Chapter Eighteen: Family

Cera and Remy walked into the grove. The tense atmosphere accumulated during Mushroom's disappearance grew heavier until they saw Mushroom in Remy's arms. Relief washed over the worried faces, only to be snatched away by the concern coloring Remy's features.

Ducky was the first to speak, noticing how Mushroom trembled and the heavy scowl etched on Cera's features. "What happened?" She approached Remy, hands clasped in front of her beak, fear in her eyes as she stared at Mushroom's back.

"The claw-hands found us again." Remy stroked Mushroom's neck. "I found him playing on Stone-back Hill, then they found us. He could have been eaten, but…" Remy's lips pressed in a thin line as she struggled to process what had happened. "He…gave the claw-hands…cold burns."

"Cold burns?" Littlefoot approached, standing next to Ducky. "What do you mean?"

"Have you ever experienced snow?"

Littlefoot shook his head. "No, but Grandpa talks about it sometimes in the stories from other storytellers. White fluffy stuff falls from the sky when it's colder than the water from Thundering Falls. Water gets hard, and food doesn't grow anymore."

Remy slowly nodded, still a little dazed by the events. "Well, when something is too cold, you get frostbite, like you get sunburned. The colder it is, the worse the injury. Mushroom…" She paused, the image of Oz clutching the hatchling burned into the back of her mind. "Bright blue flames had jumped off his body, but they didn't burn. They froze. And the grey-backed claw-hand was left with cold-blisters."

A tense silence fell over the group. The day-old hatchling with strange glowing markings made bright blue flames that froze instead of burned. It was something they would have never dreamed of. No story ever contained the tales of a magic-wielding dinosaur, let alone what Mushroom could do.

"I still think we should get rid of him," Cera muttered. "He could be dangerous when he grows up. If he doesn't know how to control that power and it'll only grow as he gets older, he could hurt someone. He could kill someone. And what if he develops more of this…magic?" Cera's sharp green gaze locked onto Remy as if the girl was at fault for the entire situation.

"Don't look at me like that, Cera. My Shard didn't do anything. We found him among Shards. They must have affected his development." She stepped back, moving to Littlefoot's flank, keeping Mushroom close to her.

"How do you know? Maybe when a thin-skin wears a Shard, it makes the hatchling develop some weird ability. Ducky said most of her herd were raised by Shards and look at her. She doesn't have some freakish glowing blue markings, and she doesn't have any weird abilities like blue freezing flames. She just looks different from other singers and can swim great." Cera snapped to Ducky as if expecting the swimmer to rebut her words.

Ducky couldn't make eye contact with Cera. "Well…yes, but."

Cera snorted and turned back to Remy and Mushroom. "See? Ducky doesn't have any weird markings or magic, and she hatched near a Shard too. I bet it was your Shard coming in contact with his egg that triggered all this stuff. Thin-skins do a lot of stuff like that."

Ducky fidgeted at Cera's words even though they were not directed at her. "I do not think that is how it works. I do not."

"And how do you know?"

Ducky avoided Cera's gaze.

"I still say we get rid of him. Then there'll be nothing to worry about. No telling the adults. No one gets hurt."

"We aren't killing an innocent hatchling!" Littlefoot stepped forward, tail lashing.

"I didn't say anything about killing. We can just toss him out into the Mysterious Beyond. He'll die eventually."

"That's cruel!"

"Fine, let's go find some poisonous berries or something and feed him them. He'll die a little quicker then." Cera turned to walk away, but Littlefoot stepped in front of her

"We aren't killing Mushroom. He's someone's hatchling, and he needs a family. We're going to find him a family."

"Sure. Like anyone's going to take him." With that, Cera shoved past Littlefoot and exited the grove.

A tense silence settled over them before Spike's deep, rough voice broke it. "Home. Need. Home." He nodded to Mushroom.

"Right. Either way, Mushroom's going to need a family to take care of him." Remy placed the infant next to the remaining egg. "How about I clean him up, and you talk to your grandparents, Littlefoot?" She stroked Mushroom's boney snout. "Too bad he wasn't a small type of dinosaur, or I would have offered for Suri's family to take care of him. Then again, how good would it be for a dinosaur to be raised by humans?"

