Skies Above - Sunday, February 17, 2002, 3:06 PM

Amika walks into the barracks quietly, her fair of flitters around her, her green on her shoulder and the boys flying around her as she heads over to her cot. She sits down and pulls a book over from off the trunk where it seems there's a stack of books, papers and all. She smiles politely to those in the barracks not seeming to care that she is a bit of a mess from working in the kitchen. "Good day all."

Yh'u looks around from his spot near the back. What is left to do? Not much it seems, as he watches, feeling the excitement in the air for any day now THE event will happens, and lives will be changed one way or another. perhaps time to make his presence known, or perhaps not, the rider looks indecisive though he can be easily enough spotted.

Neuve is seated on her bed scrubbing industriously at one of her bold colored underskirts. "Stupid oil. I thought I'd capped that top better". The stiff bristled brush in her hand scuffed softly over the material almost rhymically. And she begins to hum under her breath.

Brianne tips her head to the sider from her cot, a finger stuck in her mouth from being stuck one to many times with a needle. Eyeing the rider she peers further down the length of the cots to see what others are doing.

Having completed the day's chores, Zida sees little reason to putter about and waste her time. Surely someone will wake her when the time is right? She seems to assume so: she's alseep on her cot, Caoilin curled up at the foot. The dog shows more activity than the girl, with a little bit of ear-flicking and eye-twitching for the activity.

Zyrexa shrugs as Suzuku takes flight from her shoulder.

Zyrexa shrugs as Aargh takes flight from her shoulder.

Zyrexa shrugs as Hope takes flight from her shoulder.

Yh'u perks up, no, no slumping. Eyes shift over the candidates and something passed along brings a sigh to his lips. "Hello all, it seems the clutch parents are in a good mood. If anyone wants another up close look at the eggs, while they're still eggs, it seems now is your chance, could be your last..." he offers out.

Brianne grins, "Oh...really..." sitting bolt upright in her cot, "I would love the opportunity.."

Caoilin knows what that means! Due to it, and to the excitement of an overly exuberant candidate a cot away, the puppy yips a time or two. Zida wasn't so asleep that that didn't wake her up. In fact, she jumps up from under the covers, blinking quickly and looking around. "Wha...?"

Amika nods to Yh'u with a smile. "That would be great sir." She moves to get changed into cleaner clothes and gets herself quickly ready.

Neuve isn't going to be left behind. "That sounds just trilling!" She tosses a final glance at the stain on her skirt before placing it carefully aside. "I'm sure this won't set too baddly in that short a time."

Yh'u nods, about the response he expected. "Leave your things behind of course, keiniku is still quite guarded of her young. The same as before, no running, jumping, loud yelling or other such play on the sands." and then down the tunnel he leads for those interested.

Yh'u moves into the small tunnel.

Neuve enters from the hills outside.

Zyrexa wathces the general bustle of the candidates in the dorms, a vague smile apparent on her lips. Twisting her torso, and swinging her feet around, she plants her feet on the floor. She has every intention of following her fellow candidates, even though she didn't manage to voice her interest. Pushing herself up from her cot, Zyrexa hurries to follow Yh'u.

Zida seems to have gotten the gist of it. Still blinking quite a bit, almost confused, she brushes the wrinkles out of her clothing, shakes out her hair so it's at least mildly straight, then struts out onto the sands.

Zida moves into the small tunnel.

Caoilin arrives from the sands.

Neuve moves into the small tunnel.

Zyrexa moves into the small tunnel.

You head out onto the sands. DO NOT GO UNGUIDED.

Hatching Sands -- GreyStone Aerie

As you step on to the heated black sands of the Hatching Grounds of Greystones Aerie, the slightest whisper is amplified for you. The immense cavern that you now stand in the very base of, is covered with fine black volcanic sand. The heat of the sands, begins to filter through your footwear. You look around taking in the large rows of seats on one side and the mysterious pockets and ledges on the other. You wander over to the raised wooden dais, where a broody queen and her rider may escape the ever present heat. You see two entrances, to either side of the dais. One leads to the candidates barracks, and the other is to a small alcove Aerie, that has been set aside for the brooding queen and her rider. A ramp to the sands extends from one side of the galleries. Its access to the sands is blocked by a thin metal gate.

===============================< Room Contents >==============================

Eggs:

1. Beglazed by Ice Egg 2. Misty Shroud of Fog Egg

3. Frosted Fury Blizzard Egg 4. Bemused and Balmy Haze Egg

5. Shimmering Snow Flurries Egg 6. Steadily Slanting Rain Egg

7. Lightly Spinkled Drizzle Egg 8. Wildly Windy Vistas Egg

9. Majestic Mostly Cloudy Egg 10. Passive Partly Cloudy Egg

11. Faithfully Fair Weather Egg

Dragons: Aureliku, Kayku, Keiniku

Candidates: Korayne, Zyrexa, Neuve, Zida

Riders: Yh'u

Other: TouchAt

===============================< Obvious Exits >==============================

Amika shuffles in from the candidate tunnel.

Amika walks onto the sands quietly as she bows to the sire and dam as she shuffles her feet through the sand. Her eyes look around the hardened eggs that could probably hatch any day and that fact has made her nervous.

Brianne shuffles in from the candidate tunnel.

Korayne didn't feel like being left out, so he comes onto the sands with the other candidates, and glances around, before he bows to the clutch parents in respect, before he looks to the hardened eggs.

Zida shuffles out onto the sands, looking warily left and right. Apparently with what Yh'u said about the brooding mother in mind, she sketches a quick but respectful bow to the sire and dam alike. That done, she shuffles around until she's close to the egg she's interested in touching, but she doesn't get too close just yet.

Yh'u leads in, nodding to the clutch parents before finding a spot to watch from the side. Some of the eager candidates were testing their robes and come still clads in clings of white, others are in regular gear, stained from kitchen or serving duty as the Aerie revs up for the hatching influx.

Aureliku watches from the sidelines, the green keeping a careful eye on the candidates.

Amika walks over to the Faithfully Fair Weather Egg quietly. Her steps are graceful yet purposeful as she walks around the egg before she dares touch it. She lays her hand gently on its surface as she smiles.

-------------< Amika touches egg 1 - Faithfully Fair Weather Egg >------------

Brianne gives a deep curtsy to both clutch parents before moving in the direction of the other candidates towards the eggs. Reaching with her hand she touches Beglazed by Ice Egg.

---------------< Brianne touches egg 11 - Beglazed by Ice Egg >---------------

Zida, taking the lead given by some of the bolder candidates, stretches forward to lay her hand upon the shell of the egg she was standing near, connecting her fingers with the shell of the Bemused and Balmy Haze Egg.

--------------< Zida touches egg 8 - Bemused and Balmy Haze Egg >-------------

Aureliku moves off the Sands to the Galleries.

Neuve gives a reverent nodded bow to the clutch parents as she steps nimbly onto the sands. She's one of those with her robe on, as her clothes of the day bear oil stains. As the others begin to spread out thru the clutch, she makes a line straight for one in particular. Once at the side of the Majestic Mostly Cloudy egg, she places both hands flat on it.

-------------< Neuve touches egg 3 - Majestic Mostly Cloudy Egg >-------------

Korayne reaches out to touch the shell of the Wildly Windy Vistas Egg, rubbing hands over it lightly after slight hesitation.

--------------< Korayne touches egg 4 - Wildly Windy Vistas Egg >-------------

Zyrexa follows the group of candidates in, sighing silently as she moves to give a deep, sweeping bow to the dam and sire of the clutch. Turning herself, she pads quietly toward the eggs, chest heaving nervously. She, like everyone else, knows the hatching could be any time now, and would rather spend her time being anxious than worry free. It's easier that way.

-------------< Zyrexa touches egg 6 - Steadily Slanting Rain Egg >------------

Riana comes down from the Galleries.

Amika stays quiet for a moment closing her eyes as she allows the hatchling to touch her mind with its gentle nature, sensations of color, sounds and thoughts. Amika is smiling happily as she reassures herself that things no matter how they turn out after the upcoming hatching she will always have another chance at least for another few years.

Zida is right at home: a soft smile spreads across sleep-bedraggled features upon contact, and the immediate wandering in close quarters is to follow. "Hi again," she says quietly, whether or not the creature inside can hear her. "How've you been these past couple of days? They say you're going to hatch today... do you agree?" One-sided conversation or not, Zida's quite absorbed in it, to the exclusion of all else. Bemused and Balmy Haze Egg holds true as the favourite of this candidate; contact is maintained, low-toned conversation continued.

Brianne smiles softly as she remembers touching this egg before, moving gently away she awaits for another candidate to move away from the egg that she wants to touch again. Standing off to the side she silently observes the actions of the others and smiles.

----------------< Brianne leaves egg 11 - Beglazed by Ice Egg >---------------

Korayne has decided not to dwell on the fact that the hatching could be at any time, he's going to enjoy thios, not fog his thoughts with nervousness or fear, the eggs hatch the eggs hatch, nothing to worry about, heh. He hmms at the being inside the Wildly Windy Vistas Egg as he watches it.

Amika giggles softly as she feels herself swept away to a fantastically wonderful place which the hatchling seems to show her as she feels the delight and curiousity of the young one within seem to enjoy her presence. "Well it's only a matter of time before you find your lifemate. Of course I'm not going to hazard to guess what color you are. But I bet you're a good size." She says in more of a reference to herself in a soft whisper than for anyone's hearing. Her fingertips graze the surface. Maybe this egg is a kin in mind and nature.

Neuve's face breaks into smile as the sun breaks thru a cloudy day. "Ah, not long now little one." Not one to chatter away at the shell much, she just remains perfectly still. Both hands are splayed wide and her long fingers fully extended, as if to take as much of the egg to herself as possible in what short time remains.

Zida's expression is more curious, now, enrapt in whatever it is that might've caught her attention so. Fingers dance across the bemused, pastely shades featured upon the shell, all without contact being broken; the girl chuckles, quietly, nodding, lost in a world all her own, where everyone and everything else is excluded. "I think I'll enjoy seeing what sort of creature you turn out to be. I'll be happy to watch you hatch, you know. You seem... different. More aware," she announces to the egg, as if it would be surprise. For whatever reasons, Zida doesn't yet leave the presence of Bemused and Balmy Haze Egg. "Today, then?"

Zyrexa closes her eyes, swaying gently as she lets her fingertips brush over the shell of the egg. Smiling with satisfaction, the quiet peace of the Steadily Slanting Rain Egg removing the unhappy creases from her forehead. Bright eyes wash over the surface of the egg, happiness evident in them. "You are beautiful..." Her whisper is quiet, unaudible even to those who stand near her.

Korayne smiles a bit at the oresence insiude the Wildly Windy Vistas Egg. "You don't seem to want to draw attention to yourself, is there a reason?" He asks quietly, wondering if it's him.

Amika laughs with a smile as she just as she swept into another thought by the young hatchling in the egg. She lets herself fly in her thoughts with the young dragon and laughs. "Yes dear one you will fly and you will be wonderful for the one you chose to bond with." One hand moves from the egg as she wipes a tear from the corner of her eyes as she was swept up into the desire to fly that the hatchling said.

In the skies overhead, Jhanku glides in from over the courtyard.

In the skies overhead, Jhanku backwings to a landing at the foot of the galleries down below.

Neuve releases just the begining of a sigh. The small stir of air is followed by the candidate stepping slowly back from the egg, giving way to Mikeal. She takes a moment to stand back and watch, not too far from Brianne. "So hard not to get attached to one of the."

--------------< Neuve leaves egg 3 - Majestic Mostly Cloudy Egg >-------------

Amika smiles as she lets the hatchling explore the depths of her mind and imagination and learning as much as it desires to learn from her. She laughs with a smile as she senses its laughter. "Well you have a very beautiful egg and no doubt are a handsome or beautiful dragon." She keeps her eyes closed to the warmth of the sands.

Zida raises an eyebrow, in a pleased sort of way, dropping into a crouch beside the egg, drawing her hand down with her. "Mm, aren't you the expressive one?" Tone is dropped another notch, almost to a whisper. Eyes are closed, hand is kept pressed against the shell, and Zida seems content just to... relax there, as odd a thing that might seem to be given the circumstances. With a final caress, however, the candidate pulls herself away, standing, offering a final pat before breaking contact completely.

--------------< Zida leaves egg 8 - Bemused and Balmy Haze Egg >--------------

Zyrexa inhales deeply, a definite smile touching her pale lips. She lets the wind of the hatching sway about her form, sending her looking up into the sky, "So calm and serene, I envy you. You'll be perfect for the one you find." The candidate inhales once more, letting the scent of evergreen from her visiion overpower her mind. Mind wandering, Zyrexa leans in to the circular object, quite fond of it already.

Brianne smiles and nods to Neuve, "I would agree with you..." stiffling a sigh she moves around towards a different egg, not far from where she is standing. Reaching out with gentle fingers she touches the hardened surface of the shell.

Korayne cocks a brow. "Oh, you want to keep yourself hidden huh?" He asks the presence inside the Wildly Windy Vistas Egg. "It's ok, I'm sure you'll be nice when you do come out of the shell, which won't be too long."

-----------< Brianne touches egg 7 - Shimmering Snow Flurries Egg >-----------

Amika touches softly the egg with her one remaining hand. Her eyes open widely as she feels so relaxed at the egg with the hatchling within. A nice change than how relaxed she was in the presence of some of the other hatchlings' mind touches.

Korayne smiles. "Oh, you don't think so?" He asks the Wildly Windy Vistas Egg. "I think you will be, I'm sure you're all quite lovely in there." Does he mean it? Or is he just saying that cause the parents are there?

Her companion gone on towards one of the eggs, Neuve is left alone to watch the passage of one candidate after another in front of her. When the surface clears, she sidles between two young men and rests the tips of her fingers onto the Lightly sprinkled drizzle egg.

------------< Neuve touches egg 5 - Lightly Spinkled Drizzle Egg >------------

Brianne peers somewhat puzzled at the feelings she is experiencing, turning softly she examines the shell, and the closes her eyes to see if anything else is going to happen. Shifting her weight forward onto the balls of her feet, she rocks gently back and forth.

Zyrexa blinks a couple of times as the vision disappears, her lips truly turning into a bright smile. After murmuring a short, "Thank you," to the egg in which had attracted her attention, she wanders away to make way for another candidate. Eyes move from egg to egg, trying to decide what to do next.

