"The dragons are hatching!"

 The Dragonlady's voice cut through the conversations in the Banquet Hall 
of Keldarra Warren.  Suddenly, all was chaos.  Hedda observed it all and 
remembered back to when she was a candidate, many ages ago when she had 
joined with Lannith.  It seemed so long ago, even though it had only been 
five years.  

 Hedda noticed one person going away from the hatching grounds, in 
opposition with the rest of the crowd.  She could hardly hear or 
understand anything with everybody talking at once, in addition to all 
the dragons trumpeting.

 She followed Wynn outside, to a ledge in the cool night air.  She 
shivered a bit in her dress, but stayed back.  The sounds from the 
Hatching reached her, even here.  The cheers as dragon found human, and 
both began a bond that would last for life.  

 Lannith's voice came to her.  <Why are you not watching the hatching?>  
Hedda replied, in her mind, "I'm worried about this one."  

 Then, something stumbled into her foot, falling down.  The little black 
hatchling picked itself up again, keening miserably.  Hedda resisted the 
urge to comfort it, knowing why it had made it's way out here.  There was 
a dragon for Wynn after all.  She silently made her way back into the 
Warren, pausing only briefly to look back as human and dragon made 
contact, and Wynn discovered that he would never be alone again.
 
*********

 Hedda made her way back to the Hatching grounds.  It was over now, she 
observed from the doorway.  She saw that all of the serchlings she had 
met at the banquet had found their dragons.  Evelle and David Swordson 
were among them.  It had been a good evening for all.

 Hedda made note of all of the serchlings that would be the next combat 
riders for Keldarra Warren.  She hoped she would have a chance to talk to 
all of them, give them some of her experience in combat riding.  Of 
course, the only real way to gain training in combat riding is to ride in 
combat, but a little instruction before hand would help them a lot.

 She made note to talk to M'ressan about it.  

 She knew she had found a home now.  She had found a place where she 
would be accepted for who she was.  And, if she proved herself here, she 
might have a chance at commanding a wing, something that had been denied 
to her at Falagand.  

 Another mental note.  She would have to talk to Christalla about that 
place.  If any Warren was likely to cause her trouble now that the 
Wraiths were back, it would be Falagand Warren.  

 Lannith spoke. <The Hatching is over.  I am glad I was able to see it.>

 Hedda's thoughts went back to Wynn and the black hatchling on the 
ledge.  "Yes, it was a beautiful sight.  I am glad we were here for it.  
I have decided we will stay."

 Respectfully submitted,
 Hedda,
 Rider of Lannith, female red,
 Of Keldarra Warren (finally!  *grin*)

 NRPG:  Looks like Hedda's found a home.  *grin*