Sandar pops back out and glares around at everyone. "Alright," he laughs, "who did that?"

Jayna laughs. "A bath? Not for me, not yet. I still need to calm down." She shakes her head wryly. "Maybe in a little while."

Aurian slides up from under the water. She shakes her hair out.

Sandar smirks at Aurian.

Ro blinks "Not me. I've been right here the whole time.

Aurian smirks at Sandar.

Neliea smiles like the perfect example candidate at Sandar. "I didn't and I'm honest! But you did come in here for a bath right?"

Sandar gives Aurian a good ol' splash... not caring if he manages to splatter others in the process of his doing so.

Ro protests "Hey!!!" and proceeds to dunk the boy.

Aurian acks as she gets splashed.

Sandar acks! as he goes under again.

Arallia lowers herself in the water until only her head is exposed and sighs, relaxing in the water. She scoots away from the splashing having splashed herself all out.

Aurian shakes her hair out splattering everyone.

Jayna grins at the splashing. "Oh, shards," she mutters, wiggling out of her outter clothes. She jumps into the springs. "At least there aren't any vegetables in here," she says, cryptically.

Neliea laughs at Sandar as he gets splashed by the others. Moving out of the way, she gathers her hair in a runnertail and wrings out the excess water.

Ro pulls the sputtering Sandar back up and kisses him soundly to drive thoughts of retaliation from his mind.

Jayna blinks at Ro as she kisses Sandy. She laughs, then whistles.

Sandar blushes instantly, and sinks back into the water to hide his rosy cheeks.

Arallia giggles as she watches Ro kiss Sandar and splashes some water at Jayna.

Jayna ducks, too late! Ara's splash takes her right in the face. She uses her arm to splash water toward Arallia, and anybody else she can get to, laughing.

Aurian tackles Sandar in the water, the pair go over in a large splash.

Ro winks at Sandy and leans against the edge of the pool, relaxing.

Neliea just blinks at Ro's rather...surprising kiss to Sandar at first, grinning after a bit. Since she's on the other side of Jayna, she's unsplashed for now.

Arallia acks and covers her face with her hands, thereby missing a splash in

the face and laughs.

Sandar, up out of the water after the blush, goes tumbling back in again with Aurian. "Ikes!" *gurgle*

A sheet of water jumps out of the springs, turning the entrance into a mire.

Jayna continues to splash with abandon, then sighs and sinks into the water, floating.

Aurian laughs as she pops out of the water.

Neliea sighs in happiness, first being able to relax and second that she's not splashed in any way. Ducking under the water, she watches the water slowly rise over her shouders.

Ro ducks under and grabs Aurian's foot, tickling her mercilessly.

Jayna floats gently, a chuckle emerging every once in a while.

The noise that emerges from Aurian can only be described as a shriek of laughter. She starts becoming nigh hysterical.

Ro finally releases the former healer's foot.

Jayna starts and loses her float as Aurian shrieks. Seeing what's going on, though, she grins, and drops back into the water. She takes a handful of sweetsand and starts scrubbing absently.

Aurian pants and glares at Ro. She giggles and tackles the other girl.

Arallia splashes over toward Jayna and grabs a bit of the 'sand herself and starts to scrub her arm.

Ro oofs as the lighter girl tackles her, but quickly recovers and resumes tickling....this time going for the healer's ribs.

This time the healer loses it completely, she writhes and thrashed with laughter.

Ro grins and releases Aurian, ducking under, nowhere to be seen. Is that the jaws theme one hears in the background?

Jayna scrubs her short hair. She grins. "It's been hard, but it's had it's moments, hasn't it? I can't believe we all had to cut our hair off."

Arallia grins over at Jayna, "I know." She tugs a bit at her shortened hair, "But hair does grow back..though mine seems to be growing slowly."

Underwater, Ro grabs Arallia's foot and tickles it....yep, that's right. She's the n⁥xt victim.

Aurian pants helplessly.

Arallia acks loudly and starts to laugh, trying to squirm away. "AIIIIEEEEEE, something has my foot." Though she basically know who has it.

Sandar climbs out of the pool and sits cross-legged beside it, water streaming down his chest to puddle beside the shorts he's wearing. He swings one leg in the water - but only when he's got a wary eye on Ro.

Neliea blinks and blinks again as Aurian is somewhere under the water. Smiling at Jayna, "Mine has grown back a bit, but it's not the same." Running one hand through the aforementioned hair, she grins at someone. Ro perhaps?

Aurian starts to sink to the bottom of the pool.

Jayna continues to scrub, smiling.

Ro releases Arallia and comes up laughing, near Sandar.

Sandar grins.

Ro smiles a truly mischievious smile Sandar's way.

Sandar's grin fades as he peers at Ro. "What are you up to?" he queries her with squinted eyes.

Arallia's laughter calms down and she sends a splash towards Ro, and Sandar.

Sandar smirks and sends a wave of water Arallia's way. "Take that!"

Ro says in an innocent sounding voice "Nothin'." She ducks, barely caught by Arallia's splash.

