The Beginning of a Journey

     Tenet had been wandering Azorna for some time, with no ‘point B’ in mind. Under normal circumstances he’d be braving the wilderness, but drastic times calls for drastic measures: the Ull Canyons were especially treacherous, water even more sparse than Tenet’s homeland in the Veldt. So, he stopped by a nearby town for supplies- he hated to admit it, but without the help of someone more knowledgeable of the area than himself, he’d likely die of thirst.

     He was met with a quite unfamiliar sight upon entering the town; there were large eggs unlike what he had ever seen before, nestled into little ‘nests’ that appeared to have been scraped up by the inhabitants in a hurry. A nearby kirunhound, whose thin fur bore a bright orange akin to the flames of an open fire, bounded over to Tenet as he walked into the cluttered clearing.

     “Ah, thank goodness! We were hoping more would come,” the stranger said, thrusting their own paw into one of Tenet’s much larger ones. “It is truly miracle timing, you’ve got, sir- everyone’s so worried, thought we would have many extras,” they rambled on as they dragged Tenet with them. The two stopped by a wheelbarrow filled with crude leather satchels, and Tenet was unable to get a word in until one of the large satchels was gently thrust into his arm.

     “Just what is this all about?!” Tenet finally barked, lowering his head to make eye contact with the stubby kirunhound that had defaced his personal space in mere seconds.

     “Ah, don’t you know? Some strange flying creatures came in, and- oh, look in the satchel, it explains everything,” the kirunhound replied dismissively, pointing to the satchel Tenet held. Tenet narrowed his eyes at the stranger, then flipped open the satchel’s top. At the bottom of the satchel was straw and fabric bedding, and atop it rested a large egg, much like the ones strewn about the plaza. Tenet looked down at the kirunhound in front of him with a pointed glare.

     “How does this explain anything?! Why are you handing out eggs?” Tenet pressed, moving his horn frightfully close to the other kirunhound’s face.

     “There’s no need to get violent, sir! Fine, I’ll explain. Some strange creatures who call themselves the Balikin came by a few days ago, and brought all these eggs with them. They’ve enlisted our aid in raising them- and that’s where wanderers like you come in!” they explained, taking a few steps back from Tenet’s horn.

     “And how exactly do you tell who is and isn’t trustworthy with a task such as raising a child?” Tenet growled, his tail flicking side to side as he glared down the stranger.

     “Well, sir, we just hope that travelers have the kindness in their hearts- see, we don’t have enough hands or paws or hooves available to take in all of the eggs ourselves- but we can’t just say no to the Balikin! If it troubles you so much, we may take the hatchling back, but the egg must be hatched before it’s given away!” the kirunhound explained, pausing for a moment so brief Tenet could not even inhale to interject, “The egg is already bonded to you, it won’t hatch if separated. That’s what the Balikin told us, at least- it shouldn’t be that hard, anyway, there’s a handy little list in the satchel I gave you; give it a read and do your best, sir.”

     Tenet stared at the talkative hound for a moment more, before releasing a long sigh. “Fine. I’ll babysit your weird egg, but don’t expect me to keep it after hatching,” Tenet snapped, closing the satchel and carefully slinging it over his neck and shoulder. “Egg or not, I’m getting what I came here for before doing anything for the little beast. Does anyone here have water?” Tenet asked the kirunhound gruffly.

     The firey kirunhound nodded. “Yes, of course! In fact, there’s some free water and rations over there for anyone kind enough to take in an egg,” they said, pointing to a nearby collection of tents. “I’ve heard hatching these things is a long journey, so you’ll want the help- not that an explorer such as yourself is new to adventure, I’d bet!”

     Tenet sighed at the hound’s talkativity and turned around to the tents without so much as a thanks. He came here for water, and was handed an egg… what terrible timing.

. . .

     A few days had passed since Tenet acquired the egg, each spent on the long walk back to his homeland. He had read the instructions before leaving town, and the first step said to take the egg to one’s ‘favorite place’ of their home. Each step seemed egregious- how can an unborn child be shaped so much by the surroundings outside its eggshell? Not only did he have to return home with the little thing and take it to his ‘favorite place’, but he also had to take it to local sounds, set it somewhere to ‘move’ (eggs can’t move… can they?), make it a proper nest, and finally connect it with the elements, all before it could be given a gem and hatched. Such a hefty task, and it was forced upon him! At least the satchel would likely hold until then, despite its poor craftsmanship… it’s much better for carrying water jugs than a rope around the waist.

     His problems with the compulsory quest aside, he couldn’t dump it now. To leave a child to die before it was even born was against even Tenet’s morals- he was stuck with the thing, and finally at his first destination: his family’s arena. Currently, it was empty; none of his siblings that hadn’t yet proven their worth were of age. This meant the area served as a quiet place of respite, for the time being.

     Tenet walked into the arena, stopping in the center of the clearing. Rough dirt clung to his paws as he gazed around the cracked stone walls that towered over him, casting a long shadow over everything in the clearing’s path. Silence covered the arena while it was not in use, making the surroundings much more eerie when compared to the howls and growls that filled the air when Tenet was last here. Finding one of the few grass tufts that sprung from the cracks in the floor, Tenet carefully removed the egg from its satchel and placed it on the ground, padded by dirt and short grass.

     It was then when Tenet realized he hadn’t the slightest clue of how long he was supposed to let the egg sit. Five minutes? A couple hours? Overnight? How long does it take an egg to sense its surroundings, and what is it even sensing anyway? The rough stone ground padded only by a thin layer of dirt and sand, the blanketing shadow of the walls surrounding them, the faltering heat in the air as the sun dipped into pinks and oranges beyond the horizon? Tenet sat down beside the egg as he mulled over these thoughts, staring pointedly at the developing creature that hid within its opaque white shell. It is unlikely anyone would bother him, even if he camped here overnight for the egg, due to the lack of use the arena would see for some time. So, Tenet figured he might as well, just in case the egg needed extended time in the selected area.

     Tenet laid down beside the stagnant egg as the sun’s light withered away. No predator nearby would have the guts to attack a kirunhound of Tenet’s size, and the walls of the arena dissuaded most scavengers. The arena’s silence has benefits- if anything made a sound, Tenet would be the first to hear.

Caring for the Eggs Step One prompt starring Tenet.

Egg. Should be in Comic Sans on PC, if I did this correctly and the html works. I am sorry in advance.

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[The Beginning of a Journey by Sarracenia (Literature)](https://www.arcanezoo.com/gallery/view/82)