Hatchling Chronical

Written and Told By kath McGill

The Hatchling Chronicle : a collection of original work written by Kath McGill of the island of Eragon. Due to the length of the collection, they will be broken down into chapters, and presented, when possible at the story telling hour.

The Hatchling Chronicle. Chapter one - Cormie May 16th 2007

One upon a time in the land of the Abhainn an Lagáin there was a Wyer of Noble Dragons, or Wyrms who lived in harmony with the mountains and the sea. The dragons took great pains to keep their kind as ageless as the mountains, and unchanging as the sea. Discussion with Mankind was, while it wasn’t forbidden, was discouraged. Hatchlings that were born different, were often left to fend for themselves. Many perished, those that survived discovered none of the Wyrms would have anything to do with them and as they grew older. They chose exile beyond the great lands.

Ages past, and the Wyrms discovered that their number was dwindling, though, they were ageless, their numbers were being reduced from injuries or from the bow of the hunters who sought the wealth of the Wyrms, or, sometimes, an illness would take a number of them . While there were many, and the strongest managed to survive, sometimes, they didn’t return home from the hunt. Each hatching became an important event as the number of the females dwindled.

Early one chilly spring day, the word was passed that Beatri, one of the younger females, clutch was finally happening. It was by far the largest clutch that had been laid in the last two generations. All the female dragons arrived at the cave with scraps of meat for the hatchlings so they could have a good start to their first hours on Abhainn an Lagáin. As with most small things when they come into the world there were a chorus of ohhhs and awwws as each of the tiny Wyrm hatchlings broke free from their shells. In all of the excitement, in all of the broken shards of eggs, a single small egg was over looked at first. Othelh the oldest of the Dragonesses spied it and tilted her head to listen to the sounds within the egg. She could hear a happy humming of a contented hatchling to be .

“Come out hatchling!” Othelh said scolding the hatchling to be “We are all waiting to see you.” Othelh tapped the egg with her nose. “Your brothers and sisters have hatched already.” The others watched as the egg she had tapped began to rock back and forth The sound of giggling was heard coming from the egg as more of the dragonesses encouraged it to come out and join them. One of the other dragonesses held up a piece of meat over the egg to help encourage the hatchling to come out. Cracks appeared in the top of the egg and when a hole was finally poked through, the dragonesses saw the hatchlings eye peaking out shyly. It could smell the scrap of meat and could see that there was more, and its tiny hatchling belly was rumbling. Seeing the scrap of meat through the hole, The little hatchling gave a mighty push, sending the fragments of the shell everywhere as it darted forward and snagged the piece of meat in its tiny jaws and swallowed it in a single gulp.

There was a collective gasp from the dragonesses as the hatchling smacked its lips looking around for more scraps of meat. The hatchling noticed that the happy sounds of encouragement had stopped.

“That explains why it took so long to come out” said Othelh with a disapproving tone.

The hatchling looked around, then edged closer to Beatri The second larger scrap of meat held by another dragoness that was meant for the hatchling dangled in the air. It saw its hatch mates were regarding her through sleepy eyes- their bellies full.

“I’ll deal with it” said Othelh, her jaws opening above the small hatchling “Don’t want it to suffer needlessly.” The hatchling didn’t mistake the tone of Othelh voice. Opening up its own mouth, the hatchling snapped at Orthehs tongue and bit as hard as it could and was pulled up as Othelh reared back in pain. Letting go, the hatchling used the momentum to tumble towards the larger scrap of meat held by the other dragoness and grabbed a hold of it. Startled, the dragoness dropped it and watched it disappear in two gulps down into the hatchlings belly as it scrambled to Beatri for protection.

Looking down at her last hatchling Beatri saw tears in its eyes, then saw Othelh’s head come around again, anger in her eyes. Beatri brought her wing around to shield the little hatchling. “She has the will to live, and to defend herself. You will not harm her.” Beatri dared to say. “I will name her Cormie” Picking up a piece of meat from a carcass Beatri offered it to her little hatchling who gobbled it up with a happy squeak.

Othelh regarded Beatri, “You will not get extra” she said at last. One by one the dragonesses turned and left the cave. Beatri fed Cormie all she could eat then took the last small scrap for herself. Instead of curling up and falling asleep Cormie wandered over to where part of her mothers hoard was. Going up to a long thing that was flat and shiny, Cormie took a look at herself. Her mother had large hard scales, and her brothers and sisters were the same. Cormie saw with some shock, that she was very different. Her mother heard the little hatchling gasp as she regarded the soft auburn curly hair that covered her body and her tiny wings.

To be continued…