Shawn is laying on her stomach on a couch, hugging a pillow to her chest and is in quiet conversation with G'deon who is in a chair cattycorner to the couch...

G'deon smiles slowly as he crosses one ankle over a knee. Watch out, Gid's playing Mindhealer. "Well, I guess I've just always figured that it's sort of a waste of time to worry so much about what others want or expect of you as a person. Yes, we have our duties and jobs, that's different. But you have to be who you are, not who your mother or anyone else wants you to be, so... just be you. You seem to be rather good at it," he adds, grinning as he winks at the brown rider before turning to wave to Kinecha. "Good morning, Kinecha. Escaping the bliss of candidacy for a bit?"

Shawn jumps as if someone or something just bit her... swings her legs off the couch and immediately sits up, tucking her legs under her crosslegged... Is she /embarassed/... no rather she looks like someone just caught with her hand in the cookie jar, "Hey 'Necha.." whatever Gid was talking about just moments before gets neither a look nor a response... so much for /that/

New boots in hand, Kinecha is doomed to wear her old worn ones again. At least until the new ones have been polished again. Looking from Shawn to G'deon, she all but turns on her heel to dart right out again. "Well, I thought I'd come somewhere quiet to polish my boot," she notes, holding up the muddy boots and polish-rag for good measure. "While I'm free of chores...."

G'deon gives Shawn a curious look as she greets Kinecha, but otherwise he's all smiles again while sipping contently at his glass of juice. "It's a good place to do it," he replies to Kinecha with a quick shrug. "As long as the polish doesn't smell too bad," he adds, chuckling softly. "Some of those things I've seen the Herders and Weavers use would even keep tunnelsnakes away, I swear."

Shawn dares a glance back at Gid even as she tries to recover a lighthearted mood, "No doubt..." she grins a lopsided grin and rolls her eyes, "I always make a quick get away whenever I take cloth down to be dyed...seems the brighter the colors the worse it stinks..." and Shawn does tend to favor bright colors...of course, honestly would she really /know/ what non-bright color dye smelled like? Not bloody likely... "Would you like some juice, 'Necha... I think we've got a glass left..." her own glass filled what seems like eons ago sits untouched on the table by the pitcher

Kinecha raises an eyebrow at Shawn as she slumps down in a chair, placing polish rag and can of polish on the armrest, while putting the boots on the floor. A rider offering a candidate juice? Offering anything? She'd more or less gotten used to riders just offering orders to do chores. "Yeah, I'd like that," she says nodding, then looking back and forth between the two. "I didn't interrupt anything, did I?"

G'deon waves away Kinecha's concern idly and smiles while leaning back, fully enjoying the comfort of a padded chair for a change. "Just two silly wherries talking," he says blithely. "Well, one at least, I don't know about Shawn here..."

Shawn uncrosses her legs, pours juice and leans over to hand it to 'Necha... she's /not/ your typical rider...or your typical person, "Oh, I dunno... never really would have thought to describe myself that way, Gid..." she chuckles, "But I will admit to not being very serious most of the time..." she sits back up, recrosses her legs and curls her toes into the cushions of the couch, "What time is it anyway, 'Necha?" she asks...suddenly realizing that her rump feels like its been sitting her for a really long time

Kinecha sips the offered juice carefully, just in case she was the victim of a prank. Tasted alright, didn't it? Satisfied that the juice was fine she drinks the rest, gulping it down in one big swallow. "Thanks, Shawn," she says, nodding to the rider. "It's about noon, I'd say..."

G'deon stares at Kinecha for a long, long moment. "Did you say noon?" he asks carefully, eyes squinting a bit. "We can't really have been sitting here that long... can we?" he adds, turning bewildered eyes on Shawn. "I must have had such good company I never noticed."

Poking his head through the door Vylking spots Kinecha. "I've been looking all o'er for ya, lass," he drawls, coming to pull at her arm. "Something's up at the Sand.. C'mon," he continues, pulling the other candidate out of the door.. "But my boots.." is the last thing heard from Necha.

Ahah, so you found the little door that leads to a little ledge that leads to some teeny stairs that leads you out out out and eventually to...

*** Travel Spam ***

Surupa is silenced, head carefully bowed as she drags her wet and towel-covered self upon the heated sands. Here, at least, she might just dry quicker and might actually look /white/... Right? She never had time to finish her robe, either. Pause. "'Lizards?" She questions, looking from the larger eggs and then back towards the only thing that is trumming in the caverns. A firelizard queen. She bows her front half carefully, almost tripping over herself before she quickly straightends out. Amber eyes blink in confusion, looking from one candidate to the other befores she lets out a soft grunt, removing the towels that have been placed all over her body.

Loren wanders after Phea, shifting from foot to foot even before she hits the sands; she expects them to be hot, and'll start doing her little mince to get in whatever groove she might have to be in there. "Hot. Hot. Hot." Whine, goes Lo', who manages a fumbling bow in Cadgwith's direction as she inches out further. "..what? 'lizards?" Blink. "Humph."

Which is scarier, rider or firelizard? Lylia sort of lurks on the sand, hopping from foot to foot while muttering. Stupid 'lizard, can't have 'em anywhere /sensible/... Rydia just sort of curls up, eyes gleaming with sinister sensuality. "No robes?" Ly just sort of eyes the candies. Shardit, she wants 'em in robes.

Cristen scuttles onto the sands after the flow of candidates being led by D'renn, flip-flop, flip-flopping all the way across as she latches onto Loren, skipping on over to fellow candidate. "We didn't get to dye our haaaair." is whined from Cristen as she scuffles on up, eyeing Pyrene and Cadgwith warily. Dipping in a small bow, Cristen heres the voiced word of firelizards. "Oooh. Firelizards." is declared with a grateful sigh as she speeds up her pace to flip-flop quickly after Loren.

Pyrene chuckles wryly at D'renn. "Well, eggs /are/ hatching." She chooses not to comment on the smell thing, instead twitching the furs aside to reveal some cosy eggs. "Some of them Rydia's I believe... not sure which," she informsthe candidates, peering quizzically to Lylia. "And we've got some scraps for you--we thought it would make sense for you to have a chance at them. Get used to the Sands too."

