The World of Pern(tm) is copyright to Anne McCaffrey (c) l967. The Dragonriders of Pern(r) is a registered copyright. This is a log of roleplay on PernMUSH, available online by permission of Anne McCaffrey, author of the Pern novels, and recorded by A.S. Korra'ti (piper@murkworks.net), player of Mehlani of Telgar Weyr on PernMUSH. This log may be distributed freely as long as this header remains intact. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Log Date: 6/3/98 Log Cast: (People) Neliea, Jaynelle, Mehlani, Jayna, Arallia, Kharty, Asher, Richenda, Berylle, Krista, Rennick, Alais, Ptodek, Aurian, Sandar, Ro, Sionelle, Jessalyn, Kerlyn, Aladis, Maylia, Jehrina, Kyria, K'tyn, Saskia (emitted by Mehlani with permission), Aleta, Anra, Melora, Erdrick, F'hlan (emitted by Mehlani), Thaniel, Krystyna, K'tel, Reed, Kailia, R'val, Amberan, Elya (Dragons) Leilanth, Prometh, assorted NPC dragons, Forest Suncatcher Green Hatchling, Streaked Russet Brown Hatchling, Sky-Brushed Cerulean Blue Hatching, Desert Sands Brown Hatchling, Silver Ice-Tipped Green Hatchling, Pale Stained Bronze Hatchling/Stained Cointreau Bronze Hatchling, Noonday Sea Blue Hatchling, (Firelizards) Holl, Rianet, and assorted other firelizards of the fairs of Mehlani and her family members Log Intro: The appointed day for the Candidates at Telgar Weyr has been drawing nearer and nearer... and on a night when Mehlani's father and mother and sister unexpectedly show up on Tzornth, Candidates flock into the Candidate Barracks while the thunder of dragons announcing the impending hatching of Leilanth's clutch floods the Weyr... ---------- Your location's current time: 20:19 on day 16, month 2, Turn 23, of the Tenth Pass. It is a winter evening. Neliea emerges from behind the curtain across the entrance. Neliea has arrived. Jaynelle reaches under a few cots with a straw broom. In the midst of a cloud of fire lizards, Mehlani comes hastening breathlessly into the room. Her fair is apparently in an uproar, enough that 'Lani takes off her hat and waves it at the lot of them, muttering urgently, "Go, go, go to Indyth... go on, now!" Jayna takes a rag and dusts her cot, absently. Arallia sighs and finishes straightening her cot and finds another broom and starts to sweep under her cot. "We might as well just clean it and get it over with." Jayna glances up as Mehlani nearly runs in. "What happened, 'Lani?" she asks idly. Neliea enters the room from behind the curtain and blinks. "Um, evening sir," she says uncertainly as she steps into the barracks. Seeing the fast cleaning, she wonders if she should check her cot. Kharty emerges from behind the curtain across the entrance. Kharty has arrived. Jaynelle bumps her head as she looks out from the cot she is cleaning "What?" It takes a few swipes of Mehlani's fedora before Holl finally issues a bugle, and in a burst of little pops, the entire fair jumps *between*. Mehlani slumps slightly in relief, murmurs to Jayna, "Father is here, I came in to get my--" She cuts off, though, realizing the Steward is present in the room. Blushing, Mehlani peeks over at the man, and then at the room at large, trying to assess the situation. Jaynelle stairs at Mehlani as she rubs the top of her head. Neliea makes her way over to her cot, tugging on a sheet and turns around again at the sound of 'Lani's voice. Asher sighs agian loudly, and fluffs up a pillow. Jayna continues to dust, absently. Jayna At 19 Turns, 8 months, and 27 days, Jayna is tall for a woman and slim, although her arms and legs are smoothly muscled, conditioned by turns of hard work. Even in winter, her skin doesn't fully lose its tan, and in summer her nose is peppered with a galaxy of freckles. Her eyes are a twinkling moss green, and her light-brown hair (streaked blond in the summer) is cut close to her head, but still waves a bit. A ready grin suggests a cheerful nature. Her very practical clothing--brown pants, long-sleeved green tunic, and scuffed farmer's boots--fit right in with her worn and very utilitarian belt knife. At her shoulder are the knots that mark her a dragonhealer trainee and a Candidate at Telgar Weyr. Asher Asher is close to reaching his full height now. He doesn't hope to be as tall as the other male members of his family, but he has always been the exception that proved the rule. His face will always, it seems, remain seraphic and boyish, framed by the blackest night raven's wing locks, but bruised on both sides of his face, and in the center of his forehead, as if he'd been in a fight or an accident of some sort.. His skin is unbelieveably light and pale for a boy born and raised in Southern Boll, but as it was said before, Asher is the exception to the rule. He wears black slacks, because he was told that they 'suited him', and his tunic is rough and heavy, made of thick gray material. Obviously, not the best peice of work an apprentice has done. Around his neck hands a silver pendant. (+detail) It glimmers against the deep black of Asher's shirt. His boots are new, too. They're polished leather, and sometimes indistinguishable from the black of his slacks. Asher has two brown firelizards, Ochitsuki and Sasayuki, and they may or may not be perched on his shoulder at the moment. He wears his knot on his shoulder though, and you can see the colours of Keroon Hold there. Really, he should be wearing the knot of a Telgarian candidate, but Asher seems to have some problem with that. Carrying: Safehold Jessalyn Big, sapphire blue eyes are the first thing noticable about this young woman. She looks smaller than most, and is often mistaken for being much younger than she is; Jessie remains an even four feet, seven in ches tall, and doesn't look like she'll be growing more anytime soon. It doesn't seem to bother her much, though, given the smile that's nearly always seen on her face. She's a pretty little thing, delicate cheekbones, a pert nose dusted with freckles, and full lips that are probably beginning to make her the envy of some as she matures. Though she's still sometimes prone to tripping over things in the middle of the living cavern, she still has an innate grace about her. Dressed simply, as all Candidates are, Jessalyn wears a sleeveless, unadorned white robe, the wide hem brushing mid-calf. Blonde hair, once long enough to braid, has been shorn off into an ear-length bob and, though the hairstyle is flattering, she looks none too pleased about it. Alais She's a pretty, slender woman in her early twenties, standing just scant inches above five feet in height. Dark auburn hair waves about her pale, delicate face and down to her shoulders, a few shorter wisps framing serious, grey-green eyes; their expression occasionally holds a glimmer of lightness or the chance naivete, making her seem older and younger all at once. She's wearing a simple, practical outfit: charcoal grey pants with a bright blue shirt tucked into them, both the clothing and the boots looking well-worn. She wears no jewelry, and a knot marking her a candidate at Telgar Weyr is about her shoulder. There's a low-pitched, dish-rattling, ground-vibrating hummmm all around you. Kharty stops dead in her tracks. She's listening. Richenda emerges from behind the curtain across the entrance. Richenda has arrived. Berylle emerges from behind the curtain across the entrance. Berylle has arrived. Krista looks at Kharty, "Do you hear that too?" Asher twitches his foot, reclining lazily on his cot. Berylle dives under her bed. "Hatching! Robes! Eggs! Hurry!" Jaynelle looks up from cleaning"Really? Asher hrms? Neliea looks at everyone, "Now?" Berylle turns over her cot, and finds her poorly-sewn robe. "Aha!" Jaynelle quickly starts to change her clothing. Jayna blinks, rather stupidly. "Hatching?" Rennick blinks and looks around. In a calm, but commanding voice, he calls out. "Everyone, get into your robes. And take off any jewelry. Now." Alais pales several shades. "What?" "Robes! Candidates, robes! Let's hup hup!" Richenda claps her hands. "Get rid of the food, wash your face if you SMELL like food. Bind your hair, get dressed, children. Move!" Ptodek emerges from behind the curtain across the entrance. Ptodek has arrived. Berylle starts taking off her clothes, "C'mon everyone! Hurry!" Aurian emerges from behind the curtain across the entrance. Aurian has arrived. Hat in hand, Mehlani blinkblinks around at everyone, beginning to creep towards her own cot. She murmurs a squeak of a "Sir" to Rennick, and then starts at Berylle bursting into the room. _Oh dear... Tzornth knew... of course Tzornth knew... oh dear..._ Wordless, she now flies to her cot, doing as the Headwoman orders. Sandar emerges from behind the curtain across the entrance. Sandar has arrived. Asher blinks his dark green eyes. "Very funny Berylle.....Oh!" He sits up straight, quickly. Ro emerges from behind the curtain across the entrance. Ro has arrived. Ptodek dashes in, totally naked and dripping water everywhere. "Hatching? Are they Hatching?!" he demands. Rennick looks at Sandar and Ro. "In your robes, now." A low humming noise begins making its way through the weyr.Below your feet, almost below your hearing, the low hummmmmmmm works through the weyr. Neliea quickly rushes for her robe and changes. Jayna shakes. She's nearly paralyzed. Finally, she mobilizes herself and shuffles through her press. Finding the neatly folded robe, she strips off her clothes and pulls it over her head. Ro runs in, dripping wet, clothes in her arms (and not a stitch on) Sandar wanders in. "Why's everyone runnin' ar..." he blinks as he sees what's going on and jumps to his cot to grab his robe. Berylle pauses with her shirt halfway off. "Don't you look now, Asher." She goes back to ripping off her clothes, and puts her robe on over her nude body once she's undressed. Kharty drops her clothes, fast as she can, still listening. "Oh oh oh." is all she can say. Sionelle emerges from behind the curtain across the entrance. Sionelle has arrived. Jessalyn blinks at Rennick and Richenda and, without any further prodding, ducks behind a screen. When she emerges, she's wearing her robe, and the clothing she was wearing is now forgotten. Berylle leaves her clothes in a mess next to her overturned cot. Aurian stutters as she dashes totally wet to her press, "Thought we had a sevenday." Kerlyn emerges from behind the curtain across the entrance. Kerlyn has arrived. Arallia blinks and pales, then flushes and goes for her cot, tearing her belt knife off and pulls her robe out of her chest. Neliea dropped Jazzy. Richenda gives Rennick a sideways look. "YOU mentioned them hatching tonight. Good heavens, my love. Now now...come along, no need to rush about....everyone just relax and HURRY." Asher snaps at Aurian, pulling his blood-splattered robe over his head, "You DID say that, didn't you?" Krista mouth drops "Not today. Oh my gosh." She franticly scrambles taking off her boots to get into her robe Jayna is shaking as she dons her robe. She's muttering as she goes, her face alternately flushed and pale. Ro drops her clothes on her cot and gets her robe from her press, pulling it over her head. Neliea pulls her arms through the white robe, dropping an annoyed green flit on her cot. Mehlani's hat, for once, does come off, and along with it, the silver-and-opal pendant that has been gracing her neck. For once she doesn't appear to worry about anyone seeing her strip, as she pulls off her black vest and her blouse and breeches and boots. By the time she pulls on her own robe, she looks decidedly slenderer. Kharty reaches down to grab at her robe, hastily pulling it over head. Good thing there's no belt. Her fingers aren't working properly right now, she's so nervous. Aurian glares at Asher, "Asher we don't have time for this bickering now." Jaynelle pulls her coat over her robes and rapidly pulls on her boots, forgetting all about the socks. Ptodek yanks his robe from his press without any further words and pulls it over his head. Reaching over to Ro's cot, he grabs a towel and starts drying his hair vigorously Berylle runs over to Jayna, "Yes, _hatching_, remember that? Those eggs? C'mon!" She starts tugging at Jayna's clothes to help her. Rennick eyes Richenda. "Relax and hurry. The eggs are rocking out there, and you're telling them to relax and hurry at the same time?" Sandar slips into his robe as quickly as he can, struggling to get his arms through the sleevless holes. Otherwise unclad, he looks around, bewildered. Alais scrambles for her robe. "Oh shards," she breathes, hurrying as she hauls it over her head. Richenda looks between Aurian and Asher, snapping, "Get dressed and behave or I'll feed you to the first big brown whose butt hits the sands." Then she winks at Rennick. "What? It's true." Mehlani(#4177POcehq) This teenaged girl stands at 5'4" in height, and is of a slender but sweetly curved build. Her skin is pale, speaking of unfamiliarity with Pern's sunnier climes; her hair, cut short in a style that accentuates her delicate cheekbones, is of a medium auburn hue, and sticks up in soft little spikes atop her head, save for a heavy forelock that drapes slightly across her brow. Seldom does this lass speak; when she does, her voice is soft and gravely toned. But far more often than not, she simply fixes her liquid blue gaze on an object or person of interest, and keeps it there with an intense attention that suggests the weight of her world rides upon her drinking in every detail of her surroundings through her guileless eyes. None of Mehlani's usual accoutrements are in evidence on her person -- neither the battered brown hat so frequently in place atop her head, nor the black suede vest