Dark Brown Speckled Egg finally seems to make some progress, when it’s awkward twitches come to an end. There’s some quieter shaking, and then, barely audible, the sound of the shell cracking. Audible, but not visible, the dark ovoid still looking well intact from the outside. Another little shake, and then, all at once, a number of small fractures appear along it’s sides, growing like vines to stretch from base to narrow point.

And that seems to be all the Dark Speckled Brown egg can take. With that one last shake, the dark ovoid shatters, coming apart along the seams formed by many cracks and fractures in the shell, as a small bronze headknob bursts into view at its crown. With another shake, the larger pieces come completely loose and are shrugged aside, the small dragonet struggling with his forelimbs and wings, pushing free of his confinement. Finally, each of the largest pieces fall away, and forward steps the handsome young bronze, confidently entering into the chaotic world around him.  

---*** Serenely Centered Bronze Hatchling ***---

A small, well-shaped being of sculpted bronze, this young dragon stands resplendent, his dark hide seemingly forged of some single piece of molten metal. Turning, light passing across his immaculate hide, one is treated to a thousand different shades; in the absence of all but the dimmest light, it is a depthless deep brown, with only the slightest metallic tinge, while direct illumination reveals a glorious, bright polished sheen. Between ranges every shade of bronze, copper, and patinaed green, all of these mixed seamlessly together, encasing his somewhat generously rounded form. That shape is no less natural, no less liquid, flowing gracefully between every curve, from snout to tail, wingtip to wingtip. From his softly protruding headknobs, down around his neck and chest, and even along his tail, there is not a single sharp point or line. Even his wings, now still small, their membranes thin, and partially translucent, hang about him like a shimmering, scintillating aura. Everything is gentle, seemingly soft, at a glance, despite the obvious firmness of the muscles which ripple beneath. A constant contradiction, and likewise balance, found between that inherent strength, and his more gentle, kindly appearance.

Orria can’t help but laugh at her friend’s words, before she shakes her head and turns her attention towards the hatchling she guessed correctly. “She is pretty.” Remarks the candidate, as she leans forward a little to get a better look at the green, but then the bronze catches her attention, “Look! It’s a bronze!”

Br’mar looks over at Riva and says, “I’ll be glad to see that one impress,” pointing to the newly hatched bronze dragonet. “He reminds me of Silventh. Well, for about the first hour or so, that is..”

Anyrys’s gaze is also captured by the green and then the bronze, her words are lost in the general noise of the sands as she prances a little. The sands are definitely scorching her feet for the moment, what relief it would be to stick them in some cool water.

Voeran gasps as the bronze makes it’s appearance, he turns to Orria “Now there’s a handsome fellow, he’s something else indeed!!” He gives Orria’s hand a squeeze and watches with rapt attention.

Riva asks, “The first hour, Br’mar?”

Root Beer Barrel Egg spins around in place once, twice, three times, then swivels to a stop. A little piece of shell breaks off from near the top and flitters down to the sands, landing amongst another hatched egg’s shards.

Laytai’s mouth opens a bit, before she remembers her manners and shuts it, but not for long. “A little Bronze! It’s so dear!” The bronze is given a smile before all eyes go back to the little green. She grins ear to ear, and she remember to shift her feet about a little bit. “Shells, my feet aren’t gonna like to be walked on later.” Eyes twinkle with humor.

Compassionate Ingenue Hatchling is finally on the move, ignoring the shell shards around her in favor of casting glances left and right, obviously absorbing everything that catches in her field of vision. The vague white ring of candidates is her next choice and she heads toward a mixed clump of girls and boys, each nervous yet none of what she’s after.

Br’mar nods to Riva with an amused grin, “Then he started sleeping.”

Sanjor has started to pace in the back, the heat and the noise only grating against his irritation. He only needs to wait this out, and then it will all be over. He will get to go home. Instead of looking at the newly hatched dragons, his eyes move now to the upper galleries, the sea of faces hooting and crying and smiling.

The Absent Gelatine Gold Egg seems to be rocking and rolling, the shaking showing no signs of slowing. Finally a crack splits the shell open wide and out tumbles a dragonet, pleased to be outside. Shaking slime from his hide to show his hue, this bombastic blue scrambles up from the sands, a mate to pursue. Wandering in confusion this lad spots a pair of white-robed things and frazzled, sits down to dry his wings. He gives a loud wail, and a sympathetic girl from Starcraft Hall responds to his hail. Cidria comes forward and hugs him tight, “Don’t worry, Xelforth, it will be all right!”