Kinecha is pulled onto the Sands by the big sailor-type candidate, Vylking, complaining all the way. "I was just about to polish my boots, Vyl," she mutters, then stops, her eyes falling on all the people here. "What's up?" she asks, feeling the heat seep through her thin-soled old boots as she comes further onto the Sands. "Hatching?"

Marianne , one of the dry ones to reach the sands, makes her bow at the edge and looks up to the queen and the dragonet eggs... and then at 'Rupa's and Loren's questions, shakes her head with a slightly rueful smile. "'Lizards. We'd have to be all dolled up if it were the dragons hatching... 'Allo everyone," she says with a wave as she rises from her bow/curtsey and wrinkles her nose.

D'renn wrinkles his nose at the firelizard eggs. "Huh. I knew," he declares. Course he did. "And you won't feed /dragonets/ on the Sands...." he adds in warning. Pyrene adds on helpfully: "Well not willingly anyway."

Kezenex stumbles onto the sands, grumbling and whining while he still tries to finish braiding his hair. Somehow, this all seems /very/ unfair to him. Try to do one's hair - he wasn't even dyeing it - and get forced ont othe sands for a - shiver - firelizard hatching. Still mumbling and braiding, Kez plods up to the rest of the group. Now what?

Loren fiddles around in her pockets. "Hum." Blink, blink, and then she notes the golden lump still latched firmly on her arm and the screams of little children outside. Two 'lizards accounted for: they're the only two she was worried about, anyway. "Oh. Hee. There ... um, 'lizards? I don't need to feed any 'lizards. Can I just watch?" Lo's not going to be feeding anything on the Sands willingly, it seems.

Pebble Egg wriggles its round little self. Who'd want a dragon egg, anyway?

Surupa almost appeared to have her robe on, with the many towels that was placed upon her body. "T'is not dragons, though... So at least you can all go dye your hair afterwards." And she had stopped breathing for quite a long time, now taking deep breathes as she gives each rider a look. They are evil? "I've got 'nough with 'Bika..." But it's not like she won't give it a try, right? "G'day to you, weyrwoman-ma'am," she greets at last towards Pyrene, head bowing down towards the others before she gives the dragon dam a quick look. Well, at least they aren't her eggs yet, right? "An' I'll watch with Loren as well, then?" She seems to back away carefully, feet shifting in the heated sands.

"..humph. I know." A sniffle at Cristen, and Lo' bobs her head as she's latched onto. "We'll do it later." *sorry. missed Cristen's pose. o.o;* "After it's done, and all." Nod.

"Can't say I know which... The creepier eggs are probably Ryd's." She's a distant D'renn relative, that's why. Silly 'lizard. Lyli eyes the eggs for a moment, squinting before glowering at her cute little nymph of a gold. "Next time, have them somewhere /cooler/. Hey Py, Cadge isn't going to munch on 'em, is she?" 'Lizards make tasty snacks.

Phea is dancing in place -- hothothot! -- peering from Pyrene, to Lylia, to D'renn, and back again. "'Lizards. I luff 'lizards! They're cute an' special an' stuff.." A few more adjectives along that line ensue, before she ceases her prattling to stare at Pyrene in horror. "Y'mean.. they may eat us on the Sands? B-b-b-but.." Gasp. As if to quell her dragon-induced fear, she glances toward the firelizard eggs affectionately. "They're so cute!"

Pyrene gently sets down the Little Brown Egg.

Rydia drops Eyes of the Queen Egg.

Pebble Egg is cute, isn't it? But it could be even /cuter/, y'know....

Pebble Egg shatters into a thousand fragments, leaving its occupant out in the open.

Cristen nods back towards Loren with a beam. "Yeah! We can dye our hair -later-." is assured from Cristen as she flip-flops up to stand beside fellow hair dying candidate. Hands are stuck into her pockets as she flip-flops from foot to foot, glaring at the sands. "Sand is just like mud. There's no use for it, it's just there to bug people. People like me." is complained.

Kinecha is hot already, sweat covering her brow as she comes to join the others watching the smaller eggs rocking on the Sands. A long look goes to the larger dragon egg, which she'd picked out as her favorite, then back at the smaller ones. "I don't even have any food for 'em..." she mutters, giving a shrug of the shoulders.

D'renn escapes the earth-born heat and heads off the sands.

Pyrene eyes Lylia. "That's got to be one of Rydia's," she mutters. And then she points at the candidates. "There. Get to it. Practise Impressing."

"And I'm sure it was put there for just that purpose," Marianne says, laughing as she rolls her eyes over to Cristen. "Just so that some day when you were born.. we could annoy you with it." She winks teasingly and then her eyes go back to the eggs on the sands.. all the eggs, lizzen and dragonet alike, her eyes sweeping all of them as she ties up her hair with that conveinent ribbon she always seems to have. At Pyrene's command, Marianne grins mischeviously and steps forward to flutter her eyelashes and simper creditably, "Like this, ma'am?" she says innocently.

"Are you sure?" Lylia eyes the 'lizard, a little snicker escaping her. Oye. /Please/ tell her that's not one of Ryd's babies... But the gold sort of looks at the blue, clueless as ever, and gives a loving little chirp. It's cute! It's cute! "Besides, Kernow seems more the type to lay blues," Ly mutters, grinning slightly as she watches. Candidates. If they can't Impress 'lizards, what luck will they have with dragons? ...Mauling time.

Loren peers over at Surupa. "I guess we practice not Impressing." Not that that's very pleasant, but it's something to do. Cristen gets a bob of the head, and Lo' peers down at it. "It'd be better if it wasn't so hot." Not like that'd do any good for the eggs, but Lo'd like it. So it's okay.

Squeaky Clean Latrine Blue tips out onto the furs, soiling them with egg-goo and spends a good long time staring at the stone back of the bench. So this is the world. A chirr from its mother (who /is/ Kernow, unfortunately for Pyrene) and it suddenly realises the world is also behind it. And thus, he curls his head under his belly and peers between his rear legs at the group. Ooo. Feed me.

Xaner moves into the heat, shimmered and blurred by the ripples that rise off the Sands.

