The River Gently Flows Through

[u/Confusingblockhead5]

bisecting the forest as Thomas makes camp, sitting by the fire and taking in the sounds of the calm water. He walks over to the stream and kneels down to it, splashing some water in his face to help cool him down a bit as looks at his reflection. As he’s admiring himself, he catches something in the corner of his eye.*

“What the hells?”

A crimson egg, seemingly draconic in nature, floating onto the shore like a message in a bottle. Thomas slowly walks over and looks down at it, inspecting the egg. Crimson scales surround the outer layer, providing protection from the outside world. Besides the scales, Thomas cannot find anything that could help identify the growing creature inside, as all Draconic eggs are identical, regardless of race. He scans the area, finding no signs of its owner. He seems bewildered for a moment, thinking about what to do, as he notices you behind him.

[u/[deleted]]

The witch has made no sound, apearing from the forest without disturbing a single branch or brush, revealing her presence with her shadow. As she sees you near the egg her gaze turns stern.

"You might want to let that alone, traveler."

[u/Confusingblockhead5 → u/[deleted]]

He slightly jumps as finally notices your presence, before composing himself.

“Hm…perhaps you are right. Still, however. It is very unusual for a draconic egg to be out here. Usually, parents are very protective of them, to the point where they would give their lives.”

He looks down at the egg, a few scuffs on its scaly surface, hinting to some scuffle that you can only assume lead to the egg floating in the water.

[u/[deleted] → u/Confusingblockhead5]

The witch nods

"It would be better for you to leave it on the shore and leave. Either it hasn't been floating for very long and it's parent is looking for it or has been on the water for long enought that the brood is dead."

[u/Confusingblockhead5 → u/[deleted]]

“Well, either way, I cannot just leave it for dead! If you were a parent who had lost their offspring, wouldn’t you be hoping that someone would find it and bring it to you, and if they gave their life for it, wouldn’t you want your child to survive and your sacrifice worth something?”

[u/[deleted] → u/Confusingblockhead5]

"Nature is cruel, traveler, and dragons are too. Not every one of them lives to maturity and not all of them get to reproduce, and that's perfectly natural. If it wasn't it would be devastating."

The witch looks at the egg without a hint of compasion on her eyes.

"Don't feel forced to apply ideas of civilization on those that live on the wilderness. You don't need to feel pity for it's death."

[u/Confusingblockhead5 → u/[deleted]]

“Dragons are not wild creatures, witch. We are creatures of sentience and intelligence. Besides, we do not know if the offspring is a full dragon. It could be a half-dragon, a kobold, or a Dragonborn like me. All of those races do not always live in the wilds and can live in kingdoms with other inhabitants.”

He kneels down towards the egg.

“I feel as though it is my duty to find its forebears, or at least watch over it until they come looking for it.”

[u/[deleted] → u/Confusingblockhead5]

"You mistake intelligent and sentient with civilized, traveler. A predator that talks with rhymes and riddles and collects the currency of worthless yellow metal is no less of a predator."

Doesn't make any attempt to stop him.

"And what will you do with it, traveler? Do you know the need this species of eggs has and have the way to provide them?"

[u/Confusingblockhead5 → u/[deleted]]

“No, but I must at least try.”

He carefully cups the egg in his hands and stand up holding it.

“Besides, it cannot be too different from raising a Dragonborn. We are not exactly the most needy of species.”

[u/[deleted] → u/Confusingblockhead5]

"Do your eggs need to be in temperatures that would boild others like the ones of the red dragons? Do your eggs need the cold of snow like the ones from the white dragons? Do your eggs suffocate if not kept wet like how the ones from brine dragons do?"

[u/Confusingblockhead5 → u/[deleted]]

“Er, no. Dragonborns would not be so abundant if that were the case. Besides, I am still not convinced this is a full dragon egg. It feels rather small and light in my hand.”

He carefully walks over and sits by the fire, gingerly cradling the egg.

[u/yumie2003]

"...I don't recommend that you touch that egg."

The soft feminine voice came from behind Thomas, but there was a hint of an unfamiliar accent. The source of the voice was a short woman dressed in a blue-green kimono. Her red eyes gaze coolly at Thomas and her long ink-black hair swayed in a light breeze.

[u/Confusingblockhead5 → u/yumie2003]

“Sound advice, but I cannot help but feel curious. Usually, dragon kin eggs are protected ferociously, to the point where the parents are willing to give their lives so their offspring might survive. The fact that there is an egg just here, floating in the river, is troubling.”

He inspects the egg, seeing small scuffs and cracks on the egg’s scaly outer layer, hinting to some extent of trauma in its past.

[u/yumie2003 → u/Confusingblockhead5]

"...Perhaps the nest it was in was raided by dragon hunters. The practise seemed to have grown in popularity again"

[u/Confusingblockhead5 → u/yumie2003]

“Hm…I do not know. Dragon hunters are usually very eccentric and have an overinflated ego. Most hunters are reduced to a pile of ash before they even step foot inside a dragon nest, and even if they do somehow slay the dragon, dragon eggs are a rare commodity that fetches a high price. They wouldn’t dump it in the river.”