It was early morning... too early for the sun to have risen yet. Enia couldn't sleep. She was worried once again. The eggs, Dimaneth's eggs, were about to hatch and she didn't know what to do. Suppose it was too soon for anyone to have woken up yet...

A bugle rang through the misty air. Through the mist that would soon make the dew, Enia could see Portath on his ledge, bugling frantically. Enia threw on a robe - over her nightshirt, it was the only thing she had time to put on. Dashing down to the sands was hard on her just barely awake body. But she had to. After all, it was her gold's eggs that were hatching.

She took her seat beside Lilia, staring out onto the sands that were only lit by a single torch that the dragons themselves lit before they slept. The sun would soon break through the mist and make the morning complete. "Did I miss anything thus far?" asked Enia, shaking with fear and anticipation. Lilia smiled and shook her head. Enia knew that Dimaneth felt as stressed as she was right now.

The eggs rocked slightly, and suddenly one shattered into fragments of the shell. A tiny green sat there, gazing bemusedly out at the candidates who filed into the Sands. What to do? she thought over and over. Dimaneth nudged her daughter, only succeeding in making her trip over something and fall face first in the sand. It stuck to her newborn hide, still covered in egg-fluid. She sighed, and suddenly one candidate's thoughts told her what to do.

Pez, I choose you. I am Imareth. Happy you will be; a greenrider of Pern!
"Actually, I'm from Danach," replied Pez with a smile. She scooped the green up and walked off the sands to get Imareth fed.

Two eggs split in unison, revealing a bronze and a blue. The bronze quickly chose Alain, propping himself up to stand on his hind legs. Apparently, I'm supposed to introduce myself. I can't think of anything else to say. My name's Namaeth, nice to meet you.
"Namaeth," said the new bronzerider. "You're perfect..."

He led his bronze off the Sands to feed him. Meanwhile, the blue had only made it halfway out of his egg. Suddenly, as if something had pushed him, he tumbled out of the egg that was left. And then a second blue tumbled out after the first!

"Twins!" gasped Enia and a low murmur ran through the crowd. The blues, flicking their eyes to the spectators and then back to their golden mother, squeaking in utter confusion. Dimaneth could be heard by Enia, her soothing voice soothing her rider. You are here to Impress to your chosen; my sons. Be not afraid to pick yours. Remember my words, little blues, and pay no heed to the higher ranking dragons. You will be the perfect lifemates to someone here...

The blues warbled, looked at each other and the candidates, and then scampered forward, smashing into their chosen.

"Oof..." said one, looking at the blue at his feet.
Hello Jakthor. I'd like to introduce myself; I'm Ewernith.
"Ewernith, hm?" replied Jakthor with a smile. "Come now. We'll get you fed and oiled so you don't itch. You are mine."
Glad I could make your acquaintance.

The other blue, meanwhile, picked Skor, soon sitting on his stomach. My mother says to pay no heed to the higher ranking; and neither shall you. Be with me, Skor, and you shall not need bronze or brown. I am Inreweth, Skor. You are forever my bond.
"Inreweth, yer better than 'em all..." was all anyone could hear of the young man before he picked up his bond and walked with him off the Sands.

A break in the hatching followed, and Enia brought in a drink for herself. Clean spring water hit the spot in the morning. Dimaneth crooned to her babies.
"Maybe they won't hatch now," said Enia hopefully. She wanted a rest. "Good hatching so far, though."

Many spectators left to grab a quick snack, and even the candidates decided to have a break. But then, shortly after this happened...

A crack snapped everyone back to attention. Two eggs smashed into each other, leaving a pile of shards and two very confused and dizzy greens. Their eggs had obviously rolled to each other. Catching a glance of her sister, one green asked stealthily, Which of those do you want?

Hm. Are you just asking so that you can get my bond? I'd rather not tell.
You're pretty smart for a little sister, said the first green, smirking. I'm going to choose...

Three girls... difficult as it was, the green chose Pricilla who had been not paying attention to the whole thing but fidgeting with the buttons on her dress. Her black firelizard, Morgana, chirped at the dragon and then her owner.
Priciiiiiiilllllllaaaa! Look at me, I'm heeeerrrrreeee!
"Oh..." said Pricilla, looking down at the green hatchling. "Of course I want you, Yemth. If that's what you were thinking."
How'd you guess? laughed Yemth, gently headbutting her rider. Come on. I am hungry, very hungry!

She's rude, isn't she? The second green asked Minta. But oh well, never mind her. I have you! My name, Minta, is Akanith. And I am so, so hungry, can we eat now?
Minta smiled. "Of course, Akanith. Let's go and eat before your sister gets all the food."

The last two eggs, the gold and the last normal egg, rocked only slightly. Would they Hatch? Would all the Candidates go happy?

The Queen egg gave a mighty lurch and it suddenly cracked open, shards flying everywhere. The junior queen looked at her mother and squeaked. Dimaneth nudged her daughter forward. The gold dragonet gave a warble of confusion, but strode up to Ata quite willingly.

Many a dragon will be on these Sands for generations. But you shall not have to come here again. I am Quinreth, and I will help you. You shall fly on my wings, and you will be happy forevermore. And I am also hungry. May we go now?

Ata didn't know what to say. But suddenly, her dumbfounded face broke out into tears of joy and a grin. "Oh, Quinreth. I am so grateful to you..."
Why are you crying, rider-mine?
"Quinreth... I'm just so happy that you came for me." She said it slowly, and then she laughed and led Quinreth off the Sands to get her some food. Only the best for a queenrider.

The last egg did not move.

"Maybe it won't hatch," sighed Enia.

The last male candidate dejectedly walked off the sands, but he was almost outside of the Sands when a murmur ran through the crowd again, like when the two twin blues hatched. He turned and saw the fragments of an egg lying there. And there, in the sand, was a tiny bronze, searching for him.

"Odyseuth! I'm here," he said, getting down to his knees to hug the bronze.
Thank you, Luc. Do not worry, I will grow. And when I do we will fight together and be the best Threadfighters on the entire planet!
"I know, Odyseuth. I know. Now let's get you some food. We want you to grow fast."

A warble from the bronze; and then the newest pair walked away, into the rising sun of Starburst.

And so ended Dimaneth's hatching. Their flight may have been short, but Enia had a better surprise than the blue twins of Dimaneth's clutch...

Enia sighed, relieved. "Well, Dimaneth. That went well. And those twins - "

I know. I wanted to tell you before, but I love it when you're surprised. And I know that my daughters and sons will grow to be like me and my mate; Portath.

"Well said, Dimaneth," said Enia, some tears of joy trickling down her cheeks. T'kel embraced his weyrmate. "Enia, you said you had a surprise for me?"
Enia blushed a bit, but she smiled and put her hand on her stomach. "I'm pregnant! Twins, can you believe it?"

"Just like Dimaneth, love. Just like her."

Hey, look. Here come Kalimith and Tallarth. They'll take the sands now. We'd better leave.
Come, Dimaneth. Take your rider, I'll take mine and let's go home. Our hatching has ended; we deserve some rest.

Dimaneth took Enia on her back and Portath took T'kel, and the gold and bronze pair flew to their dorms.