Surupa is the lucky candidate who took off her boots long ago before being tossed in the muck pile... And lucky for her, she is simply barefoot and now jumping at an almost impossible height while whining. "Won't 'lizard eggs just pop out all at once and leap at the food. Someone can 'press five at a time, right?" She crosses her arms against her chest and grumbles, watching the candidates that move to try and Impress one of those little demon creatures. She watches the two riders talking over who layed the hatchling, and then looks back towards Loren with a frown. "Exactly. I don' need 'nother one to rip up my robe even more.."

Phea sniffs at the blue hatchling, both 'brows drawn together. "But it's blue," is whimpered, as if this was an aberrant occurance. "I'd rather have a greeeeen, 'cause I already have a blue. An' Risio is evil." A soon-to-be-dyed tress is coiled around her finger insouciantly as she continues to fidget, waddling toward Surupa and Loren while waiting. "Stella tried to eat m'robe, too, but I guess it tasted bad.. 'cause, well, she didn't like it."

"Blue firelizards are evil." is complained from Cristen's place, shuffling the slightest bit backwards from the eggs. "Firelizards are evil. I don't -need- anymore firelizards. They eat my food, they reck my stuff, and I wish I never even had the three that I have now." is whined from Cristen as she elbow-prods Loren. "Don't you agree?"

Plod. Plod plod. Enter Xaner with slightly damp and..odd hair. Yes! The neon candie now has neon green dyed hair and blue hair! Whee! He's special, isn't he? And don't bother looking at him because his typist hasn't gotten a chance to write it in his desc! He shuffles over with a bit of curiosity, blinking, and peeks around fellow candidates. "What's up?" Lizard is noted. Blink. "Oh." He's just got this way with words, doesn't he?

Practice Impressing? How did you practice something like that, she wonders as she stands still, lifting one foot after the other a few inches off the hot Sands. "I /really/ don't look forward to Standing her in nothing but a robe and sandals," she mutters to herself as her eyes fall on the small hatchling, a tiny smile on her face as she looks around the group of fellow candidates. Someone would want him, right? (Necha)

Kezenex slowly slips back away from the crowd - and more importaintly the firelizards - slowly bakcing up until he's almost at the sand's edge. He'll do what Loren and Cristen are doign and just watch. Only he doesn't really watch, he just kinda keeps braiding his hair, which keeps his attention away from the newly hatched firelizard. The Herder smiles, if nervously, at Xaner and continues to braid. 'Lizzards /are/ evil.

Rydia drops Hearthfires and Klah Egg.

"But that's about all I have to give the firelizards to eat," Marianne remarks over to Phea at her comment about eating clothes and such like that with a wry smile, poking about at her long, baggy jumper and faded colors. "And I think it's already been eaten, so they'd have to be eating leftovers. That wouldn't go over very well, I don't think," Marianne says with a laugh, waving to Xaner and the other late arrivals. "Yes. Oh. That was my reaction, too." A /big/ oh..

"I'd like that one. Blues are alright -- mine behave, mostly." A sage nod from Loren, as she attempts to pry Hostess from her arm. "But they stole my sandal, last time." Blink, furrow, and a humph as she shrugs and peers over at the latrine blue again. "I dunno why a 'lizard'd want to eat a robe. They don't look very tasty." Cristen's elbow-prod gets a faint 'ow' -- Lo's a wimp -- and a slight nod. "I guess. Browns are scary." Lo's only got one and it's a little freak, so all browns must be scary. "Greens, too. And blues, sometimes. Don't have a bronze. So I dunno about them." Headshake.

Pyrene continues to faff around, thrusting eggs at various candidates helpfully. "Here you go, Vylking... Phea... Take one of these." and call her in the morning. "They think white is vanilla flavour, Loren," she adds solemnly to that candidate.

Fluffy Pink Egg creak-creaks, skittering from side to side like a klahed-up fuzzball. Creaaaaak!

Fluffy Pink Egg shatters into a thousand fragments, leaving its occupant out in the open.

"All little evil creatures..." Surupa frowns towards the hatchling the towards the rest of the eggs, bouncing all the while on her two feet which are just burning off. Being the smart one, she placed all the towels that she took from the baths, one of top of the other, and then finally standing there... "Ah, /much/ better." She heaves a sigh of relief, her head bobbing as she looks towards all the other retreating candidates. "Go get 'em, it's not like they'll maul you over or anything..." But if they are something like her little Ambika, she is just staying as far away as possible. She glances quickly towards the newly hatched egg and 'oohs'. See, she is actually interested int one. "/That/ bronze there is /evil/."

Marianne goes home.

Evil Weyrlingmaster of Doooom Bronze Hatchling leaps from his shell in a cackling and crackling of shards, shaking his oh-so-sexy tail and his rump. You /know/ you want that bronze rump. Atten-SHUN! /In/ line! Nownownow! With a growling, prowling baby-cheep to his mama Rydia, who gives a sunny chirp back. Hee. /Her/ baby is the cute one, y'know. But the bronze is off and stalking. "Ew." Loren stares at Pyrene. "...and I think they look more like creampuff filling." Robes, that is. Right.

Vylking stands befuddled as an egg is thust into his hands. "What am I s'posed to do with this," he ask, turning the egg in his huge hands, making it look like a chicken egg in proportion to his hands. As the shell cracks, he fairly jumps as a tiny blue head peeks out. "Whaaaaa'?"

Cristen perks up, however, as second egg hatches, only to shrink back onto her flat feet, starting up her flip-flopping once more. "That one's even -more- evil. I bet it's more evil than Cybele is." is provided, before Cristen takes a few flip-flop steps forward. Flip-flop, flip-flop. "My sandals are loud." is provided to herself.

Kezenex finishes braiding his hair and then begins ot play with it, just to keep his attention away from what's happening around him. He didn't ask to be here. "Eep!" Herder squeaks as another egg suddenly pops open, with a particularly scary bronze poping out of it. He's not watching, he's not watching. He has no food...Rumble. Kez's stomach wants food though, and he groans at the bad timing. "Evil. All firelizards are evil...," he keeps muttering, eyeing them suspiciosul.y

Pyrene helps Vylking by throwing some food at him. If he catches any of it, he can probably feed the baby blue. "Erph... lizards," she mutters.

