Valeda nods but once to Alaric, whatever she might have said lost as M'kal's
pronouncement is heard. She flashes her eyes to her long-time companion, and
then does as requested, ghosting her lean, graceful self through gathered
candidates in the direction of her own cot. Once there, she crosses her
arms, tension in her frame as she attends M'kal again.

Torien takes a seat on his cot, after playfully punch Seldon's arm in the
next cot for that knowing smirk on his face. "Hey, pay attention," he
informs the other candidate primly, but winks all the same.

"We'll start off with the obvious: Keep yer eyes OPEN and look all around
all the time. The best way to avoid getting run over on the sands is to stay
out of the way of dragons in the first place," intones M'kal as he paces
down the length of the candidate barracks. "Watch behind you, in front of
you, beside you. And if a dragon heads for you, what are you going to do?"
He pauses and looks around, obviously waiting for responses.

Astaris hmms, "Run away?"

Prysm smirks as she gets no answer, squeezing by to flop on her cot, totally
unamused. "Hope they don't maul us?" She offers dryly.

Jovan manages to hide a yawn, trying to keep his attention on M'kal.

Yilisa points at Astaris. "Not run, no. Just step out of its way, and
quickly. If it wants you, you'll know, believe me. If not, you'll save
yourself an injury by getting out of the way.

Nyissa calls out, "Give it a big hug and love it lots?"

Astaris nods at Yilisa and blushes. She picks at her tunic some more and
wiggles her sticky juice dipped toes.

Lilyithe grins and agrees with the two, "Yeah, runnings good." She grins at
Astaris, but shrugs as her own response. "Or not....."

Milike drawls out, "Jus' step out o' th' way? Now, why would we wanna do
that? Ain't we here to Impress one o' them dragons?"

"You do not run," echoes M'kal. "Take a few steps to the left or right and
get out of its way. If that dragon is your lifemate, he or she will follow
you and that's when you make the impression. DO NOT RUN. I can't say that
enough. Firstly, it increases your chances of falling onto the hot sands and
secondly, you don't want your lifemate to think you don't want him or her."

Petric pauses to remove his finger from his nose, shoved into a corner of
the barracks, as away from the others as possible, quietly watching.

Lilyithe has disconnected.
Lilyithe has connected.

Torien waits, scratching at his shoulder and giving M'kal most of his
attention. He doesn't seem nervous, per say, just antsy, as his constant
movements attest to.

Petra slinks over to her cot and flops crosslegged onto its surface as she's
told, offering a quick, understanding nod to both the Weyrlingmasters'
words, obsidian tendrils lightly bouncing 'round klah-brown optics. Do not
run.

Astaris nods, "Don't run, don't run, don't run..." She stares down at her
sticky toes and frowns.

Lilyithe blinks and blinks again, okay do /not/ run. Remember that,
"Alright..." She agree'd and leans back a bit to study that inportant
information. Having done that she nods, got it.

If Alaric's taking notes it's in his head. He doesn't say a word merely nods
with that quirky grin of his.

Roman is tucked on his cut towards the very back of the barracks; he is only
half listening, more interested in the prizes he bullied out of the younger
children that very day.

Jovan yawns again, nodding "No running. I think I can guarantee I won't be
doing that. I can barely move."

Valeda has partially disconnected.

Jhylor quirks an amused grin, tipping his head slightly in Jovan's
direction. "Can't we just shove someone in th' way?" He's joking, of course,
but it sounds serious enough.

"Pay attention, stay out of the way," repeats M'kal. "Everything else just
comes naturally. Anyone who wants to go take a bath can go do so, if you
make it quick. When the dragons start humming, you'll have just enough time
to get changed."

"A simple sidestepping is all you need," Yilisa says from her vantage point
on the cot. "Roman, pay attention!" she snaps out, suddenly, before glaring
at Jhylor. "Not funny. Don't even think about it, Jhylor."

Prysm unobtrusively sneaks from her cot, bare feet padding softly against
the stone floor, so she can sit with Torien on his cot. "I'll shove /you/ in
front, Jhy!" The girl offers.

Torien smirks at Prysm and mentions, "You might want to take that bath now.
Can't have the hatchlings veering away from you from the sheer smell."

Esme leans forward emerald eyes glittering eagerly, her elbows perched.
Listening intesely.

Valeda is listening quite intently, though there is even less emotion to be
read from her stony visage right now than any here might have seen from her
before. M'kal, and alternately Yilisa, have her keen attention, mossy eyes
narrowed and sharp as she nods her understanding, with but a single softened
glance for Prysm and Torien.

Jhylor clears his throat as his head dips into a polite nod, "Noted, ma'am."
As for Prysm's offer, he just rolls his eyes, muttering something inaudibly
underbreath.

A quick glance is throw at Jovan and Jhylor and Lilyithe sighs. Not a good
idea, of course. She shrugs and doesn't add anything aloud to that little
suggestion.

Prysm shakes her wet hair at Torien, droplets spraying. "I did!" The girl
protests hotly. "I just had to be quick." Ya. That'll explain the spot she
missed on her cheek.

Astaris nods, but doesn't move. She stays on her press, murmuring at
herself. Occassionally, she looks up at the other candidates milling around.
But mainly, she just murmurs to herself.

Torien reaches out to smear that smudged cheek. "Right," he grins at her,
wiping his fingers on her hand. Can't be dirty himself, now can he?

M'kal's tone softens as he turns around to look at all the candidates.
"Obviously not allof you will Impress this time. There's two clutches on the
Sands and if you don't Impress for one of Ceristh's eggs, perhaps you'll
find a lifemate with one of Zeallath's offspring. But regardless of who
impresses and who doesn't, the fact you were chosen to be a Candidate is
something special, and we've been very glad to have you here and have you be
a part of our weyr. Being a candidate entitles you to stay here after the
hatching, even if you do not Impress. Keep that in mind."

