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The Valley's entire Saa population had shown up for this clutch. And they were all both amazed and baffled. The clutch was huge. A normal, larger Saa could produce as many as eight eggs in one clutch. There would be no guarantee of their hatching if they were purebred Saa, but that was about the maximum that could be carried. Eikida, however, was tiny. Half the size of a normal Saa. It had been generally assumed that the most she could carry at once was four or five eggs. There were a grand total of thirteen eggs in the nest. No one could understand it. It was a miracle! Eikida knew just how it had happened, but she wasn't about to spoil the surprise. Only two other dragons shared that knowledge, and they weren't telling either. At least, not until after the hatching. That time came soon enough, and the candidates were gathered. Eikida had made out the candidacy request, and had kept that secret as well. So the general population was a little surprised to see so few actual candidates on the field. As was tradition by now, a candidacy spot was reserved for each parent, though this too confused those Saa gathered; all three 'potential' fathers were gathered. Had Eikida really kept from them who the real father of this clutch was? Had she felt pity for the other two and offered them a spot in the clutch? There were no answers to be had, but the eggs were just this side of hatching, so all would be revealed soon. Eikida, this time the center of attention for an entirely different reason than was her norm, sat at the center of her clutch, gazing out over those assembled as a queen would regard her subjects. One young human, two elves, one fae, a pair of Syon, a pink werewolf-shade, and one Sa'enkyen had answered her call for candidates. They were small enough that they wouldn't intimidate the new hatchlings, though that didn't say much about personality. Personally, 'Kida liked them playful. That little prank she pulled with Agate some time before had placed him high on her list of favorites, but the others were just as interesting. As the first egg began to crack, all eyes turned on it intently; now at last they would learn who the father of this unusual clutch had been! As a tiny, saa-like nose poked out of the first egg, three others began to shake. The first to hatch was a pale little one, with darker points, much like his mother. However, that was just about where the similarities ended. They looked very little like Saa, and very much like Cieyuni. The other three eggs also appeared to share his very obvious parentage as their little brown snouts poked through the eggshell. Well, that answered that question. Several Saa flitted down to congratulate the lucky father. The first hatchling peered out around those gathered, and made a small circuit of the candidates, wiggling playfully when he reached his father, but moved on past everyone he met, finally settling in to play with his mother, who gladly pounced and rolled with him. The three following hatchlings began their trips out to the candidates, a little tan one with flaming fur down her back tripped up to Bowcrescent, peering up at him hopefully. "You like to run? I like to run," she chirped, doing a somewhat wobbly lap around his feet. Meanwhile, a mostly dark hatchling with almost-colorful markings was bounding and tripping and wiggling up to her father. She tumbled into a heap at Cieyuni's forepaws, grinning up at him. "Daddy! Daddy, daddy, daddy, daddydaddydaddydaddy! Wanna play!" The last of the four took his time, and made sure to approach everyone in attendance (with the exception of the Saa who were just there to watch, though he did chat amiably with a few of them before moving on) before making his choice. He was all smiles and happy chirps as he trotted towards Evan. It had concerned all those watching Saa that only four of the thirteen eggs had hatched, but it wasn't a real surprise; Skilled Saa had less of a chance that the majority of their would eggs hatch. However, just as the last of those four hatchlings had moved off with their respective caretakers, more eggs began to rock. Eikida looked positively smug as the first of the next wave of hatchlings poked it's nose out. It also had the traditional Saa snout, but was much darker than those previous. Well, that was to be expected, Saa genes worked strangely with some species. What was surprising was the hatchling's shape as it emerged fully from his egg. He looked nothing at all like Cieyuni, but quite a lot like Vispto. About then, the Saa observers began to be suspicious. The little hatchling glanced out over the remaining candidates, but decided to join his half-brother in play at his mother's side. Two of his siblings had also hatched by that time, a brother heading straight for Ryuujin, and a sister for Agate. She came sliding to a stop before Agate after a particularly acrobatic (though clumsy) bit of frolicking. She grinned, wiggling her little tail and looking for all the world like a mischievous little puppy. ~I have the best idea,~ she said impishly. Ryuujin's simply trotted over, circled his new caretaker, and promptly curled up for a nap at his feet. The next to hatch was a little grey and white female, who grinned around at the semicircle of observers before scampering over to her father. She wove her way all around his legs, before sitting quite contentedly between his forelegs. There were four left to hatch after the ninth one had fallen from his egg, and they began to wobble just as he made his way very decisively toward Amontillado and Mortis. "You need help. I help," he said, also very decisively. His vocabulary may have been limited, but that did little to take away from the feeling behind it. The remaining eggs were hatching by this time, the first to break through it's shell proved every suspicion correct, though still surprised many in the valley; it was white and rainbow, much like Eikida, but furry, unlike either of the two previous fathers, with little stars almost exactly like Nova's. A second surprise came when a second head pushed it's way out of the shell. No, not twins - a hydra-saa hybrid. The first Saa hybrid to have multiple heads. The valley was both awed and appalled. The first little one peered around at all the gathered Saa, saw their expressions of distaste, and cowered a little. A glance at the gathered candidates made up his mind; there was no way he would stay here when there was a much more accepting candidate waiting for him. The little hatchling made his way tentatively towards Edeledare, smiling doubly at him. At the same time, a half-rainbow marked sister was making her way to Yasheel, having completely ignored everyone else. ~Hybrids aren't so bad, are they?~ she asked timidly. The third to hatch made a bee-line for his father, and began chatting him up, though Nova did little to add to the conversation himself. That was fine; this little one didn't need much to go on once he got started. The very last egg still hadn't hatched, though when Eikida tapped it, it tapped back, then shook violently and finally burst open to reveal a little hydra with markings almost identical to it's mother's, with the exception of scattered star-shaped vacancies in it's rainbow markings. ~Hi mommy,~ she said, then glanced around. The other candidates had moved off with their new hatchlings, and the other Saa were still looking at those hatchlings born with more than one heads as though.. well.. they were born with more than one head. ~Looks like I'm with you.~ ~Looks like it,~ Eikida chuckled, ruffling up her little daughter's fur. It took quite a lot for the secret to come out, but eventually someone spilled the beans. Exodus, one of the three Zy'Eketh who had relocated to the Valley long ago, had leant her time-space portals. In essence, Eikida had had three separate clutches, spaced over a certain length of time. At the same time. And Reian'ni had been the secret-keeper, which is a thing it seems she was born to do. It was a bit much for the average Saa to understand, so the subject was dropped soon afterward. Exodus probably wouldn't perform the same service twice in a row, and besides, 'Kida had a way of getting what she wanted, even from those who didn't depend on her and want to give her the world anyway. So it was left at that, and everyone went away happy. PICKUP |