It seemed like months had passed since Qirallith had laid her small clutch of five on the sands. She hovered over her eggs, mothering them as the shells twitched. The time is near, summon the candidates. Graeveth hummed softly as the five candidates entered the sands.

Since Caligoth's unconventional clutch, it seemed to the Weyrwoman that her weyr was becoming far from traditional. Not to mention the eclectic types of dragons and candidates which now flowed to and from the weyr. For this clutch, she had finally done away with the traditional white robes. Most of the candidates wouldn't have been able to wear them, anyhow.

The pleasant clamor of voices died down when the first egg began to crack, followed ripple-like with the four surrounding it. As it's inhabitant struggled into life, the candidates nervously stepped closer. There was a squawk, and a small white dragonet all but erupted from it's shell, landing neatly outside of the circle of eggs. He posed impressively for a bit before approaching Joel.

Hello Joel, I am Ormceraith. His tone was brisk, but there was a mischevious glint in the white's eye. Come, let's go get something to eat. As Joel and Ormceraith exited the sands, the white paused a moment, then flared a pair of brilliantly lightning-marked wings and a dazzling, toothy smile.

Chuh... what a showoff. The crowd's eyes turned collectively to a black female setting in the remaining bottom half of her shell. It's not like that makes him special, does it Tasald? She scrambled over the still-shaking eggs of her siblings and spread her own lightning-marked set of wings. I can do it too. "Yes you can Ancheoth, he's no better than you." The deer-taur reached down to stroke the damp head of her new bond.

Yaron had watched his friend Joel bond and the little dragonet's display with a cool expression on his face. Even now, when yet another egg hatched and spilled a tangled black dragonet onto the sands, his demenor remained calm. Agh, frilling egg! Yaron, please help me! I can't tell my front from my end! "Coming, Utumith." he replied, and went to help detangle his upended dragon.

As yet, none of the dragons had taken on their father's gray coloration... nor had they shown any variation into actual colors. The remaining two eggs twitched simultaneously, rocking once, twice, then right into one another. Shells cracked, the dragonets began to find their way out. One exited her egg rather violently, kicking and kicking until the shell was nothing but a mass of tiny shards. She righted herself gracefully and hurried to the side of her bond. Dazarasolael! Daz! Daz! Speaking the mouthful of her bond's name, the dull gray dragonet skidded to a stop beside her similarly sized bond.

"Yes, yes Espresth?" asked the ground-bound bird. I won't let anyone hurt you again, Daz. she snarled, eyeing the crowd warningly. "It was my own fault I was hurt, Espresth. Come on." But the lightning gray female refused to believe her bond was capable of misflying and continued to glare at those around her.

The last egg hatched at a more leisurely pace, it's gray inhabitant sliding through a hole in the mostly intact shell and spreading his lightning marked wings. There was only one candidate left, the rukel Nybel, and the gray male only had eyes for him. We can keep that tail-grabbing down to a minimum now that Teachith is here. he said with a fang-filled smile. Nybel hopped to the back of his bond's neck, chuckling gleefully. "And now I can get all the walnuts I want!"

Shells empty, parents gone, a bugle filtered from the guest apartments of the weyr. Still tending her own clutch on the sands, Meroclaisen had to flatten herself out as a purple blur soared over her, landing in the newly vacated spot. Thank Faranth, I didn't think I could wait any longer!