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Egg descriptions:

The luminous egg
The Queen egg gives off a feeling of power, confidence and intelligence. It welcomes anyone who comes to touch it but not loudly or with feelings of its own greatness; this is clearly a gold who knows herself and her place and isn’t worried by challenges. Lingering a little longer may yield a feeling of intensity, as if the dragonet inside the egg is just waiting to burst into action. As is to be expected the queen egg sits at the centre of the clutch and has been raised slightly above the other eggs by its mother's efforts, but it seems unruffled by this placement, neither embarrassed nor gloating.


The swirling egg - Bronze Ammonth, looks to Hesian
Hello there, who are you? This is a large egg - certainly a brown or a bronze - greets everyone with warm enthusiasm and energy. It doesn’t seem to mind how much or how little time people spend with it and gives off a feeling of total self assurance. It also seems to be impatient, or perhaps eager would be a better word for although the dragon inside is clearly desperate to get out and see the world there is no irritability to the feeling. It doesn't seem especially worried by the aggressive presence of the burning egg against it.


The burning egg
What are you hanging around for? This small egg - either a green or a small blue - doesn’t seem to have time for being fondled. A feeling of savage pride radiates out from the little thing, and like the swirling egg, it clearly wants to break out of its shell right now but there is true impatience there with this egg. The final feeling that comes from this egg is passion and drive; the dragon inside clearly won’t want to stop for anything. It leans up against the swirling egg - which dwarfs it by far - and a candidate might just catch a flash of annoyance directed at the other egg if the burning egg isn't too busy being annoyed by them.


The explosive egg - Blue Novath, looks to Navarre
At first touch this egg gives off a feeling of amiability and wit; it welcomes male and female, young and older hands all alike. Should a candidate touch the shell too softly, too hard, or linger overlong they will feel a sharp flare of anger that is almost like being mentally stung; clearly this one will hatch into a very mercurial beast, and clearly its clutchmates know it for there is quite a gap between it and the clouded egg which is the closest to it. By its size, it's probably a blue or a green.


The void egg
In order to reach the void egg candidates must walk quite a distance away from the rest of the clutch. This egg, the smallest by quite a margin, has an almost palpable aura of gloom around it. Any negative feelings a candidate who touches it has will be amplified thousandfold, and any positive feelings they had will be dulled by this brooding little egg. Either unaware of or indifferent to the effect it has on those who come into contact with it the void egg remains aloof from the multitude of fondling fingers... But wait, what was that? If a candidate endures the dark feelings for long enough they might just feel a spark of brilliance coming out of the void.


The clouded egg - Green Nebulath, looks to Peradan
Almost certainly either a green or a blue this egg might make a few candidates feel uneasy; it feels critical, sharp and harsh. It also feels angry, and as though it’s building up to something that might be decidedly Not Good for anyone who gets too close. The dragon that comes out of this egg will definitely bear watching on the sands. It is in the main group of eggs, and seems like the only one willing to be placed within a certain distance of the explosive egg.


The orbiting egg - Green Lunath looks to Tarel
Anyone who had been peeking at the sands might well have noticed that this egg is never in the same place twice, and is always nestled up closely against another egg. Anyone who touches the shell is instantly flooded by a feeling of welcome, with some undertones of clinginess. Clearly the dragon inside - probably green by the size - wants to be friends with everyone. After a few moments however a candidate touching the shell will feel as though the unhatched dragonet’s attention had flitted away from them and back onto the guiding light egg, against which it currently rests.


The guiding light egg - Green Polarith looks to Lilias
Really quite small, this is almost certainly contains a green. It gives out a feeling of love, gentleness and patience. Getting much more than a faint waft of sensation from this one is difficult however, it seems like this dragon won't be one to draw attention to itself. A lingering candidate, however, may detect a deep fondness for the orbiting egg that nestles so close to it although judging by that feeling of warmth it would probably feel that way no matter which clutch sibling was closest by.


