The siblings became candidates at the white's clutch on Seiryuu's sands (unwillingly, in Anata's case) Chelif thoroughly enjoyed not having to skulk around in forests with just Tripod, his three-legged feline, and Anata to keep company with. Here there were other boys his age. Though he was shy at first, he made quite a few little friends and spent all of his time not devoted to chores with them. Anata, on the otherhand, became more reclusive. She sat silently in dark corners or hovered around the edges of the forests, looking for an opportunity to escape. She had come to the conclusion that it would be best for her brother if she left him there, as much as it tore her heart in two. He was all she'd had in those dark times when they'd been alone. Not that she would ever tell Chelif, but it was him that kept her going, prevented her from killing herself in her deepest moments of depression. Anata was sure that he'd repressed most of those early days where they'd huddled together, sobbing in fear.

No matter how hard she tried to escape, though, a dragon was always hot on her heels to scoop her off and return her, kicking, screaming and spitting, to the weyr. Apparently that fardling brown-rider had warned everyone about her reluculance to stand. On the day of the hatching, a fresh opportunity presented itself for her to run away. The parents of the clutch began to call and hum the hatching of their eggs some time early in the morning. All the dragons became busy escorting their riders and miscellaneous personel to the sands, giving Anata the best opportunity in a while to escape. Once the corridor outside of her dorm was clear, she bolted for the woods. So intent and sure was she on her goal that she did not notice the blue chasing her down. He caught her just before the treeline and sweapt her up in his powerful claws. "LET ME GO YOU UGLY BEAST! I DON'T WANT TO STAND FOR ANY FARDLING DRAGON!" she screeched, pounding futilely on his claws. The blue just rumbled with mirth and dropped her forcibly onto the sands where his rider planted her firmly between two candidates and stood a few feet behind, ready to chase her if she ran again.

Chelif watched in confusion as his sister was deposited on the sands by a large blue and his rider. He tried to catch her attention from across the sands but she seemed to me uttering a stream of curses to the dragonman, stamping her feet and turing red in the face that he thought she'd scarcely notice him. Then his attention was diverted by the hatching of two identical greens and a blue. The smaller of the greens glared at each candidate in turn while her sister pelted immediately for the females. The smaller green ran the larger down, hissing malevolently. She said something to her larger sister that left her and her bond staring in astonishment.

Meanwhile, Anata had been so caught up in throwing every insult she knew at the bemused looking bluerider, she hadn't noticed the small green approaching her until she spoke. Keep away from Anata! She's mine ya' hear me? the green dragonet said in a snarl. Astounded, Anata turned to the green and was promptly seized around the middle. "I don't need that much protection, Sazath." Anata tried to pry the green off of her and to smother the glow of joy that filled her heart at this little beast, but Sazath only gripped her tighter and responded Says you! before burying her head into her bond's stomach.

Chelif couldn't help but cheer as Anata walked awkwardly off the sands, the little green still firmly affixed to her mid-section. Tripod mewled from inside the white robe he wore, gripping the shirt underneath with her three clawed feet. "It's okay Tri, the clutch is almost over. See? Three eggs just hatched and there's only a few more to go..." So involved in soothing his three-legged feline, Chelif didn't notice the brightly colored green approaching until her soft voice entered his mine, a little hesitantly. Tripod scrambled out the collar of the robe and watched the green with curious green and blue eyes, being unconsiously clutched to Chelif's chest. "You're proud of me, Buroanth? But we only just bonded." he said, kneeling to the approaching green. That may be, but I know much about you already Ch'lif. And you make me proud, not many would take on a feline with three legs. Grinning so widely he was surprised his face didn't split, Ch'lif gathered the little green to him and attempted to carry her one-armed from the sands. Tripod touched her nose to the end of the hatchlings and licked her, apparently approving.