"The interviews are over, every last candidate has met all the dragonets... and yet she still has 'thinking' to do!?" Kayla was... exasperated to say the least. Caligoth had lingered over ever candidate; poking and prodding with her mind and her questions. She'd never met a more paranoid dragoness. Then there was K'mon, doing his own poking and prodding. Even Nanvooth had mentioned that his rider was being a little unbearable. It had been a week since the interviews and Caligoth had taken her mates and her brood, squirreling them away while they made their decision. Ch'ron, the green's rider, was the only human she had let near them during that week.

But at last, at long last, Cali' announced to the weyr that they were ready. The candidates were led to the sands where they stood facing the clutch mother and her blue and blue-green mates, Jeri' watching the candidates with an almost fatherly expression and Finom' glowering at Caligoth for delaying this day. He had more faith in his offspring than she seemed to show. After a very long, thorough talk with each of my children, we are ready for them to let their choice known. Be warned, if any of you even think of abandoning one of my children, I personally will see to your most unpleasant demise. She punctuated her point with a deep-throated growl, cut off by Jeri' glaring at her. "She does not mean that... I believe every single one of you will make excellent bonds for our children. You've been waiting long enough, so I'll not keep them any longer."

Jeri' stepped aside and revealed the group of dragonets to the crowd of candidates. Antaakutsuath. Caligoth rumbled, sounding rather like a teacher checking names off on a role-call. The large female hurried forth, darting between her parents and toward the girl she'd wanted from the moment she had met the oddest candidate to grace Draco's Inferno's sands. Zhul, there was never any doubt in my mind that you were the best for me! the white proclaimed, pushing herself up and into the woman's lower set of arms. It took Zhul a few moments to fully comprehend what had happened, while Anta' happily led her from the sands, already talking her ear off.

Narrowing her eyes after the pair, Cali' continued calling off the names of her children. Diaboli... hey! The largest had been followed by the smallest, a dragonet no resident of the weyr would really miss when she was gone. The dark Diaboliqueth darted across the sands before her mother could finish her name, cackling madly to herself along the way. Making a few laps around the candidates, the black bided her time in making her decision known, 'hmm'ing and 'uhh'ing as she went. Dia'! Choose! Now!, the green finally snapped. Oh all right! Ruin my fun... Febian, my friend! I'm so just the thing you need back home... distraction is my middle name! She gaped her maw in a mischievous draconic grin, leaving Febian wondering whether she really was just the thing he needed.

Ehesokozoth. Waddling forward and clutching something small in her mouth, the purple dragoness only had eyes for Anjali. I took your bracelet back, and added a few things. The delicate bauble K'mon had taken from Anjali the day she met Ehesokozoth was laid into her outstretched hand, now sporting a pale lavender-swirled cream stone in the center. Well, I didn't take it back – I got Dia' to get it for me. The bluerider was glaring at the purple hatchling from the edge of the sands, and got a dragon-tongue stuck out at him in reply. "Is this..." the purple nodded, A piece of my shell. The stonecrafter did quite a nice job, don't you think? The girl nodded, her voice seemed to have lodged somewhere behind the lump in her throat.

Engstelith. No dragonet stepped forward at the call of it's name, leaving Caligoth glancing around her feet. Engstelith? Eventually Finomkodoth picked the small yellow up by his tail, he had been hiding behind the blue-green. Eng', no one here is going to hurt you... Only a soft peep of fear came in response. Finom' lowered him to the ground gently, and the yellow took off and hid behind a man standing where the sponsors had been assigned. "I believe he will be going with Keleu and Moquamth to Abri." Jeri' said with an amused whuff.

Looking oddly pleased, Caligoth called the next name, Konstnath, but the female dragoness had already crept out onto the sands and make her choice. She sat at the feet of Kilira, white-sailed wings spread in stark contrast to her darker blue body. I'd love to hear all of your stories, Kilira, and those from your sister as well. "We'll be seeing them soon, Konstnath." The girl was all smiles as she led the blue-white with her from the sands.

Meanwhile, another dragonet had meandered onto the sands, milling idly from place to place. Toevallith? but the blue-green female paid her mother no attention, not that she had it to spare. Eventually she came to a rest by herself and keeled over, fast asleep. She wouldn't stay that way for long. Caligoth whuffed, I guess she'll be going to Calyeni.

Two more dragonets and two more candidates remained. Kayla had a glimpse of the light at the end of a very long and very green tunnel, she mentally urged the remaining hatchlings to choose quickly. Urooboeth. Let Vedofalth go before me mother, I can wait a little longer. the dark blue said pleasantly. "Please just go Uroo', I'm sure Vedo' won't mind." Jeri' sighed, his own offspring's giving nature had become a minor annoyance. Very well, I wouldn't want to keep Occasel waiting for much longer anyhow. Uroo' meandered out to his chosen.

Vedofalth, though the final hatchling's name hardly needed to be called. The large red approached Duke, wings flared. Come M'ndero, I will help you find the one you seek. With the final pair made, Kayla nearly collapsed with relief. "Caligoth, you will be very lucky if you are ever allowed to breed again." Ch'ron declared, pointing a finger at the dragoness. Cali' merely gave an innocent look to her bond and the weyrwoman, then muttered to herself, We shall see...