that adds a bit of substance to her slender form (not to mention making her shoulders safer for fire lizard perching), nor even the occasional ring or pendant she favors. All she wears now is a simple wrap-around white robe, tied snugly at her waist with a white sash. The robe's of a light cloth, more than suitable for the heat of the Sands... and as such, it emphasizes the young woman's slight form in a way her normal garb never does. Her feet are bare. Thusly attired, and with a kind of nervous anxiety glimmering in her blue eyes, it's clear she's not bound for bathing. Rather, she is a Candidate, Standing for the Hatching for which she has been Searched. Asher retorts sharply, "I'm not bickering, Aurie, I am being snappy because I am scared and do not want to go out there, thank you!" Arallia pulls off her boots and then the rest of her clothes as she hastily pulls her robe on, trying not to tear it in the process. Aurian yanks her robe on, the words of the headwoman snapping her behavior in line. Kharty looks down at herself, realizing she's put it on backwards. "SHELLS!!" she yells, tugging it back up to her neck. Ro . o O (Rennick gets an eyeful. Ooooo.) Berylle splashes water on her hands and face from a bowl, and safely stows her jade necklace under her discarded shirt. Ptodek glares at Asher. "Whaddya mean scared?? You're not supposed to be scared!!" Krista pulls on her robe over her head as fast as she can putting her arm through the neck hole at first in the excitment. Jaynelle nods briefly to Ptodek "I'm scared and nervous" Sayvel has arrived. Aurian shrugs as Sayvel takes flight from her shoulder. Asher sharply shouts, "Crawlie, now is NOT the time!" Sionelle follws Berylle into the barracks, a faintly amused, faintly bemused expression on her face as she watches the chaos. But a smile will never do. "Great Faranth and her Golden Hind-end,"the weyrsecond shouts into the fray. "You're going to scare the hatchlings into next Pass if you keep on like this. Asher, get over here. Your hem is up in your armpit, and you're going to flash Lord Telgar with more than he needs to see." Rennick sits back, watching with more than a little amusement. Neliea blinks as she pulls her head through the opening, running a hand though her scattered hair. Remembering her boots, she quickly reaches down, unlaces them and pulls them off. Somehow they find themselves on the clothes press. Sandar goes over to help some of the other Candidates get ready, pulling a robe over one who is staring at all the activity confusedly. "C'mon," he states, "it's happening!" Asher wonders, "Am I?" hurrying to Sionelle. Jessalyn weaves her way through the other Candidates, flying arms, feet, clothing and all, to stand next to Sandar. She fidgets with her robe for a moment before resolutely dropping her hands. "This is awful," she mutters. Ptodek snorts at Asher. Richenda moves about, looking for Candidates who need help, settling robes as need be set, tugging down hems. "Good, good, good. As soon as you're dressed, go stand near the far entrance there, the one to the sands. The weyrlingmaster will lead you out when the time comes." Kerlyn strides into the barracks on the heels of the weyrsecond, wiping her hands off on the backs of her trouserlegs as she goes. She stops just inside the door, stepping off to one side, and observing the chaos with an expression deliberately severe.. not unlike the one she usually wears. Like Rennick, she leaves the bellowing to Richenda and Sionelle. Aurian shrugs as Tola takes flight from her shoulder. Kharty twists the robe to the front, gasping a little, rushing as fast as she can. "Arg.." Aurian shrugs as Danae takes flight from her shoulder. Jayna stands there. Just stands. Hair still wet and face pale, she doesn't know what to say. At Richenda's words, though, she moves promptly toward Kerlyn. Aladis emerges from behind the curtain across the entrance. Aladis has arrived. Ptodek paces back and forth. He's ready.. still wet, but ready as he's going to get. Obediently he moves toward the entrance. Mehlani, once she's changed, takes an anxious moment to fold up her discarded clothes and lay them atop her press. Her hat is laid atop the pile, and she flicks a wide-eyed anxious look to the Headwoman and Steward, looking for instruction. She gravely bobs her head, padding over towards the indicated door. Maylia emerges from behind the curtain across the entrance. Maylia has arrived. Krista checks muttering, "Okay I have my robe, no shoes, no jewlery..." Sionelle tugs Asher's hem out of its unfortunate snag, and then pats the candidate on the shoulder. "You'll be fine," she says more quietly, for his ears alone. "Just remember what you've been told. They're not going to hurt you deliberately, but you've got to get out of their way." Neliea makes her way over towards the entrance to stand with the other nervous candidates like she was told to. She's curious and nervous at the same time. Sandar looks around with wide eyes. Kharty takes another look down at herself, getting more confused as to which is the front and which is the back. Aurian rakes her hands through her hair, she breathes heavily. "Why did I have to be in the springs." Her hair is slicking back against her head. Ro gives Sandar's robe a calculated tug, straightening it so it looks presentable. Maylia arrives, clearly out of breath. She did, luckily, take the time to change out of her gather finery, and her curled hair hangs wind-blown, she's still pulling out pins that held it up. Aladis makes her way through the crowd to where Kerlyn stands. A salute goes to the Weyrlingmaster, then Aladis turns to look over the Candidates with an appraising eye. Asher stammers to Sionelle, "Where's M'kla? I want to see M'kla!" he demands. Sandar grins at Ro in thanks. Berylle runs around looking for someone to help since she's ready now. Jaynelle looks down at her horribly hemmed tunic and says "Too late now." in a very nervous voice. She takes a deep breath and stands straight up in front of her cot. Berylle needs _something_ to do, besides panic, you see. Sionelle shakes her head to Asher, hand still on his shoulder as she tries to will him into a calmer state. "I don't know where she is, but I'm sure she's busy. You'll do fine," she says again. "Now pull yourself together, candidate, if you plan to go out on the sands. If not, say so now." Ptodek gulps and glances nervously at the door. Kerlyn is dressed in working leathers, rather than hatching finery. She gives a briefly envious glance towards Maylia's decent attire, then with a shrug of one shoulder, rests her hands on her hips and turns to address the candidates. "Alright, you've heard this before, but here it is again- Good luck, and don't get in the way of the dragonets. They're hungry, and they'll let you know if they want your help. Now, follow me." Kerlyn and Asher head out towards the hatching sands. Kerlyn and Asher have left. Candidate Barracks(#258RAHJ$) This cavern has a rather low ceiling, with many openings for air, since this becomes an abode for a large number of people before every hatching. Every inch of the floor is kept clean, although little of it can be seen due to the many rows of cots that fill most of the space. The central part of the cavern is rather dim, as most of the glows are on the walls. Little decoration is evidenced except for a few personal effects. You wouldn't call it uncomfortable unless the unusually low ceiling for a weyr makes you claustrophobic. On the wall, scrupulously maintained, is a list of Candidates and their assigned chores for the day. Tampering with it is rumored to be an offense punishable by death or latrine duty for the rest of one's life. A large portal on one wall, closed by an equally large door, leads to the tunnel descending to the hatching sands. Another door, covered by a curtain, leads out to the Inner Cavern. Contents: Aurian's BPC Zephyr Dragon Box Starshine Valor Maylia(#15669PJce) Aladis Danae Tola Sayvel Jazzy Safehold Sionelle(#3337POVcemq$) Ro Sandar Aurian Ptodek Berylle Richenda Arallia Kharty Neliea Jayna Jaynelle Rennick Kyria Krista Jessalyn Alais Flutterby Kerile Obvious exits: Lower Caverns Hatching Sands Ptodek, Neliea, Jaynelle, and Aurian head out towards the hatching sands. Ptodek, Neliea, Jaynelle, and Aurian have left. You enter the passage to the hatching sands. The tunnel goes to the north some ways, and then curves, heading eastward. Hatching Sands Obvious exits: Path to Barracks Galleries Jayna, Jessalyn, Arallia, Krista, Sandar, Kharty, Alais, and Berylle emerge from the candidate barracks. Jayna, Jessalyn, Arallia, Krista, Sandar, Kharty, Alais, and Berylle have arrived. From afar, Anra | Anra shouts, suddenly, "MEHLANI!!!!" (not that you'd hear it. :) Ro emerges from the candidate barracks. Ro has arrived. Jehrina nods as the candidates make their way onto the sands. "None too soon, it looks like." Neliea emerges from the candidate barracks. Neliea has arrived. Kyria emerges from the candidate barracks. Kyria has arrived. Kerlyn strides out onto the hatching sands, riding leathers somewhat battered looking, leading a stream of nervous looking white-robed candidates. Once they are out on the sands of the cavern, she leads them around to form a semi-circle. After she steps back to the side, the canddiates bow nervously towards Leilanth's great golden mass. Maylia emerges from the candidate barracks. Maylia has arrived. Ptodek gulps and glances up at all the people.. and down at all the eggs! Hatching Sands This is the immense cavern containing the hatching grounds of Telgar Weyr. It stretches for several hundred feet across, and even farther in length. To the north is the large mound of sands used by the queens for their clutches. Looking up along the high walls of the cavern, the ledges where dragons and their riders observe the hatchings are visible. Much of the eastern wall is dominated by the galleries. Row upon row of tiers are capable of seating hundreds of people. The sands contain the following: DRAGONS: Prometh Leilanth PLAYERS: Alais Arallia Ro Jessalyn Jayna Jaynelle Asher Maylia Jehrina Kerlyn Aurian Mehlani Ptodek Neliea K'tyn Kyria Sandar Berylle Krista Kharty OTHER: clutch Obvious exits: Path to Barracks Galleries Asher stands with both feet firmly planted on the sands and looks up away from the eggs towards the relative coolness of the sands. His bruised face breaks into a grin, and he looks away to his other friends, and smooths the front of his robe with jittering fingers. Jayna starts to shift from foot to foot on the hot sands as she glances around, nervously. Alais's pale, very pale, as she moves along with everyone else into the semicircle. Her fingers twine together, tight, and she fixes that wide-eyed gaze on the eggs. Here;s the moment of truth. Or the hours. K'tyn shares a grin with Jehrina as he watches the candidates file out. A hopeful, expectant look brightens his saturnine features as he returns the salutations offered. Prometh merely continues to hum. Neliea looks around wide-eyed at the people, but her attention is drawn to the eggs very much rocking at the moment. Suddenly she realizes that her feet are just a bit warmer as she glances down at her feet and shifts just a bit for comfort and part nervrousness. Aurian reaches out without a single word to grab at Mehlani's hand. Her damp hair becomes even curlier as the heat of the sands starts to dry it. She can't help herself and smiles. Arallia moves closer to Jayna and shuffles her feet as well, glancing nervously at everyone and then the eggs. One of the smaller eggs, near the barracks bursts into what's surely a thousand tiny shards. The small green inside creeels, then launches itself out if its shards. The hatchling knows just who it's looking for, not even stopping to look at anyone but a younger boy from a nearby hold who's barely manged to sketch his bow to sire and dam. Berylle glances up at the stands and galleries, as if she could spot her Da or anyone else she knew, then turns back to look at the eggs without apparent recognition of anyone. Kharty takes a slow look about her, bare feet hopping from one to the other. The sands somehow seem hotter to her than when she walked out here for the egg touching. Ro looks over the eggs, pausing an extra moment or two to gaze at her favorites. Coming up out of her bow, Mehlani bobs her head mutely to Jehrina and K'tyn. Without a necklace or a ring, without her usual hat on her head or a fire lizard on her shoulder, without any of these things to occupy her hands, she thinks at first to clasp them before her -- until Aurian solves the problem for her. She curls her fingers around the other girl's hand, in a white-knuckled grip. Maylia finds herself out on the sands, and offers a bow to the dam and sire of the clutch, followed immediately by salutes to the Weyrleaders. She takes her place, off a bit from the circle of candidates, watching with a careful eye. Decorated Firelizard Cookie Egg has arrived. Jessalyn scoots a bit closer to Ro and Sandar, wide-eyed as she watches the eggs. Sandar plods his way into a spot amidst the group after the bow, his hands scuffling at his sides searching for pockets to hide themselves in - pockets they're unable to find on his plain, stark white robe. He watches one of the eggs produce a green and jumps back in surprise. Jaynelle shuffles her feet from place to place as she watches the small egg and hatchling with great concentration. Leilanth hummmmmmms, then bugles as the first of her hatchlings finds a lifemate so quickly. Kharty moves over to the side of the group of candidates to a place near Jaynelle. Her