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Firyal had arrived with the majority of the Candidates, less flustered than most, but still excited despite herself. She was certain there was no dragon on the sands for her, but the anxiety the others gave off and the charged air in the hatching cavern set her nerves jangling. Numenor had been as irritated to be left behind for the Hatching as he had been for the Touching, but when she reminded him what happened to firelizards who annoyed dragons he submitted almost meekly to her command to Stay.

As she watched two others Impress, Firyal wished she could have brought Numenor with her. His warm body on her shoulder with his tail wrapped around her throat would have been reassuring, and reminded her that she was loved by someone, even if it wasn't a dragon. She had been scolded by Numenor many times regarding dragons, and it had often seemed that he was mildly offended by her desire to have a dragon. Wasn't he enough? Usually he was, but watching others find their lifemates made it more difficult when he couldn't be there to remind her.

Riyin wasn't that hungry something that for her wasn't very normal. And was half asleep over her plate as the humming started. Jerked to full awareness the hold became a mad house or one to her standards.

"run back get dressed run there." she kept whispering the words in her head as she hurried and got dressed. She was surely going to be late she new it. As she entered the sand one egg burst, She sighed just in time.

The egg confused many for a while before from it fell a brown, Soon it was paired along with a green and she couldn't help but twist the fabric of her robe as the blue burst forth.

Vaythel was late. Horribly, horribly late. He slinked into the Sands in a slightly rumpled robe, quickly flitting into the rows of male Candidates. He already saw the shards of one egg on the Sands, and a Blue had already hatched and was now wandering about. Idly, Vaythel wondered who that one would Impress. Would it be any one of this massive lot that stood here? He didn't know, but either way, he'd still be here. Vaythel wasn't about to get discouraged, not at only two out of five hatching. Maybe one of those eggs still left standing would contain a dragon that would choose him? He smiled softly at the thought.

He Couldn’t believe it! If there was a worse time for the call to come it was now. The poor boy was completely and utterly lost in the maze of the weyr, he had been trying to get to the main dinning hall for his chores that day had taken him to knew and previously unexplored parts of the weyr to help with the healers and drying their herbs, he had been told that there were certain lower caverns that were perfect for this and it was only these that would be used. He even smelled nice from all the plants that had rubbed up against his skin over the course of the day, so much better than the sweat he was usually drenched in at this time. But that was small comfort. He stood at an intersection having no idea which was right but on a whim, for there was no logical thought involved in the choice he picked up his feet and started running down the right corridor, passing doors and rooms but seeing no way into sections of the weyr he knew. Maybe that was because it was the wrong choice, and took him on quite the jolly loop before leading him back to the main hall the extra long way.

Shards! It was almost empty to, plates and mugs abandoned now that were quickly being cleared away to make way for the hatching feast that would be taking place after. He couldn’t do anything but take a moment to catch his breath and set his long and coltish limbs to running again, at least knowing where he was running to now which was a notable advantage as he raced towards the candidates brackets. Relief washing over him when he saw some where still there, struggling into robes and sandals. Oh thank the first egg. He ran to his own chest and flung it open, the neatly folded candidate robe pulled out and for once he didn’t have time to feel embarrassed as he almost ripped clothing in the hurry to get them on. He pulled his robe on behind the curtain not completely past his own shyness even in the rush of things but he was running again as he pulled on his sandals, Hop running as he yanked first one on and then the other. Managing to do them up right at least if rather loosely.

By the time he was done he was stumbling on to the sands falling in behind the other male candidates in time to notice three of the six eggs were already cracked. Two Dragonets already cooing around their bonded. New weyrlings now. And the other a pretty blue, stumbling determinedly towards the girls, he felt his heart sink just a little, only three eggs left and not much chance that a late arrival would impress, still he held out some small hope, hope that he would feel the dragon call out to him and he or she would claim him as theirs and they would be his, and then he would care for them untill they could fly together, just like L’thor and his Raith….he wanted that more than anything. He watched still as the blue made his determined way to the girls and smiled, the dragon already had more self confidence than him and it was only just born.