Jayna sighs. She drops into the water and comes up, dripping. She smiles. "Well, I think I'm clean enough. I'm going to go change, and maybe dust my cot. Wouldn't put an inspection past Richenda, after this evening in the living cavern," she says ruefully, getting out of the springs.

Aurian says, "But we had inspection less than a sevenday ago"

Ptodek walks in from outside the room.

Ptodek has arrived.

Arallia acks and ducks beneath the water, before popping up in the now empty spot left by Jayna. She hmms, "I should probably clean my cot as well then." She hoists herself up from the springs and dries herself off quickly before pulling her clothes back on.

Sandar smirks. "Wouldn't stop 'em from having another one," he grins at Aurian. To Ptodek, he waves from his spot seated by the pool. "Evening, Ptodek!"

Ptodek smiles at those present. "Hi," he says, pulling his boots off and rolling up his trouser legs. He sits down beside the dragon pool and dangles his feet in the water.

Ro says "You comin' back in Sandy?"

Without another word, Aurian wickedly splashes Ptodek.

Sandar shrugs a bit to Ro. "Maybe," he grins. "I'm comfy here soakin' up the steam."

Neliea smiles at Ptodek, from her unsplashable spot. 'Hi Ptodek!"

Arallia waves to Ptodek and scoots out, 'See everyone later!"

Jayna pulls her clothes on--difficult, to say the least--and smiles at her fellow candidates.

Arallia walks off towards the Inner Cavern.

Arallia has left.

Ptodek grins. "Everyone sure is running around like wherries with their heads cut off tonight."

Jayna walks off towards the Inner Cavern.

Jayna has left.

Ro smiles as she comes up, her fingers curling around the bottom edge of Sandar's shorts. She yanks. That the shorts will be coming into the pool seems quite certain. Whether Sandar will be coming with them is less certain.

Aurian sighs, "Hatching is soon, and then all the riders are off at Bitra's Gather."

Sandar most definitely goes in with the shorts to save himself from certain embarrassment. "Ack! Ro!" he cries out as he goes tumbling into the water.

Kharty bursts out laughing as she watches Ro's antics! "Oh oh.." she grins.

Ptodek snickers. "Woo woo!" he cheers.

Ro winks at Tod.....he could be next, you know.

Neliea glances around at the everyone leaving. "Well, I better go check on my cot too." She pauses and shrugs, "By some fate I passed last inspection. And wouldn't it be funny Aurian if those eggs hatched today?" Reaching for a drying cloth, she wraps it around her and makes her way towards her clothes in a neat pile.

Sandar pops out of the water, sputtering and grimacing at Ro.

Ptodek glares at Aurian for splashing him.

Aurian smiles sweetly at Ptodek.

Ro smiles sweetly at Sandar, batting her eyelashes "Back so soon? I'm flattered."

Ptodek mumbles something about darn girls who couldn't Impress a watchwher if they tried. He seems out of sorts this evening.

Sandar can't help but laugh at Ro's antics. "Well, you know," he mumbles.

For that little remark, several girls splash Ptodek.

Ro mu⁲murs "No....tell me all about it."

Neliea hides a grin as she quickly dresses. "See all of you later," waving and watching where she's going, she says before steping out.

Neliea walks off towards the Inner Cavern.

Neliea has left.

Ptodek pulls off his clothes and dives into the pool without a word.

Ptodek slides into the dragon pool.

Aurian swims through the water slowly.

Kharty walks out of the water, gathering her clothes up, quickly dressing. Waving a hand toward the remaining candidates, she nervously walks away, still dripping a little.

Ro dives under, only to burst up out of the water again, her momentum carrying her up until the water is about her waist, if only for a moment before she splashes down again, only her head out.

Kharty walks off towards the Inner Cavern.

Kharty has left.

Ptodek takes a deep breath and slowly slips beneath the surface of the water.

Ptodek resurfaces just in time to watch one of the lower-cavern brats run off with his clothing. "Hey!!" he yells, his shout echoing through the whole cavern. "Get back here!"

Aurian laughs and laughs. She leans back against the wall of the pool and laughs.

Sandar snickers at the plight of poor Ptodek. "Oh, dear."

Ro laughs at the boy's disappearing clothing.

Ptodek blinks openmouthed, helpless, as he holds onto the rim of the pool. "Now

what'm I supposed to do?" he demands of the other Candidates.

Aurian grins at Ptodek, "You can use my jacket

Sandar laughs as he puts his towel near Ptodek. "Use this to get back," he tells the boy. Then nods to Aurian. "Or the jacket," he agrees.

Ro says "Walk to the barracks and get more, silly. Yeash. It's not like anyone

is goin' to care."

Sandar stands up and slips on his shirt, smoothing his wet hair out.

Ptodek glances at Aurian distrustfully. "Well, okay," he says finally, relaxing. "But I'm not done bathing yet." He swims out to the center of the pool and submerges once again.

Ptodek pops up near Aurian, splashing her copiously.

Aurian yelps startled. She tackles Ptodek and pushes him under.

An unexpected noise is heard, a thrumming maybe? Or could it be humming?!

Sandar squints his eyes as his ears twitch. "W... what's that?"

