Lost and Found

It wasn’t the fact that the egg had been abandoned that made Orions blood run cold upon noticing it. It was where. Multiple emotions hit him all at once and hard until his legs gave out beneath him and he fell to the ground.

Surprise was the first. He had been expecting to find the pesky pen that he had dropped on his way to his usual stargazing sight. The night was supposed to be one of the clearest nights all week and he wasn’t going to miss the opportunity to work on his star chart this time, especially with magic classes taking up most of his time these past two weeks. It was hard to imagine himself finding any other time to be able to come out. He trusted that Mell would help keep his head on straight and keep him from taking on too much during his time at school, though he was still nervous. However his mind wasn’t ready to find the green speckled brown egg lying on top of the soil beside his pen, almost as if it had been left there deliberately for him to find, although he knew that couldn’t be true. The shell was covered in a layer of dirt and spotted with dried water droplets from when it had rained earlier in the day. This egg had been here for a very long time, and that was indefinitely worse.

Next was Anger. How dare someone leave their egg out on the elements when the Nook was in walking distance from here. His first instinct was to search the immediate area to see if the parent was still close by so he could give them a piece of his mind. Perhaps explain that they clearly weren't fit for parenting if they thought dropping the poor thing off with whoever was closest was a perfectly fine way to get rid of their little “problem”.

Next was sadness. Complete and utter sadness. This poor baby, a child who hasn’t even hatched yet, was left behind by a parent that didn’t want it. They disliked the egg so much they didn’t even bother taking it to a place where it could find someone who would love it in their place, surrounded by others who cared about its well being as much as their own. Orions heart ached for the baby; It had been a long time since he had thought of his parents, which he tried to avoid as much as possible as most of his thoughts weren’t ever happy, and the feelings brought on by this tore him up. This child may grow up like he did. Feeling hated and unwanted until someone came along and proved it otherwise. Until it could find gro's like Mell and Noki who helped keep him sane.

Then fear. This feeling ripped through Orion and before he could stop himself, he tore off his cloak and threw it around the egg, pulling it close to his chest. It was still warm, proof that it hadn’t been left here long, but cold enough that any more exposure to the elements would prove fatal. Orion couldn’t stop himself, and tears slid down his face as he hugged the little speckled egg tighter towards himself.

“It's okay little one, you’re safe now..” He whispered. Would the baby survive? Did he get here too late? He didn’t have much experience with eggs, after all he rarely stayed at the nook long enough to help Alma with them, and when he did come home he passed out the minute his head hit his pillow. He was at an age where he should have been moved out already, but Alma had long been very generous to him and made no attempt to kick him out.

“Mell!” Orion called, wiping his fur dry of tears as Mell bounded through the brush, concern scrunching up his features.

“Orion? Did you break your pen by accident? Whats wro- oh” He started, quieting when he saw the bundle in Orion's arms. “Did you..?”

“I found it here. How could someone leave it..? I don't understand... I don't...” He mumbled, halting his words when he found that talking made it harder to untie the knot that had tangled in his throat.

“Orion..” Mell sighed, sadness lacing his words, a mixture for the egg and his best friend curled around it. “These things.. They happen you know..? They- Oh no..”

Orion looked up at Mell and scrunched up his face confused. The surprise in his friend's voice had startled him so badly he had flinched, but Mell wasn’t looking at him. Orion followed his gaze into the brush beside them and his eyes widened.

There, hidden under leaves and brush sat another egg.