Aureliku comes down from the Galleries.

Riana moves closer to Aureliku.

Kalika shuffles in from the candidate tunnel.

Brianne nods again, as hints of tension creep along the corners of her mind and she struggles to discern the clear path of the impression. Time passes in tiny little ticks as she measures each moment her hands touch the shell and constantly comparing if the hatchling within the shell will find her personality accetable.

Korayne smiles at what he thinks is a purr from the presence inside the Wildly Windy Vistas Egg. "Oh, you like to be complimented?" He asks softly.

Neuve's eyes krinkle up at the sides. Her face freezes in a sudden mask of perfect stillness, then relaxes into an easy smile. The bright flash of her white teeth passes quickly as the candidate attempts to hide her feelings from those watching.

Brianne nods appreciatively as she feels the deeps sense of loyalty eminating from the presence within the shell. Darting her head forward, she sucks in deeply as the deep amber thoughts continue to caress the edge of her thoughts, bringing about a tingling sensation.

That wasn't a wobble. Nope, not a wobble. You didn't see it move, not one bit...right? and so sits the shimmering snow flurries egg.

In the skies overhead, Crythaill glides in from over the courtyard.

In the skies overhead, Crythaill backwings to a landing at the foot of the galleries down below.

Zida must be seeing things, then, if that wasn't a wobble. Certainly, from her viewpoint, it had to have been. The nearest candidate to her gets a tug on the sleeve, and Zida motions that-a-way. "Hey... did you see that?"

Naeni shuffles in from the candidate tunnel.

Amika looks over as she thought she saw movement from the flurries egg but blinks twice as she looks at the egg in front of her. "No it can't be time could it?" She peers down at the egg as she touches it once before lifting her last hand away.

Korayne chuckles softly. "I don't know if I'll take that challenge, think I'll wait till hatching for that." He says with a grin to the pressence inside the Wildly Windy Vistas Egg.

Brianne stares at the egg in front of her, becoming rather distracted, "Nah..couldn't..." settling back into her touching, fingers splayed gently over the shell, seeking the warming thoughts within.

Neuve had her eyes set closely on the egg before her so she didn't see anything. But at Zida's question, she looks up and around. "See what?" Clearly puzzled, the candidate blows back the bits of hair begining to stick slightly to hte sides of her face.

In the skies overhead, Inigoku glides in from over the courtyard.

In the skies overhead, Y'an deftly climbs down Inigoku's side.

In the skies overhead, Y'an backwings to a landing at the foot of the galleries down below.

The anti-moving continues. Not a twitch. That wasn't a twitch. There are no cracks. Nope, not upon the white surface of the snow flurries egg.

Zida twitches her nose a little bit, backing away to hide behind Naeni, providing what she saw was indeed what she thought it was. "I thought I saw it move. But ... surely we wouldn't be down here if they were that close to hatching, right?" Somehow, the whole "candidate" concept must've escaped her.

Naeni eyes the eggs rather shrewdly, languidly shrugging her shoulders, allowing her hand to brush across the shell of a random egg. "They don't move just yet," she says in a tone that's neither matter of fact, nor uncertain. It simply is.

Riana dropped Aureliku.

Aureliku moves to the side of the sands.

Amika looks over as she sees the egg move again and her eyes widen perhaps in nervousness...she shuffles her feet as she looks towards Keiniku and Kayku for any signs of humming. None yet she smiles as she's relieved as they haven't. The hatching probably won't be for a few days yet. She reassures herself though her hands are a bit shaky seeing the fledglingmaster arrive on the sands as well as the Lord. It was only supposed to be an egg touching.

It isn't hatching. No, really, honest! Don't you believe the snow flurries egg.? The white shell seems to almost emplore of the watchers, or well those who might be watching in its direction. For nothings happening afterall, isn't it? That little white creature hasn't emerged, no, no, you don't see it stumbling away to find its own mate. Concentrate now, focus, just a mirage...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~< Wisps of Cloud Hatchling >~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

This hatchling seems to be covered in clouds. Its cloudy white back looks like it just -might- become tinted blue on its belly and legs, with the white pushing thin tendrils of cloudiness out onto the hatchling's legs. Its head is almost literally 'in the clouds', with bluishness coming up its neck and chin onto one side of its head, and the clouds reaching over the top of its skull. The top of its tail is covered in a long finger of cloudiness that dissipates completely at the spaded end of its tail. On the very bottom of this hatchling's belly, there seems to be a strip of brown, though perhaps that is just a product of the shadows and the sand that covers this hatchling's stomach in a thin film. < Desc'd by Ailyn >

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Aureliku moves onto the sands.

A sound begins to rise, emanating from all around the Aerie... though perhaps most noticeable right here, on the sands. It is a humming. A hum being sung so strongly by the gold and bronze standing watch over the candidates doing their innocent little touching... that hum that everyone knows to mean but one thing. Surprise, little candies. Kayku, it could be sworn, looks almost smug at that first little wobble... and then the perfectly formed hatchling that tumbles in so unexpectedly... the beginning of what is destined to be a most stressful, if magical, afternoon. M'ik. Poor M'ik, he looks about two seconds away from a complete panic attack, as he looks at the creature that has just appeared. Not now. It's not supposed to be -now-.

Korayne blinks as the sound of a cracking shell reaches his eear. "What in the?" He looks around, anyone else hear that? Say yes so he doesn't think he's hearing things. He blinks at the thrum, they're hatching?? He jerks his hand away from the Wildly Windy Vistas Egg as he stands up, and glances around, now what??

Yh'u gasps, well he is on his feet, btu this, this is a surprise. Erk, "No, no not enough time, stay on the sands." he runs back through the tunnel, shooing those who remained in the barracks out as it seems the time is now, of all times, dressed appropriately or not!

Kalika crosses her arms across her chest, and shakes her head. "It isn't moving. It... couldn't... be." Her words trail off as the egg clearly moves. And hatches. "Gosh." She rubs sudddenly sweaty hands on her robe. She's not nervous, right? Right?

Aureliku lifts her head and she starts to *Humm* her throat vibrating as she looks at the candidates on the sands. Riana on the other hand laughs and she motions to the candidates, "Circle around the eggs.

--------------< Korayne leaves egg 4 - Wildly Windy Vistas Egg >--------------

Amika looks over as she hears a crack...and then a white hatching. Oh my! It's hatching where's the humming? She looks towards the Wisps of Cloud Hatchling as she moves back from the egg she's at...not too far but far enough. She hears the humming start and she looks panicked...this can't be. She wasn't ready for this after all the time she thought she was. She ties up her hair with a thin strap of leather around her wrist and moves to the circle forming around the eggs.

-------------< Amika leaves egg 1 - Faithfully Fair Weather Egg >-------------

Zyrexa catches some sort of movement out of her peripheral vision, and turns to hunt out the cause. Her eyes lock on the Flurries Egg and she blinks, mild confusion warring with curiousity in her gaze. "What...?" she queries, edging closer... and she nearly jumps a foot straight in the air in startled shock when it hatches. Regaining her composure with an admirable speed, she backs away into the ranks of her peers, and, nibbling lightly on her lower lip, watches in avid fascination.

Squeek. Nope, not a mouse. That's the noise that eminates from Neuve's throat when the hum arrives. She looks up and her mouth literally drops open at the sight of a hatchling. "Oh no." Her mouth closes as her throat bobs up and down. Then she wakes up to what is going on and steps back from the egg.

-------------< Neuve leaves egg 5 - Lightly Spinkled Drizzle Egg >------------

Zida rubs her hands across her eyes, shaking her head and tugging on the side of Naeni's robe. "Uhm, Naeni? Should they really be doing that?" Zida? Scared? Of course not. She's just sidling behind the taller candidate in order to make sure that they don't miss the gold-haired girl. That's it. "Oh, no..." That, once the "sound," the humming, is registered. "They *are* hatching, aren't they? Why me!" As if that's such a question. A fretful look is tossed to Naeni, and then around to the other eggs.

Naeni is cool, calm and collected. Really she is. Why should she be anything else? The barest trace of contempt flickers across her features, cut short as she gets a hold of herself. Slender fingers are brushed at her sleeve, erasing wrinkles placed there by Zida's hand. "Please. Calm yourself."

Wisps of Cloud Hatchling blinks. Ahha! White sails shake outwards as the hatchling stretches in newfound freedom. Then, then there are the candidates. Especially that one silly creature who froze, formerly touching the shell which contained this beauty, and now left without anything behind which to hide. That is alright however, for one awakened truely this being, bringin forth this presence and it is rather nice not to have to go hunt for ones partner, no for she is there and eyes look lovingly to Kinti. Kin'i gasps, eyes widening as the white becomes the most beautiful blue before her "Oni...Onishakakku?" yes, let the games begin, and soon the pair are led off for their first meal together.

With a triumphant cry the Wisps of Cloud Hatchling has found its mate at last, and at the moment of bonding color floods into its hide.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Boiseterous Blue Beech Onishakakku ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It tis the mists of morning which swirl gently about the ovate leaves that pattern upon this boisterous blue's scales. The leaves are much to large to be captured by any single scale and so comprise of many for each singular sawtooth edged leaf. Only half of his body, and sails are comprised of the foliage's imprint, the rest, as one slides down the base of his neck and to body and tail are more reminiscent of the beech tree's bark. The normally gray bark is smooth and fluted. Upon this fellow it has taken on a different sheen, as though the mists have distorted the morning lights and instead of pale gray the scales of his chest sheen in an eerie iridescent blue-gray. The flutes give some dimension to a form which is of average size for one of his color. They make his body seem longer and leaner than it really is, giving him an illusion of grace where power is found in each bouncing stride. Claws are tipped by talons of misted silver, and elbow and knee joints are brushed by the leafy pattern, highlighting those spots before spreading up his ribs and taking over his back and ridges. The leaves flare out in their blue-green hue upon a well-chiseled face, highlighting about aquamarine eyes. Sails are set upon sturdy leaf covered branches, stretching between in a dappled pattern of blues and shadowed blue-greens. His coloring is unique as any can be and one can be sure that he will never be recognized for another in the crowd sunning upon a ledge.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ After a few moments the Fledgling Master leads the new pair off the sands.

Foggy swirls shift, as the misted shroud of fog egg begins to roll. I do mean roll, this isn't a wobble, nor a twitch, but a roll. The shape of the egg makes it a wobbly roll, uneven across the surfaces sands, as it starts up, destination unknown.

Amika looks as the hatchling pairs up with another candidate and is flooded with a beautiful blue coloring as the first fledgling calls out his name. She gives a clap of congratulations. Well he sure knew who he wanted and didn't waste time.

Brianne steps back a bit on the surprised side as the egg hatches, "Mmm...now they decided to pop on out.." standing a bit to the side to allow the hatchling to seek out its newest mate. Grinning stupidly, she just looks around at the other candidates then at the eggs that are shattering in the thickened air around them.

Teasing zephyrs rock another egg. Nudging the tempestuous wind-strewn surface above the charcoal of the sands. The Wildy Windy Vistas Egg is stirred to awareness.

Riana comes back after leading the blue and his bond off the sands and she sends Aureliku into the niche t watch over the new pairs.

Aureliku moves to the side of the sands.

Zida blinks rather rapidly, releasing Naeni from her grip. "That was... um. Quick. Very quick indeed. Do the rest do that, Naeni?" But a green child in comparison to some of the veterans scattered about, but she'll make do with her ignorance. "Con- congratulations!" is squeaked out by the candidate. She certainly doesn't seem to be taking this in stride. "Don't be silly, Zi. It's just scaly little creatures. Get a hold on yourself." And even with the shake she gives herself, she doesn't seem to be able to keep from shaking s'more. "Ack."

Naeni rolls her eyes up, then flicks them left and right, taking in the various states of excitement and nervousness being exhibited. A snort is allowed, and arms are crossed nonchalantly in front of her chest. Attention is focused out on the sands, now, locked forward and not on anything in particular.

The wobbly rolling continues as the misted shroud of fog egg goes here and there, sliding down a small dune and then rolling along the crossing troughs of another. It vaguely seems to be heading for the candidates, which makes sense in a way, though the egg itself remains deceptively whole.

Yh'u comes back on the sands another dozen or so candidates leading him, clad in their proper white robes and sporting a range of expressions as he encourages them to forma proper semi-circle about the now rocking eggs. Then with a few murmurings of 'good luck' he pads off to the side where he won't interfere and will be able to spot those bonding and help them begin their new lives.

Amika looks as two other eggs start to move and her eyes are just barely focused on them as she looks back to the egg she was touching. Well she is definitely curious what that one will hatch out and who its bond will be. The healer turned candidate tries to keep her calm as she stands ever so still and dedicated to watching the happenings on the sands not noticing if any of her family has come to watch the hatching.

Neuve boggles at the first flooding of color. "Goodness, gracious!" She stares pointedly for a moment, then begins to giggle nervously. "Oh..did you hear that name? What a mouthful! But how wonderful." She nudges the small boy next to her, causing him to begin to giggle as well.

Korayne calls congrats to the girl that the blue chose. He then blinks as the Wildly Windy Vista's egg that he had been touching moves, and he back away a bit, eyes wide before he glances around to the other candidates. "Are-are they supposed to be moving?" He asks, and then notices the forming semi circle, and he heads that way, having happened to be wearing his robe, honest.

The chill winds blow, ripping at the egg's azure-coated surface. The Wildy Windy Egg shivers in its sandy cocoon, then flips right over and across itself. It rolls crookedly, caught in a dip in the grounds, and slips down into the protection of a shallow valley. There it is battered. No mercy at all is given by the hatchling within. It needs to be of its longstanding confinement.

Brianne smiles softly as she looks over at the 'parents' of the hatchlings and wonders if they are feeling a moment of extreme pride at the emergence of their newest. Chuckling and shaking her head she can't believe that the egg is rolling out of its protected area, again the glance to mom to see if she will do anything, awaiting this little active hatchling to emerge.

Amika shakes her head as she looks over to Korayne and laughs. "Yeah I think it should be moving...after all its sibling hatched." She winks to the male candidate with a smile.

