The morning air was sharp and clear, a few idle dragon bugles interrupting the quietness. The day would be a fine one, with no Thread scheduled to fall. And the Hatching would happen any day now, to judge by the reports of Weyrwoman Bretta. And no one dared to question her words. She had proven to be right too many times for anyone to doubt her.

One trumpet cut across Weyr, drowning out any other noises. It was filled with excitement and happiness. Its brassy tone was unmistakable, belonging to Tidith, the Weyrleader's bronze. That same instant, a low noise began to reverberate throughout the bowl, easily penetrating to reach the depths of the lower caverns. The weyrfolk and the dragonriders knew this hum well. It was a signal to all, saying that a miraculous event was going to happen. The hatching of the dragon eggs.

Immediately, Bretta jumped to her feet, her voice carrying throughout the dining caverns, where everyone had been enjoying their morning meals. "The candidates!" she cried. "They must be gathered and taken to the Sands, at once!"

Several minutes later, everyone had settled into the tiers surrounding the Hatching grounds. But the excitement hadn't died down, buzzing through the air instead. This day was going to be the start of twenty-six new lives-- twenty-eight if the rumors were true.

Iz'tak settled down next to Bretta, giving his weyrmate's hand a gently squeeze. The smile upon his face revealed that the young Weyrleader was nervous. "This is it," he told her softly, his eyes concentrating upon the shaking eggs.

The candidates were led onto the grounds, fifteen figures cloaked in the ceremonial white robes. They formed a loose circle around the eggs, careful to stay several meters away from Anissimoth. Just in case she should prove to be broody. The hum had been taken up by her mate, Tidith, as well as the other dragons of the Weyr. They were welcoming the new ranks of the hatchlings. The new dragons. The new protectors of Pern.

Thus, the hatching began.

One of the larger eggs shattered, so suddenly that the crowd had no time to draw its breath. In the midst of the shards of shell, a magnificent bronze stood. His gaze traveled across the males, a haughty expression upon his face. After a moment, when the murmurs of appreciation died down, he began to move, carefully crossing over the broken shell pieces that were scattered around him. In the end, it was his own tail that tripped him. He landed heavily, his nose buried in the searing sand. His wail was loud, echoing in the enclosure of the Hatching Grounds. Immediately, one of the candidates stepped away from the group, rushing to help right the bronze. Suddenly, the boy with the reddish-blond hair began to grin. "You'll be alright, Saragath!" Rydain assured his new lifemate.

After that first impression, the eggs began to rock more frantically. Three eggs burst, leaving three more dragonets to search for their riders. Two blues and a brown were revealed. To the surprise of the audience, both of the blues peeled away to examine the girls, while the brown never wavered from the boys' direction. The first and slightly larger blue managed to blunder across the dunes, his slightly smaller brother following close behind.

The first blue, a beautiful colbat of a rather large size, stumbled over one of the larger sand hills. His feet seemed to get tangle up in his tail, his wings floundering for balance. One girl quickly caught him, a stand of her wavy brown hair falling over her face. "You will be less clumsy when you are older, Futruth," Aidana told the blue. "And even if you aren't, I will still love you."

The blue cocked his head to the side, watching the impression of his hatchmate with curiousity. Then, he turned his whirling gaze back to the girls standing before him. They stared right back at him, their eyes wide with awe for the handsome light-colored little blue before them. The dragonet strode forward suddenly, his very steps showing her determination. When it was obvious that he wasn't planning on halting his stride, the girls quickly stepped to the side. Only one girl was left, standing quite still as the dragonet approached her. Suddenly, her eyes widened, locked with the blue standing in front of her. "Yes, Evinadath," Lusec agreed to the words that her new lifemate spoke to her. "We will fight Thread, you and I."

The brown did not hesitate towards the lad that he would choose to be his rider. He didn't rush forward quickly, but he moved with an ease and a grace that was hard to find in a hatchling that young. He walked to his rider, nudging his leg gently. Jaerad laughed, kneeling down to embrace the brown. "Oh, Erreth..."

