Song

"You know, you could let one of the nest keepers care for that." Dewdrop nodded to the odd, armored egg tucked in among the other Tundra's various drapes and trinkets. "They know what to do with orphaned eggs."

Song shook his head, fluffing up defensively. "It's not an orphan. It's mine now." He rested a paw protectively on the rough shell. "I'll be fine here. Tan has been bringing meals, and I know how to hatch an egg. I just need to keep her warm."

"Her?" The older Tundra looked dubious. "You realize there's no way to be sure."

"I am, though." He curled around the egg and rested his chin on top of it. "I've been singing to her."

"Of course you have." Dew stretched her claws, and turned to leave the lair with a sigh. Her son had always been the most difficult of her children to understand, but she supposed there was no harm in letting him watch over the egg, aside from the injury to his feeling if it didn't eventually hatch.

-

It took a week, but the egg did hatch at last, early one morning as Tanzanite kept watch over a slumbering Song. The Imperial nudged his sleeping companion awake gently, and they both watched as armored plates of shell cracked and split, releasing a hatchling with brilliant red and pink scales. She took one step forward, tripped, and slithered forward on her belly in search of food.

Song looked proud. Tan dug a few leaves out of the basket the egg had been delivered in, and fed them to the tiny bogsneak one at a time.

Neither of them had any idea what to name her yet.