BACK!

The Nexus had designs for these elves. While the place appeared to have one location, the two hands of elves were split down the middle - four each - and found themselves in two locations. They could seemingly send to one another, which they did, but couldn't see or hear otherwise.

But that didn't matter. On one had, Planet Malnev was a destination. On the other, Nidus Ryslen. Both of them rich with dragon life.

While half the group went one direction and the others headed their own, it wasn't clear who would come back 'first'. But following Scalestep's would be wise.

They found themselves in a very pleasant atmosphere. There were many people, humans and humanoids like themselves. But they were quite small compared to many of the others. However, the dragons that they were introduced to were tiny compared to some that seemed to dwell in the area.

The Anjir, they were told, were about to hatch! Why not come along to the sands?

So they did - and when they entered, ...

And break it did. The egg in the center of the clutch shattered spectacularly, showering the candidates, and a number of spectators, with eggshards, revealing a faintly speckled blue. He paused, looking around at all the new sights, then stepped over one of the still rocking eggs to approach the candidates. He swaggered wobbily over to the female elves, coming to a halt in front of Cinderhope. *I'm Senriv. I'll help you work on your sending. The more we talk this way, the better you'll get. Though, if we really need to, I can talk normally too.*

Cinderhope led the blue out, following a sulanu who had chosen to be a guide to the food chamber. Her mind was filled with... color? Scent? It was everything that the newborn dragon was feeling, and more. A thrill went through her, this was almost recognition...

While the blue had bonded, another two eggs split apart. The one in front revealed a cream female, who quickly, though unsteadily, made her way toward the candidates, while the one to the side, another blue, straightened out his wings and feet. When he got them straight, everyone could see the yellow wingsails that set him apart from his blue brother.

The cream seemed to be debating, but the second blue didn't hesitate. He walked confidently up to Ebonbreeze. *Hello,* he said politely. "I'm Temlar. Will the wolves be afraid of me? I've never seen a wolf."

"I don't know, but they're going to have to get used to you," Ebonbreeze said. He cracked a smile, "there are some wolves just about the same size as your parents, I wonder how big you're going to get?"

As they followed the sulanu out, the cream made her decision.

She stopped in front of Bluff. *Hi*, she sent shyly. *I'm Reavai. Can I get something to eat now?* She calmly followed her new bond off the sands, but paused at the entrance, looking back. Bluff turned to see one of the sulanu kits racing toward her. *Wait! I come, too!* The elf woman stooped and picked up the garnet female kit, then continued to the feeding room.

Laughing, Bluff examined the garnet colored animal. "You sure have a lot of tails!"

*I do I do!*

"Lira is her name," Bluff commented as they approached the others, "she's willing to come with us. It'll be so fun watching this little one hunting with us."

They turned to look at the sands, as Scalestep was the last of their group waiting a dragonet. If he paired up, there was always a chance that he wouldn't - that none of them would. They'd hardly had time to learn such things while at the tower.

The first to hatch was the one in the back. It revealed a purple male, who shook bits of egg everywhere as he stumbled toward the remaining candidates. He tripped and landed at Scalestep's feet. He looked up at the elf.

"Could I get a little help? I don't think my legs work right yet. Oh, and I'm Quelam." As the elf bent to help, he felt little pinpricks on his leg. He straightened out the hatchling, then looked at his own leg. He laughed at the emerald sulanu he found clinging to his leg. He picked him up and helped his new anjir off the sands.

"So we did all bond," Scalestep said, still laughing at the clingy green colored foxlike creature. He shook his leg, the sulanu remained. "What do you want, little guy?"

*Zave, my name! food too!*

"Ah, of course," Scalestep said. "Well if one is hungry then one must eat..."

"We must eat," Bluff commented. "And look, that last egg had two dragonets in it!"

"That isn't normal, is it?" Asked Cinderhope, but their own dragons begged attention. And food!

Scalestep

Tern's Eclipse

Ebonbreeze

Walker

Scalestep - Male, young.

High Sending, Above average Feeling, Sending: Coersion Exeptional

Mental Health, Cloth weaving, Fist fighting and General fighting, Shortsword, Atlatl

DarkDefender, female very small wolf

Thrust, male small Greater wolf

Standing: Planet Malnev

Bond: Purple M Quelam

Tern's Eclipse - Male, young

Average Sending, Low Feeling, Animal Soothing Very high, Self Healing high

Armory, Jewlery, Elf tracking, tool making, Staff, Blowdart

Hickory - male above average wolf

Standing: Ryslen for a Lian

Ebonbreeze - Male, young

Average Sending, low Feeling, Bone shape Very High, healing Average, fireshape Average, Enhance powers average

Foraging, depth swim, running, rope climb, dart, lasso

Katana - female average wolf

Jonquil - male very small Greater wolf

Standing: Planet Malnev

Bond: Blue and Yellow M Temlar

Walker - Male, young

High Sending, Average Feeling, Hybernation above avg, Cold Creation average, Air Sense Very high

Written language, throwing, gossip, weird throw, noose, atlatl

Blue - Male too big wolf

Freckles - female huge wolf

Standing: Ryslen for a Lian

Caster

Cinderhope

Truce

Bluff

Caster

Extremely High Sending, Low Feeling, Air Sense exceptional

Healing Lore, Avian lore, Poisons, Silk weaving, Spur-throwing

Rockbrows - male average wolf

Standing: Ryslen for a Lian

Cinderhope - Female, young adult

Above average Sending, Average Feeling, Group Soothing Extremely high, Flame Blast Average

Body Language, Net Weaing, Fast prey, Hammer, Harpoon

Grey - female smallish wolf

Strider - female gigantic Greater Wolf

Standing: Planet Malnev

Bond: Blue M Senriv

Truce - female teen

Above Average Sending, Above average Feeling, Telekinetics High, Speed Tricks below avg

Maps and Distance, Climate Lore, Bad Weather Tracking, Animal Stealth, Bolos, Bow

Not Bonded

Standing: Ryslen for a Lian

Bluff - female, adult

Very High Sending, Very High Feeling, Very High Bone shape, Above average Enhance Powers, Average Metal shape, low Shell Shape

Sign Language, Mental health, burn lore, large creature lore, Noose

Force - male small Greater wolf

Standing: Planet Malnev

Bond: Cream F Reavai