Hatchling
Tiny optics glowed dimly within the pod, equally tiny claws flexed slightly as a young processor analyzed and indexed the contents of the podﾒs exterior, the liquid he was suspended within, and the small specks of material that swirled, glinting in the light of the outside yet again. Faint vibrations, steps, sent the metallic particles which were formed of countless nanites responsible for constructing him dancing. The optics shifted, trying to pick up the one that he knew as his caretaker simply as a dark shadow on a canvas of shadows through the obscuring film of his pod. The caretaker was an enormous being, the young one knew, as towering shadow moved past. He was probably only about as big as one of the caretakerﾒs many fingers on one of his many hands, if he judged correctly, from seeing the shadows of the caretakerﾒs hands against his pod every now and then.
The caretakerﾒs shadow passed by again and the tiny optics followed it until it was out of sight. Then they shut off. The youngling would have to wait some more.
Dimly, in a vague sort of way, the youngling wondered when he would leave with the caretaker. He had seen the caretaker carrying other pods, so it wasnﾒt unreasonable to believe the same would occur with him. But that would not be this orn, he knew, so he settled down to wait yet again. It was better to let time pass, drifting in half awareness so that he did not have to count every moment until his time came.
He just wished that the caretaker would come back soon.