Lost Kind

The Hatchling

A/n: not my art, different eyes.

Krystal's POV

Krystal felt something move next to her. She stirs slightly, opening her eyes. It takes her a moment to remember what had happened the day before. Fighting against the Deathsong, getting rescued by the gang, escaping from Cavendish, and flying back. Only....they hadn't made it back to the Edge yet. The Edge was still half-a-day's flight away. Hiccup had allowed the gang to rest on a forested island, the gang easily concealed in the brush. And that was when Krystal had noticed Fishlegs' secret cargo.

"Why did you bring it?!" She had exclaimed while Fishlegs clutched the egg close.

"I couldn't just leave it on the Edge alone! What if a dragon scavenged through our base, finding it, and took it?" Fishlegs had countered. Krystal had sighed loudly, then nodded.

"You're right. But you still shouldn't have taken it into battle!" Krystal had almost shouted.

"Krystal, it's okay. And Fishlegs' is the one other person I'd actually trust to keep the egg safe." Hiccup had said. Snotlout had taken the comment offensively, but then nodded in agreement. Krystal chuckles as she recalls his face.

"Morning." Krystal looks up into green eyes. She suddenly remembers that she had fallen asleep next to Hiccup, and she had apparently wrapped around him in her sleep. Krystal sits up with a blush, sending Hiccup into a laugh. Hiccup sits up and pecks Krystal on the cheek. "You like to cuddle, don't you?"

"Maybe..." Krystal mumbles. Hiccup wraps his arms around her, laying his head on her shoulder, and they sit there in the quietness of the morning. Shadow wakes up and nuzzles Krystal, purring.

"Hey, buddy." Krystal smiles, petting the Scaleshifter. Fishlegs had brought some medical supplies and bandaged most of Shadow's wounds. The dragon was covered in bandages, but seemed happier than ever.

"Krystal?" Krystal turns at her name. Hiccup was looking down at the bag next to her, which concealed the egg. Small cracking sounds were coming from it.

"Oh my gosh!" Krystal flips open the bag and gently takes out the egg. Sure enough, the egg was hatching.

"Guys, wake up!" Hiccup shouts.

"I'm up!" Snotlout shouts as he jolts awake. Hookfang whacks the boy over the head for shouting in his ear.

"Hiccup, what is it?" Astrid asks.

"The egg."

"Ooo, it's hatching!" Fishlegs squeals. The gang groups around Krystal as the dragonet pushes its way through the eggshell. Two little eyes look up at Krystal and the dragonet chirps. Its eyes were beautiful, a mixture of white, blue, purple, and green. The dragonet pulls itself fully out of its egg. It was about the size of a small dog, which was average for a baby dragon. Its scales were multiple colors at once.

"So cute!" Ruffnut exclaims. The dragonet climbs out of Krystal's arms and stumbles over to Shadow. Shadow leans forward and sniffs at the dragonet, which chirps at him. Shadow purrs and lays his head on the ground, allowing the dragonet to climb over him.

"Krystal, that's...that's a female." Fishlegs says.

"How would you know, Fish-face?" Snotlout questions.

"The frill on the dragonet's back. There isn't one. Male Scaleshifters are known to have them, but females don't." Krystal looks at the dragonet and sees that Fishlegs is correct.

"Well, we've got to pick a name." Astrid says as Krystal picks up the dragonet again.

"I vote on T.J." Tuffnut says.

"And what exactly does T.J. stand for?" Hiccup asks.

"Tuffnut Junior." Tuffnut smiles.

"You do know it's a girl, right?" Astrid asks.

"Fine, R.J, which is Ruffnut Junior, but it's not nearly as good as T.J." Tuffnut says, earning a punch from his sister.

"We're not naming her T.J. or R.J." Krystal interrupts before the twins start fighting.

"Then what are we going to name her?" Fishlegs asks. Krystal thinks for a moment.

"Opal. Her name is Opal." Krystal replies. The dragonet purrs in contentment. Hiccup smiles.

"That's a perfect name." Krystal smiles down at the dragonet.

"Welcome to the world, Opal."