Hatch3

Rayanth paced wildly as Jasmi tired to find out what the problem was, “Dearheart, can you tell me what’s worrying you? We have enough candidates now. Four sets of twins, just like you said.”
I was wrong. One candidate will go unimpressed. I’m such an idiot! Rayanth bulged.
“One candidate will go unimpressed? Dearheart, what are you talking about? There are only four eggs, eight candidates. More than one candidate is going to…” Suddenly, Jasmi thought of something. “Rayanth, darling, there was a clutch at Falas that just hatched twins and even triplets. You and Bancarth are both twin dragons. Is that why you wanted eight candidates for your children? There will be eight children?”
Seven! Rayanth cried. One egg only has one dragon! I’m so stupid! Tell whichever candidate that does not Impress that I am sorry…
Bancarth suddenly bulged and they both took off and betweened somewhere as one of the eggs began to crack.
“Shards!” Jasmi screamed as she rushed towards the candidate barracks.

***

Jasmi cursed under her breath as she rallied the candidates onto the sands. A large bronze hatchling was wandering around as the Riker twins entered the Hatching Grounds. The bronze sat down and stared at each candidate that entered the grounds until they were all there. Miamar bound toward the hatchling when he finally got sick of waiting.
“Were you just going to sit there and stare at us, Kiloth?” Miamar asked.
Yep! Kiloth chirped. Good thing you came and got me, huh?
Nadeen beamed as her brother tapped her on her shoulder as he walked past, his bronze chirping happily. Another egg began to rock as B’kan and Zearia entered the Hatching Grounds. The egg split down the middle thrusting a large brown and a small blue onto the sands. As they untangled themselves and stood, Simisit and Cisyti smiled at each other. They started towards the two dragons, but the brown rushed past them and leaped on Samil.
“Evinth, get off,” Samil sighed. “No, I’m not mad at you. You’re just really heavy.”
As the blue tugged on Simisit’s robe, Cisyti sighed, “Don’t worry, Cisyti,” Simisit smiled. “There’s a dragon out here for you. Come along, Hekaroth.”
Now, only females remained and as the large green egg began to rock, they held each other’s hands tightly. None of them wanted to be left on the sands, but they were pretty sure at least one of them would be. The green egg cracked and two dragons fell onto the sands. All of the girls gasped. A black dragon and a white dragon were tangled together.
“The contrast had to be expected,” B’kan sighed. “Rayanth and Bancarth are both black and white themselves.”
The two dragons clawed at each other, trying their best to right themselves. When they had finally gotten untangled, they stood and examined the girls. The black slowly moved forward and crooned when she tripped on one of the larger dunes. Ilara rushed forward and righted the dragon.
“You’ve got a nasty scratch on your nose, Uasth,” Ilara sighed. “Did your twin hurt you?”
The black crooned.
“No, I’m not mad at her,” Ilara laughed. “At this moment, I couldn’t be mad at anyone.”
The white watched her sister leave the sands and crooned sadly. Adela rushed towards the little white.
“Don’t worry, Ladath,” Adela sighed, hugging the white. “We can catch up with your sister and my brother.”
There was only one egg left on the sands, and three candidates to Impress it. Everyone of their siblings had Impressed so it was just a matter of time until they found out which one of them would be left dragonless and without a sibling’s support. The cream egg cracked, and everyone who had come to watch feel silent. Two small gold hatchlings were sitting on the sands looking up at the stands at the people who had come to watch them be born. They crooned sadly as they turned to the candidates.
“Oh, no, Zixath,” Nadeen sighed as she moved towards one of the hatchlings. “We’re not disappointed. Not in the least. Just shocked, that’s all.”
Cisyti and Akyla looked at each other. The smaller of the golds hadn’t made her chose yet. They both held their breath as the gold dragoness wandered over to them.
I could not chose either of you, you know, the gold sighed as she watched the two girls. Breath! I don’t want you to faint! She exclaimed as both girls’ faces turned blue.
Both of them breathed in, but Akyla had a smile plastered across her face where Cisyti was frowning.
“Well?” Akyla asked.
Quieth, the gold sighed. And you are my rider, Akyla.
“Come on, Quieth,” Akyla sighed. “Let’s catch up with my…sister,” Akyla beamed brightly as she lead the small gold over to the other hatchlings.
Cisyti looked quite dejected as Zearia walked over and placed her hand on the girl’s shoulder, “Our next clutch is a gold’s. You may stay and stand if you like. I’m sure your brother won’t leave without you and your dragon.”
“Rayanth knew this was going to happen, Cisyti,” Jasmi sighed. “She was beating herself up about it. She’s really sorry, but I’m sure you’ll Impress next time.”
Cisyti smiled lightly as she, Zearia, and Jasmi went over to check on the newly Impressed, and their hatchlings.