Hatchings

It was a dark and stormy night. Well, actually, it was just after seven o'clock, hardly night, but it looked like night. Dark storm clouds covered the sky as a cold wind howled through the trees that surrounded Darkling Dawn. Torrents of rain pounded against the stone sides of the mountain that the dragon-community was built into.
In short, it was not a very good time for a hatching.
Rainbow eyes whirled as the green dragons watched their eggs. The Hatching Sands were protected from the driving rain by thick stone walls around and above it. Wind howled outside as the clutchmothers curled around their eggs.
One small egg began to wriggle, and Diath crooned in delight. She called to her rider as her brown mate began to bugle, calling everyone to the sands.
My eggs are hatching!
The stands were filled quickly, some people grumbling about the rain, others watching the eggs expectantly.
The candidates-all that had been found, anyway-gathered around the eggs. The weyrleaders were glad that they had invited other Weyrs to take care of any hatchlings that chose to stay unbonded; there four more eggs than there were candidates.
The first egg rocked, wriggled, cracked, and finally split, spilling a dark green dragon onto the sands. She chirped cheerfully, stumbling toward the girls gathered. It didn't take her long to pick out Maira from the cluster of females, and they happily left the sands, Maira chatting with her green Nambith the whole time.
Two eggs hatched at once, revealing a large blue dragon and a small brown. The blue dragon was first to choose, and it was a surprise to the girl he trotted up to when he chose her. Hey, Elkenjy. Yeah, I�m a boy, so what? I�m Hatenth, and you�re going to feed me, right? He asked, staring up at her imperiously.
Elkenjy smiled. �Of course, Hatenth.� She said, leading the young blue dragon away.
The brown hatchling was next, and his choice was a surprise to everyone. I'm not going to Impress any of you! He stated arrogantly.
Really, Etaeth? Not even me? Came a soft, sad voice from behind the brown. Startled, he turned around, to see a light green hatchling staring at him mournfully.
Etaeth's eyes whirled with confusion. Of course not, Arroth. I mean-of course not you-no, wait, er...The brown stuttered. I mean, of course I'll bond to you, Arroth. He said, sure he'd gotten it right this time.
The green dragon giggled. Just not any of them. She stated, referring to the candidates.
Right. Etaeth seemed to laugh, nuzzling his bond's side as they both left to get food.
People in the stands began to mutter to each other. Hatchlings Impressing each other? What next? Then someone pointed to one of the other green mothers, hiding her small clutch of eggs with her wings. Miasth looked around innocently, but unfortunately, she failed to hide the shattered shell that Arroth had come from. So Diath's clutch wasn't the only one hatching today!
"Miasth!" Her rider, A'xes, began to scold her for not telling anyone her eggs were hatching, but they were both distracted by another one of Miasth's eggs hatching into a small blue dragon, and A'xes gave up and returned to watching the hatching.
The blue dragon was joined by a green dragon from Diath's clutch, and together, they both headed toward the same candidate. Rakeneu stared at the two hatchlings, one male, one female, in surprise. She seemed to smile and frown at the same time-which is technically impossible, but who's really looking?-as the two dragons both stated their names.
I am Umimeth, Rakeneu. Said the green.
And I am Thaedith. The blue added.
And we are both yours!
A large egg rocked furiously, and a brown dragon emerged, tail first. The eggs rolled over, revealing the brown's head, and finally, he shattered the remains of his egg, freeing himself. He creeled, looking over the candidates, apparently unable to decide. While he was trying to decide, a blue dragon emerged, staring at his larger brother curiously. Then, he seemed to shrug, and turned to the female candidates. Don't worry, Deltiaoth. He'll find his own bond. But you are mine! I am Astoath. With that, the mute cream lead her new friend to the waiting food.
The brown was still sitting by the male candidates, unsure of what to do. Finally, one of the boys called out to him. "Digoth! What's taking you so long?"
The hatchling crooned. Sorry, Kysyto. I just wasn't sure you weren't gonna, you know, play a prank on me, or something.
That made Kysyto grin. "No. Of course not on you, Digoth." His dragon noticed the emphasis on �you�, but didn't comment.
Diath's last three eggs all hatched at once. A dark blue shook his head as his brighter green sisters spread their wings. The first of the greens, with wingsails more sea green than pale green, hissed at her brother as her eyes whirled red. The dark blue growled and chased after his sister.
The green squawked as the blue dragon bit her tail, and hid behind the scaly copper-green dragon, Queyukyth. Oww! That hurt, Nysenth!
Nysenth, in a very humanlike manner, stuck his tongue out at his sister. You started it, Seviaveth!
Queyukyth decided to intervene before it got any worse, and led his two new charges away, the hatchlings bickering back and forth the entire time.
The last green hatchling rolled her eyes. Very immature of them, isn't it, Penina? She asked her rider.
The girl nodded in agreement with her dragon. "Come on, Tambith, let's get you some food."
Tambith happily agreed.
Miasth�s last egg, the one that was suspected to hold a rare, began to rock, but was beaten by yet another egg! People in the stand sbegan to mutter as Veloth stared at her eggs, now all rocking furiously. The green shrugged, watching as the first of her eggs hatched into a bright blue dragon, which raced straight to Nathaniel. �Woah, Azeroth, slow down!�
Azeroth turned his sapphire head to look at his rider. Slow down? When there�s food so close by? Preposterous! Hurry up, or I�ll leave you behind.
Nat�iel did as his dragon suggested, running after the blue. Another egg cracked open at the exact moment Miasth�s last egg cracked, and both dragons fell onto the sands. A large green dragon looked down at her smaller sister before trotting over to the female candidates, stopping in front of Indan. Well? Aren�t you going to tell me your name?
Indan just smiled. �But you already know it. And I know your name, too, Emath.� She said, scratching the green�s bony eyeridge before leading the hatchling to the waiting food.
The second female shook her dainty, almost white head as she turned to the last female candidate. She was not white, but a very pale, milky green. Sorry, Ylessa. She said sadly.
Ylessa grinned. �For what, Reath? You�re perfect.� She said, causing Reath to croon happily.
Another green appeared, shocking the crowds. There weren�t any girls left for the green to Impress!
Nevertheless, the female green trotted over to one of the boys, and looked up at Daniel expectantly. You don�t mind that I�m a girl, right? Good! Then let�s go eat! She said, not giving her rider a chance to reply.
�Of course not, Alearoth.� He answered, but Alearoth was already racing to the waiting food, and he had to run to catch up to her.
Storm Kolith watched the last egg warily, not sure whether it was going to hatch or not. But finally, the egg quivered and split down the middle, and a dark blue hatchling emerged, staring up at him, eyes whirling with green and blue.
Storm Kolith, you are now mine. My name is Jerryth. Then the hatchling blinked, staring up at the young man again. Hey, wait a minute�Kolith? You�re not a dragon, are you?
Storm laughed. �No, Jerryth, I�m not.�
The hatchling seemed satisfied with that, and led his rider to the waiting food.
As the stands emptied of people, intent on attending the hatching feast that would surely be waiting for them, the sky outside began to lighten as the storm ended.