I stumbled out onto the hatching grounds and wrapped my cloak around me
feeling unusually cold.  Even though the hot sands burned through my skimpy
sandles.  I looked at the white mound of eggs and the huge metallic violet
dragon standing over them protectively.  I staggered back when the queen
turned her harsh gaze on me.  I fell back into M'lent.

>Whoa boy you don't have anything to worry about she is just looking over
>the canadates and approving of them.
Just as he said this a daring boy roamed to close to the eggs and the great
dragon stared the boy down with blazing eyes.  The boy colapsed under the
unwaning stare and a spasam wracked his body.  M'lent winced then two women
bustled over whispered comforting words to the boy and led him off the hot
sands.  At that moment my heart became clenched with fear and my knees
buckle.  I fell to the sand just as I had fallen to the ground when Chatlin
was torn to shreds by wild dragons.  But this wave of fear passed when I
felt a warm hand on my shoulder.  I turned to see a woman M'lent refer to
as Naomi the Warren Lady.  I got up digusted with my weakness and brushed
myself off.

>Hello Corrin Naomi said glancing at M'lent to make sure she had gotten the
>name right.

>H-i, I stuttered still mad at myself.

>  You should get ready she said.  The hatching is starting.


One of the eggs at the top of the pile began to rock.  I walked over to the
pile with the rest of the canidates as a green with flecks of purple here
and there emerged.  I young girl ran up and yelled loudly,

>Her name his Pitrova!!!

 Happy for the girl but still anxious about the hatching I walked closer to
the pile as two other eggs rocked.  The dragonets emerged at the same time
but found other riders in the canidates.  Slowly each of the dragonettes
hatched and found riders until there were two left.  Myself and about
fourteen other canidates gathered around the two eggs knowing only two of
us would walk away with a small dragon to take care of.  I waited eagerly
while the eggs rocked feeling the tention all around me.  Then I heard a
small voice say in the back of my head.

>*I'm Ryloth.*

I stepped foreward towards the two eggs knowing I was chosen but not
knowing which egg held the dragon.  I ran up along with a little girl who
looked to be only 12.  I still couldn't tell so I ripped open one and a
amber dragon emerged.  It looked at me as if confused then saw the little
girl and stumbled over and just made it into her arms.  I looked from the
happy sight over to the other egg.  I ripped the top part off and saw one
golden eye look out at me.

>*Hello Corrin* I heard the small dragon say.

>*Do you need help* I asked.

>*No* just as he said that the egg shuddered and cracked revealing a
>perfectly snow white dragon with golden eyes.

He turned to look at his mother then turned back to me and broke into his
version of a run.  His clumbsy body tripped itself and sent him flying and
he hit ground right in front of me.  I grabbed him in my arms and shouted

>His name is Ryloth!!!!




>>>>At the feast<<<<

I fed and washed off Ryloth and then he fell into a deep sleep.  I didn't
want to leave him and I certainly was tired too but for some reason I
couldn't sleep.  So I walked into the festival hall just in time to see
M'lent point towards me and walk over with some girl.  By the way M'lent
talked to her I could tell she was a rider.  When she walked over I greeted
M'lent.

>Hi I said flustered over the nights events.

>Hello C'rrin, as your new name goes he said.  This is Soliel she was eager
>to meet you because being a rider herself and she hasn't gotten to know
>any one so she thought she'd start out with some one her age.

>Hello Soliel I said.

I consentrated hard and I could feel her thoughts Shy Alone but Happy.

>Hello C'rrin she said lowering her head.

Though I had gone from where Ryloth slept I wanted to go back there intensly now

>*Then come back you can bring her and she can see me and you could see her
>dragon*

>*Thanks but arne't you asleep*

>*I'm not that lazy* he said hurt.

>*Alright Ryth* I said his nickname smoothly.  Ryth that sounds good I said.

When I flicked back to my atmosphere I saw Soliel turning away.

>Why don't we go back to my quarters and you can meet Ryloth and maybe I
>could see your dragon........

>Firen she said quickly realizing I didn't know the name.  Red Gold Non
>Metallic.

I could tell she was about to decline when she got the faraway look in her
eyes that meant she was talking to her dragon.

>All right she said.

We walked briskly through the warren and when we came to my door I warned,

>*We're coming in*

>* Allright*  Ryloth said casually.

>Right here I motioned.

I opened the door and walked over to where Ryloth lay his golden eyes shining.

>Oh he's darling she exclaimed and went over to pet him.

>*Does she have to pet me* Ryloth groaned.

>*Come on Ryth*  I said pleadingly.

>*Alright* he gave in.

>He's lovely and his eyes I've never seen eyes like that on a dragon.
>Except Firen she has these molten silver eyes they shine like his.

It almost seemed that this was a different girl than the one that he had
seen in the dining hall.

>Would you like to see Firen she exclaimed.

>Sure I said.

We walked out Ryloth following his small claws scraping across the floor.
We came to a door and she opened it.  I walked in.  It was dark but on the
other side of the room I could see two silver pools of light staring at me.

Soliel turned on the light.

>She isn't metallic!!!!!I gasped. She looks pretty metallic to me.  If you
>hadn't told me I would have thought that she was a queen.

Firen's gold practically vanished and she turned deep red.  Her form of a
blush.  I yawned.

>I think I'm going to go back to my quarters.  It was nice meeting you. I said.

>It was nice meeting you too. she said.

>*Looks like you made your first friend* Ryloth said.

As we walked into my room and went to bed I said.

>*Yes I guess so*

I heard Ryloth give a sigh of contentment then he fell asleep.