"They're flying bellies is what they are," Kinecha grumbles, giving a sideways glance at Vylking as she crosses her arms in front of her chest. You'll never get Necha to admit that she actually /likes/ her firelizards. "They never stop eating.."

Banzai blinks in from ::between::!

Phea eyes the bronze precariously, snuffling again in displeasure. "He looks evil, too. Evilevilevil. Sort of like Praedo and Risio and Exulcero all mixed in or something.." She shrugs, not really minding to be honest, blinking at Kinecha. "They don't eat /all/ the time. Well, Risio does, but Risio's fat." Candidate simply observes as the hatching continues, swaying dazedly. Lalala..

Evil Weyrlingmaster of Doooom Bronze Hatchling looks evil. See? Who can resist? The little bronze flaunts his butt and snaps around to stare at Phea. Stare. Hey, not just evil, /proper/ evil. So get in line, scum!

Surupa is waiting patiently, shifting still uncomfortable on the towels and now glancing back towards the hatching eggs. One, two, three, four... "How many eggs can a 'lizard have? I hope that 'Bika will never spawn, of else-- Faranth, Pern must be saved someway." She shudders and looks towards the bronze. "I bet that he'll be able to calm down my Ambi. That is, he /does/ look evil." While her little queen simply is an innocence in a demonic body. But she won't mention that. "Who here has evil 'lizards?" And she can't doubt that everyone will answer that, since they are /all/ bad. Shiver and shudder. Badbadbad.

Looking rather sheepishly, Vylking notices someone throwing food at him. Holding the blue comfortably in one hand he bends to pick up some of that flying food from the Sands, stuffing it into the maw of the blue. "Thank you, ma'am," he says Pyrene.

Squaln moves into the heat, shimmered and blurred by the ripples that rise off the Sands.

Squeaky Clean Latrine Blue wriggles his little blue butt and takes a flyiing leap onto the Sands. There's food thatta way! And so he stalks, claws out and ready to maul. And he's heading in Kezenex's direction.

Xaner hms as he lowers in the sands a little bit, eyeing the eggs and staying well away from the lizards that have already hatched. Newly dyed blue and green hair drips a little in his face. Lookit at the eggies!

Phea squeaks at the bronze, instinctively stepping backward. "Don't eat me!" Pause. "I mean, don't /bite/ me!" Eyes narrow in something akin to a glare, but they soften as she peers over at the blue. "Okay, the blue isn't completely evil.. oh, lookie, he's going to Keeeeeez." Beam. A hand is waved merrily at Xaner. "C'mere, Xaner, stand by meeee!"

Kinecha's lizards weren't really evil, they were pretty well trained in fact. Eyes darting here and there, she grins at the poor sailor, calling out to him, "you'd better go get 'im something more to eat, Vyl!" Then her attention is turned to the hatching lizard once again, her eyes glancing at Phea, narrowing. "They don't bite.. 'long as you feed 'em plenty and keep you fingers out of the way," she says, grinning as she takes another step forward.

Squaln peers onto the Sands and views everyone gathering and gawking over something they're crowded around. Well, it can't be the actual Hatching, because there'd be more people here right? The lad steps onto the hot sand and shuffles over to the fellow candidates; a quick glance is given to the Sleek Red Convertable Sports Car Egg. Squint. Hey! It's a firelizard Hatching! Beam. And Squaly has his lunch packed with him too. Good timing, eh? Crouching down within the crowd, he tears off a piece of meatroll and tosses it to a near by hatchling.

Kezenex is playing with his hair. Not watching. Nonono. Evil fli-"Ack!" Herder candie lets out a loud yelp as he peeks - He can't stay totally in the dark - only to find Toilet Flit charging at him. "Noooo!" Kez jumps away, squeaking and squealign and making all sorts of distressed noises. "Pyyyy! I wasn't supposed to /be/ here!" He whines. Aww...poor him?

Xaner hops up from his half-crouching position and skuttles over towards Phea, beaming. "Mmkay!" And the X-man shall protect her from the Phea-eating bronze. Right. But..who'll protect him? From what you ask? Why, that egg over there. Yes. That one. The Hearthfires and Klah Egg. Yes. It's evil you know.

Evil Weyrlingmaster of Doooom Bronze Hatchling isn't as evil as his fellow little one, it seems. /That/ one's properly chasing and scaring the wits out of a candidate. Baring his little fangs, the weyrlingmonster flomps forward, scowling at Phea. Boooo. And then he turns his growl towards Cristen. Fear me!

A certain pile of mud wasn't supposed to be here a few days ago either, but fate has a funny way of dishing out Just Desserts. And so, Squeaky continues persistently ambling towards Kezenex like a very slow, very unlikely, avenging angel.

Squaln shys away from everyone else gaping upon the newly hatched flits. Still crouched, he tosses another piece of a meatroll at a passing hatchling, hoping to grab it's attention. Squint again. Squaly wonders how many have Hatched so far..

Hearthfires and Klah Egg is of course evil! Duh! Like that wasn't obvious? And it's moving, too. Oh yes. This is the new modle of egg. It's mobile! And there it goes, rolling from where it had been resting in the sands!

Surupa chuckles towards the blue and Kezenex, rather amused by this new entertainment around here. "He likes you, Kez!" You can almost imagine the little blue: I wuvv yooou... Well, not really. But she is rather enjoying this little trip to the sands, even if she has the least bit of interest for the eggs and the hatchlings of course. "Oh look, he likes you too, Cristen!" Love is in the air, isn't it? You can almost see Rupa crying-- No, that is simply the sweat already beading out on her forehead.

Phea will protect Xaner, because it's only right to return the favor. "Yaya, Xaner! I like that eggie, 'cause it's kinda cute -- and brown! Like mud. Yay." A hand gesticulates at the Little Brown Egg, before Weyrlingmaster-like bronze scares her into scuttling behind Xaner. "Xaner, help! He's gonna bite me! Evil! Back away, evil 'lizard!" The hatchling is blinked at. "Oh. Nevermind. He's gonna bite Crissy instead. Sowwy, Crissy."

