The day was rainy, cold and miserable, much like the whole sevenday had. Most of the candidates elected to stay in their dorms where it was warm, though a few ventured out to hazard a glance at the Sands. The dam of the clutch had grown more and more broody and upset as the days wore on and most who strayed too close to the clutch were rewarded with either a snap or a growl. When word spread around that the eggs had began to rock and would presumably hatch soon, the candidates came running. Anyone who wasn't the candidates seemed to be less that overjoyed at being drug from their warm, dry beds.

Finally, one of the larger eggs hatched, a black who made her way over to the girls and Impressed silently. Four more dragons hatched and scuffled around for a while until they all got fed up and found their choices. The next two to hatch were a large brown and medium blue. The dark brown tripped and stumbled, landing on his back in an awkward position. He didn't seem particularly fazed by it - more embarrassed that he was so clumsy. Apparently he had called out to someone because he looked around with an expectant gaze. When no-one seemed to respond, the brown made a physical noise - a strangled kind of high-pitched whine that, when matured, could become a bugle. There was still no-one forthcoming, so the hatchling bellowed again - the blue doubled back to nudge at his brother, but then skittered away when the brown snapped at him.

This gave Rylan a start and he knelt to comfort the put-off blue. Only when he was leading the blue off the Sands did he realize what had happened.

What do you think I was coming to you for? I'm Xayth! the blue replied cheerily. R'lan just gaped down at the light blue who in turn gazed back up at him, until a loud rumble from the stomach of the dragon interupted them. "Oh! I almost forgot. Lets go find you something to eat." R'lan said, now smiling. Xayth bounded happily along after him.