nervous smile is quickly given as her full attention is given to the eggs. Ro grabs Mehlani's free hand in one hand, and one of Sandar's in the other. This seems to calm her a bit, as she had jumped at the sudden hatching and impression of the green. Jehrina nods, "Green. Good. That'll make M'kla happy." She glances up at her loud dragon, and grins. Krista shivers a little out of nerves, and lifts up her feet because of the heat of the sand while her eyes dart from the eggs, to the people, to Leilanth. Jayna nearly pants as the first hatchling breaks shell. She stares, nearly forgetting to move or breath, as the impression occurs so quickly. Asher moves himself slowly and resolutely across the sands, spreading himself out and away from the others, so that he can face the stands. There with his back to the high cavern wall he stands, and folds his arms over his blood-stained robe. It's almost impossible to hear anything in the midst of the dragon thunder that resonates through the cavern.... just about anything except the commencing of the cracking of the shells. Candidate chatter is easily drowned out. This doesn't stop a nervous-looking, eager-eyed Saskia from beginning to chatter to her nearest neighbors. Kyria clasps her hands behind her backand stands quietly, taking a deep breath to calm her nerves. Decorated Firelizard Cookie Egg tumbles out of the pocket of sand it was in, twitching and shuddering with the first efforts of its occupant to break free. Grit showers off of the shell as the pounding from within jars it loose. Ptodek's mouth falls open at the sight, and he seems to regain some measure of control-- straightening his shoulders and glancing around him alertly. Berylle looks at the green hatchling's impression and is awed by the sight. "Woah...amazing" she mouths to herself as she turns to watch the other eggs. Prometh trumpets, as well, his low basso a sweet counterpoint to Leilanth's brassy bugle. Arallia jumps at the hatchling breaking through it's egg and then at the dragon bugling. SHe reaches over to grab Jayna's arm, eyes looking wide as her feet move restlessly from the heat. Neliea moves closer to Arallla as she watches some of the others fan out about the sands. Still looking around and mostly at the green's impression, she joins the others as they fan out. She continues to hold Mehlani's hand tightly, though her free hand grips tightly at her robe. Aurian takes several steadying breathes. Jayna puts her hand over her friend's and watches, eyes bright. She stands ready to move as the hatchlings crack their shells. Alais's grey-green gaze travels after the green that hatched and Impressed so quickly. But there's another egg that seems so near, now, and she watches it, shifting nervously. Jaynelle takes hold of Kharty's hand as she starts to sweat from the heat of the sands. As with most of the other candidates, Jayne looks very nervous and more than a little awed by the whole thing. Sandar bites his lip as he watches a nearby egg twitch, digging his toe absently into the hot sands beneath his feet. He glances at his friends, giving them encouraging grins, though he could use one just as much as any of them. With both her hands now grasped by Aurian and Ro, Mehlani flashes each girl a look of vivid gratitude. It steadies her enough that she peeks momentarily up towards the Stands, and then at the ledges where countless dragons and riders have gathered, before her blue stare travels back to the clutch, trying to take in everything at once. Kharty keeps up the hopping foot dance as she remembers to breathe. Her face is serious and she smiles nervously as she feels Jaynelle's hand in hers. "It's ok." she whispers to her friend. Jessalyn jumps as Prometh trumpets, eyes flashing upward toward the bronze, and back down to the hatchlings again. Blindly, she seeks out Sandar's free hand with hers, giving a soft squeeze of encouragement. Ro watches the cookie egg, though her eyes glance back at her favorites to see if they are doing anything, trying to ignore the heat on her feet and the trickle of water dripping from her still wet hair. She flashes a nervous smile at Mehlani. Decorated Firelizard Cookie Egg begins to show signs of wear and tear as the impatient dragonet inside works its way free. Jitter, jump, shiver, and shake--the egg dances to its own tune out there on its small hillock of sand, whirling blindly about in the rhythm that can only bring about the shell's own demise. A slightly larger egg than the one the green was from shakes for several minutes, cracking and knocking into several others, causing them to crack as well. Eventally, it hatches. The brown inside wobbles a few times, then trips. At a quick nod from one of the weyrlingmasters, a candidate reaches over to help it up. As the brown regains it's feet, it looks into the boy's eyes and Impression is made! Kerlyn skirts around the edge of the cavern to the slightly cooler sands, guiding the newly impressed greenrider towards the weyrlingstaff waiting to take care of the young weyrling pairs. There is a lot of reassuring nodding, until she finally propells the new rider forward with a firm push on the back, and heads back towards Maylia. Berylle takes a half-step forward, glances to the side at the other candidates, then looks back bravely to the hatching eggs. Her hands are a bit shaky. With a bright blast of sound, Prometh greets the second impression joyously. Ro flashes a smiles of congratulations to the newly-made brownrider. Jayna beams, calling encouragement as the boy impresses the brown. She shifts her wait reflexively, barely even aware of the hot sands beneath her feet. Neliea wipes her sweaty palms on her robe, casting a curious look to even more eggs. She may be curious, but smiles at Arallia or where she was before looking for other candidates to stand with. Ptodek lifts one well-toasted foot to cool it and, realizing he is in the way, steps aside so as not to impede the progress of the new dragonpair. Asher stands on his own, blatantly, bullishly defying the rest of the eggs, the dragons, the watchers, the riders, the dragonettes. His feet he's forced to be still, for all that they burn, and he's squinting, as if to fully block out as much of the view as he can. Arallia watches the brown impress and lets go of her death grip on Jayna's arm, whispering a nervous, "Sorry." Sandar also grins at the new brownrider, a look of disbelief in his eyes as the young dragonet makes his pick. The disbelieving look is turned on the wobbling eggs, and then to the others gawking nearby. Kharty ooos as she watches the brown impress. "That was fast." she comments to Jaynelle. She feels perspiration begin to bead up on her forehead as her body shakes momentarily at her nervousness. Jaynelle doesn't even seem to notice the Impression since she was not facing the egg nor the rider when the young dragon hatched. She nervously shifts from foot to foot in the hot sands, blinking back beads of sweat. The egg resembling a graham, of sorts, wobbles and sways several more times before falling completely still. A game, it would seem...With a brittle explosion of shards, the firelizard cookie egg shivers into a pile of tiny blunt pieces. What remains admidst the crumble of shards is a flaxen-tipped lady seemingly plucked from the dewy grasses of the forest. Forest Suncatcher Green Hatchling Sunlight through new leaves; Droplets of rain fall, misting-- Clearest gold-green shines. Aurian rubs the back of her neck out of habit. Her eyes locked on the various eggs, bouncing and cracking. She gives a reasurring squeee to Mehlani's hand before having her attention caught by the newest arrival. Sorrowful Seashore Singing Egg has arrived. Berylle looks away nervously, glancing at the other candidates again. She catches Ptodek's eye and they exchange encouraging, nervous smiles before turning back to the eggs. Leilanth bugles to welcome to next hatchling. Down below the queen's head, Jehrina nods, "Greens. Looks like we'll have a good number of them." Ro shifts from one foot to the other, trying to give one foot, then the other a bit of relief. She looks at the lovely little green with facination....to be so close to all the action... It's overwhelming, the heat and the noise. Mehlani sways for a moment, like a young sapling smacked by a stiff ocean wind. But she keeps her feet, and her grip on the hands of the friends on each side. A smile or two flickers across her face as she catches sight of this Impression... and that... and as green dragonets begin to emerge from their shells, her attention flickers to them. Jayna keeps her eye on the hatchlings, ready to dive out of the way if necessary. She smiles reassuringly at Ara, and spares a moment to grin in excitement to Sandy. Kharty draws in a quick breath as she watches the green shake loose from her shell. "Oooo.. I never thought it would be this wonderful!" Neliea finally makes her way over the Arallia and Jayna as another egg breaks free. Due to her height, she can't make out the color. Placing one hand on Arallia's arm, she whispers quickly and softly, "What color was it?" Ptodek's face breaks into a broad grin as he elbows the nearest candidate, pointing excitedly to the green hatchling and hissing some comment that is lost in all the hubbub. A green! Eyes a mellow turquoise, Prometh greets her with a gentle trumpet. Kyria ohs asa green tumbles onto the sands, watching in as many directions as she can see at once. Jaynelle looks more than a little nervous as she glances over to the newly hatched green. She glances to the nearby candidates and the other eggs before turning her attention back to the movement on the sands. Arallia's own gaze turns toward the green hatchling and then back to her friends, before wiping at her face with her free hand. She turns and whispers to Neliea, reachings out ot take her hand as well, "A green!" Almost at once, the Forest Suncatcher Green Hatchling's legs give out to send her sprawling on the Sands. A decidedly petulant creel escapes her at this most unpleasant development. With a singular hastiness--and a glare that just *defies* anyone to claim that they saw her do that--she regains her poise and shakes bits of sand and shard from her glorious green hide. Alais shifts her weight, towards the golden-green, her eyes trailing it, wistful, hopeful -- but, too, she's distracted by the other eggs as they rock and crack. Maylia hardly has time to stand still long enough to see Kerlyn heading her direction, and she's off to steady a lad as he nearly trips over his feet. Eyes wide, the white robed boy seems about ready to turn tail and flee, until he's propelled back with an encouraging word and a pat on the shoulder. Krista smiles and winks at a candidate standing near her, shuffling her hot feet the whole time. Sorrowful Seashore Singing Egg gives a little wobble, and a crack appears right at the top of its shell. A tiny piece flakes off, then the egg is still again. [Mehlani's net burped here. No PC Impressions missed, but a green and a brown hatched.] Jaynelle didn't seem to notice the flying shard and gets hit squarly in the middle. The end result is for Jaynelle to be looking directly at the brown hatchling. Prometh greets the brown entering the world with a proud warble and a stamp of the foot. Streaked Russet Brown Hatchling looks from one side to the other eyes tracking the moving objects. Then he starts forward, clumsily. In a few moments, he's tipped head first into the sand. Arallia squeezes Neliea's hand and watches the new pair for a moment before she notices the brown hatchling. She shifts her feet continiously though she doesn't pay them much attention anymore. Krista tries to breathe calmly but she still shifts around nervously. Cheese Wheel Egg has arrived. Brown catches Alais' eye and she shifts the look to see: russet. Her eyes shift between them all, and her weight as well. Unsure. Jayna winces as the brown tips into the sand. She starts to move forward out of instinct, then remembers where she is, and instead relaxes in place, watching him for injury but ready to move if he jumps in her direction. Forest Suncatcher Green Hatchling doesn't really need much time to decide. No, none at all. Why should she? Her choice is as clear as the cloudless sky at dawn--as fated, and as perfect, as she is herself. With utmost confidence, she strolls right up to... K'tyn. Whoops. Her creel to him is almost imploring, but something is not right here--a fact which seems to cause her considerable distress. She turns tail and sprints as far away as she can, only to screech to a halt as she senses the presence, the mind, of *the* one. And this time, it's the real thing. Ro looks at the brown with concern, trying also to keep an eye on the green. So many hatchlings, so few eyes. She looks at Mehlani for reassurance. Sandar watches the brown hatchling fall, and makes a slight "erk." Aurian continues to fidgit on the sands, her loose hand trying to find something to keep it occupied. Berylle looks at the brown hopefully, but not daring to hope too much, and then gives a little giggle at the creel of the green. Kyria finds her head fairly spinning as impressions continue thick in fast and everywhere at once. Cheese Wheel Egg begins to rock back and forth, slowly at first, displacing the sand around its base. Though most are probably too far away to hear, amidst the cacaphony that any hatching presents, it does sound as though someone inside is ready to get /out/. Jehrina chuckles softly as another egg wobbles and cracks open. A large blue lifts itself out of the shards and finds a lifemate in a sea holder lad. Ro looks