It was getting very small inside their egg, very small indeed. Her sister began to move and squirm, clearly seeking freedom while she decided she wanted to stay, wanted to sleep. Almost to the point of shouting to her sister to cut it out and leave her be, the egg split and the world flooded through. She struggled upright, sensing the edge of her shell and clutched it to right herself. A bad mood immediately settled over her. No one was here for her, why hadn't she been left to sleep!? The answer came as she remembered she'd been in her egg with another and so she reached out and said to her sister, Who told you that you could go and do that? as she struggled over the edge and landed on the hot sands.

The other paused then, searching out her sister and responding, Do what? Managing as dignified a sitting position as one newly hatched, blind, and covered in egg fluid could, the first sister said, Break my shell. Her sister turned and faced the first, tilting her head to one side. Oh, I'm sorry, Canti. I Saw someone outside, and I couldn't let them go away. Do you know where she is? No! Canti hissed, noticing a few of the Found shifting for her as well as upset that her twin had announced her name. She'd wanted to do it! Starting to rise and inspect the rest of the sands, she was interrupted by her mother taking her by the scruff of the neck and carrying her off for her bath.

The dark turquoise gave up, it seemed she wasn't going to get to do anything she wanted for a while, anyway. Instead she helped her hapless twin by guiding her to the Found, who she was resolutely trundling in the opposite direction of. You're going the wrong way. Everybody's in the other direction, Havranna. she sighed exasperatedly. Oh. Thank you! the lighter twin said brightly and whipped around for the Found. Canti Watched, slightly bemused as she promptly ran into one of their siblings. The two squabbled, nearly joined by another blue when her mother put her into the care of her father and going to clean the other two.

She soon found herself yet again disturbed from sleeping by her dark green brother who tackled her and was quickly pinned in return. Though she was in no mood to play, he taunted her into a chase that abruptly ended when the two crashed into an unhatched sibling and sending their egg into an immobile one. A yellow came from the first, a green from the motionless one. He looked as though he shared Canti's wish to continue sleeping. Mrreen, their mother approached, upset at her children's play. The dark turquoise turned back to her dark green brother to find he had abandoned her to Join. She huffed, how could he?

Mine isn't here! Mine isn't here! the green she'd assisted in hatching whined, grating on her nerves. So? Mine isn't here either, and you don't see me whining about it! she snarled, showing needle-sharp baby teeth. Canti looked to her mother, still busily cleaning her lighter green brother. We'll find our Joined someday, won't we mother? The dark blue rumbled soothingly to both of them and replied, You will. Knowing there were Diplomats from other worlds there, Canti sought them out and turned to face them. A decent selection.

In the meantime, she took to prodding her light green brother into motion. Tell me your name, she demanded, giving him a hard nudge in the ribs. Why do you want to know? he growled in response, turning away from her. Tell me your name! Canti repeated, still nudging. Kavarrin! Now go away! She stayed though, watching her mother's work on her yellow sister and her sister's prancing about the sands.

She felt the slightest of pangs when her twin Joined, and a faint wish that she had been alone in her egg and left to sleep until her Joined came. Finally, when hardly any Found remained on the sands, Canti decided she and her brother must find a place to live. Up! she commanded her green brother. He rose slowly and toddled off, spurred by occasional nips from her. She tried to follow him to the place he wanted to go, but suddenly found herself grasped by the ear and turn around, ordered to go elsewhere. Growling and snapping at the offending hand, she hurried off to a large green dragoness lounging on the hot sands.

I am Canti, and I wish to go with you! she said forcefully, plopping in front of the green. Very well Canti. First, you must eat something. She Saw the green offering a bottle of milk and promptly took it, drinking as fast as she could until her stomach was full and she slipped, at last, into a deep slumber in the green's arms.

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Canti and Cynnath returned to the green's home as soon as they were able to. There, the dark turquoise found herself in the middle of a slew of dragonets. Where did they all come from? she asked, astonished. A place called Eriol. They all decided to come home with their parents rather than bond at the hatching, so Cyizo, Kje' and Kjoda and I were charged with raising them, as is our duty. The green's voice became slightly tainted with hysteria as she waded through the squealing, bugling, snapping and clawing mass of dragonets in the "nursery" side of her weyr.

Here is where you can sleep, Canti. All of the sponsorlings are required to go to weyrling classes every day at six am sharp. Don't be late, Gulmoseth hates stragglers. I will find someone capable of training you for your magical abilities. Cynnath touched the end of her muzzle to the end of Canti's before turning and leaving, creating a small path through the mass chaos of dragonets. The dark turquoise dragonet huffed and scrambled up onto her couch. Her eyes weren't even open yet and she could sense the havoc the other dragonets were creating in the room.

Canti was just on the verge of drifting off to sleep when she felt hot dragon breath on her face. Waving the smell away with a paw, she growled, Whoar...go away and take your rancid breath! The being the breath belonged to took a mouthful of Canti's fur. Who're you calling 'stinky', huh? The other dragon hauled Canti from her couch and onto the floor by the scruff of her neck and dragged her for a few minutes. Leave me ALONE! the dark turquoise squealed, Seeing the small, orange dragonet that was harassing her.

Take back what you said about my breath, fuzzy! I could whip your tail-end from here to the Southern Continent, no problem! The orange squared off with Canti, flashing white teeth and flexing orange claws for the benefit of her fellow sponsorlings. Canti hissed softly in irritation, stumbling embarrassingly because she couldn't properly focus on the ground. Where was that Cynnath when you needed her? Shouldn't she be here to stop this? Just as the thought crossed her mind, an adolescent bronze stepped into the fray.

Now now, Selvaggioth. What have you been told about fighting? This one isn't even a day old yet! the dragoness said, gently stepping between the two. What do you care? You normally hole up somewhere and mope, why do you get involved now, Musei'? the orange snarled up at the much larger bronze. A certain helpful someone told me you were about to fight a newborn, I just had to step in. Word has it that this dragon possesses powerful rain-making abilities, wouldn't want her to cause a washout up here.

This Musei' spoke with a quietly powerful voice that cooled the orange dragonet's fire enough for her to back down. Selvaggioth snorted and turned her tail on the bronze, saying loudly to the gathered sponsorlings, Chuh, yeah right. Doesn't matter anyway, I have a certain brown messenger to find and "discuss" something with right now. FOLDELESTH, YOU FINK! and she skittered off in search of this Foldelesth to take her anger out on.

Aren't you now going to go protect the other one from her? Canti asked the bronze coldly, struggling back up onto her own couch. He's bigger than Sel', and he's used to her abuse. He can take what she dishes out. And next time, don't expect me to help you out. You were lucky Foldel' is the tattle-tale he is. With that, Musei' exited the tumultuous chaos of the dragon nursery, glaring with quiet disdain at the clustered mass of dragonets.