Kalika's eyes boggle, despite all of her efforts to keep her expressions under control. "Very, very quick," she agrees softly with the faint murmurs around her. "Moving eggs. Hatching eggs." No, she's not overwhelmed. Not hardly. "Gosh." She backsteps rather quickly, staying firmly without range of the crookedly rolling eggs.

Closer, closer it gets. Speed picks up as it rolls down a final bit of dune and then its a straight shot to the candidates. hahaha, it comes, yes it does and they better get out of its way...only *bump* what was that, interference! It seems a shard, leftover from hatching's past catches the egg just before it reaches the line, and like a knife cutting through the shell, it is split exactly in half, and momentum carries the white one forward, tumbling into the line of (hopefully alert) candidates.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~< Winter-Ermine Draped White Hatchling >~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Oh, what a character has just been birthed. This sophisticated hatchling knew exactly what it desired before its talons had even touched the earth. It unfolds from its shell garbed in clothing of pressed and spotless white, ready for whatever distinctive event must surely await its arrival. There is a perpetual arch to the lithe elegance of its neck, as if to indicate its absolute worthiness for all the good things that shall surely be strewn at its feet, those suportive pediments tapering off into cobalt talons which are washed lightly by gold. Aristocratic airs define its body, which is just a touch too short to be elegant all on its own. It needs the assistance of delicately-tinted scales to provide the proper image of culture. These do so, forming a band of softer creamy tones to drape the creature's withers and shoulders with the lush images of a furry-stole stitched from the thickened pelts of winter ermine. Of course, such luxuries befit this noble creature, and there is a knowing spark of awareness to ignite eyes of appraising emerald, those orbs nearly black so intensely focused is their color. < Desc'd by Taeryn > ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Korayne turns as anoter egg hatches, and he spots the white hatchling. "Another one." He says. "Are they always white like that when they hatch?" He asks the others.

Amika laughs as a new white hatchling appears. "A definite beauty or handsome one that one is...that one looks like it might be a handful for sure."

Brianne nods, "And quite a few to go Korayne...as far as I know they are always white..." her attention not varying far though from watching the eggs and emerging hatchlings. Each moment another hatchling bonds with its intended mate gladden her heart. Softly a gentle pink glow reaches her cheeks from the excitment of the moments that are passing.

Zyrexa smiles encouragingly at the newly bonded bonded pair. "Fare thee well," she murmurs as they are led from the sands. She averts her attention back to the sands, giving each egg a speculative, meticulous look-down. "Who will be next...?" she says softly, momentarily distracted from the rigors and watchers of the momentous event. As Winter-Ermine Draped White Hatchling is freed from the confines of its shell, she grins. "Elegant darling..."

Durable shell lasts longer than might be expected. The Wildy Windy Vistas Egg is made of sterner stuff. So hard fling the blows from within it that they all but echo across the grounds. Of a sudden, the landscape shifts, the greens and azures of the horizon split. a jagged crack cuts the ovoid in half. The top is thrust off with ease. Out hops a white-scaled being. Little hatchling slinks to the side, then turns round and round about itself, seeking focus amongst the strangeness of the sand and sky.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~< Winter's First Flurries Hatchling >~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Just like the first snow of winter, that light blanket which is responsible for covering any and every shade beneath it, so does the pale alabaster wrap of this dragon hatchling's hide cover the shades of a secret color just waiting to be released, not so much as a glimmer of a betraying color breathing a scant breath on the colorless wrap. Not everything, after the first glance has been stolen, is as colorless as it seems, for some, the true beauty and grace is hidden within the hide, at an angle, shown to the side. Towards fragile-looking 'sails of the transparency of a sheet of thin ice, almost invisible streaks of ruby seep in, followed briskly by shades of aureate -- or could it possibly be russet? It doesn't quite seem to matter so much, as attention is coaxed further down, swiftly, to lay before one certain streak of cerulean that lightly caress the lithe tail, like the run-off of a freshly melted snow. Slowly, ever so subtly, the azurine color slips away, nearly wiping away any trace that the muted color was ever present in the first place, replaced with the same mute alabaster of delicate snow. < Desc'd by Kai'a >

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Riana watches the eggs hatch, leaning against the wall, waiting to escort fledgling pairs off the sands.

Winter-Ermine Draped White Hatchling shakes its head fiercely, trying to clear the confusion that was instantaneous upon its hatching... to find itself in this world of colors and noise and... and... its eyes raise to look at all the beings clustered around the sands, with something almost close to awe. What are these things, these pinkthings? A soft croon of entreaty to its father seems to bring it enough confidence to investigate, and so it does, awkwardly hopping along in front of the line of odd creatures in front of it.

Zida shakes her head a little, hiding behind Naeni a little more. Look, a shield for shells! So the other candidates do have their uses. "Mm, that one's rather interesting-looking," she comments to no one in particular. Clearing her throat, she steps out from behind the taller candidate, brushing her robe straight, straining a bit at some of the seams in doing so. "I do hope this goes - quickly." Faux hopeful tone drops a note as another hatchling is shelled, freed to the sands in the midst of all the shuffling candidates. "Well then."

Naeni passively watches. Eyes flicker left and right, egg to hatchling and back again, but aside from the soft swaying of her feet there is little else of import. No comment is made, and she even doesn't bother to reprimand Zida for anything.

Kalika cranes her neck, straining to gain a glipse of the new hatchling. /Hatchlings./ "They're popping out rather quick," she giggles in her nervousness. "Are they usually in this much of a hurry?" Her palms are wiped against her robe once more, then firmly tucked beneath her armpits, kept out of the way.

Amika 's eyes are caught by the newest hatchling to make his/her appearance from the shell it called home for a while. Finally the little dragon would be able to see what it found in the minds of the candidates at each touching. Finally the learning has become an actual hands-on experience. She watches the other girls as they look somewhat nervous as she is. Oddly she is standing not even holding onto the hands of any candidate around her. She seems to have decided to be strong and stand on her own two feet and stay reassuring for others around her but at an arm's distance.

Korayne looks to Brianne, and moves to stand with her. He gives a nod. "Oh, alright." He says softly, and turns to notice another hatchling has hatched. "They hatch so fast." He comments as he nervously wpes his hands on his robe, yes he's nervous, this is his first time standing after all, an he wasn't expecting them to hatch when they were touching them!

Neuve struggles to bring the shakes from her nervous laughter under control. She stands somewhat erect, body shaking periodically with combination of supressed giggles and the hiccups that they cause. *Hic* "Ah, geeze." Normally so calm, she's clearly out of control now. "OH!" Yes, hatchlings nearby.

Winter's First Flurries Hatchling turns about thrice, but only its tail does it end up spying. No, that is not the way and to a stop the being comes. Lids blink slowly over eyes, sparkling with excitement, energy, speaking volumes of its newness to the world as sand is looked to the horizon from whereforth the cavern takes precident and head turns upwards, neck arching back as it follows the line of the ceiling, to the point of near tipping over. Balance though, the center reminds this hatchling in a wobble to fall back upon all fours and then the world is a little more understood, but ther is more, so much more out there nad beyond, upon the moving creatures of a varied variety does that gaze settle.

Brianne nods, "I would agree tha they are popping out rather quickly...decided it was time...and dang if they didn't decide to get this over and done with..." Standing rather firm in her spot, she tilts her head to the side a little more to get a better view of another hatchling emerging from its shell. "Well would you look at that one?"

Riana smiles a bit as she watches the hatchlings, head tilting a bit, "Remember when we were out there Yh'u?" she asks as she stands next to her friend, "I was so sure I was going to go back to my kitchen when it was all over."

Winter-Ermine Draped White Hatchling has been wandering, and has been most content going on its merry way... but there is this tickling feeling that it is forgetting to do something that it is only proper for it to do. It stops, considering the curiosities that are fidgeting in front of it. Right. It must choose among these odd-looking things! But only one? There are so many. With this new purpose in mind, it raises its head higher than before, to deliver the utmost care in its examination of each... each... -thing-. Human. That's what they're called. Now that these important things are discovered, only dignity is resolved in its walk... though hardly able to conceal the happy bounce in each step it takes. Wait. Wait... emerald eyes fix upon one particular person. The person that has the best posture of the entire group he is standing in. Interesting.

Zyrexa takes a moment and diverts her attention to those around her. Her lips purse in thought, but she doesn't join in on any of the conversations around her. She turns her gaze back to the hatchlings, and can't resist the smile that tugs at her lips as she regards them thoughtfully.

Korayne twitches a bit. "What do we do?" He asks Brianne, she seems to know what she's doing, why not ask her, and so he stays near her. A deep breath taken as he watches the two hatchlings to try and calm his nerves that almost seem to be in his throat.

Amika looks over to Korayne with a reassuring tone in her voice accompanied by a bright smile. "Absolutely nothing...they'll choose." She looks to the hatchlings to see which directions they are headed before she looks to her favorite egg.

Zida taps her fingers on her arm nervously, doing her best ot keep the movement from extendeding to the rest of her movement. Feet are picked up to cool them, but the motion is jerky at best: all of the fluidity of attention is placed in where her eyes flit. Hatchlings are watched closest, as they provide an immediate danger, but the other candidates are given a bit of eyeing as well.

Naeni twitches her nose a little before letting out a sneeze. Of all places to do it, here, to sneeze! Quickly, she covers her mouth, looking around. Satisfied that no one paid any attention to it, she turns her attention back to the eggs. A blush? For that?

Chasing his tail? And that brings on another bout of laughter from the giggling candidate. The young boy finally has to whack Neuve once on the back before she can pull herself together. "It's chasing its tail!" Her companion frowns at her and she blushes. "Ah hem." One hand brushes down the front of her robe and the other adjusts a bit of hair back behind her ear as she finally gets full control of herself.

Yh'u nods to Riana "I know. I never thought I would be doing anything other than watching my vines, but one can never tell what is held on these grounds."

With a triumphant cry the Winter-Ermine Draped White Hatchling has found its mate at last, and at the moment of bonding color floods into its hide.

Kalika's eyes flutter about the hatchlings, unable to settle on one thing for more than a moment. Keeping pace with her eyes is her entire body; she shifts nervously from foot-to-foot, jiggling. Jiggle, jiggle, jiggle. "Why is this taking so /looong/?" she softly wails, never minding the fact that she was only noting the quickness of the process a few moments ago. Merves can do that to a person.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Elegant Blue Spruce Hiverell ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Blue cannot be used to describe the shimmering elegance of this dragon's hide, too imbued with shades of green to be what it seems it ought to be. A shade that is quite beautiful in its uniqueness, dominant across his range of smoothly scaled hide to give him an incomparable glow. If this were the only hue painted over his muscled form, it would be almost out of place amongst the other dragons of the Aerie... yet the vibrancy of this blue-green is muted slightly by a faint pattern of interwoven lines spread across his form, from head to toe. Barely discernable differences in colors, some only marginally darker, some only marginally darker, varying in their tint all across his handsome body. His size isn't gargantuan, he will not tower over his siblings, but the size that he does possess is displayed at its most impressive. Legs, thickly muscles, are set firm and steadily parallel to each other, with talons of purest obsidian tipping each wide foot. The strength of these limbs seemingly melt from sheer power into a body that displays, even when still, a surprising grace. It is slimmer than would be expected when viewing his legs, with almost an elegant cant to the way he holds himself erect. Long neck leads to a slender wedge of a head, in which shines eyes of the finest emerald, glowing with his inner delight.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

After a few moments the Fledgling Master leads the new pair off the sands.

Winter's First Flurries Hatchling looks, its stance firm as the candidates, for that it what has been spied, the candidates are eyed. Iiiinteresting, for this presents a challenge nad limbs are coordinated, steps determined and focused in only one direction. Coming to the end of the line, one who did not have time to change is eyed, brilliant skirts are subsequently /avoided/ as the hatchling moves on, eyeing and sniffing, always just without reach, until it comes before a pair. Now head tilts as its gaze slips between Amika and Korayne.

Clouds shift over blue, for with a cocky shiver, one of the clutch stirs itself fitfully to life.

Korayne blinks. "That's one nice blue." He comments toward Brianne, before calling a soft congrats to the bonder, whoever it is, before his eyes roam back to the other white hatchling to see where it's gone, only to blink as it's right there infront of him.

Amika gives a soft 'ah' as she sees another blue appear as it bonds and smiles as she looks to see who it has bonded to as she tries to peer around a few candidates close to her. She plays quietly with a piece of her hair that has fallen over her sweat-covered brow. She simply looks at the hatchling that looks between her and Korayne and shakes her head with a laugh. "Well Korayne, you may find out your answer of what to do very shortly."

Cerulean and Lilac clash in a glowing conglomeration which can be anything but not noticed. Yes, it seems the bemused and balmy haze egg has decided it is time to begin. Time to move, and the confines of its present location will be not much longer tolerated, the world out awaits!

Zyrexa nods to the newly bonded pair. "Congratulations!" she calls softly, then glances around... and remembers all those people watching. Anxiety floods her green eyes, and she nibbles on her lip again. Just as quickly as the expression comes, though, Zyrexa washes it away with her usual iron-gripping self-control. She is calm, serene, in control... "Why do so many people have to come?" she mutters, cool facade slipping again just a bit.

Brianne grins softly as she waves her hand softly at Korayne, "Just be patient...I am sure that you will find your mate among this hatchlings...or should I correct myself and one will find you. "Ahh ...the moment they change color is so wonderful...each time I see one turn it sends tiny shivers down my spine."

Zida's eyes follow the only white hatching on the sands at the moment to its pausing point, a rather amused smile threatening to twitch the overly nervous expression aside. "Well, would you look at that. I wonder if 'favorites' know that sort of thing, and if it makes any difference." Back to the practice of speaking to herself, Zida trails off from further commentary when her favorite egg begins to twitch. "Oh, speak of the thing." Amused expression wins, for now.

Naeni looks... can it be? Bored? Certainly she doesn't seem to have the nerves that Zida and a few other candidates are giving out. "Oh, do calm yourselves. They're only hatchlings." Voice is caught in throat at that last one. "Well, I mean, they're lovely things, but not worth such a fuss." Rather than attempting, again, to right wrongs, lips are clamped shut.

Kalika's nervous jiggling is on the verge of evolving into a jumping-style dance. "Ahem." With an obvious effort, the candidate reigns in, and restricts herself to minute shifts of her feet. "Another blue," is whispered by the girl. "Is the /entire/ clutch blue?" Not that two dragons can count as the entire clutch, but...