Pyrene watches Kezenex with interest. "Is he going to do that on the Sands?" she wonders aloud. "Which one is it you like, Phea? The brown one? Have it. Consider it paymentfor the flower you gave me that time." See? Isn't Pyrene generous. No, really.

Cristen is standing on the sands. No, wait, she's flip-flopping on the sands. Flip. Flip-flop. Bronze hatchling is glared and pointed at. "You. -Bad- hatchling." is scolded, and Surupa gets a stuck out tongue before Cristen flip-flop, flip-flops away towards Surupa to grace candidate with her presence. Passing by Phea, Cristen proffers a pout. "Exactly, he's gunna -bite- me and you're the one that sic'd him on me!" Flip-flop away, quick!

Xaner acks a little as Phea ends up behind him. Is she gonna do this at the real hatching? Images of a 'mashed to a pulp by dragonets' Ner flash through his mind. No way! Eek! He hops away from Phea, pushing her back to his side. "Nono! I'll protect you from right /here/! Yes."

Kezenex isn't having his wits scared out. "Eep!" Ok, /maybe/ he is. Just maybe...Candidate continues to hop aroudn the sands, being persued by the blue. Whimpering, Kez squeaks, "But...but.../Why/?" In the direction he asumes Rupa is in. He looks over his shoulder at the blue. Dratted fi-Thump. The male candie's breath it knocked out of him as he over balences and falls onto the sands. Yeouch!

Kinecha crouches down to get a little closer to the lizard. Watching them carefully as they run around frightening people. "Why're you afraid?" Nothing to be afraid of was there? Tiny little creatures like that? "How're you gonna deal with the dragonets if ya're afraid of these little things?"

Squeaky Clean Latrine Blue runs into the Problem of the Sand Hummock. Fortunately for Kezenex. Unable to scale the slippery obstacle he attempts to plough through it. And all goes quiet on that front.

Evil Weyrlingmaster of Doooom Bronze Hatchling isn't bad! He's /misunderstood/. Just because he's the son of evil and stuff doesn't mean he doesn't deserve love. The bronze gives a saaaad little growl and a snuffle. Love me, or give me twenty! Ha! And the bronze once more bares his fangy face at Cristen, scooting forward on his oh-so-buff limbs.

Phea is close to sobbing, now, terrified by the bronze. "Nonono, Crissy! Go! Shoo! He's gonne biiiiiiite uuuuuuuus. Xaner! That's bad! You're supposed to protect me, 'cause you said you would! Badbad!" Pyrene's offer is barely heard through the bedlam, but after a few moments, she realizes what has been said. "Oh, Py/rene!/ You're sososososo nice! I luff you!" Scary firelizards are forgotten as she peers toward the Little Brown Egg, crouching onto all fours to obtain a better view.

Covering the little blue hatchling with his hands, Vylking trods out of the hatching caverns, hunching his shoulders as he goes, being completely oblivious of anything else going on around him. "Aye, aye, I'll get ye something t' eat..."

Hearthfires and Klah Egg is definately rolling. Rolling...rolling..onto Xaner's shoe.

Surupa looks smug, hands gripping at her shoulders as she appears to be the only candidate that is having not one problem at all. "I jus' hope that the dragons aren't this way." Pause. "I can imagine Kez running away from a large blue dragonet." And she chuckles lightly to herself, waving a hand at the Herder-candidates. Hey, they are /both/ attracting firelizards? Well, go Herders then? "Pyrene-ma'am, are the dragons this way as well?" And now you can see Rupa shrinking back slightly, attempting to shuffle back towards Phea and Xaner where she might be safe. But unfortunately is just stuck in her little square of folded towels. Whine.

"I'm not -afraid-, 'Necha, I'm practicing running away from the dragons that want to eat me and maul me when it comes to hatching time." is protested from Cristen as she flip-flops up to Surupa and ducks behind the herder. "Rupa, you culd use a bronze firelizard. Like the one that's chasing me, now." and with that, Cristen ducks around and sneaks away across the sand, leaving slow - ha! - bronze in her wake.

Xaner sticks his tongue out at Phea a little bit. "Yeah, but you can't hide behind me! Cause if you do that when the dragon eggs hatch I'll get mauled to death or something!" Big watery Ner eyes. "You don't want me to get mauled do you?" Sniff. Blink?! There's..an...egg on his shoe.

Pyrene digs around and produces a sweetstick jar. "Calm down now people... they're just lizards. What sort of state are you going to be in when it comes to /those/ eggs hatching?" she asks dryly, handing out sweetsticks to those who look they need the sort of sanity that only sugar can provide.

Kezenex flips over onto his back, raising his arm to protect him expectign ot be lept upon by his persuers. No so it seems. Breathing again, Kez carefully stands up, brushing sand off him and eyeing the area warily for the blue or any other's who thinks it'd be fun to chase him. Deeming it safe to move, the Herder ambles away from everything again, but not without growling at Rupa. "Not funny!" He calls and goes quiet. After all, a blue dragonet woudl probably catch him...

Hearthfires and Klah Egg is indeed, on Xaner's shoe. It's a nice shoe, after all. It's on the shoe, and there it'll stay, lightly rocking back and forth..of course, then it just has to go and do that hatching thing. So sad.

Treneere moves into the heat, shimmered and blurred by the ripples that rise off the Sands.

Surupa stretches her grin higher up on her face, eyes still watching Kezenex. "Of /course/ it's funny, Kez! Look how you're reacting to a little tiny blue /'lizard/." And she turns her attention towards the blue, blinking quietly. "Funy 'nough," she states, her head bobbing up and down quietly. Oh, but something /else/ catches her attention, and she carefully leaps away from the towels to bounce in front of Pyrene. "May I have one, ma'am?" She squeaks quietly, hoping to get something out of all this suffering. "For the hatching, will there be sweetsticks and meatrolls involved as well?" It's not like she has seen them in the previous hatchings she had seen.

Kinecha chuckles, shaking her head as she rights herself again, fists digging into her sides as her eyes dart around the caverns. From clutch mommy and daddy to Pyrene, to the other Candidates and then to the dragon eggs. Focus problem? Well, really the guard-candie was thinking about those boots she never got to polish. She really ought to leave, but this was much too exciting seeing her fellow candies almost running away in fear from those little hatchling. *grin*

Marianne moves into the heat, shimmered and blurred by the ripples that rise off the Sands.

