[ANNI-24] 2 - SCRAMBLE - FRAGILITY

it’s always a cause for celebration when new clutches of eggs are almost ready to be laid. it’s almost difficult to believe that beings as large as the tall-necks come from such small, fragile things.

matapang’s herd is on their yearly trek to their ancestral nesting grounds; guided, of course, by their proud leader. the rest of the herd chats amongst themselves on the way, mostly to and about all the expecting parents. thinking of names, about future milestones, and the rewarding difficulty of caring for clutches.

matapang can’t help but let their collective excitement infect them a little. they try to act like they’re above the nonsense of it all, but they can’t lie. they’re as excited to meet the little ones when they eventually hatch as the rest of the herd. they try to excuse it in their head as just being invested in the next generation of their followers, but they know the truth. not that their followers need to know, of course. they need to maintain their image of strength to keep their herd’s trust.

when their eyes land on a lake close by, they bellow to their herd to allow everyone a drink and some rest, especially the carrying mothers. they almost forget how fragile the mothers are now too, even at such an impressive size. it wouldn’t do their herd good for half of them to collapse of thirst.

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when they arrive at their nesting grounds, the expecting parents start claiming nesting spots while everyone else finds a spot to rest their aching feet. the nesting grounds are beautiful, surrounded by lush forests and plentiful sources of water. it’s the perfect place to raise hatchlings.

it’s a team effort to care for so many fragile eggs at once, with even the non-expecting members joining in on watch duty while the expecting parents eat and tend to other business. even matapang takes part, walking across the entirety of the nesting grounds to get a good look at every single clutch, greeting and congratulating their parents on the way.

at the end of their round, matapang takes a moment to think about their own hatchling-hood. did their host really used to be that small? logically, they know the answer, but it’s difficult to comprehend. they’re glad to have found their host at the pinnacle of strength, not as a small and vulnerable thing.

they look out at the eggs before them and ponder.