Ptodek flails his arms and legs wildly. Bubbles emerge from under the water.

Aurian backs off Ptodek, as she tilts her head with a blink.

Ptodek manages to get his head above water. "Aucgh.. *splutter*.. stop it, let

go.. what's that?!!"

Sandar scampers out. "C'mon! Something's happening!"

Ro says "What's what?"

Sandar walks off towards the Inner Cavern.

Sandar has left.

Aurian says, "But they said they had a sevenday!"

Ptodek hops out of the pool, not even remembering to grab a towel, and hurries after Sandar.

Ptodek walks off towards the Inner Cavern.

Ptodek has left.

Aurian bounces out of the water. She yanks on her sweater.

You travel along the tunnel into the Weyr, leaving drips of water behind you.

Inner Cavern(#1272RJL$)

This huge cavern lies within the bowels of Telgar Weyr. The ceiling above, somewhat darkened, seems to be black in the dim light of the glows. Under this blackness, it's almost a hive. A large part of this cavern is a place where the lower cavern work is done: washing, making, remaking - endless chatter and noise concentrated around islands of bright glowlight. People come and go from several tunnels to the east and west, adding to general movement. There are several more secluded places with a table and few chairs, used by more idle folk for gaming or chat. In the northern part of the cavern, a small opening in the dark seems to be overlooked by everyone, and quite unused.

From here there is a large entrance into the Living Cavern, the center of activity of the Weyr. There are also smaller entrances leading off into the staff quarters, the tunnel to the springs, and candidate barracks, and a corridor leading deeper into the Weyr.

Several corridors also lead to quarters, the tunnel to the springs, for the more permanent members of the Weyr. You may '+view residents', '+view crafters', or '+view staff' to see them.

Contents:

Ptodek

Sandar

Aladis

Obvious exits:

Steam Baths INFirmary Candidate Barracks Corridor Weyrfolk Quarters Living

Cavern

Ptodek parts the curtain over the entrance to the Candidate Barracks and steps inside.

Ptodek has left.

You part the curtain and step into the Candidate Barracks.

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:

Ptodek

Berylle

Richenda

Arallia

Kharty

Neliea

Mehlani

Jayna

Asher(#15147PJch)

Jaynelle

Rennick

Kyria

Krista

Jessalyn

Alais

Flutterby

Kerile

Obvious exits:

Lower Caverns Hatching Sands

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.

Asher dropped Safehold.

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?"

Public announcement: K'tyn announces "Greetings all! The Telgar Hatching is about to commence. To view the hatching, please +go Telgar-bowl, then head into the Hatching Caverns. Or, you may +watch TGW-sands. Thanks!"

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.

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."

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.

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"

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.

Kharty twists the robe to the front, gasping a little, rushing as fast as she can. "Arg.."

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.

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."

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 heads out towards the hatching sands.

Kerlyn has left.

Alais giggles

Asher heads out towards the hatching sands.

Asher has left.

Ptodek heads out towards the hatching sands.

Ptodek has left.

Neliea heads through the entrance to the inner cavern.

Neliea has left.

You enter the passage to the hatching sands. The tunnel goes to the north some ways, and then curves, heading eastward.

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: Jaynelle Asher Jehrina Kerlyn Aurian Ptodek K'tyn

OTHER: clutch

Obvious exits:

Path to Barracks Galleries

Mehlani emerges from the candidate barracks.

Mehlani has arrived.

Jayna emerges from the candidate barracks.

Jayna has arrived.

Jessalyn emerges from the candidate barracks.

Jessalyn has arrived.

Arallia emerges from the candidate barracks.

Arallia has arrived.

Krista emerges from the candidate barracks.

Krista has arrived.

Sandar emerges from the candidate barracks.

Sandar has arrived.

Kharty emerges from the candidate barracks.

Kharty has arrived.

Alais emerges from the candidate barracks.

Alais has arrived.

Berylle emerges from the candidate barracks.

Berylle has arrived.

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!

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 managed 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 back and 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 squeeze 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.

Sandar watches the green break free and wipes some hair, wet from the sweat accumulating since his first wandering onto the Sands, from his eyes as he gazes at the green. He cranes his neck to get a better look.

The barest flicker of an amused grin flickers across Asher's face. And than it disappears. He scowls down at the burning soles of his feet, flicks the length of the stained robe he's wearing, and looks up at the sands agian.

Aurian's lips curve with a smile as she watches the green for a moment. Her attention is drawn away as she notices another egg starting to rock.

Jayna watches the green hatchling with bright eyes. "She's beautiful," she whispers under her breath, shifting from foot to foot.

Neliea takes the hand and gives it a reasurring squeeze as she looks towards the green hatchling. With her other hand, she tucks a strand of hair behind her ear.

A purplish egg fairly *pops*, like a squeezed, overripe grape. The blue hatchling inside nearly matches the color of the egg it came from. He whips his head back and forth before making a wobbling few steps toward a group of female candidates. Several of them scatter. The one who doesn't manage to get out of way fast enough takes a scrape across her foot from an ill-placed claw. As she yelps, she catches the eyes of the baby blue and immediately forgets her pain as the blue chooses her.

