The moment she touched it’s smooth surface, she could feel a warmth seeping up through her fingertips, and she shivered, smiling. When Aise pulled the egg to her at last, she held it firmly against her chest, since dropping it now would be a very, very bad thing. She was surprised it had survived the crash, especially when it was found in the middle of all that rubble, perfectly unharmed. That and the only other survivor was right near it... seemed sort of uncanny. But at least it was okay. Aislin had a feeling that this was right, her finding the egg, and then didn’t want to think about what might’ve happened had the egg been damaged in the wreck, or she’d refused to find it. She shrugged it off, shuddering slightly, and checked the hold once more before she left for the last time. She didn’t think she’d missed anything, but you never knew.

     And apparently she was right to check. Not another survivor, but something useful. A book floated on the water amongst the other flotsam, and she scooped it up, recognizing a picture on the cover. It was a drawing of the egg she still clung to, though there were three, and only one was like hers. The other two were different colors, and one was rough, so that it looked more like a rock than an egg. Still, it might be helpful.

     “Lets get you back on shore, okay?” Aise spoke the egg softly, stroking it’s surface to comfort it, though she didn’t know why she’d comfort an egg. Maybe it was because the egg was just like a baby to her senses. She coiled her rope and toted it and the book in one arm, the egg held close to her chest in the other as she ascended the stairs to the upper deck.

     When she got to the water’s edge however, she saw a slight problem. She’d heard that eggs needed to be kept warm, and to get to the ship she’d have to swim through cold lake water. She could go and bring the skiff closer, but that would mean leaving the egg on the wreck, all alone, and she felt distressed to even think about that.

     No, the only way to get back to the skiff was to swim. She only hoped she wasn’t damaging the occupant of the egg too much. She’d take care of it and keep it warm forever after, she promised.

     Aislin got back to the skiff as fast as possible and hefted the coiled rope and the book into it, then pulled herself and the egg up. She used a spare blanket to try and dry herself off a little before putting her outer clothes back on, and then wrapped herself up in the third and last blanket, still holding the egg close, inside the blanket with her.

     On the way back to shore, Aise felt a slight tickle against her mind, sort of like how a butterfly might feel. For a moment, she didn’t know what to think, but then she remembered uncle J tickling her mind the first time they’d met. She had asked him what that was, and he’d said that it was a way to know who she was. She’d decided not long after that uncle J could sometimes read her thoughts that way too. Someone must’ve been doing the same thing he did.

     She looked at the man, still asleep in the bottom of the skiff. No, not him. Her eyes then turned to the little black dragon fly perched on her shoulder again, and it chirred curiously. Probably not him either. But then who could it… her answer was so abrupt it interrupted her train of thought. She peeked inside the blanket at the egg.

     Is that you? she thought at it, curiously, hoping she could send it things just as it was sending her things.

     Her answer was almost immediate. She felt another rush of warmth and rightness, sort of like how she felt when a bad dream would scare her into mother and father’s bed with them, and she’d sleep in the middle, both parents there to protect her and keep her safe and warm.

     Aislin giggled happily and hugged the egg, sending that warm, protective feeling right back at it, humming the lullaby uncle J had taught her.

     It was almost a surprise to Aise that they got back to the lean-to that sheltered the skiff so soon. She guided the vessel inside and hopped out, clinging to the egg. And then she remembered... Mother and father would be furious with her for taking off through the storm like that. She was sure they would have found out where she went by now, since she obviously wasn’t in uncle J’s cabin.

     And what would they do about the egg? Would they understand and let her keep it? What if they were afraid she’d make a mistake taking care of it and get someone to come and take it away? That thought alone was enough to cause a panic. She tried to calm herself, but then recognized that it was the egg and not her that was panicky at the thought. Aislin soothed it and promised that she’d never let anyone take it from her. She sang a bit of the lullaby again, and after a while the egg seemed to go to sleep.

     Relieved, Aise sat down to think. She set the egg between her crossed legs, so that it was in a sort of nest, and readjusted the blanket around it and herself. So, what now? She couldn’t take the egg home with her, and certainly couldn’t show it to her parents, but she didn’t want to leave it alone and unprotected either.

     She could leave it in the skiff, but then how could she get the man out and to her home? She was sure she couldn’t carry him all the way. She’d have to bring someone out here, and they’d almost surely see the egg.

     As she thought, Aislin hummed and stroked the egg absently. Maybe she could hide it in uncle J’s cabin for a while. Long enough to let her sneak it into her bedroom while her parents weren’t looking, maybe? That seemed like a plan, that could work. So Aise lifted the egg again and rose, just now realizing how sore she was. Well, that would have to wait.

     Aise took off down the trail leading to the cabin, hoping that he’d be there so she could leave the egg in his care. She was careful not to let her sea legs get her unbalanced, though the earth seemed to be rocking beneath her, and she almost tripped once or twice.

     She was relieved when she finally reached the cabin, and flung the door open with an urgent “Uncle J!” but there was no answer. Nobody was home, it seemed.

     Well, maybe he’d come back soon. She made a little nest of blankets and pillows on the small bed in the corner and nestled the egg in it’s soft folds, covering it with another blanket, but not all the way, in case uncle J did come home and sat on his bed. She wouldn’t want him to accidentally squish her egg!

     With a final farewell kiss to the egg, Aislin was off again, this time running all out for home. She hoped mother and father were there so that she could get them to help her with the man asleep in the skiff.