"Heyla there, Lily," Jhylor takes this moment to call over nonchalantly,
tossing in a quick wink. "Stay afterwards, aye.. gotcha." See? He's still
listening, even if he's got his eyes closed and stretched out on his cot.

Jovan manages to keep from snorting at M'kal's words. Glad to have all of
them? He doubts it. A quick flick to Roman, and then a musing thought on
himself would perhaps denote the direction of his skepticism. But he doesn't
say anything, just nodding. "Do we still have to do chores if he stays?" he
wonders. See what's uppermost in his mind?

Shava has connected.

Roman scowls at Yilisa, but scoops his treasures out of sight quickly and
makes a pretense of paying attentiong, although it's more probable he is
thinking of who he has left to skin of their treats after dinner.

Valeda settles down where she is, to sit cross-legged on the floor at the
foot of her cot. Though the fluid movement hides much of her reaction, there
is a flicker of relief in her eyes as she tugs the length of her braid
forward and over her shoulder. Nervous tension is displayed only in the way
her fingers toy idly with the coppery strands that mark its bound end, but
she manages a supportively tilted smile for Alaric.

Yilisa looks over at Jovan, and smiles. "You'll have duties, but nothing
like what we make the Candidates do...unless you really enjoy mucking out
stables."

"You win some you lose some. Sounds like a few games I've played." Alaric
glances at Valeda with a reassuring smile and then looks at her hair. Oh
that wonderful hair. He blushes a bit but turns his thoughts back to the
hatching. Excitement begins to radiate somewhere within him.

Shava dropped Shava's object.

Shava shrugs as Ivory takes flight from her shoulder.

Shava shrugs as Gelatos takes flight from her shoulder.

Lilyithe grins at Jhylor, catching the wink and if he wasn't so utterly
relaxed looking she might have tossed one back at him. "Hey Jhy. Yeah, of
course that is always in my mind..."

Astaris does pause in her murmuring to glare at Roman. Then she seems to
perk up a bit and gets up off her press. She opens it and pulls out her
candidate robe and lays it out on her cot, smoothing the crooked hem of the
thing. She looks up and over at Jhylor and winks, "Don't forget, Jhy."

Jovan's shudder would suggest that no, he didn't much like the mucking, not
to mention the other chores "well, that's a relief, at any rate. If I decide
to stay."

Shava shivers a bit and shakes her head as she pulls on her robe and sandals
and pulls her hair back into a runner tail.

Jhylor arches an eyebrow at Lily's words, opening his eyes too late to catch
her return wait. "Huh? Whatever could y' mean by that?" A gulp ensues next
as he sees Astaris' wink from the corner of his eye. "Forget what? I didn't
forget my sandles..."

Prysm grins impishly at Torien, teasingly taking her hand back. "Hey!" She
protests, gently shoving the boy.

Astaris chuckles softly, "A bet is a bet, Jhylor." She then settles to her
cot beside her robe and begins plaiting her still wet hair.

"Why don't you go back to your cot," Torien suggests with a grin. "I know
how long it takes girls to change clothes," he adds teasingly. "Might want
to start now."

Prysm rolls her eyes, "Really, Tor. You /know/ this is some sort of drill or
something."

Jovan just lays on his couch. No need to get all in a tizzy when the eggs
/might/ hatch. He'll wait until they actually do.

Lilyithe shrugs and grins at Jhy again, "Never mind..." She thinks about it
for a moment, then shrugs again. She blinks again, then puts her feet before
her in a stretch. So tired... SHe looks at the cot but doesn't think she
could sleep now anyway, no way, too many people.

Messy cot galore. Or at least the press seems to be, for Sarnah goes digging
in it for her robe to lay out, just in case. But all she pulls up is
clothes, clothes, and some junk here and there..

Yilisa was waiting for that. The reverberating hum of the dragons is
beginning to echo throughout the Weyr. "That's the signal, folks!" she raps
out. "Into your robes, and NOW!!"

"Famous last words, Prysm," says M'kal with a grin as the humming starts.
"CANDIDATES, DON YOUR ROBES!" he bellows down the length of the barracks in
his best military bark.

Valeda misses blushes, and just about everything else for once, and she even
takes a visibly deeper breath before moving to open her press. The clear
invitation to remain after the hatching has calmed her, and she's able to
smile palely at Prysm and Torien before lifting out her robe. Can't hurt to
check on it, false alarm or not. Her steady resolve is bolstered even more
by a soft chitter from the coiled-up 'lizard that's claimed her pillow. Not
time to answer as Topaz squeeks in surprise.. and she does as she's told.
Changing in the passage of moments.

See, Jhylor's /always/ prepared. His robe is, thankfully, resting on top of
the rest of his clothes, and very easily tugged over his head. Then, off
goes the other clothes, pulled out from beneath.

Esme blinks and moves, used to following orders, the excitement turning her
eyes to almost an electric brightness as she scurries over to the pegs to
change, rolling off the cot in a tumble of arms leggs and hair. A broad grin
on her face.

Jovan shudders at all the unnecessary bellowing, but gets up, although
without the haste that the frenzied action of others would suggest. He
unhurriedly undoes clothes, then pulls out his robe, donning it easily; it
is a simple outfit, after all. It is ony when he goes to get his sandals
from under the bed that he panics, hand slapping the floor repeatedly "My
sandals. Where are my sandals?" He calls out, looking at the candidates
around him, then at Yilisa "My sandals are gone!"

Prysm just sits there, stunned, as the humming starts, sending her brother a
cold look. What the... uh-oh. Realization floods her fey-like features. Hand
smacks face. "But..." This isn't /supposed/ to happen!