to _Mehlani_ for assurance? Well, there is a measure of assurance in the girl's delicate features, nervous though 'Lani so clearly is. She gives Ro a fleeting smile, each corner of her mouth momentarily curling up on each side. Streaked Russet Brown Hatchling straightens himself, one claw at a time. He's now quite, quite covered in sand. He looks around and starts to creel a complaint to the Cruel World when another moving object catches his fancy and he starts waddling towards it. Jayna shuffles from foot to foot. Her body knows the sands are hot, even if her attention's diverted. She spares a glance for Prometh and Leilanth, and smiles, but her gaze returns to the eggs as another egg rocks. Kerlyn can't hide the look of dismay which appears as the young green gives every impression of putting K'tyn back in /her/ weyrling barracks. It's with relief and an unconcious exhaling of breath that she hears the creel and watches the dash across the sands. "Out of the way!" she bellows to an inattentive canddiate. Kharty watches the green move up to K'tyn and for the first time since she's moved out onto the sand, she allows herself a giggle. She repeats herself, "It's so warm, and so wonderful to see them hatch.." Ro giggles at the green's trying to impress the weyrleader. That was not expected. Her smile deepens at the brown gets back to his feet. Prometh rumbles, a low dangerous sound as the tiny green approaches. "Hey, now," K'tyn warns Prometh. "She's just being polite." Prometh doesn't back down, though.... relaxing only when the green dashes away. Arallia blinks rapidly and pales her hands sliding out of her friends grips, then flushes again as she drops toward the green hatchling reaching down to hug her, "Her name is Miyath!!" Jayna blinks, and cheers. "Oh, Arallia!" she says to her friend. Her eyes are bright. "I'm so happy for you!" She watches Ara, beaming. Leilanth bugles greetings to each of her newest children. Her rider grins at the green, then up at Leilanth, "We need the smaller dragons. It's looking like we've gotten our wish." Sandar wanders over to a cream and brown egg, still for the moment, standing beside it so as not to be right in the open where dragonets are dashing. Arallia gets a gape, wide eyes, and a big grin. "Arallia!" Ptodek's head whips around from the brown hatchling to the spectacle of his mate Arallia's Impression. Envy, awe, and delight are mingled in his expression, though his exclamation is lost to the observers. At Arallia's call, Mehlani smiles again, more in her eyes than round her mouth, but no less earnest a smile for that. Ro grins at Arallia "That's wonderful!" She doesn't let her eyes stray from the brown or the rocking eggs for long, however. Jaynelle gives Arallia a small smile before returning her attention to the hatchling remaining on the sands. Aurian laughs for a moment as a friend impresses. She smiles and then turns back to the sands. Her eyes brilliantly happy and squeezes Mehlani's hand as she goes back to watching the other hatchlings. Streaked Russet Brown Hatchling charges towards the moving object enthusiastically. Unfortunately, it's another egg. He looks at it, wings drooping slightly. This is definetly not the one he was looking for. Alais brightens, then goes back to watching again. Arallia? Yes. But the brown's still out, and her gaze goes back to it. Kyria ooohs as she watches impression take place again... and then saddens slightly it's over so quickly... Cheese Wheel Egg wobbles semi-complacently for a few moments more, then one huge heave of motion from inside sends it rolling end over end. Spider-webbed cracks shoot their way across the egg's surface. K'tyn's shout is echoed by others as green Miyath makes her choice, a brassy note echoed by his overbearing dragon. Neliea feel a hand slipping from her grasp and looks down at her friend now with Miyath. Smiling at her, she's happy for her and edges away to look at the other hatchilng. A burst of congratulations from Saskia can be heard, as the girl beams at Arallia, trying to keep an eye both on the dragonets and the remaining eggs. Kharty squeezes Jaynelle's hand tightly as she calls out to Arallia, "Congrats!" She looks back, watching the brown attentively. Asher tips his head towards Arallia quietly, dark green eyes searching the girl over. When he doesn't seem to find what he's looking for, he gives her a gentle smile that she would not see. He leans back on his slowly scalding heels and folds his arms to wait for this to be over. Kerlyn leaves Arallia to Maylia's minstrations, as she assists another impressed pair with disentangling wings from tail, and feet from egg shards. Jaynelle smiles as she watches the brown hatchling heading towards the wrong place. Berylle allows herself a little smile for Arallia, whom she knows better than some of the other candidates, but is having a hard time thinking about anything besides the hatching baby dragons. Jehrina nods at Arallia, her eyes quickly going back to looking over the eggs that are still unhatched. Maylia hardly has time to fully admire the hatchlings, as she finds herself occupied maintaining her attention on the candidates, now and then helping a clumsy one to her feet, or running to a new pair. The time for admiring will come later. She makes her way over to Arallia, asking the new weyrling pair, "If you'd help Miyath this way?" Leading her off the sands. Ro giggles at the brown, leaving Arallia and Miyath to Kerlyn and Maylia. She murmurs "We're over here..." to the little brown. Krista smiles nervously muttering congrats as canidates around her impress, turning to watch the eggs and hatchlings often Arallia rises to her feet and tries to usher Miyath after Maylia, "Food.." She blinks and looks around, "She's hungry!" She calls out as she follows after Maylia. Still beaming over Ara's good fortune, Jayna spares a moment to watch her friend leave the sands. Sighing, though, she remembers where she is, and directs her attention to the rest of the eggs and the hatchlings. Streaked Russet Brown Hatchling starts warbling, then decides to try and trumpet, in a distinctly off-key manner. This doesn't stop him from looking around to see if he's attracted anyone's attention. Arallia heads off towards the bowl on the way to the weyrling barracks. Arallia has left. Forest Suncatcher Green Hatchling heads off towards the bowl on the way to the weyrling barracks. Forest Suncatcher Green Hatchling has left. Berylle looks at the brown, "Oh dear, I hope he doesn't sing songs like Kyoteth..." she mumbles to herself. Maylia smiles warmly towards Arallia, including the little Miyath in the expression. "Of course she is!" As the pair head off the sands, she turns back to the clutch, which is rapidly ceasing to be a clutch. Sandar squints and rubs his eyes, dry from the glare and from remaining, for the most part, wide open as he watches the hatchlings go. The brown's off-key pronouncement gets a boyish giggle. Mehlani squeezes both Aurian's hand and Ro's, and as it's impossible for this quiet lass to make herself heard in the din, she doesn't even try. But she does watch everything she can in her field of vision, turning her head slightly when she needs to. A pale white eggs rolls back and forth for several long minutes, drawing longing looks from the candidates nearby. it stops long enough for them to lose interest in favor of other eggs. At that point, it immediately starts rocking again. The egg splits down the center, revealing a larger bronze dragon. The bronze wades through a group of girls who are bright enough to scatter before he chooses a Miner apprentice. Alais's attention /is/ caught: focussed for the moment, her eyes bright. Ptodek grins encouragingly at the brown, shaking with laughter at his trumpeting. There's another slight laugh from Aurian, as she watches some of the eggs. Both her hands now on Mehlani's one. Jaynelle blinks several times at the brown hatchling's rumble. She smiles and gives Kharty's arm a small squeeze. Kharty giggles at the brown's trumpet. "He's cute, isn't he, Jaynelle?" Keep those feet moving. Sand's getting hot beneath them. Breathe. So much to remember. Berylle jumps out of the way of the bronze, obviously not meant for her. She trips and falls on the hot sand, then gets up, wincing a little. Jayna claps excitedly as the bronze Impresses, although the Miner lad wasn't a candidate she got to know very well. She can't help but smile. She looks around at the eggs, and finally glances up at the galleries, gasping at the number of people she sees. Cheese Wheel Egg comes to a stop as it bangs up against one of the other eggs resting within the warm sand's embrace. Oops. The shudders from within become more violent, though, now that the egg has found a temporary resting place. Neliea looks around at the other eggs and hatchlings on the sands, making sure to be careful where she steps. Out of the corner of her eye she sees the brown hatchling but moves one foot up and off of the hot sands. Smiling, she looks at the miner who just impressed. The Cheese Wheel Egg finally fractures, a silvery blue wingtip slicing through the shell like a knife. A shoulder emerges, cleaving the egg in two, and from the parted edges a young dragon stands. Tossing off the remaining wedges of hazy orange shell to rise awkwardly to his feet, he is a fleeting glimpse of blue lightness in the motion of the sands--cool color where the warm egg once rested. Sky-Brushed Cerulean Blue Hatchling Azured horizon... Midsummer sky's purpled hue-- The sun gilds cloudlets. Streaked Russet Brown Hatchling shakes his tail disconsolately for a few moments, then perks up as he sees something promising. It's not looking at him right now, but he can make it look! He charges up towards one of the white-robed girls. Ptodek gulps and steps back from the blue that has just hatched right in front of him. Leftovers Egg has arrived. Maylia's at Berylle's elbow in a flash, eyes wary for any other hatchlings heading their way. Over the din of dragonets screeching in high pitched squeals, the humming dragons, the roar of the spectators, and the cracking of eggs, she says to the Candidate, "Careful, there. Steady?" That done, she's off again to assist the bronze and the miner lad he chose. Someday, eventually, someone will get around to teaching Mehlani how to dance. But perhaps they won't have to work too hard at it, for there seems to be hardly any weight to her as with unconscious deftness she leans her weight from foot to foot. Her eyes soften palpably at the sight of the new blue. Ro smiles for a moment at the miner lad, then, more importantly, returns her attention to the hatchlings that have not impressed, and the eggs. She gives a quick squeeze to the hands she holds as she shifts back to her other foot, trying to ignore the burning sands as best she can. The confusion of the hatching helping her do that to some extent. Jayna gasps as the blue hatchling rises. "Oh, he's wonderful," she exclaims, then darts out of the way as the candidate next to her loses his footing and slips in the sands. Aurian leans up a bit on tiptoe as now time has allowed the hat of the sands to sink in. She closes her eyes tightly. Leftovers Egg thumps to the right in its hollow of sand. It slides on its rounded bottom until it lies dormant in the heated grains, waiting like a lump of dinner hurriedly left behind on the edge of a plate at the Bitran Gather. Alais's gaze lights on blue, on another green, on a getting-ready-to-hatch egg, A low warble for this new dragonet on the sands, and a bright trumpet for the one that follows! Prometh shifts, restlessly as he urges the hatchlings to seek and find their lifemates. Sandar moves around the brown and white egg to stand near Ptodek and Asher. He gives them a nod and what might be a grin as the blue shows itself, but his eyes don't leave the creatures on their first adventures across the sands. Kharty squints at the new-blue, a smile on that flushed, red face. "Why, his color is just the same as my lizard, Doerin!" She leans forward a little to get a better view, tugging on Jaynelle's arm a bit. Asher lifts one foot and stomps it down hard, sending a short spray of sand in the air. His arms are still crossed possesively across his chest. A dark-eyed glance about the cavern as he counts candidates and friends carefully, to see who's been taken, and who's been spared. Streaked Russet Brown Hatchling comes to a gentle stop just in front of Jayna. His aim must be improving! He looks up at her, and warbles. Casting her gaze over the newly hatched blue, Neliea wonders how she got seperated from some of the other candidates. A egg over in the distance starts to rock, and looks between the blue, the egg and she looks at that brown off somewhere. Sky-Brushed Cerulean Blue Hatchling seems somewhat surprised to find himself sitting amidst the shells of his egg. Bemused by this sudden expanse of space, he takes a moment to absorb the new surroundings...unaware that a vaguely square piece of shell is resting on his head as a hat might. Wobbling, he pushes himself to his feet, and halts again, entranced by the white-garbed Candidates before him. Krista smiles, her eyes squinching up a little bit watching all the hatchlings intently Leilanth hummmmmms loudly, looking draconicly proud of each of her children. Jayna blinks at the brown. Tears streaming down her face, she sinks to her knees. "Sioneth! What a wonderful name!" she says softly, stroking his eyeridge. Ro smiles at the new blue "Oh, he's pretty." She grins at Jayna "Congratulations!" _Jayna?