The brilliant flash egg - Green Velath, looks to Eliza
Oooh, hi! This egg, probably either green or blue, seems as curious about the candidates who come to it as they probably as about it. It seems to want every hand that touches it to linger beside it and projects a feeling of bubbly confidence. The gregarious nature that it already possesses makes it clear that its central placement was not down to chance, presumably its mother intuition caused her to put her extroverted offspring exactly where it is.


The tailing trail egg - Green Halith, looks to Cetalese
What are you? The feeling of question is not entirely complementary, but neither does it carry tones of deliberate unkindness. Maybe this egg just thinks hands feels weird and isn't shy about letting you know. Although it is of the size to be either a blue or a green it give off a feeling of confidence and something that can only really be described as a lust for life as the large swirling egg. After that moment of slightly rude questioning, however, the egg seems to warm up to anyone and everyone which makes its placement on the fringes of the clutch seem a bit off. Maybe it's just a bit of an explorer.


The scattered stars egg - Green Galith looks to Melina
A steady patience emenates from this small egg, and no matter how long a candidate lingers beside it doesn't seem to mind. There is a feeling to it that can only be descriped as expansive, as though it is taking the experience of the touching in but not truly focusing on individuals at this stage. Set a little way out from the cluster of eggs at the centre it seems that this one isn't desperate to be part of 'the group', but neither does it give of anything even remotely like a feeling of hostility.


The distant sea egg - Blue Neptanth looks to Saykiro
Hello, you doing alright there? This medium-large egg - probably brown by its size - gives out a feeling of welcome and caring for each and every candidate. It feels like a very cheerful sort, and merely touching the shell will be enough to make most people smile a bit. While there is also a feeling of confidence but its not a pushy aggressive sort of confidence by any means. A very sensative candidate might feel that the egg is learning as much about them as they are about it, but its certainly not an unpleasant feeling. This egg sits amongst the main group and is tilted slightly towards the orbiting egg as though watching over it.


The rocky band egg
Whichever egg you were paying attention to before, you should have been paying attnetion to this one instead! Too large to be anything but a bronze or a brown this egg sits close to the queen egg, perhaps hoping that this placement will bring more attention its way. As soon as fingers brush its shell it bombards the candidate with welcome, and demands that they stay and apprecaite it for a while. It seems to strive to make itself stand out from its clutch mates, and to claim a special place in every single candidate's memory.

Mallan was nervous, he knew the hatching was soon and it had him on edge. He'd been slightly less cheerful in the last few days as he worried a little about how he would do when the time came. He had worked hard to study, learning what he could to try and catch up to the other candidates, the ones that had been there longer, the Weyrbrats. While he had more in common with the Holder Candidates in terms of knowledge, he at least knew more people in the weyr, including many of the candidates his own age, having grown up alongside most of them. His hands twitched as he did his chores that evening and he was more than glad to get to his bunk. The nervous energy that had been building exhausted him rather than keeping him awake as he knew several of the others had been, he could see the dark circles around their eyes, even though some tried to hide it. Slipping into his bunk Mallan was soon sleeping soundly.

Humming.... his dreams were full of insects buzzing and humming around his head until...his eyes snapped open at the sound of dragons ... the eggs... humming.... his thoughts jumbled for a minute.... well they were until O'rer's voice reached him and he leapt up, banging his head on the bunk above him and he silently cursed, rubbing his forehead. He got up quickly, his breath coming fast as his body almost vibrated with the increasing humming of the dragons as they began to wake and join their voices with Brakiath's and Jeth's. Dressing as fast as he dared he blinked a few times, his head throbbed slightly but that was an small distraction in the excitement that was to be his first Hatching ...well .. his first where he would be standing on the sands instead of watching from a dark corner or up in the stands. Carefully he made his way to the sands and followed O'rer's instruction, standing where told, his hands trembling in fear and excitement.

Cetalese started awake at the sound of a loud humming filling the room. She sat up slowly and looked around, dazed from sleep and confused. She'd been awoken at night before, by little siblings needing her, but it felt as if she had just drifted off a moment ago. It seemed a few other girls had noticed as well, but before they had time to realize what it was-- or voice what it was if they knew-- O'rer, their Candidate Master, was blowing through the Barracks, shouting at them.

