Paige

Conjure flicked his tail as he stared at the concoction. What had gone wrong? Why was it this strange yellow and green color? Everything was completely off! From the color, to the oder, to the very way it bubbled and spewed. He was always so careful. His art was that of perfection and calculation, but now, something had gone amiss, but without any evidence of what unknown chemical was added to the mix there was no way for him to add to the brew to fix it. He would have to study it before something went terribly awry.

But it was already too late...

The brew fuzz and fizzled. Goo and slime fell everywhere on the ground, boiling over the pot and spattering where ever it landed and turned into a blue and purple substance. After a few moments, the fizzling finally stopped , leaving nothing but a gooy mess. Conjure let out a deep sigh. He reached down and touched the now dormant substance. It wasn't toxic, that's a relief, but now he had a huge mess to clean up.

He was about to turn away and get some anti-goo clean up when he thought he saw something out of the corner of his eye. A bit of green and yellow poked out of the plurple gunk in the cauldron. He leaned over and gently pick up the object. It was heavier than he expected, and a bit oval in shape with weird lumps along the whole thing.

"What is this?" He rotated it around. This wasn't even close to what he was trying to make. Certainly not this weird round egg shaped thing...wait. Conjure stared at it in shock. An egg? From the cauldron?! "Wha...what have I done?"

The whole clan was curious about the strange egg Conjure brought back with him. They all looked at it, trying to find out what kind of dragon it might be or where it might have come from.

"So you just boiled an egg the cauldron without even checking it!" Cirromon wing flared out as horror spread across her face.

"Calm down. I'm quite sure that's not what happened." Azial spoke.

"But look at the egg! It's all melted." She leaned down and patted the egg. "Is it still alive?"

Conjure sighed. He clutched the egg firmly in his arms and held it tight to his body. "I didn't boil an egg. This was created from the cauldron."

Many of the clan looked at each other in surprise in disbelief.

"How can you be sure of this?" Whisperer frowned. "Are you saying that you created life?"

"Of course not!" Conjure whipped his tail. "Sometimes the...caudron has a mind of its own..." His face turned to a hard frown. As much as he had tried to master the art of brewing, even now it defied him. His obsession with the cauldron sometimes made him seem distant and broody to the other dragons, he didn't want to admit that he had failed.

"Enough of all this bickering." Azial rose and lifted her wings. Everyone fell silent immediately. "It does not matter where the egg has come from, but rather we should be glad that we have been blessed with a new child to enter our clan."

"Mother is right." Wander stood next to her and pushed out her chest. "This should be a celebration!"

"I, for one, think it's kinda cute looking!" Ivory uncurled her self and smiled.

"I'd say it looks cool. Look at the top of it! Almost looks like a sleeping hatchling!" Her sister Ebony chimed in.

The mood of the clan slowly started to change, getting lighter and lighter. Conjure dipped his head and smiled at the little egg. "See...everyone will like you just fine." His tail swayed from side to side, lightly brushing the ground.

"Very well then." Azial relaxed and approached Conjure. "Now, there is one important question."

Conjured looked up at the clan leader. Something about her approach made him feel nervous.

"Will you take care of this egg?"

"Huh?" The question took him off guard. He hadn't thought about that. He looked back down at the egg. It seemed to helpless, different, and alone, but even still he could feel the warmth of life coming from it.

Many thoughts ran through his mind. He never knew his family. He was raised my the clan ever since he was a hatchling. He never had a mate, not had he had hatchling of his own. Now that he though about it, he had no idea how to care or raise a little one. He had often seen hatchlings run about the lair, but he had secluded himself from much of the clan that he never really interacted with any.

Still, he couldn't bear the thought of parting with the egg. The others didn't really seem to understand it. It wasn't some strange or weird egg he just found laying around. It was special. He wanted to see what it could become, how it would grow, and see it's potential.

"I..." He grunted, wrestling with his own thoughts.

"It's alright." Azial's calm voice broke through his mind. He looked up at her still in shock. "We can help you. All you need to do is ask."

Conjure tilted his head curiously.

The clan leader chuckled. "Remember? I'm the one who brought you here when you were alone. I know you. Raise the egg well and call on us when you need help. You are a part of this clan, and though many might not see it, you are special and important to us, just like that little egg."

Confidence filled Conjure. A long smile came across his face as he held tighter to his egg. "Right!"

---

The clan gathered round, all wanting to see what had happened.

A little fat hatchling sprawled onto the ground, half the eggshells still on top of her. She flicked her tongue in annoyance as her little wing stretched out to push the rest of the egg off.

"What kind of dragon is she?"

"Kinda fat don't you think?"

"What bright colors!"

"Are you sure it's a she?"

Conjure laid next to the little one, proud as could be. Some had teased him (especially his friends) calling him a 'mom' while others had complained saying the alchemy bag was no place to put an egg. In the end, he didn't care. He was a dad now! Well, sort of.

"Put that tongue back in." He spoke softely, touching the hatchlings head to coax her. Her big eyes grew wide as she stared at him and more tongue rolled out of her mouth, almost touching the ground. "Oh dear." Conjure spoke under his breath. Was that supposed to happen? He would need more help that he thought.

---