The dining hall of the Ring of Fire had been almost completely redone from its usual state of fold-up tables and bright lightning. Somehow or other, they'd finally been able to get the electrical wiring in the old volcano finished--only they knew how, but no doubt it took quite a bit of doing to wire that entire place so one could image the lengths Mixed Media went to to get it done. Only the walls had been left alone. With their mirror-like black surfaces there had been no need to tamper with them.

The tables still remained, of course. Where else would they set the food and drinks? It wasn't like they could actually get anything else to set it on. They'd been redecorated, though, covered with golden rod paper tableclothes with jack-o-lanterns as center pieces. They could've used cornucopias...but this was supposed to be a Halloween party, wasn't it? Not an autumn party. The carved pumpkins smirked into space, glowing dimly in the darkness. They were the sole light in the room.

Cobwebs had been hung from the ceilings and walls, complete with plastic spiders. Streamers had been added, too, hanging down like orange, yellow, and brown worms from the obsidian ceilings. One would also expect to see rubber bats hanging from the ceilings--but when they were looked for it became noticable that the ceiling was slowly changing. A cloudy night, adding to the creepiness of the gathering: enchanted by none other than Archmage Darreon, the magic teacher. Instead of rubber bats, real ones zipped around the ceiling--or were they just illusion? It wouldn't be pleasant if one turded on a guest's head... Surely they had thought of that?

The refreshment table was interesting. It had a large bubbling and misting cauldron in the center of the table, probably achieved with the effect of dry ice. A plush black cat was perched on top of it, back arched and hissing at nothing. The table was laden with all sorts of goodies. Cookies, candy, roast Salmin--which the natives of the planet had graciously donated, stuffed fowl that had been made to look like stuffed black cats just to get on the nerves of one of the candidates, 'monkey brains', and various other stuff that was supposed to look like something it wasn't... Hey! It was Halloween, things could be a little goofy.

None of the RoF staff was in the dining-turned-banquet hall, they were all off decorating for the spooookier events. Of course, the talents of the chaos gods didn't hurt anyway. They were setting up a very realistic, very creepy haunted-house like event that would make people wonder of Mixed Media really did have that kind of stuff there. Wasn't much of a way to tell whether or not it was real.

Many of the entrance corridors leading to the banquet hall had been enchanted--and hauntified. Mixed Media had sent out an ad "Looking for ghosts, will pay in whatever you ask." Luckily a few benevolent spirits had responded and agreed to help with the RoF staff's antics. They certainly made the gloomy hallways lit by torches instead of the usual electricity more frightening. The skeletons and zombies Dameon and Darreon had managed to animate weren't a bad touch either.

The staff was just adding the finishing touches--blood on the walls, illusionsary rats, giant worms--when a sound came echoing through the passages. It started as a low, tuneless melody then gradually edged up to a full-fledged reverberating hum. The dragons were humming their welcoming song loudly enough for the entire dragonry to hear it.

"Dang it..." Lani mumbled. "They told us it would be a few more days!"

Dameon shrugged, laughing a little. "Well, it can't really ever be told when exactly dragon eggs will hatch. Don't worry so much, Lani. What will happen will happen, even if there's no one here to see it."

The Firelancer nodded, but then shook her head. "The party's not for another few hours! They were supposed to be here to watch it... then I could yell at Sargon if that vampiress he brought in kills anyone or anything."

Dathius chuckled in the darkness, his deep sapphire eyes glinting. "Don't worry about it too much, I know how to deal with my fellow vampires should they get out of hand. Plus there's the dragons, they know what they're doing."

"Yes... I suppose you're right..." Lani sighed.

~Okay...the eggs are hatching, why are you standing there talking? Get the candidates!~ White Faith rumbled grumpilly.

The riders laughed. "I'll go get the candidates...except that I'd prefer perhaps Grandfather or Eva come along to help with some of the more...dangerous ones. I'm a white mage, not a black or red one," Willow said, still kind of smiling but a little worriedly at speaking of the eviller candidates that had come in. "They'd do me in."

"I'll go with her," Archmage Darreon said stiffly, giving a nod. "She has a point. She's a healer not a battle mage."

The two didn't wait for an answer, they knew that it wasn't needed. Not like the Firelancer was a stiff leader anyway, she didn't demand they get her permission to leave or anything. In fact, she didn't demand they get her permission for anything. For all she cared they could do whatever as long as it wasn't something stupid like mass homocide.

