The night is cool and crisp at Jerdan Weyr. You are enjoying the Spring Gather. You have had a little too much Benden Wine and sit down next to a young man on a bench. You realize that it is Menderan. He has his distance viewer in hand and is staring at the stars.
"Hello," you say to the young man.
"Hi, how are you this fine evening," the candidate responds cheerfully.
"I am fine," you say. "Not much longer until the hatching is it? Are you getting nervous?"
"I know. I am really excited I almost can't concentrate on my work," he says a twinkle in his chocolate eyes.
You are about to ask him another question when a loud bugle issues from the Hatching Grounds. The Hatching is starting. The dragons begin to fly in from all over the weyr. You look up just in time to see Menderan swept away by a tall blue rider. You rush to the Hatching Grounds to get a good seat.
In no time at all, the twelve candidates are standing on the scalding sands in their white candidate robes. You spot Menderan in a group of six boys on one side of the hatching ground. Six girls occupy the other. You are drawn from your ruminations by a loud crack. An eggs splits into tiny shards revealing a bronze hatchling. "This is going to be a very interesting hatching," you think to yourself.
The bronze runs right to Derak. He looks at the not-so little bronze and Impression is made. Derak and Jossith leave the sands. You look toward Menderan he is still waiting patiently. You also see his mom watching from one of the upper tiers. She must have been flown between time to get to the hatching in time.
The Hatching rapidly progresses with green Shelith being Impressed by Asbontry. This was followed closely by another green going to Loran. Then Taroll Impressed brown Lirioth. It is all happening so fast, you don't know where to look first. Then comes another green to Caina and a brown to Jannus. The five of the remaining six eggs were rocking now. They reveal two blues, a bronze, a green, and a brown. Menderan is still on the Sands.
The last egg finally begins to rock. It has some peculiar shapes on the shell. They are almost like stars. Menderan looks on eagerly waiting for what he hoped would be his dragon. His light brown hair is falling in his eyes. He brushes it away. Finally the silence is broken as the shell splits open to reveal a third bronze hatchling. He heads straight for Menderan. The young starsmith looks down at his new life long companion as Impression is made. Then he calls out the bronze's proud name. "Gerith," he shouts with ecstacy.
You sit quietly staring at the pair as they are lead from the Sands. You think to yourself,"Couldn't have happened to a nicer lad? He's gone through so much. He deserves this opportunity to be happy." You decide to exit the Hatching Grounds to keep an eye on your friend.
You find him outside feeding the insatiable Gerith. He is stuffing large gobs of meat into the bronze's mouth.
"Not so fast Gerith. I don't want you to choke."
"But I am so hungry," the bronze whines plantifully. M'deran spots you and relates what Gerith has just said.
"I know Gerith. I am feeding you as fast as I can. You are the best thing that has ever happened to me." Turning to you without stopping the constant motion of his hands from bowl to mouth he asks with bright eyes, "Isn't he great? He's the best dragon in all of Pern."
On that note, you decide to leave the new pair. It looks like M'deran has his hands full anyway. You pass his mother on your way and relate to her how busy her son is. She decides to accompany you back to the gather which has now turned into the Impression banquet.
Name: M'deran
Age: 16 turns
Job: Apprentice Starsmith
Mother: Daralla
Birthplace: Regin Hold near Igen
Dragon: Bronze Gerith
Sir: Blue Wakith
Dam: Green Aldath
Birthplace: Jerdan Weyr
Age: Hatchling
The cool title was made for me by my friend Lindsey. Thanks for the cool title. :)Visit one of Lindsey's Weyrs
