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Delilah took absent note of the others who'd Impressed as she grabbed a bucket of meat for Bayeth, but said nothing to any of them. The blue, similarly, was quiet. While His didn't speak because she didn't feel like it, his was because he didn't know what to say.

...and anyway, they had food now! Wiggling a little, he sat and waited as patiently as he could for Lilah to feed him the chunks of meat, cutting anything she deemed too big. Oh, and her thumb. That too.

"Shards," she grumbled, but that and the initial gasp were all the regard she spared for the slice, and she quickly returned to feeding Hers.

That hurt, Mine. Bayeth's eyes whirled yellow again.

She shrugged and patted his head as the humming grew. It happens.

Cracks slither down the sides of the egg until the gold dragon inside manages to free herself, bits of egg shell falling around her as she steps out. She gives her wings a shake before tucking them against her body so as to keep them out of her way. Turning her attention to the gather crowd she croons a greeting, looking quite pleased to see everyone there. She even has a kind 'word' for the gathered crowd, addressing the dragons as well. Several of them reply back which seems to please her.

Finally, as she turns her attention back to the candidates, it looks as though she's going to step down from the mound of sand to find Hers. But she doesn't.

Instead, the gold looks over her shoulder at the Darkest Before Dawn Egg, head tilted to the side. Then, she moves towards it and simply stares, watching it intensely. Even though she appears to be standing still, anyone who looked closer would notice she was shifting her wait from side to side in a release of almost restless energy. Clearly she was waiting for this one to hatch before she found Hers.

As though sensing it was being watched, the egg began to rock fiercely. In minutes the shell cracked around it and the blue dragon inside emerged. The pair greeted each other with quiet noises, almost indiscernible to all but those in the front row of candidates. Introductions aside, the pair moved as one down through the remaining shells and into the gathering of candidates.

The gold took her time, her blue shadow making sure not to interfere with her choice. She seemed almost indecisive, looking from one girl to the next with what could be described as a draconic frown on her face. There were so many girls!

Do not be nervous, Andere. Your Kanaleth is here at last. I would like you to meet Korianth. He is a nice blue. Go now, go find yours.



The blue finally detached himself from the gold and made his way towards the candidates. Even as he chose his he looked over his shoulder at the gold, eyes whirling quietly.



With the hatching over, the newly Impressed riders were slowly encouraged to head to the dining hall as the crowds filled out.

Julian stood to the side and watched avidly as the remainder of the clutch hatched and impressed their lifelong riders. They where so very lucky. He could understand why a dragon wouldn't choose him. I'm so slow, they wouldn't want me. But now what will I do?

Curiously he noticed the gold hatch and wait for the last egg which turned out to be a blue. How odd. Or maybe its just the queen taking care of her clutchmate. Julian watches as the blue follows the gold around until she finds her rider before leaving to pick his.

Ahh. So that was it then. Not really surprising, but the sense of disappointment was just as strong as ever. Most days Weyard would take a moment to wonder how those who were standing for the last time must feel, or those who had failed for the first time, but for now she had only her own lack of dragon on mind. Of course, that all the dragons had paired up meant that they had found the one meant for them. It wasn't like she'd been turned down, just the dragon for her hadn't been born. Yet. Right? Sure. And twenty turns wasn't so old. There were girls even a few turns older still standing on the sands. There was always another chance.

With one last sigh and a wistful glance at the egg shells left discarded like so much rubbish, she turned away. The blue hadn't partnered yet, but somehow she knew. No matter. She caught the eyes of other friends left wanting and smiled. More time together, being kids, yeah? her glance seemed to say. As the masses began departing the sands, she too went. Passing one girl, Millet, she patted her gently on the shoulder. "None for you either, hmm? Next time then!" The girl was young, but good at heart. Certainly a dragon would come for her sometime.

Her stomach whined at this momentary delay in getting food. In all the excitement thoughts of thirst and hunger had fled from mind. Now they were back, and rightfully so. Moping would do no good for anyone, least of all herself. With a last look back at the blue (still wandering? Hmm...no, he'd chosen) she forced a steady grin and joined the throng leaving the sands.