Winter's First Flurries Hatchling sucks in a deep breath, there is a well of sort-of patience within fromwhich is drawn as haunches settle to the ground in consideration. There are others of course, that Brianne just beyond the...sniff..male and someone else beyond the female, Amika. Are either of these the one it is searching for. Delicately, front claws tap the sands, lids narrowing over eyes as a deeper inspection is undertaken and then there is a sudden enlightenment. One can see it grasp the body of this being, from who's throat comes a delighted call. Yes, you, you are the one.

With a triumphant cry it seems that the Winter's First Flurries Hatchling has found its mate at last, and at the moment of bonding color floods into its hide.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Perfect Pine Princess Gold ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The fine membrane of this lady's sails stretch gently between bones of sun-kissed pine. They seem as thin as a sheet of paper and patterned after the heartwood sliced exactly that thin. The pale yellow of the wood is marked by barely darker, thin golden stripes. It seems impossible that one day those sails will support her in flight as they are so fragily hung between her body and wingbones. Sun-kissed the leading edges have been bleached by the rays to a near white. Truer the color rises as you trail down to a lightly built body. For one who will be so large, she is amazingly lightly built. Body seems almost to thin, supported by ropy muscles that do little to fill out her frame. Still she is hardly anemic, as body curves in all the right places, and scales gleam echoing the golden pine. Ridges are a sun-touched amber, burning brightly in a crowning glory to this princess queen. Narrow is her head, which curves gently over eyes of aquamarine and down to pointed muzzle tip. The wavy grained pine gold ripples across the majority of her slender self, trailing languidly down wispy golden tail, ending again in a pale sun-bleached near white gold. Highlights of the golden-brown grain touch in places just right, to give this one a regal beauty. Of youth her looks will forever have, as she arches her neck demurely. About wrists and ankles the flaky layered golden-brown pine bark rings, as though she wears eternal bracelets. A fine, simple touch of jewelry there is one more slender circle that sits just before the spade of her tail, completing this one to perfection.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

There. Off to the side. There is a twitch, a jerk that tugs one egg from sleepy somnolence. Blues and greys awaken to struggle as the Passive Partly Cloudy Egg casts off its peace and begins to shudder. It doesn't rock. It doesn't roll. It just vibrates beneath an onslaught of percussion that resonates from deep within its shell.

Neuve responses to a nudge from her side. This time it's the young boy giving her a start. He points past her towards the hatchling headed for Amika and Korayne and she nods. "I see. Oh! She's lovely isn't she. Has to be that Amika, doesn't it?" Her companion nods and they grin at each other. "Oh, look, there's your favorite egg now."

The world will not be kept waiting, no it will not. The time of its mothers loving care grows short as the active wobble and pounding kicks which can be heard make progress upon the shell in a line of cracks which grown quickly under the bombardment.

Amika falls down to her knees as she looks as the gold appears in front of her, her lips tremble as she stumbles out the name of the gold. "Xheryniiku? Oh I love you...we can get you food."

Riana smiles a bit as she sees Amika bond to the gold and she moves over to her, "Well, Shall we head onto the alcove to the north, there's food and oil waiting there for you."

...and then the bemused and balmy haze egg is no more. It ceases to be a great RESOUNDING splitting of shell, large pieces falling to the side of the large energetic white being, once within, is now without. To its feet it will come, crimson eyes already searching.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~< Clear as Clouds Hatchling >~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Fluffy whiteness seems to obscure this fledgling, it's ridges tainted with a tracery of ghostly silver stripes. Slightly grey-white puffs of color decorate it's wings, adding a sort of pattern to the ovberall whiteness, sort of like a freckle pattern. The white on it's torso is somehow fluffier than the white on it's ridges and little swirling patterns decorate its belly, as if a jet stream was flowing around it, turning the cloudy white of it's hide in first one direction and then the next. It's eyes gleam a deep crimson shade within the gray-white ridges over its eyes and those freckles dot it's muzzle, giving the fledgeling a sort of rainy day look in places. < Desc'd by T'lon >

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Zida blinks a little bit. The white turned gold? Well, imagine that. "I wasn't expecting that one. And what a name, too..." She whistles a little to herself, grinning. "Xhery it is. Congratulations?" The last is half-called out to Amika, though distraction is taken when that particular egg decides to show its occupant to the world. "I guess I won't be waiting for things to go slowly, eh?"

Amika nods as she looks to Riana and looks to her golden bondmate and smiles in shock. Third time was a charm. She follows Riana with a bright smile. "Yes we will get you food."

Korayne looks toward Amika, eyes a bit wide, then back to the hatchling infront of them. "It's not going to attack or hurt us is it?" He asks Brianne and Amika, he's heard stories of candiates getting hurt or worse out here. He looks to Brianne and nods a bit. "Yes, they have been lovely. He blinks as the hatchling that had been eyeing him moves on, before turning into a gold, and he gasps. "Oh, she's beautiful!" He says to Brianne. "Amika! Congradulations!" He calls excitedly, before he looks to the eggs, and the newly hatched hatchling.

Brianne grins soflty as Amika bonds with the gold, "What a wonderful moment for you Amika.." standing just behing Korayne, "Isn't that great..." her attention again switching to the other hatchling as she awaits to see the course of the other one's upon the sands.

The pounding becomes more noticeable, a steady, speedy rapping that culminates with a brilliant explosion of cerulean and charcoal-colored shards. The Partly Cloudy Egg flies apart in a hundred different directions, scintillating motes of its hardened shell scattering to lie like glittering rain droplets upon the sands. The force of its birth leaves the source of this destruction untouched by any piece of its former home. No, this glorious white little hatchling stands there like a graceful statue. Long tail twitches as it blinks in the light of its new world.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~< Moonlight's Effulgent Benediction Hatchling >~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Supple elegance defines the lithe lines and graceful carriage of this alabaster hatchling. A misty fog infuses each of its muted scales' designs with a pattern of soft mystery and barely-shaded moonlight that burnishes into a scintillating flicker at every keenly-polished edge. Reminiscent of nothing so much as the slanting beams of captured moonlight, this glorious effulgence flows in liquidly-rippled fashion along lean haunches and shadow-flushed sides, to splash apart upon a breast defined by pliant muscle. A silvery webwork traces the finest of stencils to glow along the outstretched transparency of its yet-dampened sails, alit from both sides as if the pale incandescence burns cooly outward from this youngling's very soul. Eyes of lambent topaz cast a golden blaze out upon the world, sunlight dawning warm against the night's gossamer glow. There is the barest hint of periwinkle there, when its neck is angled and a slightly-shortened muzzle curiously turns, that is echoed in the drape of a long, slender tail. < Desc'd by Senaya >

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Amika moves closer to Xheryniiku.

Amika moves to the side of the sands.

Naeni taps her fingers on her lips, which are still pursed closed. "Hmmm," manages to escape, all the same, and eyes flicker in between the hatchlings whose color has already flooded their hides and those recently appearing who are without their defining appearances. "Hmmm."

Kalika pauses in her nervousness, just long enough to spit a foolish grin out at Amika. "So, they /aren't/ all blue." Proved wrong, she was. Forcing her gaze away from the newly bonded pair, she stares forward, as yet another hatchling bursts from its confines. She pushes lightly on a shoulder blocking her view, with a soft "Move it, already."

Zyrexa grins as the dazzling gold floods the white on the newly bonded hatchling. "Amika!" she calls, as she never forgets a face, if /maybe/ a name or two now and then. "Wonderful! Life long and be happy!" She chuckles, her attention again turned away from the fact that there are lots of questionable people around. Retaining the grin, she turns back to watch the rest of the hatching.

Clear as Clouds Hatchling is free. Its feet are planted firmly, squarely atop the shards of its egg and the hot sand below. It is free, and it is ready to meet the world with as much dignity and grace as it can muster. With these truths decided, it steps forward... and promptly trips over its own two feet and falls in an utterly graceless heap to the sands. Rather than seeming perturbed by the fact that it cannot work its own feet, it seems almost amused by the position it is in, and sets about righting itself with as much wriggling and bouncing as it can muster. Oh, to stretch and move! Bliss, bliss.

Brianne stifles her giggle as she watches the antics of the one upon the sands, Was it intentional? was it not? one will never know if the spill was just a way to cause amusement, but now it moves under its own steam. "Heh heh.." unable to keep the whole thing quite.

Korayne sturns and smiles as he watches Amika and her gold bond move off to the side, before he looks back to the eggs that they had been touching not too long ago, and notes the other hatchling that had hatched, and he smiles a bit. "This is so exciting, I'm glad I got to stand for this." He says toward Brianne quietly, as he once again wipes his sweaty palms on his robe.

Moonlight's Effulgent Benediction Hatchling shakes itself over, sharing the bliss of its clutchmate in stretching to the fullest. Freedom, for one who seems slightly small there comes a pause, again a perfect statue, the figure of a dragon in miniature, perfect lines, perfect proportions the hatchling just stands. Ah.

Brianne nods, "Yes Korayne it certainly is...what a pitty that one fell..." sending a wink in his direction, "I think they are a bit clutzy at this stage of life...if still beautiful...hard to imagine how large they will grow in size..."

Neuve grasps the arm of the boy next to her and drags him along over towards Brianne. "Look at that silly thing. A bit like a kitten, don't you think?" Whether she addresses Brianne or the boy at her side is impossible to say. "Finally got myself under control, so lets not talk about when they get that size." She nods towards the clutch parents."

Zida tilts her head a little bit, flicking her attention back and forth between the white hatchlings decorating the sands. She sidles out a little more from behind Naeni, ready to strike it out on her own - however, a candidate near by manages to shove her backwards a little more anyway. Rather than fight, Zida stares at said candidate's back, seething in silence. "Bah."

Kalika sweeps her gaze over the sands once more, while the soft murmurings of the candidates about her sweep about her, unheard. "Dragon." Yes, everybody got that. Breathe, Kalika. Breathe. "I don't know why I'm so nervous," she titters, amused at herself. "It's not like anything is going to /happen/."

Clear as Clouds Hatchling is upright again, and feeling just fine and dandy. Just look at all there is to cherish around it. The sands that are sticking relentlessly to its head, the sand sifting up between its tiny talons, and perhaps most importantly... all these people watching it. So many people come to watch it enter the world, and it loves every single one of them right off the bat. But it knows. No matter how much it might want to play in the sand and just -feel- everything around it, it knows that everyone has a reason to be standing around watching it, and it advances towards the circle of candidates, with a gait not unlike that of a camel. Both legs on one side going at the same time, rocking it back and forth... back and forth... ah, it'll get the hang of it eventually.

Brianne grins and hides her head slightly after hearing the kitten comment, "Oh dear...you are going to get me introuble Neuve..." her laughter starting to build in her chest, "I don't think any of these young things are going to bond with me..if I keep laughing.." her sense of humour and amusement overiding the beginning moments of tension she felt when the eggs began to hatching.

Naeni snorts. "If they're going to come to you, they will." Musical tones relate in a bland sort of way, her attention shifting from hatchling to hatchling, sharp gaze of blue whispering aside with every mvoement. Naeni doesn't appear entirely impressed with the conflagration of young hatchling. A slight shift of stance, as she adopts something else, casual tilt of the frame into a considering pose. Interesting.

Korayne swallows a bit as he watches the hatchlings with wide eyes, he's trying to stay calm, honest he is, this isn't the place or time to have a nervous breakdown, that's for sure. He takes another deep breath as he shifts a bit, whether it's from heat or nerves, it's a bit hard to tell, isn't it? He hehs a bit at Brianne. "You never know." He says toward the girl.

Zyrexa smiles as the Benediction Hatchling hatches, then raises a brow at the Clouds Hatchling, amusement dancing in her eyes. Almost unconsciously, though, she tries to disappear in the ranks of the other candidates. After all, there are all those people watching, and who wants to be the object of their attention? Not Zyrexa, that's for sure.

Zida has never before seen a camel, so the gait that the Clear as Clouds hatchling adopts causes a small burst of laughter. For that moment, all traces of apprehension are wiped away - but just for that moment. Shortly after that, Naeni's comment catches her attention, and an uncomfortable shrug is the hidden candidate's response. Since Zida doesn't exactly seem content with her little window of view, she jabs the male candidate who got in her way in the side, scooting immediately forward to take the spot offered when he edges away. "Thank you," is her curt offerance. Definitely nerves.

Moonlight's Effulgent Benediction Hatchling slumps a bit, does no one see. Well off to the side of the sands, perhaps no one has noticed and so the hatchling moves. It must get closer to be seen, for surely such a bright hide as its scales glisten could not be lost within the shadows. There is a brief glance towards the other hatchling and then this one strikes out, prancing lightly upon the sands, walking upon a dunes crest, daring, teasing before sliding down and drawing closer to the candidates.

Brianne sniffles softly, her eyes crinkling ever so slightly, "Perhaps you are right Korayne...somewhere out there I am sure that there is a dragon who would find me accetable..." sidling a little towards Korayne, "Now you can't tell me your nervouss..." Wouldn't you know this girl would laugh at funerals? just that kind of sick humour that reacts to stress.

Kalika absently resumes her jiggling, shifting her weight from one foot, to the other and back. With a bounce in the middle. Jiggle, jiggle. "That's sooo cute," she murmurs of the Clear as Clouds Hatchling's gait, seemingly just for something to say. One again, the shoulder blocks her view, and she cranes her neck slightly to peer around it. Jiggle.

Neuve bestows a down right evil grin on Brianne. A partner in crime perhaps. "What kind of a bond wouldn't want to laugh with you, Brianne?" She lets loose with a soft, sultry laugh of her own as if to emphasize the point. "Definately wouldn't be one for me." Her shadow just gives a sigh, and begins to attempt to sidle away from her.

Clear as Clouds Hatchling hears the laughter beginning to echo on all sides of the sands, and it pauses the little thing in its tracks. Why, what a glorious sound that is, that laughter... it must have more of it. Soon its journey around the ring of candidates takes on a single-minded venture, find the one with the finest laugh, the most tinkly... or perhaps the finest deep guffaw. Why, why is it so difficult for it to find the one it is intended for? To try and call this perfect someone forward, it tries to bugle, just like the big dragons do. Ah, a squeaky hinge would sound more grand. Yet even this delights the creature, as it merrily plunges between two candidates to where it just heard the prettiest giggle. Definitely. Oh, how brilliant this dragon is, to so quickly find its one and only.