Kathalis missed the bronze’s hatching, peering accusingly at his feet. “Why does it have to be so hot?” He whines before looking around to see how the others are coping.

Gavina notes the most recently hatched bronze. “Ooo, look at him. That’s the first one isn’t he?” She wonders, only to be corrected by a nearby candidate, “Well darn, I missed it.” She glances around, “Did I miss anyone else? How did I miss that?” She wonders, then shrugs and returns to trying to keep track of everything.

The Alcoholic Anamoly Egg hops around, accompanied by soft thuds, and moves away from the other eggs near it. Once it attains freedom, the egg settles back down and is quiet again.

Silventh interrupts his humming again to rumble at his lifemate, who seems to take exception to his perfectly logical tendency to rest when his thread fighting and flying exploits are not needed. Why, if he didn’t rest so much, would he be here on the sands trumpeting the arrival of -his- children?

Anyrys squeezes Orria’s hand as she spots the blue impressing to Cidria, “Look! Wasn’t that Cidria?” She asks as she pauses in her feet shuffling to look toward the green as well. “She’s pretty too.” While she doesn’t really vary what she says, the girl is attentive as she looks everywhere around the sands trying to take it all in.

Serenely Centered Bronze Hatchling slowly shakes the eggshards from his body, taking time to look around himself, at all the people, the other eggs, and the dragons, large and small. Unworried, he almost immediately tries to move forward, but with his hind legs still jumbled beneath him, only succeeds in tumbling forward, landing flatly, his snout in the sand. Complicated, this walking business. But still, a little more effort, and he manages to get his forelimbs underneath him, and back to an upright position.

Voeran turns to Orria, then turns to the bronze hatchling hoping that he’s not hurt himself in his fall, “Orria, who do you think is going to impress next?” Shards but the sands are HOT!

Root Beer Barrel Egg begins to spin again in place, but this time more slowly and shedding more shell as it rotates. A little -pop-, then the egg is on its side, wobbling and weebling its own merry way.

After much rolling about, the Swirly Brown Egg comes to a stop and the top breaks off, revealing an eager blue hatchling. He charges out, making a straight line for a young man from the Beastcraft Hall. The young man looks terrified for just a moment, but by the time the blue reaches him he is smiling brightly, “Xacenth! You’re here, you’re really here!” he shouts just before he and the blue end up in a heap on the hot Sands.

Annwyl’s eyes follow the young bronze into the sand, snout-first. “Poor little one,” she remarks, smoothing down her robe with nervous hands. “He’s a beauty, though. Such bright colors.”

Orria gives Voeran a blank look as she has never considered that, “I don’t know!” Exclaims the candidate as she gives Anyrys’ hand another squeeze of reassurance, for both of them most likely. “I don’t think I’ve ever been this..excited? I don’t even know what exactly I am, but excited and nervous and everything!” Her eyes turn back toward the bronze, green and also the blue that just impressed. “And aye, Any, I think that was Cidria!”

Compassionate Ingenue Hatchling continues on, choosing now to duck behind a group of boys that she has already dismissed and then around a gaggle of girls which stops her merry game momentarily. None of them is for her either and so, on she goes, finally noting something attractive off to one side and making a cheery beeline for it.

A brown hatchling bursts from the Fractured Fudge Egg, shaking shards from one of his forelimbs and his tail. With a sound that sounds more like a irritating screech than anything else, he rushes forward toward a group of boys, choosing as his lifemate a young apprentice smith. H’an catches him deftly and comments, “Good thing I’m not a Harper, Xorronth. That voice would probably have me climbing the walls if I knew how off-key you probably are.” As the brown screeches again, he gets the hint and leads his lifemate to food and oil.

Laytai twirls herself a little bit, trying to cool herself down a little. “Another blue!” She chuckles. “I can’t keep count anymore. 2 blues? 3? And how many greens?” She shakes her head. “Guess it’s not that important! We’ll all know sooner or later!” Still grinning she looks to another Candidate and pokes him. “Look! A brown Impressed!”  

Compassionate Ingenue Hatchling brings her game to an end all too suddenly, pausing at the feet of one particular girl. A perfect serenity stills her form, even her tail, as her discerning gaze rises up towards the candidate of her choice. There she waits for acknowledgment, seeming content to expend all her fledgling patience on this moment.

