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        A bugle sounded through Firestone Weyr.  Arahmaria was in the weyr of her older sister and her dragon. It was just dawn and Arah had awoken early to help her sister rearramge things.
    "Jalani!" Arah exclaimed.  "Jalani, is that it? Is it time?"
    Of course it was.  Arah had been at Firestone Weyr a long time, ever since her sister's impression years back, the longest out of any candidate for the white's clutch.  For a while, she hadn't even been allowed to be a candidate, but now she was and her time had come. The dragons of the Weyr hummed a soft hum.
    She had waited years for this.
    "Here!" Jalani gave Arah a white robe.  "The Weyrlingmaster is supposed to give you one, but since you aren't in your chambers as you ought to be, he won't be able to find you.  Plus, this is the one I impressed in."  Jalani smiled.  "Though it might be a bit big for you."
    "Jalani!" Arah exclaimed as she put the robe on.  A few months ago, Jalani had been against her impressing at all, and now she was giving her the same robe to wear that she had worn!
    Jalani picked her up and placed her on her blue Nantahalth's neck as the dragon flew towards the sands.  Easier than walking, and since Arah was partly crippled, it was a good thing.  Ordinarilly Arah would have protested, insisting that she could walk (or run) there herself, but now she was too excited, and besides, riding on a dragon was fun.
    Soon she would have her very own.
    The other candidates gathered and Arah climbed down from Nantahalth to join them.  She caught a glimpse of Nantahalth's gleaming eye, it seemed to tell her, Good luck, I always knew you'd be able to do this.
    Daisen, Arah's firelizard appeared at her shoulder.  She knew something was up.  "Daisen." Arah stroked her, smiling.  "Today is our day Daisen! You can come with me if you want, though I know of a certain merchant in a wagon train that might want to hear from you.  I have to fulfill my promise to him, after all."  Daisen dissappeared between, hopefully to find Jerad.
    The robe was more than a bit too big, but Arah held it up and managed to avoid trippin as she walked towards the others.
    In the crowd, Arah caught sight of A'sal, the blurider who had lead both Arah and her sister to Firestone that day years ago.  He had searched many candidates since then, did he still remember her?  He smiled and winked at her.  Of course he did!
    Abruptly the humming stopped. The sun was barely rising, though it was plenty warm on the sands, and the eggs began to shake.  Arah's eyes fell on one of the eggs, much smaller than the others, probably a white.  A white! That was an extremely rare color, just like the mother of these dragons was a white.  Wouldn't it blow Jalani away if not only did she impress, but she impressed a white!
    The first egg revealed a blue.  The blue went straight past the boys and right to the girls.  Arah watched it, amazed.  It looked like Nantahalth had looked back when he was only a hatchling and had impressed to Jalani.  He looked at each of the girls, Arah eyed it nerivously, suspecting he was not the one she would impress.  She was right, he stopped in front of an apprentice weaver.
    A brown hatched, then a blue, then a blue and a green hatched together.  They looked at each other and seemed to be arguing.  Arah laughed as the blue stuck its tongue out at the green. The green growled.  Though only the other dragons could hear her thoughts, everyone could guess them.   The blue shook, shattering the shell before walking over to her, head cocked to one side. Suddenly, he licked her nose, then turned and ran off to the candidates, the green chasing him.

The two dragonets raced around, weaving through the girls in their game of cat and mouse. Arah watched, amazed at their energy, seeing in them something of herself.  She was startled when the blue suddenly stopped in front of her and liked her face like a canine.
    "Överlevath! Stop it!" Aramaria laughed, grabbing the blue's muzzle and pushing him away. His name had just come to her mind.  She could see his thoughts now, hear is blue voice.
    Awww... EP!  He jumped and glared at the green hanging on his tail. Qayth! Let go!  Arah laughed.
    Looks like that silly green's got you. She told him.  She had spoken through the bond, through a bond to her impressed dragon!
    Of course! I am your new playmate!  Överlevath told her.  Arah smiled at her blue playmate.  Blue, a color that mostly impressed to males.  Blue, just like Jalani's Nantahalth.
    Why did you choose me, over all of those boys?  She found herself asking.  She was honored, though at the back of her mind, she worried a little.  This playful little dragon was her perfect match, but did he realize that she was a cripple?
    Because none of those boys are daring enough to climb up the wall of the Weyr, hurt themselves, and are still able to stand on the sands as a candidate.
    Arah smiled.  Her lifemate knew her heart.  Her lifemate. Her dragon!