"Bluefire, I believe I am pregnant," Spark announced when her mate returned with food.
Bluefire studied the dragoness still curled up in the nest around the egg with a napping Ember cradled in her forepaws. Her body was indeed rounder, indicating that it was preparing to lay soon.
"Very good, my love," he said, nuzzling her tenderly. She purred in response, caressing the egg with her tail and snuggling Ember closer. Naturally, her affection for her mate also triggered her nurturing instincts for her young.
Meanwhile, Bluefire knew that the bar had been raised in this relationship. He acknowledged that Spark's initial motivation for entering this relationship had solely been love for her offspring. If he failed to truly capture Spark's heart, whether as a dragon or a dragoness, his mate might very well leave him after the dragonlings had flown.
Thankfully, her expected clutch would buy him some time, as well as an opportunity to show her he could also be a good mother. Then, if he could produce his own clutch, it would extend things even more.
As Bluefire was considering these things, Spark had her own thoughts. She had readily agreed to take turns with Bluefire in mothering the hatchlings, but that was before she had become a mother herself. Now, she felt worried.
According to their arrangement, Bluefire would be nesting her eggs rather than she. Her current instincts struggled with that idea. Really, as delightful as Bluefire had been, she was not sure if she wanted to hand over her eggs to another dragoness even if that dragoness was her own mate.