The intruding mana had calmed within me, and that which drifted through air stirred gently as it parted around me. If I had normal eyes it would have been nearly impossible to spot, but by letting my own rough tide of mana flow up behind my eyes - at least, it felt like it was in that vicinity - I could see the faint wisps of crimson mana, always moving but never dissipating. Stopping my own flow of mana, I carefully found where the connection had been made between myself and my sibling’s egg. Sending a small amount through that bridge, I felt my way over to the egg with mana alone.

As my mana unsteadily reached the egg, it was sucked into - rather, around the egg, thinning out to cover as much as it could of its glossy red surface. Done experimenting with my mana control, which had been improving since my arrival in this world, I physically closed the distance and inspected my future sister or brother’s cocoon.

I had already looked it over several times, as it was one of the few features in the enclosure I called home that wasn’t horribly mundane. Excepting the mana connecting me to it, the egg was the same as always. It’s orange and crimson shell practically sparkled as the last stray rays of light bounced off it. The egg was almost as tall as I was and many times as fat, but hadn't grown an inch since I’d first seen it.

It took me a few moments to sit crossed-legged, back against the egg, but after a victorious battle against my tail and wings, both of my newest appendages surrendered to the imprisonment of a mildly uncomfortable position.

Why the hell do I need a tail, anyway. Wings, sure, I’ll give ya that. But a tail? Frickin’ useless.

I’d been trying to fall asleep in the warmth emanating from the egg for a while, distracted by my runaway thoughts half-heartedly directed to the manager of the universe when a slight but familiar feeling crept into me.

“Child… stay near my egg, I will return by dawn.”

Rehm sounded like she was whispering to me from across a room, and before I could respond the weak heat of her connection had left me.

Huh, I guess Mother felt that too. Maybe this means you’re done cooking and ready to go?

Tapping the solid surface behind me with the back of a claw, I shifted positions, laying down beside the egg, subconsciously curling my tail around it as far as I could. With the comfortable glow of my new personal fireplace, I drifted off into sleep…

……...

The air rushed past me, my hair, wings, arms, legs, tail - anything not securely attached to my body - was limply dragged along for a ride. My eyes were closed, but I was already fully awake, and had been since the moment the massive claws had delicately grasped my midsection.

Not today, Rehm, not today. I’m keeping my eyes shut no matter what you do! Aren’t dragons supposed to laze around all the time??

Like most mornings, my wonderful and merciful mother shook me about in an attempt to rouse me from sleep. For my first week in this world, screams had been ripped out of me as I myself had been ripped out of my dreams. After my first month living with my dragon-mom, I’d finally mastered the art of not screaming as the sky and grass changed places rapidly before my eyes. Now, after a few days of freedom and sleeping in, I was committed: no amount of shaking would force me to surrender and wake up.

After a minute of her futile attempts, Rehm stopped moving, holding my totally still unconscious body by the waist. From how my limbs were hanging, I was upside down.

“Fufufu…”

A slight chill went down my spine, though my determination remained steadfast.

“Child, I know you are awake. It seems that you have yet to realize it yourself. As your mother, it is my duty to help.”

The dragon’s arm flicked like a whip, and in a breath I was free of her grip, with the pushback of air resistance pressing against my body.

Heh, like I’d be scared of being thrown around a bit? I’ve got wings, you know.

Eyes shut, limbs flapping about uselessly, I flew through the air. And flew. And flew some more. Something was off. As I finally began to slow down, I cracked open an eye ever so slightly.

Ah, blue skies? What a splendid view~ Ah, some clouds? How nice~

I broke out into a cold sweat as I came to the sudden, very astute realization that the clouds were much closer than they should have been. Flailing about as my descent began, and somehow turning over in the air, a panicked scream broke through my lips as I saw my mother, Rehm, now a red speck among a green background down below, starting to hurtle closer and closer to me every moment.

………

“Did you sleep well, child? The traces of mana from my egg are comforting, are they not?”

Ignoring both her gaze and the sly grin I could recognize in her telepathic voice, I shot Mother a question from my unsteady perch on the large oak tree.

That’s its mana, then? And why’d it go everywhere like that?

“Before hatching, the dragonspawn releases mana along the only pathways it can, to its kin. It is a sign of sorts.”

Of hatching?

“Hmm, after it makes a connection, an egg should hatch within a day.”

I stole a glance at the egg, which still seemed physically unchanged since the day before, and since I’d been hatched myself. Within a day.

“My second child should be with us by tonight, it seems. Preparations will be necessary when the hatching actually begins, but, until then, there is something we must do.”

The tree I’d holed myself up in trembled dangerously as Rehm placed one claw around its trunk, and brought her head level with me. Meeting her eyes, she had a slightly serious expression that I’d not seen on her before.

“We must talk, child. Come down.”

Obediently gliding back, I followed her back near the egg, and copied her as she laid down lazily.

“Before your brother hatches, I must tell you certain things dealing with the gathering. In truth, Elder Jyun has been considerate to me, and has waited for both of my children to hatch.”

Ah… did you say brother?

“Hm? Indeed, my second child is a male. Could you not tell from the feel of his mana?”

Closing my eyes and focusing, a let my own mana mingle with that coming from the egg, my brother. Where my own felt like a hot iron, coarse as it flowed, and Rehm’s mana felt like the warmth of a hearth, my brother’s seemed to coat everything, like the rays of a sun, flirting with burning one’s skin.

Er, not really.

Shifting her head slightly, Rehm simply continued. “Once your brother is comfortable in flight, we shall go to the gathering. Once there, you both will choose names and meet more of your kind.”

Other dragons? Exactly how many are we talking about…

“Any dragon south of the mountains will attend, I wager about 10. More now, with you two.”

