Weeks ago, Owen and his team had placed something new within the raptor enclosure—an egg, smooth and pale, nestled carefully in a patch of hay and soil. The pack had been cautious at first. Blue circled it slowly, head tilted, pupils narrowing as she tested its scent. Delta and Echo chittered curiously, while Charlie gave a low, uncertain growl. None of them knew what to make of it—until Blue made her choice.

The beta-turned-matriarch lowered herself beside it, pressing her snout against the shell as if to listen. Whatever she heard—or felt—was enough. From that day on, she claimed it. She gathered branches, leaves, and tufts of straw, building a nest around it with careful precision. At night, she curled protectively around the egg, her scales gleaming faintly under the enclosure lights. When one of the others got too close or too rough, Blue would snap her jaws or issue a sharp bark, her golden eyes flashing. Even Delta learned to back off, lowering her head in a sign of respect.

Days turned into weeks. Rain pattered against the viewing glass, the air thick with the smell of damp earth and mulch. The pack carried on as usual—hunting, training, feeding—but Blue never strayed far. The egg was hers, and by extension, theirs.

Then, early one morning, something changed. A faint tremor ran through the nest. Blue froze mid-step, her head darting down as she heard the faintest crack. She gave a low rumble—a summons. Within moments, Delta, Charlie, and Echo appeared, chittering excitedly, their tails flicking back and forth.

The shell trembled again. A soft, rhythmic tapping came from within. Blue lowered her snout close, crooning lowly, an instinctive call of reassurance. The pack fell silent, breath misting in the cool morning air. Bit by bit, the shell began to break apart under tiny, determined claws.

Then, with one last push, a piece of shell fell away—revealing a small, glistening snout. A chirp followed, high and uncertain. The newborn blinked up at the towering figures surrounding it, its scales still slick, its limbs trembling with the effort of its first breaths.

Blue let out a soft trill, eyes gentle, and nudged the hatchling closer with the side of her snout. Delta and Echo leaned in, sniffing curiously, while Charlie gave a delighted chatter.

And just like that, the pack had grown by one.

The newborn—you—were here.