The days of late had been clear and bright - and intensely cold. Even the queens in the hatching cavern were starting to feel the chill. Unfortunately, the temperature did nothing to calm their rapidly shortening tempers.
Watch where you're putting your wing!
Watch it!
Hey!!
"Soon, yes?" TyGryph asked, looking up at her aunt.
Jeyann smiled. "Should be any day now, if nothing odd happens."
TyGryph smirked. "Nothing strange ever happens at Ryslen..."
They both laughed.

That night, the weather changed, and a blizzard blew in from the North as though a winter goddess had taken an interest in the immanent hatching. Snow began to fall in large feathery flakes, and by morning everything was covered in a soft blanket of white. It would continue to snow the whole day through, and the sun would not break through the clouds even once.
Other things, however, were planning to break, and very soon. The eggs wobbled slowly in their soft red sand nests, and the queens were suddenly very friendly and agreeable. It was a surprising and sudden change of behavior, but hatchings made everyone happier.

J'lenn scowled past his coffee cup at the group of novos gathered around one of the hearths. "What a freakshow." He muttered.
"Now now." A voice said from behind him, and familiar arms wrapped around his shoulders.
J'lenn set his cup on the table and took the soft paw-hand in his. The searchrider's scowl lightened as he turned his head and nuzzled the vixen who'd wrapped herself around him. "But look at them..." J'lenn said, and Red turned his attention back to her face with a gentle touch.
"Love..."
J'lenn continued to scowl and Red sat down on the bench beside him, flipping her tail into his lap to further distract him. He sighed. "Raesa..." She smiled at him and pushed her hair back. "Raesa, I..." J'lenn faltered. "I..."
Red leaned in close. "You what?" She murmured.
J'lenn folded, leaning forward and burying his face in her neck and hair. He didn't notice that the dining hall had quickly grown quiet. Everyone was gawking at the xenophobic searcher's reactions to the anthropomorphic fox at his side. Red wrapped her arms around him and just held him as he got himself back together.
"I'm sorry." J'lenn whispered into her hair.
"Hmm? I didn't hear you." Red said, and J'lenn sat up.
"I'm sorry Raesa. I've been horrible to you and to Kitlyn."
"Do you mean it, J'lenn?" She asked, her paws on his sturdy shoulders.
"Yes. I'm truly sorry Raesa."
Red leaned forward and kissed him on the forehead. "Then I forgive you."
J'lenn smiled - softly, but he smiled, and took her paw in his and kissed it. "Raesa... I do love you."
A glistening tear rolled down her cheek. "I know J'lenn. I know."
He wiped the tear away gently. "I..."
Red turned her face into his hand and leaned slightly. J'lenn's fingers tangled in her hair, and stopped on the side of her neck. Her eyes closed of their own volition, and her heart pounded. Suddenly the touch was gone and J'lenn rose from the bench. Red opened her eyes and saw him standing before her, hand outstretched.
"My lady..." he said quietly, and Red put her hand in his. She rose with grace and J'lenn embraced her, hugging her tightly in front of Tiyanni and everyone. They didn't exchange another word, but J'lenn took her hand to lead her away.
"It's about time." Tiyanni said softly, and someone began to clap. The searchrider and the fox left to enthusiastic applause.

The next day began early, and Ryslen residents and guests moved into the immense hatching grounds shortly after breakfast. Fanyaramaremea zealously guarded her eggs, though most of the other mothers had taken up prominent places on the ledges. Senorith hadn't, but no one in their right mind wanted to argue with her.
The first egg literally shattered, pieces of shell thinner and harder than fine porcelain flew outward as the young dragon thrust her way into the world. Her hide shone in the liquid prism colors of Jiyan's lineage - clearly Haeriyaan's daughter then, and otherwise she looked very much like her mother Shekaioliath. She was quite large, and would be more than a match for any bronze. She moved with grace impressive for a newly hatched dragon, and walked directly to one of the novos - to one who was quite comfortable wearing white robes; one who was accustomed to magic and one who was most pleased with the rainbows of color that played on - or was it in? - the hatchling's hide. Prinsápe waited, staff in hand, as the hatchling came towards her. "Her name is Kirania." The white mage said, looking from her bond to the two men at her side, her brother Aditani and the Dark Mage Marnel.
