Kael knelt and wrapped the massive egg in a thick, wool-lined blanket from his satchel. Its warmth still radiated through the cloth—gentle and steady, like a sleeping heartbeat.
When he lifted it into his arms, the egg shifted faintly, just enough to make them both pause.
Lily rested her hand on the shell, smiling softly. "Let's bring him home."
As they emerged from the cave, Whispering Vale Forest offered them a refreshing forest mist and streams of golden light seeping through the canopies like descent ribbons. Dew clung to leaves. Birds chirped lightly above.
It should have felt peaceful.
But Kael stopped.
Lily sensed it too. The stillness.
"The forest is too quiet," she murmured.
Kael's grip tightened around the egg. "Something's watching."
Then, from the underbrush—snarls. Three beasts burst into view: sleek, low-bodied predators with matted fur and glimmering red eyes.
Kael moved, shielding Lily, but before he could draw his blade—
A silent pulse swept from the egg.
Invisible. Instant.
The monsters collapsed mid-lunge, not a mark on them.
[Three Hostile Entities Eliminated]
[+5% Hatching Progress]
[Current Hatching Progress: 48%]
Kael stared. "It protected us…"
Lily looked down at the egg in his arms. "Without even waking."
They pressed on.
The deeper they went, the more monsters they encountered—curious, hungry, territorial. All fell without touching them. Sometimes, the creatures sensed the aura and turned tail before stepping close. Others weren't so lucky.
[One Hostile Eliminated | +2% Hatching Progress | Current: 50%]
[Two Hostiles Eliminated | +3% Hatching Progress | Current: 53%]
[One Hostile Eliminated | +2% Hatching Progress | Current: 55%]
[Current Hatching Progress: 55%]
Kael didn't have to raise his blade once.
"This egg… it has a will," he murmured. "And it knows us."
"It's not normal," Lily replied softly, "but it's not evil either."
By late afternoon, Wisps of foxfire lights floated lazily above winding paths.
Foxy children played in the field, chasing butterflies. A few elders sat in front of their porches, weaving or humming lullabies.
A small gate marked the entrance, more decorative than defensive.
An elderly Foxy stood there, staff in hand. His ears winced at the noise of approaching footsteps. His fur was silver, but his eyes still sharp.
"Princess Lily," he greeted with a gentle bow, voice warm with familiarity.
"Gatekeeper Rhun," Lily replied with a smile.
Kael stayed a step behind, the egg carefully in his arms.
Rhun's gaze flicked to the bundle. "A new herb pouch?" he asked with a raised brow.
Lily nodded without pause. "Something rare from the cavern. We're hoping it helps Riku."
The gatekeeper's smile softened. "Always searching for cures. That's the Lily I remember."
Without further questioning, he stepped aside. "Welcome home."
They entered the village.
Foxy villagers turned and waved. Many smiled and hurried to greet them—offering handpicked flowers, asking about the latest foraging trip, offering bowls of fruit or sweet root candy for the road.
"It's good to see you, Princess!"
"Kael, bring me some of your tea blends next time, hmm?"
The people were gentle, their curiosity warm and never prying. Some tilted their heads at the bundle in Kael's arms but said nothing more than "Oh, how precious!" or "A new herbal find?"
Still, a few whispered.
"I heard she's still caring for her cursed boy…"
"Such kindness. That's our Lily."
"She could have left the village, but she stayed."
The words weren't cruel. Just quiet, thoughtful—like a breeze in summer grass.
Lily walked with pride, holding Kael's hand as he carried the egg. Her gaze swept the rooftops, the garden pathways, the lanterns that shone with a familiar light.
"I missed this," she breathed."
"So did I," Kael replied.
They reached a small cottage near the hill's top, half-covered in flowering vines. The door creaked open as they stepped inside.
It smelled of dried herbs, firewood, and soft cotton sheets.
In the main room, lying on a sunlit bed, was a small Foxy boy.
Riku.
His fur was pale, his frame thin. A faint shimmer of magical markings glowed faintly on his arms—the curse that drained his strength.
Lily rushed to him and knelt at his side. "Riku," she breathed.
His golden eyes fluttered open, dull at first, then clearer as they landed on her face. A slow smile curved his lips.
Kael joined them and carefully placed the egg on a round, cushion-lined nest beside the bed.
Riku looked at it.
Then smiled wider.
He reached out with thin fingers, gently touching the shell.
The egg pulsed beneath his hand.
[New Presence Detected: Riku – Beastkin Child]
[Emotional Resonance: Gentle Joy Detected]
[Heart Echo Progress: 21%]
[+3% Hatching Progress | Current: 58%]
Inside the shell, Ren felt it.
The touch. The joy. The belonging.
Something bloomed within him. Not just light—but a memory of family, of soft beds and laughter under shared blankets. He remembered Haru's small hand reaching for him in the dark.
And now, this boy—a stranger, but not.
Another little brother?
Maybe.
[+2% Hatching Progress | Current: 60%]
Later that night, after Riku had fallen asleep with a smile still on his face, Lily and Kael sat beside the hearth.
Kael placed his hand on the egg, thoughtful. "We can't tell anyone," he said quietly.
Lily nodded. "I know."
"They think it's a rare herb. Let it stay that way."
"The Queen would want to use it. The scholars would take it apart before it even hatches."
"We'll protect it," Lily said. "Like we protect Riku."
Kael smiled and leaned his head against hers. "Our strange little family."
In the other room, beside the boy who had smiled for the first time in days, the egg pulsed once more.
Steady. Warm.
Growing.
Not just in power—but in heart.