Cetalese was moving as her mind was processing the words. The eggs are hatching. The Hatching! The Hatching!

Ceta moved to her trunk and threw it open, taking the folded robes from the top of the stack. She had known it would be soon, they all had, and she had been leaving it on her clothes for days now in readiness. She dropped the lid of her trunk as she tossed the robes on the bed, and then turned her back to the room and began stripping out of her clothes with sharp efficiency. A hand groped for the robe, and its neatness reminded her of Eliza's dishelvement.

"Eliza!" She shouted over the din of excited Candidates scrambling around. She wouldn't wait on the girl and risk being late just so they could go in together, but she did want to be sure Eliza herself wasn't late. That was frowned on and she might miss her lifepartner. Ceta's mind was good at working under conditions in which others might panic, so despite the swell of excitement and nerves growing in her, she didn't wave in her tasks. She pulled her long hair out of the back of her robe and shook her head to settle the waves as best she could. There was no time to run a brush through it. That sone, Ceta sat on her bed and reached under it for the sandals they had been given to go with the robe. "Eliza, are you done?" She asked again, her voice hopefully carrying over the other girls, some preparing in quiet earnest like her and others chattering excitedly.

Sandals and robe on properly, Cetalese stood, her eyes scanning the crowd. She caught sight of Eliza and smiled slightly, her excitement dancing about in her heart hard enough to make it beat irregularly.

It was good enough. O'rer wouldn't tolerate dawdling at a time like this, and she saw him reappear in the doorway with the boys trailing behind him. Sure enough, he called in no uncertain terms for them to follow and the girls began streaming out to mingle with the boys on their way to the Sands. Cetalese just followed as she could, adjusting her steps until it brought her out near Eliza in the group. When the girl met her eyes, Ceta smiled slightly, but her eyes were all too clear about the excitement she was feeling.

It's time. It's time.

They made it to the Sands in record time and O'rer stopped abruptly and turned to give them their last instructions. As the girls made their way to where he directed, Ceta moved finally to Eliza's side and in a brief show of comraderie grabbed her hand. There were no words for this. She hadn't expected it to be so... so charged with energy in here. It was the excitement of the Candidates, the earnest of the eggs, and Brakiath's own intense attention on her brood all combined that made the air leave the room. What would happen once the eggs actually cracked? Cetalese could imagine someone passing out.

She arranged herself next to Eliza as the girls made an odd semi-circle shaped group and took a full look at the Clutch now alive with movement. Her attention was so taken, as she was sure everyone else's was, that it wasn't until the first spectators arrived that Ceta thought of her own parents and spared a brief worry for them. Would someone be able to retrieve them in time?

Of course they will, she answered herself. There are many riders in the Weyr and no doubt all of them will turn out for the Hatching. Most probably already have assignments to pick up specific spectators. They'll be here, even if I don't see them.

And the chances of her noticing, she realized as she looked back at the large batch of waking eggs, was very slim indeed.

Eliza felt like she'd just fallen asleep when the ruckus started up in the barracks..it sounded like the entire group was humming the same song and in her half asleep state she was still trying to place the tune - because she knew she'd heard it before - when O'rer's voice slashed through her drowzy thoughts and Eliza bolted upright, barely missing whacking the top of her head on the top bunk while she did so.

Her previous sleepy state forgotten Eliza threw her robe on with wild abandon, glancing up as she heard Cetalese shouting for her - no doubt making sure that she was actually up and getting ready - well! No worries about her typical lateness tonight - she wouldn't miss this for anything! Edging her way through the group Eliza worked her way towards Ceta as well until they wound up making their way to the sands together, squeezing the other girls hand in excitement as they took their spots. "I wonder which egg will hatch first" She whispered to Cetalese eye's darting between one egg and another. Hopefully it wouldn't be one of the angrier eggs...a mauling right out the gate would be horrible luck.

