She wasn't the only one to notice the final tremors of the encapsuled dragonets, for already, candidates were being herded into the bay, or were coming in on their own. An announcement must have gone out, though the dragoness hadn't heard it in the bay proper. She watched as tables were being set up along the far wall, as attendants were bringing hunks of meat and chopping them into bowls, and as the audience began to trickle into the stands. Melapha was more excited, then anything... perhaps she should have been broody, but as a first-time mother, she was curious and nervous and proud--people were coming to bond her children, after all! And there were quite a few candidates, here, despite the small number of eggs that she'd laid!

It wasn't much longer before the first of the shells cracked, and a dragonet heaved itself out onto the mossy floor. He was tiny all limbs and big dragonet-belly, his hide a deep yellow, with boot-markings that sparkled like diamond. He had quite the time getting himself to his two feet, for like his mother, it appeared that he was a biped. In the time that he was getting himself sorted out, another dragonet had hatched, and was a little quicker to get her feet beneath her. Blinking her dishpan-wide purple eyes, she squeeked at her brother, and the both of them hop-step-stumbled into the ranks of candidates, looking for their bonds.

Jalepp and Senyren, while not the most peculiar candidates here today, were certainly two of a kind! They had kept together for the past few hatchings, and at one point had nearly decided to leave... but now, it appeared that their patience had paid off, for Gailis, the yellow, and Ongytep, the green, were headed straight for them. The two dragonets paused about a meter away, and the green-striped yellow male took a step closer. ~Hi!~ he said, looking mostly to Jalepp. ~Mind if we come with you? We're really hungry.~ With that, the two wolves led their new bonds off to the feeding tables.

Ritana watched them go with just a hint of jealousy. She'd been here with her friend at Narafth's clutch, but hadn't bonded... and now she wondered if, perhaps, she'd have to wait for another chance to bond. There were still five eggs left, however, so she still had a chance, right? She ran a hand over her short-cropped hair, and composed herself, just as another pair of dragonets made their loud entrance to the world. They were both bright red, though one had similar shiny boots, like the first hatchling, and the other had boots of black. Both weaved about the crowds, and it wasn't long before the diamond-booted fellow was all but running into the young woman! "Oh!" Ritana said, the noise one of surprise.
~Woops, sorry,~ the gold-striped dragonet apologized, more cheerful now then he had been before.
It was just then that the girl realized that he had the most beautiful, star-spackled wings... "You're lovely, what's your name?" She asked, kneeling down to meet his yellow eyes.
~I'm Pishede,~ he answered, his little mouth gaping with a big smile. ~I'm glad you like me, because I like you!~ But then his little belly rumbled, and the time for small-talk was over.

The black-booted dragonet was already making his way towards his chosen bond. ~Hey, you!~ Lineve called, tracking down a little blue cat. Rin perked, having heard the voice of the red before the hatchling came in sight. He was, after all, cat-sized, and had a hard time seeing much of anything amongst this crowd of two-leggers!
~Hey, squirt!~ the Chaos Cat replied in kind, and met the orange striped hatchling half-way.
~I'm not a 'squirt',~ the dragonet said, making a face, ~I'm Lineve!~ Never the less, he seemed more amused then anything. Rin chuckled, and led his new bond away.

Belles was as quick to bond as the others, for the green dragonet knew exactly who she wanted. She carefully stepped over broken shells and uneven floor, and then made her way to Trin, who looked as though he were nearly asleep on his feet. The dragonet made no comment... after all, with the bond that she made came the knowledge that the scientist had run out of his Sleepless Nights potion, and all of those hours spent awake had begun to catch up with him! She was amused, more then anything, and in a gentle, almost motherly way, Belles led her new bond back to the feeding tables. Perhaps she'd get to curl up with him after she were full.

With only two dragonetss left, both of them hatched by now, the hatching was already coming to an end. Melapha watched as a male, almost identical to her, save for white boots, made his way to a candidate that she'd known before she even clutched! Arjin had had reserves about bonding, but Ariella and Ral'gi'naan, the bonds of the parents of this clutch, had urged him to stand here, and apparently he'd lucked out. Chobizam hopped to a stop at the mutt anthro's clawed feet, and bobbed his little yellow head. Arjin grinned, just a tad, and led the dragonet away. Just wait until Ral' heard about this--no, he'd probably already had, given that Palydoch was cackling, where he sat.

Perhaps it was ironic that the last of the dragonets to bond was also the one most focused on the situation. Maehtami, a glitzy blue female with striking orange wings, marched right up to Nebre, and didn't say a word in greeting. She only nodded, a gesture that the shapeshifter echoed, and the pair continued to the feeding tables. That was, if nothing, probably the shortest bonding pair in the history of Star City!

Melapha sighed from the empty shards that she'd been standing behind. It was over, and so fast! The mother dragoness was proud, to see that every last one of her dragonets had bonded, but also a little sad... most of them, she'd probably never see again. Oh well, at least her son, bonded to Arjin, would hopefully come back with them when they returned to their bonds...

~That went surprisingly well!~ Palydoch said, watching the new bonded pairs feeding across the bay. Much of the audience had already begun to trickle out of the stands, but the partial glitz didn't mind. Now all that remained was a short trip home...