"Yeah, I think it'd be best if he was raised by another frill-head family. I wish Cera had liked him, then we could have just taken him to Topps and solve this entire thing." Littlefoot sighed.

"Do you really think Topps would have taken a liking to a hatchling like Mushroom?" Remy reached for a bush and pulled a few leaves off, offering them to Mushroom. She rubbed his back while he nibbled, the beige frill-head still shaken up from Oz's and Strut's assault.

"I guess not." A long pause followed. "Well, I better get my grandparents." Littlefoot slipped out of the grove, nervous energy rolling off him in waves. Spike followed him to give moral support when he faced his grandparents. Ducky and Petrie remained, offering their help when they could.

After Remy washed the hatchling in the hidden lake they had visited a few days ago, she gave him a few more leaves to eat. Mushroom's belly was full, and he was snoozing in her lap by the time Littlefoot and his grandparents approached the grove. Littlefoot popped his head through the foliage and gestured for his friends to come out.

Without a word, Remy walked up to the elderly long-necks, Mushroom in her arms. The hatchling squeaked as their large heads lowered to get a better look at him.

"We don't know who's hatchling it is." Littlefoot ducked his head, having already told his grandparents about the hatchling. "He doesn't look like anyone in the Great Valley that we know, but we were hoping someone would take him in. He needs a family."

"Well…" Tos trailed off, taking a good look at the beige hatchling and the bright blue, glowing markings on his flanks. "He doesn't look like a three-horn… He doesn't look much like any frill-head I've seen before." He raised to his full height, his mouth pressed in a thin line. "I don't know of any other frill-head families that are missing children other than the one couple, but I'm not sure they'd be willing to take him in."

"Come, Littlefoot." Fern nudged her grandson to the council meeting place, Remy following. "I've already called a meeting about the hatchling. We'll talk about how this all came about later."

"Yes, Grandma," Littlefoot muttered sulkily, following his grandparents.

Ducky and Petrie stayed behind to watch over the remaining egg. They waved back to Littlefoot and Remy, worry in their eyes.

Tos turned to Remy and Littlefoot, sensing that his grandson was feeling bad. "Thank you for bringing the little one to our attention." He exchanged a look with his mate. "Though we are disappointed that you betrayed our trust again, I can't help but feel proud that you brought back the young that some have lost."

Littlefoot looked up, a slight smile on his face.

Tos returned the smile. Approaching the meeting place, the grey long-neck bellowed, the call echoing across the land. It was answered by other roars, bellows, and trumpets by the gathered council members. As everyone rearranged themselves in the traditional semi-circle, Remy and Littlefoot were ushered into the center. Spike stood on the semi-circle's inner rim so that he wasn't the sole focus of the council's attention but was there to speak when needed.

When it seemed everyone was gathered, Tos cleared his throat. "I have gathered you all here today to announce that my grandson and his friends have found eggs that were stolen by a pair of claw-hands."

Tos couldn't get in another word, a horrified gasp rippling through the crowd, followed by a rush of fearful whispers. A grey head pushed through the mass of scales, the usual scowl etched deep on his features. Topps brandished his horns at Littlefoot and Remy, but he spoke to Tos and Fern. "I told you we should have never allowed any dull-teeth in our Valley. This was bound to happen eventually."

"But it was a pair of claw-hands from outside the Valley!" Littlefoot jumped in. "None of the Valley dull-teeth would have done this."

"Outside the Great Valley! How'd they get in? Who'd let them in?" Topps glared into the crowd. His dark gaze raked through each of the faces, looking for the guilty face of a guard or the nervous twitch of a claw-hand that may have let their friends into the Valley. "Which one of you let claw-hands get into our Valley and eat our unborn children!"

No one moved.

"Well?"

"Topps," Tos stepped in. "There is no one to blame. They must have found one of the small, hidden entrances. You know as well as anyone that we can't guard every nook and cranny in the Valley. Now, let Littlefoot continue."

Topps's gaze darkened, but he stayed quiet, waiting for Littlefoot to keep speaking.

"Well, we found some eggs that the egg-stealers had been hoarding to…eat later. One hatched, and it was Mrs. Maia's baby. Then, another hatched, but we don't know who he belongs to. We've named him Mushroom, and…he's a little odd-looking." Swallowing hard, he stepped aside and gave Remy a nod.