With a triumphant cry it seems that the Clear as Clouds Hatchling has found its mate at last, and at the moment of bonding color floods into its hide.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Towering Majestic Redwood ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Deep chest expands upon slow drawn breath. Control seems a constant facet of life for this massive red. Control of lids which narrow most expressively over gleaming pyrope irises, are framed within a majestic chisled head, muzzle tapering with a carver's proportionate perfection to the very tip where nostrils flare under each drawn breath. Thickly muscled neck controls the fine movements of his head, blending into a broad chest which often proudly extends. Claws that echo the reddish-brown bark of the wood of the tree his scales most resemble, tip each draconic finger. For that, one needs envision the majestic redwood to see the clouded heights echoed within his sails, a mix of that same bark, and foggy white with dapples of the distinguishing needle-like dark green leaves. Scales seem drawn forth from the heart of the wood itself, a color of warmth in its softly crimson hue. Rusty growth rings are distinguished across, but not overwhelming to the eye, blending somehow beneath the greater sanguine hue. The rings are set in uneven increments, marking body from head to tail. Arms and legs sprout from his blocky torso as great branches, twisting and bending in their own elusive ways, yet always hugging close to his frame. His tail is contrastingly long and lean, its ridges stained by the pine of the great tree's leaves. The underside of that slinky appendage is sanded and then stained a darker ruddy auburn which coalesces in a shadowy mass to envelope the slender spade at its end.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Korayne watches the hatchlings draw closer to the line, and he takes just a step back out of nerves, but not very far. He looks at Brianne. "No, not nervous, just amazed, fascinated." Liar, but you won't see him admit to being nervous, specilly to a female. He hmms as another hatchling bonds, this one seems to be...red? He smiles, and calls congrats to the bonder.

Kalika hears the hatchling's cry, and manages a smile. Someone bonded to... something. That's what that noise was, right? A "Congratulations!" is randomly thrown out onto the sands, and edges her way /around/ her shoulder-shaped obstical. That's easier than over, she's sure.

Zida seems happier with the quicker-the-better method; it does, after all, mean that the hatching will sooner be over, and she can sooner go get wasted on the fine selection of alcohol available in the Aerie that she's been deprived of these past months. That doesn't seem to be an option open to her however: her path, the exit that would be, is blocked by a red fellow, something Zida simply can't step around. In fact, all she can do is stare at it. Slowly, confusion melts to understanding, melts back to confusion, and finally acceptance. A bright smile, perhaps the first ever offered, is donned, and kneeling commences. A pat or two, and a tear leaks out of the corner of Zi's eye. "Ah, of course. I think you're hungry enough for the two of us, Chruku, and the quicker we retreat from this heat, the better off we are!" A small laugh, again, and some nodding, as the candidate - fledgling straightens herself. "That settles that, Chruku."

Moonlight's Effulgent Benediction Hatchling is yet distant, weaving now around the few eggs between it and the candidates. Is there one for it beyond, the now slinking mass comes to a pause, neck arching around the side of the closest ovoid. Slowly the body emergest from behind the shell, for even half buried this one can easily hide behind it. A game of cat and mouse, and can you guess which you are?

Riana chuckles a bit, "Come this way Zida, and Chruku, to the north please."

Naeni just allows for a brief smirk, lips curling upwards into a faintly bemused expression. Shoulders are tossed into a straighter pose, blue eyes glowing vividly as she watches another be claimed by one of the dragons. "There goes another -- " Soft pang flutters in her eyes, as Naeni mouths a quiet congratulations, tired bent to long frame indicating just a hint of pain. Here we go again. But she'd watch, comfortably, discreetly moving aside to the side for a better view of the proceedings.

The dull not quite wet surface of the steadily slanting rain egg seems to be caught within the brewing storm's wind. The wind which pushes the rain from a strictly vertical fall takes upon itself to move the entire ovoid in a most distinct wobble.

Brianne grins rather sheepishly as she watches another one of the candidates bond, "Congratulations..." for the moment her efflusive sense of humour tightly held within its wraps again - though for how long one shall not know because her playful nature does get the best of her. Turning to Korayne, "What amazes you the most about this whole thing?"

Zi twitches her lips a little, managing to hold back any more chuckles. In favor, she has obedience: Riana is given a nod, and with one last grin to the rest of the candidates, Chruku is led off in the appropriate direction.

Zi moves closer to Chruku.

Zi moves to the side of the sands.

Zyrexa smiles and nods towards Zida, but remains silent. She probably wouldn't be heard in all the commotion, anyway. Not that her nod would be seen, though. "Hmmm..." She chuckles at the Benediction Hatchling, then abruptly falls silent. She's working on not being seen, right? Gotta remember that.

Neuve's hand snakes out to stop Mikeal from escaping her clutches. She shoots the young boy a firm frown, before dragging him back to her side. "Where do you think you're going? There's still several eggs there." One hand shoots out to point at the slinky hatchling. "And look, see there? How do you know it's not looking for you?"

Korayne grins. "Congrats Zida and Chruku!" He cheers toward the girl and her red. He then looks to Brianne. "Um, the fact that they're white before they reveal their true color." He chuckles. "I thought they hatched the color they were." He adds, seems noone told /him/ they hatched white, nope. "It's kind of interesting this way though, don't know wht's there."

Indeed the lightning cracks upon the steadily slanting rain egg's surface. The fury no longer being held within the sky, but sent in a tempest upon the egg. Poor, poor little eggie, again the shell is rocks, and lightning white cracks disrupt the surface.

Moonlight's Effulgent Benediction Hatchling humms softly sidling up to the closest of the candidates. Hello there, tail whisps along the frozen figure, but no, nto that one, that one is 'not quite right'. Close perhaps and onwards feet take. Someone here needs a little spice to their life, a little inset of energy and mischief that only this one can give. But not you, or you, or...pout..must be here, mayby there, yes there! There is a charge to one, is she even paying attention, no, no more pangs, only happiness, there is life!

With a triumphant cry it seems that the Moonlight's Effulgent Benediction Hatchling has found its mate at last, and at the moment of bonding color floods into its hide.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Frisky Summit Cedar Green ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Lean run the lines of this little green whose scales shimmer with vibrant health, and ripple as the wind through the leaves with her every movement. Yet those leaves aren't the wide palmate swaths bourne by the oak or the dogwood, but the small, stick-like, narrow and sharp pointed needles of the summit cedar. So slender these bracts, it takes several to make up the patterning found upon each meticulously-sculpted scale. Elegant feminine body is the darker cedar green, of those leaves closer to the tree, older perhaps than the new growth, which lightens upon neck and head as well as tail. Graceful she yet carries herself with a spring to her step, frisky as all can be she is a boisterous energetic one, a forever teenager whose topaz eyes bat enticingly to those around her. The bones of her sails are cast in that same lighter green, new growth as they spurt upwards, away from her body into an ethereal elegance all their own. Dotted upon the spars are the fruit found upon cedar tree, young green cones are just beginning to ripen, cast golden within their centers. Contrastingly, the sails themselves are a crystal blue and almost as clear as the sky, so much that when she flies it seems an impossible feat for nothing will it look to be holding her up there. Behind her trails a tail, the tale of a tail as long and supple as hers will be long indeed as it swishes with each boisterous step, angled in time to the rhythm of her body, it has almost a life of its own.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Brianne grins and shrugs her shoulders at the other candidate, "Well...you most certainly have seen that is not true today..." Shifting from one foot to the other because of having stood in one spot to long, she works at getting the feeling to return to her feet. "Congratulations.." her good humour and smile remaining on her face as another pair beyonds just beyond her.

Kalika makes her way around the obstical -- and not without an annoyed shove directed towards the undeserving candidate -- and finds herself *gasp* nera the front of the bunch of hopefuls. In her effort to /see/, Kalika has worked her way into a position were she can be /seen/. "Ah well, while I'm here..." And she seems to have found herself in a position to watch a hatchling slowly flood with green. "Ahhh."

A tug of blue can just be glimpsed, there to one side where several eggs are clustered together. Just a nudge, a hint of motion, then for a time all is still again.

Korayne's eyes look back to the remaining white hatchling and eggs. He then blinks as the one hatchling turns it's true color. "Oh, isn't that one lovely." He comments toward Brianne as his gaze look over the green that just bonded, and he looks down the line to see who of his friends that is bonded to, and he calls congradulations toward them, then eyes roam back to the remaining eggs.

Blink. That was -- in plain words, unexpected. An indignant yip flashes into being, as Naeni whirls onto the sound, almost outraged that one chooses to bother her this time. All of it melts, mind you, in mere moments, soothing away into an expression of confused adoration. "Dear heavens, aren't you the happy little thing?" Demanded of the slinky green that's minced all the way up to her. "No playing yet, Qryll." N'eni informs the creature, already moving aside ... just anywhere, really, in the direction of food or where she thinks food can be found for the new born green.

The tempest unleashed from slanting rain and the crack of lightning upon the shell reaches that critical point. A point when there is a pause, a pause which signifies not one bit more can be taken and with the inevitable input the shell gives, releasing its occupant to the sand, theirup the white one may stalk, may carry the storm forth upon its wobbly legs.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~< Forked Tongues of Lightning White Hatchling >~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

There is a muffled nature to the shine that gilds the edges of this white hatchling's scales, as if they've been left clouded and softly touched by the vestiges of smoke. It does not otherwise glitter, nor does it's hide bear any distinguishing pattern beyond the mute appeal of lengthy limbs and slender body. Nature has endowed this tiny creature with a certain predatory grace, and a disposition that far exceeds its diminutive architecture. Hunger all but radiates from its eyes, which are slitted and direct, scathingly scanning from side to side in a definitive attempt to find that one thing which will sate its first anguished instincts. Its honed talons of are reflective obsidian, flecks of that darkened substance spattering vaguely across its breast. But it is the hunter's instinctive extension and fanning of dampened wings that ignites the ripple of flame along a jagged rill of mirrored scales that have lain hidden amidst their buffed alabaster brethren. They implode across its withers in a burst of incandescent fury, then jolt outward in a lightning-strike pattern that climbs each delicate ridge before fizzling off in a display of sparkles on the hatchling's forehead. The curiously violent pattern strikes hard down its slithery tail, exploding in a corruscating ripple of sparest color along the edges of its spaded terminus. < Desc'd by Taeryn >

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Neuve emits a soft, low sigh. "She's truely devine." When her companion snorts, she pokes him in the side with a finger. "You're getting bold, aren't you?" Mikeal frowns and pokes her right back. She looks about to slap him, but instead turns to smile over at N'eni. "Qryll? Interesting."

Riana grins a bit and she motions to N'eni, "If you'd lead Qryll into the north alcove, you can rest there till the rest of the clutch joins you."

The clear blue of the sapphirine sky shakes and shivers, a twich is discerned from the Faithfully Fair Weather Egg where it lays, leaning against another of the clutch. Stillness descends, deceptive peace that is over soon again as the cerulean shell begins to rock.

Naeni moves closer to Qryll.

Naeni moves to the side of the sands.

Korayne smiles at Naeni. "Way to go Naeni!" He sends. "Qryll, that's an interesting name." He comments softly. "Though they're all had interesting names so far." He adds toward Brianne, before he looks back to the eggs, intime to see another white break it's shell and enter the world. "There's another one." He says softly.

Zyrexa smirks faintly. "Knew it was a green," she murmurs softly, eyes bright. She gives Naeni--no, N'eni, a small wave, before glancing around tersely. Less and less people to hide among... She tilts her head to regard those in the galleries, nibbling on her lower lip yet again. "Just... as long as they aren't watching me..." she says to herself in a near-whisper, the guard-turned-candidate's composure wavering.

Brianne wrinkles her nose, crinkles her eyes, and chuckles softly as she sees movement from the one egg that she found rather playful in nature. Waiting for the hatchling to emerge, she says to Korayne, "Yes there certainly is..."

Forked Tongues of Lightning White Hatchling is able to move at last, every limb and muscle that has gotten crinked from all those many weeks of being curled into a little ball... gone. Passed. It is loose, and it is happy... and it knows what it needs to do. It already knows who it wants. It knows it without doubt, and without hesitation. The only problem is finding this perfect being who it will cherish forever and ever, when they are so confusingly mixed in with every other being on the sands. Well. After this little one has given its legs a few tentative steps, just to figure out how it's done, this walking thing, it sets off in one direction with confidence echoed in every step.

Back and forth in a steady cadence moves the sky-blue shell. The Fair Weather Egg has got its rhythm now, and picks up speed with each jerk that tugs it further from the dark sands' clutch. So even of pace and gait it is, almost hypnotic, that it's probably quite the surprise when it splits right up the middle and tumbles away in halves. No flaking, no cracking, just a nice, clean break that spills out a tangle of tail and legs and crisp white wings.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~< Lighthearted Cotton Cloudy White Hatchling >~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Upon the sands this one stands firm and yet seems so airy. Scaled hide moves like waves of cumulous clouds high above, fluid upon the invisible winds. This one, whose scales are so perfect a cloudy white is utterly confident in strides evenly taken. Movements seem not so much as the jerky awkward renditions of its clutchmates but instead a graceful dance which plays and slowly flows outwards from the remains of its egg. The cloudy color is broken only by the padparadscha color of the hatchlings eyes. Lids blink slowly, tounge licking out over its narrow muzzle and to any whom the heat of the sands have drained this one would seems a refreshing sight to behold. Though as much as one may look upon it, the ripple of hide is torturously always just out of reach. < Desc'd Yh'u >

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Korayne shifts a bit on the sands as he watches another egg hatch. "Oh, theres another one." He says to Brianne, as though she were blind and couldn't see it for herself. His gaze roaming between the two hatchlings and the eggs, unsure of which ones to really watch and so he tries to watch them all.

Neuve follows the flow of hatchlings out of their shells and onto the sands. She turns expecially to the lightning white one, actually nipping down on her lip for a moment. "Isn't that some contrast between the black, black sands and the bright white hatchlings?" Mikeal agrees with a nod, adding his own comment in a whisper to the loud one.

Brianne places one of her hands in the other as she watches another hatchling emerge from its shel, "Which one Korayne..there are several..." Standing on her tippy-toes, she tries to see which one he is reffering too. Shaking her head, sinking back on her heals, she has no idea which one it is.

