An almighty bugle shook the sands. Arista covered her ears as the sound reverberated through the cavern. Plobynth! Arista scolded. Plobynth looked in her direction with a twinkle in her eyes.
      Better keep your ears covered. I’m going to do it again. Arista complied and Niunth, the clutch’s sire, added his brassy bass voice to Plobynth’s high alto voice. The sound was deafening and Arista was sure she would have a headache afterwards.
      People came streaming into the caverns, fast as they could, trying to get the best seats. Weyrwoman Tai and Weyrleader T’rukel hurried over. “Well, that sure was a quick warning.”
      “She didn’t even tell me! She just bugled!” Arista said crossly, shooting a glare at Plobynth.
      I told you the second time, Arista. Plobynth reminded, but she was ignored.
      “Well, here come the candidates.” Tai said with a smile, quickly changing the subject. She hurried into the stands. “Oh, and by the way, we did get you those twelve candidates, as your brown wished. And...there is another dragon. Hope you don’t mind.” Tai added. She was still getting used to the fact that Plobynth was a female brown. And that a brown had flown her was even stranger. Tai feared that the entire clutch was going to be filled with browns. But neither riders nor dragons had spoken a word of what the clutch was made of to the Weyrleaders. She sighed and sat down in her respective spot, T’rukel sitting beside her.
      All of the dragons began humming, the sound was deafening. They would all have headaches when they left the sands today.
      Tai looked down at the candidates and saw one boy who did not belong there. She frowned, and then smiled, seeing that F’lnor, the Weyrlingmaster, was on it. That Solin…he was a troublemaker he was, the ‘class clown’ of the Weyr, a Weyrbrat if there ever was one. She smiled. Then she frowned as Solin—being steered away from the candidates by F’lnor—started shouting: “Krispith’s wings! One dollar!” Krispith wings…Krispith was the name of F’lnor’s dragon! Tai choked back a laugh. Krispith was a brown dragon, and one that was often teased by the other Weyr residents for having such a strange name. “Go on, Efella! You’ll Impress! Crispy brown Krispith wings! One dollar! Peanuts, popcorn! Crispy Krispith wings! Very Crispy!”
      Tai shook her head. That boy could be troublesome sometimes. She would be glad the day he matured…if he ever did. Although, she would sort of miss the way he brought cheer into everyone’s lives at times. She shook her head. No, where there was one, there would always be another.
      As Solin finished shouting ‘Very Crispy’, a brown dragon, Krispith himself, turned his head towards the boy and stopped humming only long enough to growl at the offensive boy. Solin took another breath to say more, but his next words were drowned out at as the dragon’s humming increased in volume and the first shell broke open.
      A brown dragon burst from the shell. Tai held her breath. A brown! A brown! That’s it! She thought. Never again would she let browns chase when there was to be a brown female flying.
      Patience, my rider. You judge too early. That is only one brown so far.
      You know! Don’t you! You know all that is in the clutch! And you did not tell me!
      I knew, yes.
      WHY DIDN’T YOU TELL ME? Tai yelled at her dragon. She’d been kept in suspense for a month and a half as the clutch took longer to harden, for some strange reason. She supposed that it was because a brown had flown a brown.
      You did not ask, my rider. Isifth replied calmly.
      Then tell me now.
      No.
      WHAT?!?!
      Look at that brown. He is very handsome.
      The brown dragon toppled forward on his nose, then got quickly back to his feet. He blinked as he looked around, bleary-eyed, at all of the candidates. He hiccuped, so hard, in fact, that it sent him to his rump. He shook his head again, then once more began surveying the candidates.
      Once again, the brown blinked, and finally his vision was cleared. He got up and stumbled towards a male candidate, holding out his leathery wings so they would dry. I am Serneth. The brown said, continuing forward. He bumped right into Sans’ leg.
      “Still a bit wobbly, aren’t you?” Sans asked, his face brightened. Maybe it wasn’t so bad that he had been brought here to Impress after all.
      No one will ever steal you again while I am around. No one. The brown said, crooning. He craned his head upwards, nudging Sans’ hand, begging for food.
      Another egg, whose shell had so many cracks the stress from inside became overwhelming and it shattered, revealing…another brown. Tai stood up; her eyes going wide and she sputtered. A brown, Isifth! A brown! It’s another brown!
      Do you think me blind, my rider? Have consideration for Plobynth and Niunth. The gold berated. Tai sat back down in a huff.
      The brown sniffed at the air and, he too, held his wings out so they would dry in the warm air. You better get used to mucking out the Weyrs. You’ll have to do it for me, too. Unless...you don’t want me. The brown sounded deeply worried.
      “Of course I want you.” Gahn stated matter-of-factly. “Why else do you think I would have come here? To Impress a human?”
      I’m Kemoth. The two strode towards the entrance to the sands, following the other brown pair, where bowls of meat were being handed out to all new riders so they could feed their dragons.
