Chapter Two:

The Egg

They reached the island and Ruby went to work, making a nest, moved by her maternal instincts to do so. All the while, Chomper rubbed his claws, looking at the egg tucked within his curled-up tail. Ruby wanted him to keep it warm till the nest was ready, therefore, he didn't argue and did what she asked of him. Though the parenting instinct didn't come as natural to him as it had with Ruby, Chomper holding still, fearful of crushing it.

"Are you almost done, Ruby?" Chomper asked with a trembling and worried voice.

"Not yet besides, you're doing fine." Ruby insisted, gathering more grass.

"If you say so." Chomper added meekly. Giving a sniff, Chomper glanced from the forest to the egg. "It's so small."

"Most eggs are, Chomper." Ruby worked quickly and made a few adjustments, still not happy with the nest. "I wouldn't want to push out an enormous egg out, to lay a big egg would be extremely uncomfortable, and hurt badly." Chomper flushed at her comment and all the while, Ruby continued to work. After a few minutes, Ruby stood back and admired the circular vines and grass. "Okay, it's all set." Ruby took the egg and lay it in the nest, setting upon it, adjusting her body to not crush it. With a big smile, she found a comfortable spot and sighed with content. "Wow, never thought I'd ever be able to sit on an egg, to sit on an egg was not something I imagined for myself."

"Yeah, we're going to be parents." Chomper spoke with a hint of worry.

"Does that bother you?" Ruby asked.

"No, it was something I never thought we'd have. After all a sharptooth and fast-runner could never produce offspring. Not to mention we don't even mate the way normal-" It was then he paused, his eyes growing moist. "W-we're going to be parents."

Ruby smiled and felt tears in her own eyes. "I know, can you believe it."

Ruby felt Chomper lay beside her, wanting to be close to their new family. She settled and leaned close to him, falling asleep and dreaming of a new future, one that added a third member to their pack, their family. The night circle faded, and the bright circle appeared, warmth poured over the island. In the nest, the egg moved, Chomper laughing, tapping the shell again, receiving another response.

"The baby must be bigger than I thought."

"Well, enough time passed between the fight and now." Ruby said, getting up to stretch.

"Wanna see it move again?" Chomper tapped it gently, seeing it shake slightly. "Heh, heh, that will never get old."

"Well, I'm off for a walk and food, be back later."

Ruby shook her head, leaving to eat and walk around, entrusting Chomper to watch and keep the egg warm. Chomper hadn't had much experience with eggs or young, so, Screech stayed behind while Thud joined Ruby. It was the first time Thud had asked to join her, Ruby getting a feeling he was about to tell her some troubling news.

"I take it you didn't come with me to enjoy the warm day?"

"Mrs. Boss, I hate to pour sky-water on your happy moment. But Screech and I've been discussing the addition to your family and the danger that will follow."

"Danger? But the hatchling is harmless-" Ruby assured him.

"I'm not speaking of Stephany's evil being passed onto the child. I'm talking about other sharpteeth." Thud said.

"Why would other sharpteeth want our young?"

"To end the line of the current Alpha. In truth, I worry Chomper won't be able to protect your child. There is no doubt he's strong and capable of greatness, displaying abilities we can't even comprehend. But it's his doubt in himself, and his morals that hold him back."

"I've known since we were kids; Chomper was different from any of his own kind. I found it to be interesting, beautiful. Though, I understand your concern. I fear there is not much I can do. I'm prey, could never be seen as an equal to your kind."

"I'm sorry for upsetting you with such talk. Sometimes I forget you're prey instead of a sharptooth." Thud mused. "If anything, sometimes I wish it was you who were the Alpha. You have a strong heart, can think in a tough situation. It seems yours and Chomper's roles are reversed."

"Thank you, Thud, that was kind of you to say. Hard to believe there was a time when I saw you as my enemy."

"Yeah, and I saw you as food."

They shared a small laugh, walking along the land path. In the back of Ruby's mind, she wondered how Chomper would be when it came to protecting their young. Her gaze went toward the jungle behind her, wondering what he was up to that very moment. Currently, Chomper was sitting by the nest, doing his best to keep the egg warm.

Screech walked over, peering down at the egg. "So, you and Ruby decide on a name?"

"Ruby has a few names picked out. We haven't picked one yet. We're waiting till it hatches."

"Hey, Boss."

"What, Screech?"

"You're crushing the egg."

"I am!" Chomper panicked and leapt a good-few-feet off the ground, standing and looking thoroughly over the egg. "Oh, no, Ruby will be so upset if I…Wait, it looks fine."

"Hah! Got you!" Screech laughed and patted an unamused Chomper, who glared at him. "Oh, come on, that was funny."

"How do you know about eggs?"

"When Thud and I lived with our old pack, I noticed a few things. The light is pouring down, turn it occasionally, that'll keep it warm. Place some grass over it."

