“Keep the hatchlings occupied,” Jasper grunted. Argent nodded and led the hatchlings away to the cave that served as their day room; the place they spent their time awake. They still slept in the nest with Jasper and Argent at night, but when they were old enough, they would have their own cave to sleep in. Right now, Jasper didn’t want an audience. For the second time, she was going through something she never should have. She was laying eggs.
Jasper moaned loudly as the first egg was laid. Unlike the first clutch, she had time to catch her breath before the next egg began to traverse through the birth canal. To her displeasure, however, these eggs were even more painful to lay than the first clutch. After the first two were laid, she determined that it was because they were even larger than Aurum’s enormous golden egg. It seemed Argent produced massive offspring.
The only thing that was keeping Jasper from fully despairing was that Argent promised not to impregnate her for some time after she laid his own clutch. Surely those damnable maternal instincts that kept her chained to her offspring would wear off before Argent decided he wanted more brats. She was an incredible mother, even if she hated every second of it, and took phenomenal care of her dragonets. It would be the same for these eggs. She couldn’t help it.
Finally, Jasper finished. She took a step back. Six eggs lay in the nest. Three were the same soft pink as her scales, while three were the silver of Argent. She curled up around the eggs. After a few minutes had passed, Argent returned with the hatchlings. He beamed at the sight of his mate and his six eggs.
“Darlings, go congratulate your mother,” he said to the hatchlings. Jasper tensed as all sixteen hatchlings swarmed her, climbing all over her and chirping excitedly. She grumbled softly, but couldn’t bring herself to snap like she wanted.
“Argent, I am weary from these very large eggs,” she said instead. She could turn her irritation towards her mate, after all. “Do not set the hatchlings on me when I have gone through something so taxing.”
“My apologies, my jewel,” Argent rumbled. “Children, leave your mother alone. You can spend time with her once she has rested.” The hatchlings obediently curled up in the nest and fell asleep. Argent curled up next to Jasper and nuzzled her. Jasper’s body went against his desires and began to flame with yearning for Argent.
“Argent, how are we to tend to so many hatchlings at once?” Jasper asked. “I need to incubate the eggs, but I am also to take care of the hatchlings while you are away hunting.” Argent licked her cheek. Jasper felt another annoying surge of desire for her mate.
“Not to worry, my lovely jewel. I have already made arrangements.”