Kalorith's Hatching It was G'ret who first alerted his dragon, blue Coreth, to the shakings of the eggs upon Utopian's sands. Kalorith and Univiel were, as usual, asleep. Kalorith, darling...THE EGGS ARE HATCHING!!! Kalorith awoke with a start, hearing Coreth's voice in her mind. She sat dazedly for a moment or two, before the message actually made sense to her. Rider mine, Kalorith said sweetly to the slumbering Univiel, I will give you TWO guesses as to what is up..and you won't need either one! Univiel's eyes opened instantly, and in a moment she was standing on the sands, breathing heavily. "Sweetheart," said G'ret, embracing her, "the first egg is about to hatch...you may want to sit down." Univiel nodded as Kalorith entered the sands and wrapped herself around her eggs, still sort of sleepy. The ten candidates filed onto the sands; sadly, there were eleven eggs. For reasons Univiel couldn't remember, and didn't dare ask of the prideful Cathairte, who sat above her, smiling, the eleventh candidate, a boy named Ryder, had been denied the right to Imprint. Univiel sighed. A sad thing, but the Cathairte's word was law in Cathair Utopian. It looked like this hatching would be something like Umuminaenth's first, with a hatchling without a bond. Unbeknownst to Univiel, G'ret, Ambrek and even Anaess, the boy Ryder had snuck onto the sands, and was sitting on the bottom bench, hidden by the audience, smiling worriedly beneath a dark hooded cloak. Umuminaenth knew, but out of pity for the new mother Kalorith and the otherwise doomed dragon child, she had not told her rider. A murmur of approval rippled through the audience; the hatching had begun. A medium-sized egg began to jiggle and dance, and the candidates held their breath. A glistening black-red tail split the egg, the color of clotted blood. "Yuck," Haven remarked, drawing backward. She knew there was no link from the dragon to herself; she couldn't feel anything but disgust for the red-black dragon who tumbled onto the sands, growling in rage at being contained for so long. His eyes whirled an angry red-orange, and he ran at a breakneck speed toward the female candidates, sending them running across the sands amid squeals of fright and pain, once the hatchling buried his teeth into Haven's leg. His mission finished, the bold young dragon, already huge for his age--and would perhaps grow to an astonishing length of 49 feet--strutted toward the male candidates. "That wasn't very nice," scolded DAEMON, who couldn't conceal a smirk. How could I allow that girl to get away with insulting me? She had it coming, the dark hatchling insisted. "Ah, you're right, DEMONITH," Daemon growled, half grinning, half scowling at Haven as he lead the still fuming Demonith off of the sands to the eating area. Haven scowled and rubbed her nibbled leg, but she didn't have long to dwell upon her discomfort, because the second egg had hatched. Kalorith looked fondly upon her daughter--who despite her delicate body, would grow to 25 feet--a normal green except for bright white flares upon the hatchling's outspread wings. The green wore a decidedly mischievous look upon her face, but the tone she addressed HAVEN with was as angelic as could be. I don't know why my brother had to go and bite you, Haven. Oh well. We can go and bite him back, once I've eaten.  Haven grinned and winked at her little dragon, realizing that she had imprinted. "You're right, ANGELITH. I can't wait to sink my teeth into something good to eat first, though." The next egg was a dark color, with white veins running through it; it was no surprise that the dragon coming from it was a black and white dragon. What was surprising was his size; it was clear that this dragon would be nearly as large as Dreadth, maybe 45 feet in length. Kalorith smiled up at Coreth. You are clearly a powerful blue...what other dragon of your size could sire such enormous children? the small starry asked. Coreth simply smiled, and rumbled happily at his son, who was walking uncertainly toward the male candidates. When he was almost there, he shook his head, and changed direction, butting his head against NYTHUNTYR'S leg. She looked down in surprise at him. "RUFULTH? You choose me?" She gestured toward the boys, still unsure as to what the dragon wanted. "What about them?" I don't hear them calling my name, do you? Don't you want to Imprint with me?  Rufulth stared at Nythuntyr intently, and the girl knelt to embrace the hatchling, a pleased look on her face. Univiel smiled and clutched G'ret's hand; that had been close. The next egg splintered to reveal a dragon that looked much like his sister. A dark blue dragon, with a bright white flares on his wings gazed at the candidates, searching, it seemed, in vain for the one he wanted. The hatchling cried out, and Univiel held her breath--this was the hatchling that they would lose. She closed her eyes, when there came a roar of approval from the crowd! A boy with slightly scaly skin threw back his hood and leapt onto the sands, skidding onto his knees and wrapping his arms around the blue-flared hatchling, who stopped crying and nuzzled his way under RYDER'S chin. "WAIT A MOMENT," an angry voice cried. Anaess stood up and glared at Ryder. "I specifically told this boy, Ryder, NOT to come to the Hatching!" Anaess, said Edorth's rich voice in Anaess's mind, give the boy a chance--give Kalorith's son a chance.  