_ Jayna! Mehlani's approval flares up in her eyes, and Ro and Aurian perhaps might hear her murmur a very soft, "Yes..." Kharty watches as Jayna impresses, clapping her hands and calling out, "Congrats, Jayna!" Leftovers Egg rocks and totters once again. Like locomotory compost, it bounces, then wobbles. It quivers, then jerks. It even spins on its axis, as the precious life held tight within its grey and somewhat moldy-looking shell struggles to break free. Ptodek crows loudly in delight at Jayna's success. "Go Jayna!!" He flashes Sandar and Asher a big grin. Sandar watches with growing excitement as the brown finds its lifemate - Jayna! He gives a little wave, knowing that the girl is almost certain to be too wrapped up in the moment to see it, but he does it anyways. "Jayna, wow!" Maylia spies the brown impress in the blurr of white robes and eggshards, and starts towards her, but hesitates. Kerlyn's perhaps closer. Berylle smiles at Jayna, and glances to the side, "Did she say Sionelle?" She looks back at the blue as it gazes around. Jaynelle looks over at Kharty calls out "Great! Congrats!" She tries to call over the noise and activity of the area. Aurian sends Jayna a warm smile, she chuckles and turns back to the clutch. Eyes wide at all that is happening. Looking over at the hatchling that stopped in front of Jayna, Neliea looks between them and the blue. Beaming at Jayna, "Oh, congratulations Jayna!" Looking around at another egg, she grins at Berylle. "Maybe?" Prometh rumbles his approval at the brown's choice, breaking into a loud trumpet. Jayna blinks. "He's hungry!" Over to the far end of the sands, a pair of eggs knock into each other and break apart. The hatchlings apparently ignore each other and head in opposite directions towards groups of canidates. A medium sized blue ends up choosing a frail looking blonde girl, while the green he knocked into chooses a sturdy looking lad. Kerlyn tugs a shell-shocked young seacrafter candidate back out of the way of a careening young green, to drop to one knee next to Jayna. After giving the young weyrling a few minutes to get used to some of the overwhelming new sensations, and the flood of congratulations, she puts a hand on her shoulder and nods towards the edge of the sands, where the rest of the impressed pairs are feeding and sating itches. Sky-Brushed Cerulean Blue Hatchling cocks his head this way and that, finally dislodging that helmet of his--which gets a curious stare. Somehow hearing his Dam through the chaos, he swivels his head in that direction. How pretty she is! That's such a lovely color. White is just as nice, though, and the Candidates reclaim his attention once again. After a few experimental sniffs at the shards of his eggs, he shuffles forward excitedly. Alais is genuinely pleased as she spies Jayna's Impression. Hwer smile is warm, fleeting, and then the somewhat hopeful, desperate look comes back to her eyes. Her gaze is quicksilver. Jayna beams, stunned, as Kerlyn points her in the right direction. She helps Sioneth to the edge of the sands, gently murmering to the hatchling. Aurian squeezes at Mehlani's hand. Her eyes still large and lost in the activity. Cress Egg has arrived. Leftovers Egg starts to decompose. A bit of the surface flakes off, followed by a sticky chunk of brittle shell. Then there's a pause, as the dragonet inside gathers its strength for a final effort. Asher tips his head to the side with a admitted smile. Alright, okay. He's glad that Jayna impressed. And yes, you see, he won't throw too great of a fit about it later. He supposes. Ro watches the blue breathlessly. Will he come in this direction? Only time will tell. She turns her attention to the leftovers egg. What color of dragon will come from it? Sky-Brushed Cerulean Blue Hatchling seems to know exactly who he wants, too. After a few sniffs down the line of Candidates, paying attention to no one in particular, he stops dead in front of one of the white-clad girls. Ah-ha. This is the one. Alais's gaze settles on the blue. Cerulean, bright, brilliant: she watches. Jayna heads off towards the bowl on the way to the weyrling barracks. Jayna has left. Jaynelle suddenly notices the blue and stares in that direction "isn't he beautiful" Cress Egg wobbles around in the sands, knocking into everything nearby. It rolls itself over several times before coming to a stop against a slightly higher mound of sand. The bits of cress looking marks on the eggs appear to be almost waving as the egg wriggles. Neliea wipes her other hand on her robe, since there's no one close enough. Looking at the Leftover egg, she peers over at it curiously. But smiles at the blue hatchling. "Oh, Xylath! Of course I'll feed you!" Sioneth heads off towards the bowl on the way to the weyrling barracks. Sioneth has left. There's no fright in Mehlani's gaze -- at least, no more than usual. And it is rapidly giving way to wonder. She beams over softly at Neliea and her new lifemate. The Leftovers Egg dissolves into its component parts. First a sandy brown snout pokes through. Then, the translucent amber of a wingsail breaks free, collapsing the shell into bits like a compost heap shredding down to amorphous bits of unidentifiable refuse. But from the egg-wet rubbish, into the chaos of the cavern, arises a perfectly formed hatchling and a momentary impression of color. Desert Sands Brown Hatchling Drowsy heat, warming; Sepia shade in summer-- Frost is far away. Berylle breaks into a grin, "Oh, Neliea! That's wonderful!" She smiles happily for her friend. Sandar watches the blue make his choice, accidentally backing up into one of the wobbling eggs in the process. He jumps! and spins to look at it, then turns his attention back to the blue and his new lifemate, keeping the egg in his field of view. "Xylath," he echoes with a big grin. "Neliea's new lifemate!" Kharty fairly beams when she sees Neliea impress! "Oh Neliea! I'm so happy for you!" Her feet keep moving and she remembers to breathe, if not the hot air about them. "Jaynelle! Look!" Jessalyn smiles widely as she sees the blue look to Neliea. "Oh, how perfect!" Aurian chuckles as another one of her friends finds a lifemate. Her eyes send a smile to Neliea. However as another egg cracks, she leans over and murmurs to Mehlani, "I knew she'd impress." Neliea smiles over at Berylle and 'Lani. Blinking, she looks down at her lifemate. "Food! Of course!" looking around, she dosen't see any. Where's somone that can help her out? Ptodek stares in shock and awe, frozen, overwhelmed by the enormity of the events he is witnessing. Staring from one egg to another, his gaze finally lights on the brown hatchling, and he watches intently to see what its next move will be. Alais lets out a breath, slow and long. One more down. And so many more to go. The other brown is there now, too. Krista smiles over at Neliea and offers a quiet "Congrats" with her eyes still glued to the eggs and hatchlings Maylia finds herself almost right next to the Candidate chosen by the little one, and smiles with delight. "Neliea? This way, and congratulations." Ro beams at Neliea "Way to go, Neliea..." only to have her attention grabbed by the newly hatched brown "Oh, how -beautiful-!" the exclamation excapes her lips, without her realizing she said it. Jaynelle has the largest grin on her face as well "Oh Kharty isn't that great. She waves over in Neliea's direction but is too far away to be heard. Prometh bugles, a long, sustained note that welcomes the brown to the world and rejoices in the young blues' choosing of a lifemate. Cress Egg wobbles again, flipping almost end over end in the other direction. It heads for a larger grouping of girls, threatening to knock them over like a stack of pins. "He is beautiful," breathes Mehlani, back to Aurian. She's always been partial to blue. On the other hand, she's rather partial to brown, too, and she looks over, marvelling, shy, to that sand-hued brown over there. Neliea smiles at Maylia as she walks next to Xylath and off the sands. Xylath whuffles complacently around Neliea's feet, eager to follow her wherever she might lead him. Neliea heads off towards the bowl on the way to the weyrling barracks. Neliea has left. Sandar wanders over to Ro and Mehlani, veering around a large pile of moistened shells cracked and drying on the sands. "Did you see that?" he asks, excited. Not waiting for an answer he turns to look in the other direction where the brown is exploring his new world. Xylath heads off towards the bowl on the way to the weyrling barracks. Xylath has left. Desert Sands Brown Hatchling staggered forward once free of his shell, but after a moment of unsteady forward motion, he stop and stands still in the sudden rush of color and sound. Eyes whirling red with hunger and confusion, he croaks out an unpracticed demand. Somewhere in this babble of voices, he can hear something deeper-- something intriguingly like himself, and something he needs to find in the noisy haste all around him. He turns, to look behind. Ro nods mutely in awed response to Sandar's query. Jaynelle steps back from the Cress egg, pulling Kharty along with her. She watches the egg wobble with absolute attention and a large smile. Berylle, like most nearly everyone else out here, is watching the brown intently, hoping, waiting, nervously. Maylia escorts Neliea and her new lifemate, Xylath, from the Sands, returning in a flash. Soon, she's circling the candidates, lending a hand where needed, but staying back a step or two otherwise. Mehlani bobs her head to Sandar. Color has risen in her cheeks, but it's a flush of reaction to the heat that stands like walls around her, rather than one of her all-too-common blushes, and it manages to make her blue eyes look brighter. Aurian watches the hatchlings, her hands still latched onto Mehlani's hand. She breaths slowly and deeply. Cress Egg shudders in the sands once it comes to a stop. The cress on the egg seems to be growing as the egg expands quickly as the hatchling inside struggles to be born. Cress Egg Glints of green and brown shine from the whitish egg, giving it a mottled apearance not unlike the feathery tips of cress. Indeed, on one side of the shell is a splash of green, with a curled 'stem' and a feathery end.. just like a leaf of cress. Ptodek is so focused on the rocking eggs and hatchlings all about him that he seems not to notice he is standing with one foot in an abandoned eggshell. Damp, sticky, perhaps; but not quite as hot as the sands. Desert Sands Brown Hatchling picks up speed once turned in the opposite direction. The voice at the edge of his hearing is louder this way-- more clear, and more vibrantly colored as it invades his perception. He weaves to the right, staggering awkwardly on new legs in the hot sand, then lifts his gaze to look ahead. Asher gives his dark head an indignant toss, throwing the tiny baby's down wisps from his eyes. He elbows Ptodek lightly in the side, mildly asking, "Are you watching this?" Stupid kid. Someone smack him, he must be suffering from a lack of direct blows to the head. Aurian breathes to Mehlani, "I don't believe this." Her eyes look to her friend then back to the clutch. Ptodek yelps! "What're you hitting me for?" he demands, not taking his eyes off the brown staring in their direction. After several long moments of dancing around on the sands, a silvery muzzle finally breaks past the crisp surface of its hatchling-home. A few more decisive moves occur before the crystal wingtips pierce the shell and begin wiggling free. Soon this young hatchling is unfettered from her encasement, the whitish shards stubbornly clinging to her frosty hide as she lifts her regal head to glare about the cavern. Free and, it would seem, determined, this lady is quite a creature to behold. Silver Ice-Tipped Green Hatchling Silvered grey-green glints; The sea on a stormy day-- Ice-capped ridges glow. Cream Puff Egg has arrived. Berylle looks over at Ptodek and Asher and hisses "knock it off, guys!", turning back to watch the brown wobble around. Asher mutters back into Ptodek's ear, "I wasn't hitting anyone. I asked you if you were paying attenion." Alais presses her lips together, looking from one candidate to another, to the brown that seeks -- and settles on thenewly-hatched green with a long outdrawn breath. "Oh," she says, softly. Ptodek mutters to Asher, "... attention..... there's... green!" Kharty shudders a little as she looks about her, broken shards strewn about on the sands. Keep the feet moving, keep breathing. The lessons fly about her head, reminding her to be attentive. "A green!" she whispers the words. Jaynelle jumps back another step as the green hatches nearby "Kharty, look" Prometh greets the tiny green on the sand with a trumpet worthy of royalty. By now, with the cacophony of dragon hums and shattering shells seeming to pulse in her breastbone, with the blaze of the sands threatening to sear her soles, Mehlani can't manage to speak at all. But she does bob her head vigorously to Aurian, and she gasps without sound at the newly hatched green. Cream Puff Egg shudders convulsively, and a myriad of cracks splinter across its springy surface. Bits of crunchy brown shell flake off and flutter to the sands surounding it. Silver Ice-Tipped Green Hatchling stands up. Her wedge head tilts back and forth as she regards all those white and pink things over there on the sands. She flickflicks bits of shell off her feet and walks out of her shards, headed right for those white and pink things. Ro smiles "Wow, look at that green, Sandy. Have you ever seen a green quite that shade?" Asher smiles at Ptodek and calmly replies, voice low, "Yes, it is green, isn't it, Crawlie?" He patpats Ptodek's