"She's gorgeous, Prinsápe." Aditani said. Marnel smiled but said nothing.
The next eggs cracked together, and two of Rhiava's offspring came into the world together. If it weren't for the glitzy Hathian traits in them, the two would look nothing alike. One was a copper-silver blend of Glitz and his face was strongly Hathian. His brother, also glitzy, was stocky and his eyepieces had become less noticeable. He bore striking black and cobalt blue stripes over a silvery white base. The two brothers moved ahead together with their chosen novos conveniently together. A few steps away, Lunesi grinned as the two closed on their quarry.
Eltoln. The striped one bespoke his rider, who spoke his name aloud. "Vajuth."
"Vareth?" Aveltol queried. The coppery one reared up onto his hind legs and pawed the air.
Yes! Precisely! Vareth exclaimed.
"They have matching names?" Someone murmured.
Nevertheless Vare' and Vaj' and their respective riders made their way off the sands to where their first meal awaited them.
The next egg to crack was one of Fanya's. The egg rolled over onto its side and split in half. From the shell came a modest sized hatchling. White and blue, and very Avengaean. His paws were big and on his front wrists were spurs - remnants of his mother's wing-arms. He got to his feet, took a look around the sands and then looked to his mother in inquiry.
His name is Mico Ramaya. Fanyaramaremea said. He will not bond.
"Micoramaya..." The scribe began.
"Two words. Mico. Ramaya." An incredibly pale man with green eyes and light hair said - Frux, the Avengaean dragon in his human form. He rose and went out onto the edge of the sands. "Come over here Mico." He called, and quietly the hatchling came to his sire for some comfort. Hatching was rough enough, even without an audience. Fanya' seemed pleased with her firstborn, and Frux didn't seem displeased either.
Across the sands, one of Senorith's eggs - the larger of the two - broke open forcefully. From the shell came a bronzed white dragonet. He - for the hatchling was undeniably male - was a beautiful blending of his parents' distinctive looks. He marched directly across the sands and when his chosen novo didn't acknowledge him, he knocked her off her feet.
Amanni yelped in surprise and protest. "What did you do that for, Darcevoth?! Oh shells. Darcevoth!"
The bronze looked smug. Very much so. He didn't know it, but someday they'd know. Darcevoth's impression on Amanni was the first time a bronze ever chose a female on Ryslen's sands.
The next egg snapped with a resounding pop and a purple RysHathian tumbled out onto the sands, and flung open her wings for balance. Bronze. Her wingsails were bronze. She looked around the sands and focused on a young woman who was most uncomfortable on the hot sands.
Khaldiah... The purple-bronze hatchling cried as she picked herself up off the sands again. The half ice demon met her dragon halfway.
From Ishrym's trio of eggs came an icy blue hatchling. She had small but cute almost feathered-looking wings. They wouldn't support her in flight, but they didn't need to. Her sire was one of the magical easterns. She bounced cheerfully across the sands to an elf with honey blond hair.
Taryim. The hatchling whispered her name.
"Welcome Tariym." Morning glory said, accepting the bond whole-heartedly. Her dragon-riding kin would be so happy.
Two wing-armed hatchlings emerged from behind Ayazith's flank. One Black-Silver and the other White-Silver. They both had fuchsia-purple on their wingsails. They had no interest whatsoever in the novos, and the only interest they had in each other was as chew toys. The hatchlings fought with each other until their mother put her paw out and separated them.
The black is Caersivath, the white Jevienth. Loyenth relayed to the scribe.
The next egg to hatch - or rather explode - yielded a dark lavender hatchling. She had her black and white sire's double wings, and a very compact build. It was immediately evident that she'd be quite muscular. Her wingsails were black as night. She charged towards the novos, and while some sidestepped out of her path, one did not. Amarai waited. The purple-black hatchling misstepped and effectively bellyflopped and slid to a stop before the half elf, half drow.
"Illiamth...?" She queried, and the hatchling looked up at her with adoring faceted eyes.