As usual, V’al was not in bed when he should have been. He usually ran short on sleep as he went to bed late and woke early, and this night found him hunched over a scrap of leather, teeth gritted as worked to etch a thin, curling line into the hide. His hand, as usual, was giving him trouble. Ever since the mission that had seen him threadscored, the hand went stiff without use, and he hadn’t done much to flex the scar tissue in the last several days. Determinedly, he pinched his thumb and forefinger around a tool and heard Lerath stirring in his sleep. He expected he’d woken his blue with the discomfort that he couldn’t help but share through their bond and set the tool aside, feeling somewhat guilty. Lerath continued to move though, and there was a brazen trumpeting roar from him. V’al started, and, hearing the accompanying bellows and humming of other dragons in the air, sprang from his table.

He didn’t bother with riding gear, but simply clung adeptly to the dark blue neck beneath him while Lerath glided carefully to the rider’s platform and deposited him safely before taking his place on a high perch. Maybe those who Stood with you last time will Impress now, Lerath noted through his rich humming.

Maybe, V’al answered uncertainly as he searched for a decent place to sit among the stands.

Melina had been possibly one of the first of the female candidates aware of the draconic humming, though she had been rather too entranced listening to it to think about what it meant. Oh, of course, humming meant eggs hatching! She had been sitting on the window sill, legs dangling over the side of the building with her telescope trained to her eye when O'rer had burst in, yelling at them to prepare. She almost dropped her telescope in surprise, and that would have been bad indeed! As it was, with everyone else hustling and bustling about, getting in from the window was proving more difficult than normal. Still, she managed, movements calm but quick and efficient - years of training wouldn't fail her now.

A feeling of deep excitement started bubbling about in her chest, burning warmly and giving her the energy she'd need to be out on the sands, especially if she did get lucky. She donned the pristine white candidate robes and adjusted the knot on her shoulder - her eyes were already bright and sharp, having not yet went to bed. Her hair, as usual, was back in it's normal style to keep it out of her face while she was stargazing, and needed no extra attention. Pulse quick, she joined the other girls moving out in the hall, heading down to the sands, to where her life might just change tonight.

The bustle of many voices was just background noise tonight, but she spared a single glance at the sky, quickly wishing luck on Rigel, the first star she had learned to identify in the night sky. It was shining brightly tonight, and she hoped that was a good sign. She trooped onto the sands (still as hot even at night and worse with no sandals!) with the rest of the Candidates, going to the side indicated by O'rer. She waited patiently for the hatching to begin, the dragon humming thrumming inside her, making her almost vibrate with its intensity. She couldn't hide the excitement in her eyes, but it was tempered with a very sadistic sense of realism - she might not be chosen, and the dread from that was keeping her in check, as it were.

The thrumming didn't wake Nawa, as it was a rather pleasant sound, but O'rer's shouts definitely did. She leapt to her feet and threw on her robes, just in time to join the group of fellow Candidates heading to the Sands. When they reached them, she went to the right as instructed to stand with the rest of the girls. She didn't jostle around to try and get to the front, and was rather content in the middle, certainly enough so that she didn't feel it necessary to be rude and push anyone. She just shuffled a little bit to the side to get a better view. Which egg would hatch first? What would come out of it? Who would it go to?

She'd been calm at the Touching, but now that it was Hatching time, the combination of excitement and nervousness made her feel ready to burst. This was, without a doubt, the most thrilling thing to happen in her life yet, even more so than being Searched. Nawa shifted her wait from foot to foot while she waited for things to truly begin - the sand was really hot! Geeze. She understood it was necessary, but yowch.

Allaxon's eyes cracked as a deep throbbing reverberated through his chest. Was that humming? Humming meant a hatching, he thought groggily. Hatching! Allaxon shot out of bed to the calls of the candidate master. He sprang into his robes and was out the door before you could say firelizard.
He arrived with the others to see the eggs, surrounded by glows, and rocking already. He could feel tension and anticipation drip around him.
In this clutch his lifemate potentially lay curled up tight in a thick shell hidden from him and the world. Would a hatchling choose him? If it did what color would it be? Would one of the candidates get hurt? His brows furrowed as these thoughts swirled through his head. Allaxon waited with the others for a destiny that was already decided by the hatchlings.