Three eggs shattered, and three new hatchling were spilled out onto the sands. A trio beautiful emerald greens, all of a different shade. They seperated neatly into two groups. Two of the greens scrambled eagerly towards the females, and the third made her way towards the males.

The third green, who was weaving her way through the boys, was the first out of that group to impress. She continued to circle around her boy, occasionally nudging him with her snout. Daniel was forced to laugh, as he turned about, trying to get a better glimpse of his beloved. "Come now, Sharith," he said to her. "Let's get you something good to eat."

The remaining two greens darted forward after the impression of their sister, each afraid that the other would steal her chosen girl. It was a good thing, that they both had their sights set on two different young women. "I would never have let her claim me, Ellith," Aleighan murmered reassuringly, as the smaller green buried her head in her skirts.

The larger of the two greens crooned and looked up at her rider nervously, "Don't worry, Ageneth," Ronell said, caressing the eyeridges of her own lifemate. "I am yours, and yours alone. No other dragon is meant for me, but you."

A small egg on the outskirts of the clutch began to tremble violently. Then, suddenly, it stopped. Immediately, the crowd leaned forward in their seats, whispering anxiously among themselves. Was something wrong with the hatchling inside of that shell? With no warning, whatsoever, the egg snapped directly in half. A tiny blue fell upon the sands, his body wet with the liquid that was inside his egg. Picking himself up off of the burning ground, he forced himself to march forward. At what felt like a long journy, though it couldn't have been more than a few moments, the hatchling reached Amakin's feet. "Loiteth, do you need a hand?" the boy inquired. After a moment, he bent down, gathering the small dragon into his arms. "Come, I will take you to get some food, right now."

Suddenly, Anissimoth let out a sharp bugle, which was quickly echoed by Tidith. The other dragons along the rim of the Hatching Grounds intensified their humming and all eyes were on the queen as she shuffled backwards several paces, revealing a rather large pile of sand previously hidden in the crook of her tail. So the rumor was right, there was fifteen eggs. Nudging the pile gently with her glowing wedge-shaped head, Anissimoth revealed that the sand was only hiding one of her eggs. What could have possessed the queen to shield one of her children away from the others? But, when there was a flash of swirled gold from the shell of the egg, it became all too clear. It was the queen egg!

The girls, urged by Bretta, formed a loose semi-circle around the large orb that would soon hatch into a golden beauty. It began to shudder, rocking with such a force that the egg actually rolled foward several paces. The scrabbling could be heard within the shell, as the young hatching fought to escape the prison that had been her home for many sevendays. Suddenly, a large crack appeared, running down its entire length. Other thin fissures spread across its surfice, forming a lattice of fine lines. A small clawed hand burst through the shell, causing a little hole to form. There was the sounds of more struggling, before the shell disolved in a flurry of shards.

The queen hatchling was sent rolling out onto the sounds, landing upon her back, her wings fanning around her head. The people in the crowd let out a chuckle. Obviously confused and disoriented, the gold shook her head, climbing slowly to her feet. With a soft croon, she looked up at her dam, who was a larger version of herself. Anissimoth lowered her head, giving her daughter a small nudge of assurance. Reassured, the dragonet turned her eyes back to the girls before her. Blinking her eyes in the bright light, she gave a little trill. One girl immediately rushed over, the tears spilling over her cheeks as she hugged her new lifemate. "Her name is Releth!" Haliena cried out, her eyes never leaving those of the gold before her.

As the crowd cheered for the new Jr. Weyrwoman and her gold, another egg chose that exact time to hatch. It was a bronze! He was well built, and would obviously prove to be a good fighter when he grew to be an adult. As it was, he was just concentrating upon finding the lad that was meant to be his rider-- and impressing the audience, of course. He carefully picked his way across the sands, his tail swishing from side to side idly. He held his wings out meticulously, his neck proudly arched. He was a fine beast, and he knew it! He bugled tinnily and the crowd whispered at this display.

