It was safe to say that Igneel did not particularly care for humans. They were small and weak and killed far too easily. They paled in comparison to new born hatchlings and were useless in a fight. And, due to some rule to keep peace between the two species, he wasn't allowed to eat them either.

His life had been mainly spent ignoring or avoiding the puny things so why he was now among yet another human hatchling - or 'baby' as Grandine called them - while she made it some weird paste was completely beyond him. His foster son, Natsu, was balanced on the ridge of his back, chubby arms round the new addition.

"Can we eat it?" The boy asked curiously prodding the blonde hatchling in the cheek.

Igneel did not reply. He was too deep in thought to register what Natsu had said. What was he going to do with it? Natsu was already quite a handful: wandering the moment he took his eyes off him, eating things that should stay on the ground and pestering for more lessons on magic. The boy was not even two yet, had barely grasped learning to become tolerant to the flames and already wanted to learn to 'B'weath da fire!'

Grandine shot both a disapproving glare, as if to say 'what are you teaching this child, Igneel?' She shook her head, "No, you can't. That is cannibalism."

"Whaat?"

"Never mind." The white scaled dragon touched her forehead to the baby, head butting Natsu. A soft blue glow coloured the little one's skin before it return to a healthier tone than it was before. Awkwardly, she stabbed one of many sharp talons through a slab of bark with green paste mashed in a pile in the centre. "Feed her."

Natsu stuck one finger in the green gloop. "Her?" His hand hovered hesitantly around the small mouth he was supposed to be feeding.

"The baby is female."

Gathering courage, he pushed the finger past the tiny purse of lips but grimaced when it met the baby's tongue. "Yucky." He retracted quickly.

Annoyingly, Igneel had stumbled across both infants the same way. They had both been on the edge of his territory (by different towns but the same region, but that was besides the point) with similar pendants reading 'Ryuu' in a casket. The difference was that Natsu had been found in one that more or less resembled a bird's nest and the female baby had been found in a white, ornate basket with stacks of gold bars and exotic fruits.

And now he was in possession of another human.

"Lift them higher, I can't get her to eat."

Obediently, he hovered his tail a little higher. If Metallicana could see them the bastard would most certainly be laughing. After all, it wasn't everyday that one of the Great Dragons of Fiore listened 'obediently'. But that was only due to being on the receiving end of a scaly white tail. He now had two vicious bruises, battle scars. And to think no one believed him when he said she had anger issues. She really should change her name to Grenade.

"I wish I had one." Grandine murmured, a cushion of air lifting small heaps of green gunk into the baby's mouth. It made a face.

"What did you say?" Igneel asked suddenly, jerking his head round to look at her.

"...I wish I had one?"

"That's it, you can keep the kid!"

Silence filled the cavern. Grandine had a look of shock on her face. Keep this small baby? She looked down. It was certainly true that she was more equipped with looking after a baby than Igneel was. The little girl looked up at her with warm brown eyes. With her healing powers, the baby would never get sick or be in too much pain. Grandine's own eyes seemed to light up. She'd always wanted a dragon slayer of her own, it sounded strange to say so. The purpose of them was to kill dragons and yet, Metallicana and Igneel had always seemed to view their human counterparts as apprentices, or even sons.

"Igneel," She began, "I'd always put you down as some sort of arrogant fool but now... now I see that you're a kind-hearted, wonderful– "

"Kidding." Igneel laughed. Oh, payback was sweet. Those tail hits on his beige underside were really starting to hurt. "Are you kidding? Two dragon slayers? I didn't really want another one... but after thinking it through..." He stopped before erupting into earth tremor-ing chuckles. "Metallicana is going to be so jealous! One all, Metal-face! One all!"

"Get out."

"When he got his little side-kick, he was so up himself! The Great Metallicana has gained a Dragon Slayer. I'm sure you'll find one who wants you!" He mimicked, his huge voice echoing in the cave. "What were you saying?"

"GET OUT!"

Igneel blew a jet of flames into the pile of logs by the mouth of their cave. Natsu was leaning against his side, the new addition to their family in the boy's small arms.