Ever seen a man try to change in front of women and not get seen? It is a
hasty dance Alaric does as he pulls his robe on. Then his hands disappear
into both his shirt and robe pulling them from the sleeves. Let's not forget
struggling to pull a shirt that's underneath a robe over your head. But
within a few moments with his hair sticking up slightly he manages to do it.
He smooths his hair down and grins at Valeda. Then off go the trousers from
underneath his robes his hands finally reappearing through the holes of his
robes. Alaric is ready!

"Move IT move IT move IT!" directs M'kal. "Line up two by two by the sands
door."

"No time to worry about it now, Jovan," Yilisa raps out, although her
expression is sympathetic. "Those eggs are rocking, and you're going to be
out there for them."

Lilyithe gulps and quickly flips her robe from her press, and slips quickly
into it. After tying the cord around her waist she smiles and double checks
herself. Sandals, on. Robe, on. She spins and does as she's told, making her
way briskly to the door.

Petra wiggles her toes with a slight nervousness, her sienna orbs flickering
briefly to her robe and sandals settled on the end of her cot. She nods to
herself with a soft murmur under her breath. If dragons start humming, she
has sandals. If she has sandals, her feet won't melt on the Sands. Veeery
nic -- squeak! Pet scuffles off with her robe et al, and returns fully
garbed in ... well, white.

Astaris Eeks softly, as M'kal barks just as she ties off her plait. She
jumps up and her clothing flies off and the robe is slithered into in such a
quick manner that she seems to go from one to another magically. She pulls a
white rope from her press and cinches the baggy robe. She sends a wicked
glance towards Jovan and looks to Prysm, then. But as M'kal barks, she pads
into line barefooted herself. Star, absentminded? Ack...and those feet are
still sticky with drying juice.

Valeda is far less delicate than Alaric. She simple changes.. and by the
time his little dance is over, it's she who is standing there waiting. The
lift of her brow bespeaks a hint of amusement as she makes her way over to
pair up with the man. "Good luck," is her only comment, eyes lending weight
to the sentiment.

Torien gets to his feet, tugging Prysm to hers. "Go," he directs before
hastening to don his own robe. Nakedness he doesn't care one bit about. (A
perk of weyr living.) So it's with considerable speed that he shucks off his
clothing and dons his robe. And he even remembers to wear his sandals too.

Jhylor can't help but chuckle quietly to himself, shaking his head as he
pulls his sandles out from under his cot. Quickly secured, he tosses his
boots into his press for later. Never know when he might need them.
"Good luck!" Alaric is getting more excited. He lines up exactly as M'kal
tells them to. Perhaps standing near Valeda.

Esme pulls on her robe hasitlly, then twitchs it into place. Slipping into
line that bright eager expression not leaving her features. Even in a rush
/some/ things have to be right. She hasitlly pulls her hair from the neck of
the robe before dashing off to her place in line.

Prysm hears Jovan's distressed cries just in time to grin evilly, jumping as
M'kal barks out more orders. "Alright! Alright!" Yeesh. Girl goes flying to
cot. Robe is pulled on with the expertise of changing from shift to robe
without showing anything. It's a girl thing. Still shocked, she shimmies
into her sandals, kicking back the few extra pairs she has, into the
darkness of under her cot.

M'kal waits for the candidates to assemble into the required line and starts
tapping pairs to go out onto the sands. "Don't forget to bow!" he orders.
Yilisa heaves herself off her cot, and adds her own bark to M'kal's. "Come
on, get a move on, they're not going to wait for you...Milike, get that
sharding hat off!!" This is rapped at the Candidate in the green wool hat.

Jovan scrabbles around a bit more after his sandals, but then is forced to
just line up; to make matters worse, he finds himself standing next to Esme,
and scowls in irritation and dismay. "I can't go out on those sands without
sandals! I'll burn my feet off!" is shouted at the riders, who seem to be
ignoring him.

Valeda makes sure that she's next to Alaric, unless one of the people in
charge line her up somewhere else. Her fingers find his shoulder, and
tighten there, though her eyes search for M'kal or Yilisa, nodding her head
as she sights and hears the first.

Astaris goes down a narrow passage to the hatching sands.
Astaris has left.

Alaric goes down a narrow passage to the hatching sands.
Alaric has left.

Sarnah quickly pulls on both her robe and her... sandles? Wait.. where did
they go? Hands frantically pull and toss clothes out of her press, until she
reaches the way bottome, and heaves a small sigh of relief.

Torien flashes a quick grin at Prysm, then moves into the candidates' line.
Amid the murmured good lucks, he waits patiently as the line slowly moves
forward.

Roman waits till the very end, he does, straggling at the back of the line,
and wearing a decidedly worse for wear rob and ragged sandals.

Yilisa goes down a narrow passage to the hatching sands.

Yilisa has left.

Valeda manages a fleet smile for him as Alaric's directed to go with someone
else. Then she just resettles herself to wait, as calmly as is possible,
until it's her turn.

Petra shuffles around in a nervous rush, poking and prodding at a couple
fellow white-clad ones. "Hold my hand?" she asks one, latching onto the
other girl once she agrees. They line up hurriedly, and all is good as of so
far.
 

Jhylor goes down a narrow passage to the hatching sands.
Jhylor has left.

Petra goes down a narrow passage to the hatching sands.
Petra has left.

Lilyithe umms and puts her hands in front of her, waiting and looking around
at the other Candidates. Hands? Hands? I want a hand....

Sarnah goes down a narrow passage to the hatching sands.
Sarnah has left.

Valeda goes down a narrow passage to the hatching sands.
Valeda has left.

Prysm catches Torien's grin and returns it with an impish one of her own.
How wrong she was! Ug.

Shava waits nervously, shaking some as she clasps her hands together.

Prysm walks off southwards to the easternmost lower caverns.
Prysm has left.

You go down a narrow passage to the hatching sands. The sand immediately
burns your feet as you step onto it.