Berylle watches the green, then looks at the eggs, especially the one that's beginning to crack, and then back to the green again, and the eggs, and the green... She gets a bit dizzy and shakes her head.

Ptodek scoots across the sand towards the cluster of most vigorously rocking eggs-- a path which also brings him near the just-hatched blue dragonet.

Ro holds Mehlani's hand firmly. She diverts just enough attention from the eggs and hatchlings to be ready to catch her friend, if necessary. She blinks at the blue and the injured bluerider.

Sorrowful Seashore Singing Egg suddenly tips over onto the soft sand. It rocks a little as it lands, but doesn't crack open. However, it wobbles every now and then.

Jayna winces as one candidate is raked, and watches with concern until it's apparent that the injury is minor. She sighs, smiling, then, as the girl Impresses the little blue.

Kharty remembers to breathe in and out, tho the breath would be called anything but smooth. By now, she's not even feeling the heat from the sands, but every focus is on the hatchling and eggs.

Another Impression, and another bugle erupts from Prometh's throat! Like quickly snapping popped corn, things seem to be happening everywhere.

Forest Suncatcher Green Hatchling gives her tail one last shake to dislodge a particularly irksome section of shell. There... that's better. Slowly, with eyes that burn a shade of red not dissimilar to Rukbat at the day's ending, she surveys her wildly chaotic surroundings. Golden dam and bronze sire receive a high, brassy trumpet of greeting before she turns her focus towards those white-robed things... and, with undeniable purpose, begins to sashay in their direction.

Maylia stands firm before one of the scattering girls, before grinning as the blue chooses. A few strides, and she's near the newly impressed pair, lending the girl support off the sands.

With rapidly moving head motions, a very sweaty Jaynelle seems to be unable to hold on just one sight as she looks around her area of the sands. Her eyes hold on the poor girl who was hurt, but she turns away with a smile as she realizes the outcome. She looks over to Kharty.

Jessalyn's eyes remain wide, blue saucers as she tries to take in all the activity on the sands at once. Blowing a strand of hair out of her eyes, she shuffles a little in the small hollows of sand made by her feet, and continues to watch.

Berylle hops from one foot to another, more from nerves than from the heat. Until she realizes she's hopping, then stops, self-consciously...and her feet get hot, and she hops again. She goes back to watching the hatchlings and eggs instead of her feet.

The Sorrowful Seashore Singing Egg shatters at last. Like the sea tossed against a rocky shore, its blue-green surface breaks against jagged brown, sending a spray of shards crashing upwards in a plume. Larger chunks of shell fall away like wav s receding, and in the quiet pool left behind a brown dragonet stands momentarily motionless on the sand, taking his bearings in the cresting surge of activity.

Streaked Russet Brown Hatchling

Dappled chestnut flame;

Sleeker than a runner's stride--

Gambol, dance... pure grace.

Ptodek backs out of the way of a careening hatchling.. right into Asher. "Sorry," he grunts.

Aurian continues to hold Mehlani's hand tight. She wipes her freehand across her sweating brow, for once she looks thankful for the haircut she had to get. Her head turns in time to see yet another egg crack.

Ro lets go of Sandar's hand just long enough to wipe the sweat from her brow, to keep it out of her eyes. She wipes her hand on her robe before snagging the lad's hand again.

Jayna cheers as a friend impresses. She beams, her cheeks flushed with heat and

excitement. As the brown breaks shell, she grins, watching him move.

Kharty catches Jaynelle's eyes and smiles what she hopes is a reassuring smile. A flying shard catches her eye and she ducks just in time to avoid it's course.

Asher catches Ptodek by the shoulders, steadying him. "Someone drop a vtol in your robe, Crawlie?" He pats Ptodek's shoulder with a hand that shakes betrayingly, and than refolds his arms over his chest.

Sandar stands very still, fingers pressed tightly against sweaty palms, watching in amazement as the multicolored dragonets abandon their former hiding places and stalk their way across the sands to find their new lifemates.

Berylle looks at the new brown, sweat on her brow as she bites her lower lip nervously.

Neliea, concerned for the girl who just impressed a blue, looks around at the the sands. Keeping a firm grip on Ara's hand, she looks about eager to wander the sands. Almost. The newly impressed girl, makes her run a trembling but sweaty hand on her robe.

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 heat 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.

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.

*A voice enters your head, cutting through the surrounding clamor with the tart clarity of sour berry juice after a rich meal. Its tones are warm and masculine, surrounding your mind like the caress of a soft sea breeze, but tickling your senses with a shot of keen complexity. Underneath the first flavor lies a crisp vitality, invigorating as it envelops you in its fresh sense of wonder to joyfully announce:

<< My name is Kvasith! >>

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.

*Kvasith speaks quietly in your mind, his soft words carrying a sense of overwhelming hunger with them. << You are called Aurian, >> he somehow knows. << You are beautiful. >>

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!!

You head off the sands and into the barracks.

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:

Xylath

Neliea

Sioneth

Jayna

Miyath(#2787COe)

Arallia

NOTE: This is not the Barracks, it's the Lake Shore!