Kathalis fidgets with his robe, watching the green carefully. He chews his lips as he tries to figure where she is heading, maybe he is trying to a pattern there too.

Anyrys’s face goes extremely white as the green pauses in front of her and then when she hears the voice inside of her head, the girl cries out, “Oh Ayalith! I can help you with that.” She exclaims as she drops Orria’s hand and moves to embrace the green, the girl going to her knees to hug the green hatchling. “And we’ll learn together, we will!”

Riva smiles as her flower girl is chosen. “Congratulations, Anyrys! I’m sure you and Ayalith will be very happy together.”

Root Beer Barrel Egg finally decides to get on with it and rotates about, shell cracking and flying away, intent on delivering a new dragonet onto the sands.  

The Root Beer Barrel egg spins in place slowly, shedding a shard or two before the momentum finally throws it onto one side. A giant crack appears right down the middle and the dark shards finally give way, depositing a rather calm brown dragon onto the sands.

Gavina whoopses at the bronze. “Good thing they have such tough hides.” She says, wiping her hands off on her robe. “Hey, that green stopped in front of someone, who is it? Anyrys? Congratulations!”

Sanjor rubs his forehead along his arm, sweat glistening there and at his temple. His pacing tapers off, and he wipes his hands off on the thighs of his robe. He waits, and watches, eyes narrowed. His head turns fully as some commotion erupts near his sister, his head whipping to look in that direction. His nostrils flare, his pupils constricting to little points—before he relaxes, shaking his head.

---*** Intelligent Instructive Brown ***---                

Sun-baked hazel traces the clean-cut lines of this gangly lad’s profile. Soft fawn marble camouflages his muscles’ true depth, roped in wiry splendor. Stiff breakers of wheat clasp his neckridges, vying with the darker soil rushing up from overlong wingspars. The sails that sprout from those gawky spars are traced here and there with lines of faint sepia: the soft susurration of feathers, though he needs them not to fly. A splendid wheaten collar crests over bulging headknobs and then retreats, leaving too-wise eyes stranded on a canvas of bleached brown bone. Minute ripples of the same sift down belly and leg, outlining muscles and tipping each talon with a pale glimmer of bister before curling ‘round the tip of sapient, serpentine tail. Yet his muzzle is not unadorned. A flicker of darker hues beard in soft curls around his chin, giving the ominous bones of his head some life: an old Uncle who is not quite ready to give up his place in the world.

Voeran grins from ear to ear as Anyrys impresses! “Anyrys! and Ayalith! Congratulations!!!”

Laytai twirls a piece of her long hair around her finger, then she cries with joy, “Any! Any, congrats!” She cheers for her shy friend. “Ayalith! A wonderful name!”

Orria’s expression breaks out into a huge grin when Anyrys finds her lifemate, “Anyrys! I’m so happy for you!” Orria exclaims, as she moves to huddle closer to Voeran, not wanting to get in the way of the newly impressed girl and her lifemate.

An assistant weyrlingmaster approaches Anyrys and Ayalith and ushers the pair off the sands to get something to eat for the hungry green.

Kathalis brightens at the impression, he actually saw one. “Congratulations Anyrys!” He calls out. “She is gorgeous!” Just in case, she hasn’t noticed.

Serenely Centered Bronze Hatchling strikes slowly forward then, once he’s gotten the hang of walking, heading toward the white-robed group with almost absolute certainty. Forward, forward, but- no, he’s made no choice yet, and stops, a good distance from the entire half-circle, scanning them all from a distance, but approaching none. All the consideration, all the decision, seems to be made there, away from the distractions. Finally, he seems made up, and starts further forward, but stops again, likely to the dismay of some, and studies them once more.

The Taffy Egg shivers in its place, ripples passing across its surface of a lake after a stone has been tossed in. Finally a pair of wingtips break through the top of the shell, followed quickly by the small triangular head. Moments later a newly hatched green has joined the chaos on the Sands, yet is not quiet a part of it. She flows slowly, gracefully, across the sands, weaving her head, searching... searching for the tall young lad from Ierne Island, whose deep blue eyes widen in astonishment at his good fortune. “Oh, Palabeth,” K’ran sobs joyfully, crouching down to throw his arms about his new life partner.

Anyrys finds her way off the sands with the aid of the weyrlingmaster, the flower-girl being careful to keep up with her new lifemate.