Hatching Sands - Fort Weyr(#128RIJM)
     The ground is heavily covered with hot mounds of sand, warmed by
dormant volcanic activity. The cavern is large and circular with a rounded
dome caused by a bubble in a long-ago flow of magma. Just inside the cavern,
etched into the wall to the south, before the tiers of the upper deck that
is supported by natural stone columns up off of the sand, is a curious
design. The picture is a description of the Red Star along its unusual
rotation. The tiers are benches just to the south that rise up into the
cavern curving against the rock wall where an audience could relax. Higher
in the cavern are natural cliffs; dimly visible in the vague illumination
that reaches that far.
Type 'view eggs' to see a list of eggs.
Contents:
T'myn
Valeda
Sarnah
Petra
Jhylor
Jalis
Yilisa
Alaric
Astaris
Inuth
Ceristh
Corner of Sands (cs)
Obvious exits:
Grounds Entrance

Jhylor gives one last go over of his sandles, and just shakes his head.
Timidly, he steps forehead, following, well.. someone, obviously, and offers
a polite bow and nervous grin towards the Sire and Dam of the clutch.

Prysm emerges from a narrow passage and walks out onto the sands.
Prysm has arrived.

Jovan emerges from a narrow passage and walks out onto the sands.
Jovan has arrived.

Lilyithe emerges from a narrow passage and walks out onto the sands.
Lilyithe has arrived.

Yilisa is motioning Candidates to fill the loose halfcircle around the
already-rocking clutch, one hand on her large belly as she does so. "Bow,
kids. Don't ever forget to bow." She indicates the Weyrleaders, standing
between Ceristh and Inuth, as she does so.

Torien emerges from a narrow passage and walks out onto the sands.
Torien has arrived.

Shava emerges from a narrow passage and walks out onto the sands.
Shava has arrived.

Valeda pauses for just an instant before stepping out onto the sands. Just
long enough for her eyes to dart round and encompass the scene that awaits
her there. Then, taking a sole deep breath, the lean woman moves out,
hesitating as the heat makes itself known. A lithe bow is gifted to sire and
dam, laden with respect.. the same for their riders, then she angles off to
a place in the growing semicircle of candidates to one side of the nearest
cluster of eggs.

M'kal emerges from a narrow passage and walks out onto the sands.
M'kal has arrived.

Jalis turns slightly, a welcoming smile curving her lips as she nods to the
groups of gathered candidates before striding a few steps to join T'myn at
his side. Her eyes gleam with excitement, skin crinkling up at the edges as
she grins as wide as possible. Eggs shift and move in a strange sort of
pattern as Ceristh hums a throbing counterpoint.

Shava bows deeply to the dragons and the weyrleader and Weyrwoman before
headting to take her place with the others, hands curled tightly together.

Jovan emerges onto the sands, feet already shifting as he dances; poor
things are bare, due to not being able to find his sandals, and he's already
in definite discomfort. But he manages a creditable bow to both the gold and
bronze and their respective riders, before joining the rest of the
candidates, standing at Lilyithe's side.

T'myn grins nervously back at Jalis and reaches a handout toward her.

Teagan rustles out with the rest of the Candidates, barely managing to get
her plait out of her face before she stops. She bows tremulously to both dam
and sire, and takes her place in the semicircle.

Esme swollows hard as she actually steps on the sands, but then her normal
bounce is back and her emerald eyes rove curiously. Well, well, well! What a
sight, what a sight! The grin on her face broadens as she gives a quick,
respectvul, if somewhat jaunty curtsey to the gold and bronze presiding
before quickly scooting to her place. Don't trip!

Lilyithe walks carefully makes her way onto the sands, her feet not yet
feeling the heat of the sands below her. She quickly remembers what to do
naxt and makes her way to the sire and dam. Apon reaching them she bows
deeply to both and walks quickly into place with the other Candidates.

Torien walks on to the sands and looks around, squinting a bit. He didn't
think it would be this bright right now. Still, he remembers to bow to both
dam and sire before moving over the hot surface of the ground towards an
empty spot.

Sarnah tips her head towards her sandles. "Stay on, already!" She calls out
in vain and moves off, luckily not tripping, towards a group of candidates
she happens to know. Before she reaches them, though, a deep bow is given to
the sire and dam.

Prysm smiles nervously at Yilisa, dipping briefly to said people, and
dragons, although her eyes are far from on them as she does so. Woah. Look
at all of the people in the galleries! Head cranes around to view the
spectacle, stopping, blue eyes popping, to stare out across at the eggs.

Petra peers at the eggs and follows other Candidates as they form a
semi-circle, and, upon looking towards, bends forward in a careful bow in
the appropriate direction. She stands upright again and glances to the
people-filled galleries with a beam, whispering something to the Candi
beside her. Probably something about the heat.

M'kal brings up the rear of the long line of candidates moving out onto the
sands. His bow and smile to Jalis holds more than a tinge of rememberance,
and then he's bowing to T'myn and walking around the outside of the circle.
If his eyes happen to linger on Prysm, well, he can be excused.

Jhylor mutters something underbreath yet again and, once his duty has been
done, cranes his head above the other candidates. Pulling up onto the other
side of Lilyithe, he flashes a faint grin at Jovan, "Li'l hot there?"

Yilisa, now that everyone's out and on the sands, delivers a very respectful
nod to Jalis, T'myn, Ceristh, and Inuth. She can't bow, so she does what she
can before edging her way to a cooler spot on the Sands.

Shava shifts, her feet getting picked up off the sands in a mincing motion,
her head tilting to the side as she winces, "It's hot."

Astaris looks around her for a head to cling to as she's hopping from one
foot to another. She nudges Alaric, holding out her hand. Will he take it?
She looks for someone to take the other, but notices she at the end of the
semi-circle and sighs, peering at the rocking eggs.

