And it was good. (Part 3)

Tharga twitched suddenly, a pain sharp and aching in her belly. It was time. Painstakingly Tharga raised herself from her peaceful stream and walked slowly to the near shore. Her love moved quickly to her side, nuzzling her face and neck while they walked up the far side of the slope. The pain became a throb and she quickened her pace, she needed her nest. One more rock and they reached her cave-like nest and sat down, now all she needed to do was wait for her children to come. Rainyiis stood guard over her, waiting to see his children’s eggs reach this world.

Over the next day and a half, the fruits of her labor were produced: four glorious speckled eggs. Tharga was exhausted and starving. So much energy to bring her children here, and still many months before they escaped from the confines of the egg which held each one individually.

As she lay staring in wonder at her eggs, a loud squeal was heard and shortly afterward Rainyiis returned with a large fox in his mouth. He bit off a piece and gave it to his exhausted mate, she was very hungry. After only a few seconds the fox was gone and once again he flew out to catch whatever he could for his tired love. He was happy to do so. Not only had he found his love, but now...now he had a family. All Rainyiis ever wanted and he would give anything to keep this happiness. Even his life if it ever came to that extent.

Plenty of sleepless nights were spent after that. Turning the eggs gently with her muzzle, and spreading new vegetation over her eggs. Not only the regular routine of maintenance, but now the winter began to set in.

The occasional snow fall, and frigid temperatures weren’t a worry for either of the draconic parents as they huddled closely to one another, careful of their children which they rested peacefully upon. This helped with the conservation of heat, and it helped keep the precious children of theirs warm and happy within their confines.

From the nest site a view of a winter wonderland lay before them. When the wind blew, waves of a snowy tide brushed across the field. The trees stood tall with highlights of white, and blue jays and cardinals sang a song much more peaceful than the spring and summer lot. A perfect world. This world which was theirs.

Tharga woke from her slumber and sleepily looked to her resting mate. The eggs needed turning. Slowly turning her neck and she rolled the closest egg, then gingerly brought more of the nest's lining up around it’s crown. Moving her leg to cover her baby’s egg, her mate stirred and yawned. He rustled a bit to allow Tharga to tend to the rest of their young. Rainyiis watched as she did so and then nestled his nose into her jaw lovingly.

It had been a few months now, and their months of waiting for the arrival of their young was to be fulfilled any day. Tharga sensed it. She made many preparations for this and among them she made sure there was enough food nearby so she wouldn’t have to leave her children for much longer than a few seconds.

Rainyiis was also making plans. He knew that while the children were in the nursery he needed to make either more space so he too could enjoy the company of his young. Or, he would have to make a place for him separate from that of his family. He chose to build onto their existing nest, carefully placing more stones and branches of all sorts to make a bigger home for his brood.

This was stressful upon both the proud soon-to-be parents. Many days of travel took its toll upon the young Tharga, who still felt the pain of her early injury. So Rainyiis settled for her keeping the young warm and preparing the addition to their nest as he flew out to find food and materials for them.

The day was growing nearer, and sounds of her young cooing from the insides of their eggs were growing louder everyday. Her young crying to be let out. She gently soothed them with motherly sounds and the embrace of her warm scale flesh against their eggs. Any day now, my love. Any day. She thought happily to Rainyiis, covered in snow from a recent search for food. He smiled to her. If a dragon can indeed smile, he did at that moment.

Game was getting thin around their site and hunting was getting more difficult. Rainyiis had begun going beyond their safe haven and to a new place by a local lake. Here the elk and other migratory animals gathered for the lake was always open and vegetation was thick. This was the winter hunting grounds. He didn’t like being far from his new family, yet he did need to make sure they did not starve. So, aside from his gut instincts he flew out to hunt and to feed.

Finally the day did come when a peculiar sound came from below Tharga’s soft belly, then a quivering of egg. She lifted her leg and watched as the egg cracked and rolled onto its side. It was happening, her children were being born. She quickly yet carefully sped out of the nest and stood on the tallest point of the cliff.

No sooner had she perched on the cliff top, she let out a large barking roar. The sound echoed off the surrounding valley walls, and she quickly went back to her nest. Righting the rolled over egg she rested beside her four precious children with her wing carefully placed over them, keeping the snow and wind from her hatching children.

Rainyiis heard the loud call of his mate, and even though he was stalking a large group of elk he quickly lunged out of his hiding. Flying with such a force out of the covering of dead bulrushes and shrubs, the elk scattered making the snow fly and heading in a beeline for the trees. Rainyiis beat his wings harder and rose quickly out of the clearing and towards home. Adrenalin coursed through his dragon veins and he raced over the tree tops and quickly the cliff came to view.

Only a few moments had passed and Tharga watched gleefully as the rest of her young had began their escape from the confines of their eggs. She was mesmerized. She would finally see her children and so would her dear Rainyiis.

A hasty landing and Rainyiis jogged to his nest. Tharga looked at him with a joyous look in her eyes. Then his attention lay upon the eggs, quivering and cracking slowly in front of her. He cooed and happily nuzzled his wonderful Tharga on her jaw and neck. Then carefully he stepped over his mate and came to rest beside her watching the birth of his new children. Rainyiis sat happily beside Tharga, eagerly waiting to greet his young and offering coos of love and happy nuzzles to his beloved.

Many hours passed and by now the sun had begun to dip behind the far valley wall. Dusk had set in and the two dragon parents still sat watching the eggs. Suddenly another crack of an egg and the top half fell, exposing a tail and two legs of the first born.

Rainyiis chuckled inwardly and watched as Tharga slunk over to the baby and using her mouth tore a few more bits of eggshell away from her young. With that the dragon toppled out, rolling a bit and landing with his face towards the far end of the nest.

Confusion was evident as the baby looked around and began a small whine, worried about where his mother might be. Gleefully Tharga stretched her neck out and nuzzled the back of the baby. The newborn lifted his small head up, until he was looking at his mother and father upside down. They watched as a draconic smile crossed the baby’s face and then promptly toppled backwards from the upside down stare. Tharga nestled her baby close and cuddled it as they watched the rest of their young proudly reach this world.

Finally after a few more hours of waiting, their family was complete. Four gorgeous young sat nestled into mother’s belly, and occasionally the weary first born would wander over to Rainyiis. This amused him because the young dragon took great enjoyment in running straight into his breast and back to the safety of his mother.

Tharga and Rainyiis decided that they would not name their children yet. Instead Rainyiis insisted that a while of watching would yield the name appropriate for their kin. This was a cold snowy day, yet now everything seemed perfect, with no thoughts as to the harsh weather outside of their happiness. Mother and young happy and warm, and father watching joyfully next to them.