      Tai was shaking, her eyes were dilated. The humming, two browns…a strange clutch…they made her skull throb. She was sure it’d burst at any moment. It’s not a strange clutch, rider. Calm down. Enjoy the hatching. You always enjoy hatchings. Remember mine? The reminder made Tai calm so rapidly that she slouched right into T’rukel, who put his arm around her affectionately.
      Two candidates down, ten more to go. Tai thought, her eyes unfocused and her thoughts sounding extremely happy. Then she focused back on the hatching and nearly leapt for joy when a green burst from the shell.
      The green rolled right out of her shell and probably would have rolled a long way had she not bumped into a very dark leg with six claws. She rubbed at her head, her large green eyes looking innocently up the leg and finally at the tall form above her. She blinked her left eye first, her right eyelid closing a little bit more slowly as if she would not see him again if she let both eyes close at once.
      Altair? The green questioned, here eyes whirling. “I…am Solath.” The Dimar dragon looked down at her, his eyes wide with surprise and then peace. The green could talk out loud as well as telepathically. But she had been soft-spoken, for she wanted only him to hear it first.
      Another shell burst revealing another brown. Intelligence shown in the brown’s eyes a deep intelligence. His eyes whirled with vigor when he saw the young man standing within the throng of candidates. If you hadn’t listened to Sans, you wouldn’t have been taken so severely by those bad dragoners!
      “If I hadn’t listened to Sans, you wouldn’t have Impressed me.” Meik replied calmly. He was smiling.
      “Oh, right. Too true. I am Fordeth, by the way. And I don’t mind how much you read.” The brown replied out loud. He was the second dragonet to have voiced his thoughts! This was strange indeed. Two talking dragons!
      A large egg whirled round and round as the dragonet within tried to brake loose of its confines. Finally, a large bronze head burst forth from the shell. The stands erupted into cheers. A brown and brown mating and it had put forth a bronze! The crowd continued cheering. They were so loud that for a few minutes they drowned out the dragons’ humming. Even Tai could be seen jumping up and down and adding her voice to the crowd’s.
      There is too much noise here! Get me out of here. Where are you? The bronze was stumbling around, nose-diving into the hot sands several times. He stumbled towards the stands, crying out for his chosen. A moment later, someone was pushing and shoving his way down to the bronze. The bronze did another nose-dive before Katone could set him straight and hurry him out of the caverns. I am Caronth, Katone, and I do not like that girl. She is mean. Don’t you think so?
      The crowd watched as Katone hurried his bronze out of the sands. Impressing from the stands was nothing new to the residents of the Weyr. It had happened before.
      The first blue of the clutch finally fell forward. The stands burst into cheers again. Many of the blue dragons stopped humming for a moment, surprised that one of their own color would be so rejoiced over and when they added their voices again to the thrumming, they drowned out the other colors.
      The blue streaked forward, his wings wide for balance and to help them dry. He ran right into Telem, whose marble-colored firelizard clutched to the 19-year-old’s shoulders as he wobbled. Sorry, I am Aseth. Are you all right? The blue nudged at Telem. I am hungry now. You know what it is like to be cramped up for a long time in a shell that is almost too small for you? I see the food. I am really, really hungry. The blue talked rapidly, his voice excited.
      “Slow down there a bit, Aseth, my head is whirling. I can’t understand you.” But the blue was not listening; he was streaking towards the food.
      Faster, faster, hurry up, hurry up, Telem. Hurry, hurry, hurry! There is food to be eaten and we should not waste it! At least, I should not waste it. The blue was still talking rapidly.
      My son is eager, and hyper. Plobynth commented, giving her blue son a curious stare. Strange that he should Impress someone that seems so much more calm than he.
      Your son knows what he is doing, Plobynth. Did you know what you were doing when you picked me? That quieted the brown mother fast.
      Suddenly, someone burst from the stands. Since a dragonet had not yet hatched, everyone wondered what the man was doing running towards the sands like a madman. Tai stood as she saw the man run straight for Wivenalt, a candidate who had just been Searched a few days ago. She thought the man was going to strangle the boy.
      Apparently, so did the young blue hatchling that suddenly burst from its shell. He flared his wings and flapped them, bugling his anger. Another blue burst out immediately after. The first blue screeched at the older man and ran straight into him, knocking him off his feet. The blue hissed angrily, his eyes whirling fast. If you harm my chosen, I will harm you! The blue said as he pressed his clawed feet into the man’s chest, drawing a bit of blood.
      But at that moment, the second blue ran forward, knocking over the first blue. There was utter silence, even the dragons had stopped their humming. No one coughed, no child cried, no one was heard breathing. It was as if they all held their breath. Even the new riders had stopped feeding their dragonets, turning their eyes upon the scene. Everyone had heard the first blue’s threat, and it had never been known before that a dragon should threaten another human’s life. But, apparently, if pushed far enough, one would.