And from the galleries, mud-monster Treneere sticks her nose in this iiiiinteresting business. "What'cha doooooing?" she hollers down to sister and candidates. Some mud un-crusts from her hand in the ensuing fingerwiggle.

Evil Weyrlingmaster of Doooom Bronze Hatchling is so unloved. Everyone runs from him... The flaunting, ever-fashionable LordoftheLings darts forward, squarking and squawking. Give me love! Give me order! Obey meeee! And the doomster stumbles, floppy limbs taking his dark little self over to Cristen. Love me? Or let me wear leather and have a whip?

Pyrene hands Surupa a sweetstick obligingly. "Nope. Only for lizard practice hatchings. Kez... stop running away and get back here. Marianne... get in line. Kinecha--pick an egg and pretend you want to be here." Yeah. That told them. And ew. Treneere. Who is ignored.

Evil Weyrlingmaster of Doooom Bronze Hatchling's cries turn joyous, and he turns towards Cristen, creeling piteously.

Phea is oblivious to Xaner's complaining and safe-seeking Rupa. Little Brown Egg has stolen her curiousity, and it's a surprise her gaze hasn't drilled holes through the shell yet. Erp. "Preeeeeetty. Muuuuuuuddy. Yay. Not ugly and evil and like that bronze hatchling." Of course, it's only an egg; it couldn't resemble Weyrlingmaster-bronze that much.

Kezenex growls. That tine blue 'lizzard had tiny but /very/ sharp claws. And they were aimed at /him/. No way he was just gonna stick around there. "Huh?" Grinning, Kez looks a bit like Khory as he blushes lightly. "Yes, Ma'am." He replies after clearign his throat and goes back over to where he was. Maybe even a little closer, but not that close!

Xaner eyes the egg on his foot. Hey! No parking there buddy! He places his hands on his hips. "Um...I have an egg on my foot!" State the obvious!

Squeaky Clean Latrine Blue emerges from its little coil of sand (buttfirst) and looks pitiful. Kezenex has disappeared. Woe is he. And then, what is that sirensong he hears? Remembering his previous success with finding the world, he sticks his head between his rear leg and looks at the world through there. And indeed, what vision of loveliness from yonder gallery leans down and calls to him?

Treneere assumes that Phea is talking about her. "Why thank you," she preens from her lofty perch. She considers the little smudgy dots, so far unidentified. "You didn't answer me," she reminds Pyrene.

Orders given by the goldrider, Kinecha finds her best and brightest fake smile. Bending over the clutch, she rest her hands on her thighs as she closely inspects the eggs, looking them over carefully, then looks up at Pyrene giving her a wink. "How can I just choose an egg out of all these, Pyrene?"

"In line? We have a line for Impressing now?" Marianne grins and dances onto the sands, making a sort of whirling bow as she does so. "Does this apply on Dragon Hatching day? If so, I'll make sure to get near the front that day," she laughs teasingly as she makes a little salute to the goldrider and then falls in behind Phea, poking her in the shoulder playfully. "Muddy's more pretty than bronze, eh?"

Pyrene smiles very sweetly at Marianne and kicks sand in her general direction. "Get in /a/ line. Side by side and..." dubious pause, "neat-looking. Ly... pick an egg out for Kinecha." Yeah. It's partly Lylia's fault so Ly can do some work.

Phea is all awe-struck and stuff. Whee. "Oh, Marianne, this egg is /peeeerfect!/ Ain't it? I luff it, 'cause it's muddy an' stuff. I was muddy, too, but I took a bath. After this, I'm gonna dye my hair. You can help -- oh, muuuuddy." Rambling is interrupted as she returns to her egg-staring. Hopefully she want do this to the dragon eggs.

Dramatic Sea Misted Coastline Egg rocks precariously, looking for all the world as if it might suddenly plummet from one fur to the next. Actually it does. And despite the smallness of the fall and the softness of the impact... it breaks apart.

Dramatic Sea Misted Coastline Egg shatters into a thousand fragments, leaving its occupant out in the open.

Cristen shuffles to a stop, glaring downwards at the bronze as he happens to.. gr.. impress. "Groooooooss." is whined downwards, and with a grimace, leans down to pick up the bronze, holding it upside down by the foot. After some protesting fluttering, bronze gets a place on her shoulder, and Phea gets a glare. "Pheeeeeeea. It's -your- fault I got stuck with a 'nother one of these dratted things."

Surupa takes the sweetstick with a quick thanks, hopping back to her safe spot of towels before her feet burn off. "'Lizard practice? Well, then..." She attempts to think of something to say. "Then there is not one possible way to sneak meatrolls, or you'll have a dragon eating at you." And that won't do anything good at all, for the true hatching. See, she isn't being ordered around, simply popping the sweetstick in her mouth and keeping it there while eyeing all the other people that seem to be having trouble with those firelizards. Pause. "Ooh... That's a nice brown."

"Why meeeee?" Sulk. Lylia doesn't /want/ to. She wants to hide from all the rocking, cracking eggs. Preferably with Rydia... The little gold was practically doting over that shardin' bronze. Silly thing. "Um... I dunno. That one?" Shrugging, Ly points randomly at the Eyes egg. Eggs, smeggs.

Pyrene may be ignoring her sister, but Squeaky Clean Latrine Blue Hatchling does /not/! Wings flare out and he suddenly finds flight, winging his way up the galleries and perching in front of her. Yank his chain.... er, feed him!

Squaln goes to bed. Sweets dreams.

Ducking the sand's general direction, Marianne grins at the goldrider innocently with widened eyes of a perfect, 'Me? What did I do?' look before she goes somewhat in the general direction of the others forming what looks to be the peak of a diamond instead of a line... but there! It's a geometric shape! It's close enough, right? Marianne'e eyes wander to the just hatched brown with a grin, "Oh, my... just /look/ at those talons... Greetings, little brown," she says with a laughing wave at the little one.

Treneere gets ignored some more, and takes drastic measures. She feeds the blue -- quite pointedly -- at Pyrene. Take that.