Lighthearted Cotton Cloudy White Hatchling spills onto the sands in a heap and remains there for some moments. Shock, that probably best describes the hatchling's condition. What just happened?

Zyrexa studies the newly hatched dragon. "Hmmm..." For these, she has no idea as to what their true colors could possibly be.

Forked Tongues of Lightning White Hatchling is certain that particular person is in this direction. It can sense it, it knows that it is near. A curly-haired boy gets in her way, and narrowly misses getting nipped at... for this dragon would not hesitate to turn fierce if it is impeded in its progress towards the one. The -right- one. But once breaking forcefully through a knot of candidates, the poor thing seems to get lost. It thought it would be so easy to find their own special human, but it's turning out to be quite difficult. At a loss, the little white thing just stands for a moment at the feet of a tight-knit group of candies for a minute, wondering what next to do.

Kalika's gaze divides its time between the hatchlings, trying to observe all that is going on, but succeeding in only getting snippets of each dragonet's movements. "Oh, gosh." She takes a shaky breath, and her feet-shifting ups a notch, back to jiggling. It's what she's good at, after all.

Korayne wipes his hands on his robe as he watches the two hatchlings. "Which one? Brianne, there's only two out there." He says to the girl, refering to hatchlings, not eggs. His eyes look to the Forked tongues hatchling, before he looks to the Lighthearted hatchling. "That one looks as suprised as we were." He says with a bit of a chuckle, motioning to the Lighthearted hatchling.

Forked Tongues of Lightning White Hatchling is near despair. It is turning its head back and forth, searching for the right one, and that right one isn't making themselves obvious in the least... and now the hatchling doesn't quite know what to do. It decides, then, to make a most pathetic noise, simply in order to make itself feel that much better. Self-pity. Perhaps it actually worked, for only an instant later the little one's entire disposition changes, and it raises its eyes up to the person who it had been sitting next to for the past five minutes. Oh, oh it is easy after all! It just wasn't looking properly, that's all.

With a triumphant cry the Forked Tongues of Lightning White Hatchling has found its mate at last, and at the moment of bonding color floods into its hide.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Lone Eternal Cypress Green Mhrizku ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

As found perched precariously upon a rocky shelf of sheer cliff, where below the pounding surf seeks to displace the impediment of land and above the rock rises into a sapphire sky this one clings. Clings with her deadly sharp obsidian talons to the precarious face, head held high, facing that vast oceanic expanse and wings spread, for balance, or that moment just before flight, it is hard to decipher from the sparkle within her pyrite eyes. Her scales echo the picture true in the form of a lone cypress there perched, as can be found when one sweeps along the shore now and then. It seems impossible that the trees could grow there, even thrive to spread their limbs as she does her sails, wide and challenging to the elements. Her body is of average make, not heavy muscled or large, neither the skinny petiteness of others, but rather a smooth toned form fitting somewhere in between. The cypress green coats her scales for the most part, variegated lighter and darker as the natural branching leaves can be found. Lighter especially to her extremities, flaring to a bright yellow-green upon ridges and the spade of her tail. From the spread of her chest down along her belly marks of red-brown bark can be found peeking out from behind the green covering. Strangely though when caught in a certain light the scales of her body from the front will catch a sheen of sea-blue, while those along her back and tail echo in a granite gray. It lends a mystery to this one, whose smooth sun-lit cypress green sails stretch with ease and promise.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

After a few moments the Fledgling Master leads the new pair off the sands.

Neuve's eyes pop wide open as the one she was watching turns a bit violent. "Best beware that one. Seems a bit of a one-track kind of dragon and I don't think you want to cross the track." She swiftly looks over to see what Korayne is talking about, but returns to watch the more dangerous of the two. "Now it cries."

Brianne stands as still as she can as she spies at confused hatchling seeking its 'partner' Resting easily, she breathes in, out, and then says rather whisply, "Surprised? are you sure? I think they know what they want before they ever make it out of the shell. Just a matter of 'finding' that person."

Korayne shrugs to Brianne. "Yeah, but look at it's expression." He says softly, before he notices a green that has bonded, and he calls a congradulations to the bonder of the green. "Anothr lovely lady." He comments toward Brianne, before he looks to the other hatchling, and remaining eggs.

Lighthearted Cotton Cloudy White Hatchling doesn't seem to like sitting on its head, and struggle ensues to get in a more comfortable position. Finally, more rightly, upon belly the hatchling rests, panting at the exhertion its head falls to the ground. Ok, that's enough for one day, it seems to say as it rests there upon the warm sands, letting the sound, the smell of the world filter in and not be filtered out by the most annoying of shells.

Frosted fury blizzard egg comes alive in a quiet wobble. There is just one wobble and then a long pause before another shakes the egg. Tentative are these first movements but as time goes on the movement becomes stronger and more noticable.

When Mikeal grunts out, "Green." Neuve nods her concencous. "Lovely but a bit wicked. That will be a dangerous pairing." The young boy shakes his head, attention going back to the cloudy hatchling. "I think that one's red." Neuve says, following his glance.

Brianne laughs, giggles, and the slaps her hand right across her mouth as she watches the hatchling working on being able to right itself, "Oh no...ouch...that had to hurt...even if just a little...now...can it wobble someplace?" Shaking her head ever so slowly thinking that it its going to get stuck in its shell.

Korayne looks to the Lighthearted hatchling. "Look, now that one looks tired." He says toward Brianne as the hatchling just kind of lays there on the sands. He hears Zyrexa's comment, and he glances toward her. "How can you tell?" He asks the girl, can she see through the white or something?

Time goes on, the initial wobbles of the frosted egg become stronger and truer as it moves into the next stage....rocking. No, this isn't the soft cuddly of a mother lulling her child to sleep, this is an insistant rock of one who's patience is quick running out.

Lighthearted Cotton Cloudy White Hatchling gets nudged from behind. Murf? Head lift to regard its golden mama. Whoa! that is a surprise, so big, all the hatchlgin can see is the head which encourages and teeth, sharp teeth. Perhaps it should move on indeed,encouraged in a distinct way the hatchling, albeit a little on the slow side, rises to its feet. Oh, hey, I'm up. There is a distinct pleasure radiating outwards and with a loud bugle this one takes a step, a first step, a bugle, another step.

Kalika's eyes flicker towards a conversation beside her, and she feels compelled to add her own part: "Red? I'm not so sure. We haven't had a silver yet." Have they? Ponder. "I don't think. It might be that." Her words said, she shoves her ever-so-slightly trembly hands under her armpits, and crosses her arms firmly against her chest. There, that's the upper-body dealt with; now Kalika just needs to do something to tame her nervously shifting feet.

Patience, no, there is none remain and with a final crack the shell splits and is pushed apart by the hatchlings determination, freeing the damp white body to the grounds.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~< Crocheted Snowflakes White Hatchling >~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Filigreed patterns stencil an ice-white design of dainty symettry in a sweeping rush of frosty color along this snowy-hued hatchling's sides. Motes of ultramarine ghost and wisp in invisible winds, discrete scales dusting the smooth arch of its rump with hints of fading blue that melt into streamers of ephemereal dove with the elusive touch of eye contact. Lush shadows of the selfsame hue cling to the flowing lower registers of its neckridges, and bespeckle the foreshortened lines of its pale wedged head. Therein nestle eyes of darkling emerald, so rich in verdant glitter that they appear nearly unreal, contained wells of molten gemstone that threaten ever to spill over. Wraith-like limes and saffrons play along its tail, coiling in an effervescent frenzy that bursts itself upward along the creature's spine and out across wings that are graciously held half furled. Snowflakes link and spiral, spin across those delicate membranes as if bedecking the watercoloured wash of a cloud-strewn sky. Crocheted with a delicacy of handiwork which could not be matched by any hand, they wheel and dance, shifting with the sparest tilt of sculpted muscle. < Desc'd by Taeryn >

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Zyrexa blinks at Korayne when she realizes she's been spoken to. "Ummm... well... it's a guess, I suppose... by how they act..." She shrugs, and manages the semblance of a grin. "Nobody really knows, do they? I mean, how could they?" She turns to briefly gaze at the hatchlings again. "Beautiful, even when they're just hatched, no?"

Brianne stands rather still for the first time, holding her breath she awaits to see whether or not the hatchling is going to bond and what color it will actually be. The wonder of that part and the rememberence of the egg touching causes her to glance around to the other candidates, which one will this one choose? The next egg cracks, and spits out is occupant, "Wellthat one may have waited this long but it certainly is making up for lost time.."

Korayne shrugs a bit to Kalika. "That's what Zyrexa said, not sure I believe her though." He says, though, what does he know? This is his first time, he has no real clue what happens, though he's quickly getting an idea. "Look, that ones up and moving now." He nods to Brianne. "Yes, that one definantly wanted out of it's shell." He agrees with the girl.

Neuve just shrugs as her comment is questioned. "Just a guess, really. I mean, though..well, look at it. Just want's to rest. And then mama bites it on the bum. So, we'll likely find out soon what it is."

Lighthearted Cotton Cloudy White Hatchling it is to much effort to keep up that pattern adn silence falls, huffing instead as the hatchling moves. There, a candidate is reached. Phew, work is done, right? As eyes look upwards there is a distinct puzzlement. What, not the one, no this isn't teh one. How could it not be the one, more movement is therefore required. Lesigh, to the right, to the left is looked nad left settled on, one more move will it make, it mates lies that way.

Brianne eyes the hatchlin, still keeping that snickering under control, afraid that the 'mom' will catch her having a bit of amusement at the antics of her young. Standing up straigt and tall, smacking that 'oh so serious' look on her face - the one where you know you've been caught stealing out of the candy jar one - she allows her eyes to follow the hatchling.

Kalika grins her amusement at Neuve. "I was just guessing, too," she allows. "But, I suppose you /could/ be right. It's so slow, and..." She shrugs, her eyes following the huffling hatchling. Just move along, find a mate, and this can be done with. Jiggle.

Korayne wipes his sweaty hands on his robe again, eyes going away from the hatchlings while he does this. He then puts his hands to his sides as he looks to the hatchlings again. "Oh, I hope that one will be alright." He says toward Brianne, meaning the seemingly tired lighthearted hatchling, course, it could be faking for all he knows, testing them or something. His eyes do however roam from th lighthearted hatchling, to the other, then back again, and of course looking at the remaining eggs too.

Crocheted Snowflakes White Hatchling isn't at all startled by its abrupt release. It knew it was coming... sooner or later... and now it must be swift. The way it moves is ever carefully, with its belly as close to the ground as possible. It moves sleekly, purposefully, with never failing confidence. Now, now it has someone it needs to meet. Each candidate it comes to in its trek is greeted with a critical eye, the eye of one who knows what it wants, and what it wants is a rare find indeed. Yet it continues undaunted, smoothly twisting in and out of the line of candidates to make sure each one is given their due consideration before it passes them by.

Brianne squares her shoulders, no shirking of her duties here, she eyes Korayne with a bit of concern as another congratulations erupts from her throat for a pair that bonded. Eyes dart back and forth, one hatchling moving through the candidates, another wobbling forth. "Oh here come more.."

Lighthearted Cotton Cloudy White Hatchling steps and steps and finally there is just one more step. The hatchling pushes aside at Neuve, sliding past to look up at Mikeal. At last! Fwamp, haunches fall to the sand as a delighted croon comes forth, hide filtering away the white to his true color. Before him Mike doesn't get a chance to respond to Neuve, gargling out "Opaku?" instead. Yes, now, he's done his job, time for you to do yours.

With a triumphant cry the Lighthearted Cotton Cloudy White Hatchling has found its mate at last, and at the moment of bonding color floods into its hide.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Wild Cherry in Spring Opaku ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Effervescent crimson caparisons this little one's wings. They are made striking, glazed by nature to colorful perfection. Deeper hues shadow his spars with maroon, then pepper downward along sails so clear a red that they seem to glow when the light shimmers through them. Triads and quartets of pomegranite can be seen, shifting designs that are enhanced by the oddly-placed scale of metallic turquoise or green. Veins runs darkling beneath, seen when backed by illumination as a pattern of spreading branches upon which cherries have been given fruition. Slender breast and nimble frame are otherwise a pristine shade of sanguine, brightly sweeping along his quarters and spine then spiraling down a tail which has been touched by the reflective ghosts of tangerine and lime. Blossoms of paler pink - salmon and alabaster and lilac-touched blue - skitter wildly along his chest and up the serpentine curve of his neck. Springtime's soft bounty etched upon individually scalloped scales. His muzzle is slim, almost delicate, a slightly comical expression enhanced by the placement of silver-lace patterning beneath eyes of garnet so dark as to nearly be ebon. That same shade, glittering black, marks with danger the sharpened jag of each delicate talon, those noticed only at the very last moment.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

After a few moments the Fledgling Master leads the new pair off the sands.

Korayne looks back to the Crocheted snowflakes hatchling as he shifts to the other foot again, fingers of hands are wiggled a bit out of nerves, and not much better to do at the moment. He nods to Brianne as he watches the one hatchling weave through the line. He turns to see the Lighthearted turn red, and he smiles as he calls the congradulations to Mikael with a grin.

Neuve's mouth drops open and she just stares in shock at the new rider. "Opaku?" Blink. Blink. "Oh." The shock continues and when she finally calls her congratulations to the new red pair they have long since moved away from her side. "Well, he was red?" And it's definately more a question then an answer in the poor startled candidate's mind. One of the clutch rouses itself, cloud smothered form sifting to the right and resting there as if to gather more energy for the struggle that must ensue.

Crocheted Snowflakes White Hatchling isn't completely pleased with any of those that its been in contact with. None of them have that air, that perfect air that will let it recognize them straight off... and it knows that's how that will happen, for they are intended to be partners forever, through the bad. Oh, and the good. There is an almost decidedly mischievous glint in the eye of this young hatchling as it whips around one young lady quick enough to nearly knock her on her behind, and it seems determined to enjoy these last few minutes of being utterly alone before that one is found. Ah, there. That looks like a likely group of people there - he makes a sleek beeline for it, talons digging into the sand as he flashes over.

Brianne twists and grins, "Oh good job....Congratulations..." The waiting is long and hot, and the sweat drips down her face, but it goes unoticed as she agains scans the hatchlings nowing that a wonderful pair has been formed between Neuve and Opaku. "Not much longer Korayne..."