      Wivenalt quickly picked the first blue and clutched him close. The blue’s eyes were still whirling angrily, as he glared at the astonished man on the ground. Then, slowly, he turned his head to look up at Wivenalt. His eyes stopped their rapid angry whirling and softened their red haze to a deep blue-green. I am Oseth. And he had no right to try do anything, especially during my hatching. And I was sure he was going to harm you. You don’t think he would have really harmed you, do you? I was so worried he was. Besides, you returned the ring, didn’t you? The blue nuzzled his rider in the face and then let his head rest on his chosen’s shoulder, an act that made him look as if he were hugging the young man.
      Elshenric, I am so sorry I was not able to stop that blue from hurting you. Are you okay? He should pay for what he took, he should. The second blue’s eyes were still whirling angrily, but their color changed and he looked worried.
      “I’m fine, Saphith, I think. I will get a medic to look at this though.” He added, before leading his dragonet towards the food.
      After the commotion, the dragons began humming again and some people started coughing, trying to be rid of that horrifying experience. Another blue burst from the rocking egg. Everyone stared at the dragonet.
      What is it like cleaning out the Weyrs of other dragons? Is it fun? Is it boring? Will you mind cleaning out our Weyr? Will you show me around the Weyr too? Am I the last dragon to hatch? Why do you look so startled? The dragonet was full of questions as he stumbled towards Sam. What is that strange fur on your face? Hey, this place has secret passages? Will you show them to me? What’s it like in a ship? Why is your hair so poofy? Is it always like that? Will you tell me everything you know? Will you feed me? Did you know my name is Shenith? You didn’t? Well, now you do. Will I be able to fly in that ship? Will… The blue dragonet’s questions seemed endless as he followed Sam towards the food, his head turned up so he could see his rider. He accidentally ran into another blue on his way over, but quickly recovered and continued following Sam.
      There were only five candidates left, and all of them were female. All of the guys had Impressed, probably leaving the females feeling worried. Even had begun to wonder if there were only male dragons in this clutch. Suddenly, the largest egg finally burst wide open. The crowd in the stands burst into screams. They stomped their feet, they clapped their hands. The dragons, all of them, stopped their humming and bugled and roared. Plobynth and Niunth held themselves high. They nuzzled one another and looked down at their golden daughter.
      She was the largest gold yet to have hatched at Sidra Weyr, seeing as both her parents were extremely large. As a matter of fact, all of the hatchlings had been large in this clutch.
The gold herself, stood proud, her head held high, her wings open as wide as they would go. The wings dried fast, and were completely dried by the time she reached Aisling.
      A bronze firelizard was perched on Aisling’s right shoulder. He flapped his wings and chirruped his happiness. The humming grew louder as the gold drew nearer her chosen. A green firelizard suddenly streaked, seemingly, from out of nowhere and zoomed around Aisling’s head. She was chirruping louder than the bronze. She seemed extremely excited.
      Aisling reached out a shaking hand. “Me?” She asked and stroked the gold’s head.
      Of course you, who else? I am Varnith. The gold said. Aisling smiled and she sank to her knees, pulling the gold close. Tai could be seen cheering, but none more so than Arista.
      The foursome (firelizards, human, and dragonet) walked (firelizards flew) off the sands.
      There was loud cheering, so loud that it drowned out the dragon’s once more.
      A green hatched next. There were now four girls on the sands and one egg still rocking. Who would be the unlucky two to go home?
      The green held herself regally, as if she were the best dragon to have hatched. She strode forward, head held high, and stopped right before Oco. Come on, do you have nothing better to do than stand around all day, Oco? Or can you take some time to feed me, Karnoth, as well? Or will I have to feed myself? Without waiting for an answer, Karnoth strode, gracefully, away as Oco followed, a smile upon her face.
      Finally the last egg burst open, revealing the last green in the clutch. Hello, Razy! The green said as she fell from her shell. I’m hungry. But my name is Krionith. In case you thought ‘hungry’ was my name. Krionith added.
      As the two left the sands, the crowd burst into cheers once more. The hatching was over, and though it had had a down point, everyone was satisfied that it had turned out just fine. Plobynth and Niunth were laying in a dark corner of the caverns, curled up next to each other. T’res and Arista were both grinning as wide as anyone could. Tai and T’rukel were leaving, Tai commenting how she would love to have more brown females flying more often, and wondering what the White’s clutch would be like when she flew.
      “Well, I suppose this is the end.”
      “Hmm.” T’res said, holding Arista close. “An end, I suppose. Not the end.” His smile broadened. “After all, T’res Junior still hasn’t come.” He said, patting her belly.
      “Hey, who said we were going to name it after you? We don’t even know if its going to be a boy. It’ll be a girl, I bet.” Arista said, not able to hide her smile.
      “I suppose so, my mother always knew. It’s not fair, why do women usually know?” Arista laughed at her Weyrmate.
      “Motherly instinct.”