Suddenly, there was a laugh. Immediately, the bronze's eyes snapped in the direction. One young man had his hand clamped over his mouth, obviously trying to stiffle any further laughter. But another chuckle burst out. The dragon peered at Klerian, obviously perplexed. Why was that boy laughing? And at him? "I'm sorry, Zesarnth," the young man grinned. "But look!" Zesarnth snaked his neck about, glancing in the direction that his rider pointed too. When he spotted the problem, his began to whirl with shades of red and yellow. There, on his rump, was a rather large shell shard. It definately interfered with his proud appearance. Klerian laughed again, quickly brushing away the offending piece. "There now. You look magnificent."

There were four eggs left. And only five candidates. There was a small pause, just enough to catch ones' breath, when a three of the four eggs burst. Two blues, and one more green stumbled out of their shells and looked around as the crowd sized up the new hatchlings.

The blues were as different as night and day. One was larger, with hide the lightest blue that anyone had ever seen. The smaller had skin that was so dark, it appeared to almost be black. But when the light stuck, the blue could be seen.

Immediately, the two set to squabbling. Their squeals of rage and pain were quite loud, the noise intensified by the echoes of their voices off of the walls. They clawed at each other, madly trying to win this battle. The dragonriders in the crowd were surprised at this struggle. Dragons weren't supposed to fight amongst themselves!

Two candidates stepped forward, their eyes wide with concern. With a lot of effort, the two lads managed to seperate the pair. The larger one allowed himself to be placated by the words spoken by the young man that knelt beside him. "Nolandarth, do not be upset. Everything is going to be fine," Jordanar said softly, scratching his lifemate's eyeridges to calm him.

The dark blue was being soothed by his own rider. Gradually, he was able to look upon his brother without the violent shades of red entering his eyes. At last, they both were calm. "I bet you're hungry, Tewilth," Telay smiled at the blue, as they began to walk off of the sands. "And once we have gotten something to eat, we can have one of the Healers tend to your wounds."

The green snorted, obviously disgusted with the attitude of her brothers. Couldn't they just get along? Still shaking her head, she let her gaze fix upon the remaining three candidates. They all watched her, hope written clearly across their faces. She examined the first two, though she already knew that the third was for her. Kerstmisa gasped, as the green stopped before her, carefully nudging away the veil that covered her face. "Yes," she whispered, the tears streaming down her face. "I have nothing to fear when you are around, my dear Leyoth. I have nothing to hide."

One egg was left. It had been the largest of them all, almost the same size as the hidden queen egg! It was teetering back and forth, while the two remaining candidates were watching. The twins, Diora and Diorit, slowly inched forward. Their faces were filled with hope and despair. There was only one egg left. Only one of them would impress, leaving the other sibling alone.

The egg shuddered with the force of the hatchling inside, before the shell disintegrated, spilling out a mess of struggling limbs, wings, and tails. Tails?! The twins rushed forward, helping up the two tiny browns that had rested inside the egg. Diora's eyes were filled with love and awe, as she steadied one of the dragons. "There you go, Itinth," she said softly, reaching out to caress his soft hide. "I am here."

Diorit grinned, running a hand through his blond hair. "I certainly wasn't expecting you, Itenith," he told his own brown, as they began to follow their siblings. "But I am glad that we have found each other."

All of the eggs had hatched, leaving only splinters of the shells. All of the dragons had hatched, and all of the candidates had impressed. It had been a glorious hatching, filled with many surprises, a pair of twin dragons had let all of the candidate Impress.

Meanwhile, on two chairs not too far from the pacing gold, Iz'tak leaned over and kissed Bretta lightly on the cheek, he smiled and whispered in her ear. "I think that Tidith is going to be very smug for the next few days," Iz'tak whispered to Bretta with a special sparkle in his magnificent eyes. His voice was filled with pride as he overheard Tidith's end of the conversation the gold and bronze were having. "He's already telling Anissimoth how fine their children are."

He was rewarded with a laugh from his weyrmate, and the bronzerider extended his arm for her to take. They had to appear at the feast, to congratulate the new dragonriders and their families. "Anissimoth is quite pleased too. Tidith did well. Come, my love. Let's go enjoy the celebration."

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