The kobold barged through the heavy doors, the force sending him tumbling down the stairs. I was only halfway down the long main hall, trying to keep my playful toddler close to me, as he thought it was all a game. He was trying to hop along as best he could in his still sleepy state. When I finally made it to the opening, I looked to see if the kobold was still around. I would show him what for if he dared crack open my baby’s shell!

After a few seconds, I noticed a green tail flicking between the bushes of the yard. I put my finger before my beak to show Cebyr to be quiet and made him follow me in my slow pace. My heart was racing. what if he had already been able to crack it? What if he would try to boil it? Not my baby! For three years I had kept a close eye on it! I had to make sure I would be close once it hatched. I will NOT lose a child to a filthy thief!

As soon as I was close enough, I whispered to Cebyr to stay put, turned around and on my light feet made a jump over the bushes to the beast. “Give me back my child!” I yelled angrily. At my words, the kobold jumped up in a fright and took a sprint again.

“It’s not a kid, it’s a meal!” He replied, his voice screeching and out of breath.

The thing dared to provoke me! I made a motion for Cebyr to follow me again, and we quickly continued our chase. After a few minutes I managed to catch up to the kobold. The sun had started to break through the clouds and my nostrils were filled with the sweet green scents of the cool morning air from the edge of the forest the kobold was heading for.

He probably hoped to lose me there but I caught up to him just in time. I managed to grab him by his tail and pulled him back to me with a firm tug. He lost his grasp on the egg as he fell on top of me, dropping it on the ground. In my anger I slapped him in the face as my baby rolled along the ground, gaining speed as it started to slope down towards the riverbanks of the Takk’n river. The egg rolled its way down a hill, bouncing and jumping on every patch of grass it came across.

I pushed him off of me to get back to my feet, then noticed my little Cebyr running past us. He grabbed the egg carefully and turned to move to me. “Mom, I got it!” he said as he happily came hopping to me, a big smile on his face and his eyes set on his little brother or sister. His childish manner wouldn’t do us very good however, as he had his eyes nearly closed in glee.