Ava shifted awkwardly over her eggs. Laying on a bunch of hard lumps for days was
not comfortable. She couldn’t sleep well, and she didn’t really know any of the other dragons in the nesting grounds at the moment. She was tired, grumpy, and
hungry. Athos had brought her food until he had to leave. She had sweet-talked a passing Wildclaw who looked friendly enough into watching her eggs for just long enough to dash outside and say goodbye to Athos. He seemed more disappointed than her that he couldn’t stay long enough to see them hatch. He earnestly made her promise to name one of them after him, and tell them all about him. She, on the other hand, still couldn’t quite believe this was all happening. And she hadn’t had so much as a sniff of Augusta since she barged into the nesting grounds and found Ava on her nest four days ago.
The other thing Athos had made sure to do before he left was introduce her to Kuini – a beautiful blue Fae who watched over all the nesting dragons, and also happened to be Athos’s grandmother. Kuini came by to check on Ava, as well as everyone else in the nesting grounds, at least twice a day. At first Ava had been polite but professional, quickly sending Kuini on to the next dragon. But as the days passed and she grew more and more restless, Ava found that Kuini really was as eager to listen to every dragon’s troubles as she appeared.
“Hello dear, how are you feeling today?”
Ava rolled over gingerly, careful not to disturb the eggs, and looked up in search of the voice.
“I’m alright Kuini. The sleeping draught really helped. That was the first good sleep I’ve had since I got here.”
“Sleeping on eggs sure isn’t the most comfortable thing is it?” the Fae laughed. “I can’t give you any more of it though. Your eggs will be hatching soon, and you’ll want to be fully alert for that!”
At the mention of her eggs hatching, a wave of panic rushed through Ava. Kuini must have sensed her fear, because she alighted at the edge of the nest just inches away from Ava’s head. She didn’t say anything, but settled in to listen.
“I don’t know if I can do this,” Ava whispered. “I’ve never had a nest before. What if something goes wrong and they don’t hatch right? What if they get stuck in their eggs? Can that happen? What if I don’t watch them close enough and something terrible happens? What if they’re all Faes and I step on them? Why oh why did I ever think I could do this?”
“Hush, hush, don’t worry sweetheart. I’ve helped dozens of dragons get through their hatching, and yours will be no different. Hatchlings are tougher than you give them credit for, you know.” Ava began to relax as Kuini continued. “It’s unlikely they’ll all be Faes, but if they are I’ll show you everything you need to know. No great-grandchild of mine is going to get stepped on!”
Ava released the breath she hadn’t even realized she was holding. “But what about after all that? I don’t know how to raise kids. I don’t want to mess them up. Athos is gone, Augusta won’t talk to me, and I don’t know anyone else here. I don’t have family here like you do. I’m…..all alone.”
Kuini’s crests flared in what Ava thought must be indignation. “I know you haven’t been here long, but these eggs are Athos’s children just as much as they are yours. They do have family here – me, Kenton, and Iris, not to mention everyone else who consider us family. Do you think we’d care for them and not you just because you didn’t hatch in one of our nests? That’s rubbish! You’re not so alone as you think you are dear. Besides,” Kuini added somewhat cryptically, “Don’t count your own friends out either.”
“My own friends? But- “ Ava began to protest, but Kuini was already half way out of the nesting grounds, off to her next errand who-knows-where. The shrubs near the entrance rustled, and Ava looked up in surprise as in walked a very nervous golden Tundra, carrying a satchel stuffed full of clover and honeycomb.
“Hi. I uh...brought you some food.” Augusta looked at the ground. Ava thanked her shyly, unsure how to respond. It had been days since she had seen Augusta at all. She knew Augusta was upset, but she didn’t know how upset, or what Augusta was planning to do. Would she leave Ava behind and keep going on her own?
Ava glanced around. There were only two other dragons in the nesting grounds at the moment, both asleep. “I’m glad you came Augusta. I’ve missed you.” Ava snagged a mouthful of honeycomb. She had barely swallowed the first bite when she yelped and lept up off her eggs!
“What? What’s wrong?” Augusta asked, panicked. Ava didn’t have to answer, because one of the eggs was now visibly wobbling under her!
“Oh gods it’s happening, it’s really happening,” Ava murmured. Augusta pressed her side into Ava, mouth agape watching the egg wobble. She nearly jumped out of her skin when a long crack appeared down its side. Just as two other eggs began to wobble, the first egg fell away revealing the tiniest dragon Ava had ever seen - a grey and white Fae with blue wings.
Ava exhaled. “Theo.” There was no question about it. This was her first son, named for his father. Augusta glanced over at her, an unreadable expression in her eyes. Both looked up as two blue Fae and a green Spiral entered the nesting grounds - Kuini,
Kenton, and
Iris. Her children’s family. The three new dragons didn’t have time to say much because just as they arrived, the next two eggs opened, nearly at exactly the same moment.
Out tumbled a grey, white, and purple Tundra boy and a purple and blue Fae girl. Kuini gently herded the two Fae away from their much larger brother, who just hatched was already bigger than Kuini and Kenton. Ava glanced between her three children and the one remaining egg, unsure what to do. Iris curled her long body around the remaining egg, which had just begun to gently rock. “This one’s going to be a few minutes I think,” she said gently. “Look after your other children. Don’t worry, I won’t let you miss it.”
Relieved, Ava turned back to the nest to find Kuini and Kenton tending to the two Fae, while the Tundra boy clumsily chased after Augusta’s flicking tail. Kuini flitted up to Ava’s shoulder. “Don’t worry, my dear, you’re doing just fine. Your kids are going to be well loved and well taken care of.”
Augusta turned to glance at Ava, her eyes shining. “I’m so sorry, Ava-” she hesitated, unsure how to proceed. Ava shook her head, her heart too full for words. Seeing her best friend playing with her son,
HER SON. Her squabble with Augusta was forgotten, and from the look on Augusta’s face she knew she felt the same.
The Tundra boy pounced at Augusta’s tail, missed, and tumbled to the side of the nest. He shook his head and stood up cautiously, seeming surprised to find himself face to face with the one remaining egg. At just that moment the last egg cracked and opened all at once! A lovely blue and white Fae girl emerged from the eggshells as the Tundra boy scampered away to hide behind Augusta’s leg.
As the four hatchlings napped snuggly against Ava’s belly, Faes snuggled up in their larger brother’s thick fur, her newfound family settled in around her. “Have you decided what to name them all?” asked Iris.
“The oldest is Theo,” Ava said decidedly, gesturing to the small Fae barely visible under her fur. Iris smiled and nuzzled against Kenton. The Tundra I thought I’d call Dustin, and the older girl Trista. I’m not sure about the youngest. I guess my creativity runs out after three.”
“She’s such lovely shades of blue,” interjected Augusta. She reminds me of the water in the pools at the Oasis. How about Cascade?”
“Cascade is a perfect name for her,” Ava agreed. As if in response, Cascade looked up sleepily and chirped at Augusta. Augusta smiled back at her gently, and Kenton exclaimed loudly that it was the cutest thing he’d ever seen, until Iris shushed him.
Ava looked around at her children, Augusta, and her newfound family. This was it. She was home.
Wow! That wound up being longer than I planned but I had so many people to introduce! I hope you all enjoy the beginning of this wild ride!
