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Greloren watched as the African Wild Dog egg shattered, releasing a rather odd looking bronze. He smiled. He'd been right... it was a bronze... But his smile slipped when the dragonet rushed past him for one of the older boys. The weyrbrat glanced back towards the eggs. All that was left was the queen egg... and she wouldn't want him. But the boy didn't move. He'd been so sure he was going to Impress...

The fact that every single new rider was at least 3 and more like 4 or 5 Turns older than him did not register. He was weyrbred. He was supposed to be a rider... it was in his blood... The boy stood still as several of the other boys started to leave the sands. The queen wouldn't pick any of them... so the Hatching was over for them. They might as well retreat to where their feet weren't going to burn to watch the little gold hatch and Impress.

And hatch and Impress she did. The little gold didn't take very long to find Hers and then it was really over. Greloren still didn't seem to register this, looking around, sure that there was an egg SOMEWHERE that they'd all overlooked... Right? RIGHT??

Finally, it all snapped into place and the weyrbrat fled as his fostermother made her way to comfort him. She'd known he'd put too much hopes into Impressing his first time on the Sands... and while she'd hoped he would, she also knew that if he didn't, Greloren would not take it well.

But the weyrbrat fled before his fostermother arrived, seeking a hidden place far away from the Hatching Feast and the new weyrlings. A place all his own where he could cry without anyone knowing. As he left the Hatching Grounds, Night appeared over his head, circling, his eyes whirling with the mixed emotions he was getting. Strongest was from his bonded, that of despair and rejection... but almost as strong was the love coming from all the new weyrling pairs and the dragonriders who had relived their own Impressions while watching twenty young lads and lasses become dragonriders.

Kiera felt her heart swell at the sight of the baby Queen. Watching her Impress was like a spell. She hoped she would be able to watch, and learn, and hope. She knew she was running out of chances to Impress, but maybe even if she didn't Impress the majestic creatures, perhaps she could work somewhere where they were as well. All these pairs would grow together, and she wanted to witness it.

After all, these were things of legends. These were creatures who kept their homes safe always. Her eyes smiled, even though her smile had fallen to a look of grim determination. There was always....the other clutch.

And as quickly as it had begun, it was over. Mador could not stop the way he visibly drooped. His hopes had been worked so high, and now he wasn't sure just what he'd do. There was no way he'd impress now unless another clutch was laid in the next turn. It was disappointing to have his hopes so high and to see them shatter before him. And there'd been so many gorgeous hatchlings...

With a reluctant sigh, the young harper turned and made his way out of the Hatching Sands. No doubt Fiari would be glad that she had him all to herself still...

~*~

Nenda wasn't quite as disappointed as some of the other Candidates were. This was the first time she'd stood, but it wouldn't be the last. She'd find her dragon eventually, no matter how many turns it took.

In the flurry of hatchlings Pendra had felt an overwhelmed observer. What a glorious clutch but none of these had been her's. She sighed sadly and looked around at the happy new pairs making there way on to the first of their weyrling lessons, how to properly feed their dragonets. "Someday I'll be one of them," she said giving an emphatic nod and joined the other disappointed candidates in exiting.

Anneellieeee

The voice that was suddenly in Anne's head made the poor girl give an audible yelp and she turned this way and that, trying to decipher who --

She looked at the baby Queen. No... this... had she really just said her name? Had she really just chosen HER, ANNELIE, a servant who spilled soup on men just to get away, who washed dishes since she was five turns-old, who never thought she could amount to anything remotely dignified, who danced when no one was watching...

Her body started to shake, and something in her just sort of went 'POP.' In a flash, she skimmed around the gaggle of other girls, pushing one or two to get onto the sands where HER baby was. Hers... she was HERS.

By the time Annelie skidded onto her knees, sand tinkering up in a small wave, and was at Yansanth's side, tears were streaming down her sticky cheeks and her hair was disheveled about about her face. With skillful hands she broke the shell around the dragonet's neck and wiped the goo from her face with her white robe. Yansanth quickly looked away from the big Queen and to her Mine, her eyes swirling with worry.

I got you ... don't be afraid now, Anne said, trying to make her voice as soothing as possible despite the sobs that were choking at her throat.

