Morning Star Weyr
It had just shown first light when Sidanth’s bulge echoed through Morning Star Weyr. The clutch had only received enough candidates the proceeding day, and it was lucky it had. Terana leaped out of her bed and threw on her robe.
  Why didn’t you tell me, Zauiyth? Terana asked her orange Zauiyth, mother of the first clutch at Morning Star.
  There’s no need for you to know before anyone else, Zauiyth sighed.
  B’rro slipped into Terana’s weyr and grabbed her hand as the candidates rushed past them, all struggling to pull on their robes.
  Sliding into the stands next to Zearia and J’gon, Terana and B’rro examined the candidates, “They’re all not here, Zearia!” Terana shouted. “And look! The first egg already hatched!”
  Sure enough, a hatchling, even larger than the largest gold, stood in the shards of his egg. Suddenly, a bronze flit landed on the dragonet’s head and then launched back off and flew forward. Entranced by the flit, the hatchling stepped forward. The crowd gasped. In the morning light, the hatchling’s bright red hide glistened.
  “Feure!” Everyone suddenly heard as one of the candidates, Raltil, rushed onto the sands. “Leave that hatchling alone!”
  It’s all right, Raltil. He’s not bothering me.
  “Well…” Raltil breathed sharply. “Dokenoth, this is a surprise. I didn’t think I’d Impress…first.”
  A cheer rose as the first pairing in the first Morning Star hatching left the sands. Attention turned back as the largest of the eggs started to form cracks. There had been bets that it contained a gold, but with the first hatchling, no one knew what to expect now. Two of the smaller eggs suddenly rolled in front of the large egg, detracting attention from the rocking egg. Shattering, the shells of the two eggs – one light blue and the other a deep purple – rained down onto the male candidates.
  Oh, Janrel, I’m so sorry, the larger of the hatchlings cried loud enough for all the hear. I didn’t mean too. Really!
  "It’s fine, Kakaroth," Janrel said as he stroked the black hide of the dragonet.
  Well, I didn’t do anything, the smaller of the hatchlings whined.
  “Of course you didn’t, Xerath,” Jarya said as she approached the hatchling. “The boys just weren’t standing in the right place. That’s all.”
  As they left the sands, everyone noticed that the large egg had hatched. Searching the sands, two small speckled hatchlings were found. They were both about the size of a white hatchling, but oddly, their wings were slightly smaller than average.
  “Their wings look like they are half wher,” Zearia heard someone whisper.
  “I bet they’re the fastest of all these hatchling,” She growled.
  Jasmi! One of them shouted, rushing towards the girls.
  “I’m sure you’ll fly, Rayanth,” Jasmi said. “All we have to do is work at it.”
  “Bancarth,” Enidiar sighed as the other hatchling walked over to him. “It wouldn’t matter to me whether you flied or not.”
  Suddenly, a flash of white rushed past the candidates and tackled Tibsiorf, “Veranth, get off me!” Tibsiorf shouted.
 Darquara, you weren’t worried, were you? An orange hatchling strolled over to Darquara.
  “No, Abbiyth, not the least bit,” Darquara sighed.
  As the remaining candidates watched the rocking eggs, Zearia saw Deahbrin slip onto the sands. Gasping, she turned to Terana.
  “Deahbrin missed half of the hatching,” She whispered.
  It’s all right, Zearia, Zauiyth sighed. She did not miss her opportunity.
  Suddenly, two of the larger eggs hatched. Two golds burst onto the sands beside each other and rushed towards the girls. One latched onto Lathtoria’s leg and the other Rikaita.
  “Lokath.”
  “Giyath.”
  Lathtoria and Rikaita walked off of the sands, leaving the crowd confused. The girl’s voices were so similar that no one could tell who had called which dragon what.
  “I thought they were all going to be special,” B’rro said.
  They are all special, Sidanth growled to his rider.
  I meant rare, Sidanth, B’rro thought back.
  Just as B’rro had finished his comment, two more eggs hatched, a brown and a bronze. They both hurried over to the boys.
  “Don’t worry, Caryth,” Fightan smiled at the brown. “We won’t have to put up with my sister in the Weyrling barracks.”
  “Oh, Zazayth, Derian really isn’t that bad,” Gishat sighed as he stroked the bronze’s eye ridge.
  Deahbrin now stood alone on the sands.
  Why did we need twelve candidates if you were just going to leave one standing? Terana growled at Zauiyth.
  I only said there weren’t twelve eggs, Zauiyth sighed, lifting her body off of the sands, revealing two shining eggs. I didn’t say we wouldn’t need twelve candidates.
  Zearia shook her head, “Zauiyth can’t count,” she groaned.
  Suddenly, both eggs cracked. A bronze stood quietly next to a silver. The silver was smaller than a white; although it’s wing span seemed to be double of the bronze which stood beside him. The silver started forward.
  Deahbrin, I’m here, finally. I’m sorry it took me so long, the silver re-laid mentally.
  "It’s all right, Scaroth," Deahbrin said. "I wasn’t worried."
  The bronze looked around, seeing no candidates, it rushed the stands. Tears began to form in Zearia’s eye as the little hatchling rushed about the stands, but didn’t find anyone he liked.
  “Oh, J’gon!” Zearia cried as the bronze bulged sadly as most did before they betweened.
  “Bazorth! NO!” A shout came from the entrance.
  Gianfin rushed up into the stands and clutched the bronze. Smiling, Zearia looked down at the pairing, “All right, you two. You best get some food from B’kan.”
  Gianfin nodded as he lead Bazorth out of the stands, “That was unexpected,” Terana sighed.
  “At least all the dragons got lifemates,” J’gon sighed.
  Zearia nodded slightly and smiled, “Thank Fanarth!”