Kezenex blinks from his spot /away/ from the lizzards and just kinda...looks at Pyrene. "In a line? Like, /everyone/ in a line?" He doesn't care if most get in a line, but being in a line would take him a bit too close to the firelizards for his comfort, thank you. "Should've run faster," he remarks to Cristen, still not sure about this 'line' deal.

Kinecha grins at Lylia, then looks down at the egg she'd pointed out. "Well, that one /is/ pretty, but the color sorta would fit Vyl better, dontcha think," she says, grinning though she does pick it up from the Sands, holding it carefully in her hands. "It's not very heavy is it," she mutters, fingers running along the shell, making out the different bumps and lumps in it. "Yeah.. Vylking would definately like this one..."

Cristen sticks out her tongue towards Kezenex, and said herder candidate is promptly flip-flopped over to. "Hi Kezzy." is provided as a greeting as she flip-flops on up to the herder, snorting. "Ran faster? The stupid thing is too -smart- for me." is said before Cristen realizes that she just said. "It's sad to have a firelizard that's smarter than you are."

Squeaky Clean Latrine Blue has gone down the metaphorical drain and come out in his sewer of paradise. Treneere is his, and he is Treneere's and they shall live hygienically ever after (with air freshener).

Treneere the mud-monster clutches her squeaky-clean blue to her, and runs off to find more food for him. She loves him even if he is lacking in dust mites.

Surupa isn't just about to get in a line, since she is just perfect upon her towels and keeping her feet away from the burning sands. She wants to keep her feet after all, of course. Eyes turn from Pyrene and then back towards the other candidates. "You should have let the blue catch up to you Kez. I'm sure with a little practice, you can get a 'lizard to do a few of your chores." Just perfect for a lazy Herder like that one, right? However, Rupa is the one that stays silent, attempting to hide herself with... her sweetstick?

Lylia falls asleep.

Marianne looks over to Cristen for a moment with her eyes narrowed in consdieration for a moment. "I don't know.. but if my firelizards were more intelligent than me, they wouldn't like to fly all over the place and into rooms that I'm sure they aren't wanted," Marianne rolls her eyes and then looks over to the little brown hatchling again with a smile, cocking her head at him with a considering glance and a smile. But.. sometimes it's better to wait. Yes, Marianne /can/ do that, folks... will the wonders ever cease?

Windswept Clifftop Brown Hatchling is aloof, alluring, alien to such a place. Brooding, handsome and faraway, he slides down from the furs and walks the Sands. Such alife, such sorrow, such... a /lot/ of people. Is this really necessary? They're ruining the atmosphere.

Kezenex nods solomly at Cristen. "That is sad. I mean, their heads are only so big..." Firelizards and people alike are nervously. Wait..."Really?" He looks at the other-other Herder, Rupa. "But...They're so evil." Even if he could get oen to do chorse, he's pretty sure he still wouldn't want one. "No one elses do chores," Kez mumbles, figuring that that means none do chores. He's kinda glad that blue got stuck and stopped chasing him.

Squaln tears off another piece of meat and tosses it to the brown hatchling, hoping to catch it's attention. Still crouched down, the lad shrugs and eyes the hatchling with a wary gaze. Hmm. Another piece of meat is tossed to the flit and Squaly runs a hand through his brown hair.

Marianne walks arournd the sands rather silently, actually, though her feet do seem to be moving it a bit of a jig as she does so, apparently working on working /off/ some of that excess energy. Dance step right.. dance step left... just looking over to her fellow candidates and then back to the hatchling. "Well, this one is taking his time, isn't he?" Marianne stops her little dance and looks down at the hatchling with her hands on her hips, tossing her head once to clear it of hair and just watching. "Careful one, I see..."

Surupa shrugs her shoulders at Kezenex, her eyes are towards the brown at the moment. "Well, if you really do want them to, you can train 'em. I did with Veer, but then he found other things are more interesting." Or perhaps Kezenex just needs to Impress a firelizard so that everyone can see him suffer. "An' I have survived already with /my/ evil fair. An' I don' know how I did it, 'nyways." She heaves a sigh and attempts to hop back, move her towels back, and then leap back upon them before something bad happens. She doesn't want to be left all alone with those eggs..

Xaner glares at the egg on his shoe that quite suddenly deposits a lizard. "Ack!" It's getting goo on his shoe! Get it off! Get it...awwwwwwwwwwww, it's cute! With a rather silly grin, the candidate finally lowers down to pick up the blue, cuddling it. "Aren't you cute? Yes you are.."

Hearthfires and Klah Egg shatters into a thousand fragments, leaving its occupant out in the open.

Blood-Splattered Robe Stitching Blue Hatchling's cries turn joyous, and he turns towards Xaner, creeling piteously.

Phea squeals and leaps backward as the muddylicious egg abruptly shatters, caught off gaurd at the impromptu appearance of the green hatchling. "Oooooooh. Greengreen! Just what I wanted -- an' un-evil-like!" Ex-healer beams grandly, warbling over at Pyrene. "Pyreeeene, it's peeerfect! Thankyouthankyouthankyou!"

Pyrene stretches idly, watching the morass of shells. "My... is that it? Just the brown left then?" And Xaner's got a blue on his shoe? Disgusting!

Xaner goes home.

Windswept Clifftop Brown Hatchling sends a tragic look out over the expanse of Sands. One can almost see the wind ruffle his hair. If he had hair and if there was wind in the cavern. But he still sends the look out, and seems to be satisfied for at this point he moves on. Always searching for what he doesn't have. The part of him that is missing. Chiefly stomach filling and the hand that provides it.

Kezenex mouths 'oh' at the Rupa and nods his head, lookign considering. He's not, of course, but he'll give the illusion he is. He most definatly does /not/ need a 'lizzard. He'll be in therapy for year and, ugh, that'll cost so many marks. Er..Right. Bottom line: The Herder doesn't need to suffer. The chores are bad enough. He peers over at Py, "That's it? We're done?" Hopeful? Noo..

Squaln thinks for a moment and wonders why he's doing this again? Well, perhaps Oria and Rhyn would like another flit to hang around with and teach tricks to. Ahem. The candie whistles a Harper's ditty and tears off another piece of the meatroll and tosses it to the little brown. Squaly eyes those who already have flits then concentrates on the little brown before him. "What a 'lil guy.." he says with a smirk.