shoulder--his hand is still shaking-- and than he puts his hands behind his back, lacing his fingers together. Little tough guy. Maylia sights on the brown, staring straight ahead. Of course, to the opposite side of the semi-circle of candidates. Weaving through the gaps left by those already Impressed, heads in that direction, softly cursing the sand which makes it hard to move quickly. Aurian watches with every move the hatchlings makes as Mehlani nods to her. She just hugs her friend for an impulsive moment, before returning to watch the eggs. Sandar gulps - or at least, would gulp, if his mouth weren't so dry - as he watches the brown weave its way toward the boys. The green catches his attention as it bursts from confinement. He nods to Ro, then shakes his head. "Bright," he near whispers. Ptodek just looks at Asher out of the corner of his eye, then moves nearer to Sandar. And the green. Berylle looks at the green, "Hmmm, pretty." She takes a tentative step towards it, then looks over at the indecisive brown. Cream Puff Egg jumps! And then jumps again! After a third, it falls onto its side, and rolls onto the sand (which sticks, amazingly, only to the creamy white part). Several more cracks appear across its surface as it wobbles about. Desert Sands Brown Hatchling tries his voice again, this time with a well-voiced attempt at a triumphant bugle. He's found her! Straight ahead of him, she's holding hands with someone else, talking to her and not looking his way. He lets his wingtips drag beside him, leaving trails in the sand as he gallops exaltedly to her, skidding to a halt at the edge of her hem and collapsing at her feet. As his head thumps down on Aurian's ankles, his eyes shift from red to softer colors of joy. Mehlani willingly answers Aurian's hug with a one-armed hug of her own, her face alight, hesitant and awestruck and unnerved and thrilled... and she squeals in delight as that brown comes at last to her cluster of Candidates. To Aurian. Her friend! Silver Ice-Tipped Green Hatchling trumpets to her sire and dam. It's a tiny trumpet, but the tone of it is rather imperious. Apparently she's quite sure of herself. She continues her walk across the sands. She examines a group of girls without finding what she's looking for. She moves on to the next set of canddiates. Asher's eyes widen in surprise; horror; disbelief. He stares at Aurian, hands fallen empty at his side, mouth slightly open, and makes no sound at all. Ptodek grabs Sandar's sleeve. "Lookit!" he cries, pointing to Aurian and the brown. Kharty watches the brown as Aurian impresses, calling out, "Aurian! A brown! How wonderful!" Sandar blinks at the girl standing nearby, and at the brown. "Aurian!" he quips, "l-look!" He backs away as he watches the connection about to take place. Alais keeps her breath held tight, chewing on her lower lip as she's inspected in her turn. Prometh warbles! Another impression! K'tyn laughs up at the bronze, and cheers himself for the pairing that's ocurred. Krista watches the cream puff egg, that was one of her favorites. Berylle gives a cry of delight! "Aurian! Awesome!" She grins from ear to ear. Aurian starts to laugh helplessly, she kneels down and blinks, "Kvasith," she caresses the head laughing. Jehrina grins, "Did we look that stunned?" Ro cheers, a tear coming to her eye "Congratulations Aurian!" After a few moments she turns her attention back to the green. Maybe this one will want her. K'tyn grins at Jehrina. "I think I fainted, actually. Well, after I fed Prometh." Jehrina laughs, though she keeps looking over the sands, "I seem to remember hearing about that." Mehlani, now that one of her hands is free, step-hops back out of the way of Aurian and the brown, a smile having bloomed into being across her face, spanning from ear to ear. She squeezes Ro's hand, instinctively. Maylia's not far behind the brown, and her face breaks into a grin as she sees who he's chosen. Cream Puff Egg scoots itself across the sand in little hiccups, eventually coming to right itself relatively far from where Leilanth deposited it oh so long ago... By the time it comes to a stop, it's criss-crossed with several large cracks. Rolling across the sands fluidly, like aged brandy falling into a glass, this egg comes to a rest not far from the candidates. The shard seems to have buckled against the occupant's toils to move it as there are places that sag in the once-perfect oval shell. A brassy snout sticks out of one of the 'craters' and sniffs the air experimentally before slowly pouring himself out of the ovoid. He simply gazes around for several long moments as the sands dry his bronze hide. Pale Stained Bronze Hatchling Shattered brass glitters; Arrogant nobility-- Tarnished verdigris. Krista chuckles as she watches the cream puff egg scoot around the sand. More eggs hatch now, faster. Blues, greens, browns, even a bronze here and occasionally there. With relatively little indecision, they seem to choose their lifemates. The weyrlingmasters veritably scurry about, directing dragons and new riders off to the side. Maylia stands back a little, not wishing to rush the moment of Impression, letting Aurian savour it for the time being. Burnt Toast Egg has arrived. Aurian smiles and laughs as she touches the lovely brown, "Oh dear Kvasith, I don't even know if I can move." She continues, "But we'll get you fed." Jessalyn's eyes widen as the bronze hatches. "Ohhh, isn't he lovely!" Ptodek gasps! "A bronze!" He stands stark still and gazes, enraptured. "I've gotten a but sturdier---Great Shards! Look at that!" K'tyn exclaims. Prometh blasts the cavern with a trumpet that makes his rider's ears ring. Kvasith bumps playfully at Aurian's legs, gazing at her with adoring eyes as he follows her from the sands. Berylle says "Oooh, handsome. I don't think he'll care for me much." Ro gasps as she sees the pale bronze, and keeps an eye on him lest she need to dodge out of the way, but turns her attention back to the green. The bronze is most certainly not for her. Kharty giggles at the little snout as it pokes out of the shell. She turns to Jaynelle with her hand pointing toward the bronze. "Ever seen one so little?" Sandar can't help but let loose a low "ooh," as the bronze makes its first appearance. He bites his lips and watches as the creature gazes about, his hands finding themselves clenched together in front of his stomach. Aurian finally moves, she just blinks at Kvasith. She grins and moves towards the barracks. Stained Cointreau Bronze Hatchling unfurls himself, standing tall and letting his wings dry. No rushing here, nope. He knows *someone* is here for him, it's just a matter of finding -- oohh! Over there!! Aurian heads off towards the bowl on the way to the weyrling barracks. Aurian has left. "Kvasith?" Maylia asks, still smiling. "Congratulations, Aurian. Go get him some food, hmmm?" And with that, she gestures off where the other pairs are heading, helping them just as long as she can before dashing off to help others. Burnt Toast Egg has been silent during the evening's festivities...nary a shake, nary a shudder, nary a tap-tap-tap on the shell from within. Patiently its occupant waits, its time to arrive approaching but not yet here. Then, quietly, there is a shimmy and a crumb or two of sand falls off. Kvasith heads off towards the bowl on the way to the weyrling barracks. Kvasith has left. Silver Ice-Tipped Green Hatchling practically stomps through the sands, walking through, and almost across a group of candidates who barely move out of the way fast enough. The little green holds herself up regally as she looks over a likely group of boys. With a graceful (mostly) move, she stops in front of a boy with wispy hair and croooooons up into his face. Jaynelle smiles and nods as Kharty speaks "They are very beautiful" Suspecting that every visiting bronze in the cavern is now adding their approval to the onrushing HUM, and not even needing to guess whether a Benden bronze by the name of Tzornth is trumpeting his support, Mehlani silently beams. She's got one arm around Ro, now. Ptodek steps out in front of the gaggle of girls, daring to approach just a little closer to the bronze hatchling. Stained Cointreau Bronze Hatchling takes a tentative step forward, then another. This is easy! Now, which way was that... A'sher stands very still for a moment, and tha he throws his head back and laughs. Laughs out loud, until tears pour from his eyes. "Ah, Yasinth, he was right! Char him, he was right!" Mehlani's face is no less wonder-filled as that green finally chooses her rider. Ptodek twists his body around to stare at A'sher and Yasinth. He did it! Asher did it! An exultant shout bursts from Ptodek's lips as he breaks into his biggest grin of the evening. Sandar gazes at the bronze, his miscolored eyes catching the bronze's every step. The green's croon catches his attention, however, and he beams at Asher - A'sher, from this point on, with a toothy smile. "Ash!" he calls approvingly. Stained Cointreau Bronze Hatchling walks casually, almost carefully around the sands, listening for that *voice*. After several minor course corrections, he appears no closer to finding it than he was several moments ago. As a matter of fact, he's standing right next to the shards of his recently vacated egg. Sandar Sandar is a young lad in his early teens. He is about five feet eight inches tall, although he likely has a bit of growing to do yet, and he seems to have an athletic and healthy appearance. His short hair is sandy colored and quite tousled, and his eyes are a bright green... though when you look closer at them it appears that one eye, his left, is actually quite strikingly more of a blue color than green. He looks to be a strong boy with an air of alertness to him. Sandar is outfitted in a very simple white robe. It's plain and boring to look at, though he has tried to buffer the neckline and the cuffs to make it as comfortable as possible while still remaining a very ordinary-looking garment. Alais's gaze glints, grey-green, as A'sher gets the small breen. Her smile's ale, and her gaze shifts to wtahc bronze in idle curiosity. Berylle smirks at A'sher, and shakes her head in disbelief. "...he'll be unbearable now...wait, he was before." She looks back to the dragons and eggs after muttering to herself. Maylia peers over the shoulders of two girls, and is off again, this time toward Asher. Or, rather, A'sher. She softly repeats the name, "Yasinth," as she approaches the new pair, ready to assist them. Kharty waves her hand in excitement then pulls it down quickly. "A'sher! A bronze!" Her other hand wiggles Jaynelle's, feet pulling up and down alternately. A'sher goes down on one knee, tears still on his cheeks, and touches the chin of his lady. "Now?" he wonders, a smile on his face, and than he repeats that order for everyone else to hear. "I believe that she's hungry. Now." A'sher heads off towards the bowl on the way to the weyrling barracks. A'sher has left. Leilanth bugles to the green and bronze hatchlings. Jehrina grins, "There, more bronzes for you. And greens for Prometh to nmake a nuisance of himself over." Prometh bugles to the pair that's just impressed, the tone turning sharp as he urges his confused bronze son to make up his mind, and just pick someone. K'tyn laughs, looking like a young boy himself --gleeful and giddy. Jaynelle beams a large smile at A'sher as he walks off the sands. Yasinth heads off towards the bowl on the way to the weyrling barracks. Yasinth has left. Burnt Toast Egg moves complacently from its nestled position within the sands, a place it has rested for sevendays. Quiet descends upon it before a mighty bounce carries it a yard or so, then it rolls on its side, offering up the better part of its shell for viewing. Upon its surface tendrils of cracks appear, then again silence. Sandar watches the bronze weave its way back to its original position, and grins, his eyes darting to where A'sher is wandering away with his new lifemate. The excitement roots him in place as he watches for the new bronze's next steps. Not taking his eyes off the bronze, Ptodek plucks at Sandar's sleeve. "He's looking at us," he hisses. "Isn't he? Look-- he's staring right at us!" Ro stands lightly on the balls of her feet, ready to get out of the way if the bronze should come for Sandar or Ptodek, who happen to be standing close to her. Alais shifts back a step or two as she watches the not-for-her bronze apprach. Mehlani unknowingly tucks her lower lip under her teeth, and surreptitiously points a dainty finger at Sandar and Ptodek, for the bronze. Over there. Go over there! Stained Cointreau Bronze Hatchling harrumphs, a bit frustrated, and looks up at the person directly in front of him. Focusing his whirling eyes on the Weyrwoman, he croons LONGINGLY for a few moments before suddenly changing directions. There! There! He moves quickly across the sands, scattering several startled candidates. Sandar grins at Ptodek as he beholds the stunning creature's every movement. As the bronze starts making his move, the boy takes an unintentional step backwards. K'tyn stares at Jehrina, his mouth quirking up in a grin. "Always thought you had a heart of bronze," he quips, chuckling, as the young bronze dashes off. Jehrina rolls her eyes, "Definitely Leilanth's child." Ro releases Sandar's hand andjumps out of the way, pulling Mehlani with her, not wanting either of them to get trampled. Leilanth snorts, then hummmmmmms. Ptodek moves, but not backwards-- forwards, toward the bronze (remaining prepared to jump out of the way if necessary)... Alais lifts her fingers to her lips, eyes