Aurian's BPC(#11222s$)

Zephyr Dragon Box

Aladis

Danae(#8095)

Tola(#8841)

Sayvel(#10746)

Jazzy

Safehold

Flutterby

Obvious exits:

Lower Caverns Hatching Sands

Type +candidate help for information.

Miyath has left.

Jayna scratches Sioneth's eyeridge and continues to dribble water over his hide. She uses her hand then, to rub the sand and bits of detritus off, still grinning. "How's that, love?"

Xylath perks up at the mention of a bath and oil, and nudges at Neliea softly, gently with his muzzle.

Kvasith arrives here from the bowl.

Kvasith has arrived.Miyath has arrived.

Arallia dropped Miyath.

Aurian enters with a look of pure wonder. She leans down and caresses Kvasith again.

Neliea smiles down at Xylath and nods. "Okay, we're going," she says with a hint of amusement in her voice.

Aladis as Aurian arrives with a gaggle of others, the AWLM calls out. "Food's over there. Don't feed them too fast or too much."

Miyath follows after her rider, her voice raising in a warble as her leg continues to itch. Ara quickly grabs a large cup and pours the water over her green's leg. "There you go, Miyath all better, right?" The dragonettes contented croons are an obvious answer to her question.

Kvasith follows Aurian in from the sands, happily trailing behind her toward the promise of food. He sounds off with a wheezy trumpet as he sees his clutchmates and their bowls of wherry.

Xylath follows Neliea once again, with one of those puppy-dog expressions. Looks sorta silly on a dragonet, yes? But still, there it is, and why shouldn't he look that way? He's finally with his lifemate, his chosen. His Neliea.

Aurian stands, "Right food." She walks over towards a bowl, "Food for you." Her mind is obviously a bit scattered.

Neliea makes her way towards the edge of the shore, following the others already there. Looking at Aladis, "Um what do I do?" She's curious and more so now.

Aladis says "Wash off the grit and shards. Once the hide is clean, we can work some oil into it."

Jayna grins. "Of course, Sioneth!" she says cryptically. She takes a cup of water and trickles it over the dragonet's head, rubbing gently.

A'sher arrives here from the bowl.

A'sher has arrived.

Arallia smiles at her crooning lifemate and starts to wash her hide free of sand and egg particals.

*Kvasith touches your mind once again, as his thoughts form words << I know you will feed me, >> he says in a swirl of hunger. << I know you love me. I love you, Aurian. >> When he says your name, he inffuses it with a sense of goodness so intense it seems to be a color, a flavor, a scent of perfect flowers. << We are together, and I know I am safe. >>

Yasinth arrives here from the bowl.

Yasinth has arrived.

Aladis says "A'sher, there's food in the barrels. Not too quickly and not too much. Once she's full, take her over and wash off the grit from her hide."

Neliea taking a cup and filling it with water she settles next to her Xylath and slowly begins to rinse the grit off of his hide.

Kvasith trails after Aurian with an eager expectation. He remains at her side, within reach of her fingertips, ruffling his wings to dry the sticky egg fluid from their sails.

A'sher staggers in his noiseless way into the barracks, and gives Aladis a glazed look, a vacant smile, and a short nod. "Of course."

Aurian looks almost weakened as she offers a chunk of meat to Kvasith, "Oh...."

Yasinth warbles. Food? Food is good.

A'sher trails his fingers over the hide of the darling green lady beside him, leading her forward. "But slowly," he remembers, and repeats, for Yasinth's sake.

Xylath croooooons with pleasure, eyes lidding more fully now, as the water cleans the grime and stray shards of shell off his hide at last. Not quite enough to soothe the itch, but it goes a long /long/ way toward helping.

Sioneth has left.

Sioneth has arrived.

Yasinth's head shoots forward to grasp at the offered morsel.

Kvasith snatches the wherry from Aurian's hand, gobbling the chunk of meat without chewing it. As he swallows, he plunges his head as far into the bowl as possible.

A couple of older riders place out barrels of oil as Aladis calls crisply to the weyrlings, "Your dragons will let you know where it itches most. Start there and work your way out. Eventually you'll want to coat the whole hide."

Aurian yelps and pulls the bowl away, "No no no dear one." She tries to look a bit fierce but its not possible, "Slowly please Kvasith. "

A'sher twists a dark brow almost idiodically as he nearly looses a finger to his lifemate. "Slowly...." he murmers, frowning at the offered meat. Was it good enough?

Yasinth leans forward, trying to get into the bowl.

Aurian continues to speak to Kvasith, "And chew it."

That grin is still on Neliea's face as she pours more water over her lifemate's hide, washing away the grit and shell. "Is that better," she asks while scratching his belly.

*Kvasith fills your mind with simple delight. << This is good! You are wonderful. I will eat all that there is, and then I can-- >> His thoughts are interrupted as you snatch the bowl away, and are replaced by an apologetic sense of remorse. << I was wrong? But the meat is so good. You call it wherry. Why? >>

A'sher lifts both hands to soothe and smooth them over Yasinth's green hide. "Gently, lady, slowly, love. Not so quickly, and not so much."

