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Panata was throwing up before he reached the sands. Not the kind were your nerves kinda make you wobble and feel uneasy, but a literally vomiting that meant while his heart and brain were more than ready for all of this his body completely wasn't. The memory of claws raking into his flesh, of being left to bleed on the sands, that feeling lingered inside him enough that the moment the dragons had started humming that morning he was filled both with elation and the need to hide himself.

But there was no hiding now - he had come to stand on the Sands at Ghenza and perhaps Impress his lifemate. He'd gotten to the sands arlight and had been standing with the others when the first egg had Impressed, a Green that killed and maimed before going Between, and it was at that point in time his stomach gave out and he had to turn away and cover his mouth lest someone else really see him puke again.

No, I can't run. I have to stay here, this is what I'm meant to do.

Being at the back of the pack meant that he was safe, that he wouldn't get mauled this time if he didn't do something stupid. . . .right? Right?

The Hidden Egg was taking it's turn to hatch. The dragon inside was a timid bronze if there ever was one. Nalina looked absolutely disgusted, and quite frankly, found it to be a blessing when 'it' Impressed to someone who wasn't one of her people.

Had there only been Ghenza folk among them, this coward would have gone between, she thought.

The dragonet struggled to free himself from the final piece of shell caught around his back leg, and managed to stumble out from the clutch and into the crowd. All the faces seemed to scare him, and he covered himself with his wings, daring to peek out only long enough to call for His.



Panata! Help me!

Panata had just finished wiping his mouth with the rag Fealty gave him and was slowly gaining his nerves back when the sound of cracking shell filled the air, sending the skin on the back of his neck up in goosebumps and his stomach whirling again. He couldn't see the beast from where he stood, everyone around him rather blocking the short boy's view, though he clearly heard him.

Yes, he heard him. It was a faint cry for help, something that echoed into his heart. It wasn't a trap, he'd actually Impressed to...a bronze. There would be time for him to sort that out later, for now he needed to get to his dragon! He could feel the fear seeping into his very being and he could clearly seeing the sneers from all the people on the sands, Ghenza not happy at all that such a dragon was born amongst them.

But Panata was happy. He was very happy, and he started toward his dragon at a walk-trot that almost ended with a run and him wrapping his arms around the shivering mass that was his lifemate.

"I'm here! It's alright, I'm here!"

When Rinee saw that the bronze had chosen a familiar face - she couldn't remember his name, just that he was a newcomer she had met - she was genuinely happy for the boy. She clapped her hands lightly and bounced up and down giddily on her toes. Of course, this reaction wasn't much different from what she'd given the other two when they had impressed.

Jericho watched the hatchings with interest that was marred by a brief sadness when the first of the hatchlings went between. Such a shame the poor little creature had not found hers...The other transfer, Hivex, he thought his name was impressed and moved off again, and Jericho gave him a warm smile of congratulations. He wasn't familiar with the boy, but it didn't matter. He wished him well.
When Panata impressed though, Jericho gave a shout of happiness "Grats Panata!" He said, slapping the small boy on the back and congratulating him in a much more familiar fashion than he had the other boy. Good for him, good for him. Jericho found that he was well and truly pleased that the boy had found his at last, especially after that fiasco at the last hatching that had so hurt and upset Panata. He hoped he'd be up to the task of ignoring the slights he would no doubt have to endure as a transfer who had snatched away one of Ghenza's precious dragons.

The Brown Spot Egg hatched next. The most patriotic of Ghenza's residents held their breath. It was a relief to know the new bronze was far less of a sideshow attraction than the one before him, but without knowing who he planned to Impress, they could only wait...

...and then, finally, relax somewhat.

The dragon stumbled a bit at first. The most damage he did was knocking a few people over on accident--or so it seemed. He took the longest in deciding so far, eventually setting his sights on one boy in particular.

That boy he approached and promptly headbutted. The gesture looked as though it was intended to be friendly, but the unexpected force no doubt had the poor fellow dropping like a rock.



Your posture is horrible, Shenmine.

Another bronze, not too interesting to him, so Fealty took his eyes off it and looked back over to Panata... Poor lad, looked like he was struggling with the big scared bronze. Still, there was nothing he could do for either of them at the moment save hope they didn't somehow get caught up in violence. At least the boy who had been so terrified a few moments ago now looked overjoyed. Yes. He was jealous, but he was still more than glad for the young glassmith.

Ah, well finally a bronze took to a Ghenzan boy, that should at least lessen any bad feeling that might have been building; two bronzes was already a lot for a clutch this size, for there to have been a third that also chose someone of High Reaches stock would have been a really kick in the balls to this shut in place.

So, what did that leave then? Gold egg; not him, dead egg; not him, but there were seven that might be interested in him. Not amazing odds, but hatchings never had amazing odds... Perhaps he would be lucky here because he wanted it more than the Ghenzans. Maybe that was why half of the dragons that had hatched thus far had come to High Reaches folk. Who didn't want to be wanted? The Ghenzans were too dispassionate by half, and that was coming from him!

On the assumption that it was desire that was currently giving his peers the edge, Fealty turned his mind to all the reasons he wanted to Impress, needed to Impress! He couldn't go back to his Hold. He could never be happy there.

So many browns and bronzes, though Laelin, and for a moment he was a bit nervous, his chest full of worry. He felt pride that they were so handsome and large, and yet at the same time, the interlopers here seemed to be having such luck --

Jealousy was an ugly emotion. Perhaps, Laelin thought, he was below the interest of even the dragons, a brown boy covered in brown clay who was so dull and shy that even a dragon could not have cared less about him. He breathed out hard. At least, he thought, Shen had Impressed. One among the boys he could call friend... He smiled anyway, though his stomach had knotted itself firmly with frustration. "Congratulations, Shen," he raised his voice to cry, despite himself.

There were yet eggs on the sands, and Laelin could wait. Patience had always been his forte.