Pyrene points at the brown. "No, you're meant to be trying to Impress him. Now get to it." Yes. Kezenex must show willing or else Pyrene shall be upset.

Kinecha crouches down, some distance from the rest of the clutch, hatchlings and Candidates, carefully putting the egg down on the Sands as it starts moving in her hands. Frowing, she sits there observing the thing move from side to side. Back and forth. "Well, this is gonna crack soon," she mutters, glancing up at the others. "Pyrene? Got anymore food left?"

Surupa waves her hand towards the little brown, her nose scrunched up. "How long has that one been out and 'bout?" She shakes her head casually, attempting to shrug off the thought of the annoying brown. And how long do they have to stay here? Just... Standing and sweating and-- She isn't wet anymore, at least! "Try an' 'press 'im, Kez." See, that would be a good idea as well, and if she were brave enough she might actually push the other Herder-turned-candidate towards that hatchling. "We won't get off these sands 'til he's 'pressed, right?"

Pyrene casts about her. "Your egg's still not hatched, Necha? There's some scraps over here. Just don't let it hatch too near Kezenex, because he's so eager to Impress one I'm afraid he might knock you over in his haste toget to your egg."

Cristen flip-flops from foot to foot, whining about how the sand's out to get her and they've been out too long already. Pyrene is shuffled slowly over to, and Cristen attempts to look cute and convincing. "Pyreeeeeene. Isn't it time to go and do our chores?" Cough, chores? Well, it's better than frying on the sands before the dragon eggs even -hatch-. It's all good practice, y'know...

Loren starts awake, peering around blearily and slowly rising.

Kezenex goes all wide-eyed at Py and takes, oh, three steps towards it. "But-but...I /am/ trying, see?" The Herder smiles nervously and riffles through his pockets...Ah-ha! Lint! He dangles the lint and tries to make a show of wanting the brown....Rupa recives a glare and a mouthed 'but I don't /want/ him'. He doesn't want any. Grumble grumble. Kez looks sour, even at the goldrider.

Phea divides a meatroll in half -- part for herself, part for the firelizard � creating a conversation with the green, now named Decipia, pleasantly. "Shh, Crissy! I dun' wanna do chores. I wanna dye my hair!" Without waiting for an answer, attention returns to the green before her. "Cuuuuuute."

Well, since Marianne doesn't have any food to hand, having been rushed in here by that bluerider earlier.. and /just/ when she was about to get a bath, too. She watches the little hatchling as he seems to search around the sands with a faint smile on her face before she bends over and curls her hand over itself and waves it about in the air in the vague shape of a strip of meat. There's nothing there.. but the hatchling doesn't know that, does he? Marianne's eyes dance as she looks over to Cristen with a laugh, "/Asking/ for chores? No.. that must be against some candidate rule.. somewhere.."

Squaln tosses the last piece of the remaining meatroll to the brown and digs in his pockets for another part of his lunch. Hmm. What's on the menu.. another meatroll! Same size and everything. Squaly grins and carefully tosses another piece of the sustinence the hungry little flizzen. Aww, how cute.. Cough. Blue optics peer at the small brown and another smirk is shown.

Kinecha eyes the distance between herself and Pyrene, and then they egg once more. "It's still rocking," she notes, then makes a dash for the scraps the goldrider had indicates. She's fast, doncha know? Run. Grab food. Run back. Seeing that they lizard is out of his egg. Stopping dead in her tracks makes the guard-candie fall to her knees in front of the bronze hatchling, making him scramble back. "Don't go... I've food," Necha says, holding out a scrap of meat toward him.

Eyes of the Queen Egg shatters into a thousand fragments, leaving its occupant out in the open.

Edge of the Sands Bronze Hatchling's cries turn joyous, and he turns towards Kinecha, creeling piteously.

Edge of the Sands Bronze Hatchling looks at you with whirling eyes. You have Impressed him.

Surupa waves her hand at Kezenex, eyes narrowing just a moment. "Don' give me that look. I know that you want 'im." And she looks as innocent as possible, glancing from the brown and then back towards all the other candidates that haven't Impressed. As long as she is out of sight from the hatchling and out of.. reach? She gives a soft snicker, waiting to see who is going to Impress him.

Windswept Clifftop Brown Hatchling raises his head dramatically and eyes the lint. Lint? Is that what his world has come to now? Lint! It is all he is worthy of, after his rakish past... no, wait, he has no rakish past. The head flicks disdainfully to one side and he continues on. No lint for him, he seeeks something softer, more haunting, more... absent. Yes, it's Marianne and her invisible meat he latches onto. And by the time he realises his mistake, its too late, and he's stuck with Marianne as a food provider for life.

Windswept Clifftop Brown Hatchling's cries turn joyous, and he turns towards Marianne, creeling piteously.

Pyrene nods solemnly. "Right... that's him taken care of... You got that one, Necha? Good... Now, scat! All of you! I want a nap." Yeah. And no more sweetsticks either.

Squaln escapes the earth-born heat and heads off the sands.

Kezenex frowns at Rupa and sticks his tongue out. Bah! Oh! He suddenly smiles reveaved as the brow impressed. "Good show, ok...We can leave now?" now that all the 'lizzards are impressed the heat is gettign ot the poor boy. He wants off these sands. Grinning, Kez eagerly scats. He wants a nap too...even if he may not get one.

Marianne escapes the earth-born heat and heads off the sands.

Kezenex escapes the earth-born heat and heads off the sands.

Surupa can leave now, and quickly sweeps her hands under herself to pull the towels free from the sand, bouncing off. Pausing before she leave, she actually sends a wave towards Pyrene and then moves off as fast as possible.

Surupa escapes the earth-born heat and heads off the sands.

Edge of the Sands Bronze Hatchling creels as he tumbles toward Kinecha, wings getting in the way as he moves. "Oh, come here," she says, picking up the bronze, a glance going to the goldrider, "she wants us outta here," she whispers to the hatchling as she puts the meat into his mouth. "And I know where to get more meat..."