~Are you coming or not!?~ Tiharnath bugled loudly. ~Didn't that big mouthed white of yours already tell you the eggs were hatching?~

The dragons were getting edgy. None were used to sharing the sands with other dragons--and none of them liked sharing them with Libera who complained and snarled day in and day out about Liojuth having given the number of her eggs. The chocolate-brown with sunset wings ignored her threats and complaints, though. He'd gotten quite sick of the whole thing and would only talk to Kimoth about anything to do with hatchlings.

Now it finally seemed the insanity of the Halloween clutch would be over, hopefully it just went off without a hitch...

Darreon herded the twenty-five candidates onto the sands along with Willow, swinging his staff at what appeared to be a black demoness who...wasn't the nicest creature, nor did she want to bond. As Willow had told them, there were a few candidates to beware of... And the staff had a sneaking suspicion they'd have to watch them even after--if--they bonded.

With some prompting, the candidates were lined up--including two rather strange looking dragons that had come from Danach. An apparently undead one with fiery wings and crest; and a rather arrogant dark one with lightning lancing through his wings. Darreon remained down on the sands, should any of this mottly bunch decide to try anything funny.

Wait....twenty-five? "Willow, where's Creepie?" Lani asked, turning to her sister.

"The dragons say it's not yet sunset...he doesn't come out until nightfall. He'll be here, though. Don't worry," Willow reassured the Firelancer.

Lani began to mutter something under her breath, but was cut short by a sharp crack from the sands. The hatching had begun, and the very first to grace the sands with her presence surprised even the people of RoF.

The dragoness had come from Chikarath's clutch, and stood regally upon her forepaws. The little beauty was gold all over her body, but she had webbed feet colored silver, blue wings, and blue fins protruding from various points on her body. Her face was sleek and soft, definitely that of a shadow dragon.

The newborn queen shook her ocean-kissed wings and strided a little awkwardly towards the candidates. Unused to walking, and certainly unused to walking with webbed feet the dragonet wasn't the most graceful creature. Evidently sick of the effort she had to put forth, the little queen sat and looked at the candidates in a curious way--and then she turned to face her audience.

~This..."Ryslen" sounds like a nice place, Firelancer,~ the new queen addressed Lani. ~Do you think they would accept me there?~

"I'm certain they would," Lani replied, giving a nod. She wasn't concerned about this dragoness not bonding--there were more eggs, and the Ring of Fire dragons were far more independent than the 'old world' dragons. They were true Old Worlders--and not Pernese, Earth.

~Then I think that's where I will go, the Summer queen decided, trotting off to find one of the rooms they'd set up for feeding dragons. ~I am Suirenth, by the way. The kitchen was nowhere near the Special Sands--or any of the sands, for that matter.

Another egg was rolling around wildly. That is, until it smashed into another in the same nest. A mid-sized bronze dragonet with four wings tumbled from the first egg, while a small orange and black with yellow wings leapt out of the second, snarling loudly. The orange struck at the bronze, narrowly missing its side, before trotting off to his chosen.

~Gregory,~ the jack-o-lantern dragon said. He may have smirked--but it was hard to tell. The black markings on his face gave him a more permenant evil grin. ~What are you doing hanging around with these fools, anyway? I think that we have better things to do...~

Gregory smirked, stepping forward to his dragon. "Yes, Hessianth...I believe we do."

"There goes trouble," Darreon growled as he watched the two leave the sands.

The four-winged bronze was left alone, lifting its wings in the darkness. ~What a jerk,~ the dragonet spat. In a very, very feminine voice. Well, both had come from female Bronze Kimoth's clutch! That was to be expected. ~My name's Poinath...and I don't intend to bond anyone here! That said, the little bronze dragoness trotted off the sands.

A few of the candidates muttered to each other, but Liojuth above was positively being. So far it was a wonderful clutch he'd sired!

Two more eggs were visibly rocking in Mayath's clutch, more than any of the other twenty-seven eggs that remained. It seemed almost like the half-desmi in the eggs were in a contest to see who could get out first. The larger of the two eggs began to crack in a spider-webbed pattern then finally split into a thousand pieces.

The black within was a fearsome little beast, likely to be much smaller than most dragons. There was...something wrong with her, though. Her skeleton shown through her black hide in a sickly green luminescence; and she had four eyes. Her wings were also no more than extentions of her forepaws and glowing blue and hot pink in the dim cavern. With far more powerful a roar than a small hatchling should have, the beast leapt at one of the candidates--Heath.

