The day could only get weirder for the pair of Cherry Cream owners. They'd barely gotten in and it looked as though they were going to have their own private den - Ian thought it was a good size for two people, but then Sharronn pointed out that it was large enough for two people - and two hatchling dragons.

Ian sighed. Then, they got a visit from one of the local dragon experts. His brisk walk past each candidate's door alerted the inhabitants, but then they were only able to pick up a strange hint that he was perhaps less happy about something or other, than he ought to have been.

He was a Search rider, but that was all they got from his mutterings. Looking down at the stone floor, Ian picked up a booklet.

"It's a dragon care manual." He said, eyebrow shooting up and one of the many flitters near him tried helping him hold the book up. He eventually gave up and dropped it to the ground.

The rainbow flitter, whom Sharronn had named Pesty, swooped from her mistress' shoulder and snatched it up, dropping it politely into Sharronn's hands and cooing.

"Thank you Pesty, such a good girl yes you are!" The first mate cooed back. She sat next to her dearest captain and started reading to him about wing sails and claw care, feeding of hatchlings, and making sure that oils were soaked into their delicate skin for the first few months.

"Months!?" Ian shouted, causing a cascade of flitters. "Months... I can't believe this..."

Tittering, Sharronn shooed the other flitters away, with some help from Pesty, and showed him why she loved him for bringing her here...

***

When the hatching was announced, it was as if the flitters all knew their humans needed to be in the hatching sands. Both Ian and Sharronn had opted to wear the open-fronted vest-style robe, both of them looked exceptionally cool in them. Ian was still trying to fuss with his hair, but it was no use. There was always a flitter roaming about on it, under it or through it.

They had better learn how to behave before getting back to Caledrus, that's all he had to say about it.

A sound like a bird or a young kitten broke the silence after the humming of dragons drew the candidates and visitors to the sands. It came from a lovely violet, pink and white dragoness who came carefully out of her shell. Instantly, Sharronn's eyes glazed over while watching the flake-flecked dragon.

"She's so cute!!" She squealed. Ian glanced at her in distress. But she was heedless, and turned to him only long enough to say, "and her name is Giyath!"

Giyath lifted her feet up off the hot red sands, and walked quickly to Sharronn. "Isn't she darling, Ian?" And his weak smile was totally lost on the ecstatic woman. She'd bonded her dragon! And it was just PERFECT!

Ian watched as they were led away, to the feeding area which she'd mentioned while reading from their booklet again and again. She was so totally entranced. Well, now that that was over... Ian couldn't just leave the sands. Could he? He didn't really think it was a good idea, after all there were dozens - literally dozens!- of people surrounding him. He'd look like a total idiot if he tried leaving now, now that Sharronn had bonded the FIRST to hatch in this flurry!

So he waited. And he waited. And waited more. Three frickin' dozen dragons later... he counted, yes... there was a pause after a pair of dragons bonded and someone else paired off with a cute silver blue. There was a tug at his neck hairs, and he spun on instinct - then remembered that there was merely yet another of those blasted five flitters dangling in the tangled mess of his formerly perfect hair.

He hadn't realized that there was a hatchling coming toward him. His head held high, the hatchling strode with bold motions toward Ian, and as Ian at last got the blue flitter out of his hair he looked down to see only the whirling rainbow eyes of this copper-winged white.

What do you think now, Ian my friend? Do you think this is a waste of time, or am I exactly what you always thought of yourself?

"Stunning, Xeyonth, Simply stunning."

We are, aren't we? The dragon thought back, as they went off to find their companions.