Another egg spider-webbed and cracked open as the inhabitant pushed. He (for the hatchling would prove to be male) was angular and white like his sire Noocith and duo-rainbow-winged like his mother Attanaltath. Two boys - identical twin half-elves - would soon find themselves under his scrutiny. The snow-white hide intrigued them both, but only one of them intrigued him.
Falthan knelt and scratched the rainbow-winged white. He could feel a connection to the dragon - through his brother! "Vanien? He's..."
Pyr, the bronze firelizard chirruped and dug his tiny talons into Vanien's shoulder. "Ouch!" He yelped, and Falthan had to tug on his brother's sleeve to get his attention back.
"He's yours."
Vanien looked down and met the dragon's rainbow faceted eyes. "Deirotaci."
For one long heartbeat, Falthan was jealous. Then, he was sprawled on the sands with a second duowinged dragon perched on his chest. He exhaled forcefully with the sudden weight of the hatchling. "Hh....!"
Deirotaci head-butted his half-brother. Get off. You're squishing him.
Am not! The rainbow-prism hatchling retorted, but moved off the boy.
"Maeritaan." Falthan said, naming his bond. The twins and their rainbowy half-brother dragons were quick to exit the sands. The healers would corner Falthan momentarily to check if he had any broken ribs.
Meanwhile, a third RysHathian had broken shell - he was blue and bluer. With singleminded intensity, he stalked his prey. Taeson had his eyes on a larger egg, and the blue slipped under his radar. He was oblivious until the hatchling forcefully planted his paws in Taeson's midsection. I'm Wabith. You're mine.
A silvery-white hatchling pushed out of its shell and then lay on the sand for a moment before getting to its feet. The biped took a few staggering steps. Airyu laughed in her way at the irony - that she, a winged quadreped would bond a winged biped. Are you making it okay, Arastyath?
Yeah. The hatchling replied, stumbling a little. She was clearly of Lantessama stock - Winter Sonasteth was her mother, and white Lanthirth her sire.
Creesath and Sploth let out simultaneous excited bugles as one of their eggs split. From the egg rose a blue-spotted white. He moved forwards on short legs, but quickly found the scent and trotted towards his chosen.
The fox kaetif froze. The dragon was... coming towards... him! Something inside him yelled "run!" and something else squealed "hide!" And a third voice spoke in his mind. Oh please don't run...
"...?!?..." Darius opened and closed his mouth a few times before he found his voice. "Sevarth?"
That's me. The Pernese white-blue said. Hi.
A more spherical egg rolled over and cracked into pieces. The hatchling let out an indignant cheep. She was a creamy color, and her wings were the nearly-naked arms of a featherwinged dragon. In addition, she sported silver Hathian eyepieces and what would become a split horn with a gem like her father Rindel-Syaess sported. She rose from the sand and snapped at the novos who tried to help her. She was already showing signs of her fierce independence.
"Tamrai." Natalie admonished instinctively. The Alter-Earth businesswoman never had a second thought. Her blue firelizard chirruped pleasantly at the newborn dragon.
The scribe noted it down - Cream Tamrai Syaess & Natalie Shears.
Several eggs broke open at once, as they were apt to do, revealing a large silver, a svelte lavender, and a spotted blue. They were all different. The spotted blue showed his Talor descent, and the sivler had natural armor that shone in pastel rainbow hues like his wingsails. The lavender was the most stunning, naturally. Her build was more sinuous than the average Ryslen dragon, and she bore rainbow markings on her limbs, a combination of Tebriniath's Siamese 'points' and Sedorian's spectral hide. She was the first of them to head for the novos - and she went without hesitation to a young woman who had lost everything but her brother.
Anyka, I am Ystorianth. The Icelander nearly shone with her joy.
The blue, curious about everything, took his time getting to the novos. When he got there, however, his seemingly random wandering put him right beside a youth who found little to delight about in snow. Galad looked at the blue and felt as though he was bathed in warm southern sun; loved?! The dragon's name was the only word he uttered. "Baeroneth."
The last of that trio, perhaps the most impressive with his Rayllomian looks, took his time surveying the young people presented to him. Too weak. Too small. Too girly... He'd long since chosen, of course, but he had an inborn desire to see all the possible sides and choices before taking action.
