You wander through the dense, mist-laden forest, your boots sinking slightly into the damp earth. The air hums with an unfamiliar energy, something ancient and untamed. You don’t remember how you got here—one moment, you were walking along a familiar path, and the next, you had stepped into another world. A world where knights ride into battle, and dragons rule the skies.

Pushing through the underbrush, you stumble upon something unusual—a massive egg, nestled between the roots of a gnarled tree. Its surface is a deep, shimmering green, crisscrossed with golden veins that seem to pulse faintly. Warmth radiates from it, as if something inside is alive and waiting.

You hesitate. You’re alone in this world, just as you were in your own. Disowned, cast aside—this egg, whatever it is, could be your only companion. Without much thought, you gather it into your arms, surprised by its weight, and whisper, “Guess it’s just you and me now.”

Days pass. You carry the egg with you, protecting it as best you can, even wrapping it in your cloak at night. Then, one evening, as you sit by a dwindling fire, the egg trembles. Cracks spiderweb across its surface, glowing faintly in the dim light. Your breath catches.

With a sharp snap, the shell splits, and a small, sleek head pushes through. Glowing amber eyes blink up at you, framed by tiny, curling horns. The baby dragon lets out a soft chirp before shaking himself free from the remnants of its shell. He stretches his wings—still damp and fragile—before clumsily crawling onto your lap.

he tilts his head, studies you, and then, to your utter disbelief, speaks.

“You smell funny,” he says in a tiny, scratchy voice, then nestles into your arms, as if he has already decided you are home.

You exhale a laugh, uncertain and awed.

Maybe, just maybe, you’ve found something worth holding onto.