Fennec smiled at the festivities. The rainforest was bustling with dragons from all different tribes, offerings and gifts piled high on the ivy platform. Laughter echoed around her like a warm blanket, wrapping her softly. Scooting awkwardly around a group of visiting skywings, she curled her barbed tail, careful to avoid stinging anyone. The rainforest was too crowded, full of strange dragons attending the yearly tribe festival; a time where all dragons could come and be themselves, associate with other tribes, and enjoy the fun. Games and special meats and fruits were brought in, soaking in the attention of colors of scales.
"Woah! Careful there!"
Fennec blinked in alarm. A young nightwing stood there, in front of a large, moss covered cave. Inside, Fennec could make out small, neon blue glowing masses, nested in the grass, hidden in the moss, and hovering in the air. They illuminated large, shaded objects, resembling eggs. Oh. I'm at the Hatchery. How did I get here?
Fennec glanced at the back at the nightwing, smiling sheepishly.
"So sorry, I must have wandered off. I'll be going back now."
The nightwing smirked as Fennec turned to leave. He beckoned her closer towards the cave entrance, lowering his voice slightly.
"Nice try, but most dragons don't just 'wander off', when there are games, competition, and rare foods waiting. You're welcome to stay here, I could use some company."
Fennec hesitated, glancing back at the festival. The skill contest wasn't until sundown, and she had promised Pyramid to meet him there. Turning back, she put on her most imposing face, and settled down next to him. What a strange dragon. Cactus had warned me that Nightwings were sneaky, proud and demanding dragons. But this one seems so...normal.
"Nightfall."
Fennec looked up at him, her face slipping from her 'Back off' mask to confusion. He cringed slightly, but a grin fell in quickly.
"I mean, my name is Nightfall."
"..."
"Usually, that would be the cue for you to tell me your name. So?"
"...I'm Fennec."
"Good! See, you're getting the hang of this already!" He cheered, raising his wings up. Fennec nodded, trying to think of something to ask the stra- Nightfall.
"So, 'most dragons don't wander off where there are games, competition and rare foods.' are you here by punishment?" Fennec asked, anxious to change the topic.
Nightfall's cheeky expression fell, and was replaced by one of wonderfulness. A wishful look came into his dark blue eyes.
"No. I volunteered. My girl is going to come out in a couple more weeks. She's gonna be my first, and my partner and I can't wait. My dragonet, We're gonna name her Dreamchaser. She will be my everything."
"Oh." Fennec's throat seized up, and she felt her vision getting blurry. No Fennec. No, you will not cry in front of a strange dragon. Stop! She ducked her head, and thought of the first question that popped up.
"What is your partner's name?"
"Windhunter. You should meet her, you'd like her."
"How? You don't even know me." Fennec snapped, her voice catching in her throat.
"I just know. You both have the same spark. Like you're always trying to catch one too many dreams. Say...do you have any dragons? Maybe...they could meet Dreamchaser."
Fennec stared at him, horrified. The one topic she had hoped to avoid, was staring her smack in the face. She could always lie, but for some ridiculous reason, she couldn't. Like it or not, she now trusted this nosy nightwing.
"I would have. Had a dragon, I mean. I mean, I had one. I had the egg. A male. My ray of sunlight. But, C-Cactus- my partner-my ex. He didn't want one. I lost him, two days later. I-I didn't even get to name him. Gone. Just like that." Fennec felt tears well up again, and this time, she let them fall. She stared down at Nightfall, almost daring him to say something. Nightfall was quiet for a second, then stood up, and stepped into the Hatchery.
"Follow me."
Perplexed, Fennec dried her tears, and hurried after him. She found him in one of the corners, where the blue glow was the dimmest. A single egg lay there, in a wilting patch of dried grass. Fennec could swear it seemed smaller, and almost sadder than the other eggs, which laid in groups of four, with thick grass and soft moss surrounding it. Dim blue lights hovered closer to them.
"I used to worry about this egg." Nightfall glanced up to meet her eyes, and Fennec saw a fierce determination in them.
"Queen Glory passed a new rule a couple years ago. All eggs have to be marked with the mother's name, and the mother had to be notified when her dragonet was about to hatch. Dreamcatcher will have the same treatment, and Windhunter and I will be here, waiting for her. But this one, won't have anyone waiting." He stroked the egg tenderly, and picked it up. "When one of the rainwings was patrolling the hatcheries,he noticed this one. It had clearly just come out, but there were no marks to indicate any of the mothers. We figured out that the mother must have had the egg, but for whatever reason, didn't want to have a child. Maybe she was too scared, or young, or maybe she just didn't want a child, plain as day."
Fennec narrowed her eyes. She didn't like where this was going, but Nightfall seemed to have no plans to stop.
"Whoever the mother was, well, she can make up a thousand excuses, but in the end, she abandoned her dragonet. So..."
He held the egg out to her, placing it gently in her arms. Fennec stared at it for a moment, before looking back at Nightfall, already fearing the worst. His eyes softened at her protective touch as she cradled the egg. He met Fennec's eyes, and smiled.
"Will you take him? He needs a mother, and you. You can be repaired. Whole again. Please."
Even before Fennec opened her snout, she already knew her answer.