Early one fine Summer morning in the Meristema Clan (some might say abnormally fine, not a whisper of a breeze or speck of a cloud), an egg began to quiver.
This had been expected. Arisa, the mother of the imminent hatchlings, was already awake and watching over them. She had many successful nests before, and was well attuned to sensing when the children were ready to emerge.
She did not wake her mate, Tiamanfaya, until the shell began to crack. Neither of them were anxious after hatching so many healthy children, they were merely excited and curious to see new little faces.
When the first finally crawled from her egg, everything changed. She was not... normal.
Two heads was the immediate concern. Her parents glanced at each other, wondering if it was possible to hatch an Emperor. Then she opened her five eyes and gurgled, revealing large, slitted pupils. She had a thick shaggy mane covering her neck, and thin, malformed wings.
Her mother was the first to approach, carefully scooping her out of the nest.
"Hello baby, why don't you sit with me?"
Arisa cast a worried look to her mate, jerking her head to tell him to keep close to the nest. She wanted to keep this little one apart until they knew what had happened to her. They waited, anxious, to see how the other children would emerge.
The second took some time to free herself, but seemed entirely ordinary.
The third came soon after, and had been touched by the Gladekeeper, although she was very small. Both Arisa and Tia were overwhelmed by such a nest.
"Not a curse! We don't know that yet! She's just... different. We'll figure it out."
 Wishlist Gene Plans FR+8
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Saffron Spool
Copper Thread
Tarnish Underbelly
Unusual
