Karasu purred as she batted her paw at her owner's head. Alayjar groaned as he sat up, scratching his feline's head absently. "Karasu? Why'd you have to go and wake me up for?"
Someone giggled from the doorway. "Because the clutch is hatching! Hurry up, Alayjar!"
Alayjar looked up at the retreating form of Kaaressa, pulling on a white robe as she raced off to the hatching sands. The two former-healers had quickly formed a friendship after arriving at the weyr.
Alayjar's eyes lit up as what Kaaressa had said registered in his mind. The clutch was hatching! He jumped up, pulling on his own white robe, and raced to the hatching sands as spectators filled the stands.
Kaaressa, standing behind most of the other candidates, grinned at him as he walked to stand beside her. "Did somebody sleep in this morning?" She teased. Alayjar didn't answer, watching the rocking eggs as one of them cracked.
A small blue shook sand off his hide as he looked over the candidates. He warbled in frustration, nosing aside a boy as he looked for his chosen. Alayjar? Where are you? Are you hiding from me? Alayjar gasped as the blue stumbled in front of him, and they locked eyes. Oh, there you are.
Alayjar knelt beside his new dragon. "Of course I wasn't hiding from you, Daroth!" He reassured the blue as they left.
Kaaressa watched him leave as more dragons hatched and bonded. She gasped in surprise, with everyone else, as a small, brilliant white hatchling chose his bond. Three more blue dragons hatched as Kaaressa watched impatiently.
The next green dragon spread her wings wide, revealing the white wingsails. Kaaressa watched wistfully as the green-white chose another girl.
She glanced around, realizing she was the only girl left. A green dragon hatched, walking toward her. Kaaressa looked down. "I'm sorry you couldn't have had a better choice, Ohtarth." She said sadly.
The green dragon warbled in protest. Nonsense. If I had hatched first, I still would have chosen you, rider-mine!
Kaaressa smiled with relief, and hugged the large green to her. "Really, Ohtarth?"
Of course. Ohtarth reassured her rider.