He took time then to admir the already bonded dragons, a fine brown and a very cute green who was trying to hold her head high despite the uncoporative quality of her legs, poor things. But they would soon get the hang of it. They had to get the hang of alot more than that if they were going to fight thread he mused to himself and instantly shuddered and banned the thought of such malice from his mind at such happy times, No it had to fix his mind of one of open welcome to the few remaining dragons still trying to make their way from the eggs.

Merya glanced to one side, intrigued by this new source of information. Clearly this gentleman, whoever he was, knew more about dragons than Saren did. How very useful. "Really?" She grinned. "I never knew! And browns are so handsome, too - well, they all are, aren't they? But it's nice to know that the girls get a shot at the browns too, even if it is an outside chance."

"Squeep!" Beru had spotted the other flits and was wriggling insistently. "Squeep squeep!"

"No, Beru," Merya told her gently. "You have to sit still. Still."

"Squeeeee..."

"Oh, don't give me the droopy-face. You can play with the other flits later, if that's all right with - ...sorry." She turned to her neighbour again with a sheepish grin, at a loss for what to call him.

"Getting ahead of yourself again, pet?" Saren's arm around her waist was rather possessive. Perhaps he was aware of how much younger - and, by most people's measure, more attractive - the other man was in comparison to him. "Apologies, Greenrider. She's never been to a Weyr before - all these people make her a bit giddy. Merya, the gentleman is a dragonrider."

Merya felt a little lurch of sickness. Now she looked stupid! How did Saren just know these things? With a great effort of will, she hid her mortification and gave the rider (for such he presumably was) a look of great excitement. "Then you're the first I've had the honour of speaking to! I'm Merya - oh, but you knew that." Because Saren, blast him, had stolen her thunder by announcing it. "And this is Beru."

The little green flit recognised her name. "Squeep!"

"Saren," said Saren, extending a hand to their neighbour and making Merya wish she'd let go of Beru for long enough to do so first. He was taking charge again. She hated putting up with that.

Watching, feeling like her heart was practically beating in her throat, Elora stood to one side of the gathered group of white-clad Candidates. Having already been to two other Hatchings before this (first at Benden, then the last Hatching here), she fully realized that there might not be a dragon for her today... but still she couldn't stop hoping that this time might be different.

As first a brown, then a green, broke their shells and found their partners, she sighed. What must it be like? To be forever linked with the mind of another, for the rest of their lives... That thought was interrupted by the sight of another hatchling emerging from the depths of his egg. The blue that now wandered across the sands didn't seem too happy with his current conditions, and personally she couldn't blame him. Who would want to be off-balance and covered in hot, clinging sand?

A blue has hatched this time and it's going for the girls! Kallista practically squealed in her thoughts. She leaned forward, anxious to see where the little fellow was heading, or to whom rather. There had been rumors of rare cases of blue Impressing girls; Kallista had not yet met a female blue rider so maybe they were at another Weyr?
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Jessan tried not to let his shoulders droop as a blue hatched out and almost immediately went hunting amoungst the girls. He wondered what that meant about the blue and the one who would Impress her. His own blue eyes Searched the eggs to see which other eggs were cracking and Hatching.

It was as if time were slowing for the whole event; Jessan was sure if he looked back though the whole thing would only be a matter of candle marks. He ran a hand through his kinky hair and tried to see who else was remaining on the sands. Looking up, he caught a glimpse of the Gold who had laid the clutch. She must be so proud to see her children independent and looking for their own.
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Zhaylan was bumped out of his artist haze long enough to realize that a blue had Hatched out. His amber eyes watched at the wet and, dare he say, disdainful, blue stepped and gave the boys all a long look.

And then began stalking towards the females.

Zhay wondered if he would be able to capture the expression on the blue's face later. Not quite confident in his decision like the brown was but not as indecisive as the green. More like one who knew where they had dropped their treasure and now it was just a matter of finding it.

In the excitement of the Hatching Davril and her brother were getting seperated but she wasn't even paying attention to that. Another egg had hatched and this time it was a blue. Her breath caught in her throat as he made his way towards the girls. Was he coming for her? All of a sudden her nerves hit and it was all she could do to stay standing on the sands, not even realizing the bottoms of her feet were uncomfortably warm.