Anaess looked at her dragon, at Ambrek, at Ryder, and finally at Univiel and Kalorith's pleading eyes. She sighed and shrugged, tossing up her hands. "Oh, alright." Ryder gazed in adoration at his dragon. "Ah, WAITERTH, I could wait forever just to Imprint you." Ryder stood, and carried his dragon to the eating area. "And I could as well, COHOMENOTH," said another boy's voice. Univiel's gaze shifted to the male candidate ROAN, who had waited the longest for this hatching to take place. The dragon he addressed had come from his egg in the confusion about Ryder, and no one had noticed, except for the blue-black Cohomenoth's new life mate, Roan. Don't forget about me! NYTSTARR heard a small voice, coming from the direction of a shaking egg. I'm stuck! Nytstarr looked around, and then back at the egg, which was shaking even harder, like something inside was fighting to get out. I-can't-breathe-I-can't-get-free! The voice was fading, getting weaker. Nytstarr, HELP me! Nytstarr took a few hesitant steps toward the egg, and then ran to it. HELP! help..help.. Nytstarr hit the egg with her bare fists, and cracking it, she managed to pull off large chunks of the egg. "I'm coming, I'm coming!" she cried. The audience looked at the girl as if she were crazy, but Kalorith knew. The starry dragon took one look and bounded across the sands to her baby in need, and with one vicious movement, cracked the egg in two with her strong jaws. A white-orange hatchling spilled onto the sands, hardly moving. The baby dragon was small and fragile looking, her skin almost transparent, her lungs heaving. Kalorith backed away and Nytstarr gathered the pale bundle into her arms. "Sweet one, AMOURETH, wake, baby, wake up," Nytstarr crooned, and the hatchling lifted her head, and opened her eyes. 'Starr, you came for me.  Nytstarr nodded, and carried Amoureth off of the sands. The audience breathed. Kalorith bugled with triumph as the largest egg, a deep crimson, started quaking, rolling around the sands like a live thing. My daughter comes! Kalorith shouted, and everyone could hear her, to their ears' discomfort. For some strange reason, a sensation the girl couldn't put her finger on, STRAYA jumped into the air, feeling light as a feather. When she landed, she ran toward the egg, the certainty overwhelming. The dragons around the sands started humming, and it was to this symphony that the first autumn-gold dragon was born. All in splendor, the crimson egg shattered into pieces, and in the center of an egg, poised liked a dancer, was a feminine hatchling the color of a radiant autumn leaf. Her head was held high, her wings were spread, and her tail was curled around one back leg. She took one look at Straya, and the bond was made. "Why, hello PERFECTIONISTH. You took your time, didn't you." Straya beamed. Well, was the haughty answer, although in a voice sweet as sugar, I had to. I wanted to have a grand entrance!  Straya laughed. "It was grand alright!" Perfectionisth rumbled happily, and bounced toward off of the sands to the food. The rest of the candidates shifted nervously as two eggs jiggled. They split one after another, and inside was a black-orange dragon, and in the other egg, an orange-black dragon. The black-orange dragon strolled leisurely toward JEDIR. Hey! I think it's about time for a strong, manly dragon, eh? Jedir laughed. "You may be right I think, LADYMANTH. Let's go see what there is to eat." Alright. The orange-black dragon tumbled to KORIN, a merry grin on his scorched-punkin-colored face. Allo! The dragon looked around. Is my brother already gone, ay? Korin nodded, stupefied. Don't you talk, ay? Korin nodded again, then grinned and found his tongue. "Of course I talk..and you do as well, I see." You SEE? You must have AMAZING eyesight, ay! Korin chuckled appreciatively. "You know what I mean, Jollyth." Yes, I do, ay. Know what I mean, ay? Jollyth's stomach rumbled. "I do! Let's go." The last two candidates, Taite and Nytblayze, grinned at each other nervously as the last two eggs started to split. As a red-orange hatchling wobbled on unsteady legs, 'Blayze went to meet her. "Can I help you, RADIANTH?" No! I can do it. The hatchling looked irritably up at 'Blayze, and her gaze softened. Oh! I'm so sorry, NYTBLAYZE! I thought you were someone else! Please, help me. Nytblayze nodded and grinned at Radianth as she picked her up and took her across the sands to the eating area. Taite was the last candidate on the sands. She shrugged, both hopelessly and helplessly, and knelt by the egg, waiting for it to hatch. Her older sister, Anaess, smiled down on her from the 'bleachers'. Taite scowled and drew pictures in the sand. How long will it take you to hatch, egg? she thought. Not very long......how about.....NOW! The dragon inside yelled to Taite, and the egg seemed to explode. An orange-white dragon danced breathlessly on the sands. Ooch, owch, ow! This sand is so HOT! Taite couldn't help grinning. "Well, let me pick you up then, Spudth." Taite giggled. What's so funny?~ "Your name is Spudth?" Yes--don't make fun of me! Taite kneeled and picked up Spudth, staggering slightly with the weight of her hatchling. "Don't worry, Spudth. I love your name." Anaess and Ambrek congratulated Univiel and G'ret on the fine clutch, and Umuminaenth and Undasheth congratulated the new mother and father, Kalorith and Coreth. The newly imprinted youngsters and their dragons ate and drank and made merry. Outside a dark shape flitted across a orange moon, and the wind whistled eerily.