Chapter 92: An Egg.
"I think it moved," Luka blinked.
The blue egg sat in animal skin clothing made into a circle to hold it. The beast husbands sat around it, leaning close while they stared at it, observing it closely like an experiment.
"I also saw it," Little Black sat close to them, his eyes carefully fixed on the interesting sight. Zukka, Atan, and the mice beastman stood around. They were all staring at the view they were witnessing for the first time.
"Is that even an egg, though...?" Karl tilted his head. The eggs he knew were his type of egg—white or brownish, firm and hard, breakable. He hadn’t encountered this type which was blue, soft, and bouncy. "Are you sure that belongs to you?" He added.
"It’s a mer man egg, I think," Eris contributed.
"And yes, it belongs to me. This is what it looks like," Azure said, almost proud of what sat before his eyes. It belonged to him—a life he had made. It was his first time gaining such knowledge, so one could say that he was the most excited amongst them all.
Luka nodded. "Ah... A mer man egg looks like this... I see." He sighed. "Do you think it’s edible, though?"
"....."
Shock filled the atmosphere as everyone turned and glared at him like he had spoken an abomination. Luka noticed as he turned around to meet their eyes. "What?"
"Why would you say that?" Eris demanded.
"Why would you want to eat a kid?" Little Black blinked.
"....."
Luka blinked. "Ah! I wasn’t asking to eat it! Don’t misunderstand me! I’m just saying because most eggs are edible and all... Like Karl’s type of eggs..."
"....!"
Everyone glared at him again. Shock filled their faces.
"Ah! I don’t mean I would eat Karl’s future children, though!" Luka panicked, explaining. "I was just asking!"
Eris shook his head. "I don’t think you should talk now. Okay?"
They continued staring at the egg.
The egg moved, its side shifting as though someone had pushed it from inside. They all blinked.
"Oh! It moved again," Luka insisted.
"I saw it too," Little Black nodded. "I think something is inside."
"Of course something has to be inside. It’s a baby," Eris said, almost rolling his eyes from stating the obvious.
Little Black also rolled his eyes. "Whatever."
The egg moved again, its sides pushing like someone was moving around inside. They all stared, quiet and intrigued.
"Do you think the little one inside wants to get out?" Luka asked.
"Probably," Zukka nodded.
"Do you think we should let it out?" Luka asked.
Everyone paused, turned, and stared at him.
"And why would you want to do that?" Eris demanded. "That’s equivalent to killing it."
Little Black blinked. "Why would you want to kill the kid?"
"...!"
"Ah!" Luka panicked again. "I don’t mean to kill it! That’s not it! Don’t misunderstand me!"
Eris shook his head. "Really, I think you should stop talking..."
Luka covered his mouth and nodded.
They continued staring as the egg kept moving and making sounds.
"How do you think it looks inside?" Zukka asked.
"Probably like its father," Eris guessed. They all turned and stared at Azure and then at the egg. "Probably has blue eyes and hair... and a tail... I guess?"
They all shrugged.
The egg moved backwards. They all stiffened.
"It can move?" Little Black blinked.
It moved backwards again as they stood to their feet.
"Why is it moving?" Luka asked. "Is this normal?"
They stared at Azure, but he looked as confused as they all were. This was also his first time taking care of a little one.
"I don’t..." Before Azure could finish his sentence, the egg rolled backwards.
They panicked, getting to their feet. They were about to rush to the egg when the egg suddenly came to an abrupt pause.
They too paused, standing behind the egg and staring carefully at it.
"It stopped..." Luka said.
"What do you think it’s thinking about? Planning to run again?" Eris asked.
"It’s a baby..." Karl scoffed, rolling his eyes. "Babies don’t run..."
Before he could finish his sentence, the egg took off, rolling out of the cave.
There was silence as they stared at the opening through which it had disappeared. They blinked, trying to digest what had just happened.
Eris turned to Karl. "And what were you saying again...?"
Little Black snapped, "Get that egg!"
Azure was the first to take off, running out through the exit as the others followed closely behind. Only Karl and Zayn stood behind. Both folding their arms and staring at each other as the other rushed out after the egg.
They came out to see the egg rolling around like a ball moving on its own. They stood at the spot, watching the egg move left and then right.
Their eyes moved with the egg—left, right, straight forward, backward—and then it moved right into the mice beast hut.
"Get it!" Luka called as they all rushed towards it. They went into the hut, but the egg bounced out, ran around in circles, and then moved into the other hut. The beastmen all came out and rushed into the other hut.
A crash came from the hut as the egg bounced out again and continued running. The beast husbands had crashed upon themselves trying to catch the egg, and now they all crawled out of the hut.
Little Black stepped on their heads and ran off with Zukka behind him, all trying to catch the egg that was chaotically running around with a mind of its own.
---
Zuna came out to get more warm water. She stood there for a while, watching the chaotic chase scene unfold before her eyes—the egg running in all directions with grown men chasing after it to no avail.
She was beyond confused but picked up the bowl of warm water and went back in to attend to Sunnie.
"And what is happening out there?" Elza asked. The women had heard some noise coming from outside and were confused about what the men were up to.
"The egg is running, and they’re chasing it," Zuna explained, even confused by her own reply.
"....."
The women stared at her and then stared at each other, confused.
"Huh?" Elza had no words. Her brain wasn’t painting any pictures.