Jayna blinks, wide-eyed, looking up from Sioneth. She glances, surprised to see the number of weyrlings now in place. "Asher, Aurian, congratulations!" she says, beaming.

Kvasith pauses for a moment as the bowl is snatched away, his eyes whirling with worry. Even as he manages to look apologetic, however, he thumps the bowl with the tip of his wedge-shaped shout.

Arallia moves with Miyath over to the oil bins and starts on her lifemate's left flank, working the oil in and she looks up with a grin, "Congrats Asher, Aurian!"

Aurian reaches down and caresses Kvasith again, "No love, you just didn't know. You need to chew slower so you don't choke. That hurts." She runs her fingers over the delicate brown hide, "Wherry is an animal that flies, not like a dragon. We eat it." She offers another chunk to Kvasith, "Slowly love."

Sioneth's eyes whirl as he enjoys the bath. He glances around, brashly curious.

Aladis settles back against her own lifemate's chest, watching the weyrlings. The faint hint of memory shines from the older greenrider's eyes.

Neliea takes a moment to look at Asher and Aurian. "Congrats you two," she says and looks for oil now? "Um, he's clean now..but is there any oil?"

Kvasith takes the chunk of offered meat with a delicate nip, chewing it twice before bolting it down. His tail curls forward to touch Aurian's toes.

Aurian smiles and offers another chunk to Kvasith, her hand caressing him as he chews.

A'sher gently offers another handful, as much as his own pale hand can offer. "Yes, more, as much as you want! But chew it all, and than swallow it. And do this slowly. And...And...You know, /I/ am terribly hungry...."

S'dar arrives here from the bowl.

S'dar has arrived.

Xylath has left.

Stained Cointreau Bronze Hatchling arrives here from the bowl.

Stained Cointreau Bronze Hatchling has arrived.

*Kvasith seems satisfied as he continues to eat more slowly. You can sense his hunger, but you can also sense his growing contentment, and his interest in the world around him now that his belly is being filled. << You are soft, >> he announces. << The ground is hard. Am I soft to you? >>

Aladis smiles at S'dar, then quickly looks firm again. Asabeth gives a smug bugle of welcome to the young bronze. "The meat's over there. Don't feed him too fast or too much. Once he's full, you can wash off the grit with some lake water then oil him."

Xylath has arrived.

Neliea dropped Xylath.

Aurian smiles at Kvasith as she touches him, "Wonderfully soft."

Yasinth chews the bit of meat, then swallows it. She creels up at her lifemate for more.

Arallia looks up and grins over to S'dar, "Congrats Sandy!" She says before turning back to her lifemate and oiling another patch of her flank, the green crooning with irritation at the itch.

Kvasith looks up from his wherry for just a moment, eyes meeting Aurian's. He hums softly to her.

Jayna sighs, attention on her lifemate. "I know, love. How about some oil? That'll help," she says. Rushing toward the oil, she begins to slather the hatchling's hide. Her face has the most amazing smile. She can't seem to stop.

A'sher chuckles and croons to Yasinth, feeding her as quickly as he dares without hurting her. His eyes flick for the barest of moments to a friend, and he smiles broadly. "Beautiful," he tells S'dar.

Aurian smiles down at her Kvasith, anything else she might have been thinking of is far from her mind.

S'dar wanders over, still looking dazed, as he grabs a strip of meat and holds it tentatively in front of the bronze. He gives the other Weyrlings wide grins. "I can't believe it," he utters.

Chezroth gratefully devours the strip of bloody flesh offered to him.

*Kvasith washes against you again with a wave of affection. << I could hear you as soon as I hatched, >> he confides. << We are for each other. Did you hear me? >> A tickling sensation is at the back of his presence, like an itch between his neckridges.

Jayna beams broadly at S'dar. "I'm so happy for you, Sandy! For all of you," she says, glancing around. "Shards, for me too, and for Sioneth," she grins unabashedly. Sioneth butts her hand as she stops oiling for a moment. "Oh, I'm sorry, love," she says, immediately contrite, and continues to oil the dragonet.

Yasinth has left.

Yasinth has arrived.

A'sher dropped Yasinth.

Aurian murmurs softly, "The moment you came to me, I heard you. I will always hear you now." She reaches along Kvasith and scratches him softly.

S'dar wipes his eyes a bit as he feeds the bronze - not too much, he was told, though this bronze eats like he could eat forever. "Sure," he says, holding up some strips of meat and watching the new dragonet go to work on it.

Chezroth eats happily, his muzzle covered in some-random-beast blood.

Looking for the oil, Neliea finds the a small pail filled with oil. Applying it to Xylath's hide, she starts with his belly and works her way outwards.

A'sher is tracing and smoothing wingtips and lines, holding out his handful of food faithfully, dreamily. Occasionally, a word is interjected between himself and Yasinth, and than he falls silent agian, to marvel.

Kvasith lifts his head away from the meat as Aurian reaches up to -that spot- on his back. As she scratches, his head turns, neck twisting to the side until his eyes, now-lidded, point at the ceiling and floor. Of its own accord, his back leg thumps against the sandy shore.