"Choose already." The tiger Ajit-Amar growled under his breath. The dragons were always toying with him, it seemed.
But I have chosen. The dragon said directly to him, and it seemed as though he was a solid rock in the storm of Ajit-Amar's life.
"Imaranth; Strength." He said, accepting the bond fully.
Like the tiger-shifter, Ulrich had been bullied by the dragons - bullied into standing as a novo on the hatching day. Though he'd sworn he'd never again set foot on those sands. Johan, the jewel lycan, lounged in the warm sand with a few small gems hidden beneath his paws. His smugness made Ulrich scowl. As if that were the cue, Senorith's second egg broke apart, revealing a steel-silver and blue dragon. He was easily the size of a bronze hatchling, and given his mother's power and confidence, he would be a dragon to look up to.
Why did she name him Ekramth?! Ulrich asked himself.
Smug amusement washed over his mind - with love!? Ulrich, my bond... The large metallic blue Ekramth said as he approached. Ulrich could feel the block vanish, but the hatchling's irreversible connection to his mind was compulsion enough to stay... for now.
Ayazith watched as her third egg opened slowly and deliberately. From within the creamy shell came a blue-white dragon with purple on his sails, just like his siblings before him. I'm Trilanyeth! He declared and bounded off unbonded.
On the other side of the sands, an egg grew - or rather expanded optically before breaking apart. From the shattered remnants of the shell, a blue hatchling stood. He was tall and had a prominent crest and on his tail was not a spade, but it still had something very bladelike and Lantessaman about it. The hatchling was as blue as his mother, and bipedal like Lanthirth. As he approached the novos, he caught the memory of a long cold ride down the tallest hill.
Kumiya opened his eyes and looked into the eyes of the icy blue dragon, and the rapport between them was like a refreshing breath of cool air. "Wirianth." He said with a smile.
A green was next on the scene - and not just any green. She was one of Fanya's, and despite the piece of shell plastered to the top of her head, she still was breathtaking. Certainly she'd be choosing the diamond... The second Ramaya hatchling moved directly towards a woman whose thoughts were of making a quality life for her child. Beyeni? The hatchling queried and the mother looked to the newborn.
"Hansha." It was surprise; shock. Call it enlightenment.
That pale dragonet was followed by one quite unlike her. His hide was a dark copper, and his wingsails were pitch black - on all four wings. The strong hatchling walked past a few strong novos, but stopped before a young man who seemed to be cloaked in shadow. You're hiding. The hatchling stated.
Marnel looked at the copper duowing. "Maybe I was hiding. But you found me, Devlanth." There was pleasure and pride in his voice.
The twenty-fifth hatchling was... another of Fanya's clutch. The milky white hatchling was just that. White. On his forehead was the crest of the Syaess clan - the forked 'horn' and pure white gem. He... for this was the first male white in four Flurries... looked around the sands and then up at his mother. He mewled at her, and Fanya' nudged him forwards. The novos were more than half gone. There were fourteen youths before him - not that the hatchling could count them! - and another twenty-five eggs hatching behind him.
Two more eggs cracked, and two RysHathians came out onto the sands. One was a silver and blue glitz and the other a purple of Ersleth's line. She was the first to move, choosing a wood carver who knew the meaning of quality work. Iselmi! I am Kiroleth!
The silver-blue was just as swift to choose. Toregan looked at the bright wintry colors of the hatchling for a long moment before speaking his name: "Proinyth."
Life is Unfair. an older novo thought to himself, and looked at the younger males on either side of him. They would make fine dragonriders.
And you? A voice spoke softly in his mind.
Juinyiir blinked and looked down at the hatchling before him. "Koiri Syaess, I presume?" He said with a soft smile.
What's 'presume'? Koiri asked, then was immediately distracted by the willowwhisp Beradensarok. OooH! Shiny!
The draconic geomancer knelt before the white, touching his nose with one finger to get his attention. "Why me, little one? Surely one of these young men..."
No. You. Koiri said, leaning into Juinyiir's unintentional caress.
"Why?" He repeated with a sigh.
Because. The hatchling insisted.
