Hearth

Hearth was a good alchemist. They kept their den tidy, they kept their cauldrons in one piece - well, most of the time - but what kind of alchemist would they be, if they didn't experiment a little? And what kind of experimantation would it be, if at least 5 cauldrons didn't blow up in a year?

Some would find them weird, some would question their credibility as an alchemist at any given opportunity and yet: every time Amy would tell them to leave Hearth be.
"They know what they are doing." she would say, leaving no room for arguments. Chloe would reluctantly agree, letting them move on.
But Hearth knew better. They always kept their eyes on that Snapper, knowing that she had her eyes on them as well...

No one knew how Hearth had gained Amy's trust, or what they were up to before joining the clan. The alchemist didn't let them ask many questions, you see. They'd usually be in their den, covering the entrance with leaves thick enough to provide some privacy. If one dared to enter their den -and endure the horrible smell- they would be led outside as soon as possible. "For their own safety." Hearth would argue. The less they knew, the safer they were.

They were responsible for gathering their own resources needed for their crafts. They didn't trust anyone with a job so delicate, no. You see, the flowers had to be picked minutes away from sunrise, and the animals had to be captured without spilling a drop of blood. No matter how careful [gatherer] promised to be, Hearth couldn't risk it. Just a little mistake could mess up a whole experiment, and that could blow up a whole clan. "If you want a job done right, do it yourself."

The alchemist didn't show many emotions. That's why the whole clan was suprised when one day they ran out of their den, tearing the leaf-door down as they stomped down the way. "I did it!" They yelled in ecstacy. "I did it!" they raised their cloak, and there it was: a child. The child let out a pain-filled scream under the daylight, and the alchemist returned to their den in a flash. "It still needs some work. But this is still a victory."

The door was soon rebuilt, even thicker than the last time. The alchemist begun to spend less and less time outside, even giving up on gathering for themselves.No, they had more important matters that needed their attention now. [Cook] would bring food to their door three times a day, most of the time finding the last meal untouched.

During that period of time, not even Amy was allowed in their den. "I am making progress, I swear on the eleven, I just can't show you yet, it's not ready."

The only time that they were out of their den was when they went out to find [Mage] to ask [mage] to put some silencing magic around their den. "It is required to protect the sanity of the majority of the clan, and to ensure the continuation of my experiment." With Amy's command, [mage] reluctantly agreed.

Hours became days, days became weeks and the weeks became months before they were out in the daylight again. They had a tired look on their face, as if they hadn't slept at all during that time. Sleeping takes too much time, and gives minimal rewards. I have better things than that. They slowly opened their door -there were new plants growing out of the lead leaves at this point- with their wings, letting a fresh wave of air breeze into their lair.

A tiny hatchling stood behind them, finding comfort in the darkness of the den. "Come on, little one." They encouraged the kid. "It's alright. You can come out. You're ready now." As the tiny feet moved into the sunlight, a beam of light was reflected off of the pearl that the tiny dragon was holding. Even though they didn't seem to be as uncomfortable as the last time, they still quickly moved to hide under Hearth's legs. "I did it."

After reassuring the council - well, Amy. Only Amy's vote was enough. - that is would be safe to keep the kid, Hearth went back to their studies again. The kid was usually left alone, almost as if they had lost interest in it. The clan collectively took the kid in, learning how to care for her.

If you were to meet the kid for an hour, you wouldn't suspect a thing. You'd probably assume that the kid was just shy, quiet. If you would pay attention, you'd notice that the kid looked a litte smaller than hatchlings her age. If you'd spend a couple of days with her, you'd notice that she hadn't eaten anything, at all. If you'd spend a couple of months with her, you'd notice that she hadn't grown, not at all.

Hearth? They would still be locked in their den, working on a new project.
Some say that they feel weird around them. some would question the morality of their experiments. And Amy... Amy would tell them to "Leave them be."

Hearth was a successful alchemist. Well, most of the time.