It was hot outside when the dragons first began their welcoming croon. In fact, it was nearly summer, and well past the Terran Easter holiday. Unfortunately, it couldn't be helped. The eggs were incredibly stubborn; even now, a few of them were still a bit soft. Of course, those were mostly extra eggs..
In addition to that, the candidates had taken their own sweet time in being Found. It had been a long time.
The Sands of Utopian were decorated merrily with bright streamers of all different colors and plenty of holiday-themed goodies off to the side of the main sands, where candidates and visitors alike could help themselves to punch and cookies, and the candidates dragons could have a special feast of succulent young ryanth. It had taken an equally long time to set up the sands as it had to get all the candidates in; R'bin had insisted on doing it his own way, and as a result it had to be done over many times to the cathairte's satisfaction.
Anaess was unusually snappy, although her own dragon was not a mother (she herself was awaiting that position). She waddled with as much dignity and grace as possible into the stands, mopping her brow with a handkerchief. Ambrek sat next to her, but was wisely silent; after all, no one wants to disturb a cranky queen, and a cathairte in a foul mood is no difference.
"Where the *%#$ are those fans, anyway?" she muttered darkly, scanning the dunes for the promised air-conditioning. Apparently R'bin had forgotten them. Oh, she would give him such a tongue-lashing...but later. Now the candidates had come.
The candidates filed in, wearing the traditional multi-hued robes. Most of those not in a stupor were grinning and hopping nervously from foot to foot. Some of them searched the faces in the crowd, looking for friends or family.
Leola and the entire Nutcracker group waved ecstatically from the stands to the dancer foursome, all with names beginning with the letter 'c.' Leola wiped away a tear and smiled brightly at her Danachi foster-daughter, who grinned cheerfully back, her Christmas flit yammering away on her shoulder--in her mind, of course. The Pernese girl, Chilali, was not quite so bouncy. She stood tall, quiet and thoughtful, her elegant chen perched solemnly on her shoulder. She stared icily at the eggs, and wondered if they were much different from the Pernese type. K'dron watched her carefully from the stands, a broad smile on his face.
The Alyskyrian Clinton stood nearby, next to his moody friend Catoni, also Alyskyrian, who was cheerfully (although no one could tell how long his good mood would last) chattering with Rubiae, through her green dragon Maoith.
Good luck, o fickle one, Maoith/Rubiae murmured.
Clinton looked carefully into the stands; then he cringed. Yes, his foolish mother was there, blowing air-kisses. He looked away, and busied himself with calculating how many seconds it would take for a hatchling to break through an eggshell...
Aeiou was also wondering this, for her mind was aptly suited to mathematics. But she also wondered if her parents and brother would show up. They had seemed so proud when she was finally Found..
Solar was looking around with interest, her golden ball held in her hands. She was busy asking questions of Parta, who was answering as best she could (she really preferred to stare at the dunes, which were even better than chen dunes, being much larger), about Danach and how it operated and what it would be like to have a dragon, and so on. Her father hadn't managed to show up, but that didn't seem to squish her excitement a bit.
Nearby, a man was selling beer and pretzels to the crowd, and his best customer was the lazy, fat Bigun, who sprawled nearby and guzzled the alcohol with relish. Anaess wondered briefly if the dragon would be sober enough to imprint, but she figured that was up to the hatchlings.
Znarfmid was one of the only candidates not smiling. His black hawk, Shadow, was a substitute for a chen, and was as dark as the ageless young man. His blue gem, worn round his throat, glowed like his clear blue eyes. Only one other candidate was as silent and dark as Znarfmid, but he was much less human. And much more deadly.
Sakraz the half-tiger journeyman lay casually on the hot sands, his arms folded and his lids halfway lowered. He wasn't sleepy, but trying to affect a bored look. He had not wanted to be Found, as he didn't really like dragons all that much, but had been given no choice.
Also of the feline type was Rannach, a panther who was as mysterious as the shadows. No one knew why he was there; perhaps he had some romantic story to tell.
Gwynis and Kite stood together, no doubt thinking of some way to busy themselves during the wait. Juillet Cuore, the matchmaker, was talking with them.
Nukalin was talking with Eclisp, the Eurasian Lynx/Cat, who, surprisingly, had no human form, unlike most of the anthro candidates. Eclisp had taken a liking to the cat-friendly miner, and they were getting along nicely.