Shrieking, the radioactive raked at any flesh she could get at with her claws and fangs. The ex-scientist was pinned beneath her, but then what had been the occupant of the other egg came charging to the rescue like the calvary. He slammed into the bipedal black knocking her into the sands and to the feet of another candidate. Crooning, the raptor-like blue-green nudged Heath to his feet.

"It's alright, Behemoth," Heath reassured his desmos-dragon unsteadily, stroking the little beast's muzzle. Behemoth turned his sharp head away, hissing at his sister.

~You fool!~ the radioactive hissed, crouching beside Virus. ~You know what this man does...he will be the end of us!~

~Perhaps the end of you and your bond, but I cannot wait until that day,~ Behemoth shot back with a sneer, his striped tail whipping through the air.

Virus grinned down at his bipedal beastie. "Don't worry, Henshuth... They are no threat to us. A minor set back in the past...but a very minor set back. Come along."

Henshuth gave one last glare at her brother, then trotted off back on her two legs after her sinister bond.

~I will not eat with her,~ Behemoth growled. ~I am not so hungry...we can wait...~

"If you're certain..." Heath conceded. For the time being, the two settled back to watch a few more bondings.

Two eggs from very different nests seemed to burst open at the same time. The one from Red-gold Tiharnath's nest spilled out a black with blue-green markings and silver stars on his wings. Certainly one of silver-marked black Epitath's sons. The eclipse dragon stood, eyeing the candidates with misted eyes.

A black with white markings and hot pink wings made her entrance from one of white Faith's eggs, grinning mischieviously. She pranced right up to the strong black male and promptly whacked him across the rump with her tail.

~Hiya, cutie!~

The male black whirled to face the female, snarling. ~What do you want?~

~Hmm...hard question to answer, at least right now. I'll be after you later, though, Muunsolartogarth,~ the pink-winged black gave a wink, then trotted into the midst of the candidates to plop right down at the feet of Emara. ~I think we will get along well, don't you agree?~

"Yes I do, Kandi," Emara grinned back, and the two left the sands. There went more trouble.

~The sun's setting,~ Faith informed everyone. ~In fact in five, four...three....two...~

As though on some unsaid clue, Creepie appeared from the lower caverns giving his signature chirp to let them know he'd arrived. To the surprise of everyone his chirp was echoed.

A black with red wings and a sunset belly rushed quickly out of Libera's nest, before his dam could object in her annoying way. He curled around Creepie's ankles, crooning and grinning in a draconic way. Creepie grinned--a freaky thing indeed--then picked up his partially feathered bond to carry him off for some food.

Libera was having a fit, yelling non-stop. ~OH SHUT UP!~ Liojuth roared, which of course just made things worse. ~My son is Daritonliath.~

The recordkeeper, Jinira, blinked then scratched down the record of the pairing. Above her clouded orange Kelritna rumbled.

Another dragoness had hatched unnoticed, and quickly trotted across the sands to nuzzle Leliby's hand. The girl looked down at the pretty white highlighted with blue and swirled with silver, and moved away a little. ~Do not worry,~ the little dragonet reassured the ex-personality. ~I will protect you and so will Evil, I'm Kizukuth. Do you want to wait for your friend?~

Leliby nodded, and another pair settled down to wait. Heath and his raptorian beast had left, though. Hopefully that meant Virus and Henshuth had been gotten rid of...for now.

A white paw kicked out of a shell in Chikarath's nest, beating furiously at the egg until it broke away. Another bipedal dragoness stood proud, but unlike the radioactive she was a very pretty and cute little dragoness. Mostly green with white belly and paws and a pale golden stripe down her back. Her wings were sky blue clouded with white and stripped with green that looked like grass.

~I'm sooo glad you like dragons, Pira! Think you can take me on adventures with Atulian?~

"Of course, Hanasakuth!" Pira exclaimed, pouncing her bond in the same way she did Atulian. The bipedal hatchling murred playfully then darted off to get food, Pira following laughing behind. The yellow-orange Atulian looked on. He wanted to play, too!

Something dark and sinister with purple-blue wings slipped out of Faith's nest, slinking up to Ni'stai. ~I do not think that man will hurt you as that other did, mine...but if he does I will happily eat him.~.

Ni'stai grinned evilly, stroking her dragon's head. His words were also reassuring, though... "Thank you, Kublikath."

