He wasn't scared, at least, not exactly. Certainly, he was nervous. He knew that today could very well be the day that he came away from the sands as a dragoneer-- or didn't, as the case may be. Either way, the thought filled him with apprehension. Despite that, however, he wasn't exactly scared. More like fascinated. Fascinated by how fully illegal it was that he was standing here, and yet there was more than the thrill of breaking rules -- he also believed that what he was doing was right, and ought to be illegal no more. But would this be the day he bonded a dragon?

The hatching was the first he'd ever seen, so he didn't quite know what to expect. What it wasn't, however, was the festival of darkness and evil that his parents had warned him about. It was quite beautiful, and miraculous too, the way the dragons burst out of their eggs and chose the human who would be their eternal bondmate. Theran desparately wished that one would come to him, as he was sure all the other dragonriders were thinking. Wouldn't it be something, if he bonded a bronze, or a silver. Just imagine the look on his parents face when he returned to Drakken jungle riding on a majestic dragon! They'd probably try to kill him, he thought. But it wasn't just the metalics that fascinated him. The blues and greens who hatched from their shells also drew his attention. He thought maybe his parents might approve more if he bonded a green dragon, after all, green was the dominant color on the flag of Pazarae, so they may be more forgiving. He laughed slightly under his breath at the picture of his mother, hand on hips, saying "Well Theran, you've just committed the ultimate heresy and placed shame on all the family -- but my, it is a lovely color, isn't it?"

When the dragon for him came out of his shell, he knew it immediately. He was a beautiful, pale gold in color, and the most majestic thing he had ever seen. There had already been a gold in this clutch, he hadn't expected to see another. The dragon didn't waste much time before marching straight up to Theran and making the bond.

"What?" Theran asked in surprise. "You really ... want me?"

Come, Th'ran, I am hungry, the dragon said without much ado.

"Food ... right," said the flabbergasted Th'ran. "Well, I guess we'd best be on that."

The dragon ate ravenously, and stopped abruptly when he was full. Th'ran, still in a state of shock, hadn't even touched his own food at the Hatching feast. "So," he said to the dragon, "I never did get your name."

Oh! he said in surprised. My name is Adarashikarith.