Last of all, but certainly not least, was the band, Sovereign Fate, standing with their greedy manager who had surprised them by coming along. Bhargol didn't really intend to imprint, but figured if he followed his band, he would have more chances to make money.
The candidates were all there. Now all they needed were the eggs to begin hatching.
***
Once all were assembled, the first of the eggs began to hatch. It couldn't really be called hatching, not quite, because the egg really just weaved around at first and nothing came out. But it was definitely moving, if a bit drunkenly. Finally, it stopped wobbling around and quivered for a full ten seconds, until a yellow-green claw shot out of the eggshell and proceeded to claw the prison apart. Finally, a yellow-green hatchling sprawled on the sands, blinking eyes that were no color any dragons eyes had ever been. They were a sort of lime-green, magenta-ish color, and very hazy, as if the dragon had a slight hangover. Of course, no dragon had ever had a hangover before--at least not one born on Utopian sands.
The hatchling staggered to its feet and looked around at the candidates uninterestedly. She--yes, it was a she, although possibly the least dainty green in known history--suddenly gave a cry of delight, and galloped across the dunes toward Bigun--and straight past her, into the beer-man. She screeched delightedly as she snatched a beer from him, and proceeded to guzzle. Bigun stared at the little dragon, a drunken smile on her face. She snatched the smaller replica of herself from the sands.
"Good job, little Pubth," she said, and grabbed another beer for herself as she waddled off the sands. Anaess looked after them.
"Well," she exclaimed, "that was very strange.." Stranger was to come for there were still 20 candidates to go.
Next to hatch was a pretty pink one from starry Daekith's clutch. Hairline cracks spread across the egg's surface, until an equally pretty dragon managed to break the shell. The hatchling twirled around, her cloudy pink hide, dotted with splotches of white, revealing the first "Valentine" hatchling. For a moment she wandered in circles, getting dizzy, and trying to find the right candidate. Finally, she meandered over to Gwynis, who accepted her with open arms and a merry laugh.
"Roseinsipiditeth, what a long name you have!" Rosi, as she would come to be called, lashed her tail slightly.
But it is the best name, isn't it. It was a statement, not a question.
"Yes, I supposed it is!" Gwynis waved to her friend Kite and walked out to find some holiday treats.
Another egg began to hatch, this time one of the starry Shirahath's brood. It hatched quickly, pulsing for a moment and then shattering as a powerfully built blue-green dragon worked his way out. Znarfmid was startled to find his gem pulsing in the same manner, glowing more powerfully than any time before. He grinned momentarily and walked forward to meet the hatchling he knew was to be his bond. Shadow glided along beside him.
"Hello, Ombreth," Znarfmid said to the hatchling, and the blue-green looked up at his lifemate. The hatchling had strangely been born with a basket clutched in his claws; this basket held eggs, the plain brown eggs of a Terran chicken.
Greetings, said the egg-carrying hatchling in a deeper voice than would be expected of a young dragon, I suppose you are to be my bond. I am sorry you had to kill those men. But your clothes were more of a loss. If you are ageless, am I to live forever, as well? Znarfmid laughed at the rapid-fire way his dragon had of speaking.
"I suppose so, Ombreth. We'll have to wait and see."
And I need help with these. What are they, anyway?
"Eggs."
Oh. I suppose we must eat them, then...
Znarfmid's ringing laugh echoed long after he was gone.
All at once, three very quick things happened.
One, three eggs hatched at once. Two took very little time in breaking the shells, but the third seemed to savor the time spent cracking his shell bit by bit by bit...anyway, the two eggs that hatched earlier held a cloudy purple-pink dragon and a golden dragon with jagged, fuzzy black streaks through its body. The two hatchlings roared a challenge to each other, and were echoed by the two candidates that resembled panthers most.
Bhargol quietly fainted as Rannach and Sovereign Fate, the murderer, not the band, met each other with deadly claws. Their dragons did likewise. It is possible that someone would have been very badly hurt, had Cembaloth and Shirahath not intervened, each stepping between a pair of combatants.
Stop this foolishness, Cembaloth hissed at the two panthers, and the sight of the angry, red-eyed hulk of a mother was enough to make even Sovereign Fate sheath his claws.
Cut it out! Shirahath bugled, and swatted the hatchlings apart. Her child, the purple, obeyed sulkily, but the larger hatchling snarled defiantly and swiped at the starry before sailing off gracefully to Sovereign Fate's side. The thief looked proudly down at his dragon.
"Assassinezth, it seems we'll get along nicely."
