Hatching 8
Spectral-Sunset Snow-Horned Arayath 
and Sunset-Spectral Snow-Horned Naryen

Trix watched the Sands Cavern fill with people. Arayath had announced that her eggs were hatching only 15 minutes ago. And indeed the eggs were rocking fast and vigorous. In fact they were rocking harder than they should have.
Trix looked out. The outside of the cavern was dark. Evening had fallen a couple of hours ago and if the dark wasn't enough it was also raining. All in all the cavern seemed to be the only real place in the world. It felt like the world just ended outside. 
Drenched candidates entered, 10 in all, and only three would most likely bond today. Many of them seemed like they had rather passed for this clutch... but some of them seemed keen enough, like the two flitters Stone and Starwind that were already flying above the eggs, their companions sitting on the benches cheering for them.
There was a large group of Pernese and earthlings chatting a bit, and rubbing their eyes. There were the twins Sirila and Iralis, Nuramor and Nuara, Syve and Julie. A little behind this group, in the shadows was Sekally intent on not impressing. 
The last of the candidates, Estroth, was perched above with the rest of the dragons, as if she wouldn't really be participating in this hatching.
"Her bond isn't in those eggs." Frynoth told Trix.
"Handy to know..."
"We are privileged a bit."
Trix shook her head at that understatement and watched the candidates as the first egg broke. A cloud of dust flew up and obscured the hatchling from the eyes of the humans. However the dragons heard the thoughts of the twins and crooned harder, encouraging the two males to step into the light. Finally they did. The first was a dark sunset with black wings covered with blue wisps and some small glints at the edges. The second, also male was silver-black with more glints and specks of white.
"Dirayath,..." the moonlight spoke.
"Yes Birayen?"
"I see my destiny in your eyes, can you read yours?"
"I can."
"Darkling Dawn." said the moonlight.
"Dragonwillow." answered the twilight.
The two brothers left the center area and went to the feeding tables which had been set inside because it was raining. The party would also be held here, though Trix doubted it would be a long party this late with a gold broody dragon still being there, watching over her eggs.
Trix glanced at Secarath. The sun dragon seemed to be watching the impressions without joining the singing. Maybe she wanted to save her voice? Or maybe she was tired too.
The next egg broke and out climbed a very bright sunset. In fact, it's wings were shining so the term sunshine seemed more appropriate than sunset. The female dragon ran across the sands, calling out her joy when she saw who she wanted. She launched herself in the small Pernese group and grabbed Iralis before the young woman could object.
"Iralis!!" she squeaked.
"Yes... ehm Reyan?"
"That's right." The dragoness squealed with her tiny voice. 
"Do you by any chance have a twin?"
The dragoness looked around searching. "No, I haven't... Does that upset you?"
"Well..., " she turned to her sister, "Do you mind?"
"Do I mind? Noooo. She's perfect for you! Now go ahead and impress."
Iralis turned back to the greatly relieved Reyan and locked eyes. 
"I will be together with you... and your sister."
"Thanks."
"I would never come between you two."
The new pair walked off to the tables under the eyes of the entire, rather envious, group of other candidates. At least for one of them the night wouldn't be wasted. 
Now there was only one more egg laying on the sands. Flying above it where the two flits. The egg finally cracked in half. Two shadows rolled across the sands in opposite directions. They rolled out of the light into the shadows. 
The candidates suddenly became a bit more excited. Two more dragons that were ready to impress. They were shifting and whispering, as were the people on the benches. Not one of the twin dragons seemed intent on leaving their shadowy hideaway.
Finally the little white-gold flit called Starwind chattered loudly and a small dragon walked out of the shadows. The dragoness walked slowly, hesitatingly into the light.
"Ziryath?" the voice of the flitter echoed through the minds of everyone in the cavern.
"Yes... it's me." The midnight-winged dawn told her. "Last hope..."
"What does that mean?"
"You will figure it out in the end." The tiny dragoness said mysteriously.
Meanwhile strange sounds were coming from the other shadowy corner. Suddenly the young depressed woman Sekally lunged from the shadows. She was running away from something. The dragon?
Complete chaos broke out when a light brighter than anything else in the cavern burst out of the shadows behind her. The candidates turned away, sheltering their eyes from the sudden light.
"Sekally!!" the loud voice of the hatchling sounded through the cave.
"I can't impress!!!" the young woman yelled back.
"But I need you! And you need me."
"I don't need anybody!"
"If you would just look into my eyes..."
"I won't!"
But the dragoness wasn't that easily thwarted. The light faded for a second but then she stood in front of Sekally, burning as brightly as before.
"Look." She said in a voice that would allow no disobedience.
Sekally finally gave in and opened her eyes.
The light glowed even brighter, for a moment washing away all colours.
"I am blinding hope Naderenya." She said.
"Blinding hope?"
"Yes, what my sister last hope Ziryath pierces, I tear open. No matter how small she is, I will wedge my way in and do my work."
"Your work?"
"How do you feel, mine?"
"I... I feel ok."
The dragoness bowed her head and then made a strange gesture with her left front paw. 
"Will you help me?"
"I will."
Trix wasn't the only one who looked rather baffled when the last couple left the sands. The way the young woman had acted, Trix had assumed that she would have to sand several times before even a foliage would look at her, caring as they were. But this, no-one had been expecting.
She looked outside and realised it had stopped raining. A soft light came from the beach. So the world was still out there. Maybe the light had just been drawn inward for Naderenya's hatching... 
Trix came down from her bench and joined the party. It was best not to think too long about such things. These thoughts led nowhere.

 Twilight* Dirayath (m) - Sponsored to DragonWillow (Midnight-Sunset) 
Moonlight* Birayen (m) - Sponsored to Darkling Dawn (Midnight-Moon) 
Starwind and Last Hope* Ziryath (f) (Midnight-Dawn)
Sekally and Blinding Hope* Naderenya (f) (Dawn-Sunset)
Iralis and Shining Sunset Reyan (f)

Note: * is a dragon showing signs of magic.