Chapter Text
The dim, dingy lighting of a few hanging green lanterns barely provided enough illumination to the healers as they attended the birthing. The trio of wyvern-like beings, known better by their species name of qualits, acted in turn to ensure a safe delivery, even if the conditions of the underground room were less than ideal. Between them lay the expectant mother on her back, eyes squeezed closed as a strong contraction hit.
“Breathe, Miss Igna.” One of the healers, a softer spoken female, advised her with a gentle clawed forepaw on the patient’s folded forewing. “You’re doing just fine.”
One of the other two healers scoffed, her sharp yellow eyes with slitted pupils regarding the less experienced member of the trio with annoyance. “You talk too much. Our orders were to assist the birth, not comfort this washed up reject.”
Another contraction seized Igna, her wings flaring out from where they’d been folded against her forelegs and nearly hitting two of the attendants as she sharply inhaled. Maintaining her breathing was paramount, but instinct drove her to defend herself and her unborn from perceived potential threats.
“Easy, easy, you’re doing just fine.” The final member of the group of assisting healer qualits assured Igna, checking from her position at the foot of the makeshift bed to confirm that the egg was becoming visible. “A few more pushes like that and the egg should come free.”
Igna nodded, warily opening her eyes to show her serpentine pupils slitting and dilating in rhythm with her uneven breathing. It wasn’t her first pregnancy, but this one was the most watched by their governing leaders for reasons that hadn’t been disclosed to her.
With her tail hanging limply off the end of the bed, she hissed as another contraction forced her to push again. She barely had time to recover before the next rolled over her in an even stronger spasm as her body worked to expel the egg it had carried for several months.
“Oh.” The healer at her feet sounded conflicted as the egg’s color became visible against Igna’s bluish-gray scales.
Though there was no formal rule against black eggs existing, due to the varied coloration possibilities that all young could be born with, it was commonly seen as unlucky for the newly arriving offspring to have a dark eggshell.
“It’s cursed,” muttered the one on Igna’s left. “Probably a Hellspawn.”
“…Could it be from what’s been talked of in hushed tones among the elite?” The healer on Igna’s right suggested. “Our superiors seemed to know something they weren’t willing to reveal.”
As the trio talked among themselves, Igna continued to be seized by contractions and clawed at the makeshift bedsheets with her taloned hind legs as she kicked, struggling to lay the egg.
“Easy Miss Igna. Relax.”
She snarled, pupils slitting out of frustration and weary exhaustion. From being a healer herself, she knew that the egg needed to be laid and yet also knew that the other attending healers could only do so much to assist. What perplexed her was the amount of secrecy surrounding any sort of information bestowed to her lately, especially since she was the one carrying the subject of their government’s interest.
“…Miss Igna?”
A gentle paw against her shoulder abruptly pulled her from her musings. She started to verbally lash out but held her tongue as she saw from out of the corner of her eye the solid black egg one of the other healers held.
“I suppose you three will take it away?” She muttered, observing how perfectly pristine the dark eggshell was.
“Naturally. The Council wanted to hold it for observation,” The head healer responded, beginning to busy herself with cleaning up. “You know you’ve now lost all rights to the experiment…”
Igna stopped listening the minute her child, the one she just laid as an egg, was referred to as an experiment. Her irises slit as a raspy growl rumbled up her throat and, before she consciously realized her actions, she was being restrained by the other two healers as the lead attendant backed away in horror. Somehow she’d lashed out, tearing into the qualit’s cheek and causing a thin trail to spill down of the inky black blood of their species.
“I am still the mother! You won’t take it from me!”
The two holding her back exchanged a glance, staying silent out of apprehension. After assessing the severity of the wound, the healer who was struck addressed Igna directly.
“I have my orders from the head of The Council, Miss Igna. The experiment is to be delivered to a secure location for study. However– should you desire to accompany the spawn –there will be a price.”
“Then I’ll pay whatever the price is!” She snapped back, struggling weakly against the two keeping her from doing more damage than simply a mere scratch.
“So you forfeit your identity as a healer and choose to become an observer for the one who will come from the egg, yes?”
Igna hesitated, briefly weighing her options before making her decision with a head nod. “…I accept.”
The lead healer glanced at her assistants who busied themselves trying to persuade Igna to return to the makeshift bed to rest. She briefly laid the egg down to retrieve a loose sack that had been brought in when they’d initially escorted Igna inside. After placing the egg within the soft, padded interior, she turned to check on the others.
“She’s out,” one of the two informed her.
“Without aid?” She questioned, skeptical but still motioning for them to lift the unconscious qualit in preparation for leaving.
“Naturally. The transport should be done roughly about the same time she wakes.”
After confirming nothing would remain that could link back to anyone being in the unused room, the trio set off to deliver the egg and its willing caretaker to those who would take over the operation.