Tilleniva was chasing Seabright around her weyr when she heard the humming. It was deep, almost below hearing level, but she knew exactly what it meant. The eggs were Hatching!

Quickly Tilleniva pulled on her white Candidate garment and rushed down to the Grounds. None too soon, for the eggs were rocking furiously. Tilleniva took her place with the girls converged loosely around the great golden queen egg. She busied herself with staring at the hot sand, not daring to look up.

Something bumped Tilleniva's knee abruptly. "Sorry..." she mumbled, then realized what it was that had knocked into her. A huge (for a hatchling, anyhow) green-white dragon was sitting at her feet. Tilleniva's face broke into an unbelieving smile of elation. "Her name is Sevith!" she announced proudly.

Tilleniva watched intently as Sevith glided smoothly down to the Feeding Pens. The green-white dragon looked back at her rider once, before leaping for one of the smaller herdbeasts. Tilleniva smiled and sent a profusion of mental reassurance to her dragon.

Sevith dove for the smallest herdbeast but lost her grip, claws raking bloody furrows down the animal's back. With an alarmed squawk, she jumped back hastily, tripping over the fence and landing flat on her snout with a yelp.

Tilleniva ran over as fast as she could, rubbing her dragon's eyeridges and overflowing with condolence. "There there, my love, don't worry. It was good for a first try!" she murmured into Sevith's warm, muscled neck. But there was blood! I don't like blood! the young weyrling exclaimed, frightened. "Shh, shh, it's all right. You're fine, you're fine. Come, we'll go back to the Barracks now. You can try again later!" Tilleniva said soothingly, her arm around Sevith's gleaming neck as they made their way towards the Weyrling Barracks.

Sevith swooped in for the kill, talons outstretched. She deftly snatched up the herdbeast and broke its neck cleanly, settling down nearby to eat.

Tilleniva smiled, not bothered by the sight of her dragon feeding, and admired her lifemate. Sevith was as big as any queen, but far more lovely than a gold in her rider's eyes. She was bright white, shaded delicately with sea-green. Tilleniva had been told by Weyrwoman Jewel that Sevith would only be caught by browns, bronzes, or large-sized unusual dragons, but would only lay the eggs of a green. With one unique hatchling like herself, of course.

You make me beautiful, my rider. Sevith interrupted her rider's thoughts, having just finished her meal. Tilleniva laughed out loud. Adroit way to put it, my love! she thought back. Her dragon was the most intelligent of all!

I think this time I shall fly at Ryslen. Sevith told her rider thoughtfully. It was some months after the white-green's first clutch had hatched; it had, as foreseen, included a white.

Tilleniva raised her eyebrows. "Why Ryslen? Why not here?" she inquired curiously.

I have heard that they will have a flight especially for dragons who are at least partially white. Sevith answered readily, blinking her faceted eyes.

Her rider shrugged noncommittally. "Ryslen it is, then." she agreed.

We will go tomorrow.