Remy placed Mushroom on the ground, gesturing for him to walk closer to the semi-circle so everyone could get a good look at him.

The gathered dinosaurs gasped, the wave of whispers rising among them once more.

Tos cleared his throat. "We understand that Xerin and Eotra lost two eggs to the claw-hands. However…this hatchling is not a three-horn like them."

The two three-horns didn't speak. Wordlessly, they pressed their heads together. It had been their first clutch, but they had lost both their eggs to claw-hands. Eotra lifted her head, tears glittering in her eyes. "You didn't find any more eggs? There aren't any that haven't hatched yet?"

Remy's heart twinged, the blue and orange speckled egg flashing behind her eyes. Maybe it was her baby? But something was weighing on Remy's heart that told her not to say anything about it. "No." Her voice was firm, her hand pressed to Littlefoot's shoulder, sending the message through him. "We only found two eggs. I'm sorry."

Eotra lowered her head, a tear slipping from her eye. A wave of sadness washed over the crowd. Sniffles and murmurs drifted among those who had lost their unhatched offspring. Some dinosaurs walked away from those who had gathered. They felt there was no need for them to be there any longer if their children were not going to be brought back to them.

"If I say," the cracking voice of Mr. Thicknose sounded from the crowd. "The infant's a curious specimen." He glanced to the elderly man seated on his back. "What do you think about the hatchling, Ebrima? He seems to share some similarities to a Shard, does he not?"

Ebrima hummed, rubbing his grey-stubbled chin. "He does, doesn't he, Adensis?" the man slipped from the large herbivores back, approaching Remy. "May I?"

Remy nudged the beige hatchling toward the man. "I was the one that found the eggs. They were nestled among a few large chunks of Shards. I'm pretty sure his egg had been there the longest. It had glowing blue flecks on it that wouldn't rub off. It obviously affected him since he has those glowing markings. Also…" Remy lowered her voice, hoping the dinosaurs wouldn't hear. "He can make blue flames that are cold."

"Cold, blue fire?" Ebrima breathed. He took the hatchling in his hands and raised him to the late afternoon sun. "You made frozen flames, young fellow? I have not seen a Shard-Born like you for a very long time. Amazing. Just amazing."

Another wave of muttering rushed through the crowd. Nervousness saturated the air. Claw-hands and now magical, fire-making hatchlings. What would be next?

"Oh, do not worry." Ebrima raised his voice to the muttering dinosaurs. "Shard-Born are very rare. When a dinosaur lays her eggs among chunks of Stone of Cold Fire, the magic will cause changes in the unborn dinosaur within the shell. The same can happen to a pregnant woman. If she wears enough Shards on her body at all time, its magic can affect her unborn child as well."

"Why haven't we heard of this before?" A dark green spike-tail asked, his voice booming through the crowd.

"Does this happen to all children born from Shard magic?" Another dinosaur questioned.

"Is it dangerous?"

Ebrima smiled to himself, though his dark eyes slid to where Ducky's parents and the rest of their family had gathered, attracted to the commotion. "He will not be dangerous as long as he is taught not to use his flames against anyone. His flames are just like any of your horns, spikes, or claws. I will be honest, some variations of Shard-Born are very dangerous while others are not. However, anything can be taught to be used for good or vile intentions. As long as he controls it, he will be no more dangerous than a typical frill-head."

The man paused, gently rubbing Mushroom's back as he let his words sink in. "Stories of Shard-Born are far and few between. This is not only because Shard-Borns are very rare, but many herds prefer to keep them secret. Some…some sadly fear the Shard-Born and prefer to get rid of them rather than welcome the magic that they can wield."

Ebrima glanced to Ducky's family once more, taking in their bipedal stance and webbed forehands rather than the typical hooves singers usually possessed. Aura caught his eye, worry in her dark brown depths. Ebrima just smiled at her and answered the last question. "Physical changes can come in many different variations. From glowing markings to bodily alterations. The ability one is blessed with would be similar to that of a Shard-Wielder's, like our dear Remy. Yet, they are different. Only forms of bizarre nature manipulation can be inherited by those that are Shard-Born."

"What do you mean, bizarre nature manipulations?" Topps snarled, his dark eyes boring into Ebrima.