Wrapping her tail gently around the base of the egg, Rehm blinked sleepily at me. As relaxed as she seemed, those two red-yellow orbs never rested, although one was currently fixed on me.

Does.. Are there more north? Are there any in the Dragonspine Mountains?

Her irregular blinking stopped completely, and I began to feel nervous.

“Dragonspine Mountains.. That is what the lower races call them, is it not?”

With an expectant look, she waited.

I, I think so. That’s what the uh- the human told me.

With a sigh from deep in her chest, which equated to a minor earthquake for me, Rehm finally closed her eyes.

“Unimportant for now. The gathering takes priority, little one. Although I suppose it is somewhat related. I spoke to Elder Jyun, about your peculiar body. And you now you seem comfortable speaking with a human. There isn’t a problem with the Elder, but as to the other dragons… several might become troublesome.”

Because… I look like a human?

“Yes, child. Most will not do anything while I am there, but a few, especially that da- mmm… a dragon called Nessera will likely flap her jaw about uselessly. She is one of the four seated dragons in the south, as I and Elder Jyun are. Fret not, child, I just wish for you to be aware.”

Alright.. Mother, if there are only a dozen or so dragons, south of the mountains, how many exactly are there…

“Mmm.. south of the mountains is where the young are raised, but most reside atop the peaks. The conditions up there… aren’t suitable for the young, so eggs and hatchlings stay south until they grow old enough. Well, a few choose to live here anyways, like myself.”

The rest are up there… does that mean.. My father?...

Rehm shifted her arms to better cushion herself, and closed her eyes. After a few minutes of silence, she simply said, “In the mountains.” After that I felt as though she was done speaking to me, so I curled up between her and the egg. Trying to get lost in my thoughts, I worried I hadn’t pissed her off too much with my questioning, a shiver going up my spine as the image of the ground fast approaching appeared in my mind.

………

I only realized that I had drifted off a bit when Rehm woke me, much gentler this time, and directed me away from the egg that had so kindly acted as my source of warmth. A jagged crack had appeared along its upper half, but Remh drew my attention away.

“This will take a while child. He must come out by his own strength. I will stay here, so go to those farms and fetch his first meal.”

Hesitating, glancing sidelong at the crack on the egg’s surface, my mother pushed me along hurriedly.

“You remember what I said of those farms? Go, he will be quite hungry, I imagine.”

One last look and a nod to Rehm, I unfurled my wings and leapt into the air. Catching the breeze in my sails, I twirled about for a moment before heading in the direction of the cow farms that sat on the edge of the forest. Getting a rhythm, I lowered my flight until I was within reach of the taller trees. So what I don’t like going THAT high up, flying like this is fine for me. Swaying back and forth, brushing a hand against the soft treetops, I pushed even harder with my wings until above and below me were just a blue and green blur.

It was only for a bit, but my blood pumped eagerly through my veins as I slowed down, almost seeming to urge me to push further. Resisting, I came to an eventual stop, landing near the end of the forest where the trees grew thinner than the underbrush gathered less densely. In the distance I knew was a grey blur of walls and buildings, the town I’d only seen from a distance. Closer to me, rather right in front of me, was a wooden fence, raised on the forest’s edge to keep something out of the fields the cows walked lazily about in. Whatever it was supposed to block, it sure as hell wasn’t me.

I searched for a moment, checking the cows in my sight one by one until I saw a particularly fat one with markings on its ears; the same markings Rehm had told me about. An offering for dragons, I guess? Well, thanks for the generosity, farmer. With one step my claw was atop the fence, and with another I was back in the air, wings outstretched, passing just above a very confused cow. A few seconds in the air, and I landed on my mark, claw tearing through its neck like wet paper. I’d never killed one of these cows until now, as Mother had said it was better to hunt real prey, and I could see what she meant. Without a struggle, the cow gave a weak “moo” and collapsed under me, and didn’t get back up.

Not worrying about the blood or the cow’s weight, I grabbed my new brother’s first dinner and sauntered back to the forest. Hopping over the fence, I saw most of the cows had remained, heads faced downwards, chewing peacefully. The cow that I’d jumped over stared at me with dull black eyes and gave me a parting “moo” as I made my way back to the den in high spirits.

Although it took a lot longer on the way back, given that I had no way of carrying a fully grown beast while flying, my patience was rewarded when I walked back into the enclosure I called home. Dropping the beast beside the pond, I came up to Rehm as she watched the water intently. It didn’t take long for me to notice what had her attention, as a bright red shape surfaced and flapped its wings dry.

It might’ve been just a hot day, or maybe the combined mana of my mother and new brother had heated me up, but I blushed as red as my scales when he walked out. Red scales covered most of his body, save for a greyish-white underbelly, and when he sat back on his haunches unsteadily I could tell he was maybe a head shorter than I was. He brushed water off his arms and tail before shaking his oversized head and rubbing his eyes, and a small squeak escaped my lungs.

My very own… AHH HE’S SO ADORABLE! I WANNA PET HIM LOOKATTHATFACE-

Perhaps saving me from my elder-sisterly urges, my brother seemed to notice the corpse I’d dropped by the water’s edge and approached it. Standing over it, he opened his mouth and I realized just why his head was oddly large for his body. A row of massive teeth crunched into the shoulder of the cow, blood spurting in every direction as my little brother chewed.

Ah- my… my cute... little brother…

Finally looking up, mouth half open and dripping with sinew and blood, my little brother looked at me with an innocent expression. There was a loud squelch as the corpse fell slightly, but I didn’t notice. Come back, my sweet delusion, noooooo-

“Big sis?”