If your tastes suit mine, Assassinezth replied in a smooth tone, and it seems they do.
Rannach, rumbled the purple, who was female, in a gravelly voice. Don't be deceived by my gentle appearance. I am the one for you.
"Ah, Misterioth, you are as mysterious as your name implies."
Meanwhile, a steady humming filled Bhargol's ears as the third egg's hatchling reached his side. He opened his eyes carefully, one at a time, to see a dark red, light orange dragon counting his money. He sat up and stared in disbelief.
"Why Gloutonth, you little thief!" he exclaimed. Gloutonth glanced at him but never paused in his counting.
Since you and I are one, it stands to reason that your money is mine as well. Bhargol had to agree with this logic, but hastily secured his money for fear his dragon's claws would mar it.
Is it true that you don't like dragons? Sakraz looked around carefully, and then down, where a purple-silver dragon looked up at him mournfully. And you don't like holidays, either?
"I guess I didn't mean what I said!" Sakraz exclaimed, bewildered. "You've proved me wrong, Feutreeth."
Next, a scaley, mint-green dragon with yellow-black wings found Eclisp among the candidates.
Hello, Fourrureth, Eclisp said, grinning.
Hello, Eclisp. You are the first lynx, I think, to ride a dragon.
"What is with all the cats?!" shouted Catoni, throwing his arms up. Rubiae laughed out loud, for Catoni himself was as lithe as a cat.
I don't have an answer for that, said an amused voice in his head, but I do know that you are perfect for me. A dark green-purple hatchling floated over to Catoni. He floated because in his claws were tightly clutched three balloons of red, green, and blue. Catoni looked with surprise at the hatchling.
"Where did you get those?" he asked loudly.
My name is Changeanth...and I have no idea.
From rainbow Spiffy's clutch, a dark gray dragon with blue streaks through his body and wings looked around quickly before heading in the direction of the male candidates. Halfway there, he bumped into a girl candidate, then resumed his path to Nukalin.
I am confused, the hatchling sighed. Do you chase men or not? Are you self-confident, or doubtful? And why did you not kiss that girl? the dragon demanded. Oo, I am dizzy...
Nukalin laughed bemusedly. "I'm not sure yet, Confondreth," he said.
Perhaps we will know the answer when I am older.
A dark green, brownish-red dragon with golden splotches made her way to Kite.
I'm sorry I'm late. We are not so far behind your friend. Kite smiled.
"It's quite alright, Calmezth," she said, and took her dragon to the sweets.
Juillet Cuore tapped gently on the egg nearest to her, but jumped back with a shriek of surprise and delight when a light purple dragon with darker purple hearts dotting her hide popped out.
"You scared me, Allumetteth!"
You should not have been tapping my egg, matchmaker. And isn't it time we matched you? Juillet didn't have time to reply for at that moment a hatchling split her egg with a whistle like that of a flute, which spiraled down into a saxophone-like croon of pleasure as the egg shattered.
Rainbow Spiffy's radiant daughter of mixed shades of pastels, blue, purple, pink, green, and yellow, made her way to Prax.
"Univoqueruseth," the pronghorn gazelle whispered.
Yes, that is my name. I'm surprised you can pronounce it. But that proves your worth, of course.
Were you really raised by caerlizards? asked a hazy purple dragon with firework-shaped splashes of cream on her hide.
"Oh, yes, Feindreth, of course I was!" Aeiou said, giggling.
Then why are you laughing?
Yes, why is she laughing?
"'Cause she's having fun of course, Sableuxth," answered Parta absentmindedly.
Well sor-ry for being curious. BTW, if you took your eyes off the dunes for a moment, I'm sure you'd find me much more attractive to stare at. Parta looked down at her cloudy indigo dragon and smiled. "You're right!"
Enoi stood by, quietly observing the candidates, his bass slung over his furry shoulder. He smiled slowly as a silver dragon with blue rings across his body stopped in front of him.
"So you made it at last, Plath," Enoi said, and the dragon nodded.
I wanted to wait until it had calmed down a bit, Plath said in a jazzy voice, jerking his head in the direction of the panthers (Sovereign Fate had chosen the meat over the treats).
"Good choice."
The hatching was definitely staring to slow down. Where there had once been a frenzy of activity, there were now only six more eggs and six more candidates awaiting imprinting. The spectators had taken the opportunity to eat, drink, and make merry, chatting with the new dragoners.
***
When the next egg began to hatch, Clinton was the only one on the sands.