Unphased, the elderly man simply smiled at the three-horn and gestured to Mushroom. "Frozen flames. Fire that is blue but does not burn." He offered his palm to Topps, blowing a breath over his dark skin. "Liquid air or gaseous water." He then looked up at the sky. "Or maybe even solid lightning. There are so many strange presentations of an ability a Shard-Born can have."

Topps's eyes narrowed. "Liquid air? Solid lightning? What nonsense are you speaking, thin-skin?"

"It is not nonsense."

"Anyway…" Mr. Thicknose brought the attention back onto him. "The little one needs someone to take care of him. What about Topps? He has an adolescent daughter already. How much trouble could—?"

He was cut off by a glare from the three-horn. "There is no way I'd take care of that…thing." He glared at the hatchling as if it was Mushroom's fault he had hatched. "I say we just get rid of it. It doesn't look like any type of frill-head I've seen."

"Like father, like daughter," Littlefoot muttered under his breath.

Mr. Thicknose sputtered. "I wouldn't say that. He is nowhere near ugly, rather, a remarkable hatchling. I would even take him under my care if it weren't for my age."

Topps snorted. "I don't care. Just find someone else to take care of it if you're going to keep it. I don't need to be here any longer." With that, the dark grey three-horn marched off.

"I could maybe bring him to Suri's family for now." Remy offered. "It would be better if he was living with another frill-head, but if no one's going to take him...he can at least live with them for a while."

"No!" Eotra stepped forward. "No. We'll take him. We might have just lost our unborn children, and he might be a little...strange-looking, but we will learn to love him. He needs a family, and Xerin and I are glad to give him one."

"Thank you," Remy breathed. She patted Mushroom and pushed him toward the teal-scaled female. "Go on. That's your new mom. She'll take good care of you." Remy looked up at Eotra. "We named him Mushroom. You can give him a different—"

"That name is just fine," Xerin commented, lowering his head to nuzzle the hatchling. "It'll take a little getting used to, but I think we'll all do just fine. Come along, Son."

Remy and Littlefoot smiled happily as the new parents walked off. With the situation taken care of, the council and other gathered dinosaurs slowly dispersed. Though, there were mutterings among them. Several stuck close to Mr. Thicknose and Ebrima, asking them questions about Mushroom's heritage and Shard-Blessing.

Not needing to go back with his grandparents quite yet, Littlefoot followed Remy back to the grove. Their good spirits melted the worry from Ducky's features the moment she saw them push through the foliage. She and Petrie had been quietly chatting with each other, the unhatched egg between them.

"Did you find someone to take care of Mushroom?" Ducky asked, standing to her feet. "You did not have to give him to Suri's family, did you?"

"Nope. The three-horn family that lost their two eggs to the egg-stealers took him in. We'll have to visit them in a few days after he's settled in."

"Oh. That is good, yes it is. Xerin and Eotra are good dinosaurs, yep, yep, yep." Ducky pressed a paw to her chest in relief.

"And how's the last egg doing?" Remy asked, squatting in front of the blue and orange speckled egg. "It's taking it a while to hatch." A slight frown graced her lips as she touched it. "It's not that warm."

"I know." Ducky rubbed her paws together. "I have been trying to keep it warm like Mama does. I do not know if it will make it, Remy. It has been a few days since we rescued it... Maybe we should have made a better nest or told the adults about it sooner."

"There really isn't much we can do about it, though." Remy stood up, hands planted on her hips as she stared at the egg. "I'm going to take it to Suri's. Maybe her parents will know what to do with it. They are healers, after all."

Everyone nodded in agreement.

With that, Remy took the egg to Suri's home. Once they welcomed her in, she explained the entire situation, leaving no detail out. While she was talking, Suri's mother and father examined the egg. When her story was finished, Laok took them to a small room in the back of the house. Silently, he gestured for Remy to place the egg inside the wood and glass container. Then, he brushed a hand over the familiar heat rune. A soft warmth filled the small box.

"An incubator?"

Laok hummed, checking the box's bedding and the small glow rune carved on the lamp-like fixture above it. "Yes. We haven't used it for some time, but I think this will be the best thing for this little one. Hopefully, we can make another family happy." His smile was tight, but there was a spark of hope in his too-blue eyes.

"I hope so too."