| Earthen |
| Mivi, Sixja, and Yikran climbed into the stands as Lopa came out onto the sands dressed in her clean, white robe. She smiled when she saw her friends stand and cheer as she entered. She hoped so much that they wouldn't have to leave disappointed. She hoped she wouldn't have to leave disappointed. She watched as the eggs rocked, cracking only slightly until a brown burst through his shell. His whirling blue eyes looked forward and he bugled as he knew whom he would choose as his bonded. He ran towards the candidates, and knocked into An’ik, sending him sprawling on the ground on his back. Will fighting Thread be enough of a challenge for you, An’ik? Am I…good enough for you? He asked, peering into An’ik’s eyes as his own whirled softly. “Of course you are good enough for me! I could not have expected better. And I am sure Thread will be challenge enough, Narveth.” He replied and walked off the sands with his beloved. It was five minutes before another egg split. Lopa looked over at her friends in the stands as the green egg rocked and rocked and rocked. Lopa sighed. It seemed like it was never going to hatch. She noticed Mivi practically chewing her hand off. Suddenly, a large green head and part of the long neck burst from the shell. The egg rolled a bit more, it was ever so difficult to get out! The green bugled as her egg started rolling down the sands towards the entrance. Lopa gasped just as she heard Mivi scream, “Wait! Naovith! Wait! I am coming!” She caught the egg just in time and helped the large green out. “It must be hard to get out of eggs, I don’t blame you.” Mivi responded to a silent comment from her dragonet. Lopa sighed. At least one of them would go away happy, and that would cheer all of them up if she didn't Impress. Lopa watched as a huge blue hatched. He was nearly the size of a bronze, but after several minutes of watching him stumble around, she knew something had to be wrong. She started to go over and help him, but Maic stepped forward before she could. She silently prayed that Maic was his bond, but as Maic walked back over, he exclaimed, "I am not his chosen!” He said almost sadly. Tears welled up in Lopa's eyes as she thought about a young boy back at the Institute. Maxwell was deaf, and he always spoke - well, signed - about how he wanted to hear the world. If only she could bring him here so he could met the blue... But she didn't have time to think. Before she could blink, two bronzes and the two golds hatched and bonded before she even had a chance. Sighing, she tried not to cry. She might as well go sit down. She watched two whites hatch and bond. A young bronze and blue break shell. She felt the wave in the air as the bronze yelled for his bond. This one had a strong mind and will. He would have to have a strong... "Yikran?!" Lopa exclaimed as she watched her friend climb down from the stands and embrace the bronze. “I’m coming, Everesth! Don’t Impress anyone else!” Yikran shouted. *** Lopa sighed as several more dragons hatched. None of them came anywhere near her. She glanced over at Mivi and Yikran chatting away as the carried for their dragons. At least Sixja was still in the stands. Another green hatched shortly after the two blues joined their blind brother. She creeled in anticipation of getting to her bonded and streaked away from the candidates and towards away from the stands…towards the exit. Sixja leaped to her feet and raced after the green, giving Lopa and smile as she went. Great. Now all her friends had bonded, and she was all alone. She watched the rest of the hatching. At the end, she stood on the sands, completely covered in despair. She turned to leave, but heard Tai calling to her and the other girls left. "Elfie! Vénæ! Lopa! Come back!” Tai yelled and ran after the candidates. “Wait!” T’rukel ran after Tai, wondering what in the name of the first egg she was doing. “Tai…what are you doing?” T’rukel asked as Tai finally caught up with the girls. “Don’t you remember these three from before, T’rukel? You know…from Isifth’s three previous clutches?” The girls seemed confused as the two Weyrleaders talked to each other. “Uhm…” He looked closer at the three girls and a smile spread across his face. “Yes I do and you weren’t very ki—oomph…” Tai hit him in the stomach before he could say anything further. “Vénæ, Elfie, Lopa…you three…whom I just recognized and just remembered, were in Isifth’s three previous clutches to Impress. We must have sent you back in time. I can’t go there because I was there with Isifth, but R’es was not there and he can take you on his brown to the three previous clutches.” “I can do what?” R’es asked, coming up to the group, a wide grin on his face. “Tell me now, Tai…are you sending me on another errand?” “As a matter of fact, I am.” Tai turned to R’es and returned the grin. “You and Kraiteth must take these three back to Isifth’s three previous clutches. Isifth can give Kraiteth a clear image of where we were.” “Ah…already done. Seems Isifth is a step ahead of you.” R’es sighed. “Alright girls, hop aboard.” He said as Kraiteth flew down. *** Lopa had watched the other girls Impress, and now she was the last candidate on the brown now. They had just dropped Vénæ and Zuenlithuith off at Sidra Weyr to join the other candidates. Now she was the last one…she hadn’t been chosen at Isifth’s fourth clutch…would she be chosen here? Lopa had arrived a day early here. The clutch had not yet hatched, and this one was fairly small. Twelve eggs and one queen egg. Lopa was just getting ready to finally fall asleep when Isifth bugled from the sands down below. She was the first candidate there. “Well, Lopa. I guess I’ll see you again in Isifth’s fourth clutch.” Tai said and smiled as Lopa stepped onto the hot sands. “Yes.” Lopa replied. “Well, the golden egg is over there, protected under Isifth’s wing. I suppose you’re going to Impress it as I sent you back.” Tai shook her head and amiled then walked over to sit next to Isifth. “I must have been crazy or something.” Lopa could hear Tai mutter and laugh as she walked away. The other candidates started filing onto the sands now. It was almost in the middle of the night that this clutch was hatching. The queen egg was the third one to hatch. The egg rocked violently back and forth, Lopa and two others were staring at the egg profoundly. Lopa was getting derisive glances from the other two girls. She hadn’t been here as long as the other two, and they seemed to feel they were better for the queen then she. Elfie had gone through the same problem and those girls had wound up running off the sands…away from the gold in fear. The first to hatch was a very healthy-looking bronze. The crowd oohed and awed. A blue followed. The golden egg rocked third and Lopa eagerly stepped towards it. The eyes of the other two girls glared at her back. A tiny front hand burst from the shell and then the rest of the shell collapsed in. The gold rolled out and landed on her back, her wings spread. Lopa…help me…I’ve fallen and can’t get up. The gold kicked her legs in the air and rocked back and forth, trying to get up. Lopa laughed and helped the golden dracling up. “Come, let’s feed you.” Lopa smiled down at the dracling as the two walked off the sands together. Lopa... Mivi... Yikran... Sixja... |