It doesn’t take long for the steady rocking of one egg - Mesmerizing Spiral Egg - to fall free of the mound and crash into Silventh. The impact frees a small blue hatchling, who shakes his head and looks up and up and up at this big thing that set him free. He scrambles away as fast as his wobbly legs and wet wings will let him, toward the white things. He trundles around a while, tripping over his ungainly limbs until he looks right up into the eyes of A’ragon, the now ex-Vintner apprentice opening his mouth wide in amazement, as he holds the blue close, simply whispering in delight to Pippinth.

Turning a look between Voeran and Orria, Annwyl smiles and quietens her clapping. She rubs her hands together, and then gestures. “They were /right here/,” she says. “I can’t believe it.” Feeling eyes on the back of her head, she then glances over her shoulder, watching her brother watch her for a moment. She waves at him, and then waves him over.

Intelligent Instructive Brown sits amongst its dragon shards for the briefest instant, then the dragonet looks down at his feet, over at his short stubby wings, and decides to take a step forward. Ok, that works. One more.. nothing to this! He ambles down from the mound of half-hatched eggs and shards and makes his way to the candidates purposefully.

Butterscotch Drop Egg :wobbles a bit before taking and egg nose dive falling over and ending up upside down from what it used to be. It continues to shake, the hatchling inside not very pleased at this turn of events.

Shake, shake, shake, goes a fellow Candidate as Laytai dances around, not letting go of his arm, until he politely asks her to stop. “Sorry about that! But Any was a dear friend! And I’m so happy for her.” The boy nods at her and smiles. “Ooo, another blue!” She points and forces herself to not poke or shake anyone around her.

Orria can’t help but look excited, and quite happy as she nods to Annwyl’s words, “Aye they were! This is so. I don’t know!” She exclaims, as she turns her attention back towards the chaos on the sands, “Laytai remember you promised to catch me if I faint!” She does call out towards her other friend, as she squeezes Voeran’s hand very hard.

Serenely Centered Bronze Hatchling sits about, making his decision, for almost a minute, without any sign of interest toward one candidate or another. But suddenly, his mind seems very much made up, and the shining young creature begins an almost frightening charge toward a small knot of candidates, only to reign himself in perfectly, stopped right before one young man.  

The serenely Centered Bronze Hatchling has stopped squarely before you, staring up expectantly, his eyes fixed on yours, seemingly staring into your innermost depths. <<V'ran!>> A rich, warm voice permeates your mind, blasting through everything else-through worries, fears, and doubts-filling you with boundless confidence, and calm. <<Do not worry. I am Amidith and I am here for you. We will be together forever, never lonely or frightened again.>>

 Sanjor stays put, rooted in the back, his glowering presence there innocently construed by some in the galleries as shyness. That poor candidate! He must have such nerves.

The Drop of Chocolate Egg doesn’t waste any time at all. It cracks open revealing a tiny brown hatchling. He manages to rise to his feet and stand unsteadily, a piece of his eggshell stuck on his small head. He inspects the shifting white things around him, squeaks and shakes his head, dislodging the shard just as his eyes meet those of a older Candidate from Honshu Weyr. N’vada says gravely, “Thank you for choosing me, Kevlonth. I’ll take good care of you for the rest of our lives.”

Br’mar takes a drink from his wineskin, only to find out that it’s now empty. “Serves me right for picking a half-filled one,” he mutters to himself, and tosses it away near where his jacket is. He walks closer to Silventh and gives the still-humming bronze a pat on his flank, proudly.

Butterscotch Drop Egg practically jumps up a couple times, landing back down, still upside down before unceremoniously falling over with a soft thud with cracks spreading out from the point at which is hit the ground.

V’ran pauses and looks up at the bronze, “Are you sure bout this Amidith? You are?” He reaches up and wraps his arms around his new lifemate!

Riva grins and says, “Oh boy! Voer....., uh, V’ran found a lifemate! That’s wonderful!” She turns to share the news with Br’mar only to find him with a flask in his face.

Gavina shuffles a few feet from where she was standing to see if she can get a better view of things, though it probably doesn’t help. “Where’d the bronze go..oh, Voeran! Or is it V’ran now?” A rhetorical question for now.

Walking over to V’ran and Amidith, an assistant weyrlingmaster smiles kindly at the new pair and helps them off the sands to join their clutchsisters and clutchbrothers.

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