Jovan glares at Jhylor, his eyes skittering around the candidates to see if
he can spot the person who stole his sandals, feet shifting continually "I'm
going to be a cripple after this." He mutters.

Jalis reaches forward and takes the hand T'myn offers gladly and leans into
his side, drawing closer to the young Weyrleader as Ceristh snuffles one of
the moving and shifting eggs in curiosity.

Prysm's gaze finds Jovan just as she reaches Torien, absently reaching for
his hand. Giggling, she leans in to whisper something to the boy.

Lilyithe smiles at Jhylor, "Hot, oh yeah its getting there. The first steps
weren't bad but now...its gitting worse..but then I have sandals." She looks
at Jovan and trys to smile, no way she's going to laugh its not funny at
all. No way.

T'myn clasps Jalis' hand in one of his and reaches back to touch Inuth with
the other. It doesn't seem very long ago that he was a Candidate on these
Sands and the thought shows clearly on his face.

Valeda ends up beside Alaric, more than chance having to do with that fact.
Her lips barely quirk up as she comes to a halt, and she glances to Astaris'
hand for a moment before stepping on round and offering her own. "Always did
appreciate the value of moral support," is her calm, low-voiced greeting for
the other woman. Course, then the shifting eggs demand her attention, and
they get it, too.

Forest's Hidden Secrets Egg has arrived.

Alaric hops from one foot to another. Did someone say it was hot? Yes it is.
Astaris holding her hand out makes him stare at it. Hold her hand? In this
heat? Their palms would be slick within seconds. But since its the thing to
do he does take hers but also reaches out for Valeda. Won't she hold his
hand as well? He follows Valeda's gaze to the eggs.

Lilyithe leaves the main part of the sands.
Lilyithe has left.

Esme spots Jovan scowls once then resilutely goes back to watching the eggs.
hot, hot hot... She dances slightly as the heat gets through the sandles,
but she's not going anywhere, tis too ingeresting! Her eyes take in every
egg, every detail, stored cattologued filed and ready for gossip latere.

Lilyithe emerges from a narrow passage and walks out onto the sands.
Lilyithe has arrived.

Jhylor manages to hide his mirth with a sharp clearing of his throat. "Don't
think you'll find 'em very easily out her," he notes sagely enough, though
that is probably ruined by the deepening red of his cheeks. Holding in
laughter, no doubt, at Jovan. "Oh, yeah, sandles are always nice to have in
a time like this, Lily.."

Torien laughs at Prysm's whispered comment and grins at her while squeezing
her hand encouragingly. Then, his eyes are on the Stands, looking for those
who promised they'd be there. Oh, look, there's his father waving..and
there! He can't see his mother, but her dragon is unmistakable.

Forest's Hidden Secrets Egg shudders, but quickly stops moving again, almost
as suddenly as it began.

Shava bites on her lip as she sees the eggs moving and she shifts from foot
to foot nervously.

Jovan seems to find Prysm's gaze with his own, and then his eyes narrow at
her giggling murmurings to Torien. Aha. He thinks he's found the culprit.
His poor feet will get their revenge. But then he is distracted, because he
thinks he saw an egg twitch. Yes, there. It just did it again. Feet continue
to shift, an almost-dancing movement, but his eyes are rivted on that egg
now.

Several of the eggs wobble, clacking together, pieces of their shell falling
into the sands to disappear beneath the shifting surface.

The Nature's Messenger Egg gives a half-hearted wiggle that is barely
noticed as its neighbor, the Winter's White Rage Egg jumps around wildly.
However, both hatch at the same time the latter revealing an exuberant, but
dainty green and the former a large, slow moving blue. The blue politely
waits for his sister to precede him across the Sands and then he goes about
making his choice. Surprisingly, he finds a young man for his lifemate
before the green goes to choose a young woman who greets her with matching
enthusiasm.

Petra's eyes flick to the direction of the Clutchparents and their riders
yet again as she minces in position upon the /very/ hot grains 'neath her
sandal'd feet. "Ooh, that egg's rocking," she announces in a soft hush to
her Sands-partner, nodding at another egg. "That one, too!" And that one,
and that one ...

Jalis squeezes T'myn's hand tightly and says "Two at almost the same time,
and so quickly.. a blue and a green I think." She whispers in a reverent
hushed voice.

T'myn allows his gaze to drift across the Sands and he nods eagerly.
"They're impatient," he says, with a faint smile.

Torien announces, "I lost my bet." He thought a brown would be the first to
hatching. Still, marks aren't what's really on his mind as his eyes now look
over the sea of eggs before him, some rocking and some not.

Lilyithe nods at Jhylor and looks down at her own feet, nicely protected
from the heat but its making its getting hotter quickly. "Yeah, very good."
She grins as the motions of the eggs are caught in the corner of her eye, go
eggs!

Esme jumps, not back like some, but /forward/ about half an inch with
excitment. "They're hathicn that one move'd I'tll be ther first to hatch."
She declares positively. "And a bronze and...." She rambles on to the
candidate next to her in wide eyed excitement. How she can stand her own
intesnity is a mystery best left uninvestigated.

Alaric keeps an eye on the rocking egg while the other admires the first of
the lifemates chosen. His eyes dance back to the rocking egg and he stays
there.

Jhylor's gaze soon falls upon Prysm, whom he offers a quick wink. Whether
she really sees it or not doesn't seem to be his concern. For now, its
keeping his tongue undercheck and warily watching that twitching egg with
narrowed eyes.

Astaris blinks as the eggs begin to rock in real earnest and her feet
shuffle even quicker. Said feet are caked with hot sand from the sticky
residue of juice and she winces a bit, clinging to whatever hands she holds.
Then the first dragons hatch and she gasps, feet slowing.