One of the wierdest candidates--though his appearance wasn't all that out of the ordinary--was Talasin, the black cat that the Firelancer had decided to irritate by making the roast fowl look like roast cats. She'd never do such thing, though...she was a Katri. It still severely bugged Talasin, though.

The black cat slunk through the forest of eggs, his paws touching lightly upon the sands. He paused, sniffing at an egg. It broke, causing the Halloween kitty to jump back with his back arched and all his fur on end.

A black dragon stepped gracefully from the shards of his shell, and swatted at the little feline with a paw. He was very...catlike and small. Talasin smirked. "I hope you like crow, Nekoth."

Libera split the air with another shriek, angry that another of her children had hatched--and walked on completely annoying her. A rather confused little mostly sunset male wandered up to Evil. ~What's going on? Why's she mad? Are the sheep going to eat me?~

"I don't know, Fuevioenavith," Evil said looking as confused as his dragon. "I think we bonded, I don't know, and they might...but they're not here..."

~Oh...okay...~ the dragon said, giving a blink. ~Let's go...mom's scaring me.

Another candidate, it seemed, had also had enough. Urahisi began to throw a fit, turning towards Archmage Darreon. "I cannot believe you people! Holding me here! I TOLD YOU THAT I DO NOT WANT TO BOND!" the black creature snarled, raising her claws. Darreon likewise readied his staff for battle, but a small voice stopped the black queen from attacking.

~You do not...want me?~ it said to Urahisis, seeming rather hurt.

Urahisi looked down at a little red and green dragon who had wings marked like leaves. The dragoness looked awkward, standing on her hindlegs--but evidently it was uncomfortable for her to walk on her webbed forepaws. "Of course I want you, Takiluraith..."

~Good, I was hoping you would..~

~That was sweet and all, maybe she'll clean up her act now. We have a worse evil to fight, though, Dvheyantriaenayotcheyvanyshlavarth.

~Not yet, Hobbinboliblaziniyaghth,~ the fire-bone winged copper dragon from Danach chuckled to a black who blazed with an unnatural fire all over and had his wings marked with flames. Evidently these two were also two of a kind--no doubt the hatchling was undead, but strong. ~You need to grow some, first.~

Atulian suddenly found himself pounced by a small sapphire-winged silver female that had appeared from Kanshishath's nest. The two dragons rolled over and over, mrring and growling playfully. Finally the female jumped off, and darted in the same direction Pira and her Hanasakuth had left in.

"I'll get you for that, Tanoshiith!" Atulian yelled, and darted off after his bond.

Another dark, sinister looking dragon appeared from Faith's nest. A low-slung long-bodied male that seemed to absorb the light. There was no sheen to his hide and he seemed to be almost a shadow himself... a shadow dragon? Only the dragonet's red eyes and white fangs gleamed in the dark. He slunk towards the candidates, then... POUNCED!

Dassaphar yelped in surprise, but it soon turned to laughter as he wrestled with his new bond. Both seemed very content to play with one another. Evidently looks COULD be deceiving! "Kageth! I'm going to get you!" Dassaphar laughed, pinning his bond to the sands.

Up in the stands, everyone else was laughing. And even Darreon was grinning. Interesting bonding!

Two more of Kanshishath's eggs burst, and the half-brothers looked at each other. One was definitely part Hathian, while the other was definitely full blooded Fira. The Fira, a bronze male with silver markings and wings shoved the smaller four-winged male aside and strode assuredly towards the candidates.

~Haha, Shiner! Good telling them that you do prefer females,~ the bronze half-gloated. ~After all. I, the great Gomanth, am certainly not interested in males!~

The smaller dragon ignored what his brother was doing, and instead padded up to the last Mallcrawler on the stands that stood unbonded. He was a strange little dragon, having wingflaps on his forelegs like a Hathian's and wings on his back like a Fira's. His crest was gold, and his Hathian horns might remind someone of antennae--and where they went around his eyes they looked like goggles. The four-winged black opened his mouth and sent a bolt of lightning lancing through his chosen's hair. Fix laughed in surprise.

"That's certainly going to come in handy, Amphithorinath!"

~Of course it will,~ the dragonet said, giving a geeky grin. ~That's what I have it for! I can help with security, too!~

White Faith was looking at her final egg this clutch rather worriedly...it hadn't so much as twitched. Maybe there was something wrong with it? The white moved up to the egg, standing on her hindlegs and scratching at the shell until she'd made an indent big enough for her claws. Faith forced her claws into the cratch and exerted her strength until the shell pulled apart with a loud POP!