Berdie was a bare glimmer in his peripheral vision - and coming towards this little tableau was another dragon, this one a silvery-white with wings of sunset hues. Juinyiir's eyes went wide, then closed. Not a double bond...! He could hear the whisp laughing.
Pelarranth chooses Berdie. Koiri told him. I'm hungry.
From the shelter of Shekaolia's nest came two hatchlings. One had hide that swirled in warm tones like his sire Haeriyaan, and the other was a beautiful starry-white-gold. Both looked like their mother, but the female was quite obviously Garetth's daughter. Together the half-siblings moved towards a pair of novos who were, in fact, former angels. The warm colored male chose Marosim, and the cool-gold chose Marosia.
"His name is Zekiaan." Marosim told his sister.
"Hers is Zebeyth." Marosia replied. They were quite content, it seemed.
The last of Ayazith's eggs broke open, and the blue hatchling walked out on all fours. Anxiously she watched as he moved towards the novos - none of his siblings had bonded, and she feared that he would also be alone. When he bounded towards the doorway, she feared her heart would break - until she heard his voice.
Soren! Why weren't you on the sand!?
The ice demon looked down at the RysHathian and tentatively touched the horns on his muzzle. "It is too hot for us in there, Iheborth!"
Lorwin, his sister, nodded confirmation of this.
Meanwhile, three eggs had gone to pieces, leaving a short-legged copper splotched white standing with a tiny winged serpentine copper and an amber-striped glitzy white. The splotched one trotted right out and stopped before a young noble who had patiently waited while more than half of the huge clutch hatched instead of running out to adore his father and uncle's dragons as some youths might have. Lunesi, my name is Haritoth.
The other copper was also male, and did not bond, much as his sire Naphredeari had not bonded. His name, the records would show, was Licymri.
The Glitzy one, though she was part Hathian, took more after her sire Thtayjuth. She was built like a Darkling Dawn dragon. She went directly to a young mage who was one of the last novos to arrive.
"You are Nadalijuva?" Ellyra queried, and the glitzy one confirmed it with a bugle. Ellyra's companion smiled at the newly bonded. Could a golem bond such a wonderful creature?
One of Airgeaceth's eggs finally broke open, hers being the only undisturbed clutches by this point, and a slate blue duowing hatchling with a bit of silver fuzz for a mane tumbled out onto the sands. She wandered around the sands as though she were lost, and then wandered out. Her name is Ekasi'sannaji. She will not bond. Airgeaceth' said tiredly to the scribe as a second of her eggs fell to pieces before her eyes.
This one held a black duowing with silver stripes and the characteristic tri-horns of a Spirit dragon. He looked out on the world, and deliberately made his way to the palest novo. You will tell me your name. He said to her.
She smiled at him. She'd even refused to name herself for Prima Jeyann. Why should a hatchling dragon deserve such a thing? "In time, Desec'tiraju. Everything in time." The contrasting pair made their way out of the sands.
The fourth and final egg of Ersleth and Obioleth's clutch broke with a sound like fine china hitting the floor. From the sharp shards came a blue RysHathian with green wingsails. Immediately afterwords, a pearly-cream duowing with wild color-shifting wings burst out of her shell. The two made for the exit only to find their way blocked by Yranelle, the gypsy dancer, and Lowin, the ice demoness who she'd finally persuaded to return to the sands.
There you are! The RysHathian exclaimed, and Lorwin stared.
"Letheranth?"
That's my name! She giggled.
The duowing looked up at Yranelle. I am Nieranta.
The smallest egg of the entire clutch belonged to Fanya'. Some had speculated that it would contain a white, considering that old story about the runt white, but when the cracks finally became gaps large enough to let the hatchling out, he was exhausted. A feathery white-blue eastern-type, who would be far smaller than his cream sister, but would be the perfect size for IceCap.
The elf was startled into looking directly into the pure blue eyes of his bond.
You have another name. And you have mine.
"Welcome, Irathe Syaess." The elf said, joining his companion where he lay resting after his birth struggle.
The last of Creesath and Sploth's eggs hatched with no fanfare. Like his brothers, he was white splotched with color - and his color was bronze. He'd be quite large when he reached maturity; large and in charge. I am Melidoth. I will not bond.