Kalika's smile of congratulations at the new pair twists into a grin. "He was red," she agrees lightly. "That'll teach me to debate colors." Her amusement fades quickly as the present is recalled to mind; there's still hatchlings out there! And eggs.

Zyrexa peers at the remaining eggs. "Only a few left..." she murmurs, then sweeps her gaze across those few that were still helping conceal her from watching eyes from the galleries. She sighs and studies the unbonded hatchlings. "Hmmm...." Her green eyes dart around. "Well, it's almost over... Isn't it?"

Tumultuous storm breaks out, though there is no rain, only the percussive force of thunder. The Majestic Mostly Cloudy Egg is rocked quite suddenly by a massive blow from within. Certainly whatever causes it has had enough. It's time to be out and about this life thing. A jagged crack weaves through charcoal and silver curves, splintering off minute shards, and the whole oval construct begins to shudder on the sands.

Korayne chuckles at Zyrexa. "Nice guess on that one." He sends tward the girl with a grin. "You were right, it was red, and a handsome one at that." He comments, before his gaze goes back to the crocheted hatchling as it moves along the line of candidate. He nods to Zyrexa again as he looks to the hatchlings and few remaining eggs that are still out here. "Not many left at all."

Neuve nods once to Zyrexa, but her eyes are glued to the moment of her favored egg. Left alone, the loud one has become strangely quiet, just standing like a vibrating twig in the wind and nibbling on the corner of her upper lip. Nerves are begining to show again. She slides one hand thru the short length of red dyed hair, awaiting what comes from the cloudy egg.

Brianne nods, "To true....though if I don't bond...I think I am going to take a long dip in the lake before I think of anything else..." lifting a hand to her sweating brow, knowing that if one wants to find her they will.

Crocheted Snowflakes White Hatchling was quite right, of course. It didn't doubt it, not for a second. Almost the instant that it draws near this lately noticed group, its eyes find her... ah, her. She is exactly what he wants, she has no discernible fault... besides the fact that she is currently directing her attention elsewhere. Unacceptable, perfectly unacceptable. The little one slinks forward again, head cocking as it goes so that it may keep its eyes fixed firmly on her face even as it weaves past the last few troublesome candidates in its way. There. Now, now she cannot ignore. It will not stand for it.

With a triumphant cry it seems that the Crocheted Snowflakes White Hatchling has found its mate at last, and at the moment of bonding color floods into its hide.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Shadowy Maple Veneer Brown ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Darkling is this hatchling, polished to a shade of nearly ebon. Each scale is subtly colored, different from the one beside which it lays, so that when he moves the light ripples across the walnut-toned veneer that he presents. A subtle grain picks out paler oaks along his breast, accentuating the stolid strength and coiled muscle that there awaits in quiet promise. He is stockily built, a sturdy representation of his kindred, though slightly small for his hue and his kind, with long limbs and long tail, and a neck that has a tendency to coil in coyly-disarming fashion. There is a slyness in the way his muzzle foreshortens, and a keen glimmer that lurks in eyes of deep-dyed smoky-blue topaz. Motes of black strike individual medley over those orbs, as if framing his countenance with a mask of sorts. Little patterning can be seen other than that, his presence lurking and shadowy, a blot of darkness. Droplets of gold do lighten his ribs, spilling upward in a joyous incantation along each high-pitched ridge. The flicker of aureate metal has also dipped his tail, its burnished brightness drawing to life specks of verdant tint, the hint of leaves against the woodiness of him. That same claret jade defines steel-edged talons and whisks whispered strokes across the broad magnificence of his walnut-patterned wings.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Chips explode, showers of silver pushed vividly outward. The Mostly Cloudy Egg has passed some border and its destruction is almost complete. The thunderheads now storm, what is left of its surface all but writhing in the last moments before the shell dissolves in a shimmer of mist and metal. Left behind is a rather surprised-looking creature, the milk-white hatchling tilting its head nearly upside down as the world comes into focus for it.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~< Clouded Summer Storm Hatchling >~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Drifting mounds of misty white billow and pile in a shifting melange of muffled and cotton-soft clouds. This gentle collection of cumulus images spins patterns of lazy resolve along this hatchling's forequarters and lower breast. Sheer insinuations of cerulean may be glimpsed betwixt these before running along the underside of the creature's neck. And yet, the lazy days of summer are often times short-lived. So it is with this fledgling, for the more sultry hues of alabaster fade into the foreboding of shadowy granites along its delicately-formed ribs. These middling tones sweep sharply upward to clash with the sublty-whirling doves and greys which so well define the trailing motion of hovering thunderheads across lithe flanks and a rump that is sleekly elegant. Yet for all the thunderous cacaphony, it seems possessed of a gentle nature, and spreads delicate wings only hesitantly to reveal the shimmering silvery patter of stormy raindrops. Intimately-burnished scales sheet in a glittering splash of watery crystal along fine spars and lacily-frilled edges before dissolving into a curtain of mist that marks the arch of its spine. These flowing droplets cascade down the appreviated length of its tail to explode in a crooked jag of lightning. < Desc'd by Taeryn >

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Korayne ohs as the crocheted hatchling turns into a brown. "Oh, what a handsome brown." He comments toward Brianne, before he looks to see who bonded the brown, and gives a congrats them them, before he looks to the eggs, and notes the newly hatched hatchling. "Only two more eggs." He says toward Brianne. "One hatchling, and two eggs." He adds, wonder if either of our dragons are out there."

Brianne widens her stance and casually watches the last of the eggs hatch, bond, and says, "Congratulations" to the newest pair. Twisting soflty, she watches the pair walk off the sands. Time seems to stand still, a soft pause, an egg shattering, and then a hatchling emerges. "Either way Korayne....somewhere there is a dragon for both of us...just perhaps not here..or today.."

Zyrexa nibbles on her lower lip, occupied with wondering how many were watching her... she turns, nearly steps back in shock when she realizes she has been found, but... simply stares, lost in the brown's eyes. "You... aren't a dream, are you, Sryzinaku? Of course not... I see you..." She suddenly smiles, regaining her composure with her usual speed. "Food... yes... let's find you something to eat, my dear..."

Neuve bursts out with an excitable laugh at the newest arrival. "How utterly perfect!" She doesn't even notice the change of the brown with shards of shell spraying around but Korayne does earn a look. "At least three more lucky people out here, right? Not so bad."

Clouded Summer Storm Hatchling moves, there will be no time a wasted with this one. Shards are left still falling to the sand, the other piles of shards in its path avoided in smooth swerves as it makes its way towards the remaining cluster of canidates. The question remains are they really ready, the one for it down there somewhere, found he or she will be, found and claimed in the undeniable moment. A moment not long off by the looks of this ones swift movements.

Kalika turns to gaze at the new pair, and she sents them a congratulating nod. "Sryzinaku," she repeats the new dragon's name. "'S pretty." Her feet shuffle -- having almost gotten herself under controll, Kalika's feet remain the only part to show her nerves -- accidently kicking up a small dust of sand.

Zyrexa moves closer to Sryzinaku.

Zyrexa moves to the side of the sands.

Beglazed by ice this one will not be much longer. Perhaps the ever enduring heat of the sands has finally breached the icy toned shell, as cracks appear without warning upon the ovoids surface. Ice metling, pushing and giving with soft pops.

Korayne grins at Zyrexa. "Alright Zyrexa! What a handsome brown!" He cheers toward her and her bnd. He then looks to Neuve, and nods. "I suppose that's true." He agrees with the girl, before he glances around at the other candidates. "Theres alot of us left though, three of us out of this group will be hard." He adds."

Brianne rocks gently back and forth on her feet, attitude as fresh as the moment she entered the sands. Curiosity still her hallmark as she watches and waits to see what will occur next. With each bonding there is something learned, as each person reacted slightly different, every egg breaking giving up a new life. "I don't think I could imagine how difficult it must be to seek out something special among all these different people - it has to be difficult.."

Once begun, this can not be undone. The cracks continue to grow and fracture the icy surface of the beglazed egg. It is, truely, only a matter of time before you know what happens, yes hatching is perhaps only heartbeats away. Iminent in the extreme.

Clouded Summer Storm Hatchling nears, nears rapidly. Sharp claws flash as they push sand out of the way, propelling this one forward with in reckless abandon. Those in its path better watch out as momentum carries it through and past the cluster of candidates before the hatchling plows to a stop, leaving a deep furrow in the sand and a look of frustration on its face.

Neuve shrugs her shoulders. It remains unclear if that's to say she agrees but doesn't mind, or that she doesn't quite agree with Korayne. "True. Still three is better then none. And besides, maybe we can try again if it doesn't happen this time." The comment is wistful, but a little doubtful as her eyes remain on the storm hatchling. "Easy, baby."

Riana hmms and watches the Clouded hatchling, "It will have to choose soon."

Time, that time has come. The beglazed by ice egg is no more, as in the blink of an eye the cracks grow much to far, catching up with eachother to the final fracture and sending a million crystal shards out in an expanding wave, leaving in its wake a snowy white, blinking at the sudden release.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~< Drifts of Snow White Hatchling >~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

There's an arch to this hatchling's neck, which gleams so white at its birthing that it calls forth images of complete and absolute purity. That same pristine lack of color cascades along each diminutive scale, intoning them all to precisely the same hue of ivory-whirled alabaster. There is little other than shadow to delineate the richly-defined lines into which it has been sculpted, dappled doves and shales against the lithe play of muscle. Lean flanks and tensile neck hold the potential for alacrity and aptitude in flight, and yet its generous chest hints at strength that will soon develop. Even its razored talons are pale, wrought almost in the crystalline hues of diamond. They flicker and flash, capturing the same scintillating brillance as do eyes of sapphirine ice. Shimmering veils of translucent glitter frost the hatchling's wings, mounding this way and that in a slippery tumble of snowy drifts. The same elusive sparkle dusts a slender wedge, coiling down and under the creature's muzzle and emerging just once more, to spark at its tail's spaded tip. < Desc'd by Senaya >

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Korayne nods to Neuve. "True, theres always other times." He agres with the girl. "Though I plan to go back working in the stables after this, and that'd be fine too, bond or no." He adds, before he looks back to the eggs and other hatchling that has hatched. "One more egg, one more hatchling." He says softly.

Brianne fingers the soft white part of her robe, "Though life deals one moment and then the next...you have to flow with it or get out of the way...these hatchlings are certainly having one of those moments." Again, she sucks deeply into her chest, the warmed air and watches, waiting, guessing which direction the hatchling is going to take.

Kalika clears her throat, and tries to calm her restless shifting but, to no avail. Shuffle, shuffle. Shuffle. "Who're y'going to choose?" she murmurs softly to the Clouded Summer Storm Hatchling. "So long out of the egg, yet you've not found your mate?" Shuffle.

Clouded Summer Storm Hatchling roars back, its challenge to meet its chosen, there, there she is! Vherina, hiding behind another, silly, follish, perfect girl. Steps carry the hatchling forth and she comes, she meets him halfway in that wonderful excitement. Vhera calling out in happy shock "Syshell!"

With a triumphant cry the Clouded Summer Storm Hatchling has found its mate at last, and at the moment of bonding color floods into its hide.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Aged Knarled Oak Brown Syshell ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Each tiny scale is part of a larger puzzle, by itself the scale is nothing really distinguished, but when put together to form this heavy built fellow it becomes a truly breathtaking tapestry. Opal eyes gleam in shifting colors, his piercing gaze fixing on each and every individual around him, leaving nothing unnoticed. Occasionally lids will blink, or droop over the opal irises and then his eyes become as knots within the oak wood resemblance of his body. Twisted the grain is to circle about his eyes, cresting upon the ridges just above and stretching out in dark lines toward his nostrils. This is merely the beginning however, as aged golden-brown oak coloring slips down thick neck and into his muscled compact body. The grain is wavy across his form, mixed with touches of red and wisps of barely felt silver which catch is the light upon the shifting of his form. Arms and legs darken, scale coloring twisting the grain about to his rather knarled looking hands and feet from which spring wickedly sharp ebony claws. His form ends with a tail, slightly thicker and shorter than average, but no less impressive as it carries the oaken hue. Ridges slip back from tailtip to head accented as the bark of his tree, scaly and fissured as by age a matte pale gray. Wingsails are another item altogether, for here no scale can be found and instead of wood or bark it is but the leaves of the tree which make up the thin membrane, coloring it in autumns hues with deeply lobed leaves of purple-red, and golden-brown. Here and there between the leave the golden-brown acorns, this trees fruit, can also be spied.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

After a few moments the Fledgling Master leads the new pair off the sands.

Drifts of Snow White Hatchling gets off to a bad start. Its egg cracks, it slips over the sand, and ends up flat on its back staring with wonder up towards the ceiling. But this will not do, it needs to get up, it need to fly. It squirms itself upright, but gives only a few flaps before realizing this will not work in the slightest. They're too small yet, those wings. Its legs will have to do, and those are put to work as quickly as possible, to send the little thing scampering in haste across the sands, without paying much attention at first to where its going. Where? Right! Ah, there, there looks good.

Brianne lets of the held breath, "Ahh fine moment indeed for one so small..." chuckling softly to herself, she drops a cherished gaze onto the last of the hatchlings, knowing that soon enough they will be part of a pair.

Neuve releases the breath she hadn't realized she was holding. "Brown too." For a moment she stares down at the sands, as if pulling strength from the dark grains. Then, her head comes up and she smiles. "Syshell. Lovely." Green eyes flick over towards the Drifts of Snow Hatchling, causing her to giggle. "Oh dear, look at that one."

Korayne cheers toward Vhera as the brown chooses her, and he grins. "Syshell, that's an interesting name." He comments, though he's probably said that about all of the names, maybe. "Yes, that brown was handsome." He agrees with Neuve. "Good choice too." He addsas his gaze wanders back to the white hatchling, and one remaining egg, almost over.

Kalika bends to deal with the fastenings on her boots, mostly to cover the trembling in her legs. So many hatchlings gone, and so few left. What it... She shakes her head, refusing to consider the thought. "Ah, Vhera." Her smile is wry as yet another pair bond. "What a lovely brown," is murmured as an afterthought, echoing the others almost absently.