Something white with a faint blue glow fell onto the sands and lay there, mewling weakly like a kitten. Faith nudged her white daughter to her feet. Ungainfully, the tiny ghostly dragonet toddled towards the candidates, but was unsure by what they found there. Some shied away, most thought of what they could scare with a dragon like that, one looked down upon her--she was weak, not his bond. One, however, stepped forward to help the tiny spectral dragonet.

The little ghost white slipped away, though, back to her mother's protective wings. Reika looked sadly after the little dragonet...she felt sorry for it.

~Do not worry about Yureith, Reika. She only left you because you are not hers. It's nothing against you,~ Faith reassured the girl.

Another egg practically exploded, and perhaps the most colorful queen to ever hatch anywhere--and certainly the most colorful queen to hatch at RoF--stepped from Kimoth's nest. She was powerful and graceful in every aspect. Her moist fiery sunset wings glittered in the dimlight of the cavern and she raised her head high. She was certainly a queen among queens--and her size would grow to match that reputation!

Only one candidate stepped forward to claim this queen as his. His! Naskabyriniuth knew this must be his bond--and to everyone's surprise, she accepted him as much.

~It's only fitting, isn't it elderspirit?~ the queen of sunsets said to Darreon, who nodded.

"Yes. Your granddam and grandsire at Ryslen were bonded to one another. Liojuth is mine, and I am in truth a dragon...take good care of your bond."

~I plan to,~ the sunset queen said with a smirk.

~What do you mean, Luminoserith?~ Naskabyriniuth asked. He could take care of himself.

~All sentients are equal, my love. Humans and dragons...dragons and all other sentients. I know my place, but you need to learn yours. Don't worry, though...you won't fall from your glory,~ Lumi' was a prideful...but very respectable little queen. Of course, her parents were the same! Especially Liojuth.

The sunset brown purred to his female bronze mate, who gave him a grin. Both were very proud of their daughter!

Kanshishath's last egg gave up its prize. A wing-armed dragoness with a dark grey hide. She looked around sadly, though... ~I am Minerlath...and my bond is not here.~

Two more eggs bursts open. First a bronze with black wings etched with bright green stripes emerged from Kimoth's nest, and then a blood red queen with gold paws and black wings from Tiharnath's. The bronze hissed at the red-black-gold, he wanted to bond first.

The queen ignored him, though, padding up to the only one for her. Corvia. ~I, Succubith, hope that your man gets a nice bond for me...~ the queen said. Her voice was not altogether evil. She was very much like her bond.

Snorting, the bronze with the black and green wings took his choice. ~I'm Kalfaminarath and all that crap, Dan. You need to learn to take action! And next time I will take action upon anyone who gets in my way, the willowwhisp bronze glared at Succubith who was leaving with her bond.

"Next time, Kalfaminarath, next time," Dan reassured his bronze.

Mayath's final egg came rolling out of her nest, ramped over a small hill in the sands, then came literally crashing to earth. Two desmi-dragons popped out of the egg, and the first padded gracefully over to the one it seemed she'd chosen long ago.

~Evia?~ the little tiger-striped cutie asked the delicate little woman. ~Will I get to see the tigers, too? I can fly even if you can't...

"Of course, Torath!" Evia exclaimed, tears welling in her eyes as she hugged the tiny dragoness around the neck. Torath nuzzled her gently.

The other little dragoness, though, was a mischief-making bipedal with a blue hide marked with stripes. She leapt up into the stands, easily, and promptly plopped down at the Firelancer's feet. ~I'm Spike, and I'm staying here with yooouuu alll!!!~

"Oh joy..." Lani grumbled.

Chikarath's last egg split and a silver....furry male trotted up to a feline girl with the grace of a cat, a rather large cat. ~I will help you find your friends... And humans sound rather...yummy...~ the large furry male gave a grin, showing all his sharp fangs.

Adain Eira mimicked the grin. "Sounds good to me, Solstath..."

The last egg of Kimoth's seemed to just peel open with a sickening "screekooow". Something dark and green fell onto the sands then stood abruptly, long claws sinking into the clinging stuff. The rather freaky little black-green with the clubbed tail roared, and Helinfyre grinned. This was the moment she'd been waiting for!

"What is that!" Jinira whispered hoarsely. "It looks like a...like..a...Zerg!"

