"How long does it take these beasts to hatch?" Søren muttered to Kataki on his shoulder. The brown snarled and glared at his two sleeping dormmates. It was early morning, but after years of waking at first light, Søren had been awake an hour or two. He settled in his bed in human form, stroking the silvery-white head of Iertare. The white pup had certainly grown quickly into a strong, sleek aifre. She'd also proven to be an excellent hunter, perhaps her former owner had begun to train her as one. Rather cruelly, however. Though the scars had healed, the fur regrown, the body filled-out, she was still "hand-shy" as one of the local, more humane breeders had said. That is, whenever anyone lifted a hand to stroke her she winced and bowed her head, expecting to be struck. Søren doubted she'd ever lose that habit, and it hurt him every time she did it.

Just as Søren had been about to drift back off to sleep, Iertare lifted her head, wide ears pricked. Then Kataki and the other firelizards in the room all began to hum, waking the other boys. "The clutch!" one shouted and pelted from the dorm to the sands. The heat had been uncomfortable for one who had grown up accustomed to ice-cold weather. He'd stuck to his human form mostly, finding the heavy fur coat of his bear form unbearable on even the mildest days. Today proved to be yet another scorcher, and Søren thought longingly of blizzards and frigid wind. He stood, somewhat awkwardly, in the circle with the other males, shifting from foot-to-foot on the burning sands. "Come on, come on...this place is miserable." he thought darkly, watching as the dragonets began to hatch. Several greens and blues came first, though he paid them little heed. His thoughts were focused on getting off the hot sands as soon as possible.

As Søren was about to give up and leave the sands for cooler places, a deep voice entered his mind, feeling like cool water hitting the back of his throat. It also had an instant calming affect on him, causing him to freeze in his half-turn and face the dark blue that approached. Søren, do you think you'll ever be able to forgive him? the little dark blue dragonet asked, peering up with a hopeful expression. At first, caught up in the moment of Impression, Søren had no idea what he was talking about. Then a name came to his mind, and he remembered. His face hardened briefly as Kataki screeched and Iertate whined, crawling toward the hatchling on her belly. "Not at all likely, Paceth." he responded, assisting the slightly gangly blue from the sands.