A quiet spot on the sands will not be much longer. The splattered surface of the lightly sprinkled drizzle egg shifts ever so slightly. Dove grey touched by charcoal smudges into an indistinct blur as within a blink no mere shift there is but a shuddering vibration of life!

Brianne stands and awaits the finally moments of bonding amongst the hatchlings and the remaining candidates. "Oh I think that final egg is going to hatch...what a late one it was...all the others have made their appearance and bonded..." turning to Korayne, "Are you feeling allright?" again waiting for the flash and change in color of the hatchling who have found the 'one.'

Korayne shifts a bit on the hot sands as the heat seepes through the soles of his feet a bit more. He nods to Brianne. "Yes, it looks like it's movin." He agrees, and nods to Brianne. "Yeah, I'm fine." He answers to the girl, before his eyes roam back to the hatchling, and last egg that's finally started to move.

Drifts of Snow White Hatchling is disturbed. All of a sudden, after a pleasant jaunt across the sands, it has found itself face to face with a cluster of people, and the realization that none of them are right. Oh blast. It's not going to be a matter of colliding with the first person it sees, as it had been expecting. Very well, the hunt is on... though it is commenced in the least regal of manners, almost with a daring skid across the sands as it dashes towards the next cluster of candidates. Where oh where could it's rider be... abruptly it finds itself at the next group it picked out. Oh, just looks at -him-. Black hair, sticking up in irregular spikes, with a bright red nose from allergies. He is -gorgeous-. Perfect. Whether he likes it or not, he now belongs with this little white creature.

With a triumphant cry the Drifts of Snow White Hatchling has found its mate at last, and at the moment of bonding color floods into its hide.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Frosty-Boughed Birch Silver Chyll ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

She glitters. Crystallines motes along the expanse of her entire supple person mark the places where tiny scales have been polished to a diamond-edged sheen. The illusion of sparkling follows the motions of this elegant beauty, no matter how subtle might be the shift in her positioning. Pristine in hue she is, metal stroked lovingly to such extent that the hues of alabaster run vivid along the length of her delicate neck. Motes of white bespeckle the steelier tones of her ridges, and all has swayed into a molten silver into which the rest of her has been dipped. A clear-toned hue it is for the broad strokes of charcoal that define her sides, slashes of darkness across upswept boles of wintry white. A forest of season-denuded birch sways and dips, timed to the flowing of lithe muscle along her smoky-toned belly and the arch of her ribs. Graceful ailerons are incised with a network of interlacing boughs, each twining and twisting amongst its mates to provide a pattern of cream and deeper silver upon which are laid layers of frosted coating in shimmering ice. Each limb, and her lengthy, slender tail are wrapped loosely by strata of bark that give the illusion they are ready to peel, a loose-fitting cloak of roughened alabaster peppered by dots and dashes of textured midnight. Wintry tones do not abate, her eyes are the most claret of all amethysts, a stark and piercing hue of lilac that is caught as well along the arc of her talons which flow diamond-sharp from out silver.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

After a few moments the Fledgling Master leads the new pair off the sands.

Neuve begins to giggle as the silver picks one of the boys out of the group of candidates. "Oh my! That's going to cause a fair bit of partner swapping. I mean, I know it happens. It's rare." She pauses, before admitting. "But so are the silvers." A quick glance is sent over the last candidates standing and the lone egg. "Last one."

Yh'u moves to the new pair, touching the lads shoulder as he utters in shock the beautiful silvers' name. "Yes, she is. C'mon, there's food over here." and so the pair are ledoff to join the rest of the newly bonded.

Brianne chuckles with Neuve, "Oh you are so right about that....I can see that being a bit of a problem..." grinning "Perhaps..." standing and waiting for the last egg to collapse it shell.

Dove grey is marred by the splintering of shell, sending cracks of lightning white through the grey. It marks the hatchling's progress upon the lightly sprinkled drizzle egg.

Korayne smiles as the hatchling turns silver, and he claps. "She's a lovely one." He comments, before he looks to the last egg remaining and he bites his lip, which one of the group left will the last hatchling choose? He whipes his hands on his robe to dry and keep them dry. He nods to Neuve. "Yes, last egg, last hatchling, last chance." He says softly as he watches the egg move.

The lightly sprinkled drizzle shell can no longer withstand the encumbant force within. In a final splintering, large pieces plop to the side and out wiggles the newborn white, discarding the last remnants of its confine with a single shake of the leg.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~< Storm-Touched Thunderbolt White Hatchling >~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Boldness defines the massive lines and planes of the image of this stalwart hatchling. Right from the shell, there is a knowing possession of self that sets a curve to proudly-carried wings. As white as any of its siblings, there is, nevertheless, the touch of pale azure shadow that plies along a muscular physique and puddles at the heart of a broad-carved breast. Orbs of smoky-blue topaz glisten as they encompass this bold new world, one for which this creature seems to be suited. As striking as this demeanor may be, it is the sizzling pattern of mirror-polished scales that draw the most attention. A webwork of forked patterns dart and zip along the sides of its neck, expanding into a scaly design of sheet lightning that zigs and zags across the taut surface of fine ailerons before it coalesces into a single glowing bolt that stabs along its spine and straight down an elegant tail's length. Upon a spaded tip, it explodes, showering the appendage with sparkling hints of lapiz and jade and agate. < Desc'd by Taeryn >

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Kalika's mouth pulls into a smirk as yet another pair bond happily. "I knew there'd be a silver." She'd guessed for the wrong hatchling, but no matter. She'd still guessed. She rises, boots finally arranged to her satisfaction, and lightly brushes the sand off her robe. Her eyes flicker towards Neuve at her words. "Indeed," she grins. But herr attention is rapidly torn away by an egg's shattering. "Is this it?"

Yh'u moves to the side of the sands.

Korayne smiles a bit as the last hatchling emerges. He nods to Kalika. "It would seem so." He says toward her. "I wonder what color this one will turn out to be." He chuckles softly, having been surprised everytime during this. "This is so exciting, I almost hate for it to end." He chuckles softly as he shifts to the other foot again and watches the final hatchling.

Storm-Touched Thunderbolt White Hatchling has been waiting for this moment for all its life... though that period of time is relatively short, it sure seems like an eternity when you're in there. It has no intention of fumbling the way its siblings did, tripping and stumbling. Once it manages to break away the shards of its egg, it steps out with a perfect regality that cannot be denied, evident in every step, in every movement. It would keep this perfect calm, too, and merely stroll around the sands to find its lifemate... if not for the fact that hunger makes itself known just in time to set the little one off moving at a more rapid pace. Where to go, where to go? It passes first a group of three girls clinging to each other, and gives them only the briefest glance before knowing that none of them are right... and it continues to trot on by, with its head held high, as it searches out that special one. Food and rest, soon, that keeps him going steadily along.

Brianne smiles and watches, "Oh Korayne look at the mirror-polished like scales on that one...fine muscular physique..." Standing quite still and smiling she awaits the choice of the last hatchling who now has to move the shell remains of the others before. Eyes glancing at the gallery, she looks to the audience to see if she knows anyone before looking back at the sands. "I am not even going to give a guess because anything I have thought of before has been wrong...I think this is just a wait and see thing..."

It escapes on a soft sigh. "Well..." Drawn out and breathey. "That's going to be some dragon. Just look at the stance. " She nods to herself, shooting a glance over towards Brianne and Korayne before standing up straight and tall. "I think it would ruin it to guess this one."

Korayne nods to Brianne. "It is a nice one." He comments. "It's amazing how they all can be white, and yet all look different." He says as he watches the hatchling move about the sands. His hnds whiped on his robe for what must the hundredth time ths hatching, but hey, he wants to keep his hands dry.

Kalika rubs her hands on her robe, and shrugs. "It looks like it knows who it wants," she murmurs gently. "We'll discover the color soon enough, I'm sure." She glances down at her hands, a nose is wrinkled at their continuing sweatyness, and she chuckles, amused at herself. "Just one more. Then it's over," she whispers, trying to find words of comfort for self.

Neuve nods to Kalika. "That is does. And then a rest." Brianne nods, "I realize they all look different, but they have different personalities too..." grinning, "And that makes them so unique...I am glad that I don't have to do the laundry after you have wiped all that sweat on that robe." Eyes again 'stealing' to the hatchling to see if it has determined its mate. Shouldn't be to hard...right?

Storm-Touched Thunderbolt White Hatchling is evidently fairly convinced that it'll know what it wants - those that it passes are given only the briefest glances before it moves on, trying to move with the elegance it feels it ought to have. Considering its age it does well, though the lack of use of his limbs is enough to make even his regal stance look just a little bit clumsy, and hunger makes him misstep every so often. It needs someone so it can rest and adjust. The next group is just rushed past without a thought, as its eyes fall on someone on the far side of the sands. Him? Could it be him? The small creature rushes over, and stops about five feet away to make the final steps those of grandeur. Yes. Yes, it is him, without a doubt. That wasn't so bad after all.

With a triumphant cry it seems that the Storm-Touched Thunderbolt White Hatchling has found its mate at last, and at the moment of bonding color floods into its hide.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Timeless Petrified Wood Bronze ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The bold lines of this dragon true are of undeniable hue. Bronze lacquers about stormy eyes of smoky blue topaz, set within a head held high, held boldly, to face what the world would toss his way. It is a stance which runs through the symmetry of his frame, in its bold lines, and sturdy definition. Of him, one look, and one can not deny the presence he puts forth, for it feels as if one stands within the shadow of royalty. So strong is he that one can imagine it will be impossible for him to sneak up upon another, as such presence is as subtle a give away as the crossing of one's shadow. The dappled shadow cast by the light, which filters through sturdy wingsails, sets forth a ringed pattern upon the ground, to echo that painted upon the sails above. As wood it seems, petrified by time beyond time they sheen as the rest of his body, ambered bronze heart ringed by a darker brown-bronze growth rings and repeated time and time again. His body is not quite as strongly contrasted as his sails, the colors closer in tone, though therein the same patterning ensues. It is a mix, a wash and thrust where slices of wood meet in the bulge of arm and leg to the fine sharpness of ebony claws. Yet in contrasting delicacy there are the ridges which run upon that symmetric line. The are as delicate as the air, spun of golden light and topaz sheen. They glitter even in ones darkest hour as this one will show the way and thrust back that heavy burden with the deep sounding trumpet of his voice.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Brianne grins, "Congratulations Korayne, you will be an excellent rider..." walking somewhat back from the pair and towards the edge of the sands.

Korayne nods to Kalika. "Yes, rest, and relaxation." He agrees with her and Neuve as he watches the last hatchling move across the sands in it's search for the right bond. "A rest fter all the chores would be nice." He says. "Then back to the regular routine." He says softly, and then the next words are lost in his throat as he looks to the bronze with wide eyes. "Rh-Rh-Rhowandell?" He stumbles out, before he reaches out to touch the bronzes head.

Neuve sighs softly as the final pairing is made. She turns half smile to Brianne, before calling over to Korayne. "Congratulations. He's grand."

Riana chuckle and she heads over to Kor, "If you and your Rhowandell will head this way, you can get him settled in and fed and oiled."

Kalika manages to call out a pleasant, "Well done -- it's a wonderful pairing!" and tries not to let show the faint stir of disappointment. "He's a lovely dragon," she adds, her tone sincere.

In the skies overhead, Crythaill rises upward from the galleries below.

M'ik takes a few minutes to recognize the fact that the final dragon has found their bond... a bronze, no less, the perfect end to an exquisite clutch, if he does say so itself. However, after revelling in this pleasure with the Lady, his eyes fall upon those clustered about the sands... those left without their lifemate after having waited for this day for so long. Now the unhappy task must be performed, and he rises to his feet to address the crowd. "Thank you, all of you, for being here. You've been one of the finest groups of candidates I've had the pleasure of being acquainted with, and we've loved having you. Just because your lifemate was not found on the sands today, doesn't mean you never will be united. You were searched. You were found. That means that there is a dragon out there for you, they just didn't happen to be here." He pauses for a minute, to collect the thoughts spinning hecticly through his head before continuing. "You are all welcome to stay at GreyStone. Forever, or just for awhile, it is up to you. You are welcome here at any time. There is going to be a celebration in the Living Caverns if you'd like to join us." There, he's done it. He has survived. It's over.

Korayne manages to snap out his gaze to look to Riana, and nods a bit absently, before he moves to follow her with Rhowandell beside him, hand still on the bronze as if it'd fade away into nothing.

You slip into the alcove.

Sandy Alcove -*- Greystone Aerie

While this alcove is hardly small, neither is it overly large. It serves as a quiet, yet nearby, retreat to the queenriders when their bondmates are brooding upon the sands. During the moment of hatching it also serves as a quiet place for the just bonded to retreat and feed their mates very first meal until the fledglingmaster has a chance to settle them in the barracks further on.

OOC NOTE: The Sands will emit here, however anything posed here will NOT be shown there. If you can not stay until the end of the hatching please move yourself and your new bondmate into the barracks.

Contents:

Yh'u

Zyxa

Chruku

N'eni

Zi(#2053PXJcem)

Aureliku

Obvious exits:

Fledgling Barracks < E > Sands < S >

Sands> Neuve nods curtly to the Lord. She gives a small, disappointed smile. "Thank you."

Sands> Neuve slides off the sands with the last of the candidates.

Sands> Neuve slips into the candidate tunnel.

Yh'u laughs and gestures as the initial hunger is eased off the newly bonded pairs. This way, lets get you settled into your couches." he leads on towards the barracks.

Yh'u heads to the barracks.

You head to the barracks.

Fledgling Barracks -*- Greystone Aerie(#830RAFJ)

Unlike stone couches of most Aeries, the ones here are cut directly into the hillside, forming grass-lined wallows for the new dragons and their riders. Aerielings can usually be seen milling about with oil, meat, or shovels for mucking, as colorful splashes of hide poke out from all nooks and crannies. The air is permeated by draconic scents -- musky, usually, with hints of fish, avians, and herdbeast drifting about as well. It is the home of the future, in all its youngling glory.

Contents:

Yh'u

Xheryniiku

Fledgling Rules

Fledgling Progress Board

Obvious exits:

Alcove < W > Fledgling Hills < S > Zi wanders in from the alcove.

Aureliku wanders in from the alcove.

Riana wanders in from the alcove.

N'eni wanders in from the alcove.

Zyxa wanders in from the alcove.