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Skananth flipped his wings feeling sated and drowsy as his helped to guide him a short way away to give his clutchmates more room to eat. Sleepy as he was the blue was all but oblivious to the mechanization of Erath's own.

"Budge aside Skananth, Lets give the others some room."

Humming agreeably the blue wobbled forward unfortunately getting all his parts moving simultaneously was harder than it looked and he
put a foot wrong and it landed on his tail making him squeal in pain.

K'lar winced as Yulu's elbow connected solidly with Cass' face, and his dragon's head whipped around to watch the two girls and their dragons, her maw steadily devouring her food.

Akerth sat silent and still on the sands, but suddenly he stood, and moved with a quiet purpose towards a boy K'lar didn't know. He realized with a start that he didn't know many of the Candidates/new riders, and vowed to start changing that. After all, he had been the life of the party back home, why shouldn't he go for that here?

Tatleth crooned at Skananth as he stepped on his own tail, making encouraging chirping noises. Then she hopped over to Akerth as he came to the table and started yammering to him, completely unaware that her clutch-mates were probably too hungry to care about what she said.

"Tatleth, mine, get back here . . . "

It was like every other hatching Tarusen had ever attended, except, perhaps, the last one. The same anxiety, fluttering in his throat. The same need, the moment a bronze touched the sands. The same hope. Hope.

This time.

This one. This one would be his. Like everyone, he held his breath when the bronze and brown faced off. And when the bronze moved toward the stands... his gaze followed it. It was lost. It would come back. The clever brown would herd it toward the sands again. Herd it toward him. And he kept thinking it until the moment of it's attack on the girl.

No. Not the right one. Not his. A Weyrleader's bronze didn't act like that. A Weyrleader's bronze had manners. His heart fell. Not his. Not meant for him. More waiting.

His gaze returned to the clutch, watching with a sort of tired interest. It was exciting time, even if his dragon was not here. Out of curiousity, he found himself watch the brown. When it pulled the green from a motionless egg, when it seemed to pace about the clutch, watching, guiding. He'd never seen quite such actions from so young a dragon. He admired the orderliness of it. After the last hatching, it was nice to see this one go off so neatly. It was nice to see someone seeing to things. There was a leader, or there was chaos. There had to be a leader. When it chased a green around the queen egg, until the green impressed, he smiled despite his disappointment. There would be no dragons lost in this clutch.

And then--

And then.

Tarusen! I am tired of this dallying. It is time for me to eat. Come get Your Akerth.

And it wasn't right. It couldn't be right. He was going to impress a bronze. He was... he was going to be the Weyrleader someday. He knew it. Knew it.

But-- it was such an orderly mind, the one that pressed against his. So rational. So in control. And that, more than anything, was what Tarusen wanted, what he needed. Control. So that no one could control him. No one could hurt him. In chaos, there were casualties. But when there was a leader...

And this... His... Akerth. Akerth was a leader. Akerth was the dragon that Tarusen had been waiting for. The one he'd imagined. The one he needed to create the order and safety he craved. He just... wasn't quite as bronze as he'd expected.

Tarusen! Sharper this time, and Tarusen found he couldn't not move. He was all but marching at that forceful order, and he was, despite himself, smiling. Smiling with the sort of sincere affection and deep love that no one ever saw when he played the game of surface niceness.

"Sorry, Akerth. We'll get you some food." He laid his hand against his dragon's neck, "You did well."

They needed it.

And they had. Tarusen believed it, even if the other hatchlings and their new riders might feel differently. Akerth had done what was necessary. As would Tarusen. As they would, together. And they would lead the Weyr, in their own way. Just not, maybe, in the way he'd expected. That, that would take some thought.

Cass pointedly ignored Yulu's apology, turning her attention instead to the candidate master "I'll be alright, J'ev sir." she said with a little hurt smile that said she didn't want to cause trouble. The more sympathy the better. She turned away slightly and pretended to wipe away a stray tear of pain before taking a breath and picking up her knife once more and cleaned it off before she set about cutting up more meat for her hungry dragon.

Vespereth chuckled mentally, though her amusement didn't show on the outside 'Cassmine, you are so wonderful! Clever clever mine. We will be much admired, you and I!' she crooned happily as Cass smiled to herself and fed her dear one.

Smiling hurt a bit, but she could deal with it. If she was lucky, it wouldn't bruise badly. that didn't mean she didn't plan on getting her revenge. Perhaps while they were at the hatching feast would be a good time...Cass wasn't a violent person, but she definitely wasn't above spilling a plateful of food on someone, or wine, or something equally messy.

'Silly Vespereth, oh dearest heart, we are already admired! Haven't you seen the way everyone looks at you, coos over how adorable you are? We won't just be cute, though will we, dearest? Oh no, we'll be the best at flying too!' Cass said with a certain mix of smugness and determination. They would do exceedingly well together, oh yes they would!

Cass looked up again as she reached for more meat to cut into smaller pieces and saw the boy that had impressed green Tatleth looking her way. she flashed him a smile, sure that he was looking at her because Yulu had caught her in the face. "Hi there, I'm Cass." she said warmly "I don't think we've met."

Canoake had been in the dining hall, serving meals to the riders when the loud humming penetrated the entirety of the Weyr and shook her down to her bones. Hatching! It was time! With the quickest of smiles and briefest of apologies, Canoake set the bowls she was carrying down and hustled herself to her dorm and bed. They were riders, they would understand the excitement and need to be on the Sands as quickly as possible.

