HATCHING
Ayotundeth and Heziolth sang, reverberating a deep hum that every dragon in Shigan picked up and answered, until the very walls of the weyr shook with their song: The eggs were hatching.
Candidates spilled into the sands, following Weyrwoman Vikana, Weyrleader J'ram who took their seats on the stands among the other weyrfolk, and candidate master Rh'mel who urged the last stragglers through the entry with a proud smile. Heziolth had dutifully flown to a ledge to overlook the hatching without interference. J'ram was certain he'd be recording the bondings as well as any scribe in attendance. 
The eggs were well on their way to rocking when the last candidate stepped onto the sands. By last count, there were twenty-seven eggs in total. Not a terrible clutch for Ayotundeth. She'd kept them safe and partially hidden, but now her wings were spread wide and she stepped away, revealing two glimmering gold shells. People gasped and the stakes of this hatching just went up. 
The sound of shattering shells silenced the conversation. A lithe green split her egg and tumbled to the sand with a bellow. And then the hatching was truly underway.
A second bronze burst from his shell and struck a handsome pose, intending for everyone to gape at him. His hide was a glimmering, perfect bronze, but the webbing of his wings was deep chocolate. A bi-color! He squeaked his eyes open and realized several of his siblings were already hatched and waddling through the candidates. He let out a sharp cry and raced forward, knocking a few smaller greens out of his way.
:: I wanted to be first! :: he barked.
"It would have been awesome to be the first to bond," Bye replied, as the bronze thundered toward him with a look of determination furrowing his brow.
:: We'll just have to prove to be the best then :: the bronze replied. :: I'm Tochukwuth, and don't you forget it! ::

ADULT
Tochukwuth sniffed at the beverage in front of him. Water he knew, fruit juices could sometimes entice him, but to drink fermented juices seemed like a risky thing. The brown-winged bronze dragon had seen how people reacted to the stuff. 
"Are you really going to drink it?" he asked his rider.
Bye took in a deep breath and answered: "I am."
Over the past years he'd grown up enough that he was allowed to drink. But, and this was the problem, he'd never gone out with friends nor had he tried it before because he always believed that it would not help him.
"So why are you considering it now?"
"I need the courage." Bye said quietly.
"Is this about that lady?" Tochukwuth asked.
Bye cringed, but he wouldn't deny the truth. It was indeed because of her. He'd been around other people all his life. But they were family or classmates or fellow weyrling-riders. Getting up the nerve to ask out a woman was something he'd missed gaining experience on while he'd been training, always trying to make head of the class. He hadn't had time to court a girl.
"And you don't have to now either!" Tochukwuth called.
"Huh?" Bye asked.
"I'll win her for you! I'll catch her dragon and then all you need to do is swoop in and be yourself."
Bye wondered if it would be so simple. So he took a sip of the liquor and coughed. Yeah, that wasn't going to help. Better stick with his dragon's plan. 

Bronze Brown Tochukwuth

Lantessama Isle