Glancing around, Sioneth's eyes whirl. He seems to want to look everywhere at once. Jayna grins at him, with faint bemusement, as she oils.

S'dar wipes lovingly at the blood on Chezroth's muzzle... it may be blood, but it's blood on _his_ lifemate's muzzle. Quickly he reaches down to scratch the bronze's shiny tail. Seeing the others pattering oil on the new dragonets, he looks around for some.

Chezroth stops eating to twitch his tail quite a bit. Once his lifemate begins scratching though, he stretches his neck out and CROOOOOOOOOONS with pleasure.

Aurian giggles softly as she scratches her own lovely one, "More meat Kvasith? Or shall we bathe so we can take care of that little itch."

*Kvasith is an overwhelming happiness in your mind. << Yes! There! You knew where I itched! Oh... You have fingers. I wish I had fingers. Fingers are wonderful. What is a bath? >> As he asks, his thoughts catch up with his words, and he surmises, << You wish me to go in the water? What is it like? I will try. >>

Arallia settles down near Miyath and rubs the greens eyeridges, with the dragon crooning quietly at her lifemate. Ara smiles at Miya and says, "Yes, you're very pretty Miyath. The prettiest green I've ever seen!"

S'dar turns back to the bronze, "I won't stop," he says, going to work on scratching again. His other hand, however, searches around for some oil.

Chezroth sighs.

Aurian places the meat down and walks towards the water. "Come on, the water is lovely if a little cool." She walks slowly so Kvasith can keep up.

Kvasith waddles dociley after Aurian toward the edge of the lake. Lowering his head, he touches his chin to the water, then yanks it back in surprise. He looks to his new lifemate with undisguised glee.

Yasinth tosses her frosted head suddenly. She's had enough of that eating bulderdash! With a graceful pouncing bound, she trots after Kvasith curiously, wings slightly unfurled.

Aurian giggles at Kvasith, "Water, its wonderful!"

*Kvasith is amazed. << This is water. It is not sticky. The water in my egg was sticky. Will you wash me? I would like to try standing in this... lake. You call it a lake. >>

A'sher scrambles quickly after Yasinth, hands extended palm-up in pleading. "Should you swim so soon? Are you certian you know how? Oh, wait for me!"

S'dar feeds Chezroth with one hand and scratches him with the other, looking very busy indeed, and Weyrling classes haven't even begun yet!

Chezroth looks about, watching his siblings heading for the water.

Aurian hikes her robe up and ties it off so she can wade in, "I will wash you, I will wash you."

Croooning in delight Xylath, rubs his muzzle against Neliea arm as she oils his hide. Grinning, she starts a stedy monoluge to her lifemate. "I'm getting all of the places..only two hands here and one is oiling you," she says eyes twinking in amusement.

Maylia arrives here from the bowl.

Maylia has arrived.

Kharty arrives here from the bowl.

Kharty has arrived.

Virroth arrives here from the bowl.

Virroth has arrived.

Kvasith steps into the water slowly, one foot at a time, each time watching as his talons are covered by the lake-- and each time looking up at Aurian after one foot disappears. When all four are in, he suddenly drops onto his belly with a splash and another wheezy bugle of delight.

A'sher follows the washing wake of water that Yasinth creates in a wild watery plunge. She halts mid-bounce, one claw raised. A drop of water falls from her talon, and A'sher drops to her side, lifting his hand to carress her muzzle. "Yes, you see?" With a swipe of his hand, he dashes aside a palmful of water.

Virroth follows his Kharty and regards her with eagerness. His creel suggests great hunger...he was a long time in that shell!

Aladis nods to Kharty, "Food's there, not too much and not too fast. Once he's full, you can wash off the hatching grit and oil his hide."

Chezroth cranes his neck to see what the others are up to. Can't have them going off for fun without him, no, no, no...

Maylia leads Kharty and her blue, keeping her steps slow for now, the speed of a hatchling dragon.

Jayna continues to oil Sioneth, and continues to grin. The brown relaxes into her attentions, although he seems easily distracted...by the other dragonets, by the riders, by the play of the light on the water.

Kharty nods, still reeling from impression. "Food. Yes." She stutters, barely able to keep her eyes off the blue.

S'dar grins, "you'll find out soon enough," he mutters to the bronze. Finally his hand alights upon a vial of oil, and he goes to work oiling away at the itchy spot. "Hey," he says, "where do you think..."

Ro arrives here from the bowl.

Ro has arrived.

Aurian giggles at Kvasith, "Lovely," She starts wordlessly spilling some of the water onto her lad. She grins as she watches it run over his body.

Ro heads through the entrance to the inner cavern.

Ro has left.

Chezroth squirms at this new sensation... oil... hmmmmm.

Kharty goes over to the food bin, grasping several chunks of juicy meat. "I'm coming, Virroth..", she grins. "Coming!"

Mehlani arrives here from the bowl.

Mehlani has arrived.

S'dar peers over at Kharty, "where're you going?"

Mehlani heads through the entrance to the inner cavern.