The woman made her way and was soon enough standing at the foot of her bed. She had made her own Candidate's robe. Stripping faster than she would for a tumble in the furs, Canoake sighed at the thought that everyone would see her legs and feet. Oh well. If she Impressed this day it would not matter at all. It would never matter again. Proud of her body and shards to anyone staring, Canoake managed to get changed and catch up to the group being lead by J'ev. Oh yes, shuffle shuffle and she was with the girls to one side. Clenching her hands, she followed and they made their way to Kaveth's clutch.
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The eggs started hatching rather quickly. With the entire Weyr and beholden and important craft and hold folk in the stands, Canoake felt like she was in her prime. All the candidates were in the spotlight and while she was not standing over top the eggs, she certainly had a good position to see all the eggs hatch. And she did not shy away from being the line of sight of Kaveth or her golden daughter.

A bronze! She clapped her hands in delight. Good! A blessing indeed and he looked like a strong fellow, even if he seemed a little on the small size. Well, he was still a baby and size would only matter as he grew and matured. Good for him, snapping and letting everyone know he was not to be managed.

Canoake watched with keen interest as another egg hatched. A blue this time. What beautiful markings it had! As the hatching progressed, Canoake only half paid attention as the eggs hatched. She made sure to focus on the greens but even to her it was obvious that none of these were the life mate she was looking for. The blue knew its mind and found his right away. The next green to hatch went straight for the boys.

If a boy wasn't sure who he was having a green dragon certainly gave him a large clue. Canoake laughed mentally to herself. Hatching was almost like a game. It was like one person had a blind fold on and was spun around in circles. Then it was time to find who was it. Briefly, the woman wondered how each dragon knew who was "It."
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Four greens, the blue, the bronze and a brown later there were just two eggs left. The queen's egg and the Streaked Sky Egg. Canoake had touched them both and received strong impressions from both of them. BY now, the newly Impressed riders had been lead away to feed their ravenous beasts.

Both eggs were moving but not violently so. Canoake smirked and wouldn't be surprised if both made Telgar wait for their grand appearances. By now, the heat of the sands was getting to her. She moved back and forth from right leg to left, trying not to draw attention to herself but also trying not to get severe burns on her feet.

Why oh why didn't they allow sandals for the Candidates?

Canoake's body was covered with a light layer of sweat. Grossed out, she could only imagine what she looked like to others in the Stands and around her. She couldn't even have a hair band to keep her hair back. Positive it was frizzy, she pushed it back behind her ears and tried to keep her focus. How long had the hatching been going on? Time was moving quickly and slowly at the same time. She debated on whether or not to move forward but decided that her position to the right in between the tables and the healers area was a very good place to be.

"Come on, make sure you enter this world and let everyone know that it is yours to make your mark upon." Canoake whispered fiercely. She wasn't sure which egg she was speaking to or even if she was speaking to herself. All she knew was that it was important that it was there. No matter what, no matter when, Canoake of Telgar would Impress.

At long last, the snappy brown chose his lifemate. Now there were no more dragonets prowling about the center of the sands, every part of Layla's being came to focus on the last two eggs. The streaked sky, she'd guessed at a green for that though maybe it was blue, and the mighty queen egg... Which was now starting to move. It did not seem to be in any great rush to burst out into the world, its movements were strong but calm, collected, just like the feeling that she'd got from it during the touching. The queen would hatch in her own time without fuss, and would probably choose her lifemate in the same manner.

Layla hoped that the gold would look to her, the gold or the dragon inside the streaked sky egg, either! Just let her find Hers. Her lifemate. The other part of her soul. Was it here today? Would she ever find it, or was she just not meant to be a rider?...

No. Don't even think that. Keep hoping. There were two eggs left, one of them might choose her. It could be her as easily as it could be anyone else. The dragons would decide whatever they would decide... Please let one decide to come to her.

So, Ngaran had completely spaced out for the first part of the hatching. He probably should've gotten more sleep the night before, but what could you do?

He was only briefly mulled out of his distraction by Yulu Impressing--to a Green. Good for her. Though he seemed to remember something about a previous comment involving Greens, but whatever, he wasn't going to say anything. Ngaran noticed that by this time, only the Streaked Sky egg and the Queen hadn't hatched, and he watched the only egg he had a chance with almost a little too intently.

The Hatching Sands fell silent.

A slow wiggle, left right, left right. Kaveth's humming intensified and all eyes focused on the wiggling Golden Stag egg. This was it. The Weyr's next queen. The egg stopped rocking and seemed to give a little quiver. Cracks appeared near the top and streaked down the sides of the Golden Stag egg until the egg fell apart around its inhabitant. The dragon stepped out and shook its wings free of the debris.

Sound returned, slowly at first, and then faster and faster until there was an almost uniform murmur throughout the Hatching Sands. What was this? Could it be? Kaveth's eyes whirled faster as she creeled, head swaying back and forth as several dragons answered her calls. Her rider's expression had not changed, hadn't changed the whole Hatching, but it seemed to somehow look darker. Even I'dan was on his feet, practically hanging over the railing as he stared at the little dragonet.

"By the First Egg! Malkai!"

The Weyrwoman shot him a dirty look and subtly shook her head. This was not the time to talk about things. I'dan, however, did not appear to be persuaded, and took off down the stairs to reach ground level. He was panting by the time he reached Malkai, but that didn't stop him from hissing, "Malkai! We can't just—"

"Quiet. You'll ruin the Hatching. It doesn't matter. It doesn't matter."

Kaveth.

The golden queen stopped her head swaying and turned to look at her rider, but her distress was still evident.

Enough.

It took her several moments to settle herself back down, before turning to look at her newly hatched offspring.

The dragonet had waited for her, an expression of complete calm on its face. Then, it bowed to Kaveth, and then finally turned to face the waiting candidates. It appeared sometimes even Weyrleaders were wrong.

There, in the remains of the Golden Stag Egg, stood a very large bronze.