Happy Birthday Lyf

Kana watched the egg with fierce determination.

Though the others had told her it’d be a while before it hatched, it didn’t seem to matter.  Almost as soon as Ling laid it, Kana was there.  They put the egg in a heat bed so it’d keep nice and toasty while the elders worked.  Dragons took years to hatch typically and while the circumstances were less than idle at first, they were starting to get use to the idea. 

Browen and Ling both had accepted that they would in fact have a child someday.  Even as a mistake, they were- deep down- very thrilled to be starting a family.  But again, it took time.  Patience.  Understanding.

All things Kana didn’t have.

Since Zek was training Kyler most of the time, the girl had a lot of free time.  She still helped out when asked and at night she’d sleep in Zek’s bed with him.  But most of her day was spent just sitting there, staring intensely at the nest, waiting for any sign of life. 

This had gone on for quite some time.

Most of the other elders, at first, had thought she was crazy.  They tried to get her to leave it be.  They’d check in on it every once in a while to make sure it was safe but other than that, there was no need to keep constant watch.  But when Browen realized egg sitting kept Kana from bringing in more strays…  He was all for the idea of having her there.

As time went on, they seemed to forget all about it actually.  The routine was basic.  Kana would eat with them before rushing off.  Then she’d join Zek for a lunch, doing some chores, then return to her duties of egg sitting.  Then she’d be there for dinner to give a very brief update, before retiring for the night. 

By now they were just use to it.  Ling even thought for a time that the egg was a dud.  There was talk of trying to have another in several years when they were actually ready. 

But being ready came faster than expected when Kana burst into the infirmary.  “Ling!  Ling!  Come quick!”  She screeched.  Ling winced; glad she wasn’t with a patient for once.  She was working on something else that was equally as delicate though.  She frowned looking over at the girl who seemed to be in a panic over something.  She was surprised the Halfling hadn’t gone to Zek though…

“Kana?  What’s wrong?”  Ling frowned, straightening up.  What if they were under attack?  What if one of Ling’s territories was in need of her aid?  She tensed and readied the worst when Kana started flailing about like a mad rooster.

“The egg!  The egg moved!”  She screamed.

Ling blinked, not realizing what egg she was talking about at first.  “Oh.  Kana dear, that’s nothing to be concerned over.”  She said turning back to her work.  “It was probably nothing.” 

“B-but it cracked!”  Kana said looking ready to cry.  That made Ling quirk an eyebrow but she still didn’t budge.  “It wiggled and then it had a crack!  It’s going to hatch!  You have to come!”  Kana said flailing even more.

Ling groaned and waved her arms, “Kana dear, calm down.  Like I said, I’m sure it’s nothing.”  But a part of her was thinking maybe it was something to cause concern.  It had been a long time; maybe it really was about to hatch.  “You return to the nest and I will fetch Browen.”

“O-okay!”  Kana said determined once more as she took off. 

Ling waited for her to go before letting out a long sigh.  She prayed to the dragon gods this was a false alarm.  The last thing she needed was to deal with being an elder and a mother. 

Setting her things aside, she made her way to Browen, relaying the message Kana had given.  Though she did it much calmer and less spastic.  After discussing whether or not they should go look, they ended up making their way down just in case. 

And apparently along the way, Kana had dragged Kyler, Zek and even Val into it.  “You all don’t have to be here,” Browen said right away, looking at his colleagues. 

Kyler looked over at them, grinning excitedly.  “We wanted to see the baby!”

“It’s a drackling, pup,” Zek corrected before yawning.  He’d just finished training Kyler for the day and was about to take a short nap when Kana barged in.  Ling shook her head, knowing they were probably wasting her time; but as she looked to the nest and saw the egg, she saw what Kana had freaked out over. 

Sure enough the egg was wiggling all around in the center of the nest.  It rolled back and forth, spider webbing the outer shell.  Ling’s heart stopped momentarily as the realization finally hit her.  Was she really about to become a mother.

With mildly terrified eyes, she looked over at Browen to see if he was having the same reaction.  He was much more calm about it but she could sense he too was having a slight panic attack thinking about it. 

The two of them edged closer to the nest, staring at the egg.  Kana was grinning from ear to ear as she watched it.  “Come on baby,” she muttered softly.  She was trying so very hard not to just jump in and help it out of the shell herself. 

It felt like hours went by before a piece of the shell actually broke off.  Every one of them waited eagerly (some more than others).  This would be the first time seeing a drackling be born in the mansion.  It was also the first time a drackling would be born belonging to two active elders.  At least as far as they could remember. 

Ling leaned down a little more as more of the shell started to break apart.  Dragon shells were very sturdy and took a lot of work to get out of.  There was a soft thud as a bigger chunk fell off and finally a limb poked out.  A small arm, waving furiously.  It had teeny tiny claw-like nails, trying to work its way out.

Browen leaned in closer now too as the others watched over their shoulders.  The drackling was now starting to make soft whines; angry at the process.  “Come on little one,” Ling said soothingly.  The egg seemed to like that, wiggling and little…  Happier?  Could eggs wiggle happily?  If so, this one was.  “That’s it,” she added, “a little more.”

The drackling started to move the egg even harder until finally a larger crack formed straight down the middle.  Kana gasped and watched, as it slowly broke apart.

Sitting in the center of the broken egg shells was a drackling, resting in human form.  She was small but already sitting back on all fours like a dog.  She had a tail with tiny spikes down the spine, unable to control all her dragon form yet.  Her skin was smooth and tan like her father’s; and her hair was a tuff of dark brown, coated in egg slime. 

She sniffed the air before sneezing and looking up at them.  Her eyes were pure silver and stared back at Ling and Browen curiously.  She made a soft whine before tapping her tail, wondering who they were.

“Well now,” Browen said after a long pause.  “That’s not something you see every day.”

Kana made a happy squeal that could shatter glass, making the drackling flinch and start crying.  Kana felt instantly bad about it and sunk back as Ling reached out and picked up the baby.  “Shh,” she said rocking her.  “It’s okay little one.  I’m your momma,” she said feeling so damn awkward. 

The drackling whimpered but looked up at Ling, slowly calming down.  She then looked over at Browen curiously to which he gave a weak smile, “and I’m your dad.”  He said feeling an odd sensation.  He loved Ling more than anything in the world but as soon as his eyes locked onto the drackling, it was like falling in love all over again. 

This was their baby.  They had made a baby together.  And it was very much the both of them wrapped into one tiny being.

“Whatcha gonna call her?”  Kyler asked wanting to get a better look but knowing better than to disturb Browen or Ling in any way.

The new parents looked at each other dumb founded.  They hadn’t thought that far ahead yet.  “Well…”  Ling said softly looking back down at the baby.  While she might have been a mistake, she was also a miracle. 

And she was theirs. 

“Lyf.”  Ling said confidently.  Browen made no attempt to argue.  He simply nodded with another small smile.  “She’s our little Lyf.”