Kassandra sighed boredly, sitting in the stands of the Opal Moon hatching grounds. It felt like she'd been there forever, even though it had only been a few sevendays. The highlight of her stay was showing the weyrwoman a few fighting techniques but now no one would even duel with her. Thunder grumbled in the distance as a storm brooded. "When will the clutch hatch?" she murmured to herself, staring idly at the gold/purple mother. Etoile slunk up, purring and rubbing aganst her legs. "Where have you been, mister?" she asked but he just leapt up onto the bench next to her and wormed his way into her lap. "I hope you don't think you can come onto the Sands with me, I'm not sure they'd let you." Kassandra smiled at the feline.

Suddenly the dam of the clutch began to bugle and she heard dragons frantically passing on the word that the clutch was hatching. Absently, Kassandra scoped up Etoile and hurried off to find her white robe and rejoin the candidates. When she returned, Kassandra gaped at the Weather-mages who were keeping the storms at bay until the hatching was over. She'd never seen magicks before. A gasp from the crowd broke her thoughts and she turned to see the gold egg beginning to hatch. Her breath caught in her throat. Before, she'd briefly entertained thoughts that she might Impress the gold, even though she wasn't to be presented. After all, it wasn't unheard of, a girl who wasn't to be presented for the gold Impressing one, wasn't it?

But, the gold chose one of those presented and Kassandra dismissed the thought and returned her attention to the other eggs. Two of the "regulars" hatched, revealing a green-blue and a brown. It took even more to close off the voices of the other dragons that usual, and to focus on hearing the one meant for her. In his haste of find his bond, the little brown trampled the green-blue, stumbling his way to a boy not too far from Kassandra. Etoile stopped purring and gazed attentively at the green-blue who had picked her self up and hurried to Kassandra.

Kassandra, tell him that I'm just as important as he is!! He doesn't have to stomp on me!!

The little dragonet crealed indignantly. Kassandra smiled and said, "I'm sure he knows that, Kelekonath, I think he was just excited to find his bond." Leading her dragon off the Sands, Kassandra couldn't believe that she'd Impressed such a beautiful color. A dark green hide with even deeper blue wingsails.

I hope that my voice doesn't hurt you. Does it?

"No Kelekonath, your voice is beautiful." She smiled and hugged the little hatchling tightly. "Now, lets get you fed." Kelekonath let out a strained whistle that would mature to be a bugle and eagerly ate meat from Kassandra's hands.