candidates robes and all but threw them on, her hair being quickly brushed and tied back, a final glance in the mirror that was not really looking but then again was. Then, she shod her feet in the customary thick soled sandals to protect from the heat of the sands, and ran. This run was different than any kind she had ever done. This run was full of elation and not at all controlled, it was as though she were doing a mad dash, wild eyed and full of jubilation! It was the hatching, and she would not be late! No, she would not miss the hatching of a single egg, and if she Impressed--oh, if only! Running was wonderful, and she would always love it, she knew it to be so. Yet flying...her thoughts trailed off as she reached the sands. There were already a couple of people here, and an egg that was just beginning to hatch finally cracked its shell to reveal...a black dragon?! Lo and behold, there sat a black dragon on the sands. It could be mistaken for no other color, and yet it was something she had never seen before, and something wonderful and marvelous.

Her eyes were wide and in awe, watching as the hatchings and then the Impressions occurred. She was partially in envy of each new Weyrling and dragon pair, partly in elation for each was a successful Impression and the beginning of a new life. She had not even had time to do more than politely nod at Kaith, but she was sure the majestic, golden clutch mother would understand full well why not. The hatching was already begun, and she was all too happy to have not missed a thing! All the while, her face was flushed with color, the color that had arisen in so many of the others faces during this time. There were cheers and clapping from the stands, yet she barely registered anything beyond the hatching and Impression of the dragons! It was so surreal, and yet more real than anything before. Surely, standing was one of the greatest honors and experiences ever!

She was suddenly very eager, inside, and hopeful. Was her very own dragon amongst these here? Was today the day that would change her life, along with the lives of any who were to Impress? She didn't know and suddenly the matter was pressing in a way that it hadn't been up until this very moment. Not everyone today would walk away a Weyrling, leaving the life they had prior known behind. Not everyone would Impress, and it was a very real fact of standing that sometimes your first time standing left you alone on the sands. Well, she was a strong person. She knew she could deal with it, though disappointment would be rife and perhaps she might be a little bitter of heart. Today was a day for surprises and unexpected events to occur. Today, her life might change.

Her eyes were on the newest dragon to break the shell. The blue bore lovely markings and she would not have been sorry to have Impressed him. Then again, any dragon would have been perfect, so long as it fought Thread! She remembered her thought on this, then, and wondered what kind of dragon, when she did get one, if she did get one, she would get. Still, the blue was in the there and now, and this was where her eyes found themselves, on him.

[Drgnwlf71]

Kalaht stood, anxiously waiting for his lifemate. He was so excited. What would be next, a blue, a green maybe even a...........white? Wow. That would be something. This excitement grew as each egg shattered as pieces of eggshell littered the Sands. His heart lept as each dragon popped out of their shells and sank as they chose another. He saw the blue and wondered who he was going to chose. He didn't think no dragon would want a small, weak boy who could not even defend himself properly against armed aggressors.

Kalaht had low self-esteem and needed someone to lift his spirits. Friends were nice but, he needed someone, something a bit more. Lovers were also great, more than great actually. It was hard for him to explain but the others and the riders understood for the need for unexplained companionship. There was a hole in his heart that needed to be filled that friends or lovers could not.

He didn't even know what he was -doing- here...yes, to Impress a dragon but what happens if he screws things up. This was for life. He began to get scared. His eyes were wide and his blood ran cold. He began to shake and shiver as doubts filled his mind with 'what ifs.' He broke out in a cold sweat.

What if he kills the poor thing? What if he didn't Impress? What if -he- gets killed? He tried to stand firm in his belief that a dragon would choose him but it just wasn't working. His mind was filled with images of the Impression but not to him. No dragon would want him. They were all right. He wasn't confident enough, strong enough. He was weak and weaklings do not get that privilege.