"Wow, I never took you to be a guy who knew about hatching eggs," Chomper said, amazed by the information Screech had on egg raising.

"You pick up on a few things." Screech shrugged, reaching out to turn the egg. "Whatever it is, they'll be the heir to the Alpha job."

"Heir?" Chomper flinched at the statement.

"Yeah, everyone knows that when the Alpha has a son or daughter, they'll inherit the role and take over once you kick. It's a time horned tradition." Seeing a worried expression, Screech didn't get too fussed up. "Every sharptooth knows that. Well, everyone except you, of course."

"I don't feel so good."

"Calm down, Boss, we'll help you keep the egg under wraps."

"Hello, my friends, my friends hello." Said Ruby, returning from her walk, her parents showing up to see the egg.

Chomper was silent as Rodney and Trudy lit up at the sight of the egg, Ruby was glad her parents could see their future grandchild. "My, what a beautiful egg." Trudy knelt by it and rubbed it. "I'm so happy for you Ruby."

"So, Chomper how do you feel about becoming a dad?" Rodney asked, looking at Chomper.

"Nervous."

"Well, don't worry, that feeling never goes away."

That, of course, didn't make Chomper feel better, Trudy noticing Chomper's nervousness. "Don't worry you two, you'll do fine. Besides, we can help you, helping you would be our pleasure."

"Thanks mom and dad."

They embraced Ruby and Chomper, Ruby seeing Chomper's expression was that of worry. Screech and Thud stood off to the side, till they were yanked into the group hug. When the day wrapped up, Ruby's parents went to their nest, while Screech and Thud went on their nightly patrol.

Alone, Chomper took a breath and spoke. "Ruby, our young will be the next Alpha."

"Yes, Thud, mentioned that to me earlier on, talking it over with me."

"This egg is the heir to the Alpha title. From what Screech told me, usually, the Alpha is solitary, like Red Claw. However, it is said on a rare occasion, when a female becomes an Alpha, she'll find a mate and lay eggs to ensure her title be passed onto her young. In fact, Sharptooth was the heir when his mother passed, being the only one out of his clutch to survive into adulthood."

"Our child will be in danger." Ruby thought over what their next course of action. "Then again, they won't be in danger if other sharpteeth don't know about them. For the safety of our child, it'd be wise to keep them on the Island as long as possible."

"Not to be mean, Ruby, but that's terrible. I know what that's like to be cooped up and not have the chance to go out, make friends, to-to live."

"They won't have a life if a vengeful sharptooth kills them," Ruby added.

She watched Chomper lower his head, letting it sink in and after a few moments he said. "Okay, you're right, as usual. Staying on the Island and out of sight would be best for the child." He gave a small chuckle, smiling brightly. "Now I understand why my father was the way he was."

"Indeed, it seems all the decisions the grown-ups made all makes sense." Ruby admitted.

Ruby knew Chomper was worried, for her own mind was racing. If anything, Thud called it, and deep down she knew Chomper might not be able to protect their child, would second guess himself, and show restraint. Not that it wasn't an admirable trait, but it'd meant she'd have to find a way to fight, to hold her own against a sharptooth or any who might dare bring harm to their child. The question was, how would she fight? She had no claws or sharp teeth. There had to be some way, something she wasn't thinking of. Looking at the sky, she took a deep breath and got to her feet. She made sure the egg was warm and took an evening walk to clear her head.

Ruby:
"Isn't truth supposed to set you free,
Well why do I feel so weighed down by it,
If I were born a predator,
I'd provided my loved with, the protection that they need,
Instead sharpteeth don't fear me
But only see me as their next meal,
Oh this is where we've been,
But it's not where we belong,
And I may act strong, but I know somethings I', wrong,

So I look up at the starts to guide me,
And throw caution to every warning sign,
If knowing what it could be is what drives me,
Then let me be the first to stand in line,

So I make this wish,
To have something more for us than this,
So I make this wish,
To have something more for us than this,

Hey, yeah, yeah, yeah,
Hey, yeah, yeah, ah, ah,
More than this whole, oh, ah, ah,

I never knew I needed room to grow,
But over the years I've evolved and changed,
Now I've got all this freedom in my bones,
But I still got the lid on so, it doesn't overflow,
'Cause I've reservation and hesitations on where I should even begin,
I'm past dipping my toes in,
But I'm not, no, I'm not past diving in,
If I could just be pointed in any given direction,
On where to go and what to do,
My legs are shaking but my heads held the high,
The way you always taught me to,

So I look up at the starts to guide me,
And throw caution to every warning sign,
I'm sure there will be challenges that find me,
But I can take them on one at a time,

So I make this wish,
To have something more for us than this,
So I make this wish,
To have something more for us than this,

Hey, yeah, yeah, yeah,
Hey, yeah, yeah, ah, ah,
More than this whole, oh, ah, ah,
So I make this wish,
To have something more for us than this!"