~That's because I am a Zerg, foolish protoss! You're far stupider than I'd thought. Now--I'm hungry! the Spider dragoness leapt right up into the stands, reaching for the executor who abruptly jumped back in shock. High above, Kelritna shrieked and made a move to stop the hatchling from killing her rider--but another dragon beat her to it.

A large black hatchling, almost a mini Epitath with different markings, came streaking from Tiharnath's nest and grabbed the spider dragoness by the tail. He jerked her back, ignoring her protestant shrieks, and pinned her to the sands.

"LET HER GO YOU STUPID MALE!" Helinfyre roared, moving to help her dragon. But a four-clawed hand almost like a dragon's yanked her back and an energy blade was put up to her neck.

"Make another move, Zerg-scum, and I will send your blood upon this sand as Namoth sends your bond's..." Dark templar Rozaul growled menacingly. He'd been cloaked, and Helinfyre had failed to notice him.

The ex-marine didn't move, though, but instead began to curse.

Dameon poked Lani in the ribs, who snapped out of her trance. "What do we do with them?"

"I...don't know," Lani admitted. She was reluctant to kill a dragon--infested or not--so soon after hatching... "...for now, let's let them go. If we meet later on the battlefield we'll kill them then..."

Dameon nodded and jumped down from the balcony, joining Chijiklu who'd jumped down to help Rozaul but had paused to watch as the scene unfolded. The Searchrider motioned to Rozaul. "Come on, we're taking these two monstrosities home." Roz nodded, and Namoth--the starry-winged black--let up the spider dragoness who was called Arachnis.

With a bugle, Epitath swooped up and out of the hatching sands to wait for them. Namoth nudged Arachnis towards the exit, who tried to inflict damage upon him but he caught the smaller dragon halfway with his tail. Rozaul drug Helinfyre out with Dameon's help, and Chijiklu followed behind. Muttering curses in her native language.

"You alright, Jin?" Willow asked the recordkeeper who had just regained her seat.

Jinira nodded a response, though she still looked as though she'd had a heart-attack and Kelritna didn't sound too happy about the attempt to kill her rider...

The last of Libera's eggs broke, and the tiny red-bellied sunset-winged black streaked across the sands to pounce Jackal who gasped in surprise and shoved her. "Get off, Jillinioth!"

~See what you did you stupid--~ Libera began to yell at Liojuth, but was cut short as the sunset brown pounced from his ledge pinning her to the sands. The feathered pest began to shriek, and struck at Liojuth's face with her claws. However, before they could get more than halfway she just...disappeared.

"Finally! Peace and quiet!" The Archmage exclaimed, shining the gems on his staff. No doubt there who had gotten rid of the feathered loudmouth. His sunset brown rumbled his agreement, then sat amongst the broken shells.

Reika was the only candidate left standing, and she looked a little disheartened...there was only one egg left, and what if the hatchling didn't want her? Maybe Shy had been wrong...perhaps it was just an accident she'd ended up there.

"She'll bond," Shy said. He seemed sure of the fact, and to his surprise the Firelancer nodded in agreement.

"Yes, she will."

~You know, my rider is also somewhat of a tiger,~ Red-gold Tiharnath, mother of the final egg, bespoke the girl. ~So is my mate's. He shifts to a tiger-wolf.~

"What do you mean?" Reika asked, looking at the red-queen.

~I mean to tell you, that you two are a match made in heaven. And to always look after her as she will after you.~

The tiger-shifter was confused. "Who? Your rider?"

~No, me!~ a bright voice suddenly entered Reika's head. A dragonet stepped out from beneath Tiharnath's wings, gleaming like the harvest moon that sometimes came out on earth. ~You're the only one for me, and I am the only one for you!~

Reika smiled, and hugged her bond. "Yes, Tsukihikaruth. Aishiteru..."

~Aishiteru, Reika... But we will find your other love again. And I think perhaps that pesky Breeder will help. The young queen looked up at Shy, and Reika did likewise. Both grinned...well...smirked, Reika's trademark smirk.

Lani also smirked, but Shy really didn't seem bothered. Perhaps he was even happy for Reika...of course, he'd known she'd bond all along. "Come on, you all," the Firelancer said with a grin. "We've got a party to finish setting up! Reika, once you get Tsukihikaruth fed, I'd like to see you join us. As well as the other candidates. It should be fun--but first we have to finish the haunted happenings!"

So ended the first hatching at the Ring of Fire...the Halloween hatching! And a hatching of very fine dragons indeed...