A largish egg broke open, spilling a beautiful hatchling onto the sands. Her hide shone in cold and liquid hues - another masterpiece by Haeriyaan. She sleepily strolled out and looked over the bonders. Tala. Her voice was like the subtle music of windchimes on a spring day.
"Her name is Razania." Tala announced to the world. Wouldn't Caer Brynmor be surprised?
The erratic wobbling of Fanya's last egg drew many eyes. From the broken shell came one final Light-hybrid. He was pure white from skullcap to eyes to his fluffy tail. He took one step and fell face first into the soft sand. Clumsiness was common in hatchlings, this day, it seemed. Dark eyes watched as the hatchling got to his feet and set out again, not discouraged in the slightest. There were only eight eggs after his, and there were four novos left - three males and a female. And the white wanted nothing to do with them. What he wanted was ten feet tall and had blue and gray scales. The Founders had an odd sense of humor, it seemed.
I am Niteo Ramaya. The child-dragon said quite clearly. You are Finatrevaillent Sesscatiem.
"I am." Said the Miscelm Elemental. "How did you know all that?"
The hatchling seemed to shrug. You do. He offered cryptically. Fin' couldn't find any reason to argue that, and was soon following the half-Light dragon out of the warm hatching sands towards where food awaited.
Aditani waited. What more could he do? Patience... An egg relatively near him (considering how few there were left) gave a final rock and spilled a sunset-winged dragon onto the sands. He was about the size of an average brown hatchling, but he was blue and gray. "Catreanth." He murmured to himself. The word had just come to him from nowhere. No, from the dragon.
Yes? The blue-gray queried, now looking directly with him with rainbow-faceted eyes.
"You're my..."
Yes. the dragon replied. Catreanth.
A blue dragon burst from his shell like a ray of sun breaking through heavy clouds. Indeed, like a rainbow, for his paws were marked with them. Serpentine and quite graceful, he exited without a glance at the novos. His name is Arianeth. Tebriniath conveyed quite casually to the scribe.
The next to shell was a gold-striped silver of Airgeaceth's brood. She too had the tri-horns of her Spirit ancestors, and the build of her sire. She looked at the novos in succession, mewling at Talm-dai and Yannick before heading for - no, past Rashei.
"What is she looking for?" Cedric murmured to his daughter and her bonded. Deborah grinned at Purpurea.
"Deb? She says her name is... I'm not a bonder!" Cedric Falken found himself standing.
"You're certainly not." Tiyanni said as she came down the stairs to where he was. "You're now a Tiro - a trainee. Go meet your bond before she hurts herself."
Even Cedric would have to admit he'd met his match in Tiyanni. The 'grandmother' of Nidus Ryslen winked at Deborah as Cedric made his way down to the sands and his silver-gold bond.
"He didn't tell us her name." Deborah half-pouted.
Purpurea smirked. "You didn't hear? She had to shout before he'd admit to hearing her. She's called Niya'tkaraji."
A large and almost armored-looking blue was next. He bore the pastel rainbow of his mother quite proudly. Yannick was oddly pleased to see the dragon coming towards him. To see Myreinyth coming towards him. What a pleasant surprise.
The next egg yielded a blue-brown with the cute little wings. Eymri. He said, that being his name, and promptly walked out.
That left two eggs and two novos. The more round of the two eggs fell open after its occupant gave one last determined shove. There was something about the way the black half-drak moved that suggested a bear waking from hybernation - or was that wishful thinking on Talm-dai's part? His mane was the orangy red of fire, and his horns a pale golden shade.
Say my name; then we eat. The hatchling prompted.
"Gannonaji." The urseal-shifter said, gathering the hatchling to her. He was too big to carry, but she carried him anyway.
Rahsei smiled at that, and at the last egg. It was all too perfect - just him and the egg. Considering that a fifth of the clutch had gone bondless, the odds weren't all too good anymore. The shell gave way under pressure from silver paws, and as the duowing emerged and showed his spectral wings to the world, he spoke.
I am yours, Rashei. I am Ventaocith.
Funny how things have a way of working out.