Cheney woke, not remembering where he was or how he had gotten there. Come to think of it, he couldn't remember anything, aside from his name. That's when he started to panic. He shook his head, and looked around. He was lying on a beach, but how had he gotten there? He got up, heading to drier land, when he tripped over something on the ground. He looked down. It was a fire lizard egg! And certainly not a normal one, either. The egg was glowing. How had it gotten here? Cheney couldn't see a nest anywhere. Suddenly, he noticed that the egg was rocking violently. It was hatching!
He watched as a crack appeared in the top, and suddenly there was a head staring at him out of the egg. But there was something wrong. The head was black! He watched as the rest of the fire lizard became visible, displaying a red body, with a black underbelly, and black wings.
Cheney looked around, but he didn't see any food he could feed to it. Hello. He heard it in his head, like a dragon. He looked around, and, not finding anyone else, looked back down at the hatchling. "Did you just talk?" He asked it.
The hatchling blinked. Of course, who else is here? I'm hungry, Can we find some food?
Cheney stared. He was now the owner of a rare, talking fire lizard.
I'm very hungry, so could we go now? Where do you live? Do you have any more fire lizards? Do you have a dragon? And I'm still very hungry. Why are you just standing there, Cheney? Let's go!
Cheney sighed. Perhaps there was a reason most fire lizards couldn't talk.

Four years later...

Cheney, are you finally going to stand for the next clutch? What color do you think you'll get? Do you think there are any rares? Or-
"Synder, slow down." Cheney laughed. "And to answer your questions; yes, I don't know, and I doubt it."
Ever since he had been found by a sweeprider from Blue Sky Weyr, Cheney had been waiting until he was old enough to Impress, and now he was. Though he was looking forward to Standing, he still wondered about his past. Apparently, no one had ever come to look for him. He wondered if he even had a family. Not likely...
It didn't matter. The Weyr had been like his family for the last four years, and anyway, he still had Synder, talkactive as he was. He didn't really miss his family; how could he, if he didn't even remember them? But still...