Roars and chirps erupted in the air. Everyone made a run for Egg Grove. A place where eggs go to hatch. Flamesong gently held the egg in her mouth. Moonsoul running by her side. Pooh frantically clinging on Moonsoul's back. Piglet, Tiger and Gopher rode Ester while Rabbit and Eeyore sat on Gypsy's back. Roo, Kanga and Lumpy making their way through the crowd while Kessy and Owl flew overhead. The others were being careful not to crowd or trample each other as they made their way to the grove. The sky was alive with the shooting stars.
It wasn't long until they reached a clearing that had four trees circling it. Red, blue, green and yellow. White snowdrops laid out like a welcoming carpet. The stars watching them from below. Birds perched in their branches. The creatures of land circle around the trees. Queen Flamesong gently lowered the egg at the center. She rubbed Moonsoul to help comfort. They had been through so much and now the moment they had waited for has arrived. A hatchling is about to be born.
Pooh's heart raced as he saw the cracks in the egg grow larger. The hushed silence only increased those feelings. "Come on…" He whispered. "Come out, Honey Maple. Everyone is waiting for you. Your mother is waiting for you. Your father. Everyone wants to be your friend." Tears welled up in his eyes as the egg stopped moving. "Don't go…"
Crack! A large head burst out of the shell. It was exactly how Pooh imagined it. The hatchling had a small resemblance to her mother. Frilled ears graced its head. It pushed harder than anyone could see. Claws emerged with one firm kick and stumbled out. On weak legs, the baby made its way through the crowd. Flamesong and Moonsoul walked over to their child. In the moonlight, the scales were the same shade of orange as the egg it hatched from. It let out a whimper and shivered.
Pooh walked slowly over to the two. He wanted to be sure that the baby dragon was ok. The bear reached out to stroke the small nose. He pulled back as it twitched. For a bear of very little brain, he knew it was trying to smell where it is. He backed away only to tumble backward and land on his rump.
The thin eyelids twitched and slowly opened to reveal two golden orbs that resembled honey. Colors and shapes shifted. It turned its head to the noises and shapes until they stopped in front of Pooh bear. It sniffed again. A chirp erupted from its throat. Then, was pulled toward Flamesong as she had a better look. It looked up to its mother's loving face. "It's a girl." Flamesong said.
Cheers erupted into the sky. Everyone applauded to this joyous moment. Some dragons took a few steps forward to see the baby. Kanga was hugging Roo and trying not to cry. Piglet looked on with awe. Lumpy trumpeted his joy for all to hear. Lacy joined him with a long howl. Kessy and Owl perched on a branch filled with pride. Gopher blew into Ester's mane only to earn a glare from General Frost. Tigger bounced with happiness.
As for Pooh bear, he only stared. He could hardly believe that the egg he carried the entire time is now before him. He started to cry. Pooh hadn't seen anything this wonderful since the birth of Madilyn's children. He wiped his eyes. He looked up to the Dragon King and Queen, who were now cuddling their newborn child. "What name are you going to give her?"
The couple looked at each other. The two smiled. Moonsoul shifted his glance back to Pooh. "We've decided to go with the name you suggested. Honey Maple. A name that suits a gentle nature but the hidden strength that resides in her."
"Suits her well after everything she's been through." Gypsy said, joining the group with Eeyore in tow.
Pooh's face was once again wet with tears. "Thank you. Thank you so much!" He looked at the baby dragon once more. He smiled. "Welcome to the world, Honey Maple." He swiped a paw on his nose.
Honey Maple struggled to get up. She looked at her mother. Her voice gave another burbling squeak. When her mother briefly let her go, the hatchling used every ounce of strength to get onto her claws and moved toward Pooh. She looked in a different direction. Her tiny wings flared to help with her balance. She cooed. Golden eyes focused on a familiar shape she'd seen through her shell. Little by little, she made her way up to Pooh. She jumped up into Pooh's arms and cooed again. Her wings stretched out to hug the startled bear. Her first friend embraced her underneath the stars as everyone went "awww."