Clutch 6--Careth and Krinoth

 The day was bright and sunny, pleasantly cool though not too cold. It would be a good day for these eggs to hatch. Careth thought to herself as she curled her tail around the hard eggs, willing them to start rocking. She looked up as her mate, andalusite-celestial Krinoth, entered the hatching sands, blinking his eyes from the bright light shining into the cavern from the entryway.
He crooned as he walked to her and nuzzled her side affectionately. "Still no sign of hatching?" He asked.
Careth sighed. Not yet. She said. I wish they'd hurry up.
Krinoth crooned, and apparently in an effort to cheer up his mate, he pointed to one of the eggs with a wing, and said, "Look! I think I just saw one rock!"
Careth glanced at the eggs. They were all still. Nice try, Krinoth. She stated drily. Thanks for the effort, though.
"No, really." The talking dragon shook his head. "They really are starting to rock." Careth glanced at the eggs again, and a few of them here and there actually were wriggling. Delighted, she threw her head and began to bugle, announcing the hatching of her clutch.
A'ros winced as he entered the hatching sands with his weyrmate, Myriam. "Does she have to do that? I think I'm gonna be deaf soon." Myriam just laughed, and rushed over to congratulate her dragon.
The hopeful candidates had been ushered onto the sands and stood in a loose semi-circle, regarding the eggs. They were now rocking furiously, and soon, one of them shattered explosively, sending shards of eggshell over the candidates. The hatchling was a very dark green, and she shook her head as she turned to the candidates. As the green hatchling approached a young man named Leseto, the spectators realized that she was actually a he.
Do you like me, L'seto? The male green dragon asked the lizard-shifter seriously.
L'seto grinned. "You're perfect, Malachiteth."
The dark green nodded in satisfaction. Good, then you'll take me away from here and feed me, right? L'seto grinned as he led the hatchling off the sands to do just that.
Two medium-sized eggs crashed against each other, spilling their inhabitants onto the sands at almost the same time. The first female, a dark blood red, shook her head and glanced at her lighter red sibling before trotting to the female candidates. Her sister, however, approached the males, and both of the reds chose their bonds at the same time.
Miskallis! The dark red stood before the empress from another world, and lowered her head slightly in a wobbly bow. "I am Carnelienth, and you will be my rider, yes?" She asked (out loud!) calmly; she was obviously already well aware of Miskallis' answer.
"Yes, Carnelienth, I will be your rider." She laughed as she stroked the hatchling's crimson head.
The other red had stopped in front of the Cheetah Kin, Dijo, and stood looking up at him with fire in her whirling, faceted eyes. Well, Dijo, aren't you going to feed me? She demanded.
Dijo just looked surprised. "Rubyth, I-I didn't even know you wanted me!" He stuttered.
Rubyth snorted, then looked up at her bond apologetically. Of course I want you. There's no one else here for me. She butted her head against his leg gently before trotting off, looking over her shoulder to make sure the cheetah-man was following.
Two more eggs hatched at once, revealing a bright blue and a reddish brown dragon. They ignored the candidates, and instead turned to each other. Heya, Garneth! The blue said cheerfully to his clutchmate, and his bond. Where d'ya think we should go?
The brown dragon shrugged and answered his bond's question more calmly. "I want to go to Shivran Aerd, Sappireth. Does that sound okay to you?"
The blue just nodded, seeming to laugh as he trotted off the sands while the larger brown followed him, somewhat slower.
The next small egg yielded a teal-blue dragon, which shook its head before looking dazedly at the candidates. The blue stumbled over to the merman Rasilazh. "Come on, Turquoiseth, There's food waiting not too far away." He said, and the hatchling followed him quietly away.
A particularly small pair of eggs cracked at once. A black dragonet appeared from one, while the other was having a much harder time of getting out. One of the female candidates wandered over to the struggling egg, and Kimine helped to free the hatchling from her shell.
Thank you, Kimine. Don't worry, I am meant for you, and I always have been. My name is Opalth. The female white said gently. Kimine clutched the tiny dragonet to her and smiled.
The black, only slightly larger than his white sister, had made no move towards the candidates, and instead, was sitting by himself by the edge of the sands sulkily. A few of the male candidates stole occasional glances at him, but the black just snarled warningly at them. They were distracted from the lone black as a green dragon appeared. Slowly, she walked not to the females, but to a young man named Lerome. She looked up at him and cocked her head to one side. "You raise canines? I'd like to see a canine someday."
Lerome smiled as he stroked the green's head. "You will, Berylth, you definitely will."
A medium-sized egg split directly down the middle, and a dark purple female stepped out from the two halves of her egg, looking around at the remaining candidates. She walked past them all, and instead went to where the black hatchling was seated by himself. He looked up glaringly as she approached. What do you want? He asked sulkily.
The purple cocked her head, and laughed. What I want is food, but I'm waiting on you, Onyxth.
Onyxth blinked in surprise. Me? Why are you waiting for me, Amethysth? He asked curiously, apparently not realizing what he had said.
Amethysth giggled. Because, silly, I'm your bond!
Onyxth's eyes whirled faster in surprise and embarresment. Oh, yeah. Sorry, I didn't realize...
He trailed off as Amethysth just giggled and walked off. He stood up and stopped, looking over to where the Weyrleaders were watching. Oh yeah, and I think me 'n Amethysth are going to go to Cathair Fionabhainn, okay? The recordkeeper jotted it down, and he trotted off to catch up with his bond.
There were only three eggs left now, though seven candidates still lined up around the diminished clutch of eggs. Even if one of the eggs yielded twins, which didn't seem likely, there would still be candidates disappointed.
The largest egg was the next to hatch, and a pair of snowy white wings appeared first, followed by a slightly dazed looking silver head. The silver-white fought his way out of the shell, and finally, the dragonet stood regally in front of the candidates. He inspected all the candidates closely, but finally stopped in front of the gryphon, Urian. No words passed between them, but they left the sands together, and U'an whispered the dragon's name, Quartzeth, to the recordskeeper.
The next egg to hatch yielded a large green. She flicked her tail and trotted towards one of the female candidates, but was stopped by a dark blur that jumped on her, hissing. The green screeched in fear and surprise as the black hatchling pinning her to the ground growled, eyes whirling with red furiously. Stay away from Maohli! She's mine! The smaller male black snarled. He flared his wings, revealing dark green membranes to go with his green crest and tail blade.
The green creeled as the girl they were fighting over rushed to the hatchlings to stop their battle. "Emeraldth, Jasperth, stop it!" She cried, coming to stand over the ball of black and green.
The black-green obediently jumped off his sister, but his eyes were still whirling red as he stood by Maohli protectively. The green stood up and shook her head before glaring venomously at her brother. "She's mine too, Jasperth!" She said, yet another dragon able to speak out loud. Turning back to Maohli, she dipped her head in acknowledgement. "Will you accept both of us, Maohli?" She asked the stunned Pernese girl.
As a response, she fainted.
Jasperth whirled on his clutchmate, who simply blinked in surprise. Now look what you did! You killed our rider!
A'ros leapt onto the sands and inspected the girl. "She'll be okay, she's just fainted." He reassured the two dragonets. "Probably from the shock of Impressing two dragons, on top of her head injury." He picked her up, and Myriam came over to help him take her to the infirmary while someone else tended to her two dragons until she woke up.
The candidates left looked around hopefully, but the eggs had all hatched and bonded already, and they left the sands dejectedly to wait for the next clutch.