Tarish waited nervously, watching the rocking eggs in the center of the bowl. The mother of the eggs, Verrath and her rider Kia, appeared to be arguing about something...judging by the looks on their faces. Suddenly, one of the eggs cracked and a pale green spilled out onto the sands. It looked around at the humans waiting to Impress and found it's rider...a young girl named Alandra.

Two more eggs began to crack, and at the same time two blues who we're as pale as their sister tumbled to the ground. One, apparently more aggressive, shoved it's brother aside and made his way, never doubting on his choice. It chose a boy who was a bully, therefore they we're a perfect match. In responce to a question the blue asked his new rider, H'au grinned and said, "You and me both, Dahachath." The second blue was being helped up by his chosen rider, a girl named Svelta, who mumbled, "What jerks, makes me glad I don't like guys." This apparently worried the blue, and Svelta hurried to reassure it with, "Of course I like you, Palazith. It's the stupid wherries I don't like and you're not a wherry, you're a dragon."

Now Tarish was worried. There we're only three eggs left, and four candidates, one girl and three boys. "I might not Impress at this one." he thought, but his attention quickly shifted as another egg cracked open and a very large brown, first of the two largest dragons, stepped out and headed straight in the direction opposite Tarish, for another hold boy named Trestan. This young dragon was apparently as impatient as his rider, now called T'res, he let out an annoyed croon as T'res said, "Just wait a sec, Niunth, I'm coming."

"Now there's only two eggs left...and three candidates!" Tarish's heart started to pound as a particularly large egg split perfectly in half, each going in opposite directions, one towards the boys, the other to the last girl left. To Tarish's immense relief, two dragons popped their heads out of either half of the egg. One tumbled over to the last girl and did a trick to right herself. The other green went to the other boy and crooned softly, eager for food. Now the last egg finally split, the large blue exploded from his shell and looked around. Tarish was trembling from anticipation, and the knowledge that he was the only choice left. The blue noticed him and bounded up to his new rider.

Sorry I took so long, he said cheerfully to Tarish, trotting over and looking up lovingly at his new rider. That shell was hard!

"No worries, Orayath, I didn't mind waiting." T'rsh assured him and they headed to where the new riders and their lifemates we're getting fresh meat, preparing for their lives together.