Zhlae heard the loud trumpeting from the Sands. She jumped up, and hurried with the other candidates to the Sands. When she got there, she did a quick count of the eggs. She counted eight. But she counted the candidates... Twelve? She gulped. What if she didn't Impress? But there was no time for that now. Thoughts scattered from her mind as the first egg hatched.

The first egg revealed a brown, who Impressed a boy that Zhlae didn't know. The next to hatch were a blue and a green. Zhlae held her breath, but nwither of the two even looked at her. A blue hatched unnoticed, and Impressed another boy.

The next to hatch was a green. She strode playfully over to the girls. Zhlae held her breath, but the little dragon turned and chose a boy.

The next eggs to hatch were a sturdy bronze and another green. The bronze barked an order at his sister who creeled back at him. The green marched over to Zhlae and barked commandingly.

I'm hungry Zhlae! Can we eat now?

Zhlae grinned. “Yes, Kilith, we can eat. Let’s go.”