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Asha

Golden Ghreid slinked in, his eyes full of uncertainty that spread into joy.

Rath gathered the eggs in his arms—such small things, certainly daunting for where they came from, but they’d grow, as Asha had been told. They’d draw magic from the air and at least double in size in time. For the moment, they were smaller than a wyvern’s egg, oblong and thick as an acorn squash.

Rath told Asha about how small Lapryda’s egg had been, and when he hatched, the dark violet of his scales glistening.

He wondered what his young would be in time.

But he had until spring to find that out, months and months away.

Enough time for him to curl up, learn his magic, and ready himself to be a father.

Lapryda settled in, opening his arm as Rath handed him an egg. “My dear nephew—”

“Or niece,” Slath corrected.

“Or niece…” Pryd glared at Slath and cradled the egg. “I shall teach you all manner of fineries. You’ll outshine all other dragons with my help.”

Falustus, all red scaled and flushed, stared at the eggs and snorted, his expression a half grin. “They’ll need to wait until they’re much older for my lessons, brothers. Still, they’re full of potential.”

Slath held an egg and passed it to Ghreid who seemed so overjoyed. “And I shall help you count your hoards, and teach you to turn one gold into twenty and weave the magic of trade.”

Envi, for his part, managed to gather both eggs in his arms, hogging them, with green scales prickling his arms and temples. He could barely contain his delight. “And I’ll teach them to control the earth, and harness life within it.”

Asha chuckled from his place of rest and opened his arms to take them back, growing more nervous, but happier by the moment. An unfamiliar—yet familiar face—greeted him by the door. Black scales prickled strong hands and a well-fed build. Galatan.

“It is good to meet you, my new brother. Your young called out to me, and I woke.” Galatan took one of the eggs and stared at it in his hands for a long moment before kissing his fingertips and pressing it to the shell.

“This will do for now, little one. They are fine eggs. Finer even than Slathar and Mezerath’s were! ”

Rath grumbled, but ultimately his face softened. “Welcome back, Brother.”

Galatan helped Rath hand over the eggs and tuck them into Asha’s nest. “Thank you. I look forward to my future, wherever it leads, and with new little ones to spoil.”

“Any chance we can postpone my station in Monsmount?” Ghreid gave Rath and Asha a pleading look.

“No, Brother. It’s your turn. I am here because you will not be here. There’s a future for you. Seek it.” Galatan rested a hand on Ghreid’s shoulder, and Rath stared his brothers down.

“As the fates command it,” Rath said.

“And so shall we do,” his brothers spoke in unison.