twinkling as she eyes the bronze. It might be worth.... but naaaaah. Mehlani skitterhops along with Ro, glancing over long enough to mark the path of their retreat before glancing back to mentally urge the bronze on. S'dar gazes at the bronze, his jaw dropped and dangling somewhere in the vicinity of his chest. After a moment of complete bewilderment, the boy manages to get out a word. "Chezroth?" he sputters. Then once more, his eyes widening with the realization of what's just happened to him - to the both of them. "Chezroth!" Burnt Toast Egg jolts again and, from within the confines of the ovoid a small draconic creation begins to assert its will over the tenacious eggshell. No panic, no fuss, just direct, meaningful action on breaking free. Then, with explosive results, so it does. Kharty hops up and down as S'dar impresses! "Sandy! A lifemate!" Berylle smiles again for San...er, S'dar. And looks at the other eggs that have yet to hatch. The top of the Burnt Toast Egg distends, not unlike the rising of a freshly baking loaf of bread. But eggshells aren't meant to rise, and the pressure exerted on this one from inside is evidenced by crackling and creaking sounds, though mostly hidden within the charcoal blackness. In moments, two nostrils poke through one end--then a snout, a small blue head, and a bit of neck. The hatchling pauses there, getting its first breath, before it resumes its slow struggle. Agonizingly slowly, he finishes squeezing out in egg-slimed glory, shaking the now-deflated egg from his tail with a last effort. Noonday Sea Blue Hatchling Truest blue bronze-lit; Sundrops splattering the sea-- Freedom in the air. Ptodek stares in shock, disbelief, dismay, and delight for his friend. "Way to go, S'dar!" he cries finally. Alais lets her eyes widen. /Sandar/," she breathes, and watches for a wistful moment before turning away to the blue that hatches nearby. Jessalyn grins widely as Sandar -now S'dar- Impresses, dancing in her hollow of sand. "Sandy! I knew it!" Mehlani lets out a delighted little noise that might almost be laughter. A joyous blast for the bronze and his new lifemate -- a pure note that turns softer, more welcoming for the dappled blue hatchling on the sands. Ro ventures close enough to give the new bronzerider a quick kiss on the cheek and murmur congratulations in his ear, then steps back to Mehlani's side to watch the newly hatched blue. Krista says "Congrats S'dar" but quickly looks back at the newly hatched blue. One of the final few eggs hatches. It contains another, deep, klah-colored brown. He toddles unevenly across the sands to a group of boys. He bumps into one before choosing a boy from an outlying hold in the Telgar area. S'dar leans over to brush some sand off of Chezroth's gleaming back. "Of course," he whispers as he runs his hand along the bronze hide. There's a slight lull, and Maylia catches the name of a dragon shouted. She whirls, seeking to find the new pair. Nearly out of breath, she murmurs to S'dar, "Congratulations." As she directs them off the sands. Kharty catches sight of the little blue tail emerging from the shell. Staring right at it, she takes a step forward. Breathe, she remembers, as sweat drips from her chin. Ptodek swallows hard, and heaves a ragged sigh. He'd been so sure the bronze was looking for him! But there's a blue, now, and more... he schools his expression and returns to his place in the semi-circle. Ro 's brow furrows as she watches the unhatched eggs get fewer and fewer. She squeezes Mehlani's hand nervously as she gazes at the scattered shards. Noonday Sea Blue Hatchling lifts his head from the remnants of his former home and tosses his head to dislodge a spattering of shell clinging, like a frightened child, to his left cheek. One foot raises experimentally, then is settled on the sand, and he nods. So that's how one walks. Ah. A second step is essayed and completed without error, and he lets out a tenative trumpet. Thinner than the bronzes', it nevertheless rings of proclamation. He is here. S'dar stumbles across the sands with his new lifemate, very nearly tripping over some shards scattered before him due to his eyes' refusal to stop gawking at the magnificent bronze. Jaynelle slowly moves beside Kharty again, filling in the rest of the semi circle. Her wet hair is now pinned against her head, with the short pony tail drooping behind. S'dar heads off towards the bowl on the way to the weyrling barracks. S'dar has left. Berylle grins at the blue. "He's kinda cute." Stained Cointreau Bronze Hatchling follows right behind S'dar. Alais chews on her lower lip, well and truly nervous now, allowing her gaze to follow the blue closely. Stained Cointreau Bronze Hatchling heads off towards the bowl on the way to the weyrling barracks. Stained Cointreau Bronze Hatchling has left. Mehlani squeezes Ro's hand in reply, her gaze coursing over the remaining eggs, and that questing blue. Her eyes are without worry; there's no room for it in her thoughts, with so much else before her to absorb. Ptodek's hands clutch at the fabric of his robe; without being conscious of it, he is wadding the sides of his garment in his hands as he casts a gaze over the hatchlings seeking lifemates. *Is* there one for him? Jessalyn wrings the damp white robe between her hands as she watches the hatchlings pair off with their 'mates. Still, her eyes watch the sands intently, though she starts to back away slowly. Maylia watches across the circle. As the eggs numbers narrow down, impressions come more slowly. The WeyrlingMaster, on the other side of the waning numbers of Candidates, helps out a new pair, and Maylia holds still, ready to seek out the next. Noonday Sea Blue Hatchling flicks a noisome bit of shell from his wing and squares his shoulders, showing none of the clumsy uncertainty hatchlings so often demonstrate. Someone is here for him, someone whose presence thrums a harmonious chord in his very being, and he will find that someone. A series of strides bears him over the hot sand, though he pauses, with red eyes swirling like maelstroms, to regard his sire and dam. A more strident bugle, throatier, deeper than the first, is tendered to them in greeting before he carries on toward the white-robed people close by. Krista watches the blue, still ready to move, wondering if it will come towards her. Berylle looks at Ptodek nervously, seeing her own worries reflected in his expression. Ro smiles at the blue, as he seems to know what he wants. Now that Aurian has left the Sands with her new brown, Saskia edges anxiously and hopefully towards Mehlani and Ro, and Mehlani flicks a smile towards the other girl. Kharty scans the shard-littered area, focused on the blue as she hears his bugle sound. Her nervous hand flits up to her brow, hastily removing beads of perspiration. "Hot." she simply says. Alais shifts her weight: blue, there, in her grey-green gaze. Jaynelle nods to Kharty as she too shuffles about in the sand. She looks down at her feet as she accidently steps on shard. Ptodekglances nervously at Berylle, and shuffles a bit closer to her, reaching out awkwardly to squeeze her hand before going back to wadding and unwadding his robe. Noonday Sea Blue Hatchling bends forward to nudge at a section of discarded shell and, while his head is still lowered, eyes the Candidates grouped to his right. Slowly does he straighten, head now cocked almost perpendicular to the ground, and with more curiosity than timidity he steps toward them. Black...black...black...yes. Black is the color that lures him close, that serves as the signal that the one he wants is *there*. All he had to do was catch sight of her and single her out from the others. Two long strides and he stands before Kharty, a head-butt to her tummy announcing his intent. Ro looks around at the faces of the candidates still on the sands, and the very few eggs left. She smiles at Kharty, though it is doubtful the bluerider sees her. The suspense, for Mehlani, grows about as powerful in the perceptions as th noise and heat and color in the vast Hatching cavern. Her fingers cling to Ro's own, her knuckles turning white, her hair beginning to darken with a faint hint of sweat. Jaynelle gives Kharty a huge hug as the blue comes close. Kharty looks deeply into the blue's eyes, barely able to move. One word escapes her lips, "Virroth! I know you! Virroth!" With a note that's not quite silence, more like lack of noise, the last of the eggs hatches. The dragons out of the eggs find lifemates and are quickly escorted off the sands towards the weyrling barracks. Leilanth lifts her head and lets out a brassy bugle, ending the previously incessant humming. Maylia follows after the blue, hardly paying attention to which candidate the hatchling's after. Suprise, and a smile (which might suprise others even more) flicker across her face. "Congratulations, Kharty." She tells her cousin. "There's food for Virroth? Virroth, in the Barracks." Jessalyn lets out a long, deep breath as the last of the hatchlings pair off. The searing heat from below finally permeating the nervous daze, she shifts again, backward, toward the exit. Ptodek looks around at all the successful Candidates, tears already brimming in his eyes. But where is *his* dragon, his lifemate? Ro's free hand fidgets with her robe, the other squeezes Mehlani's, though not too tightly. She certainly wouldn't want to break the girls hand. Virroth croons contentedly and again nudges Kharty, insistence in his movement. Berylle glances around. There _must_ be another egg here, right? It's over...? It's over. Mehlani exhales softly, and turns to hug Ro close. Alais's gaze turns striken, her face pale, as she looks around in faint desperation. Too old, she told them she was... Prometh's trumpet follows the last to hatch and impress pairs off the sands, a sound pure in its note and timber. Kharty rubs noses, her nose on his. "Virroth!" She hugs him, tugging him close to her! "Oh oh oh oh..!" Ptodek stares at his feet, trying desperately not to sob aloud in front of all these people. He doesn't dare look at any of the remaining candidates, or the departing riders. Ro returns Mehlani's hug, heaving a great sigh, her expression waxing stoic. Berylle kicks at the sand, and looks around, not sure what to do now. Krista sighs, her shoulders drooping "I guess my dragon wasn't here." Jaynelle gently hugs her friend's arm before stepping out of the way. Maylia waits for Kharty, noting the last impression but leaving that pair for Kerlyn to handle. Jehrina lets out a long breath and steps forward, addressing those left on the sands, "Dragons choose as they will. I'm sorry your dragons weren't on the sands here. Those of you who wish to stay at the weyr are welcome to. Those who wish to return home to their hold or craft may do that as soon as they wish." Maylia heads off towards the bowl on the way to the weyrling barracks. Maylia has left. Kharty giggles, taking one last swipe of her nose on Virroth's before leading him away. Kharty heads off towards the bowl on the way to the weyrling barracks. Kharty has left. Virroth heads off towards the bowl on the way to the weyrling barracks. Virroth has left. If there's a word to sum up Mehlani's expression, that word might be 'peace'. There's no disappointment in the girl's eyes; if anything, there's a kind of relief. She turns her gaze towards the Weyrleader and Weyrwoman, silently looking to see if the remaining Candidates should leave the Sands. Alais' gaze is tear-bright and sea-green and she nods numbly to Jehrina, one hand pushing at her hair and tearing the thong from it with the motion. It falls, unnoticed. Jaynelle walks over to Mehlani and gives her a small smile as well. Jessalyn wraps her arms about her middle and nods politely to Jehrina and K'tyn. She, too, looks more relieved than disappointed, glancing up toward the stands every now and again. Jehrina smiles faintly, "I know it doesn't help a lot, but you're welcome here." With that, she steps back to address the stands. She raises her voice to those higher in the cavern, "There will be feasting in the living cavern for those who wish to celebrate with us. Thank you for coming!" Mehlani bobs her head in solemn acknowledgement to Jaynelle, one corner of her mouth curling up a moment. Ptodek won't even look at the weyrleaders, and begins to cry in earnest now. The candidates nearest him can hear him saying, "That bronze was looking at *me* before Sandar got him. He was! he was!" Ro gives the weyrleader and weyrwoman a grave nod, and turns to go. Jessalyn gives Ptodek an odd look and shakes her head as she hurries off the sands. Jessalyn walks over towards the galleries. Jessalyn has left. Ro heads off towards the bowl on the way to the weyrling barracks. Ro has left. K'tyn smiles, warmly, as he gestures to the bowl. "Welcome to stay, yes," he echoes the goldrider. "And I am most pleased to have met you all. I hope we'll speak later?" He peers at Ptodek sadly. Berylle goes over to her friend Ptodek, and just puts her arms around him. Mehlani pauses to hug Saskia, as, silently, the remaining young people on the Sands file out. Mehlani is among them, her slender shoulders squared. You head off the sands and into the barracks. Candidate Barracks(#258RAHJ$) Contents: TelgarW_Bldr Virroth Kharty Maylia(#15669PJce) Yasinth Xylath Chezroth S'dar Sioneth A'sher(#15147PJch) Miyath Kvasith Aurian Neliea Jayna Arallia NOTE: This is not the Barracks, it's the Lake Shore! Aurian's BPC Zephyr Dragon Box Aladis Danae Tola Sayvel Jazzy Safehold Flutterby Obvious exits: Lower Caverns Hatching Sands You dismantle your cot and stow it safely