M'kal moves around to the newly impressed green pairing as another AWLM
catches the bluerider and the two escort the weyrlings to Yilisa's
custodianship. M'kal pauses to murmur a comment to the extremely pregnant
AWLM, a look of concern on his face.

Valeda isn't really aware of just who takes her hand, if anyone. It's
happening, and the stoic woman's focus narrows down to just the play of
light on shattering shards, and the glimmer of damp wings.. blue and green.
Not all enigmatic now, her expression is one of rapt wonder. And yes, she is
smiling, a thin curve of lips that does not fade as her eyes dance over the
shifting eggs.

Forest's Hidden Secrets Egg shudders again, more violently this time. It's
very possible that a crack can be seen on its shell, for it begins to rock
steadily.

Prysm blinks as the first two dragons emerge and Impress. That was /fast/.
She's oblivious to Jovan and Jhylor, too intent on watching those eggs.
Yilisa chuckles softly, and settles herself on a padded, portable chair in
the corner of the sands--but not before murmuring something in return to
M'kal, a gentle finger running along his jawline as she does so.

Air's Frantic Fever Egg has arrived.

Lilyithe takes a wide look over the group of eggs, trying to pick out her
favorite. Her face brightens again as the first dragonets emerge. "Wow..."
is all she can manage to say, if anyone is paying attention to anything
other then the eggs.

Shava shakes her head a bit and gasps at the quick impressions, only
realising it's happened because of there's gasps and murmurs. Her feet move
constantly, trying to keep them cool as she watches the rest of the moving
eggs, eyes wide.

Jovan wishes he had sandals, although that doesn't seem quite as important
as watching those two who just impressed; after all, they were the first,
and he can learn if they make mistakes. It doesn't look like they do,
though. This impression thing looks a breeze. Or perhaps its how to avoid
impression that he's trying to figure out "How long will this take?" is
asked in an aside to Lilyithe "My feet are on fire."

The Forest's Hidden Secrets Egg has created a little hollow in the Sands as it
rocks determinedly back and forth. Suddenly it gives an enthusiastic lurch
and rolls over, moving a few feet and then splitting down the middle to
reveal a petite hatchling.

                          Healing Herbs Hatchling
Deepest emerald shimmers in varying subtle shades -- flowing across her
torso and limbs. A dusky hue, as though darkened by a passing cloud,
accentuates headknobs and eyes - dancing across the muzzle like fine
droplets of rain before paling while it strokes along the underside of her
jaw. Slender traces of copper shadow enhance the sweep of her headknobs,
winding around them like fine auburn curls braided into a coronet. A shade
like the frosted mint that graces the underside of one of its leaves
decorates her throat though it gradually darkens into the deeper shade the
color of dandelion greens strewn with sprigs of rosemary, circling her neck
like a fine noble's torque. The faintest bit of lapis lazuli shadows her
back in a fragile filigree pattern set with spinner's web thin strands of
yellow gold and tin overcast with the fiery burn of peridot. Sweeping wings
flare with spring's yellow-green of budding new life, while shades of cool
green beryl stain her haunches and continue along the train of her tail.

Astaris watches as another egg shudders on the sands and her feet become
completely still as she leans forward a bit, anticipating...a hatchling! And
green!

Petra watches the rocking eggs with rapt fascination, sepia optics flashing
from one to another. Eyes widen as another hatchling emerges from an egg.
"Oooh, green," is all she murmurs for now, hand's grip tightening ever-so
slightly as she shifts her weight from side to side.

Lilyithe turns her head slightly to take a quick look at Jovan before
returning her eyes to the eggs. She smiles but can feel the heat through her
sandals, after a but of shofting she finds a somewhat cooler postion. "I
don't know how long, hopefully soon for your poor feet. Ouch."

Torien notes to Prysm, "It's another green, there." His chin points out the
emerald green who's newly arrived. "See, she's got a bit of yellow on her.."
Shava blinks and wows a little at the sight of the green, gasping a bit as
her feet move still swifter, if that's possible.

A trio of eggs to one side of the group seems to be quite in synch with each
other as they rock and crack. The Aura of Magnificence Egg, Single Eye Egg,
and Rain's Release Egg splinter open, tossing shards this way and that. A
set of brown, blue, and green hatchlings emerge from the shower and scatter
across the Sands, quickly choosing lifemates. The brown and blue find a pair
of brothers standing next to each other. The green takes a bit more time,
but settles on one of the youngest girls in the bunch of Candidates.

Healing Herbs Hatchling sways on unsteady limbs as she makes her way into
the world. She glances about at all the new things around her, not yet
making a move forward.

Jovan sees the green emerge from the remains of what used to be an egg, and
only nods to Lilyithe's response "Mm...look at that. Another green." And
then he promptly goes back to the all-absorbing business of keeping his feet
from turning into crisps.

Alaric has two hands to hold. How lucky can one guy get standing between two
women? Even if his palms are sweating. He smiles at the trek of the little
green hatchling. "She's wonderful," he states, "Wonder who she'll pick."

Prysm leans closer to Torien as he speaks. Over all the noise, it's hard to
hear in here. "Bit of yellow? Were?" There she is. The girl squeezes his
hand gently. "I guess there /was/ something in those fardling eggs, huh?"

Valeda ceases to breathe for a few moments as a hatchling finally appears on
the half of the sands in which she and her companions have clustered. It's
Alaric's hand that she's gotten, and she tightens her fingers whilst shaking
her head in wonder. "So perfect.. even so small." Her weight's being
shifted, from ball of foot to heel, but the motion of her frame is neglible.
Other hatchlings catch her focus, but her eyes return to the green who's
closest.

Esme eyes flick to the two who have just impressed, eyes a shade greener
with envy, but with shells cracking all around envy does not last long. Her
eyes wide she watchs grinning at the newwest arival. It's enough to stop the
babbling and leave her wide eyed and silent for a moment. Gossip in the
making? maybe. Her entire body leans forward with intense interest as she
watches.