But they're so... intimidating! Aren't you scared? the small gold asked, her head cocked to one side and Annelie held it in her hands.

Anne nodded, but gave a funny smile and then quite abruptly hugged the Yansanth's head to her. Always scared... but we'll be ok. We'll find something else ... Do you like to dance? It was a silly thing to ask a dragon, Anne thought, but why not? She felt like she could let Yansanth know anything, anything at all. She found that missing half that she had never even known was lost.

Yansanth gave a sudden trill and buried her head closer into Annelie. Mine? Can be dance together?

Of course.

Quinnel watched the young gold, a vaguely confused expression on her face. She had always thought that Queens were bold, proud, and sure, but this Hatchling was almost seemed – dare she say it? – scared. Not what she expected, but she supposed she shouldn’t be so quick to judge. After all, she herself was an example of one who was not as they seemed.

Tonight would be a night of celebration. Quinnel hoped that, Apprentice though she was, her talents would be called upon. However, before she joined any celebration she knew she needed to play, to vent, to release the emotions she had accumulated during this Hatching. She did not want her feelings to ruin what should be festive occasion, or to conflict with her music, should she be asked to play.

Giving a farewell bow to the mother Queen, Quinnel made to exit the cavern and return to her sleeping quarters so that she could pick up her pipes.

Patiently, Florian waited for the Impression of the Queen before exiting the Sands. He was not necessarily disappointed, though even he could admit to the twinge of envy that struck him as he watched the loves truck expression on the faces of new and old riders alike, he was instead in a state of readiness. There would be no more Hatchings, no more weeks of waiting and agonizing over what would Hatch, and would he become a Dragonrider. His life was his own know, in a way that he hadn't realized it could be.

He was free.

Though his physical body lacked wings to soar the skies, he felt both his heart and his mind clear from a dense fog of indecision and uncertainty. Now he could return to the Healer Hall without reservation, study for the rest of his Journeyman years, and perhaps return here as something more then he had been. A craftmaster, uniquely prepared and willing to treat even the most gruesome of dragon wounds simply because he could. The works uncovered at Landing had revealed a great deal of lost knowledge, and he hoped to find amongst the strangely preserved records some form of history into Dragonkind. Some long forgotten teaching hide that told their story, from the inside out, and gave the Healercraft new insights into Healing and preserving the great beasts of legends that defended the planet. So he left the Sands, not with his head bent low in defeat, but with a strong step and a uplifted chin. He knew his true purpose now, and he was ready.

Ghilani, now Gh'lan, had fed Khunoth only the choicest bits of wherry leg, and had managed to persuade the brown hatchling to follow him back to the Sands to await his friend and former roommate. Naturally, Khunoth had resisted, but Gh'lan could not shake the feeling that he was needed, so he went anyway... certain that Khunoth would follow and that Florian would be waiting.

Florian was not waiting, but Gh'lan and his brown did manage to reach the entrance before he did, and the younger lad's voice pulled him out of his revelry with a laugh when the Healer almost walked right past them. "Here I thought I'd either have to convince you that Impression was real, or console you in misery.... but my friend... you look better then I have ever seen!" He meant it of course, as he meant everything he said, and Florian could only smile at him. Khunoth took that pause to rumble deep in his belly and nudge his new rider's hand, earning a gentle grin from Gh'lan and a chuckle from Florian.

"Best run back and finish feeding him Ghil... err Gh'lan. And rest assured, you have not seen nor heard the last from me, and I expect your first long trip between together will be to visit me while I study at the Fort Healer Hall!" Florian said, bending to one knee to salute the little brown. "And you look after each other." He added, rising back to his full height.

Khunoth quirked his head curiously to the side, but he sensed the link between his rider and this young man, so he kept any sarcastic remarks to himself. Despite appearances, he did love his rider, and anyone important to Gh'lan would forever be important to Khunoth. Gh'lan noticed his brown's restraint, and his smile broadened as he started to turn away. "Alright then! We'll be seeing you soon, since I'm sure both Khunoth and I will be the first to fly!" He said, waving to Florian as the Healer journeyman flagged down a departing bluerider to take him back to his room to pack up before heading back to the Healer Hall.

I'll hold you to that ridermine. Be prepared. Khunoth added later, once his belly was finally full and he thought he might possibly be satisfied.