Mehlani has left.

Yasinth lowers her head and snorts a great gush of water towards her lifemate, her lifemate's friends, and her lifemate's friend's lifemates.

Jaynelle has arrived.

Kharty laughs. "I have no idea, S'dar! I'm sooo happy!"

Virroth tries to remain still and not bounce as he smells meat, but the wheeling of his eyes goes into fast mode.

Chezroth takes a tentative step towards the water.

Jaynelle smiles as Starshine gently backwings to a landing on her shoulder.

Kvasith thrumms happily as the water cascades over his sticky, new-hatched hide. But even as he swiches his tail in the lake, expreimenting with ripples and the feel of a wave against his flank, he head moves lower and lower, closer to the surface of the water. And his eyelids get heaver and heaver.

Jaynelle smiles as Valor flies over and lands on her shoulder.

Neliea spreds out the oil, over Xylath grinning at her fellow werylings?

Kharty wobbles a little, burning feet obviously forgotten, as she makes her way to her lifemate.

A'sher heads out towards the hatching sands.

A'sher has left.

You enter the passage to the hatching sands. The tunnel goes to the north some ways, and then curves, heading eastward.

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 A'sher Jehrina Kerlyn(Asleep) Aurian Ptodek K'tyn Kyria(Asleep)

TelgarW_Items(Asleep) Berylle Krista

OTHER: clutch

Obvious exits:

Path to Barracks Galleries

Kharty emerges from the candidate barracks.

Kharty has arrived.

Virroth emerges from the candidate barracks.

Virroth has arrived.

Ptodek chokes back further sobs and releases Berylle suddenly, stepping back enough to wipe his nose on his robe, and glancing about, looking for the proper exit to use.

Krista moves over to Berylle and Ptodek and mutters something about next time.

S'dar emerges from the candidate barracks.

S'dar has arrived.

Jayna emerges from the candidate barracks.

Jayna has arrived.

Chezroth emerges from the candidate barracks.

Chezroth has arrived.

Neliea emerges from the candidate barracks.

Neliea has arrived.

Berylle looks at Ptodek. "You okay?"

Aladis emerges from the candidate barracks.

Aladis has arrived.

Ptodek nods wordlessly, still sniffling.

Arallia emerges from the candidate barracks.

Arallia has arrived.

Kvasith emerges from the candidate barracks.

Kvasith has arrived.

Kharty leans a hand down and skritches Virroth's chin lovingly. "Just a few minutes now.."

Krista says "Well it's been a long day, and I should get to bed."

Krista walks over towards the galleries.

Krista has left.

Virroth sniffs at Kharty's hand and warbles delicately...for a dragonet who wants about a half-ton of raw bovine.

Jayna walks over towards the galleries.

Jayna has left.

Alais walks over towards the galleries.

Alais has left.

Maylia emerges from the candidate barracks.

Maylia has arrived.

K'tyn offers a salute to the newest riders at Telgar and their fine beasts. "Good evening to you all, but I think I'm going to go have a glass or four of some fine Benden wine." He heads out, to the bowl.

K'tyn walks over towards the galleries.

K'tyn has left.

Kvasith keeps his tail coiled about Aurian's feet.

Berylle heads off towards the bowl on the way to the weyrling barracks.

Berylle has left.

Ptodek heads off towards the bowl on the way to the weyrling barracks.

Ptodek has left.

Neliea heads off towards the bowl on the way to the weyrling barracks.

Neliea has left.

Virroth thinks Kvasith has a fine idea and wraps his tail around Kharty's legs, the better to keep her close, lest some other dragonet want his person!

Neliea emerges from the candidate barracks.

Neliea has arrived.

Prometh has left.

Jayna emerges from the candidate barracks.

Jayna has arrived.

Sioneth has arrived.

Aurian kneels down next to Kvasith. She runs her hands over him, still lost completely.

Miyath has arrived.

Xylath has arrived.

Chezroth has left.

Maylia watches the new pairs, a soft look to her eyes.

Chezroth has arrived.

Jehrina grins, "Congratulations, weyrlings. You're the newest addition to Telgar Weyr since the Benden contingent moved here. It's my hope you'll be a stronger bridge between the groups. You'll want to be taking your new lifemates to the barracks now, I think. I'm sure the weyrlingmasters have plenty to explain to you."

Aladis heads off towards the bowl on the way to the weyrling barracks.

Aladis has left.

Arallia walks over towards the galleries.

Arallia has left.

Maylia walks over towards the galleries.

Maylia has left.

You walk up the stairway into the galleries.

Galleries(#382RJ$)

Stretching along the eastern wall of the hatching cavern, these tiers of seats have enough room for several hundred spectators for Clutchings and Hatchings. To one side, long shallow steps descend to the entrance. There is also a railing separating the lowest tier of seats from the Hatching Sands themselves. Other parts of the galleries are closed off from the sands by a wall to the north and south. From here you can reenter the bowl, or head for a quieter area of the galleries. There is also a pathway down to the sands. Type 'clutch help' for help with clutch commands.

To see stuff on the sands, 'view sands' or 'view sands