Astaris is distracted by the trio of hatching eggs, but only for a moment.
Back to watching the green with the bit of yellow Prysm keeps talking about.
She clings to Alaric's hand and points, "Isn't she a beauty?" Note her feet
are shuffling again.

M'kal looks somewhat mollified, but doesn't have time to argue whatever
point it is. He returns to the Sands just as those three new weyrlings hatch
and impress, assistant weyrlingmasters beelining over to help them over to
the corner. "Don't forget to breath," he advises a knot of candidates, a
faint grin on his face as he keeps an eye on the unclaimed green.

Sarnah, eyes settled on that green hatchling, slowly moves off towards the
side, nearly bumping into Valeda and her candidate companions, " 'Cuse me, "
she manages to murmur quietly.

Healing Herbs Hatchling finally steps forward, though uneasily. Step by
shaky step, she inches toward the semi-circle of robed figures.

Torien laughs. "Of course there was," he grins at Prysm before going back to
watching the green. "I mean, I know they felt like regular eggs, but they're
a lot bigger." They've got to be holding something.

Petra continues to observe the newly-hatched Healing Herbs Hatchling with
quite-wide eyes, pink lips quirking into a smile as she does so. "Pretty
..."

Lilyithe spots the green, finally, and smiles, "Beautiful huh?" She takes a
quick look at Jhylor and Jovan then chuckles, her grin turned to the green
that hatched so recently. She shuffles from one foot to the other, hoping to
stall the heat from totally melting her feet for a while longer.

Air's Frantic Fever Egg wobbles again, spinning around and coming up out of
its hollow, knocking against a nearby neighbor egg.

Valeda blinks in surprise, but only widens that rarely-held smile, reaching
out to extend her hand toward Sarnah.. offering support if the other wishes
it. Alaric's the benefit of a death-grip from the other, as the motion of
wavering emerald hatchling drags her eyes back to their original focus.
Shava watches the green carefully, in between watching the rest of the eggs,
feet shifting in a swift rythmn that doesn't seem to be helping very much.

Prysm rolls her eyes at Torien and elbows him gently through his
overly-long, unravelling white robe. "And hopefully the dragonets will get
bigger, too." She remarks, dryly, eyes flickering from the green to the eggs
wobbling nearby.

Sarnah rubs the tip of his nose, standing on his tiptoes - even though he
doesn't need it - to look towards the green hatchling, "Needs a little blue
on 'er.." He deduces, matter of factly.

Yilisa, looking very much like a monarch on a throne in her seat to the side
of the Sands, directs the actions of the newly-paired dragonriders and
dragons, as well as the other assistant weyrlingmasters that are swarming to
provide food and oil.

Alaric pulls his hands back for a moment and wipes them on his robe. Sweat.
Yick. He puts his hands back in Astaris's and Valeda's although his
expression says it's too hot to be holding women's hands. Well maybe not
Valeda's. He glances from her to the green and then the green reclaims his
attention as she walks around.

Healing Herbs Hatchling now gets the hang of it, and stumbles more
confidently to the candidates. Her eyes lock on one. Is that the person for
her?

Jalis does her best to poise herself even though excitement thrums through
every muscle of her body and seems to make her want to bounce on the balls
of her feet. Ceristh gazes on with whirling blue-green eyes, surveying as
her hatchlings make their way to lifemates.

Air's Frantic Fever Egg tumbles around the sands as gigantic cracks striate
its sides, splitting it into its last few pieces. A hatchling is the next
thing to tumble, head over tail before sliding to a stop in the sand. Large
eyes whirl slowly and blink in surprise as he looks at this new view that is
probably nothing like the innards of an egg shell.

Astaris leans forward a bit to grin around Alaric at Valeda, "Oh...Do you
think she'll even look at us?"

                     Starlit Twilight Skies Hatchling
He is deepest indigo verging on midnight, the color of dusky twilight. Sun
sets across his wing-sails, sending faint beams of illumination to color the
horizon with pale cerulean, thus giving the membranes a mist veiled cast to
their translucency, as if motes of moisture danced visible and speared by
that light. His belly is like the faint twinkle of an electric blue glow - a
fiery star's brilliance seen across miles of dark space. It is dim, the hue
little brighter than the vast darkness that surrounds, each color melding
into the other, spreading fluidly over streamlined muscles. Across his
haunches, the ominous threat of a rain-heavy cloud spreads its mantle to
hide the sky, masking them with a gray-tinged blue, barely lighter than the
rest of his satin-soft hide. A lithe neck stretches up from a deep chest,
holding the triangle of a delicate head and a refined muzzle, upon which the
pattern of a star, periwinkle and cobalt seems to have tattooed its
permanence.

Esme :'s eyes flick from the hatchling to the eggs and back again, curiosity
fighting curisoity as she hunches a little farther forward. If her eyes get
any wider they're going to pop right out of her head. Soo much to see and so
very little of her too look at it all!

T'myn shifts back and forth, looking for all the world like a nervous
candidate himself. Inuth nudges him, as if trying to calm him.

Prysm nudges Torien and points out the newly hatched blue.

Jhylor's only reply to Lilyithe is a slight shake of his head, shifting to
lean on his other foot. "Now /that/'s more like it," He murmurs quietly to
himself, eyes fastened on the blue hatchling.

Torien notes, "Looks like the green may have found someone..oh, look, a
blue..." His running commentary continues as he watches the dragonets wobble
about.