away. S'dar peers over at Kharty, "where're you going?" You head through the entrance to the inner cavern. Inner Cavern(#1272RJL$) Contents: Ro Obvious exits: Steam Baths INFirmary Candidate Barracks Corridor Weyrfolk Quarters Living Cavern You head towards the corridor to the weyrfolk quarters. Dormitories(#1277RA$) Contents: Lost and Found Cabinet (OOC) Obvious exits: Inner Cavern You set up your cot. Aleta has arrived. Jessalyn walks in from the inner cavern. Jessalyn has arrived. Ro walks in from the inner cavern. Ro has arrived. Rosarrah's Bed has arrived. Ro puts down her bed. Ro discards her robe in favor of her usual clothes. She folds it up carefully and stores it at the very bottom of her press. After a time, Mehlani hauls her belongings into the dormitory... finding it almost relievingly familiar. Her fair doesn't take long to find her... and as she gets dressed, several other fire lizards show up, mostly greens, banded in red and black and bronze. They barely allow Mehlani enough time to clothe herself and get her hat into place before chasing her out of the dorm. You walk off towards the Inner Cavern. Inner Cavern(#1272RJL$) Obvious exits: Steam Baths INFirmary Candidate Barracks Corridor Weyrfolk Quarters Living Cavern You walk through the large entrance to the Living Cavern. Telgar Weyr's Living Cavern(#750RJM$) Contents: Melora Anra Erdrick Krystyna Thaniel Reed(#11771PJce$) Kailia Obvious exits: Lower Caverns Kitchen Bowl Ro walks here from the Inner Cavern. Ro has arrived. Anra makes her way into the cavern, stomping and sullen. Muttering, "Stupid dragons," under her breath. Once she spots her sister, she practically launches herself across the room at her! Mehlani, after a time, arrives on hand... though she's mostly notable only by the return of her familiar hat to her head, and the cloud of fire lizards urging her into the room. There are her own... and a flurry of greens as well. Melora spots her daughter, and heads over to her, though she isn't quite as fast as Anra, she seems almost as purposeful. Ro starts to walk toward the candidates table, but stops herself, and instead takes a seat at a small table by the hearth. Erdrick looks over at Lani, "You alright?" One other figure in the room follows Anra and Melora to Mehlani -- a tall, slim man with grey-touched auburn hair. Mehlani's father, F'hlan. Mehlani hugs him first, murmuring something to him, even as she bobs her head over to Erdrick, catching his question. Then Mehlani turns to open an arm to welcome Anra. Anra cries, actually cries, though you'd never get her to admit it. "They were silly dragons. They should have chosen /you/, 'Lani!" She hugs her sister tightly, seemingly more upset by the outcome than Mehlani is. K'tyn walks in from the bowl. K'tyn has arrived. Pierron sniffs thoughtfully as the Weyrleader arrives, grunting a greeting. Mehlani just hugs Anra to her, while F'hlan, bronze Tzornth's rider, shakes his head gently at whatever it was his oldest daughter murmured to him. Then F'hlan wraps an arm around both girls, while fire lizards wheel and warble about them all. Ro gets a mug of klah from a passing drudge and sips it. Jaynelle walks here from the Inner Cavern. Jaynelle has arrived. Jaynelle walks down the short tunnel and out into the bowl. Jaynelle has left. Thaniel looks up..he follows Jaynelle Thaniel walks down the short tunnel and out into the bowl. Thaniel has left. Krystyna walks down the short tunnel and out into the bowl. Krystyna has left. Long distance to Anra and Melora: Mehlani doesn't know if either of you would have caught it, but Mehlani murmured to her Da, "I'm sorry, Father..." Anra sniffles and wipes her nose with the back of her hand, "/I/ would have Impressed you if I was a dragon, 'Lani." Her reassurance is firmly stated, with an emphatic nod. K'tyn walks in, humming under his breath. "Heya," he says quietly, his ears still ringing from the many bugles the Prometh blasted out earlier. K'tel walks in from the bowl. K'tel has arrived. "I know," Mehlani murmurs gently to Anra. In the meantime, F'hlan glances up at the sound of K'tyn's voice, and flicks a faint lopsided smile at the younger bronze rider. "Benden's duties," Tzornth's rider might be heard to murmur. Ro nods politely to the weyrleader, whether or not he happens to see it. Reed seems brimming with pleasure despite his bleak hands. He wanders quietly through the crowd over to one of the serving tables, and serves himself up a warm mug of klah. K'tel walks in, pulling off his gloves. He looks around, smiling to those he knows, "Igen's duty to Telgar. I see I got here too late." Melora slips her hand onto Mehlani's shoulder, and squeezes it gently. Erdrick looks over at Lani, figures she's to busy to have heard him and just stares at the fire, lost in thought. Anra peers up at her sister, "Do you want me to stay for a while?" K'tyn is in the midst of filling goblets with Benden Red. "Anyone--care to join me? Ah, Telgar's Duties to you, and your weyr, K'tel, F'hlan." Kailia nods to the Weyrleader, "Good hatching...." K'tyn nods at Kailia. "A surprising one, for me, that's true. I would never have guessed the pairings that were made. Or not made--Tis a good thing I was not betting tonight A faint chuckle escapes him. "I'd have lost buckets." K'tel sighs, mouth quirking up at one corner, "I knew we were too slow." He walks farther in, "That's what I get for trying to do everything." He looks at Kailia with a smile, "Really? Who got which?" Kailia shakes her head, "I didn't bet on it at all. I figured for my first hatching, it might not be a good idea. Maybe the next one." Ptodek walks here from the Inner Cavern. Ptodek has arrived. Berylle walks here from the Inner Cavern. Berylle has arrived. Giving Anra another hug, Mehlani tells her softly, "If you want to stay, I... think I need to rest a bit, but..." "Then we should let you rest," says F'hlan to his older daughter. Benden's Weyrleader has one hand on his weyrmate's shoulder and the other on 'Lani's, and he glances inquiringly sidelong at Melora for her reaction. Berylle shrugs to Ptodek as she walks in. "You could visit. Or you could come be a miner too." Ptodek enters with his head lowered and his face blotchy and tearstained. As usually, he makes straight for the food tables-- but this time, without looking at anyone. Kailia wrinkles her face, "there's S'dar, A'sher, Aurian, Arallia, KhartyNeila, and Jayna, I believe that I know well." Jessalyn walks here from the Inner Cavern. Jessalyn has arrived. Melora glances at her daughter closely, then agrees. "We should let you rest. If you like, I could bring Anra by tomorrow..." Anra chews on her bottom lip. "I'll come back and visit in a few days." After a brief hug, she leans back against her father, excitement fading and exhaustion taking it's toll. K'tel blinks, "S'dar? Used to be Sandar?" A bigger smile appears, "What color did he get?" Jessalyn, still dressed in her robe, but with an oversized jacket tossed over her shoulders, creeps back into the cavern. "Bronze!" Jessie pipes up in immediate and joyful response to K'tel, probably joining several others giving the same answer. Ptodek mumbles, "Bronze. He got a bronze." Reed grins over towards K'tel for a moment and continues to sip his klah quietly. Ptodek grabs a bubbly pie and stuffs it into his mouth, not bothering to fix a plate or take a seat, but standing right there at the serving-table. F'hlan is a steady presence behind Anra, and as Mehlani murmurs to her kin, "I'll be alright...", the bronze rider nods gravely. He moves his hand to clasp Mehlani's, once, and he tells her steadily, "We're still proud of you, hatchlet." Kailia nods, "Why, yes. He got a bronze. We're rather proud of him!" Mehlani hugs each of her family members in turn, and manages a smile. Erdrick looks over at Lani then stares intently at the fire. "I'll go wait by Tzornth," pipes up Anra, exhaustion allowing emotion to threaten to overcome her. She flees the room. K'tyn grins, laughing with Jessie and joining in as well. "Twas a surprise to all of us. That bronze wanted to take his time, hm? And did you see teh way he looked at Jehrina?" Melora hugs her daughter tightly, her eyes echoing F'hlan's statement. Anra walks down the short tunnel and out into the bowl. Anra has left. K'tel nods, looking quite satisfied, "I should think so. That is very good news." He notices F'hlan finally and gives Igen's duties to the Benden Weyrleader as well. Ptodek eyes Mehlani and her parents, and the new riders with their clusters of admirers. He sinks onto a bench at a nearby table, not even reaching for a second bubbly. "Good night," is Mehlani's farewell to both her parents, and with that, F'hlan inclines his head to her, and steps back to take Melora's hand. As he does, he catches K'tel's eye, and echoes the other Weyrleader's social nicety, his face steady, his eyes reflecting more than he probably suspects. R'val has arrived. R'val enters from the Bowl. Pierron nods knowingly as the assistant weyrlingmaster enters. R'val walks down the short tunnel and out into the bowl. R'val has left. Melora takes F'hlan's hand. "We'll visit soon," she promises Mehlani, and they go to join Anra. Melora walks down the short tunnel and out into the bowl. Melora has left. "Telgar's duties," Jessalyn murmurs to K'tel, as she realizes she's been a bit lax in her manners. Berylle walks towards the inner cavern. Berylle has left. K'tel cranes his neck around the cavern, giving Jessalyn a smile as he does so, "I don't suppose Nimiriel's wandering around somewhere?" Mehlani's family might be making its departure, but most of the fire lizards do not, the Benden-banded greens still mingling with 'Lani's own sizeable fair. The entire lot of them croon in uncertain tones at the girl, even as she moves to take up Holl and place him on her shoulder. Jessalyn tucks a stray piece of hair behind her ear and shakes her head. "I...I'm not sure." Taking a quick glance around, she leans a bit closer to K'tel and murmurs quietly, "She's been sort of grumpy lately anyway." Berylle walks here from the Inner Cavern. Berylle has arrived. Erdrick watches Lani with one eye, cautious, not sure what, if anything, to do about her, he stands up and goes to the klah pot. Berylle comes back in, dressed now, a bag slung over her shoulder. She goes over to Ptodek and gives him a light hug. "Bye. I want to leave before my Da finds me." K'tel raises a brow, frowning slightly, "She has?" He looks closer at the woman, "Have we met? I'm K'tel, Zmeth's rider, from Igen." Berylle walks off towards the kitchen. Berylle has left. From the kitchen, Berylle enters the kitchen from the living cavern. From the kitchen, Berylle pushes her way past scurrying kitchen girls and into the storeroom passageway. Mehlani considers, letting Rianet alight on her other shoulder, and then the girl scans her fair. They hover and whirl anxiously about her, and without another word, the lass slips off into the inner caverns. Ptodek blinks in surprise at this. "Well, bye.." he calls after Berylle. You walk towards the inner cavern. Inner Cavern(#1272RJL$) Obvious exits: Steam Baths INFirmary Candidate Barracks Corridor Weyrfolk Quarters Living Cavern Kailia walks in from the living caverns. Kailia has arrived. You head towards the corridor to the weyrfolk quarters. Dormitories(#1277RA$) Contents: Aleta Lost and Found Cabinet (OOC) Obvious exits: Inner Cavern Mehlani steps into the room, moving quietly towards the cot she's set up again in her old place. Just as quietly, she opens up her press and pulls out of it her winter jacket. A few soft shrugs to clear her shoulders of fire lizards, and then she slips the jacket on, and moves back out of the room, surrounded by hovering fire lizards as she goes. You walk off towards the Inner Cavern. Inner Cavern(#1272RJL$) Obvious exits: Steam Baths INFirmary Candidate Barracks Corridor Weyrfolk Quarters Living Cavern You walk through the large entrance to the Living Cavern. Telgar Weyr's Living Cavern(#750RJM$) Contents: Jessalyn Ptodek K'tel Ro Erdrick Reed(#11771PJce$) Obvious exits: Lower Caverns Kitchen Bowl Erdrick stares thoughtfully towards the inner cavern, then blinks as Lani reappears. Mehlani passes through again, now wearing a jacket -- the riding jacket that's been hers since she moved to Telgar Weyr. Holl has reclaimed his place on her shoulder, and the cloud of fire lizards streams in 'Lani's wake, behind and above and beside her, as she strides quietly out into the Bowl. You walk down the short tunnel and out into the bowl. Southern Bowl(#396RJL$) Contents: Amberan Zmeth Jaynelle Flour Pot Obvious exits: Living Cavern Central Bowl Weyrleaders' Complex Outer Infirmary Guest Weyr Records Room Jaynelle walks north. Jaynelle has left. A silent figure wearing a battered brown hat and swathed in a riding jacket, escorted by fifteen fire lizards, Mehlani makes her way northward through the Bowl. Amberan walks beneath the lintel and disappears into the living cavern. Amberan has left. You walk north. Central Bowl(#298RL$) Contents: Elya Alais Dragon Snowscape Obvious exits: Weyrling Barracks Southern Bowl Lake Shore Hatching Cavern Feeding Grounds Runner Pasture Weyr Entrance Elya looks around, quizzically."Is something the matter?" Alais blanches slightly. "It was all right," she says, softly. Elya looks concerned."I...I trust that you are alright?" Alais shakes her head. "I'm just acclimating to.. changes, is all." And that smile, a chin lift. Silent, the fifteen-some-odd fire lizards trailing after her in the air the only noise that heralds her passing, Mehlani makes her way through the Bowl. [End log.]