“O to see a dragon birth.
To travel to one’s dark lair
Deep within the earth
Pray the Dragon spares thee”
Quoted by Arajuan to his men
warning them the danger
of hunting dragons.
Deep in a massive shadowy cave, the smoky black egg was preparing to hatch. The father, Rork crouched down and blew flames on it to hasten its incubation. His vast scorched wings tucked behind him, his neck stretched forward toward it. He focused his entire energy on hatching the egg.
To the left side of Rork sat a smaller female curled up in her nest of straw and rocks. The mother, she was a misty-black dragon. Her wings were thin delicate membranes she kept folded into her. She pressed the frilled crests to the side of her smooth face and neck as she edged nearer. She watched over him with an anxious eye.
A new large line appeared on the shell. Rork looked up and detected the crack. He called out with telepathy.
Mika, it is hatching, he exclaimed.