The busy sounds around to seem to dim suddenly, as if all the noisy, barely
controlled chaos has finally taken its toll and deafened you a bit. Your
attention is captured by the Healing Herbs Hatchling making her way toward
you and as your eyes meet, she reveals her healthy appetite with the words,
<< I am so very hungry! >> Then she remembers her manners and continues with
a bit of embarrassment, << Hello Esme. I am sorry you had to wait for me. I
am Sabryth and I won't make you wait again. >>

Lilyithe clasps her hands together, wishing for hands to hold onto. After a
deep breath and a quick glance to see the progress of the green, "Could
I..umm...hold you hands? Please?" She looks from Jovan to Jhylor with a grin
on her face, they wouldn't mind, would they? Ahh to bad fo rthem, she's
getting atleast one hand to hold or else.

The Paralyzing Plant of Power Egg wiggles every now and then for several
minutes. Finally it explodes open and a petite blue tumbles out. He
practically collides with the green who has just made a sedate exit from the
Harp's Seductive Song Egg and she squeals as he nearly bumps her. He gives
her a puzzled look as he gets to his feet and quickly finds his mate in a
boy giggling at the predicament. The green looks rather insulted until her
feelings are soothed by a weaver girl.

Mischief Incarnate Egg has arrived.

Shava gives a deep gasp at the sight of the blue that hatches, then her eyes
get brought back to the green as she starts moving towards them, her feet
pausing for a second as she tries to figure out which way to go if the green
starts running.

"I don't know," Alaric then smiles, "Apparently not," he nudges looking over
at Esme. Then the blue hatchling claims his attention and he smiles. "Now he
looks more colorful," he states.

Torien blinks and grins. "Esme!" he calls out over the Sands. "Look, Esme
Impressed," he smiles at Prysm, pointing out the match.

Jovan looks up from where he's been looking at his feet one after the other,
trying to see if they are blistering yet "Umm? Hold my hand? What for?" he
wonders, "I won't be able to move out of the way if you do.." But then he
ssems that look on her face, then, and sighs, reaching out and grabbing her
hand "There. Satisfied?" He goes back to looking at his feet, marching now
in a steady pattern "What's going on, anyway? Anyone else impress?" He
hasn't been paying attention.

Valeda spares a fleet sidelong glance for Astaris, using the moment to drag
some of the sweltering air into her lungs. Her robe has begun to dampen from
the heat, tendrils of hair clinging to the young woman's temples. "Not now,"
is her lowered remark, all wrapped up in a subtle smile. Then it's the blue
that snags her gaze, which drifts from wobbling eggs to the handsome
gentleman, and back again.

Petra tightly clings to the Candidate next to her, announcing the obvious,
"a blue!", before returning to the traditional dance of the Candidates on
Hot Hatching Sands. Gaze turns from blue towards the green hatchling -- who
has Impressed to Esme -- and she calls a cheery, "Congratulations!"

Mischief Incarnate Egg turns. Pauses. Quakes. Shakes. Pauses. Then bumbles
up against another of its clutch, bumping shells and exchanging secrets.

Shava blinks a bit and she smiles a little as she sees the green stare at
Esme, her shoulders twitching a little before she turns to face the eggs
again, and the blue hatchling.

Prysm searches the sands, "Where, Tor? Oh! Esme! Congrats!" She calls.
"Wonder what her name is?"

Astaris looks only slightly disappointed as the green chooses...the moment
is so beautiful, she finally settles for a goofy smile, a sigh and then a
gazing towards the eggs again, eyes catching on the blue with electric blue
tummy.

Starlit Twilight Skies Hatchling tilts his head upwards before shaking it
furiously to loose some of the membrane of his egg from his head. Blinking,
he gazes cautiously around, whirling eyes solemnly surveying the field. He
tests one wing, too damp to do much with, then the other before letting them
rest wetly against his back. He toddles forward, crouched forward, tail
sifting through the sand as he makes his way to white robed candidates.

Jhylor blinks at the request from Lilyithe. "Huh? Hold your hand?" Eyes
narrow as they flicker momentarily from the hatching to her, even as he
lamely moves his hand towards hers, only bumping it slightly. "Yeah, sure,"
he gulps, "don't see why not.."

Yilisa gapes...and lets out a 'ki-yi' of purest delight and pleasure. In
fact, she'd probably stand up and yell if she could, but she can't at the
moment. So she just hollers. "ESME!!! What's her name?"

The Larger than a Wherry Egg seems to be attempting to draw all eyes to
itself, competing with the already hatched dragonets as it gyrates to a
rhythm only it can recognize. Tiny cracks start to appear all over its
surface and then widen quickly. The eggshell falls away in pieces, allowing
a pale green hatchling to step out and take her place on the Sands. She
makes her choice carefully, inspecting several candidates before choosing a
woman who looks almost too old to be a candidate. The woman looks overjoyed
as she calls out the green's name, adding to the noise on the Sands.

Esme blinks twice, her silence deepening as her eyes meet that of the young
green. "We'll get you somthing strait off!" Her smile is almost stellarly
bright. "There is so much to tell you, Sabryth" and her rambling begins as
she leads her dragon off towards the exit to the hatching grounds. She waves
to the other caddies finally and bubbles at /them/ for a moment. "Her name
is Sabryth!" She calls grinning up at her sister next. "She's the best!" She
declares with absolute confidence.

Assistant weyrlingmasters hover at the edges of the fray, wading in as
Impressions occur. Dragons get moved to the small corner and fed by
emotional weyrlings. Esme's Impression -- and Yilisa's reaction -- draws a
big grin from M'kal and he personally moves over to assist the newest
weyrling. "C'mon, Esme," he coaxes. "She's sure to be hungry. They're always
hungry."

Lilyithe grins and takes both hands and chuckles, "There, that wasn't so
bad! And I'll let go if you need to run, promise." She looks from one to the
other then back to the dragonets, almost not noticing the heat below her any
more.

Astaris ohs softly, eyes not leaving the blue as he tests his wings. But
she's heard the name, "Sabryth..." she breathes, "...very lovely."

 Part Two...