I knew I could count on you, said the dark red-green dragon, who had bright golden star-beams upon his Christmas-y attire.
"You knew right, Heureuseth," Clinton said, and finally helped himself to the snacks.
"Can you teach me more about the world, Ensorcelleth?" Solar was asking of her teal, green-blue dragon.
Only as much as you can teach me, Solar. But when can learn about the world together!
A muted bugle came from a large egg from Chvehath's clutch that was rocking steadily back and forth. Suddenly a large, copper-orange dragon with brown streaks charged through the shell at Kmarks, knocking the big black lion down (with some difficulty).
"Hold on, Vaillanth!" Kmarks shouted, and chuckled as he got to his feet.
Leevi followed them, as her dragon, yellow-green Lacinath bounded gleefully toward the meat.
I hope this doesn't bother you too much, Leevi, Lacinath said as she ate.
"Not too bad, Lacinath. It doesn't seem to bother you a bit!"
The last two candidates, cheerful Candida and solemn Chilali stood, side by side, smiling at each other.
"This is it," Candida whispered joyously, and Chilali nodded.
"Yeah." She grabbed her friend's hand as they watched the last eggs hatch, from Quinith's clutch.
Both were feminine, you could tell that at once, in their dancer's bodies and the light way they carried themselves, in unison, as if dancing to music only they could hear...and the two girls. The green silver with light-green splotches twirled up to Chilali.
"Sereuxth," Chilali murmured, sinking to her knees and wrapping her long arms around the dragon.
The red-green dragon with sparks of golden and yellow wingtips glided to Candida.
"Jubilerth!" she exclaimed. Both girls stood, their dragons in their arms, and exchanged glowing smiles as they moved away, off the sands.
"Oh, wait a second!" shouted someone, "Please wait!" A boy, short in stature, with large icy blue eyes and black hair, raced onto the sands, panting slightly. He leaned over as the audience looked at him curiously, his hands on his knees, ignoring them.
"I guess those weren't the last eggs, after all," someone murmured, and the Cathairte, overhearing, nodded.
"Oh, that's just Finus," she remarked, and focused on an egg that was rattling around rather strongly. Finus looked up as well, standing as tall and straight as gravity would allow, looking every bit the 'Commander' he was.
Please let that be mine, he prayed, his eyes never wavering from the splitting egg.
You're in luck, growled a silvery-white hatchling that stepped onto the sands and struck a military-perfect pose. I am Luttaith, and my name means 'struggle.' However, it should be no problem to make our names mean 'legend.' Finus grinned.
"It may not involve snow, Luttaith, but I agree: we'll make history!" He and his dragon marched solemnly, side by side, off of the sands.
"Whew," Anaess gasped. "That was a trial I'm not anxious to repeat." But she was smiling, her bad mood passed.
"Will someone please clear away these *%!#ing egg shards?!?!"
Well, maybe not quite.
It had been a good hatching, albeit a long-awaited one, anyway.
Silver Gareth and Starry Quinith
Female silver-green Sereuxth--Chilali
Female red-green-silver-gold Jubilerth--Candida
Female silver-purple Feutreeth--Sakraz
Male red-green-gold Heureuseth--Clinton
Icy blue Hawk and Starry Shirahath
Female blue/teal-green Ensorcelleth--Solar
Male green-blue Ombreth--Znarfmid
Female purple-magenta hearts Allumetteth--Juillet Cuore
Female purple-pink Misterioth--originally to Rannach
Icy blue Khaavreth and Rainbow-starry Spiffy
Male dark grey-blue Confondreth--Nukalin
Male silver-blue Plath--Enoi
Male silver-white Luttaith—Finus
Female pastel-rainbow Univoqueruseth--Prax
Light brown Khalbalahath and Starry Chvehath
Female brown-green-gold Calmezth--Kite
Male copper-black Vaillanth--Kmarks
Male black-gold Assassinezth--Sovereign Fate
Male red-orange Gloutonth--Bhargol
Light blue Choreoth and Starry Cembaloth
Female purple/cream-fireworks Feindreth--Aeiou
Male purple-green Changeanth--Catoni
Female cloudy-indigo Sableuxth--Parta
Platinum Jacosath and Starry/white Daekith
Female drunk-yellow-green Pubth--Bigun
Female "citrus" (lemon/lime) Lacinath--Leevi
Female mint-gold (scaled) Fourrureth--Eclisp
Female pink-white Roseinsipiditeth--Gwynis